The Yanti (27 page)

“Before it tried to take over,” Ali said.

“It did not state its ultimate purpose at first. Even Father was fooled, and he does not fool easily.”

“What alerted him?”

“Their lack of warmth. Here was an obviously superior race, very ancient, yet they emanated nothing but facts and figures. He grew suspicious.”

“And did what?”

“I don’t know. Perhaps Doren does.”

Ali pressed her palms together, thinking deeply. “If the Entity has infiltrated the Internet, then it has its hands on everything. We have to figure out a way to destroy it.”

Geea took a step away from them, put her palm on the glass case that held the fifth and final fairy. The smallest one, who cast the brightest light. “No,” she replied. “That is not our task.”

Ali appeared shocked. “But we have to stop it!”

Geea turned and faced Ali. “Father and Nira will tackle the Entity. It is beyond our powers. Our job is to stop the Shaktra—in this world, and on Earth.”

“But the Entity is behind it all!” Ali complained.

“True. But what is also true is an army approaches Tutor from the east and will invade Earth in the next twenty-four hours. I took birth in the yellow world—as
you
—so that I might have a weapon to meet such a threat to the Earth. I’ve waited here—for
you
to awaken me—so I could meet the threat to my world.”

“Why was I allowed to awaken you?” Ali asked. “I hoped, since you were able to rescue me from the burning car, over a year ago, that you would be able to rise. Yet the last words I heard Doren speak to the Entity were, ‘It’s not allowed for us to be awake at the same time.’ ”

Geea spoke. “I was not even sure if it was feasible. But I spoke to Nira before I went to sleep here, and took birth as you, and she felt that because the Entity had violated the laws of evolution of our worlds, then a power above Nira would allow us to balance out the violation. Nira journeyed to a place beyond Anglar—I cannot say where—and prayed that such a gift be granted. And it apparently was.”

“So Nira was behind the plan from the start?” Ali asked.

“Yes. You mustn’t underestimate that child.”

“Did Nira enter the white world?” Ali asked.

“I cannot say,” Geea said.

“And here I thought my kiss was the real miracle,” Ra muttered.

They laughed together. Then Geea grew serious again, spoke to Ali. “We each have our tasks to complete. It’s important we accept our individual roles. The threat of the Entity itself—we have to leave that to Nira and Father.”

Ra was surprised to see Ali pout. “Why?” she asked.

Geea gestured to the final fairy’s glass case. “See the light she bathes in? How divine it is? Does it not remind you of something?”

Ali hesitated. “The violet door.”

Geea nodded. “That’s where she is from. That’s where Father is from. They have entered this world and yours to complete a job we’re not equipped to handle. You knew from the instant you met Nira that she was more powerful than you. Admit it.”

Ali nodded. “Yet she’s marked, under the control of the Shaktra.”

“She’s only marked because Sheri Smith got to her so young,” Geea said.

“I don’t understand. Why did Sheri give birth to Nira?”

Geea nodded. “There are two possibilities. She wanted to have her, mark her young, then control her immense power. Or else she simply disobeyed the powers above her and had a daughter because she wanted one.”

“Out of love? I doubt that,” Ali said.

“I wouldn’t dismiss the idea out of hand. Doren may not be completely under their control. Remember, I know her well. How she must balk at the restrictions they place on her! And clearly she wanted the Yanti to gain some control over whoever is dictating her orders. But I respect your remark about her lack of love. I wouldn’t count on her good nature to save you. Remember her cruelty. Remember your mother and Steve.”

Ali lowered her head. “How can I forget?”

Geea stepped near. “Father gave you a riddle before you fled the Entity’s chamber. It dealt with the Shaktra’s markings. Repeat it please.”

Ali hesitated. “ ‘The races that make up the Entity are ancient, but not creative. They won’t understand what I am about
to tell you. Listen closely to my riddle. The original species that started the expansion of the Entity across the galaxy had six fingers—three on each hand. But they did not have lockers like you do at school. When they locked things, they had a tendency to do it backward from the way we do. Take a number, say six-zero-two, and go play with it.’ ” Ali paused. “Know what it means?”

Geea frowned. “Let us consider. The original species that started the Entity had six fingers . . .” She let the words trail off.

Finally Ra felt as if he might be of some help. “Human beings have ten fingers. For that reason, our counting system is based on ten. A species with six fingers would probably be based on a system of six.”

Geea nodded. “Logical.”

“You mean six represents ten in their system?” Ali asked him.

“Not exactly,” Ra replied. “In our system, when we count to ten, then we start to count over—in a sense. Eleven corresponds to one. Of course, it is not the same as one. Do you understand?”

Ali nodded. Geea spoke. “The boy is smart as well as cute.”

Ra blushed. “So in their system, when they get to six, they would start to count over. Seven would be our eleven, but it would still only be seven. They’re using what mathematicians would call base-six.”

“Why didn’t Father just say that?” Ali asked.

“He didn’t want them to understand what was being said,” Geea said.

Ali spoke. “Father made a reference to our school lockers. We use three numbers to open them. They’re dialed in a sequence: clockwise, counterclockwise, clockwise.”

Ra nodded. “It’s an interesting coincidence that he gave you three numbers.”

“Yes!” Ali said, excited. “He said use the code backward! So all we have to do is take six-zero-two and put it in backward, or else turn the dial . . .”

Ra held up his hand. “Sorry, Ali, you’re forgetting what is backward to
them
. We still have to deal with the fact that they use a base-six system. To them, the opposite of six is zero.”

Ali blinked. “Really?”

“I thought you were supposed to be good at math,” Geea said.

“Obviously Kutus are superior,” Ali said, with a bow in Ra’s direction. “Please continue Mr. Know-It-All.”

Ra had to laugh. “The opposite of zero would therefore be six. And the opposite of two would be four. Because two and four add up to six.”

“So the answer to the riddle is zero-six-four?” Ali asked.

Ra hesitated. “There might be another step. Your father made a subtle reference to turning a locker dial. Perhaps to remove the mark, the order of numbers must be used
opposite
the way you open your locker at school.”

Ali was doubtful. “How do we dial numbers into a person’s head?”

Yet Geea jumped on the solution. “Ra is right. Just take your thumb and dial them into Nira’s forehead.”

“I don’t understand,” Ali said.

“Do it with intent and focus, you’ll see,” Geea explained. “I know this type of spell. Demons often use numeric codes to implant spells.”

“So those that make up the Entity are demons?” Ali asked.

Geea nodded. “And those of the violet ray are gods.”

“And I thought it was pretty cool finding out I was an elf,” Ra muttered.

Geea’s eyes shone with pride. “You would be special to me if you were a troll.”

Ra smiled. “I don’t know if that was a compliment or an insult.”

“It was both,” Ali assured him. “It’s going to be great to have Nira free. Will she be able to talk right away?”

Geea was amused. “You’ll see for yourself soon enough.”

“And Amma?” Ali asked. “I want to be there when . . .”

Geea interrupted sharply. “I’ll take care of Amma.”

Ali was stunned. “You mean, I don’t get to see her before I go back?”

“No. You’re to leave here in a few minutes.”

“But . . .” Ali began.

“There’s no time,” Geea repeated.

“But Ali needs to be healed before she returns home,” Ra said firmly. “Can you do that now?”

“Yes. Ali, lie down in the case where I rested.”

Ali hesitated, then did as she was told. “Do you need the Yanti?”

“When you or Nira hold it, I hold it.” Geea put her hands over Ali’s head and heart. “Now close your eyes and relax. It won’t take long.”

Ra had watched Ali heal before, but never got over the miraculous nature of the power. He felt the heat and magnetism in the room, flowing from Geea’s hands, and he saw, much to his relief, the scars receding from her arms and torso and face. Even her hair began to grow, at a lightning speed, and Ra clapped with pleasure.

Yet Ali suddenly sat up and said, “Stop.”

Geea was surprised. “Half your face is still badly scarred. And your right arm, the fingers of your right hand, I’m not sure . . .”

“I have full use of my fingers, enough to fight. I don’t want you to heal me any more.”

Ra’s joy turned to anguish. “But you can be beautiful again!” he pleaded.

“Earth is obsessed with physical beauty. It is part of the power game endlessly played out in the media. It reminds me of the Entity and its self-centered ways. How can I possibly lead there if I don’t make a point that appearance is irrelevant? Now I can see with both eyes, I can use my hands—that is all that matters. I’ll carry my scars proudly, and when I confront Doren next—which I will—then she’ll never again be able to tell me that I know nothing. At the same time, I’ll be able to tell her what I was offered, and what I turned down, for her sake.”

Geea knelt close to her side, impressed. “Do you do it for her sake?”

Ali nodded. “I do. And for Tulas and Jira. A queen does not need to be beautiful. She need only be kind.”

Geea turned and smiled at Ra, spoke to him, “Make no mistake, she is her own person. And she teaches me more than I can ever teach her.”

Ra nodded, grateful for the healing, but saddened as well.

He understood then that Ali was ready to sacrifice anything.

To succeed at her mission, she would forfeit even her own life.

A
li returned to Earth in a new and exciting way. Queen Geea showed her how to tighten her magnetic field to such a degree that it was vacuum sealed. This allowed her to fly so high above the green world—literally at the edge of space, with plenty of air still in her lungs—that she was not bothered by dragons.

When she came down at the entrance to Tutor’s cave, there were no dragons in the area. But in the distance was Lord Vak and his army. Ali had to fight the urge to fly over and speak with him. Geea had said she would take care of him, of all matters that pertained to the green world.

The order to leave, the order of where she was to work—these things took Ali back a step. For so long now
she
had been the one giving orders. Now she had to listen to Geea, who in turn, it seemed, would listen to Nira and Nemi. Yet Nira was a child . . .

Before she entered the cave, on her way to the seven doors, Ali took stock of Lestre and Elnar. Naturally, since the former was no longer feeding Tiena, it rushed with greater force into Elnar. Her previous prediction proved true. The sandy area
around Mt. Tutor was now under a foot of water—not enough to stop Lord Vak, but enough to slow his army down. Ali wondered how the scabs beneath the sand were liking the river water. Hopefully, lots of them were being flushed out to sea.

Ali returned to Earth via the yellow door and was back in the skies of America come late afternoon. She made a brief stop at her house to get some normal clothes, then flew to the hotel. Landing in the back parking lot where the others were staying was easy. But everyone’s shock—when they saw her scarred face and right arm—was not. Cindy and her father burst into tears. What happened, they cried.

How to respond? She was pressed for time, and it was hard to explain burns that looked as if they had healed over a six-month period, but which were still very real. Ali tried to pass off the scars as temporary, but then Cindy demanded she heal herself that instant.

“I know you can,” Cindy ordered.

Ali shook her head. “No. I can’t heal myself.”

“Why not?” her father asked.

“Because Sheri wouldn’t let me heal her,” Ali answered.

That created another uproar of confusion, but in the midst of all the noise, Hector raised his voice. He seemed to understand her meaning.

“You’re trying to teach Lucy something,” he said.

Ali noticed how with Hector it was always, “Lucy.”

Ali nodded. “She has to understand that I understand her.”

“That’s pure foolishness,” her father insisted. “You heal everyone else in sight, now heal yourself.”

“No,” Ali said, and stroked his cheek, knowing he was frightened. For the first time, in the hotel mirror, she was getting a
long
look at herself, and it was all she could do not to try to bury her scars beneath her hair. Boy, was she ugly!

Yet she was not the body. That was the point.

She was an angel, from the blue world. She was here to serve.