Plague of Mybyncia (33 page)

“Ladies,” Sampson indicates to Pratt, Mae
and I. Clarence sets me down first, Pratt and Mae following. “And
gentlemen,” Sampson continues with a look around the table. The
Rogues all take their seats next, until it’s just the chancellor,
Fychu, Clarence and Qippert that remain standing.

“Please,” Chancellor Keller gestures to the
three Dofinikes. “For all you have done, I am unworthy to sit until
you do.”

Sampson smiles and, rather covertly, gives
the okay nod to Clarence and Qippert, all three sitting in unison.
Once in their chairs, Chancellor Keller sits with a wide, indelible
smile crossing his lips. A moment of stark silence passes before he
starts.

“I am so happy we could all dine together
this morning,” the chancellor motions for the attendants to bring
the food. Obeying instantly, they place wide bowls of Jiji and
Wormin around the table, Mallup keeping to the boys’ side. Putting
herself between Reid and Tucker, she stretches to set a large
saucer of Jiji in the center of the table. Chancellor Keller nods
to her and glances around the table, “It truly is a day for
celebrating.”

“Indeed,” the queen adds, taking a bite of
her Wormin, “although I heard there was a celebration yesterday
evening.”

Ariana blushes but picks at her food
quickly, her sisters doing the same.

“Oh?” the chancellor asks, honestly
curious.

“Several jugs of Hunnis have been consumed,”
the queen continues. “But I expected such a situation might occur,”
she licks her fingers. “How could one face the Gorgen and not want
for the Hunnis’ calming effects?”

Ariana visibly relaxes, nibbling on her own
small saucer of Jiji.

“That’s what we were thinking,” Werzo nods,
going for his bowl of Jiji. Sampson shakes his head discreetly but
the chancellor catches the gesture.

“No—it is fine. Please, eat up.”

“Although,” the queen starts, “I distinctly
remember advocating
against
the trip. In fact, I believe I
informed the chancellor it was forbidden.”

“Your Majesty,” he sighs, “
please
,
let us not dwell on the past. The humans have returned. They are
alive, healthy…”

“And Fallon?” she directs her attention to
me, “she returned infected with the worst sort of poison.”

“Which is being extracted today. By
tomorrow—perhaps tonight—she will be cleaned completely and able to
walk on it again. We were so very fortunate her injury was the
worst they returned with.”

“Again,” the queen picks at her Wormin, “I
remember prohibiting such a dangerous task. Fychu,” she looks to
him.

“Your Majesty?”

“I expect you to heed my wishes next time
you choose to visit.”

He produces a charming smile. “We will be
ready to assist for the better, as usual.”

“This is not a joke.”

“Nor shall I take it as one,” Sampson
continues to smile, “but you find your daughters and the chancellor
healthy. Your kingdom has taken a turn for the better. And, as was
just pointed out, Fallon will be walking again no later than
tomorrow.”

“It was a risk,” she’s stern.

“A
calculated
risk. I would not have
permitted the trip had I anticipated the outcome to turn out any
differently. Save Fallon’s injury, of course.”

“So it is
you
who permits things in
my kingdom?”

“I am a Fychu. I have a responsibility few
others do. It is my mission to protect life, whether or not the
governing agent agrees with me.”

At this the queen scowls, going for her
Wormin again. “I do not appreciate being deceived.”

“And I do not enjoy deceiving. It was always
the plan to obtain straight Dilly. You were made aware but you
disapproved. And, unfortunately, we had to go along without your
permission. As a Fychu, I cannot sit back and watch while there are
options available.”

“And what is next?” she huffs. “You will go
off to fight the Zingfinolds? As I have not allowed any of the
Governors to undergo this task, I simply
cannot
allow you to
continue risking—”

“Yes,” Clarence nods, creating a jolt in the
steady back and forth. “The Fychu and I have decided it’s the next
best option. Your people are better—but they’re not healing as we’d
hoped. Slowly, they’ll slink back to their former states. There is
no remedy other than the corresponding Nazual bud. We
must
find it.”

The queen looks between Sampson, Clarence,
Qippert and the chancellor.

“Believe me, your Majesty,” Sampson shakes
his head, “it’s the last option available. I wouldn’t have risked a
trip to the Gorgen unless I thought the straight Dilly might have a
chance to fully recover those infected.”

“And it is not?” the queen scowls with a
challenging look. “How can you know? Look at my daughters. Look at
the chancellor,” she gestures towards them, “they look healthy to
me.”

“They look it because their bodies are
feeding off of the symptoms’ equalizing components at a rapid rate.
But once everything has been absorbed, it is my belief that they
will start retracting to their former state and there’s not enough
straight Dilly to keep everyone going for a long time. We need to
clean the toxin from their systems completely and the only way to
do this is to eradicate it.”

“And there is no other way?” Chancellor
Keller frowns.

“The only way is to remove it,” Clarence
says, “and the only thing that can do that is the Nazual’s
corresponding bud. At this point… it’s the only option left.”

The queen exhales. Glancing around the
table, she scowls again, “Well eat up. You do not want your food to
get cold.” Everyone is slow to dig in, quietly nibbling away at
their Jiji and Wormin. Before too long, Queen Ravan looks to me.
“And you, Fallon? I am told your leg will be at optimal recovery
tomorrow. Will you be joining the others on this
highly
dangerous mission to Nerwolix?”

I pause with a handful of Wormin. “Yes.”

“And you feel this is the right
decision?”

I place the portion back down on the table,
anticipating a dialogue. “As long as my leg is at optimal recovery,
I don’t see why I shouldn’t go.”

“The Zingfinolds are an extremely dangerous
people. You have managed to come back from the Gorgen, yes, but
your odds will be stacked against you on Nerwolix—more so then
before. How could you be so willing to entertain a new threat when
you are not even recovered?”

“I will be. And I’m not going alone. I’ll
have the Fychu,” I look at Sampson. “I trust him with our safe
return, like I did with the Gorgen.”

“Yes…” her eyes flicker to Sampson. “But is
trust the only thing you are relying upon?”

I start to answer but pause, trying to form
my words. “No offense, your Majesty, but my life has been
endangered since I left Earth.
Before
then, actually…” I
think of finding Granny Ruth’s bloody body and dismiss it
immediately. “Everything I’ve done has been a risk. I never know if
I’m going to live or die, but I know being inactive definitely
doesn’t do anything. If your people are going to be saved,
something needs to be done.”

“And you agree that a trip to Nerwolix is
it?”

I glance to Sampson momentarily. “If the
Fychu says it is, then yes.”

Queen Ravan nods, glancing around. “And the
rest of you?”

The Rogues, Pratt and Mae nod in unison but
Reid leans forward, locking eyes with the queen. “We’ve exhausted
our other efforts. If the Fychu says our last hope is Nerwolix,
then we must make every attempt.”

“Would you not find it wise to have him
travel there alone?”

“Your Majesty…” Chancellor Keller begins but
she holds up a finger, waiting for Reid’s answer.

“If he thinks it’s best to go alone, then I
would respect that. But Fychu Sampson has already expressed that
he’s not welcome and that we would still need his assistance,
should any attack occur. In this case,” he shrugs, “I think its
best that a small group goes.”

“Your entire lot?” she looks around.

“Mother,” Ariana sighs. “They are doing this
for
us
. We should be on our knees in gratitude and you are
interrogating them.”

“She is the
queen
,” Varille snaps.
“She is allowed to do whatever she wants.”

“Your sisters, chancellor and half of your
kingdom are healed because of
their
efforts,” she spits back
just as quickly.

“You are
not
healed—it is only
temporary.”

“And they are trying to fix that! What is
wrong with you?” Ariana glances between Varille and the queen.

“Ariana,” Queen Ravan gasps. “Calm
yourself.”

“If you will, mother. Yes, they left
yesterday without your permission, but it was to procure medicine
from a highly dangerous beast for
our
good, not theirs. And,
as the Fychu promised, everyone returned in one piece.”

“Fallon—” the queen starts but Ariana is
quick to cut her off.

“Yes, Fallon returned with an injury—one
that will be taken care of shortly. They are back here and ready to
go out again, to fight for
our
survival when they could as
well simply leave. And you are concerned with accusations and
threats? We are
lucky
the Fychu and the others are willing
to stay, to help our kingdom when we are so desperately in need of
it,” Ariana exhales, going for her Wormin. “Now, might we enjoy our
meal in peace?”

“How dare you speak to our mother—” Varille
starts, her orange eyes flaring.

“Girls,” the queen shakes her head. “Now is
not the time. The Fychu is right—he has responsibilities none of us
do. We will leave this decision to him for now. And Ariana is
correct; let us enjoy our meal in peace.”

We eat in silence for the rest of the meal
which seems to drag on forever. Once breakfast concludes and after
the queen, chancellor and three princesses have left, Reid carries
me back to the room, Clarence, Qippert and Sampson right behind
him. Placing me on the large, circular bed, Reid examines my leg
quickly, wincing at the crimson stain down the white gauze.

“The Healers will be here momentarily,”
Sampson approaches. “It shouldn’t take more than a few hours or
so.”

“Where are you going to be?”

“Nearby,” Reid answers first.

“Either on the surface or working with the
chancellor,” Qippert says. “There is still a lot that needs to be
done.”

“Fallon?” the voice is unfamiliar.

Three mayans pause by the open door. All
stand similar in height and structure with the same bright orange
eyes, but their striking differences come in their varied hair. One
boasts a deep emerald, one a fiery red and the last—the closest
one—a soft, pale blue.

“My name is Hillay,” she steps forward, “and
this is Sonnora and Tamora. We are the Healers. We are here to
conduct your exams and extract the Gorgen poison from your leg. Can
you please sit up?”

“We’ll be back in a bit to check on you,”
Clarence winks, leading the three Dofinikes from the room. Reid
watches the mayans approach, with no obvious intent of leaving.

“Reid,” Sampson calls, motioning him to
follow. “This needs to be done in private. You can return once
they’ve completed the exam.”

Still hesitant, Reid finally offers a quick
nod. Focused on me, his expression lightens. “I’ll be back soon.”
He winks and leaves with Sampson.

“If you would please sit up…” Hillay
approaches. I do as she says and she places her hands over the red
gash in my calf. “You were treated with Millix saliva immediately
after—this is good. It will have stopped the spread, keeping the
toxin centered right here,” she motions to the red area. “We will
have to do a scan and then remove the remaining poison. Just lie
back for me and we can begin.”

I comply and they gather around me, their
hands hovering above my leg. Suddenly, something sharp pinches into
my leg and I tense.

“Are you in pain?” Hillay asks wearily.
“This should not hurt.”

“I’m fine.”

“Are you certain?”

“Yep,” I close my eyes. “Just ready to walk
again.”

“We will have you moving in no time. I do
not see you having any issues regaining regular mobility by
tomorrow latest. You will still be a little sore, so no running or
vigorous exercise right away. But give it a few days and you should
be fine.”

They get to work and I close my eyes, tuning
everything out. There’s a little more pinching and some
uncomfortable pressure down by my calf, but I’m too focused on
reviewing everything that’s happened since the toxin was
released—rescuing the chancellor and battling the Gorgen which put
me in this state. And now, we’re heading to Nerwolix. How has so
much happened already?

Suddenly, Granny Ruth sneaks into my
thoughts, her warm smile lighting me up. What would she say?

Proud of you, kiddo. Keep it up.

My eyes involuntarily moisten. I focus on
her face, on her knowing smile and fight the urge to cry over what
happened. Over losing her. Over knowing I’ll never see her again,
not until I’m asleep.

I only see you in my dreams. Why?

But she stares back at me, in the inside of
my lids, watching me.

“There we go, Fallon,” Hillay says and my
eyes shoot open. “All done. Everything looks good and we have
bottled the rest of the toxin here.”

“Bottled?”

Hillay produces a small vial of black goo.
“It is a nasty substance. Glad it is all out of you.”

“Me too.”

“We have also checked your arm—it seems to
be healing up nicely. You should rest now—give yourself and your
leg time to recover and if you are up for it, try moving around a
little later.”

“Do I need assistance?”

“It would help.”

“Thanks.”

“No more going after the Gorgen,” she scolds
teasingly.