The Record Keeper's Wife

By Sylvia Perez

Beautiful and intelligent. Two words that described my people. Two words that would describe our descendants. Two words that would place me as a target in one of the most complex wars of all time. The way I figured it, the only way any side would win, would be by deceiving me, distracting me, and throwing me into well planned situations, that would leave me feeling lost… and unnerved. As to who was the final victor—unto whose lap I was thrown upon—I may truly never know. This is my story. A story of how I became a piece of a puzzle, and of how people decided my life’s path for me.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Sep 18, 2011
• ISBN: 9781105073175

Book preview

The Record Keeper's Wife

The Record Keeper’s Wife

A Novel

Sylvia Perez

Copyright © 2011 by Sylvia Perez

All rights reserved.  Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

This is a work of FICTION.  The characters, places, and events in this book are fictitious or are used fictitiously.  Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

ISBN 978-1-105-07317-5

Cover design by Antonio Garcia

Author Photo by Alonzo Photography

For all those fools out there, that only think they’re fools.

You’re not a fool, you only think you are.

The Record Keeper’s Wife

Preface

Chapter 1: Adelio

Chapter 2: The Phalovians

Chapter 3:  Bulsali

Chapter 4:  Overlord

Chapter 5:  Together

Chapter 6:  Keepers

Chapter 7:  Di Apuli

Chapter 8:  Delnot

Chapter 9:  Troubles

Chapter 10:  Value is Variable

Chapter 11:  Earth

Chapter 12:  Mother Returns

Chapter 13:  Difficult

Chapter 14:  Grandparents

Chapter 15:  Taken

Chapter 16:  Lady Rose

Chapter 17:  The Great Skip

Chapter 18:  Questions

Chapter 19:  Purpose

Chapter 20:  For Peace

Chapter 21:  Taking Care of Business

Chapter 22:  Pressure

Chapter 23:  The Hidden City

Chapter 24:  Prisoner

Chapter 25:  Little Ronan

Chapter 26:  Distractions

Chapter 27:  Acquiring Pieces

Chapter 28:  Life

Preface

I’m telling you, Manerindal does not exist.

What if it does?

If it did exist, we would have found it by now. We found the planet of the gods.

"What if Manerindal did exist? Just think about it. What would it mean to others, if the mythological planet of the most beautiful people actually existed?"

I see… If the planet were to be brought into existence, Adelio would seek out his prophesized wife there. And she could be anyone.

Precisely. We can make a woman so beautiful and desirable that he would not doubt that she is the one.

What of Lady Phalov?

Lady Phalov fears for her people. She will not get in our way. If anything, she could be persuaded into assisting us.

We need assurance…

She is quite fond of her sister, Aquario.

Lady Aquario… The only way of obtaining her is to provoke the lady superior into enslaving her own children.

That is easily done.

Oh?

The ladyship is pregnant. We make her bored of her perfect children and incline her into making her last as different as possible.

You may have something there…

I do. The child will instill envy in its elder siblings.

Envy enough to murder?

Poison, in my opinion. Murder begets murder in their society. Do not forget that, young Nathanis. Never forget that.

Poison… Prince Nathanis chuckled. So we persuade the children to poison their newest sibling… That would cause enough frustration in the lady superior to make her actually want to discipline them… If we were to put the ladyship on edge—make her irritable with the children, that is—it would quicken the process.

I say we bring little miss Bulsali back into the picture.

Lady Bulsali? The dead one? How?

There are ways, Nathanis. Pluck her from another universe. No soul, no love. She will undoubtedly be the ladyship’s favorite.

An empty puppet…

"Fill the puppet with what she does not have, but can gain…"

And the ladyship will be both distracted from her duties and would have a nasty after effect, I take it?

"Lady Niburu will become as ugly as a devil’s backside. She will also lose credibility of being the most beautiful."

Prince Nathanis chuckled again. A beautiful plan, but where do we start?

From the top. Have that son of yours contact his little friend, the traveler. Lady Bulsali, for his mother’s extended life.

So… Lady Bulsali, the lady superior turns ugly… The prince wrote it all in his tablet.

Bring Manerindal into existence… You know, use that awful old moon of ours. Remember, the one with all the leafy things?

I remember…

Use that one. It’s no longer in record. We’ll move it to its own orbit and replace it with some broken rock.

Prince Nathanis grinned. They will blame it on Angela, if they ever find out.

Good point. Make the stars foretell of a movement. If we get lucky, someone in the universe will catch the message. If we live that long, we can still have some strings to cling to.

…broken rock… astrology… Then what?

Have Lady Aquario head for us, as her escape from slavery.

Uh-huh…

Keep Lady Phalov quiet.

…

And breed us a beauty of beauties.

A beauty… Won’t they know she’s Phalovian?

My good sir, make it known that Manerindalians are the very ancestors of the dreadful Phalovians. Oni gave the young prince a playful wink.

The prince smiled. He finished his record and left.

As soon as the hatch closed behind him, the old scientist sighed and shook his head. We become dumber by the generation. If all goes well, my good prince, your head will roll and that of your mutant son.

Chapter 1: Adelio

Adelio. Tall. Handsome. A god. The Record Keeper of Niburu, as a matter of fact.

Adelio…

He is here to take me for himself. If today had been any other day, I might have felt happier about it, but today is today, and today is overwhelming. Today I dreaded the very idea of leaving my life and way of living on my beloved Manerindal.

Today was the day that my marriage to the new duke of Neal was announced. An engagement neither of us expected. Duke Lon has always been a dear friend of mine. We grew up together in the palace. I was his hired playmate. Well, that was all I knew of at the time. I was not aware of our parents’ intentions to marry us.

A hired playmate, you ask? Yes, I was. My father and I are of noble and ancient blood. It is known fact that the pair of us are of pure Manerindalian blood. It is also known fact that my father had not a single coin to his name at the time the agreement was made. I was only wanted to give the duke and duchess, of the time, grandchildren that would be direct descendants of our, long estranged, Lady Manerindal.

After our planet was accidentally stumbled upon by a group of minor gods, the newer generations began to resemble them in their various and rather odd, in my opinion, appearances.

According to father’s scrolls those were the ancient gods. They do not exist these days as they gave up their immortality to save the universe from destruction. Their essences, as the scrolls described, were then transferred to the almighty Hyperion’s children.

Hmmm. Children… I know nothing of children other than I was a child at one point in my life.

Lon was my best friend. He did not care for children. He did not care for marriage. He did not care to become duke. He was in love with the stable boy. Well, not that he was actually a boy. We only referred to him as such.

Lon was beyond emotionally distressed when he took his title. He took out his anger on everyone that came into his line of sight. He took it out on me the most. I will not have you after this, he hissed at me out in the corridor. I would have walked through broken glass and burning coals for you… I could have called you wife without qualm.  He paced for a bit before turning back to me. He was very upset. 

"Imelda, you meant everything to me. Everything! My answer to all of my… Where were you?! My life is crumbling before me and you… You were nowhere in sight when… I had no one… I have no one else… to be there… to hold my hand…  I had no one, Imelda… No one to be with me when he…"  He wiped at his tear streaked face and paced a bit more along the edge of the carpet before leaving.

I knew what he meant. I was his answer. He could have had his mother’s ring around my finger as a diversion. He knew that he could trust me. That I would never have given away his secret. His love affair could have gone on forever and he would have had my support and defense.

But now…

Adelio, Record Keeper of Niburu, was here. He was a god, but not the one we pray to. He was only here to represent the king god and take note of whatever was coming our way.

Something of grand importance must be on its way, I thought, or he would not be here. It was known fact that the Record Keeper was only given term when he was needed. If he was here, on our humble planet of Manerindal, it meant that it was stated in the prophecy that he be here… at this time… to record… whatever had him here.

Adelio called me beautiful yesterday. To be called such by a god was an honor on its own, but he thought me so beautiful that he wanted me.

With all due respect, my lord, I said with a quaking voice. I had been gathering flowers in the large meadow behind the palace when I felt a hand squeeze my bottom. I am not that kind of woman.

He chuckled. What kind of woman denies a god her body?

I swallowed hard. One of respect and decency, my lord. The look on his face frightened me, although it was only an expression of amusement. So, I added, I have never been with a man, my lord. I save myself for marriage. I ask for your forgiveness.

He was quiet for a moment. A long moment, in which he took to running his hands through my hair and sniffing at it. What is your name, my sweet? The tone of his voice alone told me that he was used to getting his way. As if no one had ever been willing to refuse him.

Imelda, I replied with the same quaky voice. Daughter of Lord Sergionoe.

Daughter of Lord Sergionoe, he repeated in his deep voice and then kissed my hands. Imelda, I was once but a mortal Bulsalian.  I took my first wife after I became what I am. He kissed my palms. The feeling reached the pit of my stomach. She has long since passed.

You tell me of your life, my lord? The man was making me nervous. I thought he would have me right there in the meadow with the way he looked at me. I wanted the conversation to continue while I tried to lead the way back to the palace.

Imelda, my sweet, I have never laid eyes on such a beauty and I have never been spoken to in such a way… He patted my hands and let go of them when he noticed someone approaching in the distance. Adelio disappeared when Lon called out my name.

Imelda?! Lon shouted from the meadow’s edge. Is that you, my love?!

I waved at him in relief. Thank you, Hyperion, I breathed.

Lon and I picnicked in the meadow. He told me of his recent rendezvous with the stable boy and of a grand feast he overheard his mother talking about. Tomorrow, actually, he sighed and laid back on the blanket. "I wonder why they hold a feast the day after a god has graced us with his presence. He turned to me with a warm smile. I watched the pair of you for a while, you know. What did Adelio say?  He chuckled at my expression. Did I interrupt anything?"

There is high probability that you did, I whispered and lied down on my belly beside him. He was making me sweat just by talking to me. I thought I would need another bath before dinner.

Lon chuckled. Would you give yourself to him, Imelda?

Willingly? I shrugged. Under the right circumstances, I suppose, but not out here in the open.

Lon lost his smile. I think he is watching us from the edge of the forest, he whispered. "Perhaps, this picnic should come to an end before one of us does. Like me, for being so friendly with the woman of choice."

We hurried to pick up our things. Lon threw everything into the basket he had brought, while I shook the blanket free of leaves and folded it. Lon was right. As I made to fix the bottom hem of my dress, I saw Adelio’s figure looking in our direction from between trees.

That was only the first time Lon and I caught him spying. He was in the library, casually going through books, while I played a game of chess with Lon. He was in the stable, casually talking to the breeder about a horse, while Lon and I joked with the stable boy. Adelio gave Lon a look I did not like in the least. After that I decided to leave my friend’s side for his own safety.

My nervousness increased when I walked into the banquet hall for dinner. Adelio was seated next to my father; right in the very seat I was planning to take. The pair of them were laughing merrily at some predictable joke King Herrieto made. 

Adelio eyed me when I took my usual seat in front of Lon. He eyed Lon when he poured me more wine.

It will help with the nerves, Lon whispered and moved his eyes in the direction of the Record Keeper. He was also wary, but what could he or I do if Adelio wanted his way?

Dinner turned out to be a grand feast for our guardian god. He seemed appreciative and that, in turn, made everyone grateful for his kind heart. Adelio complimented the king on such fine wine… and for such a large selection of beautiful women.

My heart stammered when I realized he might have lied to me out in the meadow. Perhaps my body was all he wanted. Perhaps he had called me beautiful just to ease me out of my dress.

King Herrieto smiled at the compliment. A variety provided by your fellow Niburians, you will find. The king was ignorant of the old gods. Manerindalians were once all fair with dark brown hair and eyes. Much like Imelda and Sergionoe… He picked at his teeth and went on. Now we have people with golden hair and white hair, such as yours. Many to the north have gray eyes. Many in the west have blue eyes. The duke’s son over there seems to be the only one left with golden eyes.

With that comment, Adelio pried his eyes off of my face to look at Lon. Lon glanced at him once and went back to playing with his food. The only reason Lon was the only one left with golden eyes was because of his parents.

There were once many with golden eyes, but it was believed that they were absorbers of essences and were ordered killed by an ancient king. When Lon was born, the story of the ones with golden eyes was almost forgotten. King Herrieto knew that he was father to the boy. The duke had not been gone a single month when King Herrieto had relations with the duchess. 

The duchess was relieved to find the boy had her face and told the story of a golden eyed witch cursing her grandmother. "That is why my son was born with the hideous eyes," she told my mother.

My mother, may her essence find peace, thought the duchess a common whore. That golden eyed witch was her very black essence, my Imelda. But know this, may you ever befriend her boy, keep your skirt over your lap… She eyed me at the time, but I had no idea what she was talking about; until I saw the king’s newest consort with her dress well over her head.

I smiled at the memories and Adelio’s luminous turquoise gaze softened a bit more. He liked my smile and continued his staring from across the table. My father, along with everyone else, noticed.

Dinner was just about over when I excused myself from the table. I made my exit from the banquet hall casual, but started running when I reached the corridor.

"Aaah!" I shrieked when someone wrapped their arms around me. The hidden entrance to the staircase that led to my bedroom was only two strides away.

Calm, woman. It is only me, Lon whispered harshly when he pressed a hand over my mouth to silence me. He turned me around on the spot and took me by surprise when he leaned down to kiss me on the lips. Stay with me tonight.

I stared at him for a moment, but nodded quickly when I saw a large shadow appear a little way down the curved corridor. We were being followed.

Lon led me to his sleeping quarters, shooing all of the servants along the way. He closed the heavy wooden doors of the outer corridor and then pressed an ear to one of them. I watched as his large eyes darted about as he overheard whatever was going on, on the other side. Something made his eyes widen even more. He took me by the hand and we rushed down the carpeted corridor to his bedroom.

Take off your clothes, he demanded as he started taking off his own. It would not be the first time that Lon had seen my body. We often went swimming in the river. Come on, he urged, when he had already settled himself in bed.

I hurried to take off my layers of petticoats and climbed into his enormous bed. To my immense surprise, Lon took me in his arms and began kissing my neck. He kissed my lips again, gave me a wink, and then nodded toward the door. There were several shadows showing from underneath. I understood his meaning and imitated the sounds that the king’s mistress made.

Lon’s mother was beaming, come morning. She had made a habit out of waking her son for his studies.

Word spread like fire amongst the ladies, that the duchess had found her son with his arms wrapped around a woman. And not just any woman. The woman that was long rumored to, one day, become his wife and take his mother’s title. Of course, Lon had wrapped his arms around me to ensure that I was not taken from his bed without his knowing.

After breakfast, Lon’s father announced his retirement as duke.  Lon was taken aback by the news. He was angry, but did not want to show it. He was under the impression that his father would take his title to his death bed, as he once threatened. 

It was when our fathers announced our official engagement that Lon’s face turned red with his humiliation.

Lon pretended that he was happy with the news throughout the rest of the morning. During lunch he made many smile by kissing my hand. Many, that is, with the exception of the Record Keeper. It was much too bold for his liking.

Imelda, a word, Adelio insisted, and extended a hand to me from across the table. Everyone stared as my shaky hand took his and we disappeared. Adelio had taken me deep inside the forest. You lied to me, my sweet, he accused with a soft voice, as he went about smelling my hair again. He was highly amused and it showed in his beautiful eyes.

I stayed quiet, but turned my eyes to the ground.

You said that you were saving yourself for marriage, Adelio pressed. He chuckled. You must have a deep love for that man to lie to a god.

A chill made its way down my spine. I thought it was the icy breath of Thanatos, who was calling for my death. I swallowed hard against my fear and cleared my throat. I love Lon very much, my lord. I will always love him. My eyes stayed on the ground as he chuckled.

I have not laughed in ages, my sweet. He inhaled my scent deeply and then took me by the chin so that I would look up at him. I have a strong need for a wife.

I smiled politely right before he bent down low to kiss me.

You will have a better life with me. He kissed me again. All I wish, is to make you smile…

Adelio had his way with me atop his golden cloak, atop the leaf strewn ground. He was pleased to know it was my first time. As to how he knew, I had no idea. As to whether refusing him would have been a better idea… Too late, now.

After he dressed me, he placed two golden rings in the pocket of my apron. You are my wife, he said with a smile.  He knew that he had left me most pleased by his actions. Do not make it known… He bent down low to kiss my neck. I enjoyed the way his long hair draped over me. "Continue as you would, make that boy seem like a man, do not lose the rings, and do not lose your faith in me when you are sent to your death." That last part sounded recited.

Sent to my—? But Adelio had vanished.

In the time it had taken me to find my way out of the forest, word of our engagement reached Darit, Lon’s lover. They argued and their relationship was discovered. Lon’s father killed Darit himself. He cut his head off in the village square. You can imagine that it was with a very heavy heart that Lon took his new title that evening.

Although many asked, I did not tell anyone about the secret conversation Adelio and I had. Lon was too taken with grief to ask.

Months went by and Adelio had not made another appearance at the palace. He was busy supervising the building of his own palace on the side of Mount Ida.

If it were not for my pregnancy showing now, Lon and his father would not have started speaking again. Lon paraded around with my arm around his to show that he was well worth the title that had been bestowed upon him, although we both knew that the child I carried was not his. We shared a bed for sleep, but Adelio remained my one and only.

As to how people would react when the baby was born… I did not want to think about it. I only wondered whether Adelio would take responsibility. Well, I also wondered whether I had it in me to run away if it turned out that he did not care for either of us.

Adelio had slipped two rings into my apron that day in the forest. The first one I withdrew fit my ring finger perfectly. The second took my breath away. It was a wide gold band with the symbol of the ankh embossed on its circular face. This was the ring given to those that earned their way onto Niburu, not just married their way in.

I… had been made a goddess.

Where are you, love? Lon asked me, on the coldest of nights.  He threw more wood into the fireplace and joined me in bed. Snow was rapidly gathering on the already frosted window panes.

I sighed. Someplace warmer than here, I replied with a smile and kissed his warm cheek.

He returned the smile for the first time since Darit’s death. He kissed my shoulder. Will Adelio take you from me? He asked in a soft whisper and kissed my shoulder again.

Hmmm. I cannot predict the future.

Lon thought about it. You cannot deny what I have seen in your jewelry box… He played with the ring he gave me at our false wedding ceremony. Or do you deny him of his wife?

I did not answer.

The baby will come soon, Imelda.

I swallowed hard.

His people’s blood is more ancient than yours. There is little chance of the child looking like you.

I know, I said through a heavy sigh. Adelio was pureblood Bulsalian and now thousands of years into his immortality.

Lon thought about it some more. They say that most of their women now have brown eyes like yours. I heard the traders talking of them once… Perhaps… Perhaps there is a chance of calling the baby my own. He ran a hand under my nightdress and stroked my thigh.

I shook my head. I read they have a different shade of brown to their eyes. I did not want to admit that I knew from father’s scrolls.

Lon chuckled slightly and kissed the top of my breast. What would the king say, if he knew I taught you to read?

Hmmm. I do not know… Excuse me, Lon. I have forgotten a promise I made to one of the girls.

Hurry back, love, he said with a smirk.

I nodded and rushed to get my robes on. There was no place in particular that I wanted to go other than out of the bedroom, but I decided that the kitchen would be warmest.

Lon had grown fond of me warming his bed. This was the first time I had felt him get excited and I would not stand for it. Not when my true husband, and father of my unborn child, was biding his time on the cold mountain top.

My lady? It was one of the girls that attended to me. She had heard me open the door to the outer corridor.

Go back to bed, Lydia, I whispered. I am only on a short walk to stretch my legs.

Do you require assistance, my lady? Another one of the girls asked when she made her appearance at their bedroom door.

I do not, I said impatiently. Now off to bed.

Yes, my lady, they replied and closed the door.

I sighed and continued my walk toward the kitchen. The wind was strong and rapidly gaining in pitch outside. It made loud howling noises that frightened me. I wrapped the robes around me tighter and quickened my pace. The kitchen was just around the corner when I heard Adelio’s voice boom from the darkness.

Imelda, a word.

I nodded and took his hand. The tears that poured out of my eyes when we reappeared somewhere pleasantly warm could not be helped. I missed him. Where are we? I asked my husband, and let go of his hand. I kept my eyes on the odd stone floor. It had swirls of brown, orange, ivory, and gold.

This is our home on Niburu, my sweet. Are you hungry? He stuck his nose in my hair and inhaled deeply.

I closed my eyes to him as he ran his hand over my bulging belly. Why do you come to me now?

You are my wife, he stated with confidence and sincerity. You are having my daughter.

A girl, I mused. Have I not been your wife these past months, Adelio? Or do you seek me when you are in need of warmth?

He took me by the chin and gently lifted my head up. I could only withstand you being with that man while he was not craving more than your friendship. I know he yearns for your body now. I will not have it, he growled, but his eyes remained warm.

Why do you not wish for people to know about us? Do I bring shame to my husband? To my surprise, Adelio lifted me up like a child and stood me atop a tufted chair. The soft fabric felt pleasant against my bare feet.

Adelio’s eyes were mesmerizing from this height.

Your people will not survive the attack that will befall them at the end of winter. I was only giving you time with them. His eyes grew sad. I knew that he spoke the truth.

Instead of pressing the matter, I pressed my lips to his…

Lon was asleep when I walked back into the bedroom. Naked, but asleep. I walked over to cover him and blew out the candles he had lit around the bed. I took off his wedding ring and kissed him lightly on the forehead. I took off my own ring and slid on the ones Adelio had given me before I left the room again.

Lydia? I called, when I knocked on the servants’ door and opened it. A bath, Lydia.

Yes, my lady, she said, stifling a yawn as she, and the other girls, hurried out of bed.

I shut the door and tried to persuade myself that I was outside father’s door. It did not work. I did not move. Adelio had told me that it would come with practice. All I wished for, was a last embrace.  Adelio had spoken of the end of my people being at winter’s end. I did not know whether he knew that winter, as we saw it, ended several weeks ago. Heavier snow brought in spring and its later rains.

While the girls busied themselves with my bath and throwing more wood into the fireplace of the bathing room, I sat on the bench of the vanity and closed my eyes to see my Adelio. The man was a giant in my eyes. He had stood me on that chair so we could be closer in height; more comfortable while we kissed. He wanted me to kiss him.  He wanted me to want him; to love him.

There was something about being seduced by the man, in the middle of the forest and then again in our home, that made me want to love him. His eyes sparkled like gems. His lips were so warm and loving. His smile so heavenly. His body so very…

My lady, your bath is ready.

I opened my eyes and sighed.

The girls helped me into the steaming bath and left to wait on me outside the door, instead of washing me. A sign of respect and decency that said they knew I had had relations with my husband.

My husband. My Adelio… I was married to the Record Keeper of Niburu. I was having his daughter. A sweet baby girl of my own. A sweet little girl that I longed to see, when I had never desired children in my nearly two hundred years of being on this earth.

I was going through the many beautiful names that I might call my daughter when a curious scent reached my nose. It was sweet, but like nothing I had ever smelled before… not here. It smelled like the strange blooms Adelio had decorating our home on Niburu. It made me even more curious when I exited the bathing room and the scent grew stronger.

Imelda, love, Lon said when he saw me walk into the throne room. We are to rule over Neal while their majesties are away.

Oh? Where have they gone? I did not like the way Lon was looking at my chest or the way he was now playing with my hair.

They are about to leave to East Mila. He took my hand and wrapped my arm around his.

The servants were all waving from the large windows along the entrance hall. If Adelio had not told me of their fate, I would have laughed at the many comments they made. They were relieved to see the back of the king’s carriage disappear through the front gates.

After everyone had settled and gone back to their chores,  Lon took me by the hand and led me to the king’s study. What is going on? Why do you not wear my ring?

You are not my true husband, Lon, I whispered.

Lon’s nostrils flared and his lips tightened for a moment. He was very angry and took me by the shoulders. "You are everything to me. Do you not understand that? You are my Imelda. You have always been. He looked up when Adelio appeared in the room. She was mine before you decided to come here and ruin everything for us," he growled and spat on the floor.

Calm, Adelio spoke softly, and held a hand up.

"I would have married her by my own will in a matter of time. I would have given her a child." Lon’s chest was heaving with his ever growing anger.

Calm, Adelio repeated. Or you will never see her again.

Lon was about to shout something, but quickly decided against it. He paced briefly, with a hand rubbing at his mouth. Imelda, now that all three of us are… Lon made a face and sniffed at the air. What is that?

I smelled it as well. It was the same scent from earlier.

Adelio sniffed at the air a bit. He furrowed his brow when he looked at me with an odd expression of guilt. They are here, he stated with an air of business. Imelda, my sweet, it is time for you to say goodbye to your friend. We must make haste, he added when tears spilled from my eyes.

Lon, there are many things I wish I could say to you. I took his hand and kissed it. I am sorry for your grief. I am sorry that I have to leave you like this. I kissed his cheeks after I wiped at his tears. You are, and have always been, a kind and—

My sweet.

I love you, I told Lon and threw my arms around him. Run and hide, I whispered in his ear before I felt Adelio’s hand on my back and reappeared on a high balcony.

He did not come with me.

Adelio? I called, looking around. I was at his palace on the mountainside. Just inside was a luxurious sitting room. There was also a very tall man using both of his blood covered hands to cover his nose and salivating mouth.

The half eaten corpse of a servant lay on the floor.

Chapter 2: The Phalovians

I thought my heart would beat its way out through my chest. This man was eating another. Adelio knew of them. He knew the smell was connected to them. He was expecting them.

My husband was expecting them. If I were my mother… and my father had been expecting people of a different race… and she was frightened out of her mind…

Hello, I said. Forgive me. I did not mean to startle you. I smiled at the man. You have startled me as well.

The man tilted his head slightly to the side, but kept his hands on his nose and mouth. You are… He swallowed. A deity.

I am.

I beg your pardon, he said with a bow of his head. I was told to wait here for Adelio, the Record Keeper.

This is his home on Manerindal, I said timidly, backing away toward the wall. The man kept eyeing my belly and it made the saliva stream to the floor in glistening ropes. And… and you are?

I am… More saliva made its way down his shirt as he stood up and walked toward me. I am… He inhaled my scent deeply and uncovered his face. I have been starving. He wiped at his mouth and his eyes lost all morality. Forgive me.

The man lunged for me and I shrieked, Get away from me! I tried to move out of his reach, but he grabbed at my cloak. I kicked and screamed when he knocked me on the floor. He dug his sharp nails into my back and ripped his way right through my cloak and dress. "NO!!! ADELIO!!!" I shrieked again. The pain was intense as the man tore at my flesh with his bare hands.

"Please… Stop! I begged, but the man continued to rip away. I was shaking terribly and the room started going out of focus when I saw my own blood pooling on the floor. Pl-Please… please… stop…" I could hear the gruesome sound of him munching and sucking on my flesh. It was disgusting… and then I could not feel anymore…

Adelio, love, come save us… I prayed to my own husband. The room spun around once more as I saw the man tear away at my belly and all went dark.

The sweet smell was strong when I awoke. A red light was the first thing I saw. My eyes were closed.

She is waking, I heard a man say from somewhere above me. Yes… yes… I checked… No, the mess was cleaned… A sigh. "She is a deity, but… Wait… wait, wait, wait… Hold on for a moment. Let me speak. It is rather important that you hear this. She is apparently wife of the Record Keeper. She bears his ring and a child with his god awful Bulsalian blood. There was silence. Yes, I noticed… but… but, there is a problem with the child. She was not ready and her eyes are turning red… No, your majesty. I am afraid there is nothing we can do about it. There is high probability of a serum being concocted, but we would need a test subject from Bulsali and even then it would not help with everything… and the time it would take to get to Bulsali… precisely… Yes… Yes, I understand perfectly… The man chuckled. Believe me, your majesty. If I were not wearing this mask she would be finished."

Oh, no. It was another one. I opened my eyes and tried to get up, but I could not feel a thing. The man was very tall with pale skin, dark lashes surrounded light brown eyes from behind the mask. His hair was covered by a white cap. He winked at me and smiled. We were in a black passageway. He was to my right and there seemed to be two others carrying me.

"She is beautiful, your majesty. Absolutely beautiful. I strongly suggest you fit on a mask and come see her yourself. The trip would be worth it, I promise… The man was speaking and smiling, but there was no one speaking to him. I thought him a loon. He chuckled. She thinks I am mentally challenged for talking to thin air," he said with a wide grin. I noticed that he was holding onto my wrist; his hand in an odd sort of glove.

One moment, please, a woman’s voice chimed and the men came to a halt. A wall closed to one side. We were now inside a small  black room. Floor?

Hospital Wing, one of the other men answered.

"Wait. Ah, shit. Halt, the man that had been talking to no one said. He moved awkwardly as if trying to keep his footing on a boat. He leaned over and touched something on the wall, making the room glow blue. Attention, this is Oni speaking. This is a matter of great importance so listen well. All residents of sectors 116 through 497 must wear oxygen masks until further notice. Do not leave your pods, do not attempt to open any sealed hatches or portals. Any man, woman, or child caught doing otherwise will be shot until dead. Thank you."

Oni touched something on the wall again and the eerie blue light disappeared. He pulled out a stick from his pocket and suddenly a harsh bright light was being shone  into my eyes.

Very good, Oni said. Blink twice if you can hear me.

I did, even though I thought he already knew I could hear him.

Good. He smiled. My name is Oni, I will be your primary care giver. You have suffered a Phalovian attack. We do apologize for that… eh… He furrowed his brow. You… He pressed at his ear. Excuse me, your majesty? She has never heard of our kind… Yes… Yes, of course… I will see to it. He pressed at his ear again.

Oni smiled at me. Your attacker has been killed, my lady. You are being taken to the hospital for treatment. We will leave you good as new.

My thoughts went to my baby girl.

Your daughter… He made a face I did not understand. She will need extensive care. I regret to inform you that the person that attacked you ripped her out of your…

Tears poured out of my eyes and he furrowed his brow again in confusion. She will be blind unless treatment is found. We have tested several of our medicines on pieces of your flesh and have found one that will heal you. He looked at an odd bracelet he wore on his free wrist as he squeezed my own. He was counting. "But… most unfortunately… we do not have medicines that work on Bulsalian blood. Everything we have tried on… samples of your daughter’s flesh, was either rejected or too strong. He looked up as a wall of the small room opened up. I will be right with you, my lady grace."

Oni walked out of view. The two men that carried me hoisted me off of whatever surface I had been lying on and onto another in the larger room. There was an odd sound and I found myself being pushed into a sitting position.

To my horror, I saw my baby girl floating in a bag of life waters that was not her own. Right on my very lap… or what was left of my lap. I was missing my left leg to the knee and my right was mangled with bone sticking out in many directions. The blood flow had been staunched by transparent sheets of fabric. There were many of those same sheets covering my sunken… missing belly. My breasts were also missing, or I would not have been able to see my own entrails.

I would have closed my eyes if it were not for the sight of my little girl. She was also missing part of her belly and parts of her arm.  There was a red cord connecting her arm to mine. She was about to open her eyes when the bag of life waters turned a dark red.

I could not scream for help. My baby was dying and we were both lost somewhere with people that eat people. I closed my eyes.

What would mother have done?

Think. They were attracted to my scent. It made them crave my flesh. They were repulsed by Bulsalian blood. That must be why my daughter survived… for so long.

What else?

They knew what I was thinking, what I was feeling by looking at me. The one