Read The Crystals of Tlalli: Awakened Affinities Page 29

her name now! But where was the house. The thought brought the place in focus. He knew where to find her. Moyo let out the breath he didn’t know he had been holding. The emotions that had coursed threw him had left him drained. He was exhausted. He lay down by the fire after packing up the scrying materials and told himself he would only sleep an hour. Moyo slept the afternoon away and all threw the night to awake in the morning feeling drugged. He had slept to long. At least he knew where she was and her name.

  He left the cave and headed toward Shani. What could he say to this girl he felt he knew but had never met? Many trial conversations ran through his mind as he flew down toward the town. He landed outside of town in a field of vegetables just starting ripen. Her house was just up the hill.

  18 - Introductions

  The afternoon sun glinted on Moyo’s wings as he landed on the driveway. He straightened his shirt and started toward the house when he heard a gasp of astonishment off to his right. He stopped walking and looked in the direction he had heard the noise. There under a shade tree was the girl he was looking for! Rica stood with eyes wide and mouth open. Not the best reaction to his appearance. Moyo sighed, tucked his wings tight to his back and stepped toward her.

  “Hello. I’m Moyolehauni de Curria. I would like to have a chat with you if I may. It is important.” He was starring at her. Moyo stopped unsure what to do now. Rica stood as if frozen her eyes wide and mouth open slightly like a startled prey animal.

  “A Miwa here? What brings you to see us Shaleant de Curria?” Zafira said. Moyo turned to look at the new addition to the conversation. It was a tall beautiful Kahshian girl with long blond hair. She held herself tensely even though her words and sound of her voice had been calm. He would have to work to put them both at ease.

  “You use the formal greeting of my people! We no longer have a monarchy so I do not use the title. The Counsel of Elders governs the Miwa now. I am here on a vision quest, looking for her as she is the focus of this quest.” Moyo bowed formally to Zafira and Rica.

  “He-, I-, he has wings!” Rica stammered. She turned to Zafira.

  “He is Miwa, of coarse he has wings!” Zafira sometimes forgot that Rica was from another world.” Please forgive us we have recently had a bad encounter with an unpleasant man. I need to call my father.”

  “Why are you looking for me? What is a vision quest?” Rica asked and stepped to Zafira’s side. Rica could feel panic rise and fought it with determination, remembering the promise she had made to Jim’s memory. No more panic. Well too late for that this time next time then. Rica forced her self to focus on what this birdman was saying. Angel would have been a fitting word but you could never be sure. He was cute though, great right from panic to noticing his awesome physique. Can you say raging hormones? Now what were they saying. Rica giggled to realize a cat girl was talking to a birdman; she fought the giggle before it escaped, and turned beat red in the process.

  “I did not intend to startle you. I know how this may sound but I assure you I’m not a mad man. I have been plagued with dreams of you for months now. They are insistent and pull me to you. I think I am here to help you, to protect you. My affinities are the blue and yellow disciplines. The dreams I have are precognitive in nature. And to answer your question the vision quest is simply a quest to find the object of the dream. You are the object of my dream.” Moyo could feel his face grow hot in embarrassment that last part did not come out as he had planned to say it. This was not the way he had planned to meet her. It was said that his great grand father had been a charismatic speaker; Moyo apparently had not inherited this trait.

  Zafira’s eyes sparkled in amusement, she smiled “I am Zafira Leanista of the green and blue disciplines and this is Ulrica Simpson, it is a pleasure to meet you Moyolehauni. Why don’t we go into the house and we can have refreshment and talk about your visions.” Zafira said and gestured toward the house.

  “Moyo. You can call me Moyo. Its much less pretentious and easier to say as well.” Moyo laughed.

  “Moyo then, a pleasure to meet you.” Zafira said. Maybe she didn’t need to call her father after all. This Moyo seemed to be a genuinely nice person; Rica wasn’t reacting badly to him. She was just surprised about meeting a Miwa for the first time.

  Moyo and Zafira started toward the house. Rica slowly followed. Looking at the wonder of wings Moyo had. They were beautiful white and blue. They must sport a wingspan of twelve feet or more when extended. But then she thought they must need to be that big to be able to fly the handsome Moyo. Rica blushed at such a thought. Why was she so suddenly attracted to this strange man? Was it just because he had wings, or was it something else pulling her to him? Why wasn’t she worried about him, after all they had just been robbed and victims of a violent crime. The memory of Jim erased the smile from her lips.

  The rest of the afternoon was spent with Moyo telling them of his visions, and about the fate of the thief who had threatened them. When Tod came out of his study to investigate the strange voice he had heard, the girls introduced Moyo and filled him in on what they were talking about. Moyo showed him a sketch he had made of the ring he saw in his vision. Tod was sure he had seen the ring before. He called his friend Magi Sorren Locke and asked him to come over. Tod trusted him completely they had known each other most of their lives. When Tod called him he came right over. After the introductions were made, Magi Locke was filled in on all that had happened.

  “Zafira call your mother and have her come home. This is important. Also call your brother tell him what is happening. I think it’s not safe in Jamara anymore.” Tod’s voice was strained. The worry he felt for his family was evident on his face.

  “Nottia called me this morning. There is still no sign of her shamick. She said there have been more disappearances in her neighborhood as well. The Guardians are spread thin and have started asking people to stay indoors at night. Dad I’m scared. After that thief came in here last week, I haven’t been able to sleep.”

  “While I was in Jamara looking for Morick, that’s the name of the thief who came here by the way, I saw groups of Opia in parts of town. They were trying to disguise themselves but my affinity can see through simple spells.” Moyo told them.” It would be a good idea to have your family here and ready to move out if necessary.”

  Magi Locke looked worried but thoughtful, “This whole situation is escalating to quickly. I think you should stay away from the school Rica. The ring Moyo saw in his vision is one of three I know of. The owners of those three rings are the heads of a secret society of mages in Jamara. They approached me last winter, asking me to join their group. I turned them down. I don’t believe in their view that mages are superior to everyone and should be in ultimate control. Since then they have watched me. They threatened my wife and have come to the academy to try to get me to join their ranks. I sent Aribeth away already on the pretense of a sick parent. I planned to follow shortly.” Tod shook his head. Zosimo came in the front door with Chaura and they listened to what was being said.

  “Did you report them? If they are threatening you, the guardians –“ Tod spoke uncertainly.

  “What would the guardian’s do Tod? They would have doubted my sanity. I have no proof any of this has happened. The Magi who approached me would have denied it. No, getting my wife to safety and removing myself from the school is my only recourse. I have a teaching position lined up in the southern kingdoms.” Magi Locke paced back and forth. “Like Moyo said I too have seen Opia men in Jamara always in groups of six or more at key government and infrastructure buildings. I don’t know if the secret society is connected with the Opia but I wouldn’t be surprised. Those Magi are looking for someone of great power; I think they know it is Rica now. That little thief Morick would have had no resistance against a master mage interrogating him. And the power signature Moyo described is that of a Master. I think something is going to happen soon. And I don’t think it will be good. Tod I think you should get your family out of Kahsha na
tion you could stay with us in the Southern Kingdoms. It’s not safe here anymore. I was going to go into the school tomorrow, but now with what you have told me I’m leaving as soon as I can throw some cloths in a bag.” Sorren looked worried. Moyo had the feeling Sorren was right and that he needed to get out of this place.

  Moyo spoke up. “I am going toward Denham; it would be the quickest way to the western mage tower. They are the only ones I know of who still has a working portal that is still reliable and the knowledge to get Rica home safe, she could come with me. Morick’s boss is in Denham waiting for a report that will never come. I want to pay that mage a visit. I want to know what else is going on. Rica will be safe with me.”

  Tod looked at his wife, worry in his eyes. “Sorren has never been wrong about reading the danger of a situation. He used to be the one who kept us all out of trouble when we were young. I need to speak with Chaura and make a decision. Sorren can you give us a couple of minutes before you leave?” Sorren nodded. Tod took his wife’s hand and they went into the study and closed the door. Rica looked at Zafira and Zosimo, they both looked concerned. The tension in the air was making