I’ve had a lovely few days of playing in the garden, getting things ready for growing. I’ve planted my vegetable seeds, sunk some summer flowering bulbs, fertilized roses and trees, filled many, many pots with new plants and generally enjoyed getting outside. What I haven’t done is much editing. So today is all about editing.
I did, however, get my first submissions off for an anthology and to an agent for my first query. My goal is to get through chapter 20 by the end of the week. Last weekend I rewrote the ending so now I need to go back through the middle sections and make some minor adjustments. That’s what editing is all about. Tweaking, adjusting, filling plot holes and polishing.
In the last chapter, Bex and Muut asked Muut’s GrandSir for help deciphering Xan’s book. Let’s see how far they got…
Chapter 11
We spent the next several days trekking back and forth to Muut’s GrandSir’s place as he transcribed the Book of Facets. It was a long tedious practice of him deciphering the different languages, then correcting himself, then deciphering more, correcting, and deciphering for hours at a time. Muut and I took turns capturing his translations in a journal. GrandSir Khin would pour over the various maps and depictions of strange creatures and then explain what the description told of them. There were several that he had never seen before and could not determine the basis of their language.
Muut handed me a cup of vorly tea and as I took it, I noticed a pinched look in his eyes. He nodded to his GrandSir and shrugged his shoulders. I looked over to him and saw that he was still pouring over the same map he had been looking at for some time. I walked over to the table and sat down, then leaned over to see the map more closely.
“This one looks like a map of our world again,” I said.
“Yes, yes, but it makes no sense. There is already a map of our Facet. Why add a second one and only of the Obupiri Hills?” he questioned as he stared at the drawing.
I looked up at Muut, my mouth agape, “That’s where Xan said he hid the crystal key.”
Khin’s head jerked up, squinting in his ancient way, he sat back and closed the book, “Crystal key? He hid a key in our Facet?” He tugged at his beard, a puzzled expression sliding down his face. “From what I’ve deciphered, that is the only way to find the thinning in the veils. I didn’t think you would have a key as well. If I had, I would have refused to help you.”
He closed the book and pushed it across the table, “This has gone far enough. We need to take this book to the Council.”
Muut sat down, placing his hand gently on his GrandSir’s arm, “I can see you’re getting tired, GrandS. We should go and give you a few days to rest.”
I was already wrapping the book and tucking it back into the satchel when a pounding came from the door. We all froze.
“Khin Quigley. This is Enforcer Arelwyn, I’d like to speak with you,” a deep voice called through the door.
Faster than the wind whipping across the Sagran Plains, Muut grabbed my wrist and pulled me to the back of the small room. There he shoved aside a bookcase, revealing a small opening cut into the wall. “Get in there, quick.”
Without protest, I scrambled behind the bookcase, crouched into the tight space, and clutched my satchel to my chest. My heart pounded in my ears as my knees quivered with the sound of the bookcase sliding back into place leaving me in the inky black hole. My eyes slowly adjusted as a sliver of light slashed through the gloom and gave me a thin slice to peer through. I heard the muffled sound of the heavy bolt on the main door.
“What is it Arelwyn?” asked Khin in a perturbed voice.
Heavy boots thudded on the ground as Enforcer Arelwyn entered.
My heart skipped as I peeked through the tiny gap. I glimpsed his regulation weapon held in the belt holster and strapped to his thigh as he walked past the bookcase.
“I’m checking on your wellbeing, Khin Quigley.”
“Well, you can see, I’m quite okay,” GrandSir told him. “Are you checking on all the old men in the village?”
“It has been noted that young Thamuut here has been paying you regular visits. Daily. With a friend. This was brought to our attention by a concerned community member,” Enforcer Arelwyn informed him.
“Yes, yes. I’m getting old and he’s worried about me,” Khin told the broad-shouldered Enforcer now standing directly opposite me. “Why would that concern anyone?”
Muut offered, “Yah, I help him with his meals and tidying up.”
The heavy boots thudded around the room sniffing and prodding.
My throat squeezed tight as my breath pressed against my lungs.
“You’ve not previously visited your GrandSir this regularly. All…” he paused as if checking himself, “…community members are instructed to alert us to any unusual activity or changes in behavior. And visiting every day for the past several, when the last time you visited was during the windy season, raised some eyebrows.”
“Well, those eyebrows can be lowered then, ‘cuz I’m just helping my GrandSir. And trying to convince him to move in with us. My ma worries about him something fierce. Being out here on the edge of the community like this can be dangerous for an old timer like him,” Muut fired at him.
“Aye, it can be,” I heard the thunk of a heavy-bottomed mug being set back on the table. “And what of this friend you bring along when you visit. Where is she?”
“I sent her on an errand to pick up a few things for me,” Khin chimed in.
“When will she be back?” The Enforcer inquired.
“When she gets what I’ve asked her to pick up,” Khin responded sharply.
“I see. So, all this back and forth is simply to convince your GrandSir to move in with you?” Arelwyn probed. “And how is that going?”
“Not well. He’s as stubborn as a dax, but thankfully not as messy,” Muut told him.
More scuffling boots.
A cramp lurched into my thigh, pinching my muscles.
“Well, make sure you alert us to anything unusual that you may see or hear,” the door creaked open, then thunked closed, and the bolt groaned back into place.
There was a long moment of silence, then I heard the bookcase scraping open. The light pierced the dark hole, momentarily blinding me. Muut reached in and gave me his hand to help me out of the small hiding place.
I stood up, hugging the book to my chest, barely breathing, and we all stared at each other.
“What was that all about?” I finally asked.
“That was a close call,” Muut slumped against the bookcase.
GrandSir Khin shuffled over to the table and sat in a chair. His hands trembled as he tugged at his wispy beard. Muut moved to get him a glass of water from the collection unit.
“I’m sorry GrandS. We didn’t mean to get you into any trouble,” Muut told him as he knelt in front of the old man.
“No, no. You haven’t caused me any trouble. But I’m done with that book. You need to take it to the council straight away. They need to know that there is a crystal key somewhere in our Facet.”
I stepped forward, “Does the council know about these other Facet worlds?”
Khin looked up at me, his milky eyes wide as if seeing me for the first time, “Facet worlds? I doubt it. It was guessed at when a young adventurer would disappear suddenly, only to return sometime later filled with tales of wonder.” He wiped his hand down his tired face and tugged at his beard, “As I said, mostly it was put down to insandity. There were only a few of us who believed there may be a grain of truth behind the stories.”
“But Xan Janal was different. His stories are real, aren’t they?” I set the book on the table and placed my hand on it, “This book describes the other worlds that he visited. And this crystal key allowed him to cross through the veils.”
“It appears that way,” Khin slumped in his chair. Then he looked up at us, his pinched eyes filled with fear, “You must take it to the council. They will know what to do with this knowledge.”
“Yah, bury it,” my jaw clenched as I grabbed the book and stuffed it back in my bag.
“Possibly,” he admitted, his tired, heavy-lidded eyes slowly closing.
Muut looked at me, “Bex, this is bigger than we imagined. I agree with GrandS. We need to take the book to the Council before the Enforcers come looking for us again.”
I looked at Muut. The dark stain of disbelief melding with my determination colored my tone, “I can’t do that. I promised him.”
“Bex, this isn’t a game. This is serious business if the Enforcers are involved,” Muut’s voice was raised and pinched. I could see he was shaken by the visit of Enforcer Arelwyn.
Looking from one to the other, I saw fear in their eyes…and doubt, “I’m forever grateful for your assistance in interpreting the texts, GrandSir Khin. And I’m sorry to have got you involved.”
I turned for the door.
“Bex, what are you doing? You can’t be serious about using the book to travel to another Facet,” Muut pleaded.
“No, I have to find the crystal key first,” I slid the bolt back.
Muut’s hand pressed over mine, “At least…let’s use the back door.”
***
The edges of the map furled in the light, dry breeze. My goggles gave the paper a green hue as I stared at it trying to figure out which dune and which galaal tree may hold the crystal key. Looking out over the undulating rows of dunes, ephemeral fingers of the wind caressed them sending plumes of dust floating in the air.
“Bex, we’ve been out here for six hours and not found anything,” Muut called from the seat of the hovercraft we had borrowed from the garage. It floated above the dusty landscape waiting patiently like a trusty steed.
“We’re close Muut. I can feel it.” I called back to him, still hunched over the map.
“You’ve been saying that for the last three days,” he grumbled.
“You could have stayed in your lab,” I told him as I held up my spyglass and surveyed the dunes. In the distance, I spotted a galaal tree. Its twisted form bent over like a weathered old lady, an outstretched branch like a cane propping it up. In the base of the trunk was a dark hollow opening. Pointing, “There. I think that’s it, Muut.”
Returning to the hovercraft, I hopped in, pushed the accelerator handle forward, and sped toward the ancient tree.
“I don’t know, Bex. What do you think this crystal key is going to do? Assuming it’s actually there,” Muut asked.
“I’m not sure. I just know that without it we may never find the passages through the veil,” I kept my focus on the old lady galaal tree. “From everything I’ve read in the book, there have been instances where people have crossed through the veil without a key. But I think those situations are rare. It’s kind of hard to tell what is fantasy and what is real when you’re doing research using myths and legends as your source information.”
I landed our rover within a few meters of the tree. Now that we were nearer, I could see that there was a natural opening at the base where the twisted roots created an arch. Like so many others we’d already investigated, it was nearly filled with sand blown in from the desert winds. I grabbed the spade and trudged up the dune. Muut slowly climbed out of the hovercraft and scrambled after me. The wind whipped our tharrifs around our heads, and I was grateful for the dune goggles. Without them, our eyes would be sandblasted.
Standing next to the tree, I felt a stirring of excitement in my belly. I looked at Muut as he stood next to me, my grin wide and invisible beneath my tharrif. “This is it. I just know it.”
“You aren’t seriously considering digging under that?” He pointed at the gnarly, twisted root system. “You know every part of that tree is deadly poisonous.”
“Yeah, I’m sure that’s why Xan Janal chose it to bury the key,” I said, dropping to the ground. “Anyone who knows anything about galaal trees isn’t stupid enough to dig underneath them.”
“Exactly, so let’s just go back to town and try something else,” Muut said half-turning.
Raising the shovel, I turned it backwards and began to pull the sand out of the hollow. It slid easily enough, but then rushed right back in just as quickly. I began digging faster, pulling sand, pushing it aside, trying to stay ahead of the drifting whims of the wind. Little shards of bone glistened amongst the grains. The remains of the tree’s feast. I reminded myself that in this harsh environment, plants and creatures adapted to extract nutrients from wherever they could. In the case of the galaal tree, it was the slowly decomposing corpses of its victims that kept it alive. Its roots created an inviting hollow for creatures seeking shelter from the eternal winds and scorching sun. Once they were inside, if they brushed up against a root barb, or chewed on the bark, the roots twisted and wrapped around their victim. The toxins flooded the creature’s system sending it into a coma. Then the roots would twist and suffocate it. As the body decayed, nutrients leaked into the sand and were absorbed by the galaal roots. This one appeared to be well fed.
Muut dropped down next to me. I looked sideways at him knowing that he couldn’t see my smile, so I nodded to him. We both began digging, being careful not to touch the roots least we become its next meal. We made a little progress and eventually pushed enough sand and bone fragments out of the way to clear the hollow. Then I hit something hard. The distinct sound of metal on metal rang out. Sitting back, I stopped Muut’s digging, “I think we found it.”
I dove into the hollow crawling deeper until only my legs were sticking out. The darkness surrounded me, and I could feel the roots tugging on my clothes. I only hoped nothing ripped as they began to close in on me. My hand grasped around what felt like a handle on a metal case. I mumbled, trying to keep the sand out of my mouth, “Pull me out, Muut. Hurry.”
Muut grabbed my ankles and pulled, slipping in the sand, bone shards crunching beneath his feet. The sand was rapidly collapsing back into the hole and the roots were now visibly twisting tighter around me. I felt like I was in the belly of one of those snakes that could swallow you whole, crushing you as they did. Twisting and wriggling I held the case tightly and tried to push myself with my other hand. The sand just shifted and gave me no resistance to propel myself against. The roots squeezed against my shoulders, compressing my lungs, forcing air out and limiting what I could breathe in. Then suddenly I was moving, slowly backwards, dragging through the sand and out of the grip of the galaal roots.
Back in the bright sun and blowing wind, I gasped for air sucking in as much as I could through my scarf. Muut was at my side patting me down, looking for any tears in my clothes. “Are you OK? It started collapsing as soon as you dove in.” He rolled me on my side and checked my back, “Did you get scratched? I thought it was going to crush you.”
“Thanks. So did I,” sitting up, I saw the rope tied to my ankle, the other end attached to the hovercraft. “Good thinking.”
The metal case was sitting on my lap and we both looked at it. It was the size of a lunch tin that we used in the lower schools. It was rusty grey and…boring. No mysterious writing or sigils. The hinged lid was held closed by a simple clasp hook that slipped through a loop on the base. A cold finger of doubt crept into my mind.
“Well, open it,” Muut insisted.
My stomach flipped as I pulled the hook out of the loop and lifted the lid. Inside, on a dark blue cushion, lay a pendant shaped like a multi-petaled flower with a large, faceted crystal the color of early evening shadows. I picked it up. There was a long cord attached to one end. The petals of the flower had an oily rainbow sheen to them. Each one was connected by a thin metal bridge at the apex of the petal.
I held it up and looked through the center of the crystal. Gasping, I dropped it, then scrambled to pick it up before the sand swallowed it again. I could feel Muut next to me, patiently waiting. I picked it up again and turned it toward him. Through the eye of the crystal, he instantly became a dancing collection of energetic dots all streaming around his body forming a vibrant orange flow. I moved the crystal toward the tree and the dots shifted. They became slower and more muted. The colors shifted to a pale green tinged with brown and grey.
Lowering the crystal, I turned to Muut, “This is incredible. Everything looks like flows of energy. Here, you try it.”
He held his hand out and I placed the crystal pendant into his palm. “Just look through the center and tell me what you see.”
Muut looked at the pendant, hesitant, he looked up at me. I grinned, “Go on. Your science mind will be totally blown.”
Holding the pendant up to his eye, he peered through it, and I heard a faint gasp from beneath his tharrif as he turned it toward me. I had to know, “What do I look like?”
“Red hair, silly grin, dirt smudged across your cheek,” he lowered the crystal and looked at me. “What was I supposed to see?”
“No, wait,” I scowled at him. “You’re joking, right?”
“I’m not sure what you saw, but you look pretty normal to me.” He shook his head and tossed the crystal back to me. “Mind not blown.”
I held it up and looked at him again, “You’re a flowing mess of energy. Orange and yellows—like you’re a living flame.”
Lowering the pendant, I stared at him. His sand crusted hair plastered to his head under his goggles. Green eyes always filled with curiosity were now shrouded in doubt.
“That’s because it’s hotter than Sarnoth’s arm pits and you’re just as smelly after being in the belly of a galaal tree,” Muut joked as he stood and offered me his hand.
We climbed into the hover car and headed back to town. Silence our new passenger.
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