The Channel (The Gifted Book 2) (7 page)

Bella considered her answer carefully.

Rhea had a feeling she knew Bella's thoughts. She probably sensed Rhea was hiding something.

Bella nodded after a long pause. "For one thing, it's a long hard trip to get there and back. And, I hear their
beliefs
are different ... maybe not compatible with ours. Because of that, little is known. That's why I asked. I hoped to learn more."

Not compatible? What does that mean?
Rhea still had so many questions, but she'd already pressed her luck. She wasn't going to push further—better to wait and change the subject. "Oh. Sorry I can't help you." She leaned in towards Bella. "Is there someplace I can freshen up?"

At first Bella didn't seem to understand Rhea's question but then smiled. "Through the kitchen door and down the hall to your left."

Rhea wasn't sure what to expect. This world was not unlike the world in which she was raised, just more rustic. Given the mix of architecture and services they'd seen so far, she wasn't sure what she would find.

Their kitchen had running water, a wood-burning stove, and what looked like an antique cooler. Rhea had seen a similar cooler used as a lamp stand in a friend's house as it was an antique her mother thought was interesting.

Bella followed her to the hall. When she pointed to a door, Rhea was relieved—indoor plumbing! It wasn't as sophisticated as the bathrooms at home, but she was thankful that it was inside. There was running water, a tub, and a toilet. An oil lamp hung on the wall, burning low, just like the lamps she'd seen throughout the house. She found it odd that a world alive with energy wouldn't have electricity.

~~~

Daen noticed that Rhea had helped clear the table but hadn't left the kitchen. Then Aurea had come to inform her older brother that her mother wanted them to get ready for bed. He hoped all was okay.

"Papa, please, just this once?"

"You heard your mother. Go get ready."

The disappointed look on Raumsy's face was priceless, and it reminded Daen of his own childhood, when he so wanted to sit with the adults.

Randell sat in the chair slightly behind the pair in front of the fire where Marc and Daen were seated. The chair afforded him a better view of the home.

This was such a new world to him, yet he felt like he knew it. So far, life in Luxatra was made up of snippets from different time from his own world: from medieval sword fighting to early 19th century plumbing. The building architecture varied as well. It was as if, over time, people from this world had visited his world and brought back designs and technology they could use. Whether that was true or not, it seemed a reasonable explanation for the diversity he had seen so far.

After Raumsy left the room, Marc glanced between Daen and Randell. He noticed subtle differences between them, including their clothes, their accents, and their level of comfort in his home. Randell appeared intrigued while Daen was comfortable, but cautious.

Marc looked at Randell. "Where did you say you were from?"

Randell pulled his eyes from the details of the furnishings around him and considered Marc's question.

Before he could answer, Daen jumped in. "We are traveling on guardian business ... you understand." Daen stripped all emotion from his face as he sent Marc his message.

Marc nodded. "Of course."

"On our travels, we noticed Laundan warriors riding freely across Taulomi. Have you heard such news?" Daen asked.

"Maybe. I don't get into town much, but last time I was there, I overheard talk about raiders dressed in black attacking travelers. I didn't hear anything about Laundan warriors, but I supposed they could be the same, seein' as their uniforms are black."

Daen glanced towards the kitchen door. "I wonder what's keeping Rhea."

Marc started to stand to check on his wife when Rhea stepped out of the kitchen and headed for the hall. "Ah, I'm sure she'll be right back. That hall only goes two places, and I doubt she's going outside."

Randell leaned to the side, slightly, and watch Rhea enter a small room and realized what it was. The conversation lulled while Randell and Daen freshened up. Once they were finished, they thanked Marc and Bella for their hospitality.

Marc led his guests out onto the porch. "I'll show you where you can sleep in the barn. I sure wish you'd let us put you up in the house."

"That won't be necessary," Daen reiterated. "We've intruded on your family too much already." What Daen said was true, but he still wasn't sure Rhea had worked out her dream issue. He needed to be at her side, and in the house, Marc probably wouldn't allow them to sleep in the same room.

Marc escorted them to a large empty stall at the back of the barn. The floor of the stall had recently been padded with a thick layer of hay and had plenty of room for the three of them to stretch out.

An oil lamp was secured to one of the structural posts that ran down the middle of the barn. Marc turned up the flame slightly. "When you're settled, please be sure to lower the wick." As he turned to leave, he offered, "We rise early for breakfast. You're welcome to join us."

"Thank you Marc." Rhea smiled and gave him a slight bow.

They waited for the farmer to leave the barn before talking freely.

Rhea dropped her gear in the stall. "You know, if we run into any more people who can see my colors, we're not going to be able to keep my presence here a secret for long."

Randell reclined against the wall of the barn and sighed. "I didn't sense a problem from them or from the guy at the tavern for that matter, not yet at least. But you're right. We need to figure out what's going on before the wrong people find you."

"Did you learn anything from Marc after dinner?" Rhea asked.

Daen was pacing the space between their stall and the one across from them, where a beautiful chestnut mare watched the strangers who had intruded on her quiet space. "We asked him if he knew anything about the Laundan warriors. He said he overheard talk of attacks by riders in black but nothing more."

"Well. I learned something interesting. Daen, what do you know about Terranees."

Daen stopped pacing. His face went from being relaxed to showing concern. "How did you get on the topic of Terranees?"

Rhea shrugged. "Bella asked me where I was from. I danced around the subject, saying something like far from here, and she asked if I meant Terranees. Apparently, she was hoping that was the case. She wanted to learn more about it."

Randell looked confused. "What is Terranees?"

Before Daen could answer, Rhea explained, sharing what Bella had told her. "She mentioned Libritas. I assume that is what this continent is called."

Randell nodded. "Yeah, I know that, but, Daen, why didn't you mention Terranees?"

"Honestly, I don't know much about it. I know it exists. I know it's the home of the Tertusa, the Libraim's elemental counterpart. It's been known to bless the people of Luxatra with a special connection to the earth, fire, water, and wind. But there hasn't been an official reporting of a Tertusa gifted person for a long time. It just doesn't come up very often."

"Ter-what?" Rhea's mouth hung open as she waited for Daen to explain.

Daen shrunk a little, realizing there was a lot he hadn't told her yet. "The Libraim is the entity of energy. The Tertusa is the entity of the elements. They ... balance each other. I've heard mention of it in the past, but I have not met anyone gifted by it."

Rhea closed her mouth and looked at Randell to see if he was learning something new as well.

Randell's eyes were wide with surprise at Daen's reveal. "Dude. How is it you never mentioned this before?"

Daen looked at his good friend and felt a sudden twinge of guilt. "I'm sorry Randell. It just never came up. I was so busy learning your world and then ... our lives just ..."

Randell held up his hand. "It's not a problem my friend." He gave Daen a nod of understanding.

Daen pulled his sword and twirled the hilt in his hand. "Care for a little practice anyone? I'd feel more relaxed if I got in some training."

Rhea stood and pulled her sword. "I'll spar with you. I need the practice."

Randell monitored her form and coached her, just as he'd done when she first started learning a few days ago. He had been sparring with Daen for years and had a lot of experience to share. After about an hour, they called it quits and got ready to hit the hay, literally.

~~~

Light shown through the slits between the boards that formed the barn walls and pierced Rhea's eyelids, waking her to a new day. She rolled over, trying to hide her eyes from the light, wishing for more time.

She heard the sounds of footsteps and opened one eyelid. The places where Daen and Randell had slept were empty. Rhea sat up and rubbed what felt like sand from her eyes. She needed a shower or, at least, a bath.

"I see you're awake." Randell's voice came from the other side of the stall wall.

Rhea looked up. "How long have you been up?"

"Not long. They have breakfast if you want something."

"I need a bath. I feel like I'm covered in hay dust. Is there such a thing as hay dust?"

Randell laughed and offered Rhea a hand up. "I don't know, but I'm sure we can find a way to get you cleaned up."

The rest of the morning was spent getting ready for the day, including a quick bath and breakfast for each of them.

As they stepped out onto the porch to leave, Bella handed them a bag of food for later.

"Oh, Bella, we couldn't. That food is for your family." Rhea gently nudged the bag back toward the woman.

"I won't hear of it. If we are going to trust in Aurea and her
feelings
then you will need this."

They each thanked her for the food, and Daen paid Marc for the space in the barn as promised. Marc tried to decline, but Daen won out. As they left, Marc invited them to stay again if they needed assistance in the future.

~~~

Lanne's dreams were interrupted by the sounds of rustling leaves and footsteps. She tensed, not wanting the person, or persons, to know she was awake. She slowly opened her eyes, just enough to glimpse the feet she could hear near the horses.
Where were Gaibel and Beth?
Her heart started to pound as she tried to clear the fog from mind.

The feet by the horse came into focus.
Gaibel!
Lanne sat up quickly. "You scared me to death!" Lanne rubbed her eyes and took in the changes around the camp. "Why didn't you wake me?"

Gaibel finished checking the tightness of the cinch around her horse's belly. "I was just about to. We leave in fifteen minutes. I'll saddle your horse. You get ready." She picked up Lanne's saddle. "You know you sleep like a log? We've been making all sorts of noise."

Lanne slowly stood, unfolding her achy body to an upright position. Sleeping on the hard cold ground was not something she liked to do, and having done it two nights in a row after riding hard, her body felt like a bundle of bruises.

Gaibel watched Lanne get to her feet. "You look like an old woman."

"Shut it." Lanne groused as she tried not to laugh. "I'm just not used to this way of travel. I prefer inns."

Gaibel pressed her lips together to keep her from laughing. She loved her cousin dearly. Lanne had been the only person Gaibel trusted with her daughter. "You will be in a bed tonight. I promise."

Lanne walked slowly into the cover of some bushes. "Thank goodness," she mumbled as she prepared for the day.

Beth and Gaibel continued to break camp. Just before Beth doused the fire, Gaibel handed her three two-foot sticks with one end wrapped in strips of cloth and soaked in oil.

Beth dipped the torches in the flame and handed one to Lanne and another to Gaibel before dousing the fire and mounting up.

"Will these burn long enough to get through to the other side?" Lanne watched the flame of her torch dance in the morning breeze.

"No. It will take at least two." Beth patted the pack that lay behind her saddle, indicating where the other torches were stored. "Now, come. We don't want to waste the flame out here." She nudged her horse into a trot and led them to the passageway through the mountain.

8
Attack

Daen, Randell, and Rhea set out walking north toward their rendezvous with Lanne and Gaibel, and just like the day before, they saw the occasional traveler heading south and were passed by others traveling north.

The beauty of Luxatra wasn't lost on Rhea or Randell. With the Kinling Mountains stretched to the right and fields of flowers to the left, it was an amazing place. The snow on top of Kinling sparkled as if light were reflecting off a blanket of diamonds, just as Rhea had remembered from the shadows. The fragrance from the flowers was intoxicating. Stronger than any florist shop she'd been in.

Ever since arriving in Luxatra, Rhea's senses had become heightened. She felt connected to the world and life around her in a way she couldn't explain. At times, it felt overwhelming to actually feel the life around her without needing to touch it.

Randell felt more alive than he ever had before. He felt rested, energized. He couldn't help laughing to himself. Here he was, in what should have been a stressful situation, yet he felt calm. With so many unknowns and possible danger lurking around every corner, he should feel on edge, anxious, but he didn't. What a strange thing to feel, he thought, as he wondered if Luxatra was to thank.

"Daen. I don't know how you did it all those years. I think I now understand, a little, of what you suffered."

Daen looked over his shoulder at Randell. "I did miss Luxatra, but what you and your family did ... I wouldn't say I suffered."

Rhea tried to imagine what it would be like to leave this place, something she assumed she would do when whatever needed to be done was done. But after experiencing Luxatra, she didn't know if she could return to her to the world where she grew up. Not permanently at least.

A few hours into their walk, their peace was interrupted once again by the sound of thundering hooves, this time coming from the east. Unlike the day before, there weren't any boulders to provide cover, but it wouldn't have mattered.