The Realms of Ethair (12 page)

Arturion gently pushed away her hand and
took over. Her breathing deepened as she slipped into a restful
sleep. He drank in Karina’s features: the wide forehead, the thick
lashes, the small pointed nose, the fever-induced flush of her
cheeks, and her full lips.

Relief of what had passed and anxiety of
what has yet to come mingled within him. He brushed his lips
lightly on Karina’s temple and reluctantly left the
sickroom.

An infusion of herbs and lavender welcomed her
back from oblivion.
Karina’s perception of her surroundings was all wrong. Her
bed was not in its original position. A cloth fluttered directly
above her. The curtain was slightly pulled back to keep the room
ventilated. Her recent memories consisted of people’s faces
hovering about her. The last she’d glimpsed were long fingers
easing her headache before she fell into a deep sleep. The smell of
herbs persisted. She glanced at the tray laden with a teapot and a
cup, which emitted the strong scent. Beside it, a person sat
unmoving with hands folded on her lap. Karina registered the high
priestess’ Order’s robes. The pattern of a flower bud identified
the person as a member of the novitiate.

A teary lopsided smile greeted her.
No hard feelings
there
, she thought.
Kala, she found, easily forgave than most people. Mindy still
hadn’t forgiven Peter for his misdeeds. It wasn’t difficult to
picture the former working up into a rage, her curls billowing
wildly about.

Karina
smiled.

Kala looked at her askance.

“I just remembered something.” She accepted
the proffered cup to warm her hands.

“Perhaps you could tell me all about it
later?”

“Yes.”

Satisfied, the girl motioned to the cup
and gestured for her to drink. Karina complied, wrinkling her nose
in disgust. Her companion giggled.

“
It tastes better when hot,” Kala
announced. She knew Karina would try to delay finishing the
medicine.

“How could something taste worse than it
already is?”

Kala scooped a spoonful from the teapot and
tasted it.

“
It’s not that foul,” the girl
said.

“May I have a glass of water?”

“You may but you have to promise that you’ll
finish what is in your cup.”

“
I promise to drink all of it on my scout’s
honor.” Karina solemnly raised her hand at shoulder level in the
Scout sign. Her palm faced forward, with three fingers pointed
upward and her thumb holding the little finger.

Bemused, Kala produced a jug from behind
her. She upended the lid, turning it into a makeshift cup, and
poured water. Karina watched in anticipation. She had been asleep
for almost a day and felt thirsty.

“
You will have to empty your cup first,”
Kala said. She raised the cup towards her mouth.

“
That wasn’t the deal,” Karina
protested.

The cup halted mere centimeters from the
Kala’s mouth and lowered it onto her lap. She shook her head,
feigning disappointment. Then, said: “You’re as bad as them.”

Karina
frowned at the comment. Reluctantly, she swallowed a
mouthful of her tea, scalding her tongue in the process. With a
sigh, Kala swapped with her.

“Who’s ‘them’?” The water’s sweetness beat
down the bitter aftertaste and quenched her parched throat.

“
The Forest Folk,” Kala muttered. “They
love playing word games with just about anyone. I reckon they enjoy
using it when people make bargains with them.”

“It’s natural for them to turn it into a sort
of amusement. They choose their words pretty carefully and expect
others to do the same. It’s not like they always gain the upper
hand in their business transactions.”

“You should talk to the Black Guards’
commander. He has had dealings with Sentries.”

Karina
had heard the rumors at Kelor-dan’s Court. It was observed
that the Sentries were at times involved with the Merleinan Black
Guards. Each mission together was the result of a contract made by
leaders of each party. Both groups were tight-lipped with the
details of who had lost and won in the bargaining. Karina’s
remembrance of the Sentries treatment towards her was nothing but
honorable. The rumor mill, however, stated that the Sentries often
had the advantage over the Guards.

Most Devatas she met were friendly and
harmless, if not provoked. The prince and Theona had given Karina a
potion enabling her to understand the Old Tongue, Devarian, and
Merleinan. The Devatas’ and Merleinans’ language were derived from
the Old Tongue, the language of creation. The latter was tied to
the speaker’s thoughts and emotions that it was impossible to lie.
It meant honesty in business transactions; binding a person to an
oath; furthermore, it was made for creating life, willing abundance
and healing.

Kelor-dan, however, spoke of lower elementals
or entities. They abuse the Old Tongue by turning it into a tool
for chaos and destruction. By doing so, they corrupt their essence,
eventually manifesting physically – deformities like twisted limbs,
muscle contractions, and additional appendages. They become
monsters in appearance.

There are humans though who dabble in the
Dark Arts. They capture and enslave entities to exploit its
abilities and to hurt other beings, also known as a psychic attack.
In her country, it was called
kulam
.

A colleague of her mother’s had once been a victim
of an entity’s attack. The man was at his prime, but overnight he
had aged. He could no longer move his legs because of the pain.
Karina’s mother and her group managed to capture the entity and
discover its master’s identity. The man was healed, but they kept
the elemental with them. They tasked it to do good deeds. As time
passed, its features became softer and kinder. Its original form
returned and was identified as a dwarf.

“
Do you know the Black Guard Commander
personally?” Karina asked.

“Yes. Reno used to visit Sara’s home when he
and Arturion were children. They practically grew up together. The
Commander wanted Arturion to join their ranks. It has been common
practice for Black Guards to recruit Merleinans who are partly
human. They work undercover. Reno mentioned they are like your
world’s intelligence agencies – CIA, KGB, Black Ops? The Guards are
similar to the Keepers. But their designation gives them the
freedom to use deception when necessary.”

“Why hire those who’re half-human?”

“
Most Merleinans cannot stomach some of the
Black Guards’ methods. So, I’ve heard.”

“But Arturion’s a Gate Keeper.”

“By choice and by sheer determination.” Kala
beamed with admiration. “It’s rare for half-bloods to choose to
become a Gate Keeper over Guard. Sola, who commands the Gate
Keepers, had doubts with Arturion’s conviction in joining the
Order. It’s not enough to pursue a career just to honor your
ancestors’ legacy or your late mother, who was a Keeper
herself.”

“What happened?”

“He was eighteen. Too young by standards;
but, as I’ve said, very determined. Arturion had passed the
admittance test but he was put in probation for three years because
of his age and inexperience. After a while, it was shortened to a
year. He was—”

“
Good at finding people,” Karina
interjected.

“
He inherited his mother’s talents,” Kala
confirmed. She gave her patient a quizzical glance and started
rearranging the bedclothes and fluffing the pillows. Armed with a
broom and dustpan, she swept the floor, regularly checking on
Karina’s progress with the medicine.

When the cup emptied, Kala still
diligently pursued imaginary dust in the four corners of the room.
Karina was about to voice her curiosity when the former briskly
collected the tray and cleaning materials with a promise to
return.

The light outside gave her room an orange
glow. A small brown bird twittered by the window sill, a few inches
from her. Birds normally kept their distance from human beings.
This one flew towards her, dropped a berry on her lap and departed.
Three more came in separate intervals bearing small tokens: a
flower, a tamarind, and a black plum.

The tap by the doorway sent the last one
zipping out the window. Male feet peeked by the ends of the beaded
curtain.

When she didn’t answer, Arturion asked:
“Kristina, are you awake?”

Why does he keep calling me by
that name? Isn’t he breaking a rule or something?
she wondered. “Yes. You can
come in.”

His long fingers lifted the beads aside. His
dark curly head came into view. Arturion sat on the space Kala had
occupied.

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

“Better.” He checked her temperature with the
back of his hand.

“You still have a slight fever.”

“I think it was an overload. There was this
downpour of energy coming through my crown chakra…”

Arturion grasped her hand in his big ones,
the touch comforting and strangely familiar.

“
Your hands are warm.” He reached for the
soles of her feet. “Your feet, too. They are warmer than the rest.”
He shrugged. It was one of the
ascension
symptoms. Certain parts of the body varied in
temperature.

“
Healer’s hands, Mamá used to say,” Karina
smiled wistfully.

“Have you healed anyone before?”

“
Occasionally.
I heal people secretly when the urge comes to me.
I used to heal openly in Mamá’s classes.”

“Why did you stop?”

“Mamá’s friends stopped coming to our house.
Then, when she and Papá separated, we moved. She didn’t bother
reconnecting with her students. She said the office she worked in
was taking a lot of her time.”

“Was there an incident in the last session
you participated in?” It was a leading question to a subject that
mattered to him. She could almost see the wheels turning in his
head.

“I remember healing someone…and the surprise
on everybody’s faces afterwards, except for Mamá. She looked so
afraid back then.” She frowned as it dawned on her. “Does this have
anything to do with the Zertans?”

“It could be. Can you recall how you healed
the person?”

“No. It happened more than ten years ago.
I’ll tell you if it comes back to me.”

“
That would be helpful,” Arturion
agreed.

They fell silent. Both were reluctant to
break the peace; yet, felt the need to rush their next words. “I’m
sorry,” they said in unison. Then: “You first.”

Karina
inhaled deeply and began again.

“
I’m sorry I’ve been behaving selfishly.
It’s like my whole world turned upside down ever since I got here.
I shouldn’t have run off,” she finished lamely.

“
You should be,” Arturion said in a
dangerously quiet voice. “Imagine the drama you would have caused
were it to occur that the Sentries came a second too late, or a
deadlier beast managed to swallow you whole. Our world is more
peaceful than yours. Nevertheless, it is fraught with its own
dangers.”

“You’re trying to scare me.” She cocked an
eyebrow at him.

“
I might be.” He leaned back, shifting to a
more comfortable position. “It would be easier to keep an eye on
you,” he said wistfully.

“What are you? My jailer?” she joked.

“A friend.” His eyes were solemn and intent
on her.

A cough on the other side of the room
interrupted them. Kala had returned carrying a bowl of soup and a
basket.

“
You’re awake,” Kala greeted Arturion. In
vain, she spied on Arturion’s and Karina’s faces for signs. She had
felt something earlier that made her decide to offer Karina a
gift.

Have I guessed wrong?
she mused.

“
Presents,” she said happily, angling the
basket to show them the food inside it. “The animals have been
leaving it at the front door. I see you’ve gotten a
few.”

“
The birds gave them to me,” Karina
replied. She placed the fruits in the basket.

“Have you told Karina of the new
arrangements?” Kala asked Arturion.

“
About what?” Karina looked at the two
people, who seemed to have forgotten that the subject of their
silent discussion sat next to them. She repeated the
question.

Finally, they faced her.

A moment passed.

Kala elbowed Arturion.

“
Kristina,” he started.

Kala stared at him in
disbelief.

Obviously
,
there is a rule
, Karina thought, seeing the girl’s
expression.

Arturion ignored her and continued to
fill
Karina in with
Sara’s strategy and the new regimen of psychic and physical
exercises to reduce the symptoms of her
ascension
. In addition, to prevent another imbalance, he
would be exchanging male and female energies with her.

“
Is there a likelihood that I’ll become a
psychic vampire?” Karina knew of people who unconsciously sapped a
person’s energy when they suffered a low in theirs. Usually, an
older person who feels invigorated after being near an active child
had unknowingly absorbed some of the latter’s excess
energies.