Read The Crystals of Tlalli: Awakened Affinities Page 12
kept spreading and the wastes stopped being the wastes?” Energy wrapped itself around her like a blanket pushing everything else away except her own excitement. Rica didn’t notice Melnone standing slightly apart. She walked over to the handprint it was blurred now. Slowly spreading out the glow still present along the edges she watched as the glow slowly died until it went out all together. With the glows end the spread of the healed ground stopped also. Disappointment flooded her from a little distance away. Rica stepped back.
“We need to report this to the magi who are looking into the waste’s.” Zos said. His voice sounded excited as though Rica’s enthusiasm had rubbed off on him too.
“No. I don’t think we should do that!” Zafira and Nottia said in unison.
“Why not?” Rica could not understand why they wouldn’t want to tell everyone. She still felt elated and bursting with energy.
“This is too close to our families ancestral affinity caves. They must not be revealed to the rest of the mage community. It’s our sacred trust to keep them safe.”
“Yet you brought a complete stranger there. And a human at that.” Melnone spoke his voice cutting as though he were angry. The source of the anger was clear now and growing. Something within Rica was reacting to the anger in Mel. She could feel it build inside of her. A dampening energy snaked out of Rica in invisible waves to quell the dark emotion from Mel. Rica swayed. What was happening to her? She could feel the pull of it as the wave slowly moved out.
“Mel?” Nottia gasped at what Melnone had said, her ears flat, and her eyes wide, her pupil’s black circles instead of the normal cat like slits.
“If these caves are so sacred how could a mere human have been able to enter them?” Mel growled.
“I don’t know Melnone. But I do know this. We will keep this between us. It is our families legacy and what happened here we will discuss with our mother and no one else.” Zafira spoke with more than a little force. Melnone looked her in the eyes his stance tense.
“Mel?” Zos said uneasily. “Let it be. Zafira knows more then we do about these things.” Rica could feel the wave that had pushed out from her grow to slowly encompass Melnone.
Melnone swayed as the wave hit him then shrugged and smiled, “Sure. I just think this is too big to keep from the magi.” He turned and walked away to tend to his Yemis. Zos looked after him uneasily. Rica shook her head. Had she imagined the wave? Had something inside of her done that? The others were focused on Mel and didn’t notice Rica’s paleness or her dizziness. Taking a deep breath to clear her head Rica regained her control.
“I’ll talk to him Zaf. He won’t tell anyone. I’ll make sure of it.” Zos followed Mel.
“Did I cause a problem? I didn’t intend too.” Rica had felt a hint of mistrust and more then a hint of anger from Melnone. What had she done to cause those feelings? How had she stopped them?
“No, you didn’t cause this. Melnone has always been like that. Don’t concern yourself about it.” Nottia said not looking at her. Rica felt uneasy.
“Lets go get the animals taken care of and have something to eat. We need to get to camp before the sun sets we don’t have lights on that treb.” Zafira said and walked determinedly toward the treb. She busied herself with feeding the rako’s in the cages and making what looked a lot like a sandwich wrap for everyone. Nottia went and talked with Melnone and Zos as they brushed the two Yemis.
After the meal they headed back on the path. The silence felt heavy all around Rica. Everyone seemed to be wrapped up in his or her own thoughts.
So Rica looked around her with feigned interest at the strange trees growing in the forest they entered, while trying not to look at anyone, soon her interest was genuine. Some trees had large vibrant leaves in pinks and lavenders; they seemed to be paper-thin. The bark of the trees was a dark blue almost black. Other trees looked like giant dark green umbrellas that were closed or partially open.
“Those are beautiful trees over there, the blue ones.” Rica pointed, “I’ve never seen anything like them.” she said having been caught up in the scene around her and forgetting the earlier tension from Melnone. It was better to forgive and forget. Anyway she reasoned she would be gone soon and none of it would matter.
“Those are vallik trees. You should see them in the spring. The flowers are pretty. All in white and pink.” Nottia seemed relieved to be talking to her again as though nothing had happened.
“The wood of those trees is highly sought after; but almost impossible to get. Only a dense sharp blade can even make a dent in them.” Rica was reminded of Ironwood from Earth when Zafira told her that. They talked about the plants along the way and time didn’t feel so oppressive.
The sun was slow in its descent toward the horizon. When they turned onto a more traveled road the forest took on a park like feel and soon Zos turned into a campground. It looked like the camp had been used before; it had firewood and a cleared spot all ready for them to put their tents. It didn’t take long to set up camp. Rica would share a tent with Zafira and Nottia. Zosimo, Zafira’s brother, made a campfire and they told stories around it while they cooked something to eat and relaxed.
Rica had mixed emotions about her situation, she was anxious to find a way home, but fascinated by the world she was on. Rica had come to a decision that this was not a dream or coma hallucination. This was real. That’s what scarred her the most; she was on another world. The initial panic she had felt when she had first realized it was true and not some delusion had lessened but was there in the background of her consciousness waiting to jump back to the fore and paralyze her with the enormity of it all. She had to get control of this emotion or it would rule her. Adrenaline was fine if you needed to run but it was not something a person could or should maintain at fever pitch for long. Rica didn’t think it would be helpful to finding a way home to be constantly freaking out over every new set back. So she took a deep breath vowing in her heart to work on finding a way to get home but not loose her mind doing it. She needed to be strong. She told herself “You need to stand up bravely and face what ever this world throws at you and don’t freak out about it.” Rica shook her head. This was a interesting world, and the people who had befriended her were fascinating. She had to keep it together, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t have a little fun while looking for a way back. Might as well enjoy what you can, while you can. The thought of home was an ache in her heart but she knew she would find a way to get back or a reason why she couldn’t.
It would take awhile to get used to her new friends appearance. These people had a strong feline appearance with lynx like ears and cat like eyes and they had retractable claws instead of fingernails. Every time she looked at them she was startled by their otherness.
They were fun companions though. Zosimo and Melnone fed and watered the Yemis and then went to practice their marital arts as the sun set. The two men were pretty good with the staffs they had brought along and practiced as the day started to end. The sun shown through the branches of the trees making the shadows long and dappled with light, it was pretty in the area they were in. The crack of the staffs hitting as they two men practiced echoed back to them from the hills. The suns light gave the two a picture like quality that was mesmerizing to watch as they sparred. They seemed to be well matched. Melnone was tall and well muscled where Zosimo was thin and fast. Melnone had a tawny mane of hair that fell to his shoulders and he had his shirt off revealing the light brown and gold stripes along his back and chest the stripes faded a little as they continued down his arms and up to his face. The men worked up a sweat and soon Melnone’s blocks and strikes began to slow and his breathing became shallow. It wasn’t long before Zosimo had Melnone on his back in the dirt with his staff at his throat. Melnone lay on the ground panting. Zosimo grinned and held his hand out to help him up.
“Good match Mel.” Zos said as he pulled Mel off the ground.
“Yes. It was a good work out. I’m so out of practice it’s shamef
ul.”
“Come to the studio with me next week we will work on your form.” Zos offered.
“I wish I could Zos. But I have to finish up my tests at the Academy and start my new position with Dad’s Company. Which reminds me I have to write that report Dad asked for or he will never trust me to assess the route again.”
“Alright Mel. I thought you finished that at the affinity camp.”
“No, I finished my Applications Tests to the red affinity instructor in Jamara. I had to redo some of my lessons before he would sign off on my Certification. He couldn’t read my writing apparently.” Mel sighed. He picked up his shirt and slipped it over his head then walked over to the treb with his practice gear to stow it. He hadn’t said much of anything to Rica since they were introduced. He mostly listened to every one and barely spoke. Zafira had mentioned in passing that he was a watcher not a speaker. He always seemed so distant and focused on his own thoughts. Mel went into the tent he and Zos shared coming back out with a tablet in his hand. He walked over to a large rock near the fire and sat down, his attention on the tablet. Rica watched Zos pick up his staffs and start toward the treb.