The Uncrowned Queen: Legends of Kiamada, #2

By Ben Cass

Moments ago, Ellie and Jen Aston were in their small midwestern town of Groverton, but now, they find themselves on a parallel Earth, in the magical land of Kiamada.  Accompanied by Alistair Doyle, his twin sister Kira, Kira's husband Jerry, and the giant Wiler, Theonus, Ellie and Jen have to adapt to their new lives in this similar, yet still different, world.  Weird plants and strange animals aren't that surprising, but Bar Truga, the sentient island that is home to the Tayamu, is unlike anything Ellie and Jen had prepared themselves for.

While Jen strives to regain her lost memories, Ellie must deal with her Tayamu powers coming in faster and stronger than they should.  When a rare, surprising new ability manifests, Ellie suddenly finds herself with a new partner in life, and must learn to control this ability before she accidentally kills herself.  

Having received word from Nature that the uncrowned queen of Kiamada has returned home, Seaile, the First of the Tayamu, sets out with her apprentice to find the queen and restore her to the throne.  But does the queen even want to rule?  And why did she choose to leave in the first place?

When Doyle is forced to reveal their presence in Kiamada, news reaches the despotic ruler of Kiamada, Mathon, who sets plans in motion to protect his rule…plans that will place Mathon on a collision course with the Tayamu, and bring old friends to a new world in search of help. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ben Cass
• Release date: Jul 13, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393732051

Ben Cass

From a young age, Ben Cass was in love with the premises of fantasy novels and comic books: amazing creatures, fantastic heroes, and magical powers that existed right beneath our noses.  He created detailed storylines to act out with his toys, often updating the stories until he was satisfied with the plots. His love of writing began in his senior year of high school, when he had to write short stories for his English class.  He wrote the first one in ten minutes, all because it was due the next class period and he’d completely forgotten about it.  That story was greeted with laughter and applause by his classmates and teacher.  His subsequent assignments garnered even more positive responses, and Ben began to seriously consider writing as a hobby. A native Floridian, Ben attended Florida Southern College, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, double-majoring in Secondary Education.  Ben graduated in 1998, and has been in education ever since.   Ben is a certified geek, and loves Superman, Star Trek, Doctor Who, and other sci-fi/comic book characters and stories.  You can find Ben on Twitter under the handle @bencassauthor.   Ben lives in beautiful Broward County, Florida, with his wife and son, where he continues his career as an educator and is diligently working on the Legends of Kiamada series.

Book preview

1

Acool breeze flowed through the forest, sweeping leaves along the ground, ruffling Ellie Aston’s hair, pushing it into her face. She absentmindedly brushed it back, looking around the small clearing into which they’d arrived.

Just moments ago, she had still been in Groverton, the small town where she’d been born and raised. Ellie glanced behind her, trying to see if she could spot the house and property, maybe catch a glimpse of her friends, but all she saw was the forest. There was no sign of the dimensional rift. Admittedly, she didn’t even know what to look for.

Sighing, she turned her attention to the others, studying them. Her sister, Jen, spun in a slow circle, taking it all in. Ellie smiled widely, reliving the moment a few nights ago when she’d learned the truth about their relationship.

Lifting her hand to her face, she whispered, "Reveal the heart of my soul." A white light flared briefly on her palm and vanished. Ellie rolled her long sleeve up and ran her fingers over the now-glowing symbol on her left forearm. She watched as Jen glanced over at her and smiled, touching her own forearm.

That will never stop being cool, Ellie said to herself. She pulled her sleeve back down and turned her attention to Kira and her husband, Jerry. Kira stood quietly, one hand resting on her stomach, the other holding Jerry’s hand tightly. Ellie narrowed her eyes; was Kira crying?

Sure enough, Kira wiped her eyes and looked off into the distance. Jerry lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it, and she smiled at him. Jerry said something to her, but Ellie couldn’t read his lips to know what it was. Kira sighed, and Ellie was able to read her lips. I pray that is true, Kira said.

What was that all about? Ellie wondered.

Ellie’s gaze moved to the man holding her sister’s hand. Alistair Doyle, the lost Tayamu. He still had a slight hitch in his step from the wounds suffered in his fight against the Chiami assassin, Bryeenth Lin-Vareen. He no longer used the walking stick, finally able to fully support his weight on his left leg, but Doyle wasn’t back to full strength, not that he’d ever admit that to anybody.

He had saved Jen’s life several times. He’d saved Ellie’s, too, and countless others, and had nearly lost his own in the process. Ellie still thought he was absolutely gorgeous, but her crush on him had cooled quite a bit. If all went as she hoped, after all, he’d be her brother-in-law one day in the very near future.

She’d heard Jen tell him she wanted to marry him, but as Doyle had been unconscious and half-dead at the time, Ellie didn’t count that as an engagement. Sure, he’d all but proposed twelve years ago, but that didn’t count either, as far as Ellie was concerned. There was almost certainly a statute of limitations on something like that.

No, there needed to be a ring—preferably delivered by a snow-white owl—with Doyle dropping to one knee to ask Jen to marry him as flowers burst forth from the ground and small children draped Jen with beautiful white satin streamers. It definitely needed to happen in a garden with plenty of witnesses, and possibly a mariachi band. You can never go wrong with a good mariachi band, Ellie’s father had always said.

She didn’t care that Jen now privately referred to Doyle as her fiancé. Ellie refused to use the title until he stepped up and did the right thing by giving Jen the proposal of Ellie’s dreams.

A deep, musical laugh echoed through her mind, and she turned her attention to the last member of their little party. Theonus towered above them, his head easily two stories high. The Wiler turned his eyes to her, the deep brown orbs twinkling with intelligence.  Even after all these weeks of knowing him, Ellie was still amazed at how human the giant dog was.  His facial expressions could rival any person’s.

The proposal of YOUR dreams? he asked. She flushed, not realizing she’d been broadcasting her thoughts for Theonus to hear.

Yes, Theonus, she replied in her head. No need to have this conversation out loud! My sister deserves the best in life, and if Doyle doesn’t deliver the greatest proposal in history, I’m going to personally kick his ass.

The Wiler arched an eyebrow at her. Are you going to hire an army to help you?

Ellie scrunched up her face and stuck her tongue out at him, and his laugh again echoed in her head. I’m a teenage girl, Theonus. I’m an army of one.

Perhaps, but he is an army of a hundred.

The Wiler had a point there, she had to admit.

And you’re not a girl, Ellie, Theonus continued.

She crossed her arms and glared at him. No? Then what exactly would you call me?

He yawned, exposing his rows of serrated teeth, the giant sabertooth fangs gleaming in the sunlight that trickled in through the leafy overhead. Personally, I’d call you a woman, but if it’s the wrong nomenclature, please let me know. Remember, here in Kiamada, you are a legal adult, even though you’re not yet seventeen.  You need to start thinking of yourself as an adult.

Ellie smiled. I think I’ll give you this victory, Theonus. I like the sound of that. A woman.

Theonus stretched his hind legs, then planted his front feet and lowered his head, stretching his back. Before you go too far in your scheming, there’s something you should probably know about Kiamada. Here, the men rarely propose to the women. It’s usually the other way around. Kira asked Jerry to marry her, in fact. Ellie glanced at Kira and Jerry, a little surprised.

Really? she thought. Kira seems so...traditional.

That IS traditional here, Theonus said. You’re on a parallel Earth now, remember.  In Kiamada, women are equal to men in every respect. There may be differences between social classes, but not between genders. It will be quite different for you here, Ellie.

She realized Doyle was watching her, a smile on his face. Are you two done? he asked. I’d like to plan out our next move, but I don’t want to be rude and interrupt your mindless staring contest. He touched the corner of his mouth. You have a little bit of drool there. Might want to fix that.

Jen lightly smacked his stomach. Behave yourself, she said, her fingers lightly touching the small of his back as she hugged him close. You know as well as I do that they were talking.

You were listening? Ellie asked, momentarily horrified. Fortunately, Doyle shook his head.

No, he was speaking only with you. We could hear the buzz of his thoughts, but not the words.

I don’t follow, Ellie admitted.

When you were younger, did your parents ever talk in the other room while you were watching tv or something?

Sure, all the time.  They’d have long talks while they cooked dinner.

And could you hear what they said?

She shook her head.  Not really, no.  I knew they were talking, because I heard the sound of their voices, but not the actual words. 

Well, it’s just like that, Doyle said.  We could hear that Theonus was talking, but not what he was saying.

Oh, yeah, that makes sense, Ellie said, mentally sighing with relief. Sorry. Let’s talk business.

Doyle knelt down slowly, with Jen helping guide him, and pressed his right hand to the soil, closing his eyes. Jen raised an eyebrow and looked at Ellie, who could only shrug. I may be Tayamu, but I don’t know ANYTHING about being Tayamu!

After a few minutes, Doyle opened his eyes, and Jen helped him straighten up. He brushed his hand on his pants, looking to his right as he did so. We’re in the northeastern part of the country, he said. He pointed to his right. The ocean is about ten minutes that way. The Lamtu Valley is only a few hours in the other direction.

Kira inclined her head thoughtfully, tapping her lips with her finger. I presume that is your destination, Alistair?

A piercing cry ripped through the air above, echoing around the forest. The Wiler’s head snapped up, and his nostrils began moving as he sniffed the air.  

Seconds later, a long, low keening reached Ellie’s ears. Something was in agonizing pain. Ellie’s heart jumped, and tears leaped to her eyes. She was dying twice; her mate had been shot and killed right before she had been struck. The grief had pierced her heart, and then the bolt had pierced her side.

Wait... I wasn’t shot, I’m not dying, and I DEFINITELY don’t have a mate!

She didn’t realize she was curled up in a fetal position until she felt Doyle’s hands on her shoulders. Focus on something else, Elowyn, he said. Block out the pain. Don’t acknowledge it.

What’s wrong with her? came Jen’s voice.  Is she Changing again?

Oh, God, I hope not! Ellie thought.

Doyle massaged her neck muscles, which were tensing up.  No, she’s not Changing.  I’m guessing it’s empathic pain.

Empathic? Ellie managed to mutter through clenched teeth.  She wanted nothing more than to cry hysterically at the futility of life.

"Emotions.  Tayamu women develop the ability to feel and experience the emotions of others. It shouldn’t happen this quickly, though. You shouldn’t even be able to sense emotions, much less feel them to this degree. He squeezed her shoulder. Just think about something else."

Don’t think about it? Easy for him to say. He isn’t being bombarded with somebody else’s emotions!  

Another wave of pain rolled over her, and Ellie moaned loudly, grabbing her head.  Ignoring the emotions clearly wasn’t working, so she decided to try something counter-intuitive.  Gritting her teeth, Ellie opened her mind up to the emotions, acknowledging them. Despair filled her, a desperate panic that chilled her to her toes. She would die alone, away from her kind.  She would never have children.

No. It’s not you, Ellie, she reminded herself.

Another keening cry swept through the forest, and Ellie was vaguely aware of Theonus shifting his body to face toward the ocean. She still felt Doyle’s hands, could hear him talking to her, but ignored him. Ellie had to stand up; she had a growing urge to help, and it was getting stronger by the second.   

Ellie forced her body to straighten out, and shoved herself to a sitting position. She felt a stab of anguish strike her heart, a realization death was stalking her, and her lips curled into a snarl of anger. Whoever this was—whatever it was—she was not going to let them suffer any longer.  

Ellie stood, her legs shaky, ignoring the alien emotions still coursing through her, shoving them to the back of her mind into a tiny knot. She could ignore a tiny knot of pain. I’m coming to help you, she said, her voice low and hard.  Hang on.

Doyle was up beside her, his hands gripping her. Elowyn, stay here, he said. I’ll take care of this.

Like hell I will! Ellie growled at him, forcefully shoving his hands away, earning a look of surprise from him. I’m going!

Doyle considered her for a split second before nodding, the corner of his mouth turning up. Yes, ma’am, he said.

So am I, said Jerry. Doyle arched an eyebrow at him, but didn’t say anything. Instead, he looked at his twin and pointed at Jen.

Get her covered up; I don’t know who or what is out there, and I’m not taking any chances. Theonus—where are we heading?

AS Doyle ran off into the forest with Ellie and Jerry, Jen watched as Kira dug through one of the satchels hanging from Theonus. She finally found what she was looking for, and pulled out a hooded cloak. Kira shook the cloak out and studied it for a moment before finally nodding. She turned to face Jen and held the cloak out.

Put this on, Jeniah, Kira said.

Jen raised an eyebrow.  You want me to look like a female Gandalf? she asked, bemused. And isn’t it a bit warm for a heavy cloak?

Kira shook her head. It is not heavy at all. It is a Wiler-fur cloak, which is very lightweight and redirects heat to keep you cool.

Jen crossed her arms over her chest. So you’re saying that you want me to wear fur that Theonus shed? The Wiler turned his head to throw her an aggrieved look, but didn’t say anything; he quickly resumed his watchful pose, listening to the sounds in the forest around them.

Kira shrugged. I am saying, Jeniah, that we need you to be safe. We do not know who sent the Chiami after you, but we can be certain that they will hear of your escape, sooner or later. Since we know nothing about the Chiami presence here in Kiamada, Alistair and I would prefer to keep your presence a secret.

Jen grumbled under her breath, but held out her hand. Kira dropped the cloak onto Jen’s palm; to her surprise, it was very light. She turned it in her hands, looking for the zipper, but found nothing. Looking up at Kira, she raised an eyebrow.

Pull it on over your head, Kira instructed. There are no zippers or buttons.

Jen felt stupid; she should have thought of that! She complied, quickly pulling the cloak over her arms. She tugged the cloak down over the plain shirt and slacks Kira had made for her, and pulled her hair up through the top of the cloak. Kira, however, shook her head, and pulled the hood up over Jen’s face, tucking her hair back in. Fully covered, Jeniah.

Jen sighed, but let Kira fuss with her hair and the hood until she was satisfied. Finally, Kira stood back and studied Jen. I still do not understand how it works, she said to herself, but that hardly matters. You are as hidden as I can make you.

Jen looked down at her arms, holding them out in front of her. "Hidden? Won’t the black fur make me stand out more?"

Kira turned back to the satchel and pulled something out, showing it to Jen. It was a small hand mirror. See for yourself, Kira invited. Jen looked in the mirror and saw, to her surprise, that she was not in the reflection.  The trees behind her moved in the mirror, but there was no sign of her or the black cloak.

What the hell? she breathed out, looking at the mirror from different angles. She saw nothing of herself. Not even her hands or feet showed. How is this possible?

Wilers have the ability to deflect light away from themselves, effectively making them invisible, Kira explained, stashing the mirror back into the satchel.  

Jen snapped her fingers. I do remember hearing that, she said. Ellie told me about it.

Kira fastened the satchel closed and turned back around. A Wiler-fur cloak somehow retains that ability, she said, her eyes scanning the area. As long as you wear it with the hood up, nobody will be able to see you, not even Alistair.

Jen grinned wickedly. So what I’m hearing is that I could walk up behind him and scare the crap out of him.

Kira shrugged. You could try, but he would sense that, I think. Now, if you remained where you are and neither moved nor breathed, you could probably startle him.

I’ll take that into consideration, Jen said. She saw that Kira’s hand rested on her lower stomach again; she’d been doing that for the last several days. "So...you want to tell me what that’s all about?" Jen asked, pointing at Kira’s hand.

Doyle’s sister looked in Jen’s direction and frowned. To what are you referring, Jeniah? I cannot see you, remember?

Oh. Right. Sorry. I was pointing at your hand on your stomach.

Kira snatched her hand away. It is nothing. Just nerves, I suppose. I have not been home in a decade.

Jen shook her head before realizing that Kira couldn’t see her. I don’t think so, Kira. You’ve been doing it for a few days now. I didn’t say anything, because I figured it was either a touch of something or that time of the month. Jen walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder, making Kira start slightly.

Sorry, Jen apologized. Anyways, I didn’t think much of it, but a few minutes ago, I saw you crying. Is there anything you want to tell me?

Kira bit her lower lip, suddenly looking worried. Jen felt a rush of panic. Is something wrong, Kira? She gripped her friend’s shoulder anxiously. You’re my best friend; please, tell me what’s going on.

Kira looked up at Theonus, who pointedly looked away. The Wiler casually walked to the other side of the clearing, his body passing over their heads with ease. Jen knew he could still hear them, but also suspected that he would keep whatever they said private. Kira...please?

Kira sighed. My cycle was quite late, so I took a test a few days ago. I am pregnant again.

Jen started to squeal in excitement, but then her brain caught up with her ears, and she stopped herself. "Wait...again? You said pregnant again?"

Kira looked away, her eyes cast down toward the ground. I have been pregnant three times in the past several years, Jeniah. She sat down on a large tree stump just behind her, brushing some dirt off the wood first.  This will be my fourth time.

Jen was confused. You didn’t mention having any kids, though. Where are...? Her voice trailed off as she realized what Kira meant. Oh, Kira. Oh, no, I’m so sorry! I had no idea! She stepped over and stood in front of Kira, wrapping her arms around her friend. I’m so sorry, Jen said again, lightly kissing Kira’s forehead.

It is all right, Jeniah, Kira said, smiling slightly. I have put it behind me.

Jen sat down next to Kira, taking her hand. I doubt that. That’s not something you just forget about.

Kira sighed. No. It is not. She laid her other hand over Jen’s, her long fingers gently squeezing.

I’m not going to pry, Jen said softly, but if you ever need to talk, I’m here.

Kira stared off into the distance, her eyes not really looking at anything. The first two were at three months, she said quietly. I did not even know I was pregnant the first time. The second time, we had just found out. That was...difficult for me.

I can’t even imagine, Jen murmured, smoothing Kira’s hair back.  

In Kiamada, the old beliefs were that a woman who loses a baby was being cursed for some sin she committed, Kira said. There was little understanding of the various things that cause...miscarriage. Her voice caught on the last word, but she continued on, Losing more than one child? That meant you must have committed an unforgivable sin. The Tayamu knew better, of course, and tried to spread the knowledge, but there were always those who pushed back. When I was coming of age, there was a fairly even split in the populace between those who believed it was a punishment, and those who believed the biology. When I had my...incidents...it was nice to be in a place where losing your pregnancy was not viewed as a failure on your part.

Of course it wasn’t a failure, Jen said encouragingly. It just happens, unfortunately.

Kira looked in Jen’s direction, and then reached out and gently stroked Jen’s cheek, surprising her. You are holding my hand, Kira said, answering Jen’s question before she could ask it. The Wiler-fur is bending light around me as well, so you are no longer invisible to me. Jen smiled, and Kira smiled back, although sadly. It is nice to be able to see you right now, Kira said.

She looked away again, her hand gripping Jen’s a little more tightly. The third time... Kira began, but stopped, her voice shaking too much.  She paused, swallowing hard, before continuing.

The third time was a year ago. I hid the first two from Alistair, but I could not do so again, as I was six months along.  

Jen covered her mouth. Six months?

The doctors tried to...to save...him, but they were unable to. Kira’s lip quivered, and she stopped speaking for a few moments. Jen reached out and pulled Kira’s head down, resting it against her chest, stroking her hair.  

They sat there for several minutes, Jen holding Kira, before the taller woman took a deep, shuddering breath and forced herself to sit back up. She wiped her eyes with her free hand, still holding onto Jen’s hand tightly. I had a much harder time disregarding the old beliefs after that one. I started to wonder if my sin was not finding you quickly.

Jen started to protest, but Kira carried on. Alistair...Alistair suspects I would have an easier pregnancy in Kiamada. He believes the combination of having parents from different planes of reality and not being in a world of much magic conspired to steal my children from me. That helped ground me, to dismiss the notion I was to blame. Kira looked up at Jen through watery eyes. And now it would appear he will get to test his theory.

Jen raised Kira’s hand to her mouth and gently kissed it. "And you will have more support than before, she said. Ellie and I are going to take care of you."

Kira smiled. Jeniah, that is not necessary... Jen laid a finger against Kira’s lips, silencing her. Kira’s eyebrows rose in surprise.

"You have spent the past several weeks worrying about everybody else, taking care of your brother, taking care of Ellie. Taking care of me. Well, it’s our turn now, Kira, so you can just drop any semblance of protest, because you know you’re going to lose. Ellie is going to absolutely freak out when she hears this. She’s wanted to be an aunt for years. Jen studied her friend’s face. And you have to tell your brother. Surely the Tayamu can help?"

Kira shook her head. He has enough to concern himself with.

Jen snorted rudely. Agree to disagree. If you don’t tell him, Kira, then I promise I will. Ali needs to know.

Theonus suddenly spun around. Somebody is coming! he exclaimed, drawing Jen’s attention. He hurried back over to them, and Jen watched in fascination as his body began to vanish into thin air, looking not unlike a PowerPoint transition. It took only a few seconds for Theonus to completely disappear; his tail was the last thing to go, fading away right as he sat down in front of them.

2

Jerry was starting to regret grabbing Doyle’s hand. He had no idea what was going on, aside from the fact he was, somehow, a part of the wind. His eyes could see everything around him, in much greater detail than he ordinarily would have been able to, but when he tried to see himself, or even Doyle or Ellie, there was nothing to see. There were no bodies, no physical sensation like he was used to. He was aware of traveling through trees, the bark brushing against him, the leaves tickling him, but he didn’t actually feel anything.  

Sound also made no sense to him. Noises exploded into being around him, some soft, others loud, but he didn’t hear them. They just seemed to pop into his mind and pop out again.  

Jerry suddenly found himself standing on solid ground again, Doyle releasing his hand as Jerry steadied himself. Nausea raced through him, making his stomach do backflips. Jerry leaned over, hands on his knees, and tried to calm his innards.  

Doyle handed something to him, which Jerry took gratefully.  He had taken enough of Doyle’s gummy things over the years to know how effective they were, and quickly popped the small, squishy thing into his mouth. This gummy was different; it was chewier, like caramel, and not as sweet as some of the others Jerry had taken. He swallowed quickly, and the nausea in his stomach settled down.

"Damn, those things work," Jerry muttered to himself. After a few seconds, he was able to stand back up, feeling much more normal than he had. Doyle and Ellie had moved away, and Jerry looked around, taking in his surroundings.

They were high on a cliff, overlooking an ocean as big and blue as any back home. A waterfall thundered from Jerry’s right, falling down over the cliffs. Jerry cautiously walked to the edge and looked down, estimating the distance. Hundreds of feet, by the looks of it. The lake that fed the waterfall looked huge to him, and the small lake far below looked just as big, even from this distance. A tendril of blue water snaked from the lake below out to the ocean.

For a parallel Earth, it’s not all that different yet, Jerry muttered.  Ocean, beach, mountainous cliffs with a waterfall.

You were expecting something strange? Doyle asked, coming up beside him.  Despite the waterfall a short distance away, his voice was crystal clear.  You know this is still Earth, just different in some ways.

Jerry waved a hand.  "Yeah, yeah.  So you and your sister keep saying.  I’m just waiting for the different to show its face.  Do you know where we’re going?"

Doyle pointed down to the ocean, and Jerry groaned inwardly. He was not ready for this again. His stomach had just settled down. Still, he’d volunteered to come along, so he sighed and held his hand out.  

Doyle pointed at the waterfall. We’ll take that! he said cheerfully.

Wait, what? Jerry asked. It was too late, though. Doyle was already running for the water, pulling Jerry with him.  Doyle held a hand out to Ellie, who grabbed on as they ran by.  Can we talk about this? Jerry shouted. 

Once again, he felt his body twist and compress in on itself. This time, though, they were part of the water, not the air. Jerry was aware of racing over the edge of the cliff, could feel the power surrounding him in the churning cascade of water. He thought they might have been moving even faster than they had earlier, when they had become the wind.

Jerry’s body flopped onto the shoreline, having somehow returned to normal in the last millisecond or so. Happily, he wasn’t nauseous this time.  Bless those Tayamu medicines, he said shakily.  He made his way to his feet, then looked around to see what was going on and spotted Doyle running for the ocean. His brother-in-law leaped forward, and his body twisted into a tiny filament before disappearing.  

Ellie stood up beside Jerry, glaring after Doyle. Where the hell did he go? she demanded, wiping sand from her shirt.

Flowers bloomed in various places around the lake, their color combinations bright and vivid. Pink triangular petals with blue patches, flowers with patterns that resembled bright red snowflakes, even some with large yellow-and-green bulbs that looked like tiny pyramids. The bulbous ones stood tall, their stems nearly as high as Ellie’s body. As Jerry watched, one of them leaned over to rub against Ellie. She jumped, startled by the plant, and laughed. She reached out to pet the flower, her eyes still looking for Doyle.

Ellie pointed toward the ocean. There! she shouted. Jerry shaded his eyes with his hand and looked where she had indicated. Doyle was out pretty far, the water nearly up to his chest. A huge, dark shape drifted nearby in the waves. Something long and leathery-looking lifted up, then tiredly splashed into the water.

Let’s go! Ellie said, exploding into motion. Jerry followed after her, keeping pace at first, but quickly losing ground as Ellie moved faster than he’d expected.

She came to a sudden halt at the ocean’s edge, and Jerry caught up to her a few seconds later. You’re just going to stop? he asked, catching his breath.

With a shaky hand, Ellie pointed toward Doyle. Jerry turned his head, and his eyes widened. He knew he must be seeing things, so he rubbed his eyes with his hands before looking again. No freaking way! he exclaimed quietly.

The dark shape in the water looked suspiciously like a pterodactyl!

Jerry, my friend, he said to himself, "you wanted to see different, right?  You are most definitely not on your Earth anymore.  He glanced at Ellie.  What is that?" he asked, pointing at the thing in the water.

Ellie shook her head. I don’t even know what to think right now. She winced and grabbed her head, and Jerry steadied her. 

So much pain, she said, closing her eyes and swallowing hard.  Trying to ignore it, but...  She swallowed hard, taking deep breaths, leaning against Jerry for support.

Doyle turned to face them, and waved his arm. Elowyn! I need your help! Jerry, stay there for now!

You can’t go out there, kid! Jerry said.  You’re already in agony from its pain.  It’ll just get worse.

Elowyn! Doyle yelled.

She opened her eyes and looked up at Jerry.  I can do this, she said, pushing off of him.  The pain just vanished completely.

Doesn’t mean it won’t come back, Jerry said.

I know, she agreed, "but I can’t stand here.  I need to help.  I can’t explain it any more than that."  She visibly steeled herself and then waded into the ocean. Jerry watched her go, shaking his head.

Kid’s as stubborn as Doyle, he muttered.

DOYLE held the roakka’s head up out of the water as Elowyn waded out to join him. He could see the trepidation on her face, but admired the way she shoved it aside. For all her determination to come along and help him, she’d nearly frozen when she’d spotted the roakka in the water.

Elowyn’s powers were developing rapidly, something Doyle had not foreseen. It normally took Tayamu women a year or more, at least, to be able to tune in to the emotions of others, but it had taken Elowyn only days. That was something he needed to deal with.

Not right now, though. Doyle pushed his concerns about Elowyn to the back of his mind, shutting them away. Right now, there was a life to save. He turned his attention back to the roakka. The giant bird had been shot with a crossbow bolt, the heavy metal arrow still lodged in its side, just underneath the left wing. Doyle needed to remove it, but didn’t dare until he had it on solid ground. He was hoping that Elowyn’s presence would help calm the roakka. He was having trouble communicating with it; the pain the roakka was experiencing was clouding its brain.

Elowyn reached him, the water up to her chin.  What...what is it? she asked him, her eyes examining the giant bird.

A roakka, Doyle said, moving to the side and indicating with his chin that Elowyn should stand where he had been. She did so, slipping momentarily when the soft silt of the ocean bottom gave way beneath her feet. She regained her balance quickly, and after glancing at him to get approval, reached out and laid her hand on the roakka’s white-feathered head.

It looks like a cross between a bald eagle and a pterodactyl, Elowyn said. Doyle considered this for a moment before nodding. It was an apt comparison. The roakka’s head was white, just like the bald eagle, its powerful beak able to crush a grown man’s body with minimal effort. The head alone was nearly three feet high, the golden beak curving sharply downward.  

The body was long and muscular, easily as long as Theonus, the feathers shimmering blue against the water. He knew the feathers would shift color once he had it on solid ground; roakka could alter their plumage to blend in with any environment. That the bird’s head remained white was a testament to the pain it was in.  

The wings were the most recognizable part of a roakka. With a wingspan of over forty feet and long bones ending in small fingers, like a pterodactyl, the wings were powerful enough to help a roakka glide for hours without landing. Doyle didn’t know how swiftly the animals could fly, but they were thought to be amongst the fastest creatures known in Kiamada. They were also one of the rarest, having been declared endangered by the royal family nearly a century ago. It was illegal to hunt them.

What’s wrong with it? Elowyn asked. Doyle pointed toward the bolt.

Somebody shot it with a crossbow bolt, just under the wing there. Roakka are endangered, but that doesn’t stop certain people from trying to kill them for fun. Doyle pointed to the shore, where Jerry was waiting. We’re going to move it to solid ground, and then I’ll do what I can to help it.

Sister? The voice popped into Doyle’s head, and judging from the look Elowyn cast his way, hers as well. Sister? the roakka repeated, its eye moving to look at Ellie. He nodded to her, indicating she should respond.

Elowyn swallowed, apparently gathering her thoughts, and then spoke. I’m here. We came to help you...uhh...sister.

The roakka’s eye flicked to Doyle, and he gave a friendly smile. I’m Alistair, he said, and this is Elowyn. We’re Tayamu.

The giant bird sighed. Tayamu. Tayamu help.

Yes, we do, Doyle said, laying his hand on the beak. I’m going to have the water move you to the shore now, all right? Elowyn is going to stay right beside you the entire time. Is this acceptable? The bird’s head nodded, ever so slightly. Good. Doyle waved Elowyn over. Hold her head out of the water. Maintain physical contact with the roakka. Talk to her and keep her calm.  He tried not to sigh in relief; as he’d hoped, the roakka was calming down with Ellie there.

Ellie turned to look at him, an eyebrow up. What are you about to do?

Doyle smiled. Just hold on. Closing his eyes, he gently placed his hands on the surface of the ocean, calling upon the water to heed him, telling it what he needed.  

As he knew it would, the ocean responded to his touch, the water gently beginning to move. Doyle directed and it obeyed, lifting the roakka and Elowyn up and moving them toward the shore with gentle swells. Doyle kept his attention focused on the water; too quickly, and the roakka could be startled and injure itself further. Too slowly, and the bird might suffer more blood loss than he could handle.

He could hear Elowyn talking soothingly to the roakka, reassuring her. The bird was grieving her mate; she kept repeating it over and over. Doyle forced himself to ignore her; Elowyn was doing a masterful job, remaining completely calm, even as the waves continued to push her and the roakka closer to Jerry, who stood waiting at the edge of the water.  It seemed like her empathic powers had shut off for the moment, which was a relief to him.  Doyle slowly moved behind them, still focusing on the water.

It didn’t take long for the waves to deposit the roakka onto the ground right next to Jerry, who remained calmer than Doyle would have expected. What do you need me to do? his brother-in-law asked. Doyle walked out of the ocean, ignoring the way his shoes now squished, and knelt beside the roakka.

Doyle gently lifted the wing up and studied the wound. A thick black bolt was embedded into the roakka’s body at least a foot deep, going by the standard length of a Kiamadan crossbow bolt. There was not a great deal of blood loss, thankfully; the bolt was plugging the hole. Doyle watched as the feathers shifted from blue to a light, sandy brown, starting to blend in with the ground around him.

He considered his options, glancing around the beach. There was nothing helpful here he could see. I have to pull this bolt out, clean the wound, and then patch her up, Doyle said to Jerry, looking up at him. I’d make some rumagna salve, but I don’t have the things I need right here. I have to go quick and dirty.

Meaning what? Jerry asked, looking at Elowyn, who was still pressing her head against the roakka’s, talking quietly to it, stroking the white feathers gently.  

Cauterization, Doyle replied calmly. He stood back up and quickly walked over to the roakka’s head, which was a good ten feet away from him. Doyle knelt down and gently placed his face against the golden beak. I need to remove the bolt, he said softly, and it will hurt badly when I do, because I’ll have to pull it out instead of pushing it. I don’t have the plants I need to heal you, so I’m going to have to call upon the spirit of fire to close the wound. He stroked down the beak, feeling the smoothness beneath his fingertips. I don’t know if it will be enough to keep you from dying from infection later.

Die without, the roakka replied, its mental voice weak. Please help.

Elowyn looked up at him. Her speech is very different from Theonus, she said, her hand resting against the feathered head. Or is she just in that much pain?

Doyle stood again. Wilers are quite unique amongst the animals of Kiamada. Their brains possess a capacity equal to humans, so conversation with them is normal.  He ignored Jerry’s snort and continued, When we communicate with other animals, though, they’re not actually speaking to us. The magic translates for us. If we make a bond with a particular animal, the speech becomes clearer as the relationship deepens. He walked back over to the wing. Jerry, I need you to hold her wing. She’s going to need the comforting.

Jerry examined the long wing. Is there any particular way to hold it? Should I avoid squeezing any special area?

Doyle shook his head. She’s much stronger than you or me. He pointed to the appendages at the end of the wing. Those are fingers, like ours. Just take her hand and then stand below her wing. Her grip won’t be particularly strong, probably no worse than the various times I’ve tried to break your hand.

Jerry threw him a strange look. "I told Kira that’s what you were trying to do, he said with a grimace, but took the roakka’s small fingers into his hand. Oh, so weird! Jerry exclaimed as the three fingers gripped his hand. It’s like a cross between a bird’s foot and a human hand! Doyle waited as Jerry positioned himself underneath the wing, hunching over so the wing rested on his back. All right, Doyle. Ready when you are."

Doyle looked back at Elowyn, who nodded at him. I’ll keep her as calm as I can, she promised. She’s ready. Doyle nodded and took a firm grip on the bolt, already gathering the power of fire he would need to immediately cauterize the wound. Doyle gritted his teeth, whispered a quick prayer to the All, and pulled the bolt with all his strength.

ELLIE thought the pain from her Changing had been the worst pain imaginable, but realized how wrong she’d been. The pain that ripped through her mind when Doyle yanked free the crossbow bolt was worse than anything she’d ever experienced. Her first Changing attack hadn’t left her mind in this much agony.  

Somehow, she managed to maintain her physical contact with the frightened bird. She wasn’t able to form words; her brain simply refused to do that. A wave of lava sloshed around inside her head, obliterating all rational thought. Spikes of pain hammered themselves into her brain, making her temples pound. She felt like her skull was going to cleave itself in two.

Just when she thought it couldn’t get any worse, it did. The roakka cried out, both mentally and physically, its high-pitched shriek nearly rupturing Ellie’s eardrums. She maintained her touch, but felt herself slipping. If only she could ease the poor thing’s pain somehow!  

The fire in her head lessened drastically, and she felt the relief that washed through the roakka’s mind. It was a cooling wave, extinguishing the lava that had been swirling around in Ellie’s head. The roakka’s pain was diminishing; maybe it would just go away completely?  

Stop, sister. Need strength for self. The voice popped into her head, startling her. Stop? Stop what? All she was doing was touching the roakka, hoping its pain would continue to go away. She was vaguely aware of something lightly touching the skin of her arms, and a buzzing sound flitting around her head, but ignored it. Insects were a fact of life, and Ellie was used to them. The pressure on her arms grew, and she shook it off. Stupid bugs must be the size of cats!  

Stop her, Alistair Tayamu. Help her.  

Help me? She scoffed; she didn’t need help. This poor, gentle creature beneath her hands did.

Stinging pain suddenly lanced through her face, and she tumbled away from the roakka, breaking her contact with it. Ellie snarled and spun around, lashing out with her fist. Her fist hit something solid, and there was a grunt of surprised pain, followed by the sound of a body hitting the ground.

Ellie’s senses returned quickly, her chest heaving from her rapid breathing. Doyle lay sprawled on the ground several feet away, holding his jaw. Blood streamed from his lip, and he looked more shocked than she’d ever seen him.  

Ellie tenderly touched her cheek, which still stung like she’d been hit in the face with a dodgeball.  She had no idea what had...hold on!  "Did you just slap me? she yelled at Doyle.  What the hell?" 

Jerry slid in front of Ellie, holding his hands up, trying to placate her. Ellie, stop! he yelled. He had to break your contact with the bird!

Move, Jerry, she growled, her voice low and cold. Jerry shook his head.

No, he said calmly. You’re going to have to go through me.

Ellie stared at him for a second; did he really think she was going to just let Doyle slap her face for no reason and get away with it? She started to pull her fist back, but a large wing swept down, blocking Jerry from her view. Ellie blinked as the wing wrapped around her.

Sister calm. Alistair Tayamu save. Alistair Tayamu not hurt. Ellie blinked, the rage in her brain receding, a great tiredness suddenly sweeping over her. Sister rest. Sister save Mawani.

Ellie felt herself falling, and was startled to find that she was in Jerry’s arms, holding on to his neck as he swept her legs up into his arms. What’s...what’s happening? she asked, yawning.

Elowyn, Doyle said, standing back up, his hand cautiously held in front of him, I’m sorry for doing that, but nothing else was working. It was all I could think of to do.

Why, Doyle? she asked, her voice suddenly weak, the side of her face burning. Why did you hit me?

He was standing over her now; she could see the place where she’d drawn blood from his lip. Because if I hadn’t, you’d be in a coma right now. He held a small berry in his fingers, and moved it near her mouth. Eat this. It’ll help.

I don’t want your hands near me right now, Ellie said, jerking her head away.

I understand, he said quietly. Ellie felt herself being jostled lightly as Jerry sat down on something. He draped her legs over his, removing his arm from beneath them. His hand pushed the berry against her mouth.  

Eat, sweetie, Jerry said gently. She took the berry with her tongue, chewing it. The berry was tart, so tart it puckered her lips. She swallowed, and after a few moments, started to feel less exhausted, more energetic. Her brain, which had been feeling like it was stuffed with cotton, cleared up. She blinked, focusing her eyes.  

Jerry was sitting on the roakka!  

She looked at Doyle, who stood several feet away, his hands in his pockets. At least he looked guilty; that helped assuage her anger some. Still.... "Why the hell did you do that?" she demanded angrily, bouncing up from Jerry’s lap and storming toward Doyle, ignoring her muscles’ protests.

Sister heal Mawani. The roakka’s voice echoed in her head, and Ellie turned her head to see the roakka looking back at her. Sister heal too much. Mawani better, sister worse. Alistair Tayamu save sister.

I don’t understand, Ellie said, staring at Doyle. He raised an eyebrow.

May I speak? he asked contritely.  

Ellie studied him for a moment. He really did look apologetic. Talk, she said curtly.

Apparently, he began, keeping his hands in his pockets, you’re not just Tayamu, Elowyn. You’re a healer, one of a select few that we know about. You used your own life force to heal the roakka—to heal Mawani. He bowed to the bird. That is a beautiful name, Mawani. You chose well. The bird preened, looking pleased with herself, as Doyle looked back at Ellie. You were so connected to her that your desire to heal her made it happen. You poured power into her at a rate that could have killed you.

So you decided that slapping the taste out of my mouth was the best way to stop me?

We tried to pull you off, Jerry interjected. He and I both tugged on your arms, but we couldn’t move you. He smiled brightly. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the big lug look so confused when he couldn’t budge your hand.

Doyle pulled a hand from his pocket and flicked it, and Ellie watched as water began flowing out of his clothing and off his body, gathering into the air around him. He made a small gesture, and the floating puddle of water drifted over and emptied itself onto a nearby plant. His hand flicked again, and Ellie felt the moisture leaving her clothing; like his, the small puddle of water was spread onto a nearby plant.  Flames leaped around his body, vanishing quickly, and before she could react, they surrounded her, too!

She opened her mouth to scream, but realized that, while she was aware of the flames dancing on her skin, she didn’t really feel anything.  They vanished as quickly as they’d appeared.

She plucked at her clothes, which were now dry.  Ellie suddenly felt really tired, much as she had been after the Changing attack, but was angry enough to ignore the exhaustion. She could still feel the imprint of Doyle’s hand on her cheek.  

So this—she pointed to her cheek—"was the only way you could make me move? You couldn’t think of any other way?"

He shrugged. Sure. I could have tackled you, which would most likely have really hurt you.  I would have, if it had come down to it.

Ellie fell silent for a few moments, considering him. She was still furious, but maybe she shouldn’t be. So she was able to heal injuries? Wasn’t that a good thing?

Look, sister. The roakka—Mawani—called to her, and Ellie turned around. Mawani lifted her wing, and Ellie could see that the nasty wound was gone, healed over. Mawani better. Sister heal too far. Sister die next. Alistair Tayamu save sister.

Ellie gaped at the roakka; she’d done that? She’d healed the roakka completely? She looked back at Doyle, who seemed to read her thoughts, because he nodded and said, "Yes, Elowyn, you healed Mawani. That shouldn’t even be possible for you yet, but you did it. If I hadn’t intervened, you would have drained your life force, and ended up in a coma, or possibly even dead."

Mawani rose to her full height, towering high over their heads, even taller than Theonus. She spread her wings wide, the distance greater than two pickup trucks sitting end-to-end. Mawani grieve mate. Sister heal Mawani grief. Sister bond Mawani.

Doyle grinned. "Wow...okay, I did not see that coming," he said.

Jerry’s voice cut in. "Pardon me for pointing out what should be obvious, he said dryly, but not everybody here is a magical warrior who’s fluent in giant bird.  This is a really strange, one-sided conversation to my ears.  Care to fill the ordinary guy in?"

Not really, Doyle said, still grinning. Ellie ignored him.

The roakka’s name is Mawani, she said. Apparently, I used my life force to heal her injury, and then helped heal her grief over her mate being dead.

You couldn’t just leave him in the dark? Doyle asked, gesturing toward Jerry. It’s more fun that way. Ellie glared at him, and he shrugged. Fine. He looked over at Jerry. Mawani said Ellie bonded with her, too, in the way Theonus and I are bonded.

Ellie’s eyebrows shot up. I what?

Doyle pointed