Read The Crystals of Tlalli: Awakened Affinities Page 19

the call but the Guardians were not much help. When the two officers came to the door, Rica could feel their caution and alert tension. It was like a bright wall of light around them changing color with their thoughts. After Zafira explained her concern they told her they would check into it and took down her number. Barely contained alarm radiated from the two guardians. But their faces didn’t show their concern. They were putting on a mask of calm. Rica could “read” them as though they were lines in a book. The pink crystal on her necklace pulsed and felt warm against her skin.

  Nottia was dressed in a long dress and looked like she was planning to go out for the evening to somewhere special.

  “You look like you have somewhere nice to go to.” Zafira said.

  “I have a sham quetal with Rory.”

  Zafira’s eyes opened wide.” Ohh. It’s getting serious then! He is a nice shamick. We shouldn’t keep you then. See you later Nottia.” Zafira picked up her bag and headed to the door.

  “Nice to see you again Nottia.” Rica followed Zafira out the door. Sham quetal?

  When they were in the treb Rica pulled the rune out of her pocket but didn’t put it on. Sometimes just holding it was enough to get an understanding with out the pain.

  “Sham quetal? And Sham- what was that other one again? What do those words mean?”

  Zafira’s skin darkened! Was she blushing? Whoa.

  “Well it is like- um.” Rica had never heard Zafira stammer or be anything other that in control of her self. “When two decide to make a life with each other. But it’s not official yet. They go together to places to eat or dance.”

  “A date. That’s it, a date.” Why was she embarrassed about that?

  “Da-t?” Zafira tried to say the word. This was a reversal. Usually it was Rica who stammered over the cat people’s words.

  “You know when you go out with a guy to the movies or dancing. Like you said.”

  “No that is quetass, or queton, or even quetat. But sham quetal is with a shamick.”

  Oh that explains it. Right. Something’s just were not explainable.

  “What is a shamick?”

  Zafira sighed.” Someone your parents approve of, and you approve of, for living your life together and having young with.” She blushed again. Apparently the topic of having babies was taboo on this world or maybe with these people.

  “So a shamick is a good person everyone likes that you are going to spend your life with. Like get married?”

  “Mare-reed?” This could take all night. “Shamick is chosen by both sets of parents. If this comes to sham quetal all are happy for it. It means they will be together always.”

  “Oh ok.” Arranged marriages that everyone agrees on, why didn’t she just say that!

  Zafira looked tired. Rica looked at her watch. It read 2:00. Rica tapped it then held it up to her ear to hear the tick. Nothing. Dang it. The battery was dead.

  Rica and Zafira decided to just head back to Shani instead of go to the dance club as they had planed. When they got back to the house it was quiet and dark so they tiptoed upstairs and went to bed.

  The next morning was rushed. Zafira had overslept for a change and her mother had woken her. They hurried out the door and barely made it by nine to open the front doors of the shop. Rica went back to unpacking and stocking the shelves while Zafira took care of customers and helped clean and put stuff away when she could. The day went fast, in the afternoon two Guardians stopped by to ask Zafira questions about the couple and she spent half an hour talking to them. They looked puzzled about the whole thing and said they had gone to the couple’s home and the neighbors but no one was there. Again the contained mask of alarm pulsed around the two officers. Rica wondered if she should say anything about what she felt from them. But decided not to mention it to Zafira. Maybe the Guardians had a reason to hide their alarm. They were scaling up their investigation and wanted Zafira to call them if she heard anything. She promised she would.

  When Zafira was locking up the shop to leave Zos called and they flowed over to the studio he practiced at. The place was like a big glass enclosed gym with mats on the floor and mirrors on the walls. The instructor came over and introduced herself as Petcher Tomineck. Rica liked her instantly, she felt friendliness and open cheerfulness from her. She was medium height but had striking markings. Not like Zafira or Zos whose markings were subtle Petcher’s were bold. She was colored with vibrant orange strips and white around her nose and chin. Rica couldn’t help but stare. She looked like an orange tabby cat without any hair except on her head. Rica had trouble not laughing until she demonstrated her skill at the staff and martial arts in general. She was truly an impressive marital artist! Rica tried out some moves while Zos took a shower in the back and got changed. Rica signed up for a class that was held once a week. She wasn’t sure she could fit it all in as busy as she was now. When they left Rica couldn’t help but notice how Zos flirted with his instructor and she seemed to like it! There was defiantly something there. Pink and green swirled around them and the feeling a romantic interest radiated from them. Zos defiantly liked her. Shamick? Was that the word?

  When they were driving Zos over to where he had left his treb Rica noticed groups of men on the street. They were just standing around, not talking to anyone. When she looked directly at them they turned away. Their faces were different, not like the cat peoples. She looked at them again but it was too dark to see. Maybe it had only been a trick of shadow that had made them seem odd.

  “What’s up with those guys?” Rica asked pointing at a group of the men on one corner.

  “Trouble makers probably, I didn’t get a good look at them.” Was all Zos said.

  “There are a few groups of kids and adults who don’t follow the law. They hang out down in this area. It’s why we came to drive Zos to his treb. It’s not safe in this area.” Zafira explained.

  Rica looked around at the buildings they were mostly run down looking with some shuttered windows. Not a nice area at all.

 

  11 – Clues

  Morning had crept upon the world. Faint light peeked over the horizon and day dwellers started to stir. The air held the promise of winter. Rica had woken a few minutes ago. She had lain in the bed and tried to go back to sleep but there was no use; her body was awake, her mind thinking about everything but sleep. She stood in her room by the closet and slipped out of her pajamas. She shivered in the chill and pulled the warm sweater and soft pants on. The sweater was woven from the most incredibly soft blue yarn she had ever felt. It was thin but warm. She smoothed the soft fabric and smiled. Chaura had picked it out and the pants when they had taken her to Jamara for cloths. Rica felt a twinge of homesickness at the thought of Zafira’s mother. The rich blue softness of the sweater reminded her of the summer she had dove into the pond at Kirkwood near her home smooth and sensual, the smell of honeysuckle thick in the air. Rica stood looking out the bedroom window, not seeing the view but imagining her home. She shook her head to break the spell. The cloyingly sweet smell of the honeysuckle seemed to linger in the air of the room. Was she imagining the scent? It just wouldn’t do to descend into homesickness.

  Today Zafira was taking her to The Academy of the Arts, in Jamara. Rica had seen it from a distance so many times she was excited about the prospect of exploring it first hand. She slipped into her shoes and looked at herself in the mirror. The cut of the cloths was flattering on her slight figure. She picked up the necklace of crystals and put it on feeling the surge of something wrap around her like a comforting blanket. The Rune necklace lay on the stand. Rica picked it up slowly. Would she always have to wear this? Lately she had been getting headaches that wouldn’t go away until she took the Rune off. She put it in her pocket and went downstairs to meet Zafira. They grabbed a piece of fruit and left.

  There were no smoke stacks pumping pollution into the air and there was no exhaust from the trebs. The Kahshian’s were a clean people. They cared about their homes
and environment. The streets were clean, no litter anywhere, they looked freshly washed, pristine. The beauty of the architecture impressed Rica, which was unlike anything from home. The round doomed houses were beautiful, there were so many different ways the houses were built not many were the same. Some were sculptured into fantastic stems of leaves and giant flower blossoms blending into the crystals that topped them like works of art. Not only were the buildings spectacular but also the amount of greenery incorporated with the hard scape was impressive. Some of the taller buildings were covered in vines.

  Rica and Zafira were passing a building that seemed to be dedicated to agriculture; it was a pyramid shaped building that was massive, Rica estimated that it took up twelve city blocks. There were several floors, with the sides open; the floors being held up with many strategically placed pillars. Every floor in the building had a garden. Rica was amazed and intrigued at the sheer size of the pyramid, turning to Zafira and saying, “Wow, you guys sure don’t do anything small.”

  Zafira let out a small laugh, “Yes, It is one of the innovations that we are most proud of. It is one of several agricultural centers in the city. Our people benefit from the fresh produce grown in them. See how it has several levels to it; we are able to use each floor in the structure for different