I finally watched The Fall of the House of Usher on Netflix. And I have to say, it was AWESOME. The interweaving of Edgar Allen Poe’s poems and short stories into the full story line of the Usher family demise was truly a masterpiece. Admittedly, there were some fairly gruesome scenes that I physically cringed at. And I’ll never get the image of that poor black cat out of my mind (sorry, partial spoiler). All and all, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I only wish I was that clever to create something like that.
For now, I’ll stick with my creative fantasy / sci-fi novel and let Bex continue her adventures. In Chap 12, we heard from Hadrial Abuzi when she met with Enforcer Arelwyn to learn that Bex has both the manuscript and the crystal amulet. Now the question is, what will she do with them? Will her friends join her on her adventure?
Chapter 13
The strained sounds of what passed for music scratched and scraped through the crowd at the Gritty Sandpiper. The fevered scream of an oblar, balanced with the rhythmic thump of a calon bass. Flashing lights bounced off globes hung from the ceiling slinging rainbow hues across the sea of jostling bodies obscured by the smokey air. It was a bleary-eyed dream scene or a sweaty nightmare depending on your state of mind.
My mind was scattered. Nervous. Excited. I sat with my back to the wall, biting my nails, watching the gyrations while I waited for my friends. Nyraj’s wake announced his arrival as the swell of patrons moved aside allowing his bulk to pass. Pushing the chair out with my foot, he grabbed the back, swung it around and sat, legs spread and elbows leaning on the back.
“Well, this is a bit livelier than most nights,” he shouted over the pulsating drumbeat.
“It’s the pre-liberation party. Surely you remember when you had yours,” I chided him knowing he had not had any liberation celebration, claiming it was pointless and a waste of energy.
“I didn’t feel the need to party like a foolish sun soaker,” he grumbled. “I was happy to move on and get to work.”
“Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you party or dance,” I looked at him, my head tilted, curious to see his response.
Before he could respond, Sarja swept through the throng and plopped down in one of the empty chairs. Sweat dripping down her flushed face.
“Were you dancing?” Smiling at just how different the twins could be.
“Of course, how else would you get through a swarm like that?” She pulled a cloth from her waist pouch and dabbed at her neck.
“Walk,” offered Nyraj.
“And waste all that vibrant energy? Excitement and anticipation tinged with fear and anxiety. It couldn’t be a richer melding of emotions. I always love the liberation parties. They are so full of potential and dreams,” her gaze remained on the throng while her hand tapped the table in time with the beat.
“And naivete and ignorance,” Nyraj responded.
“Wow did someone glass your blasting equipment?” I slapped my hand on the table.
“I just don’t like all the exuberance and false hopes that this celebration signifies. We leave our lessons and move to another form of learning. The real-life kind. Where reality hits you square in the face and you realize your dreams are just dust on the dunes,” he grumbled as he took a long pull from his pint.
“Well, I’m not sure what I just missed, but that doesn’t sound like our usual happy conversations,” Muut slipped into the last chair. He was sensible enough to bring a tray filled with four more pints of ale.
Everyone remained quiet for a moment. The loss of Xan Janal and the Council’s subsequent reluctance to follow the facts had weighed heavily on each of us in different ways. I didn’t like seeing Nyraj so despondent. Especially when I had exciting news to share. So, I picked up the fresh pint and held it up in the middle of our table. Waiting for the others to follow, I looked at each of them in turn. Muut, having only just arrived, was first to raise his, then Sarja, and finally Nyraj.
“I raise a toast to our future. To our dreams, dune swept or otherwise, may they be everything we hoped for and more,” lowering my mug, I took a drink and watched as the others did the same.
Sarja leaned in, “You didn’t ask us here to toast our future or celebrate your liberation day. What gives?”
“Yah, you and Muut have been scurrying around for weeks and now suddenly you want to have a drink with old friends. The last time we saw you was when you had a meeting with Abuzi,” he leaned in and eyed me closely. “Figured you got some talking to about your outburst and was keeping your tail down. Now you’re all toasting to the future and dreams and crap. I don’t buy it.”
I looked from Sarja to Nyraj, then to Muut, but didn’t say anything. Truth be told, I wasn’t exactly sure where to start.
Sarja reached over and placed her hand on my wrist, “Come on Bex, you can trust us. What are you up to?”
My heart matched the rapid beat of the music. I swallowed, took another drink, then whispered. “I found it.”
They all leaned nearer to me. Nyraj’s voice boomed, “You what? Found something?”
Wincing, I looked around at the vibrating mob and nearby tables. Holding my hand up to shush him, “Quiet, you oaf. This is serious.”
I motioned for them to move closer, then reached into my shirt front and pulled out the amulet. In the dim light of the pub, it was hard to see its beauty, then a yellow light flashed across it and the facets lit up brilliantly washing us in a rainbow hue. I quickly covered it with my hand, dimming its radiance.
“Now do you believe me?”
“Believe what? That you found some fancy trinket in the market? Come on Bex, what are you playing at?” Nyraj dismissed my assertion.
Sarja sat quietly, her eyes still fixed on the object in my hands. Then she reached out and placed her hand over mine, “Can I see it?”
I looked hard at her, debating, then nodded, “Just keep it low and don’t show it around.”
I opened my hands, and she took it in hers. As the cord was still around my neck, I moved closer to give her some slack. After she examined it for a few minutes, turning it over in her hands and peering into the crystal at the writhing bodies on the dance floor.
“I’ll admit, I’ve never seen a crystal like this one.” She ran a finger along the metal filigree that wrapped around the petals, “Or metal work this fine.”
“So, you found a fancy crystal pendant. So what?” Nyraj scoffed.
Sarja let the crystal fall back against my chest. Her expression as unexcited as a Ghur merchant dismissing the exaggerated claims of a passing trader.
“It’s the crystal key,” I choked. “Xan Janal’s manuscript lead us right to where he had buried it.”
Sarja looked from me to Muut. “Is this what you two have been up to? Deciphering that book and digging up hidden treasure?”
“Well, we didn’t translate it, my GrandSir did,” Muut corrected. “Then we went and dug up this crystal necklace thing. Took us nearly a week to find it and Bex almost got swallowed by a galaal root.” He puffed his chest out, “I saved her.”
Sarja and Nyraj exchanged furrow browed looks. Then Nyraj leaned forward, “And what exactly is it supposed to do?”
I motioned for them all to lean closer, then I whispered, “It shows the thinning in the veils between the worlds.”
Nyraj slapped his hand on the table bouncing our nearly empty mugs, “Hah, I knew it. You’ve been out in the sun too long, and your brain is scorched.”
I glanced around and saw several people nearby look toward us at his outburst. Attempting to diffuse their attention, I laughed and slapped my hand on the table as well and growled at him between clenched teeth, “Are you stupid? Don’t draw any attention to us.”
“Yeah, we’ve already had a visit from Enforcer Arelwyn,” Muut told them.
Wincing at Muut’s admission, I chose to ignore him and kept my focus on Nyraj. “This is the real deal, Nyraj. This is the secret Xan died for trying to protect. I think this is why there haven’t been any further investigations into his murder. The Council or the Advisor or both are scared that someone will find it and use it to discover the truth.”
“And what are you going to do with it? Supposing it’s what you say it is,” he folded his arms across his broad chest.
“I’m going to find the thinning in the veil and prove that Xan Janal wasn’t just a huckster. That his stories are real,” I told them, my back rigid, and my heart racing.
Sarja leaned in, her hands wrapped around her empty mug, “How exactly do you plan on doing that?”
“Muut and I are going to the edge. We’ll pick a starting point and then travel along it until we find the place that activates the crystal,” I sounded less confident than I would have liked.
Nyraj coughed, “The Edge, as you say, is nothing more than a child’s fairytale. Something our parents told us to get us to behave.” He shook his head in disbelief, “Even if it did exist, do you have any idea how big our world is? How long that will take you?”
He looked at Muut for the first time since I had showed them the amulet, “You’re really going along with this?”
Muut sat quietly, looking from Nyraj to me, then slowly nodded his head.
“That’s it! You’ve both been sun soaked,” he scowled.
The disbelief and ridicule hurt. I knew it would be difficult for them to believe me, but I didn’t expect such vicious rejection. “I thought you both would be interested in joining us, but I can see that you’re already lost to the complacency of being liberated. Or more aptly, servitude. I’ve always told you that I’m meant for bigger things, and this is it. I’m going,” I looked at Muut. “We’re going to find the thinning of the veil and you’ll see that we’re not sun soaked, and we’ll prove that Xan didn’t die in vain.”
I jumped to my feet, toppling my chair. Leaving it where it landed, I pushed my way through the throng of sweaty bodies. Muut scrambled after me.
As I pushed the door open, I glanced back to see Sarja say something to Nyraj, who was now hunched over the table. Then she too, skirted through the crowd, following me and Muut.
We left the pub where Nyraj remained at the table, leaning heavily on his folded arms, glaring at the thriving dancers exuberant in their impending liberation.