Chapter Ten
When Kira woke again, darkness had engulfed the clearing. The flicker of the fire cast shadows that resembled movement in the trees, playing tricks on her eyes. Toran lay near Lydia, licking his paws, but there was no sign of Octavion. Kira clumsily pulled herself up to sit. The big cat lifted his head and let out a long, deep growl. She had no idea how much time had passed, but as she started to move, she realized that some of her strength had returned. She still felt sore, but strong enough to stand if she used the lean-to for support.
Toran also stood, lazily blinking his eyes as if he’d just woken from a long nap and hadn’t a care in the world. Kira smiled, remembering Octavion’s words in the cave—that the cat was gentle—then realized a feeling of peace had come over her. The closer he got, the more she felt it. Maybe Octavion was right.
“Come here, boy,” she called, patting her thigh with her hand.
As he came closer, she buried her hands in his thick fur and rubbed him behind both ears. “Take me to Lydia,” she urged. “Can you do that, buddy?”
He turned toward Lydia as if he understood, so she lay one hand on his back for balance and made her way the few feet to Lydia’s shelter.
“Good boy.” She gave him another rub.
Toran returned to his grooming.
Kira lowered herself to the ground, pulled down a small section of Lydia’s blanket and took her hand. She brushed a strand of blonde hair away from her friend’s face. “Lydia?”
Nothing.
Kira thought back to the day this all began and tried to remember everything she’d been told. As she recalled the events, an idea came to her. If she heard Lydia’s thoughts, maybe Lydia could hear hers as well. She closed her eyes and tried to clear her head.
Lydia. You need to wake up.
Again, nothing.
Well, that was pretty stupid, she thought to herself. Not wanting to give up—but feeling extremely foolish—she tried again. She took both Lydia’s hands this time, closed her eyes, and tried to imagine herself actually being Lydia, as she’d done when she found her in the forest.
Lydia! If you don’t wake up right now, I’m gonna pour the whole jar of that horrible concoction down your throat. Now wake up!
Kira expected her to wake slowly, like she had. Instead, Lydia came up yelling and screaming—fighting mad.
“Octavion! How dare you give me that vile poison,” Lydia screamed. She grabbed at her blankets and swung her arms in the air. It was all Kira could do to keep her from hurting herself—and Kira. She took Lydia by the shoulders and held on, trying to get her to calm down. “Lydia, stop!” she pleaded.
“Release her!” Octavion yelled. He dropped the firewood he’d been carrying and stepped closer, glaring at Kira like she’d really been trying to hurt Lydia.
Kira let go of Lydia’s shoulders and leaned away to avoid being hit in the face by her friend’s flailing arms. Octavion wasn’t so lucky. When he knelt beside her, she took a swing and punched him right in the jaw. Making contact with something solid must have brought her to her senses, because she froze with her fists clenched in front of her, ready for a fight.
The shock that registered on Octavion’s face, tickled Kira’s funny bone. She covered her mouth, trying to control her reaction, but it was no use. She burst out in laughter, only managing to get out three words. “Good shot, Lydia!”
Octavion put his hand to his face and massaged his jaw. When Lydia giggled and dropped her hands to her lap, he threw his arms up and stood. “You take care of her.” Then he walked back to where the wood had landed and started picking it up.
“I was trying to,” Kira snapped back at him—sarcasm and attitude behind her words.
Lydia licked her lips and wrinkled her nose. “Ugh, that stuff is nasty.”
“It smells bad, too,” Kira said.
Lydia pointed to the corner of the shelter where a bag, like the one Octavion had offered her earlier, hung. Kira gave Lydia the water and watched as she drank, spilling it much like she had. Kira echoed Octavion’s instructions to take it slow, but when she tried to take the bag away, Lydia raised her hand, blocking her.
“You’re gonna get me in trouble,” Kira said.
Lydia jerked the bag away from her mouth, choking back her laughter. “I really don’t think you need my help getting into trouble. Besides, he’s just worried about me. He gets that way whenever I’m hurt. It scares him.”
“Good,” Kira said. “He should be scared. You almost died. Did you know that?”
Lydia grew silent. The sudden burst of energy she’d exhibited when she woke had caught up with her, and she tried to lie back. Kira took one of the skins, bundled it into a ball, and placed it behind Lydia’s head to prop her up.
“I’m sorry, Lydia, but what you did was stupid. We both could have been killed.”
“Do not blame her. It was not her fault.” Octavion walked up beside them.
“How would you know? You weren’t even there. And that’s another thing.” Kira turned back to Lydia. “If you could just grab onto that ruby necklace of yours, why—”
“Kira.” Octavion cut her off. “Let her rest.” He stepped to Lydia’s side and lowered himself to the ground.
“It’s okay,” Lydia said. “She’s right. I should have called you. I was foolish to let my kindred spirit take over. It just happened so fast, there wasn’t time to do anything else.”
“Your kindred spirit?” Kira asked. “Would someone please explain that to me? The change in your eyes and face when you got angry, and then . . . who’s Altaria?”
Lydia lowered her eyes. “I have a gift . . . or a curse, depending on how you look at it.” She glanced at Octavion.
He nodded, as if agreeing to her silent request for help. “Kira, this will not sit well with you,” Octavion said. “Our ways are not like anything else you know.”
“I already know about the Crystor, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out she can rub that little ruby and you come running. I’m not stupid, ya know. I’m sure there’s tons of stuff you haven’t told me. I want to know what happened.” Now that the urgency of the situation had passed, her curiosity had taken over. Plus, she didn’t want any more secrets between them. That part bothered her the most. She didn’t like being lied to.
Lydia smiled, searching Octavion’s eyes again. “How do I explain this?”
He seemed reluctant at first, but after a long moment of silence, he began. “My sister has two spirits. One appears as you know her—as Lydia. She is very strong spiritually, but her physical strength is limited. The other—Altaria—appears as you saw her in the cave. She’s a fierce warrior and Lydia allowed her to control their body during the battle so your lives could be saved.”
“Two spirits?” Kira asked. “You mean, like a split personality?”
“No,” he said. “She has two separate spirits, both with different strengths, talents and physical traits.”
“But how is that possible?” Kira asked. “And where is your other spirit now—Altaria?” She caught herself searching the clearing, half expecting Lydia’s kindred spirit to magically appear. Just thinking about the way she’d taken on the scouts made the skin on Kira’s arms tingle.
“She is here,” Lydia said, placing her hand over her heart. “But only one of us can be in control of our body at a time.”
Kira looked at her injured hand and the place on her wrist where the Crystor had burned her skin. If what they said was true, anything was possible. “Go on. I want to hear more.”
“You sure?” Lydia asked.
Kira nodded. “Where are you from? When you change, or whatever—you both have an accent and your speech is so proper. And then there’s all this magic, and potions, and a huge tiger that should be wild, and this stupid bracelet that burns—which really hurt, by the way—not to mention the fact that I have somehow gone from being a normal human to some witch with powers to bring back the dead. Does any of this seem strange to you guys?”
Kira took in a deep breath, letting it out with a sigh. She knew she was rambling, but all the questions she’d held back bounced around in her head and she had to get them out.
Lydia spoke first. “You’re not a witch.” Then she touched her finger to Kira’s palm. “And I’m really sorry about this.”
Kira pulled her hand back. “It’s just . . . I don’t understand why you didn’t tell me before. I would have kept your secrets.”
“I know,” Lydia said. “Octavion didn’t think it was safe.”
“So, is that why you wouldn’t let me come to your house? Not because your dad wouldn’t allow it, but because you live here?”
“Sort of. I have a small place in town, but I live there alone—except sometimes in the winter when it’s too cold for Octavion to stay on the mountain. Our father didn’t come with us.”
“Where is he?” Kira asked. “The truth this time.”
“He’s in our homeland. We are from a place called Ophira—another world, actually. Our home there is called Xantara, where our father is king.”
“Another world?” Kira had expected them to give her the name of some tiny foreign country in the middle of nowhere, or maybe a hidden civilization that time forgot. She’d even considered the possibility of some sci-fi time traveling scenario, but the phrase “another world” left her with visions of aliens and space ships landing in wheat fields. As much as she wanted to know everything about them, she suddenly felt anxiety prick at her nerve-endings like a million little spiders scurrying up her arms. What she wanted was to go home.
Octavion drew his dagger and mapped Earth’s solar system in the dirt. He pointed out the sun and each planet that orbited around it. The whole thing was only the size of a cantaloupe, but seemed in proportion from what Kira remembered. Astronomy was not her best subject.
Kira pointed to the tiny circle that represented Earth. “So if we’re here, where is Ophira?”
Octavion picked up a small pebble, rolled it around in his hand for a second, then chucked it across the clearing. It ricocheted off one of the trees and landed somewhere in the bushes. “Over there.”
Kira’s eyes widened. “That far? But how did you get here? How did you know to come to Earth, and . . .” Kira’s mind was so full of questions, she wasn’t sure which one to ask first. “Where’s your spaceship?”
Lydia laughed. “The little green men took it home with them.”
“Very funny.” Kira curled her legs up to sit cross-legged, then leaned forward to listen intently. “I’m serious. I want to know how you got here.”
Octavion slid his knife into its sheath and settled back on his heels. “Remember I told you I am an alchemist?”
“Yeah.”
“Part of what I do involves the study of the universe. In our world, we have rare gems and stones that possess what you would call ‘magical powers’. But to us, it is as normal as electricity or communicating with cell phones is to you. Your world seemed magical to us when we first came here.”
He hesitated for a moment, as if considering his words carefully. “I inherited part of my mother’s gift as a visionary. I cannot tell the future, but I can see things others are not able to see. There is a blue crystal that we call Soleryne and when I concentrate on it, I can see other planets with my mind. There are other mind travelers on Ophira, but their gifts are not as strong as mine. They do not venture as far as I have—at least not that I am aware of.”
“You mean others from your planet have been here?” Kira asked.
“I do not believe so. Such things are not discussed between kingdoms, but a journey to such a spectacular world as Earth would have filtered through the kingdoms somehow. Someone would have boasted of their journey. I do know we are the first from Xantara.”
“So with this stone, you can see people walking around on Earth? Is that how you knew you could live here?” Kira was surprised at how accepting she was at the knowledge of other worlds. She’d never given it much thought, but now found it fascinating.
Octavion smiled. “Not exactly. I can only observe from a distance.” He glanced at Lydia, then back to Kira again. “I came here once when I was younger. I had been studying your planet for quite some time and found it very similar to ours—lush soil and plant life, raging rivers and a moon that draws the tide. I couldn’t stand not knowing what it was like.”
“And he got in trouble,” Lydia said. “Father forbad him to travel like that again. It was too dangerous.”
“Only because Shandira followed me and could not keep her mouth shut.”
“She was your older sister. She was supposed to keep an eye on you that day, remember?”
Octavion waved a hand to dismiss the subject and turned his attention back to Kira. “Back to your question. Yes, your atmosphere has sustained our lives quite nicely. At first, it was difficult to get used to some of your vegetation and living creatures. We do not have as many insects on our planet. Nor do we have snakes.”
Lydia wiggled into a full body quiver. “That’s the worst. I hate those things. And the spiders. Ugh!”
“So . . . that explains how you found Earth, but not how you got here. All joking aside, is there some kind of spaceship you traveled on or something?” Kira hated to ask. Even as the words crossed her lips, she knew they sounded ridiculous.
This time Lydia spoke. “We have a journey stone. It opens a doorway to our world and we just jump through to the other side.”
Octavion’s brow furrowed as he brushed his fingers through his hair. He was clearly uneasy with Lydia’s explanation. “Perhaps Kira has heard enough for one day. It is a lot to take in.”
“But wait—you never told me why you’re here.”
Octavion hesitated before answering. “There were some in our kingdom who wanted to take Lydia’s life. I am her guardian and took an oath to protect her, even if that means my death.” He turned to Lydia and grimaced. “She has not made it an easy task.”
“But if your father was the king, couldn’t he just call for guards or soldiers to protect her?”
Lydia’s mood seemed to change suddenly. She adjusted her blankets and squirmed under the covers. “That would’ve worked if it wasn’t Shandira who tried to kill me. Her gifts are stronger than mine and she’s sneaky and impossible to predict. Our father thought if he sent us away—hid us in a foreign land—we’d be safe.” Lydia raised her eyes to meet Kira’s. “I was only fifteen when we left.”
Kira’s heart ached for her. “You were so young. That must have been hard on your mother.”
She watched as Lydia’s eyes filled with tears. “My mother died trying to save my life.”
Kira didn’t know what to say. She’d lost her father when she was four, too young to remember him, and she and her absentee mother’s relationship was hit and miss. “I’m so sorry, Lydia.”
“Enough questions. She needs to rest.” Octavion reached for the water bag and helped his sister sit to take another drink. When she lay back, he tenderly brushed a tear from her cheek.
“I am glad you are well,” he said.
She flashed her uneven smile. “Well, don’t think you’re off the hook for pouring that poison down my throat.” Then her expression turned more serious. She glanced at Kira, then back to him. “Thank you for not listening to me. I just didn’t want—” The words caught in her throat. She clearly held back more tears. “After Serena . . . I just couldn’t do that to you—to us.”
“Shh, be still. It is over now.” He pulled the covers up around her shoulders.
Kira felt as though she eavesdropped. Using the lean-to for support, she clumsily stood and turned to walk away. With tired and trembling limbs, she grabbed the corner of the shelter for balance and paused there with her back to them.
“I will protect her. You have my word,” he whispered.
A knot formed in Kira’s throat. What kinds of things would she need protecting from? She let go and worked her way back to Octavion’s shelter. When s
he stumbled, Octavion was there, guiding her back. He helped her down and covered her much like he had Lydia. When Kira opened her mouth to thank him, he placed a finger to her lips.
“Shh . . . I reacted badly. I am sorry.” His expression, weary with regret, met hers. Still searching her face, he drew back his hand. “You have another question. I can see it in your eyes.”
Actually, she had a lot of questions, but one in particular wouldn’t let go. She nodded, then looked over at Lydia, who was getting another drink. “Why was Altaria so bitter?”
“As we told you, Lydia’s spirit is very strong, but physically she can only take so much. As Altaria, she can endure more and has the ability to alter her form slightly, as you saw in her face. I thought perhaps she could change the wound and fuse it back together enough to stop the bleeding, but each time Lydia tried to force Altaria to be in control, the wound deteriorated more quickly, the opposite of what I’d hoped. It was very painful to have her kindred spirit take over when she was wounded so badly. It did not help that Altaria fought the transformation.”
“That’s why she screamed?”
“Yes. In a way, her spirits were fighting. Lydia is usually strong enough to make her kindred spirit take over, but in her weakened state, Altaria had a choice and refused. It is not often they have a conflict, but when they do, it does not end well.” He paused for a moment. “I’ve never seen her in so much pain.”
“So, does everyone in your world have a . . . a kindred spirit?” she asked.
“No, it is rare. We have heard stories and rumors of such gifts from ancient history, but as far as we know, Lydia is the only one in many, many generations. Now, I have a question for you.”
“Okay, I guess that’s fair.”
“Are you hungry?” He smiled.
“Starving.”
Octavion brought Kira and Lydia an assortment of fruit, bread and small chunks of cheese. At some point, Lydia gave into sleep. Kira was about to do the same when Octavion brought her a small cup. Rolling to one elbow, she pressed the rim to her lips and drained the liquid, a sweet fruit juice that was unfamiliar to her.
He nodded his approval. “Sleep well, Kira.”