The Fabric Of Reality (9 page)

Gil hurried to the control room and over to a bank of storage cabinets standing against the far wall. He tore open door after door until he found a suitable substitute for the black box, then rushed back to Alesia.

“Here, this is the best I can do.” He handed her the case.

“I’m sure this will serve its purpose. Go to your instruments and do whatever you can to extend the life of your Barrier. I’ll get the black box and meet you back here as soon as possible.”

Gil shook his head. “I believe this tear will be gone before you return. Seat the box into the slot as I instructed you, and perhaps we’ll see each other again. Alesia, if I’m gone when you return and you cannot find me, make a good life for yourself. Demand in front of your entire village that you be treated fairly. Humanity’s greatest quality is compassion. Your people may have forgotten that, so it’s up to you to make them remember.” Gil leaned close to the tear. “Once more? Perhaps this one will bring better luck.”

Alesia gazed lovingly at him, kissed him, then disappeared from sight.

Chapter Six

The night air was cool and invigorating, but she couldn’t run the entire way. Charging headlong through a dark forest would only get her injured, but perhaps she could sustain a brisk trot. The full moon hung high overhead, casting a bit of light through the canopy but not nearly enough to make travel even remotely safe. The deep, stream-cut ravine was the most dangerous obstacle she had to look out for. In her haste to leave, she had forgotten her shovel handle, but she couldn’t afford to waste time going back for it.

Alesia’s throat became extremely dry after she traveled only a short distance. For the first time in hours, it occurred to her that she hadn’t had a drink since she stopped at the stream the night before. Alesia fumbled on through the darkness, too wound up about Gil’s situation to worry about forest creatures. Suddenly, she stepped down onto thin air. Her face hit the dirt, and she tumbled wildly until she landed with a splash. Water covered her head and filled her lungs. She flailed her arms, trying to swim, but all sense of direction was lost to her. Her foot struck what she hoped was bottom, and she pushed off. A few seconds later, her head broke the surface. After coughing out most of the water, she finally got a decent breath.

Somehow she had missed seeing this pool in the stream during her earlier travels, but at least she was no longer thirsty. The tumble down the hill had been far more violent than she realized at first. Everything ached, she was soaked all the way through and chilled to the bone, but she didn’t have time to worry about her condition. After sitting at the water’s edge for a moment to catch her breath, she climbed out of the ravine and continued on. The forest began to slowly brighten with the first rays of dawn, allowing her to travel at a much quicker pace.

If no one had discovered the rope behind the Smith’s barn, she’d use it to climb the wall. As the sun rose high overhead, the village wall became visible through the thinning forest. Alesia recognized the area and hurried directly to the spot behind the Smith’s farm. The rope was gone, and she had no way over the wall. The main gate was the only way through. As soon as she showed her face, she’d be arrested, but she had no other choice. Given her battered condition, the guards might not expect her to put up a fight. She could use that to her advantage, perhaps get a sword from one of them and escape long enough to get the black box.

As she approached the gate, she saw Marco was on duty, as well as one of his subordinates, a man named Elwyn. Marco leaped to his feet and rushed from the guardhouse to stop her.

“Alesia! Where have you been? Baron Volga is furious. He has sworn that if you’re caught, he’ll hold you in chains until you bear him a son.”

She looked him directly in the eyes, hoping the kindness he had expressed to her hadn’t been a complete sham. “Is that what you want, Marco? Me, in chains, being repeatedly impregnated by that old bastard.”

Marco tore his gaze from hers and stared at the ground. “Of course not. You know I care for you.”

She sighed deeply. “I believed that once upon a time, before you chose to court Miranda Tillman.”

“I had no choice, Alesia.”

She stepped up to him and stabbed him in the chest with her index finger. “You had a choice! You chose her.”

Marco kept his gaze turned away from her. “I couldn’t buy your debt and provide you with the quality of life you deserve.”

Alesia maneuvered around until she was in his direct line of sight. “I would have helped you. I’m a good worker. All I wanted was for us to have a life together. I never asked you for anything else.”

Elwyn approached them. “Sir, should I report that we have the girl?”

Marco shot him a hard glare. “No. Stand watch and leave her to me.”

“Yes, sir.” He returned to his post.

“What will you do with me, Marco? Turn me in to the baron?”

Marco huffed. “What would you have me do, Alesia?”

“Turn your back while I walk away.”

His eyes widened, and he threw up his hands. “Is that all?”

“If I come running back this way pursued by anyone, allow me to pass and then close the gate.”

Marco raked his fingers through his long hair. “The baron will be even more furious. I’ll probably lose my rank, maybe even my job.”

“You’re a man. They won’t be too harsh with you. And besides, did you intend to continue working as a guard after your wedding? I doubt Miranda’s family would allow that. It’s too dangerous. You might get attacked by a forest creature and lose the family jewels. That would make you worthless to them.”

He sighed and pursed his lips. “You believe they only want me for breeding stock?”

She hardened her stare. “Marco, you only chose her because her mother bore four sons. You’re well aware of what matters these days. Does no one realize that the woman has nothing to do with the gender of the child? It’s the man who determines that.”

“Not according to the village elders.”

“The village elders don’t know everything. Most of human knowledge has been lost to us. If you truly care about me, do as I ask.”

He turned to the guard station and signaled to Elwyn. “Very well, Alesia, you may go.”

Alesia dashed off directly to the Council of Elders meeting chamber. She got a few curious glances, but the streets were mostly empty. Everyone in the village must have been making lunch because the smell of meat and vegetables cooking permeated the air. Alesia’s stomach growled and cramped painfully, but she couldn’t delay. She had a small window of opportunity to capture her prize and get out of the village before someone caught her. The baron himself was no threat. She could dance rings around him and still get away if necessary, but he held as much power an anyone who was not seated on the Council of Elders could ever hope to. He’d have put a bounty on her head and have numerous people looking for her. If caught, she’d wind up permanently in chains, just like Marco had said.

Alesia stopped in front of the Council of Elders meeting hall. The last time she stepped inside she had felt a presence reaching out to her. A thrumming sensation had tapped on her body, gently at first, but had grown in intensity until it nearly overwhelmed her. She couldn’t afford to let herself become distracted this time, not even for a moment. If anyone was inside they could get the upper hand while she was trying to regain her composure. She took a deep breath, to prepare herself for the initial shock and grasped the handle. The door wasn’t locked. She pushed it open and eased inside. Nothing happened. She experienced no vision of her dream hero and no odd vibrations. Whatever had been there before was either gone or had been a figment of her imagination.

Lamps were burning. Someone was obviously there, but not in the front room. The black box sat high atop a shelf against the back wall. Alesia gazed up at it, and a profound sense of sadness washed over her, but the feeling had no apparent source. Her plan had worked perfectly so far. She had no reason to grieve. She had every confidence that Gil would maintain his machines, keeping himself safe, until she returned. A minute thrumming sensation tingled her skin for barely an instant before it was gone. She had a vague sense that, somehow, the mourning she experienced was not actually her own, but had come from someone else.

Alesia took one step toward the shelf. Councilman Bolivar came through the door from the back, carrying a bowl of soup.

“Alesia! What are you doing in here? You startled me. Where have you been? Baron Volga has been searching for you. He’s furious that you ran off.”

Alesia didn’t know what to do. She only needed to distract him for a moment, and she’d be on her way. “Will you call the guards and turn me in?”

He looked utterly bewildered for a moment, then grinned. “No. If you don’t wish for the baron to know your whereabouts, who am I to interfere? Now, what can I do for you?” Alesia eyed his bowl of soup. He set it on a table and motioned to it. “Go ahead, you look hungry.”

She woofed down the soup like a starved dog. “Thank you. I haven’t eaten in quite a while.”

“Obviously. What do you intend to do? You cannot hide from the baron forever.”

“If you’ll help me, I might not have to hide.”

The old man sighed heavily. “Alesia, I would like nothing better than to help you, but I cannot stand against the entire council. One lone voice carries little weight. For what it’s worth, I voted against the baron’s request to purchase a debt. I feared he was interested in you.”

“I don’t want you to stand against the council. I need you to give me something.”

“I can’t imagine I have anything that would help you.”

Alesia raised her arm and pointed to the dark display case sitting on the top shelf.

He shook his head and let his shoulders slump. “You’ve been listening to legends. That is nothing. I’ve examined it thoroughly. It does not open. It doesn’t do anything. It’s merely a piece of solid material. While it might be a part from some ancient machine, it has no function. I suspect it is a footpad or perhaps something to provide a buffer between two things that needed to be close without touching.”

Alesia took his hand. “Please trust me. It is vitally important that I have it.”

“Alesia, if I give you that, the council will have my head. No one is allowed to touch it. They fear it is dangerous somehow. I had a look at it without permission. I was curious.”

“I have something I can leave in its place. No one will ever know the difference.” She pulled the instrument case from her apron and showed it to him.

“Another one? Where did you get that?”

She rapped on it with her knuckles, and it made a hollow sound. “No, it’s not. It merely looks the same.”

He turned his gaze to the display case for a moment. “Very well. As I have said, it’s nothing but a solid block. If you want it, it’s yours. Let me bring the platform from the back so I can reach it”

“Don’t bother. I’ll get it myself.” Alesia scampered up the shelves. As she grasped the black box, her hand tingled. Profound grief swept through her so rapidly she nearly lost her grip on the shelf. For a moment she thought she felt a tiny heart beating in her hand,
thump-thump, thump—thump,
thump...
The tingling and pulsing subsided after only an instant. Sadness remained, but it was definitely her own. She was left feeling like an old friend had just died in her arms.

All the thoughts and emotions running through her head made no sense, and she didn’t have time to worry about them. She tucked the black box securely into her apron, carefully placed the fake in its place, and climbed back down.

The councilman chuckled. “That was not a very dignified thing for a young lady to do.”

“I’m in a bit of a rush. I don’t have time to be dignified. Thank you. This might help us all.”

He glanced around as if suddenly worried he was being watched. “If you don’t mind, please keep this between us. I don’t want to spend what little time I have left locked in a prison cell.”

“Don’t worry, it’ll be our little secret.” She kissed his cheek and dashed out the door. She had barely gotten across the street when Baron Volga stepped out the tavern door, thirty feet in front of her. Alesia swerved into the middle of the street and sprinted as fast as she could, never taking her gaze from him. He wheeled around while yelling for the guards. Four guards rushed from the tavern and bolted directly into her path. They fanned out and drew their swords. Alesia charged toward one of them. At the last second, she darted left and went between them, but another one caught her by the arm. Before she could get away, they were all upon her.

The baron waddled over to her, wearing a smug grin. “Well, well. My little bride-to-be has returned. Guards, take her to my abode and chain her to the wall. She’s a slippery one. Be careful she doesn’t get away.”

Alesia struggled against the men until one of them finally tossed her over his shoulder.

The baron’s abode was more than twice the size of the largest cottage in the village. It was surrounded by a short stone fence, intended more for decoration than security. A wide stone walkway leading from the gate to the front door divided a colorful flower garden full of roses and tulips. The guards carried Alesia inside, all the way to an empty, windowless back room. The far wall had four iron rings with long chains running through them bolted to it. Alesia obviously wasn’t the first young woman to see the interior of that room. The guards secured Alesia, locked the door, and left her alone. With no hope left of saving Gil, Alesia sat on the floor and wept bitterly.

***

Gil strolled to the weapon locker and removed the only firearm it contained, the only one that had ever been stored there. It was a small-caliber, snub-nosed revolver that had been confiscated from a frightened young man during the early days of the revolt. Gil flipped open the cylinder and dropped the bullets into place. Despite his earlier bravado, wishing to see the look on the face of his enemy when they discovered him and thumb his nose at their incompetence, the idea of being taken prisoner terrified him more than death.