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"It's got to be Dr. Reit!" Sheila cried. "I can't believe I've put him in such terrible danger."
"How can you be sure?" Illyria asked, concerned.
"It's got to be. Mardock has the Tracker, and somehow he must have pushed the right buttons to contact Dr. Reit. For some reason Dr. Reit came through the transporter instead of bringing Mardock to him."
Sheila knew the scientist had come through assuming that she was on the other end of the signal. She couldn't bear to imagine his shocked surprise when he found the evil Mardock waiting to greet him. Mardock considered the scientist an even more potent sorcerer than Sheila. There was no telling what he would do to force Dr. Reit to reveal his scientific secrets.
"This is all the more reason for us to hurry to Queelotoo," Illyria said urgently to Tingwa. “This great god of the future is a friend who has aided us many times. Now we must repay the debt and rescue him."
Tingwa was clearly impressed to hear that they were so friendly with a god. "I will make my very own barge available to you. Vasim will guide you safely over the waters. It is the fastest way to Queelotoo. Now let us rest."
Tingwa stood and beckoned his son to follow him to the front of the cave. There they conferred quickly, apparently discussing plans for the next day's journey.
"This is all my fault, all my fault," Sheila said.
"Are you really friend to a god?" asked Zanara-Ki, who had been sitting quietly beside Sheila all the while.
"No, he's just a very brilliant, very terrific man who is now in a load of trouble thanks to me,” Sheila answered, twisting her hands anxiously.
"Dr. Reit is brave and good," said Illyria, "and we will make it our first priority to find him."
Sheila smiled weakly at Illyria. "Thanks."
"Rest now, everyone, for we will be up before dawn and on our way," Illyria commanded, lying back on her blanket. She clasped her hands behind her head and stared at the ceiling of the cave. Sheila knew her mind was racing ahead, trying to anticipate the morning's possible dangers.
"I don't see why that Vasim has to come with us," muttered Darian as he wrapped himself in his blanket.
"He knows his way around, I guess," Sheila suggested.
"I'm sure you’d love to have that conceited idiot along to make dreamy eyes at you the whole way," Darian growled.
Sheila opened her mouth to defend herself, but then realized what was really bothering Darian: he was jealous of Vasim! Smiling to herself, she flipped a corner of her blanket over her legs and went to sleep.The next morning they set out just before dawn. Silently Tingwa led his guests down the rock tunnel to their unicorns. They quickly saddled up and rode to the shore.
Rocking gently, just beyond the breaking waves, was a broad, flat barge. Ten colorfully painted Hickorite warriors were preparing it for its journey, taking on provisions, pulling up broad sails and tying them in place. Vasim stood waving on the deck.
The small band dismounted and walked their unicorns through the surf and up onto the barge by way of a grooved ramp that had been lowered into the water, Then they climbed aboard themselves. Sheila noticed that her bright coloring had all but washed off, but apparently there was enough left to satisfy Vasim, who reached down with a strong arm and helped her up the slippery ramp.
"A fleet of these barges carried our people to safety," said Tingwa, climbing aboard with them. "May this ship bring you safely to your destination."
"My deepest thanks," Illyria said sincerely.
Tingwa nodded before embracing his son. And then, with no further ceremony, he dived off the boat and disappeared into the foaming surf, until he reappeared once again on shore.
In moments the barge was under way. At first the sails flapped back and forth violently in the crosswinds near shore. The warriors used oars to row out to the open sea, where the sails finally caught the wind, billowing fully.
From then on, the barge was remarkably swift as it coursed through the water. There wasn't much room aboard, but Sheila found a place to perch atop a large bag of provisions.
Vasim settled down beside her. "You have a great beauty," he told her directly.
Sheila looked away, embarrassed. She knew she was okay looking, but she had never thought of herself as a great beauty. She liked the way it sounded.
"How long a trip will this be?" she asked, to change the subject.
"We reach shore at nightfall," he said tersely, before returning to more personal matters. "There is something different about you," he pressed. "I have never seen a female such as yourself. You wear the look of great innocence but of great knowing. You confuse me."
Sheila was beginning to feel pretty confused herself. She had no idea how to reply. "How is it you and your father speak our language?" she asked, in another attempt to shift his focus away from her.
Vasim stuck his chest out proudly. "My father is from a line of great leaders. He is the keeper of all the collected knowledge of our tribe. He knows many languages. As his son and successor, he is teaching me all he knows."
"Don't you have books?"
Vasim looked at Sheila blankly. "Here, like this," she said, pulling her picture-history book from her pack. Vasim opened the book, and his eyes went wide with wonder.
"So, Vasim has never read a book before, eh?" came a surly voice nearby. Sheila looked up and saw that Darian had changed into the T-shirt she had given him.
"Can you read this?" Vasim asked defiantly.
"Of course I can," Darian bluffed. Sheila shot him a shocked look. She knew he could read his own language, but she was fairly sure he couldn't read hers.
Darian took the book from Vasim. "See, it says here that this is a bird that flies and carries people in its belly and then spits them out when they arrive at their destination," he said, pointing to a picture of a jumbo jetliner.
Vasim looked to Sheila. "Is this true?"
''Well," Sheila said, ''in a way, I guess."
"And here is a picture of a million lightning bugs trapped in a glass which is used to light rooms," Darian continued, showing Vasim a photo of a lightbulb.
Vasim took the book back from Darian and studied it. "The artists in your world are very accurate," he said. "I see it is a world filled with magic. No wonder you have the look of a great wise one shining forth from your sea-dark eyes."
"Her eyes are none of your business," Darian snarled.
The Hickorite narrowed his own eyes and smirked at Darian as he rose to his feet. "Have you claimed this female as your own?"
Darian looked quickly at Sheila. "Yes," he said hesitantly.
"Is she your wife?" Vasim continued.
"No, but . . . she's spoken for."
"I think she might prefer a chieftain's son. Vasim poked Darian hard on the shoulder. Darian poked back.
Up until now Sheila had been enjoying Darian's jealousy and the thrill of being fought over, but this was going too far. "Stop!" she shouted. "No one claims me. I belong to myself.''
Both boys looked at her with stunned expressions. She felt suddenly awkward. "I want to see if Morning Star is all right," she said abruptly as an excuse to make her escape.
Walking over to her unicorn, who was facing the wide ocean, Sheila put her arm up over the animal's neck and looked at the rolling sea along with her. So Darian was jealous. After all the time she had spent worrying about him and Dian, it was good to have the shoe on the other foot.
The barge sailed on across the open sea. For most of the journey there was no land to be seen on any side. The hot sun and the rolling waters made Sheila feel dreamy. She looked over at Morning Star and saw the same slightly dazed, faraway look in the lovely beast's eyes.
Or was it something else? Was Morning Star weakening under Ankzar's spell? "You okay, girl?" Sheila asked, ruffling the mane between the unicorn’s ears. Morning Star whinnied and nuzzled Sheila on the shoulder, but the sharp sparkle in her usually alert eyes had definitely dimmed. "Hang in there, Morning Star," Sheila urged. "Hang in there, please."
The sun was low in the sky by the time they sighted land. Gone were the lush forests and the rocky shores. Ahead in the distance lay flat, rolling plains of golden sand dotted with an occasional low building or palm tree. "We do not want to be spotted," Vasim announced. "We will pull into a cove where we have friends."
The barge came close to a flat sandy embankment. Vasim lowered the sails as the warriors jumped overboard and walked the barge in through the gentle surf. Sheila and the others led their unicorns into the water and swam with them to shore. Vasirn swam ahead, then headed straight for a small shack on the beach. He walked in without knocking and came out minutes later accompanied by a short dark man with one gold earring. The two men disappeared around the back of the shack, then returned with an old but strong-looking horse.
"I will take you to Queelotoo, but there I must leave you," Vasim told them. "When you wish to return, find your way back to Nazir, here. He is a friend."
The man with the earring smiled at them and bowed.
In minutes they were off, riding toward Queelotoo. After an hour, when the sun had all but set, Vasim led them up a sandy dune. "There it is," he said. They were looking down on a most unusual city. Three immense stone pyramids were set in a triangular alignment with one another, connected by a high stone wall. Inside this triangular wall was Queelotoo.
"How does one enter this city unseen?" asked Darian skeptically.
"Not easily," Vasim told him with a laugh, "but there is a way.”
Darian and the women followed Vasim down the dune for another half hour until they reached a small village of mud huts and dirt roads. "This village is here mostly to serve travelers, but it has yet another use—which you will soon discover.
Again Vasim disappeared, this time into what seemed to be a store, leaving Sheila and the others standing outside. "I hope he knows what he's doing," grumbled Darian.
Illyria seemed about to say something, but she was distracted by Quiet Storm. The unicorn had stumbled slightly and seemed about to fall. But with some effort, he regained his stance.
Sheila instinctively looked to Morning Star and noticed the unicorn was standing awkwardly. "Come here, girl," she called gently. Morning Star walked several paces toward her, and Sheila immediately saw that she was limping. She knelt and examined the unicorn's leg and hoof. There was no wound or break, just a general weakness.
Vasim returned with a very old woman who wore her gray hair pulled back into a long braid. "You will have to leave your beasts here," he told them.
"That is just as well," Illyria answered. "They are growing very ill. Have you a shaded stall where they may await our return?"
Vasim translated Illyria's request to the old woman in a language Sheila had never heard. She nodded and beckoned for them to follow her around to the back of the store. There they found a stable filled with dried palm leaves and straw. They led the four unicorns into the cool shaded area and unsaddled them.
"Rest, Morning Star," Sheila whispered to her unicorn. "I'll be back soon to get you." Morning Star looked at her with dull eyes and knelt down on the straw.
When Sheila returned to the store, she found the others inside. Vasim was showing them a map of some kind. “…and then you follow this tunnel around here and up these stairs. When you emerge you will be in Queelotoo."
Sheila looked at Darian questioningly. "There are a series of tunnels leading away from this store," he explained. "They will take us into Queelotoo unseen.
"I'm afraid you will be staying here, my dear brother," Illyria told him. "Someone must tend these unicorns and make sure they are cared for." She shook several gold coins from a bag she had tied around her waist. "These should pay for all your needs and for those of the unicorns,"
"Why must I stay?" Darian protested.
Illyria glanced quickly at Vasim, who seemed to be taking great delight in the scene. “Because you know it is in the tradition of our people that the future leader must stay behind lest he be needlessly injured in battle,'' she said, barely concealing a sly smile. "And besides, Zanara-Ki knows Queelotoo, and Sheila knows Mardock and must see Dr. Reit.”
"What you say is true," Darian agreed sullenly "As future leader I owe it to our people to return to them safely."
''I will leave you here," said Vasim to Illyria. "May you have good luck."
"Many, many thanks," she replied. "Is there any way we can repay you?"
"There is one thing I want . . ." He turned and pointed at Sheila. "The book," he added, after a long and awkward moment. "I would like the book you showed me."
"Sure," Sheila said, heaving a sigh of relief as she pulled it out of her pack. "I hope you enjoy it."
''When you return to the land of the Hickorites, you must stop and explain these magical pictures to me,” he said. "I already long to see you again."
Sheila felt the hot burn of a blush rise to her cheeks. "Who knows," she said. "Maybe we will meet again, Vasim. Be careful on your way back."
"He'll be just fine," Darian cut in.
Vasim smiled and waved good-bye. The old woman left the room and came back with a large bowl of cool water. The three women warriors cooled themselves and washed the last of the dye from their faces. When they were done, the old woman pushed back a worn rug and opened a heavy metal trap door in the floor.
Illyria was the first to disappear down into the hatch. Zanara-Ki went next. Sheila sat with her legs dangling down into the tunnel, waiting her turn to follow.
"Take care of yourself," Darian said, with surprising tenderness in his voice. Then he bent down and brushed her lips gently with a kiss.
Sheila gave him a quick smile, and then she jumped. No sooner did she hit the dirt floor several feet below than the door above her slammed shut. Sheila was immediately engulfed in total darkness.
Back To Chapter Listings!
Chapter 1: Haunted Days, Sleepless Nights
Chapter 2: Transported
Chapter 3: Return to Campora
Chapter 4: Into the Wilderness
Chapter 5: Reunion
Chapter 6: The Unicorns' Lament
Chapter 7: Spellbound
Chapter 8: Stops Along the Way
Chapter 9: The Hickorites
Chapter 11: Queelotoo
Chapter 12: In Ankzar’s Prison
Chapter 13: The Words of Reemergence
Chapter 14: Simi's Revenge
Chapter 15: Sheila’s Magic
Chapter 16: Homeward Bound
Email: Nikki