Keeper: First Ordinance, Book 2 (35 page)

Time resumed.

Siriaa disintegrated.

Dena screamed as the Orb flashed its light and blew me through
the gate.

Chapter 18
 

Le-Ath Veronis

Queen Lissa's Private Journal

Five years have passed since Siriaa's destruction. Without
Quin's warning, its people would have died.

I'd already held meetings with those prepared to help before
that unexpected event, should Kondar and Yokaru decide to leave their world
behind.

As it was, that decision was taken out of their hands by a
vindictive criminal bent on the worst sort of revenge. Today, he still manages
to elude even the best Kooper has to track him. Five years ago, it took all our
power—Kaldill, Ildevar, Trajan, Kooper and I—to remove the population from
Siriaa before it was destroyed.

The worlds Marid poisoned are growing worse, while the rest of
us sit and wait as infected dust left from Siriaa's destruction travels through
space toward unsuspecting worlds. If this were one of Acrimus' carefully laid
plans before his death, it was perhaps his masterpiece. Even now, no solution
can be found to combat the creatures creating the poison. I worry that
eventually, when all is dead within this bubble of universes, that those of us powerful
enough will be forced to leave, closing the door to it firmly behind us.

Quin is dead. Dena, the poor woman, wept painfully as she
described Quin's last moments before the Orb took matters in hand and destroyed
them both by forcing Quin through the gate.

Perhaps that had been Liron's plan all along. Quin had been
placed upon Siriaa, perhaps, to act as its temporary keeper in order to save the
people. She'd done everything she could to make that happen. Then, her final
task accomplished, the Orb had forced her through the gate and then followed.

Today, on the anniversary of Quin's death and the founding of
Siriaa's population upon other worlds, Kaldill holds a memorial for his lost
love.

He, like the others, mourns her.

Justis, who acts as Jurris' ambassador to Le-Ath Veronis,
attends Council meetings with Berel, who holds the position of New Kondar's
ambassador to both Le-Ath Veronis and Wyyld II. Outside those duties, he
attends University here on Le-Ath Veronis. Aryn calls Berel his best student.

Still, it is painful for either Berel or Justis to speak of
Quin.

Avii Castle stands where Gavin suggested it should, in the sea
far to the west of Sun City. In a few moments, I will join Dena, Kaldill,
Daragar, Justis and Berel outside the entrance to the gate near the castle
dungeon. There, where Quin was last seen alive, we will lay a blanket of
flowers. Kaldill will place a spell so the blooms will last until the next
anniversary.

I imagine he will do this as long as Avii Castle stands.

* * *

Epilogue

My scream at landing in the dark upon something hard and wet
was cut off when a large hand clamped over my mouth. "Shh," he hissed
in my ear. "Cayetes is hunting bodies again."

The End