

### ARGEL

### Book One

### PLANET OF REFUGE

By B.B. Humphrey

Copyright 2013

Smashwords Edition

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Books written by B.B. Humphrey can be obtained through select,

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Storymill Publishing

All characters and situations in this novel are entirely fictional and any resemblance to any persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

Copyright © B.B. Humphrey 2013

All rights reserved, which includes the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever, including the right to copy, distribute and adapt the work.

## Chapter One

_______________________

Kyla clenched her fists and her stomach reached for her throat. "David! Stop! Don't push against whatever is holding us back. If we go though, it might kill us."

He ignored her. The rover strained. Something gave in to David's efforts. Following a shudder, the vessel shot through the resistance. For the first time, Kyla experienced free-fall.

She stared out the window at the place where they would die. A green and blue planet floated beneath them. A large mass glittered to her right, appearing and then flickered from sight. Beyond that, mountains covered with snow blurred into the sky color. A quick glimpse toward the opposite side of the rover showed her, beyond massive forests, a lifeless panorama of beige followed the surface of the planet as it curved away into space.

Despite all odds, the speed of the descent perceptibly slowed. However, David still fought the controls, cursing and crying out, as they dropped toward a green mass.

The rover came to an abrupt stop and Kyla's teeth smashed together. A gentle rock—the fall resumed. The vehicle jerked side to side with harsh banging against its sides. Her ears throbbed as they decompressed. They came to a gradual stop and she gasped. A loud crack reverberated down the hull. They fell again in continuous small jerks. Seconds later, movement stopped. A strange crash. No, not really a crash at all.

"Dave . . . Troy?" She swallowed to relieve the tension in her throat. "Are you all right?"

Rainbow colors flashed behind her eyelids. Fearing what she might face, her heart thundered. Commanding herself to relax, she struggled to inhale and squinted into golden light slanting through the windows. "Ugh, bright."

A silver protective cocoon surrounded her body in an iron grip. She couldn't breathe. Panic bubbled through her body, and then she remembered. _Calm yourself. It's only claustrophobia._ Arms pinned to her side, head throbbing, she fought against the restraint until it loosened enough to pull her right arm free. Reaching over her shoulder, she grabbed an orange lanyard. A quick jerk downward resulted in a muffled pop and a rush of air tossed her hair around. The flexible capsule fell away from her body with a hiss, spitting and groaning as it tucked itself into a neat fold beneath her seat. The pressure gone, she took a deep gasp of air.

No one answered her call. Sweat ran down her face, and she groaned. _Were they dead? Am I alone?_

A mumbled curse came from the cockpit. "You all right, Kyla?"

David! She sighed, relieved to hear his baritone call— _he's safe._

"I'm a little rattled, but otherwise, okay. A minute ago, I thought we were headed toward oblivion. Troy?"

Across from her, Troy grunted, fighting with the safety equipment. "Stupid inertial arrest system. How do you get out of this contrivance?"

David, now standing, gave him a disgusted look. "Don't curse it too much—that stupid contraption saved your ass."

Kyla smiled as Troy's lanky form emerge from his semi-deflated crash cocoon, long legs and arms flailing around like a mutated spider's appendages. The mechanism gave a belated burst of air and folded itself away.

He craned his head toward her. "Kyla, need help?" His dark, angular face creased with concern.

A tangle of golden-red hair fell across her face as she struggled. "Yes, please. I can't release these damn, confusing strap buckles."

David, being closer, rose from his seat and came to her. He released the belts and grasped her wrists. His damp hands trembled as he pulled her to her feet.

"Are you all right, David?" Kyla had never seen his face so pallid.

"Yeah, just a little shaky."

Troy joined them in the narrow space behind the cockpit. The vessel tilted in a precarious slant, making standing a challenge. Without warning, the rover bounced downward, and they fought for balance. Kyla stifled a cry and the men stared at one another in obvious alarm. The screech of the rover against some unknown objects outside gave her shivers, but the little ship settled upright.

Troy brushed his hand over his tight black curls and muttered a curse worthy of a grisly bouncer in a pirate cove bar on the Scalleon Rim. "What an incredible predicament. We are in a world of trouble with the captain. David, what happened? I know you did not plan on landing this hard."

David's brows crinkled and he rubbed his nose. "Nothing wrong with the instruments. Felt as though we were pulled down."

Kyla glanced from one to the other, trying not to be influenced by their worried expressions.

Troy gave David a sharp look. "That's a new one—untenable—one I doubt the captain will believe."

"Didn't lose power. The control panel registered nothing wrong. Just came down." David rotated his shoulders and cracked his neck. "Stiff." He smoothed his disheveled uniform and turned to Kyla, "Contact the ship."

Instead, she strode to the hatch. "You do it. They'll want to talk with you anyway. I'm going outside. I saw a huge glittering construct I'm dying to see up close."

"Wait a damn minute. Might be unsafe outside." David looked to Troy with raised brow. "How about oxygen? The teams determine this atmosphere safe?"

"Yes, it is sufficient and purer than that on the Adventurer. If not, we would be dead by now." He pointed to the back of the rover. "Look at that gash." Troy shrugged. "There's more to worry about—life forms we know nothing about."

David chuckled. "Okay, Troy, I'll throw you out first. If you survive, we'll know it's safe."

Kyla frowned at him—they had just barely escaped with their lives. She looked from David to Troy. "What's an adventure without a little danger? I'm going out. Well, I am as soon as my legs stop quivering. That fall scared the life out of me."

David's shoulders straightened and he glared. "You are not putting one foot outside. Not until we check ourselves and the rover for damage. Before we do anything, I'll try to communicate with Big Mama. Once we're finished, we'll all go outside."

With a down-turned mouth and a shrug, Kyla followed David back into the cockpit. He would usually be the officer in charge, responsible for the others, even if they were friends. However, they were on an unauthorized, reckless adventure, and Kyla wanted to rebel. "I'll check for other damage within the controls," she said, anxious to get through the standard crash procedures and go outside to explore.

David tried the com, worry creasing his face. "Adventurer, Rover oh, oh, five reporting. Emergency, this is Lt. David Kilgour. We're crashed on Javet 111 and need assistance." He ground his teeth and tried again. "Adventurer, respond." Static filled the cockpit. Fifteen minutes passed without any luck and he slammed his fist against the console. "Can't get through." Shrugging, he said, "Okay, mates, let's go. I'll give it a try later."

Kyla shot a look at him, grinned, and headed for the hatch.

Troy glared from one to the other. "You are excruciatingly insane. Why expose ourselves to potential dangers?"

David ignored Troy, holstered a multi-powered laser rod, and pushed the bent, creaking door open. He called out, "Only a few feet from the ground. Come on." He levered himself out.

Kyla leapt to the ground after David. Troy peered outside the hatch for a second and then followed. They stared around in slack-jawed amazement. A dense, fragrant curtain of green difficult to see through surrounded the rover.

"All this green stuff feels ominous." Kyla shuddered.

"Seems we came straight down, smashed branches, and wedged between these trees." David pushed branches aside and walked forward. "Saved our butts." The other two followed.

"Ohhh, they're trees?" Kyla spun around and stared, wide-eyed. "I've never seen a real tree before. Look! They go up forever. How can they stand on one leg like that?"

Troy peered up into the towering foliage. "They appear to be a species of pine."

Kyla sniffed. "Is that what I smell?"

He pulled off a bit of resin from the closest tree trunk, sniffed it, and then held it out to her. "Yes. It is indubitably a pine fragrance."

She rolled the resin between her fingers and smelled it. "How do you know? Have you ever seen one?" She tried to wipe the goo back onto the tree. "Yuck. It's sticky."

Troy laughed. "The arboretum on Calgor contains a sample of most trees from many planets for study and pharmaceutical use. Most habitable planets have trees that fall into the Pinaceae family of coniferous evergreen trees. The lumber is suitable for building purposes, and the resin contains many beneficial uses such as: in paint, sealants, soap and many other things."

Kyla smirked and glanced at David. "Very—um—edifying, Troy."

David's lips twisted and he nodded in acknowledgement of Troy's inclination to lecture. "Now we've been taught a botany lesson, let's see what lies beyond these trees."

She stood still, eyes unfocused, absorbing all the smells and sounds of the forest. Stepping into soft and spongy earth, she gasped at the odd sensation. For the first time, she experienced the cool moisture of a natural atmosphere against her face. The dampness emitted from the greenery caressed her skin, always dry from the ship's artificial air. _This feels good_. A chorus of creaking, cracking, chirping, and twitters filled her ears. _What makes those sounds?_

David's voice intruded. "Wake up. Let's get a move on."

The sky was almost obscured by the trees, but they followed a band of light filtering through the branches. Kyla realized Troy had dropped back. She turned and motioned him forward. "Where's your sense of adventure? Come on."

David chuckled. "Yeah, come on. In a spirit of friendship, we'll live together or die together."

Although excited by the adventure, Kyla quivered inside. David's joke could turn into truth. She determined to hide her fear and darted ahead.

Troy joined them, flinching at every sound from the woods. From the corner of her eye, Kyla watched him jerk and move about to check what manner of evil followed. She choked back laughter. David snickered, Troy glared at him saying, "Your jocularity is not appreciated."

Troy looked at the bottom of his boot and growled, "Disgusting. Animal feces. I do not like this. It is imprudent and obscenely asinine to endanger ourselves. It is unmitigated stupidity. Did you know a great number of animals on discovered planets prove dangerous to humans—carnivores and herbivores?"

David grinned. "You'd make a damn dry meal."

Kyla slapped David on the back. "That's uncalled for. Shame on you."

"Thank you for your concern, my friend, but it is okay," Troy said, "I'm accustomed to his pernicious vernacular."

Another chuckle came from David and Kyla joined in.

Despite hidden fears of the unknown, Kyla enjoyed the open air and all the new things she experienced. She hoped Troy's dire anticipations wouldn't become realities. Nothing stood in her line of vision that spoke of danger. "All this space makes me feel like a speck of nothing. Odd."

They came to a clearing through which a gentle aqua river meandered through a valley. Kyla caught her breath. Delicate trees, arms lifted toward the sky, were scattered throughout a carpet of ruby red flowers. Fragile fingered branches curved gracefully downward and into curtains of mint green. Kyla struggled to hold tears behind her lids.

Troy stepped back toward the forest. "We should not allow ourselves to be seen. I am feeling increasingly vulnerable."

"Damn," David said, "don't be such a limp noodle."

Kyla took another step, her head spun and she felt as if she might fall over. She threw out her arms for balance. "Wow, I'm dizzy. What's happening?"

"Ground's moving!" David grasped her arm and lurched forward.

Troy smirked. "Who is the noodle now? Look up, you will understand the dilemma. We are not acclimated to the constant movement overhead—focus on the ground until you adapt. The clouds blowing about cause an illusion of motion."

"Creation's sake, don't start lecturing about clouds, weather, and the captain's underwear."

"Please, David, do you have to be so blasted rude?" Kyla avoided looking up and absorbed the view. "Why Javet III? This planet should be called Heaven."

As they stood mesmerized by the scenery, a gentle breeze tasting like honey kissed her face.

"All this space is unnatural—I don't like it." Troy shuddered.

"Unnatural? You're nuts. This is the most natural thing you've ever seen." David pointed at the nearest mountain. "Look!"

Kyla looked beyond the valley to lavender mountains, their tips covered in snow, glittering in the sun. "What's that?"

"Where?" Troy turned to stare into the distance.

"See the hills beyond the river?" David jabbed his finger toward the spectacle. "Behind them, in front of the mountains, is something strange."

"Another mountain, most assuredly," replied Troy.

Kyla punched his arm. "Look again. That's what I saw as we came down. Maybe the planet's name should be Crystal III."

In front of the misty mountains, a majestic monument pierced the sky, first appearing to be clear glass. Upon scrutiny, various towers rearing into the sky evolved. One instant, it seemed transparent, and the next, it shimmered into a solid mass. The castle followed the elevation of the mountain and appeared to grow out from it instead of having been built upon the monolith.

Kyla spread her arms wide. "Think. What manner of people could construct such a monument in a non-industrial world?"

Troy lifted his arms in a gesture Kyla thought to be worship.

"Awesome." David's voice trembled with emotion.

"Let's get closer." Kyla moved forward with long strides. "It's what I saw as we came down. I intend to see it up close."

She saw Troy frown, start to open his mouth, and she stopped him. "Not a word, we're going."

They followed Kyla down the gentle slope toward the river. She threw her head back and spun around. "I can look up now without getting dizzy, and it's easier to walk here than on ship."

"Gravity is a little less, but close to that of the ship's living quarters." David jumped away from a fat insect tumbling around his face. "Damn! Look at the size of that bug."

"For Creation's sake, it's just a little thing," Kyla said. "What's wrong with you?"

David shrugged off her remark, and the men continued toward the river. But an enticing fragrance caught Kyla's attention. She leaned over, plucked one of the red flowers, and lifted it to her nose. Something slapped it from her hand. _Don't touch!_

She screamed.

## Chapter Two

_______________________

Kyla clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle another scream. Her heart raced. She couldn't breathe. Her friends ran back to her and David asked, "What happened? Why did you yell?"

"I picked a flower and . . ."

Troy's forehead creased while examining Kyla's hand. "Handling plants here could be dangerous. It is possible thousands of lethal plants surround us. Maybe your safety training automatically kicked in and controlled your impulsive behavior."

Kyla stood frozen in place, staring at her hand. "Impulsive behavior? You just had to say that, didn't you? No. It's not that. Something slapped it out of my hand, and said, 'Don't touch.' It's spooky."

David, with raised brows exchanged grins with Troy. "Struck your head too hard in the crash. I didn't hear anything."

Troy nodded. "He's right, Kyla. No one is here but us."

She ignored him as he launched into a technical, long-winded lecture about head trauma. "It is imperative you—"

Kyla's breathing finally resumed normalcy. "You ziggy fools." She stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at them. "Not aloud. I heard it in my head."

She stood, confused when the men ignored her and continued toward the river, Troy still lecturing on and on about head trauma. She huffed, watching them, but then turned her attention back to the flowers. Their beauty and scent drew her, and ignoring the possible consequences, she picked another one. The scent, so unusual, so appealing—

Before she could bring it to her nose, something grasped her wrist. At the same moment, three figures, misty and almost translucent, appeared before her. The beings took her breath away. Had she believed in the fables of the old religious cults of Earth, she would think they were angels. Two figures, at least a foot taller than she, wore gossamer robes flowing from broad shoulders. The third figure, obviously female, was much smaller and so diaphanous, as to appear to float. All three possessed silvery-white hair almost reaching their waists.

She dropped the flower. Her mouth turned to dust. She stepped back and stared. "I . . . uh . . . who are you?" She swallowed hard. In a barely audible whisper, she asked, "Where did you come from?"

Not getting an immediate response, she thought perhaps Troy had been correct about brain damage. Icy chills ran down her spine, and she looked around for her companions. They were too far away to call. She looked back at the figures, and the smaller one's hands darted like butterflies _. Oh, the figure must communicate without sound._ The only sounds were from the fluttering wings of a tiny purple bird determined to investigate her face.

We come from the crystal palace. We brought you to us.

Kyla's mouth dropped open. The tallest figure had spoken to her without sound. She closed her mouth so quickly, her teeth snapped together. She stared at the shimmering figure gliding toward her. Her thoughts tumbled in confusion. At last, able to speak, Kyla asked, "Did I hear you? You brought the rover down? How did you do it? Why?"

We became curious. The three of us used our powers to bring you down.

Who are you?

What are you?

Yes, tell us.

What shall we call you?"

Their voices came rolling together as whispers in her head. It became almost impossible to discern which sentence came first or who spoke, but their meanings were clear.

"I can't believe I'm talking to someone who doesn't open his mouth. I must be insane."

She tried to call out to her shipmates, but nothing emerged from her constricted throat. The tiny bird flitted around her head. Kyla threw up her arms, flailing at it.

The three apparitions laughed, their first audible sound. When they spoke aloud with one another, Kyla mentally shuffled through all the languages she had studied in the past fifteen years. This language was unknown to her, but she discerned a subtle familiarity in the speech. At least, they didn't communicate through some of the more exotic methods, such as clicking, humming, and body contortions.

The young woman reached out, touched Kyla's wrist, and spoke aloud. "Please pardon my brothers. May I let our names be known?"

It astounded Kyla to find, although she could not understand the words with her ears, her mind comprehended the message. She nodded while attempting to brush away the determined bird.

The young woman reached out a finger, and the bird settled upon it. "The bird is interested in the little copper chips on your face. Welcome. I'm known as Awel."

Kyla touched her face in confusion and then realized Awel spoke of her freckles. She smiled at the idea. As a child, she hated the sprinklings of color and was glad they gradually faded. Many instructors had said freckles suited her pale coloration, red hair, and emerald eyes. They became visible, now, only if she turned white from shock.

The younger man stepped forward, touched her wrist, and bowed from the waist. _I'm Eiddyl._

He stepped back and the elder of the group stepped forward.

Following Eiddyl, he bowed before Kyla with an added caress to her wrist. _I'm Cymry._

Her breasts tingled and her knees pressed together without bidding. Gasping, she wrapped her arms around her chest and looked at him in confusion.

Kyla inhaled and tried to concentrate on speech, but the bird fluttered around her face again. Before she could brush it away, the angelic woman reached out her hand, and the bird settled on a finger. She took a calming breath and returned to considering this new language. The names rang with familiarity, but excited by the method of communications, Kyla couldn't fathom why. To try the non-verbal way of speaking, she thought as clearly as she could, _I'm pleased to meet you. I am Kyla. Would you come and meet my friends?_

Expecting them to follow, Kyla turned and ran down the field of flowers, calling to David and Troy. Her excited calls alerted them, and they turned toward her. Both, for differing reasons, were intense men, and it always showed in their expressions; but now she could see they seemed calm, serene.

David said, "This place must agree with you. You're appearing downright tasty." He ran a finger down her nose and stopped it on her bottom lip.

She grimaced and slapped his hand away. "Don't be stupid. Come on. I want to introduce you to . . ." She turned and, to her dismay, no one remained. "They were here a second ago. I talked with them."

"Are you all right, Kyla? You seem flushed." Troy grasped her shoulders and turned her around. She felt his long fingers kneading every inch of her scalp, checking for an injury.

She pulled away with a scowl. "Forget it, nothing's wrong with me. I don't understand why they disappeared so suddenly. I wanted you to meet them. They're absolutely magical."

David shook his head. "She looks okay to me. Why don't we get a drink from the river? Need to head back to the rover and try to contact the ship again."

"Don't ignore me. I know I saw three people, angelic beings of some kind, and they talked with me."

Troy's lips pinched together. "I think this atmosphere is affecting all of us. We are not used to such pure oxygen. That is why you are experiencing visions, Kyla. As soon as we adapt to the air, we will lose the euphoric feelings. If too much oxygen enters the blood—"

"Stop it!" She bit her lip and narrowed her eyes. "I saw what I saw, no matter what you think."

David ran a hand through his hair. "Feeling a little light-headed, myself. Let's lap up some of this river and get back to the rover. Suppose the water's safe, Troy?"

"Look at this environment." Troy held his arms out. "There's nothing to contaminate the water—it flows direct from the mountains. A perfect large scale filter." He opened his mouth to continue, but glanced at his friends' faces and stopped. He pulled a vial from his shoulder pouch and filled it from the river. He dropped a tablet in the water, watched the vial for a minute, then dropped to the ground and drank from the river.

After drinking, David shook the water from his face. "Man, it's cold. It doesn't have a taste."

"It has not been recycled. This is how water free of chemicals tastes. It is pure."

David grinned and wiped his face. "How about fish pee?"

"Oh god, you _had_ to say that before I drank any." Kyla gave him a hard look.

"Hey, what do you think we drink on the Adventurer? Recycled stuff, worse than fish pee." He twirled around and sang, "We drink pee, I drink yours, and you drink mine."

"Oh, gag!"

Troy smiled at her and pointed at the river. "Do not contemplate it, just drink."

Once all three quenched their thirst, they strolled back to the wooded area. Kyla caught David by the arm. "Don't you believe I spoke with those people? You know me well enough to know I don't exaggerate, and I certainly don't lie."

Troy glanced at her. "From aerial surveys, techs determined the planet is sparsely populated and backward—I'm afraid it is impossible to meet people who would not either want to kill you or believe you are some kind of god. To think they would speak to you is an unreasonable expectation. We are not even sure they are human."

Kyla punched him in the shoulder. "Darn it Troy, you always think you know everything. Beings who materialize and vanish at will, speak directly to the mind, and build crystal structures—I say they're more and better than human." Her face flushed and she spoke between tight lips. "To heck with planetary evaluations."

"Temper, temper," David said. "If that's true, imagine what the inhabitants will do to us if they don't want us here. Think the sooner we leave the better. Hope the com-link will get through this time. They have to come get us—our rover will never fly again. Everything is pretty much smashed."

"The angels told me they brought the rover down."

David laughed. "Kyla, that's ridiculous and you know it."

"Maybe, but you said you found no indication of failure on the part of the rover—it simply came down. We need to stay until both of you speak with these people."

Troy frowned. "I am almost willing to stay, rather than face the captain. He is going to be extremely incensed when he discovers we absconded with his equipment. He may have us shot for destroying it."

"Incensed?" David wiggled his eyebrows. "Can't you ever speak plain Standard? As ever, you're the one for understatements. Think more along the lines of hanging and castration."

"How can you even joke about this situation?" Kyla sighed. "You make light of everything." She jerked her head away from David's hand caressing her neck. _What the hell does he think he's doing? He knows better._

Kyla neared the forest and smiled thinking of the many times on the ship she had wished for more excitement. Well, enough happened today to last a lifetime. She stopped to take a last look around at the peaceful river, meadow, and flowers, then she searched the sky.

"Look!" Kyla pointed to the sky over the mountain of crystal. "What're those things?"

David followed her finger to a half-dozen birds gliding over the mountains in gentle circles, coming closer. "Screaming asteroids!" He gasped. "First guess is—some kind of carrion birds. Largest I've ever seen or heard about."

Kyla squinted at the sky. "They sure have long tails. They remind me of Earth's prehistoric flying dinosaurs."

Troy stared as the birds came closer. "Those avian monstrosities are big enough to pick us up and carry us away. You two can stand here gawking all you want, I am heading for cover."

Kyla continued to watch. "I might be losing it, but they remind me of dragons. You know, like in old fables."

Troy stepped behind the protection of a tree. "You accuse me of thinking I know everything? Your studies of ancient fables, histories, and languages often seem to supply answers to everything beyond the realm of scientific probability."

She ignored his remark and pointed. "Look! Their wings are iridescent. Hey, watch, they use their tails like rudders." Her heart pounded a timpani of fear in her ears, but she couldn't stop watching.

Troy clutched Kyla's arm. "Please, come on, get in the trees. Those creatures are too close for comfort." He gasped. "They are almost over the river."

David grunted and rubbed his nose. "Damn things are larger than the rover."

"I am getting into the protection of the trees." Troy tugged her arm again. "Please, Kyla, move to the forest—they can't fly there."

"For the love of Creation!" Kyla glared at Troy. "We have a chance to watch a creature never seen before, and you want to go hide."

David cleared his throat. "Okay, they're circling over the river now and are losing altitude. Let's go. You've seen enough." He trotted toward Troy. She ignored him and he yelled back, "Damn all, Kyla, you can't study anything if you're dead. Move it!"

Caught by the beauty of the creature's flight, Kyla stood transfixed. Six horrendous roars punished her ears. Within seconds, they were over her. One turned into a dive, claws extended. She ran. Gasping, she looked over her shoulder. _I'm not going to make it._ Panic gripped her belly. She looked to the men for help, but in the forest, Troy held David from coming to her aid.

The turbulence from the creature's wings buffeted her. Heat from its maw burned the back of her neck and blew her hair into her face obscuring her sight. She screamed. Her foot dropped into a hole. She went flying, hit the ground and rolled over. The creature passed over, trailing strands of red hair from his claw. Three more followed. Her situation was hopeless. _I really don't want to end my life as a snack for those bad boys._

## Chapter Three

_______________________

David and Troy yelled. "Get up! Get up! Run!"

Kyla got to her knees and glanced over her shoulder. The monstrosities circled for another attack. She ran until her heart threatened to burst from her chest. David met her at the edge of the forest, threw her on his shoulder, and ran deep into the trees. The flying creatures screamed their frustration at their thwarted attempt to capture her.

David set the trembling Kyla on her feet. She massaged her head. "The bastard yanked my hair out." A lone tear trekked down her face. "Creations, I'm an idiot."

"Yep, that you are." He shook his head and glared at her. "Next time I tell you to move, move, damn it."

Glancing at Troy, David asked, "Did you see the twelve foot long desert lizards on Ronyan?"

"Yes, but they did not have wings." He stared through the treetops. "Watch it; they are circling overhead. Not only do they have the colorful wings that so enthralled Kyla, they appear to have a secondary pair kept tucked to their belly."

"I didn't notice that."

Troy's attention remained on the sky. "The one that almost caught Kyla, began unfolding the under pair as if it planned to scoop her up with them."

"Why don't you two stop blathering," Kyla said, "and let's hide in the rover."

David grimaced. "Not to worry, those wings are too wide-spread to get in these trees." Lengthening his stride, he said, "Come on. I need to see if I can reach the Adventurer."

Without further incidence, they came to the craft and Troy boosted David through the hatch.

Waiting outside for him to check the communication system, Kyla dropped to a soft bed of pine needles and leaned against the rough, resinous bark of a massive tree. She watched Troy pace, expecting steam to come from his ears. "Hey, friend, take it easy, you'll overload that big brain of yours."

Troy settled on the ground beside her and she sensed his tension leach away. Or was it hers? Relaxed, they listened to David bumping around in the rover.

After a long silence, he turned to Kyla. "Despite giant flying colossi, something in the air gives one a sense of tranquility and well-being. If it could be bottled to sell on-ship, a fortune could be made."

Kyla stared through the small openings in the foliage above into the bright sunlight, mesmerized _. I have to see those angel people again. Something about them stirred up feelings I've never experienced before._ She jumped to her feet, grabbed Troy's hand, pulled him up, and began running toward the meadow.

Troy ran to keep up with her. "Kyla, slow down. If you think I am going to go out and let some monstrosity bite off my head, you are a raving lunatic."

"Don't worry, I'll check first. After what happened to me—if I can go out so can you."

"Just make sure none of those flying creatures are out there."

She stepped from the trees and surveyed the sky. "Come on, Troy. It's clear."

They walked out into the edge of the meadow. She turned to him and said, "Pick a flower."

"What?"

"Come on Troy—humor me. Pick a flower."

He snorted but bent forward to break off a fragrant bud near his foot. "Now, what?"

No angel people appeared. Kyla, holding her breath, waited in disappointment. She looked at Troy. "Smell it."

"I really shouldn't do this." However, she bunched her jaw muscles and glared at him, and then he brought the flower to his nose. "Ah, a very distinctive odor. Pleasant, it seems to affect my . . ." He staggered sideways.

Kyla, desperate to bring the unusual people back, turned away from him and called out, "Cymry! Eiddyl! Awel! Come back."

The words had no more than left her mouth when Troy jerked her around into his arms. His mouth descended to hers and his long arms held her tight against his tall lean frame that pressed against her body. Startled, she jerked her head back and looked up into his face. Eyes, heavy lidded over glittering agate irises, stared at her with a consuming hunger. Although his expression did not enlighten her, the press of his pelvis told her more than she wanted to know. Her heart raced and her face became numb.

His hands traveled down her spine and cupped her buttocks, drawing her up hard against his stirring body. Pelvis to pelvis, her feet dangled above the ground. Her breath stammered. She pulled her arms free and pounded his chest with her fists. "What's wrong with you? Put me down! Are you out of your mind?" She kicked his shins. "Troy, stop it!"

Kyla fought to control her panic. He didn't seem to hear or sense her alarm. Leering, his body's movements against hers became frenzied and erotic. Her heart pounded and blood rushed to her head. She had no experience with sexual advances. The insignias on her uniform had always protected her.

He's out of control. Son of a bitch—adrenalin coursed through her body. An automatic reflex: She hooked her leg around his knee, slammed her hands on his chest, and pushed with all her strength. He tumbled to his back. She dropped to her feet and stood over him glaring, her legs shaking. He looked up at her, tears glittering.

"What in Creation's wrong with you, Troy?"

Troy held his hand out for assistance, but she frowned and stepped back. However, not far enough—he wrapped a long leg around her knees and jerked. She toppled. He caught her, rolled on top of her body. Held her wrists above her head and ravished her neck with hot kisses. Darkness edged into her peripheral vision. No, damn it, fight!

Advances from a neutered monk could not have shocked Kyla more. As he reached to unzip her slippery, tylon suit, she jerked her hands free, grabbed his hair, and pulled his head back. "Troy, stop!" Shocked by this usually gentle man's intentions, she yanked his hair again and screamed, "Think of Jason!"

The passion on his dark face dissolved into shock. He rolled off her and sat up. Putting his face in his hands, he moaned, "My God. What happened to me? Kyla, I am so sorry. That was inexcusable."

"I feel like killing you. You scared me senseless." Her voice rose to a screech, and she struggled for breath and control. "Damn it, you know I'm not equipped to handle stuff like that." She leaned against a tree and cautiously watched him as she regained her composure. Troy sat still, his head hanging.

After her heart slowed to regular rhythm and after some thought, she said, "I think it explains why Cymry slapped the flowers from my hand. A vicious aphrodisiac must be in the pollen. Sorry I asked you to smell it, but I hoped to bring those people back so you could see them. I believe they came to warn me about the effects of the flowers."

Troy dropped his hands and met her eyes. "You're very kind to find an excuse for me. Maybe you can find some honor in the fact you're the only woman I've ever kissed."

"By Orion's dust, you scared me silly." Kyla couldn't help it—she laughed. "We better get out of these flowers." When he stood up, she cautiously brushed Troy's clothes, while remaining ready to run, if necessary. But, she continued to chuckle. "Anyway, you gave me a nice kiss."

Troy released a shuddering sigh of relief against her neck as he brushed pollen from her back. "Shut up. Hey, we are stirring this stuff up into our faces. Come!" He raced toward the river with Kyla giving pursuit.

She yelled at his retreating back, "What's going on? What's so interesting about the river?" Kyla stopped at the edge of the water, breathless from the run, staring as Troy jumped into the water and submerged.

His head came into view flinging water. "Come on. You need to get that stuff off your clothes. If I could not resist you, think what David, our lover boy, will do."

His words propelled her forward. She dove headlong into the water and came up beside Troy, sputtering. "Creation bless, this is cold." She laughed, splashed water in his face, and swam to shore. "Why am I doing this; those flowers can't affect me."

Kyla brushed the water from the jumpsuit. The tylon saved her from being drenched, but still, she shivered from the cold. She squeezed as much moisture as possible from her hair.

Walking back, Troy cleared his voice, hesitated, and then said, "Please, Kyla, I will give you a year's credits after I get paid if you will promise not to tell anyone how stupidly I behaved." He took a deep rasping breath. "Jason would never forgive me if he found out. We've been together too many years to let today's ziggy behavior break us apart."

"Don't worry, my friend. It wasn't exactly my proudest moment. It's forgotten, gone from mind, lost forever."

His lip trembled and he bit down, stopping it. "You still consider me a friend after my barbaric assault?"

"Of course, Troy. After all, you couldn't help it after sniffing the flower. Let's forget it."

"Thank you, but I have to check out the properties of the flower for the sake of science."

Kyla rolled her eyes. "Please warn me if you do—I'll make myself scarce."

Troy chuckled.

On reaching the wooded area, she spun to face him and grinned. "I have the most delightful idea. If David comes out here, let's get him to take a sniff."

With a straight face, Troy said, "I really don't think I can outrun David."

Kyla laughed. "Troy, you made a joke!"

David stomped from the trees muttering curses. "What's so damn funny?"

"I'll never tell," Kyla replied. She lowered her head to hide a smile, saw a patch of flowers by her pant legs and stepped away.

He stood, feet apart, hands on his hips, and snarled. "Well, I'll tell you something that's not funny. The magnetic field around this planet is weird. Reconnaissance must have kept their vessels too far above the disturbance to notice. Long story, short—we're stuck. I can't reach the ship."

"Somebody will miss one of us or the rover soon," Troy said, "and it will become apparent we are off-ship. It is only logical to conclude we are here."

"Without any way to send a signal, it'll take days to find us. Remember, this is not the only planet within reach of the Adventurer. They could waste days searching the wrong planet. We have plenty of water, but we didn't expect to vacation here—there's no food. What do you think we'll live off? Love?"

Kyla looked at Troy and they broke into laughter. David snarled, "What's the matter with you two? Be serious. We'll be oiling gears and sanitizing toilets on the Adventurer—if we get back."

Troy's face returned to his usual serious expression. "I suppose the thing most worrisome to me is not what we'll eat—but what might eat us. Those flying creatures certainly must have a big appetite."

Lips pulled into a straight line, David glared at them. "And here you two idiots are out here in this field tempting those critters to take a bite out of your asses."

She ignored David, but Troy's words caused Kyla to frown. "I suppose if people are around us we can't see until they decide to make their presence known, it's possible other living things can do the same. How can we defend ourselves against invisible monsters?"

David rolled his eyes at Kyla and shuddered. "Ohhh, spooky. Next, you'll want to make a campfire and tell ghost stories."

"Before we leave, you'll eat those words, David." She glared at him over her shoulder and marched toward the rover.

"What makes you so sure Troy and I will join in your hallucinations?"

Near the ship, she turned her back on the men and kicked up a mound of pine needles. She dropped down and scrubbed her ankles and shoes with dry leaves to get rid of pollen, causing a cloud of pine scent to rise around her.

"Look at her, what's she doing?" She refused to respond, and David turned to Troy. "Hey, Troy."

David's tone of voice caught Kyla's attention. Troy leaned against a massive oak, his face vacant. He stared into the distance.

"What's with you?" David's forehead crinkled and he rubbed his nose.

Troy blinked. "Come here. Put your hand on this tree."

Knowing how stubborn he could be, it surprised Kyla when David strolled over, placed his hand on the tree, and looked at Troy.

"What?"

"Wait a minute and be still." Troy's eyes became unfocused.

After a few seconds, David removed his hand. "It's a tree. What of it?"

"You did not feel or hear anything?"

Kyla held her breath and waited for David's response.

"No. Should I? Did you?" With a cynical twist of his mouth, one of David's eyebrows cocked.

"You will probably think I am crazy, but I received the distinct sense the tree communicated with me."

A flurry of dry leaves and cracking foliage came from nearby underbrush, as if something tumbled around. They heard a coughing, barking sound. An animal dashed into the clearing. Another gave chase. Troy jumped behind the tree, but David stood, glued to the ground. The animals were fox-like but covered with long curly black hair. They scampered around his feet, impervious to his presence. One jumped over Kyla's legs and, she yelped, bolted for the rover, and stood by the hatch watching. The animals disappeared into the brush as quickly as they appeared, leaving nothing behind except their excited sounds.

Kyla smiled as a beautiful sleek animal with long, slender horns streaked past. Two more followed behind.

"What the hell was that?" David scrubbed his hands over his face.

"I do not know what they are," Troy said, "but I have a good idea about their intentions.

"What?"

"Trying to mate."

David grinned. "If that's the case, I give the old boys five stars for effort. But something's wrong. It's unlikely a wild animal's mating habits will overcome its sense of survival to come near humans." His eyes widened. "Maybe they haven't experienced humans."

Several more strange animals ran past them, and Troy jumped from the tree, grabbing David's arm. "Get into the rover. Now!"

Troy's words held such urgency, Kyla did not hesitate—she moved. Troy was faster. He scrambled up into the vehicle and turned to pull a confused Kyla up as David hoisted her. Once David leaped inside, Troy slammed the door and leaned against it, his breathing fast and rasping.

"Are you zigged out of your mind? What happened?" Kyla stared from one man to the other.

David said, "Better ask Troy. I have no idea what happened."

Troy looked from David to Kyla and shrugged. "The tree said 'danger' and I reacted."

Kyla felt her eyebrows reach for her hairline. "The 'tree said!' Bless Creation. And you thought I was out of my mind when I told you about those people talking to me."

David grinned. "Troy really believes a tree communicated with him."

"Well, not exactly in words. More like a feeling being transmitted."

"Like those people related to me." Kyla, with a feeling of validation, turned toward her seat. David stared at her, a dazed expression on his face. Before she could react, Kyla again found herself wrapped in the arms of another man nuzzling her neck. She jerked away. "David, please get your hands off me. I'm not one of your frisky conquests."

He jumped back and stood staring from his hands to Kyla, his face slack with shock.

Kyla noticed red pollen on David's lower legs and feet and pointed. "Troy, look!"

Troy wrenched his suit top down and pulled off his wet undershirt. He knelt in front of David and began wiping the pollen off. David tried to move away. "What the hell?"

Kyla stood and grabbed his arm. "Be still, David, let's clean you up. We found out this pollen is dangerous, and it's why you're going all ziggy on me, with the touching and stuff. Here, Troy, you missed a spot."

David stared from one of his friends to the other. "Why are you wet? Go skinny dipping?"

Troy glanced up at him, frowning. "We swam to remove the pollen." He removed as much pollen as possible. "Let's open the hatch and throw this thing outside." Even before Troy opened the hatch completely, a raging wind yanked the shirt from his hand and sucked it out into the air. It took both men to get the door closed and latched.

Wind rocked the vehicle. From the window, a red mist swirled around the vessel, becoming thicker until darkness descended. Kyla cried out, "The rip in the back!"

Troy and David grabbed a spare crash balloon, dashed to the back, and crammed it in the opening. Once inflated, it sealed the hole. They went to their individual seats, pushed collapsed collision bags into a semblance of beds, and stretched out.

As the rover rocked and settled with shrill scrapes, Kyla trembled. "What's happening? What is this?"

David replied, "Simply a storm, what the weather does on some planets."

Troy peeked at him from under his covering. "Cataclysmic. This experience is completely different from weather I have studied. It is frightening. Can it hurt us?"

"Some storms get violent, especially in plains below large mountains, like here. This isn't too bad because the trees break much of the wind. Seems frightening to you because you've never lived in natural atmospheres. This rover can take anything nature hands out.

"I sure hope that's true," mumbled Kyla. "It's wilder than I ever thought weather could become."

"Relax. The best sleep a person can get is in a storm, especially in a nice rainfall." David muttered, shaking his head. "Red pollen storm, invisible people, dragons, and talking trees. What have we gotten ourselves into?"

The rover rocked and a tree branch banged against its hull. Kyla covered her ears and squeezed her eyes shut, hoping this storm would soon stop. The next thing she knew, a horrible screeching sound erupted from outside the rover by her head. She bolted up and stared out the window at the most horrible, unbelievable sight she had ever seen.

She screamed.

"Damn, girl. What is it now?" David scrambled out of his bedding.

Troy reached her first and looked to where she pointed. Large golden eyes, each two hand spans across, peered through the window. The vicious wind blew smoke coming from the creature's nostrils past the window. A hooked claw screeched across the rover's plas surface.

David snatched Troy back, and pulled Kyla into a protective hug. "Oh, holy shit!"

## Chapter Four

_______________________

Cymry stood, his back ram-rod straight, beside Eiddyl and Awel, their heads bowed before Aedd, the Council Moderator. Ancient, with a deeply lined face, he glared down from a dais. He pointed a gnarled finger at them, his long silver beard quivering. "Serious repercussions will come from your foolish deeds." His voice resonated throughout the large chamber. "Why do you think we use our power to shield our world from outsiders? We know not what monsters they may be, or what destruction they would bring."

Prince Cymry jerked his head up and glared around the chamber. This way of thinking drove him crazy. He had to speak. "We remain unchanged, our traditions and culture strong. No one can deny that these are good things. But, have we grown in knowledge? The Elfin law prohibits our people from interacting with others on Argel. Why?"

He gave no one time to speak. "For example, much might be learned from the strange people across the sea. They have their own traditions and culture as seen by their ships and products at Moray." He swung around and looked directly into Master Aedd's face. "Think how much more people who travel in the sky could teach us. How wonderful it would be to fly!" He lowered his voice and kept it firm. "The sky people are less unlike us, as are the people from across the sea. They're like us in form. The young woman—"

"Ah, now the reason for your interest emerges." Aedd's face evolved into a mask of disgust. "Oh, is it within the realm of possibilities a woman can pass by without our Prince Cymry's head being turned? Consider your proper duty!" Aedd sneered and his words burned within Cymry. "Did you not maintain veiling before them?" The old man's voice boomed in the quiet his words brought to the chamber. "We Elfinista must be especially diligent."

Cymry shielded his mind and thought, yes, you old snufflegrunt. Aloud, he said, "Yes, sire, we did, but the woman could partially see through our shields."

"By the holy breaths of Alpha and Omega!" The Council Leader shook his fist. "You have broken the hundred year agreement with all the Argel countries to prevent monsters from above contaminating our way of life. We have enough to worry about with those damnable Sha'fa pecking at us from the desert."

A tall man, wide in shoulder, slim of waist and hip, stood. "Master, please, give me leave to speak?"

"Speak, Lord Ercwlff."

"The mighty Tristan Wind is beginning to blow across the valley and stir the Rhosyn flowers. Any creature not knowing the danger may die. Thusly, our problem ceases to exist. We can bury the flying object deep into the earth with the creatures inside. No good can come of the word of this spreading."

Awel surprised Cymry by stepping forward and crying out, "We must help them! They know nothing about the Tristan and they didn't cause the crash—we did."

"Quiet!" thundered Aedd. "No young chit is allowed to speak in the Council."

Eiddyl stepped up beside his sister and bowed. "Master, please give leave for me to go to the forest and warn them. They're here because of our meddling."

Master Aedd leaned forward and held out his hands. "Foolish young ones. Tonight you will not sleep while thinking of what your recklessness has wrought. They must die. That will be your punishment. Leave my presence."

His trembling finger pointed toward the palace guards along the side of the room. "See they do not leave the upstairs quarters this night until we can settle this matter. Later, we may consider putting these irresponsible young upstarts to work in the mage circles night and day until their excess of psi power is depleted."

He turned to a clerk. "Prepare a notice to their father upon his return. No doubt, King Craddoc will have much to say to his thoughtless offspring."

* * *

Awel left the chamber, head held high, fighting tears. An Elfin guard, shoulders squared, face stern, walked silently behind her. She struggled to think of how to warn the star strangers. She knew their minds were partially open to mind-merge, having been somewhat affected by the Rhosyn flower. When the Tristan Wind stirred up the pollen, they would lose all inhibitions. Being in the presence of two men, Kyla was the one most in danger. Animals were a danger to all of them.

By the time she walked into the queen's suite, tears trickled down her face. Her mother, sitting by the fire, rose in consternation and moved toward Awel. Although similar in appearance, Queen Betrys' body had softened into the roundness of womanhood, and her hair shimmered like ripened wheat. She pulled her daughter into her arms and led her to the fireside. "What's brought you such sorrow, my little bird?"

Between sobs, Awel recited her adventures with the people from the stars and the meeting with Master Aedd. "Momete, they have no understanding of the Tristan and its danger."

"Quiet child. Let's join in mind-merge and attempt to reach the girl. If she could see through your psychic shields and also understood your thoughts, perhaps we'll be able to warn her."

They sat with their hands clasped together and dropped into mind-merge. Their vision sailed outside, across the meadow, the river, and into the forest. Awel felt disappointment upon seeing the vessel from the stars. She always imagined anything from the stars would hold some of that firmament's magic glow. It only appeared to be a silver oval crushed by the surrounding trees. They didn't see the visitors, only the tops of the trees twisted almost to the ground by the wind.

"Apparently, they had the good sense to get inside, Awel. I feel their presence and they're safe," Betrys said. "Let's go back."

They opened their eyes and smiled at one another. Dropping her hands into her lap, Awel said, "Thank you, Momete. I feel much better now, knowing they're safe."

"I'm proud of your concern for these creatures, my dear, but Master Aedd is correct in admonishing you and your brothers."

"Momete, they aren't creatures, they're people like us."

Betrys took Awel's hand and smiled. "That may be true, but they could harbor diseases for which we have no cure. Thus, I hope you will obey Master Aedd and stay away from them. Strange . . . I sensed the Elfinista Gift emanating from the vessel. Maybe, that's why the girl could see through your cloaking." In spite of her objections, her eyes brightened. "Tell me daughter, what are they like?"

"I can't really tell you much. I wasn't around them enough to get a clear impression. I can only describe their appearances."

Her mother nodded.

"Kyla is probably a couple years older than I, slender and a few inches taller. Her features are like ours, but she has the most amazing hair. It's the color of the Fire Trumpet flower. Her eyes are a mesmerizing green and tilt upward under dark, sweeping brows. She glows with color.

"One man is quite handsome and could be an Elfin except his body is unusually muscular. His shoulders span a distance much greater than Cym's, but he isn't as tall. The other man is attractive also, but much different."

"How is the second man different?"

"His skin is dark—a couple of shades darker than the Lako's. He's very tall—seems serious—and reminds me of our old tutor. He has fathomless eyes, dark as a deep well." Awel stared past her mother. "I sensed something very strange about him."

"What do you think you discerned?"

"I can't describe the feeling except to say he seemed to be of the earth, not the sky. Of course, we only observed the men—didn't talk with them."

As her mind cleared of memories of the sky people, Awel asked her mother, "What do you think Popet will do about them? Master Aedd said they must die."

"I'll advise your father. Most certainly, he will be home by tomorrow afternoon. In the meantime, I doubt anyone will kill them. An investigation of the woman's gift is necessary if they stay. Mayhap, on the morrow they'll fly away and nothing will have to be done."

"Their flying machine is caught in the trees. How can they possibly get out?"

"I don't know, daughter. Perhaps the Council will think of something. At any rate, you can do nothing, so put it out of your mind and get some sleep."

Eiddyl lounged in a low, carved chair across from his brother, sipping spice tea. They sat in front of a blazing fire, glad to be inside away from the raging storm roaring against the palace. The luxurious room joined their individual sleeping quarters, and the only light came from the fireplace, turning their pale hair to gold.

As usual, Eiddyl looked to his older brother for answers. "Don't you think it's odd Kyla saw through our cloaking shields?"

"It is peculiar. Few people can."

"True. Only the Elfinista have special powers. Must be something else."

Cymry's clear blue eyes looked into the fire and he groaned. "If they die in the Tristan or they are executed by the Council, I will never forgive myself for pulling them down."

"Actually, all three of us are at fault. We must think of some way to save them."

"If they survive the storm."

Eiddyl sipped his tea and crossed his ankles. "If we try to see them again, the Council will have our guts for japin feed. It's a shame that male driver fought us. We could have placed the thing in the meadow without harm." He slapped his hand on his knees. "Well, my brother, we certainly aren't as strong in our powers as we thought. I wonder if they'll be able to leave. No doubt, the chariot is too damaged."

Cymry refilled his cup from a carafe. "We'll be punished anyway—we may as well do whatever we chose. The old snufflegrunt accused us of being reckless, foolish, irresponsible, and thoughtless. We'll let him know what those words mean." He frowned and then chuckled. "Let's go out tomorrow to see if we can help them. The least we can do is bring them food and perhaps help get their chariot from the trees. No matter how it's powered, it cannot pull itself up through the tower trees if it's broken."

"You just want to see the young woman again," teased Eiddyl, while swinging his leg over the arm of his chair.

"I plead guilty." He chuckled and lifted one eyebrow. "She is tempting and they all look quite human, even the dark one. Kyla seemed _ffraid_ and has the directness of the Owena women."

Eiddyl clicked his cup against his teeth. "She better be _ffraid_ —only a strong and ferocious woman could stand against those two men if they are overcome by the Rhosyn pollen."

"Yes, I'm worried about that. She puts me in mind of the old fable about the people the Gods sent to populate Argel, most having blazing hair. If it's more than a fable, time has bred the color from our people's core self."

Cymry looked past his brother into the fire and said, "As a sprout, Popet took me to other lands, even beyond the mountains. Among the peasants, were those with a rhosyn cast to their hair. Popet thought it quite ugly, but it entranced me."

Eiddyl asked, "Did you see any of the Owena? Don't those women have similar hair?"

"I did see them and many did have a fiery cast to their hair. Popet treated them with an unusual amount of respect considering they were common women doing men's work."

Eiddyl lifted the ornate carafe and poured tea into their shimmering crystal cups. "Why? I mean, why do the work of men?"

"Many of them, with us in the low lands, served as guides and guards. They hold little regard for men and don't expect or accept male protection. I cannot imagine any man approaching them, even in the Tristan. They're quite proficient with the short sword and hand-to-hand combat, and are esteemed for their loyalty to their patrons, especially to women."

Eiddyl slapped his hands together. "I remember something. Didn't we have some of them here years back? I seem to remember a fierce leader who scared me."

"Yes, Father required them to help find a noblewoman who disappeared from the Athol Estate. I was only twelve-years-old, guess that made you ten."

"Maybe, if the fable has some truth, these women are descendants of people like Kyla," Eiddyl said.

Cymry blinked and a deep crease formed between his brows. "How could you possibly think such a thing? The priests say we began as lumps of clay from the mountains here—that Alpha and Omega molded the clay into humankind, and I'm not inclined to believe otherwise."

"Don't sting me with that zadic thorn." Eiddyl twisted his heavy silver ring and stared into the fire. "I suppose if They could make man here, They could make others like us on other worlds like Argel."

His brother stood and stretched. "These philosophical ideas bore me. It's time to retire for the night. Tomorrow we need to see to our mounts and the stables. Afterwards, we can slip away, find our visitors from the stars, and try to help them. We mustn't let them be killed."

Eiddyl turned to the door as Awel barged through, smiling. "Momete and I have seen the sky people. They are safely inside their sky chariot."

"That depends," Cymry said, "if they didn't breathe too much pollen before getting inside and if the chariot doesn't leak."

The princes arose early the next morning and went to breakfast with two huge Elfin guards following. Cymry ignored the guards and went to a table loaded with mounds of meats, eggs, fruits, and various types of bread. Eiddyl grinned at his brother. "This is most fortunate. We're the first here." Without sitting, he reached across the table, grabbed a hot roll, and crammed it in his mouth.

"Don't behave like a japin, brother." Cymry faked a glare at him. "Sit."

After flopping into a chair, Eiddyl snatched a sausage, sandwiched it in another roll, popped it in his mouth, and winked.

Cymry sat across from his brother and laughed. "Not hungry, are you?"

"Starving to death. Cloaking as long as we did yesterday exhausted me," Eiddyl said through a full mouth.

As a young serving woman passed by his chair, Cymry patted her behind. She glared at him as she hurried from the room.

"I'm hungry also, but not so much as to forget Momete might come in at any moment and catch you eating like an animal."

"She wouldn't be half as angry with me as she would with you for treating the servants in such a disrespectful manner. You best keep your raging manhood in control until you can get to Moray."

Cymry thought he heard a choking sound behind his chair. He swung around and glared at the guards who looked into the distance with impassive faces. Should he report them for lack of military courtesy, which demanded they show no expression and make no sound when guarding royalty? He smiled. No I will not. One of his favorite games was shocking or teasing the guards.

Having completed their meal, the two young men bowed their heads in a brief prayer.

They left the castle, wrapped in heavy woolen mantles to ward against the cold left by the Tristan storm. As Cymry ran across the compound toward the warmth of the stable, he noticed bits of red pollen in the crevices between the cobblestones. Men pulled down heavy material from over the windows of the stable used to protect the animals from the pollen. Rain following the wind neutralized the pollen, so the workers could open the gates to the fields. The military mounts, irritable from confinement, lumbered out into their pasture, threatening each other with horns and teeth.

Inside the massive stone building, Cymry removed his cape, hung it over a peg by the door, went to his mount, and gave him a loving stroke. Eiddyl followed his actions and then outfitted himself with warm water, sponges, and currycombs. His mount, stamping her feet and swinging a long black mane side to side, dropped her head and nuzzled the side of his face. Cymry watched a moment as she and Eiddyl dropped into rapport, each greeting the other with silent, loving words.

Cymry took the responsibility for the stable seriously and first conferred with the grooms. Llyr, his gleaming white mount, tossed a silken mane and slapped his hooves against the door of the stall with impatience. Cymry came to him after seeing to the general needs of the stable. Llyr whistled his pleasure and nuzzled his friend in satisfaction. The prince combed his fingers through the silvery mane. "How is my beautiful brother this morning? Ready for a run?"

Llyr pranced and whistled his delight. The melodious sounds rang through the building, inspiring the other animals to join him. The morning air filled with discordant animal voices, bringing a chorus of human laughter.

The stablemen possessed unusual compatibilities with the many different animals, but none could communicate with them as the royal brothers did with their mounts. While Cymry and Eiddyl groomed their friends, the men in the barn always gathered around. Cymry knew the workers hoped to learn their secret, longing to communicate with the other animals.

After they completed their chores, Cymry glanced at the waiting escort guards and winked at his brother. "Let's saddle Eres and Llyr and go for a ride."

With alacrity, Eres and Llyr strained to stay still and wait for the saddles. The brothers lost no time getting them ready—men and mounts were equally eager for exercise. Cymry flung a cape around his shoulders while the two uniformed guards mounted up on larger animals, prepared to follow.

They left the cobbled service grounds and entered a tunnel cut through the mountain behind the castle. It was wide enough for six mounts, side-by-side, to move forward unhampered. The third floor of their home sheltered them. The castle stair-stepped up the side of the pinnacle, forming many levels of habitation.

As their overseers dropped back, Eiddyl asked, "How do you propose to get to the star chariot?"

"We'll ride east until out of sight, cross the river, and approach along the forest."

"Look-outs at the top of the castle may see us."

Cymry lifted his shoulders. "Simple, we'll cloak."

"I suppose we can't get into much more trouble than we're already in." Eiddyl nudged Eres with his knee.

"Come on. We need to ride like the wind if we expect to lose those guards. They cannot possibly keep up with us on those heavy military mounts."

Cresting a hill, Cymry said, "Now." They, as well as their mounts, melted into the sunlight.

"They're too close and will hear us if we move." Eiddyl laughed. "Be still."

The guards came to the top of the hill, they looked around, their faces contorted. "Bastards. How do they expect us to keep up with overgrown brats that disappear in thin air? Now, we'll catch hyden."

"Shssh, they could be right beside us listening." The other soldier swung his head around as if expecting to see something. Then he sniffed, looked thoughtful, and sniffed again. "They're here. I'm getting the nutmeg scent of their mounts."

The other one lifted his fist, shook it, and grinned. "If you're around here, kiss my ass." He laughed and turned his mount toward the castle.

Cymry and Eiddyl stayed in place, hands clamped over their mouths. After the soldiers disappeared over the next hill, they started laughing as they materialized. Eiddyl took a deep breath. "Think how they would have felt if we had appeared after what he said."

"Think how they'd feel if we reported them." Cymry smirked.

Eiddyl continued laughing.

"The guard knew we didn't dare tell, or he wouldn't have behaved that way." Cymry stroked Llyr's mane and said, "Okay, my friend, you know where we need to go."

After an hour's ride and crossing the river, they dismounted at the edge of the woods and allowed Llyr and Eres to graze while they located the star people. As they walked into the tower trees, they took on their psi-shields and came into an opening in the forest. Cymry froze in shock.

Hyden's blast, Awel! What are you doing here, uncloaked?

## Chapter Five

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David's intent gaze didn't leave Awel's face when she jerked around toward the woods. Something was wrong. His attention didn't waver, his vision tracked hers. He arose, assuming a defensive position. Awel glanced up at him and smiled. His shoulders relaxed, but he remained alert, staring toward the foliage.

"I could say the same to you, my petulant brother. They needed to see we are as real as they are. Until I did, Kyla's friends wouldn't believe her. Getting across the river was simple—I floated across on a farmer's wagon."

David now stood with his feet planted wide, hands clenched, as he peered around. Who or what did she talk to? What was she saying? He glanced at Troy and saw his agitation.

Awel smirked. "You weren't smart enough to realize these people would be hungry, were you? Please materialize. Troy and David cannot see you."

Jaws dropped, David watched as the two men evolved into solid forms before his eyes. They walked forward, watching him with caution.

Awel smiled at the two and motioned to the newcomers. "Meet my brothers, Eiddyl and Cymry." She turned to her brothers and said, "You've met Kyla, but please meet David and Troy."

"Kyla, what the hell is going on? What is she saying and who are these men?"

"These are the three people I saw yesterday, after which you accused me of having a hallucination when I spoke about them. They're speaking their own language."

He felt a wrinkle forming between his eyes. This didn't make sense. "What about at first when she talked and they made no sound?"

"Please sit down, David. You are making everyone uncomfortable. Take it easy, you'll soon understand they can speak mind-to-mind."

He cautiously dropped beside Troy. Both princes bent slightly from the waists to the visitors. Cymry sat next to his sister and glanced at Eiddyl as he seated himself on her other side. Everyone sat on a blanket around the feast Awel had brought.

Eiddyl grinned at his sister. "Ol' Cym was so anxious to see this beautiful woman, nothing else mattered but we get here."

David tensed when Kyla made a strangled sound and covered her face with her hands. He stared at her with raised brows. "What's wrong?"

Troy said, "Although I cannot understand a word they are saying, it is clear Kyla does. The fellow must have indicated a certain delight in our lovely comrade, causing her face to blaze."

"Be quiet, Troy." Kyla glowered at him.

A huge smile split Troy's face as he said, "Do not be concerned, Kyla. David, also, is quite enthralled by the beauty of this angel."

Awel's pale skin only became pink compared to Kyla's bright red face.

David couldn't remember being so uncomfortable in his life. He whispered in Troy's ear, "Watch it. Think they might understand your words. Could take offense."

Cymry and Eiddyl laughed aloud.

Kyla's face lit up after Awel touched her wrist, and then she grinned. "David, no need to whisper, they can read your thoughts. She said to tell you she is honored."

"Yeah, great. But, take a look at those long, tall lads. Seriously do not want them pulling out those big knives and having a go at me."

Cymry leaned over the blanket, gripped David's wrist and looked into his face. David gasped as he felt a gentle tingle in his head. He pulled back. "For the love of Creation! I felt it. He tried to tell me something through my mind. What did he say, Kyla?"

Kyla chuckled. "Couldn't you hear him, David?"

"Thought I did, but that's impossible. He didn't even speak."

"You are such a blockhead." Kyla turned to Awel, "What did he say?"

Awel turned to her brothers and communicated soundlessly. As she talked, David and Troy darted looks from face to face.

David looked at Kyla. "I've never been so confused as I am with this communication."

Kyla smiled at David's confusion. "Cymry's turned the full intent of his senses upon you to assure your understanding.

She gave David's hand a pat. "Awel speaks to my mind like Cymry just did with you. Touching seems to make it easier. If, by chance, we understand them, it'll be in this psychic way. Maybe, if we have the time, as they speak aloud, we can learn their language. I feel them pushing understanding into my mind, whether they are vocal or not."

Awel smiled and turned to her friends, placing her fingers on Kyla's wrist for a second, as Cymry monitored. Kyla, in turn, said, "They're in deep trouble for bringing us here and think perhaps they can help move the 'star chariot' from the trees so we can leave."

David looked at Cymry and spoke distinctly. "It is broken. All we can do is contact our people to send for us."

Cymry lifted his brows and sent his thoughts to Kyla, after which she interpreted. "Then, by Omega, contact them. You must leave."

"Damn, he understood me."

"Why can I not understand them, Kyla?" Troy slapped his hands on his knees. "If you can comprehend what these people say, why not us? Worse, they can read our minds." He took a deep breath and said, "Tell them a force field around their planet obstructs our messages."

Cymry blinked in understanding, glanced at his brother, and said, "We must inform the Council. Only they can order the priests to lift the veil."

"If we do, they'll know we have contacted these people again, and all the fire of hyden will be on us." Eiddyl looked to his sister. "You must ask them about contagion. The elders fear they bring disease here."

David shot to his feet. "I understood! Wow!"

Kyla laughed and tugged at his sleeve for him to sit.

"Anyway, the understanding came through my mind." He spread his hands and smiled. "We go to many different stars—this is a star— occupied by different kinds of people, and we do not contaminate them. Medics inoculate us to guard us against all diseases. To make us germ-free before we leave the ship, we go through a cleansing. You have nothing to fear from us."

Awel's eyes opened wide. "Germs?"

David smiled. "Diseases."

After a moment of the strange language coming from the worried people, David smiled and said, "Yes, medics are healers, but not priests. And yes, the cleansing eliminates all possible sickness."

Again, the three Argelians entered into rapid conversation. Troy watched them and fidgeted. "Don't worry, Troy, they want to help us," Kyla explained.

Cymry nodded to the rover after catching Eiddyl's attention. "Odd looking thing. I wonder how it came through those branches without tearing apart. How could a thing without wings possibly fly through the air?"

"It's lodged so tight within those trees, they'll never get out." Eiddyl stared at the rover, following the contours of the vessel. "Those trees are six to eight feet in diameter and parts of the thing are bent around them."

Through Kyla's and Awel's translations, the men understood what had been said.

David turned to Troy. "Let's show the guys the rover. Seem interested in it."

They walked to the rover, that had dropped lower and straighter during the storm, and David motioned for Cymry and Eiddyl. Eiddyl looked at his brother in hesitation, but Cymry moved toward the vehicle with confidence. Before stepping through the hatch, he looked back toward Awel, who watched, her face twisted in worry.

After inspecting the vehicle, front to back, Cymry nodded. David smiled and led them outside. Reaching the girls, Kyla's voice trailed off "—scared us almost to death."

Awel turned to her brothers and explained how the sky people had been frightened by a frydraco the night before.

With a grin, Cymry turned to his visitors. "Clearly, the beast saw your chariot flying and thought it might make a good wife. All living things exposed to the rhosen pollen last night were hunting for mates."

Awel placed her hand on Kyla's wrist and translated.

Kyla repeated the message in Standard, and everyone laughed except Troy, who shook his head. "It did not look too damn sexy to me." Troy frowned. "Why did it try to attack us?"

Awel grinned. "I imagine their interest was only the egg shaped chariot. Weren't you affected by the red pollen?"

David, quiet for a moment before speaking, shrugged. "Well, I have to admit Kyla started to look damn good last night."

Cymry's jaw bunched and his hand went to his sword.

Troy and Kyla remained quiet.

Awel patted Kyla's hand and giggled.

Cymry looked at the three visitors and turned to Eiddyl. "I think if we bring them to Crisiant, the Council will see there is nothing to fear."

"Do you realize what trouble it will cause us?" Eiddyl asked. "Popet hasn't had a chance to digest what we did yesterday and consider what to do. I don't think the results of taking them to the castle will be to our liking."

Awel turned to her brothers, her brow wrinkled. "If they can't understand these sky people are harmless, the guards may be sent to kill them." She spoke rapidly so Kyla could not follow, but she learned enough to report it to David.

He stood. "Troy, Kyla, come over by the rover. We need to talk."

They turned their backs on their visitors and Troy said, "I knew it. I knew it. We are going to die here."

David glared at him. "Maybe. Certainly if we stay here. Perhaps, if we go with them, we can influence whoever governs that no harm will come from us."

Kyla's freckles stood in stark contrast to her pale skin. "Troy, David's right. We don't want to be sitting here if their soldiers come."

Awel brought them to a decision by walking over, taking David's hand, and leading him from the clear area. He looked back, possibly, for the last view of his rover. Troy and Kyla followed with Eiddyl and Cymry bringing up the rear. Upon leaving the trees, the three planetary visitors stopped and stared at the two mounts leisurely grazing in the meadow.

"Oh, by all the dust of Orion! What are those things?" David moved forward, his face alight with excitement. The fear and nausea tormenting his belly subsided.

Troy grabbed his arm. "Be careful. Look at those horns!"

Cymry whistled a high, clear note. As the horned creatures trotted up, David stepped back. Awel pulled David forward and her touch soothed his agitation. She placed his hand on Llyr's forehead, and David cautiously stroked the mount.

Kyla's laughter filled with delight. "I've read about these creatures in ancient fables. I thought they were mythic beings. I believe they're called unicorns."

"They are the most beautiful things I have ever seen," Troy said, his voice dropping to a whisper.

Llyr and Eres flung their heads up and whistled in appreciation of the compliment.

"Un-ni-corn?" It was Cymry's the first attempt at the star people's language.

"Yes," Kyla said, clapping her hands in delight. "Unicorn. Awel, am I correct in assuming they understood Troy's compliment?"

Awel smiled, her eyes bright, and nodded. "Yh-ee-s."

Breathless, David walked around Llyr, giving a great deal of space to its hindquarters. He inspected the saddle and bridle. "This is Eiddyl's animal?"

Llyr snorted in disapproval and disappeared.

Cymry reached for the invisible reins. "Stop that, Llyr."

Eiddyl answered David in the visitor's language, his pronunciation clear, "No." After gripping the sky man's wrist, in his own language, he said, "He is Cym's companion. No one owns these proud beings. What did you call Llyr?"

David's eyes lit up and he looked at Kyla and Troy. "I understood the intent of Eiddyl's words if not all the words themselves." He turned to the young man. "I called it an animal." Llyr and Eres both moved back and again snorted in disapproval.

Awel touched David's arm. _You insulted them. They consider themselves our equal. They understood 'unicorn' and accepted it as right. We call them goldenhorns_.

Beginning to accept her touch could transmit understanding, David nodded and bowed to the unicorns. "I'm pleased to meet such beautiful goldenhorns."

"All of you are making me crazy. Why can I not understand what is being said?" Troy looked around with a frown. "Even these beautiful creatures understand better than I do."

Awel walked over to Troy, looked into his face, and grasped both his wrists. He looked startled and turned to Kyla. "I believe she told me in time I would understand."

Awel smiled. "Yh ee s." She turned to Kyla and said, "This being's mind is hard to penetrate. His mind is stiff."

Kyla repeated to the men what Awel said. She and David laughed, but Troy growled, "It's because my mind holds more than that of these two imbeciles."

The three visitors followed their new friends and the unicorns across the meadow toward the river. Now the pleasantries were over, David considered their position and didn't see much of a future for him and his friends. He hoped if they were killed, it would be done quickly. However, Cymry was blown away with Kyla, and the girl really seemed to like him. Maybe some hope would come from that quarter. He could only hope their new friends continued wanting them alive and were powerfully persuasive.

Kyla looked around, frowning. "Where did all the flowers go?"

"Thank goodness, they were blown away by the storm," Awel answered "and I'm glad you and your friends found refuge in the sky chariot."

"Why are you glad?"

"The flowers affect people strangely and sometime violently—and frydracos. It only happens when the Tristen stirs the pollen." She smiled with a sparkle in her eyes.

David asked, "Where're we going?"

Awel pointed to the towering crystal palace.

"What is it?"

Cymry answered with pride in his voice. "Crisiant. It is the meeting place of the Council and is our home." He swung his arm around, indicating all before them, east to west. "The Elfin kingdom."

Swinging his arm in a larger circle, David indicated the planet.

Eiddyl smiled and said, "Argel. It is the old word for refuge."

David turned to Kyla. "Did you understand what he said?"

She answered, "I think so. The planet is Argel, which means a place of safe harbor and this part is Elfin country. Crisiant apparently means crystal palace."

At the river's edge, Cymry nodded. "The River Nairne."

David's brows lifted as he looked at the water so obviously deep and wide.

Troy started backing away. "How will we get across? We will drown."

After Awel mounted Llyr, Cymry motioned for Kyla to get on Eres. Her face turned so white it looked as if her freckles would leap from her face, but she moved toward the unicorn.

David laughed. "It's okay, Kyla. You can do it. It's just a big horse."

"Are you ziggy? I've never moved about anywhere on anything but my own feet."

"Ha! What is space travel, moving faster than thought? This wonderful ah . . . friend to Eiddyl certainly can't move that fast."

Without a word, Cymry took her hand and led her to Eres. He cupped his hands and Kyla swung around and stared at David.

He said, "He made a cradle for your foot. Step up on it."

Cymry lifted his brow and nodded; she took a deep breath, stepped onto his hands, and he lifted her up in one smooth, swift movement.

She gripped the saddle horn, huddling over the unicorn's neck, and Eres moved toward the river. Within seconds, Kyla sat up smiling. "I'm floating." Her jaw dropped as they entered the water, but she turned and called back, "This is wonderful, I love it."

David observed Cymry standing immobile, watching Kyla, his fists against his heart. He worried the man was a fellow womanizer, but maybe he had never seen a red-haired woman. Funny thing, through another man's eyes, he recognized his old friend, Kyla, as beautiful. Amazing, he'd never noticed before.

After the young women reached the far shore and dismounted, Awel waved to her brothers. They, in turn, whistled for the goldenhorns, who swam back across. Troy balked, but Cymry indicated he would ride beside him, so he mounted with caution. Or tried. He vaulted and cleared Eres' body, slamming into the earth. Then he rolled onto his back. He jumped up and reached for the saddle, preparing to mount.

David chuckled and then said, "Not that side, come back around."

Troy stomped around the unicorn and glared at David. "You sniggering hyena—that hurt. Laugh again, and I will kick your adorable posterior."

Cymry held his hand over his mouth. Eiddyl cleared his throat.

Holding the reins until Troy reached the stirrup, David whispered, "Happened to me more than once on a horse, and these things are much taller. If you relax, it'll go easy."

Like Kyla, within minutes, his face beamed as he rode toward the river.

The goldenhorns made it back and David swung into the saddle, shifted his weight, and grinned. "Eiddyl, it feels good to be on a horse again–like being home. Have to remember he's a unicorn, not a horse." But, the difference became obvious as Llyr walked forward. No, not walked—glided.

After he and Eiddyl made it across the river, they all continued toward the crystal tower. They walked and happily exchanged words for everything they saw. Awel, in mind-merge with Kyla, explained what to expect on arrival—that their presence would upset the elders, but to stay calm until things righted themselves. By now, Eiddyl and Cymry indicated they could reach through to Troy's reluctant mind in small bursts.

The way became smooth from thousands of previous travelers. As they reached the top of a knoll, the visitors from space stopped and stared. David nodded and said, "Reminds me of Wyoming's small towns on my home planet."

"Athol." Awel pointed toward the town.

They passed many small cottages of stone with various outbuildings and rock-formed fences for animals and birds. Behind the cottages were neatly furrowed fields of corn, wheat, and vegetables. People waved from the fields and yards, calling out cheerful remarks to the group. The goldenhorns, sedately leading the way, regally nodded their heads in acknowledgement.

Kyla and Troy had never seen a congregation of individual buildings as those lying below them at the foot of the towering crystal palace. They had spent all their lives on ships or in enclosed oxygenated domes of industrial buildings on far-flung planets. Wide-eyed, Kyla said, "So much wasted space."

Troy said, "I wonder if the buildings house individual families. Children seem to be at almost every place."

Awel reached for his wrist. _Of course they do. Didn't you live with your parents as a child?_

Kyla's brows rose. "Most, destined for space travel, are raised with groups of children for specific jobs. We leave for space training and rarely ever see our parents again. The space program believes early separation from families eases the pain and facilitates the adjustment to interstellar travel."

Awel told her brothers what Kyla said. Their faces went from shock, to outrage, to pity.

David noticing the reaction became concerned. "What's the matter, Awel?"

Awel gripped his wrist, and the tone of her message was serious. _Here, we value children highly and would never give them up to be raised like animals in a kennel. We bond closely with our parents. The attachment of parent and child is never broken except through death._

He wondered about that. It was contrary to all he had learned on the subject. Children were a nuisance and parents were glad the Union took over the responsibility. Creation knew, he never wanted to be burdened by one. In fact, he intended to never sign a contract for legally coupling with another person.

They mounted gentle, sloped hills, and the simple stone cottages gave way to grander homes and lush gardens. The gabled roofs, some reaching as high as four stories, sported an assortment of chimneys. Flowers cascaded from rustic balconies above their heads. Carts, carriages, and men on the backs of strange animals met the walking group.

David thought he could stay years just to study all the animals. As they moved on, shops lined the streets, their open fronts showing a multitude of merchandise, from trinkets to leather goods and food.

Kyla laughed. "Swiveling my neck to see everything makes me dizzy. There are so many strange sights—things I've never seen before."

"Yeah, you're right," David said, "and the scent of cooking meat and baking bread makes my mouth water. I wonder if it's as good as it smells."

Troy looked at him with raised brow. "You smell food? I wondered what it could be."

"Yep, real food. Something you've never tasted."

Almost all the people appeared ordinary, by the space people's standards, and were dressed from elegant clothing to that of peasants. They looked like healthy people busy in employment or shopping. Their complexions and hair color were unlike their new friends.

David mentioned the difference to Kyla.

Awel overheard the conversation. "We are all Elfin; however, my brothers and I are of the Elfinista, who are of pure blood having varied, useful talents. All of our ruling class are Elfinistas, with a few exceptions."

He ducked his head and growled, "Pulling down rover's being one of the talents, no doubt."

Near the crystal edifice, the details of its towers, turrets, and intricately carved lintels became visible. Like a part of nature, it rose, an architectural wonder, and seemed to expand forever, upward and outward, sloping into the mountainside like a bridal cake. The newcomers stood in awe, struck speechless by the beauty, and intimidated by its sheer enormity. Coming closer, they could see its construction of clear stone, imbued with a rainbow of pastel colors, similar to glaciers seen on colder planets.

Troy clutched David's arm. "You realize, these people might kill us, don't you?"

"Yeah, the thought hasn't left my mind, but what else can we do but cooperate. They could have overcome us with troops. Maybe this way, we've a chance."

At the massive front portal, armored men, dressed in blue tunics with embroidered emblems on their chests, came to attention, crossing swords over their chests.

David nudged Troy. "Look. They have dragon emblems on their tunics."

"As if the situation doesn't scare me enough."

The man in charge stepped forward, and asked, "Who are these foreign people, Prince Cymry? By whose authorization are they here?"

"By mine, soldier. They are friends." He looked directly into the guard's face and spoke with authority.

Eiddyl and Cymry handed the reins of their goldenhorns to soldiers and escorted the star people inside.

David leaned down to Kyla and whispered, "Prince?" She nodded.

## Chapter Six

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Kyla stumbled as she came into the vestibule. Her mind reeled. It's so vast! The expanse of floor ran front to back, a hundred feet, and from side to side, at least another fifty feet. Its surface glistened with a pearl-like finish. The ceiling seemed to vault overhead without end and sparkled with hundreds of faceted panes of crystalline stone glowing from the golden sun. She shook her head trying to regain her equilibrium. On ships, a step in any direction brought one against walls, machinery, or furniture. She saw David stagger as he peered up and appeared as stunned as she felt. Troy leaned against a stone pillar and seemed mesmerized by the massive wall tapestries brimming in opulent colors.

Awel's hand on Kyla's back urged her to a curving flight of stairs. "Come, we must get you into proper clothes."

She glanced down and wondered what was wrong with her cover-all. The one-piece garment enveloped her from neck to ankles. However, as they hurried down hallways and up another staircase, she understood why her form-fitting garment might shock the residents. Every female wore soft, flowing gowns, over layers of petticoats effectively hiding their physical attributes. She tried not to stare at the smaller women, unsure if they were human. Wide black eyes darted looks at her from tiny, hirsute faces. Everyone stared at her with startled expressions.

Somewhere in the distance, metal clanged and a cacophony of women's voices talked and laughed. Strange, wonderful smells filled the air. Kyla stopped and sniffed. _What is that odor?_

Surprised, Awel looked at her guest. _You don't know? It is food._ Kyla felt her stomach grumble.

I hear women chattering and metal clanging. What's happening?

Awel stopped in her tracks and looked at Kyla, her chin dropped. _The women are cooking and banging the pots around. You've never seen people cook?_

Kyla shook her head and realized no way could the girl know that in her world these scents and sounds didn't exist. After endless hallways, stairs, and turns, she became completely lost before arriving at Awel's suite of rooms. As she walked into the sitting area, Kyla gasped. The translucent exterior wall gave the illusion she could step off the plush carpet into the sky. The draperies and furniture, lush with soft colors, harmonized with the color of the sky. Her senses vibrated. A fire in a large, head-high opening in the wall emitted a wonderful aroma of an unfamiliar spice.

Awel hurried over to a massive wardrobe, with intricate carvings of leaves and flowers, and pulled out garments in various hues. She held up an emerald green gown and gazed at Kyla with critical eyes. "Yh-ees. For you." She held the gown up to Kyla's hair, and passed her thoughts over. _Very good with your rhosyn hair. No one has ever seen such hair. Let us show it off._

Kyla held up the gown and thought of freshening up before putting on the soft, sweet-smelling garment. Awel immediately reacted to her concern, took her by the hand, and led her through a doorway camouflaged in the damask covered wall. Steam rose from a huge stone basin in the middle of the spacious room. Kyla stepped up to the caldron and looked into it in amazement. _Should I get into the bubbling water? A person could drown._ The only baths she ever experienced were tiny shower stalls that gave fifteen minutes of tepid water, if you were lucky.

Awel opened a cabinet, pulled out large fluffy towels, and laid them on the side of the tub. She motioned for Kyla to disrobe and when the tylon suit fell down around her ankles, Awel fled from the room. The young woman's behavior puzzled Kyla—comfortable with the intimacy of touching another's mind, but embarrassed with nudity—the opposite of shipmate sensibilities. Once undressed, she placed a toe in the water, caught her breath in pleasure, and then sank into the water with a moan of satisfaction.

As Kyla lay back in the heated water, she thought of how different Awel, Cymry, and Eiddyl looked today. They were solid, more real. Although, they were still beautiful to her, compared to their previous angelic appearance, they looked quite human. They still possessed the long, silvery hair and pale complexions, but were vibrant with good health, having bright blue eyes and rosy cheeks. She smiled, thinking of Cymry's interest, but felt uneasy and unequipped to deal with it. On ship, no man noticed her as a woman. She wore the uniform of the neuter, insuring the same treatment as any man on ship.

After soaking as long as she considered decent, she struck a hard object with her foot causing it to move. She felt around in the pool and pulled out a small crystal the size of a coin. The water stopped bubbling and began to cool.

She stepped from the bath and rubbed her hair until it squeaked. Wrapping a towel around her body, she went into the sleeping chamber. Awel had left a selection of garments with the green gown spread out on the bed. "If they wear all this stuff under their clothes, no wonder I shocked the ladies. They must have thought me quite indecent."

Kyla chuckled as she pulled up a pair of pantaloons which reached her knees. A soft linen chemise, that snuggled and lifted her breasts, followed. "Wow. This is too much." She quickly braided her hair and stood a minute to study the two petticoats, trying to understand which went on first. After pulling on the emerald gown, she stepped over to a full-length mirror and looked at herself, incredulous. As she turned and admired herself, Awel entered and clapped her hands in delight.

Cymry will fall over in a faint. He is enthralled with you in the star suit—I can't imagine how he's going to react to you now. I'm smaller than you so it's a bit short, but the men won't notice.

Kyla blushed and dipped into a curtsy, something she had only seen in historical vids. In spite of the ridiculous clothing, she felt so feminine, so delicate, so pretty, even if the dress hugged her body so tight she could hardly breathe. "If you haven't anything in mind for me to do, Awel, I'd like to learn enough of your language to address your people. We may not be here long, but I want to be able to thank everyone for their hospitality."

Awel pointed to a skirted table with an arrangement of feathered pens and paper. For the next hour, Kyla struggled with the language without much success until Awel began to write out the letters. Then she began to understand the language somewhat conformed to ancient English, but the pronunciations were unfamiliar. Soon, her native ability with languages came to her rescue, amazing Awel with her progress.

When they stopped for a break, a servant served tea and small sweet cakes on a large silver tray inscribed with an ornate crest. Kyla asked, "Troy—David. Where be they?"

Awel corrected her, and smiled. "Where are Troy and David?" Before Kyla could repeat her words, she answered, "They're with Eid and Cym being questioned by the Council. Soon it will be time for dinner and you shall see them."

She could understand about half of the words. "Question? Council?"

Awel answered in mind speak and Kyla now had two new words added to her vocabulary. _Are they in trouble?_

I don't know. I do know Cym, Eid, and I are in deep trouble.

"I'm sorry we be trouble."

Again, with the power of her mind, Awel corrected her.

In any language, the tenses of verbs were always the most difficult, Kyla thought.

Awel walked behind her and began unbraiding her hair. She knew the girl found her hair fascinating, but wondered what she was going to do.

It must dry before I can dress it.

Now that was a puzzle. Dressing hair?

Awel brought out a harp-like instrument that fit perfectly in her lap, cradled it against her shoulder, and began playing. When she sang, Kyla's intently listened. After an hour, she mastered more words and thought she recognized some of the tunes. As the music entertained her, the mass of red hair dried, curling around her face.

Although Awel seemed pleased by Kyla's response, she laid the small harp aside and motioned for her to come to the dressing table. She reached into a silver container, filled her hand with a thick cream, and worked it through Kyla's hair. She brushed her hair until it shone.

"That's amazing stuff," Kyla said, as her hair fell smooth with no frizzy curls. She smiled as Awel coiled, curled, and pinned up the hair until she couldn't recognize herself.

Nodding her approval, Awel motioned for her to follow. "We're going to have dinner in my brothers' suite. We didn't want you to feel uneasy with how a large, unwelcoming crowd might respond to people from the stars."

When they arrived at his suite, Cymry held the door open. When Kyla followed his sister into the room, he stood frozen, blinking his eyes. "Oh, Alpha and Omega." He continued to stare at Kyla until his sister slapped him on the arm. "Awel, I can't help it. How could it be possible, she is even more beautiful than before?"

Kyla bit her lip and swore to herself not to blush. His reaction couldn't be misunderstood, even by one having never experienced it before. She wanted to run, but couldn't do that to Awel. Her hand crept toward her bodice to pull it up, but she caught herself. That would be too obvious since his eyes seemed to rest below her chin. She felt a blush start at her bosom and travel upward. Damn!

Awel gave her brother a kick on the ankle. He placed each woman's hand in the crook of his arms and led them across the room with a restrained noble look. _Let's take dinner in the alcove._ He pointed to a table beyond two massive supporting columns.

Eiddyl entered, with David and Troy in tow, and joined them. He pulled out a seat for his sister. Cymry did the same for Kyla.

Awel looked at her brother and asked, "How did the Council react to David and Troy?"

Understanding Awel, David's eyes lit up. "My God. Thought they would kill us. Never been that frightened before." He shuddered.

Troy settled back in his chair and looked at David. "Not as awful as being in close proximity to that horrible dragon monstrosity, surely. I shall never recover from that experience."

Awel clapped her hands, and glared at David and Troy. _Hasn't anyone noticed how wonderful Kyla looks besides Cymry?_

Troy turned to Awel, his face reflecting confusion. She held his and David's wrists to transmit an explanation.

"That's Kyla? I wondered what happened to her—why she did not join us." Troy winked at his friend.

David took Kyla's hand and looked at her with mock intensity. "Beautiful woman, will you marry me?" _You look like a damn dressed-up, painted idiot. Where's the real person?_

Sensing every unspoken word, the royal trio glared at him.

Kyla laughed. "I'm not used to all this attention. It's almost worth wearing ten pounds of clothing."

Cymry's eyes glittered with amusement. _I liked the silver thing. It made it clear, you're a fine figured woman. I felt as if overcome by the rhosyn flower pollen._

Awel slapped her brother's wrist, and glared at him. Kyla's cheeks burned with such intensity, it felt painful. Troy stared in puzzlement until Kyla said, "He's talking about the flower you sniffed. That's why you . . . " Her words trailed off as she saw understanding come to Troy's face.

Women appeared with heaped platters and bowls of food for the table. After the servers filled the goblets with a sparkling rose liquid, Kyla asked David, "What happened at the Council meeting?"

"Eiddyl and Cymry caught hell. We just stood like lumps with our blood curdling."

"Not exactly, David. They brought out that wizard woman who intruded into our minds." Troy turned to Kyla. "Please ask Awel what that woman did. My head still feels peculiar."

_A crystal worker. She searched your mind for truth. Her name is Bethan, our tower priestess._ Kyla translated the best she could and his eyes narrowed as he searched Awel's face. "What truth?"

Her orders were to find out about the bath that prevents disease.

Kyla considered what Awel said in mind-merge. "As best I can understand, this Bethan, a highly regarded psi worker, searched your minds to determine your truthfulness."

Troy dark eyes flashed outrage. "Don't they have any scruples about this outrageous imposition? It's a despicable affront to poke around in people's minds without permission, even considering such a thing is possible. I feel violated, my personal space invaded."

Awel laid her hand on Troy's wrist and smiled up into his dark face. "Yh-ee-s." With her hand clasped around his wrist, she mind-spoke, _it won't happen again. You can understand their fear of people falling from the stars, can't you?_

Kyla watched Troy relax and assume a posture of peace from her touch. "Hey, David. I couldn't understand her words, but I got the gist of it through feeling—like with the tree."

Cymry looked up, his eyes widened. _Did he say tree?_

After Awel translated, Kyla replied, "That's how we managed to get away from that terrible storm. Troy said a tree warned him."

All three Argelians dropped their forks and stared at Troy, their expressions holding amazement.

Eiddyl leaned forward. _Did you actually hear a tree speak?_

Troy darted a look at Kyla. "By God, I think I'm beginning to understand them, if not their words, then their meaning. Didn't he ask about a speaking tree?"

"That's my understanding."

The Elfinistas began talking so fast, their visitors held no hope of understanding them. After a moment of silence, Cymry spoke while keeping his voice pitched low and forced understanding into the three visitors' minds. "Long ago, a few people here could tree-talk. They're long extinct now. They were very important to Argel because the results of forest fires were devastating and still are. Through tree-speak, many catastrophes were diverted."

Kyla, David, and Troy turned to one another and smiled. In unison, they said, "I understood every word of that."

Transmission of the message felt more powerful than before. Kyla asked, "It's possible to force understanding into a person's mind?"

Cymry frowned. _Yes. I just did, but we try never to do that. It's unethical._

Awel grasped Troy's wrist to make her meaning clear _. Troy, you must not let anyone else know you have this power. We are so desperate for a tree mage, you'll never be allowed to leave._

Troy looked horrified. "It was only a passing feeling, a figment of my imagination."

Kyla realized David attempted to divert attention from Troy when he leaned back in his chair and groaned with pleasure. "I don't even begin to know what I've eaten, but it tasted wonderful."

Awel looked at him with interest. _What kinds of things do you often eat?_

"Flavorless reconstituted food. Keeps you healthy, but is unsatisfying."

Kyla evoked a picture in her mind of reconstituted food.

"How dreadful." Awel shuddered and held her nose. That didn't need to be forced into their minds. Her expression told all.

To Kyla's amusement, David's attention stayed on Awel with such intensity, it was possible to read his mind without any special abilities. Of course, the princess noticed. She ducked her head and looked at him through her lashes. Cymry and Eiddyl grinned. David glared. "See, it's impossible to have a private thought among these people."

"Is way to block mind invasion?" Kyla stumbled out in the Elfin language.

Everyone looked at her in amazement. Awel proudly corrected her student. "Is there a way to keep out mind-merging?" Kyla repeated the corrected sentence.

If you were to stay, we could teach you to shield your mind. To go into another's head, as we have done with you, is a serious taboo, but we had no other way to communicate with you, up to now.

"We have to leave." Troy's gaze swept around the group. "I really don't care for this."

David grunted. "Not unless the Council agrees."

Sipping her wine, Kyla leaned back against cushions. "I consider this a wonderful adventure and suggest we enjoy it as long as we can. The fact the rulers here might kill us is frightening, but I doubt it. Why should they?"

Troy sighed. "If you had been with us in front of all those angry men, you would not be so optimistic."

"Maybe we should stay." Kyla made a weak effort to chuckle. "Just think of all the trouble we'll be in _whenever_ we get back to the ship. I hope all this information we've accumulated about Argel will save our necks."

Cymry stood and gestured. "Come on, fellows. I'll show you to your baths and beds. I think you'll find our hospitality agreeable."

Kyla beamed. "They have fire right in their walls. Wait until you see that, and if you experience a bath such as I had, you'll faint with pleasure. Make sure to find the rock in the water."

David nodded his acceptance. "Good, let's get out of here. I hope where we're going is private. I'm tired of being stared at as if we're some kind of freaks."

Eiddyl looked at David and smiled. _They wouldn't look at you that way if you wore proper clothing. You're much like us. I suppose Troy will stand out no matter what he wears. He is the darkest person any of us have ever seen._

"No way can a person can hide his skin," Troy said in resignation.

Kyla laughed. "You should have seen the stares the castle women gave me while I went to Awel's room. After she outfitted me properly, I realized my uniform must have looked like silver skin and quite indecent."

_Well, I liked it, indecent or not,_ Cymry reiterated with a twinkle in his eye.

Awel took Kyla's hand. "Come, I think we need to get you away from this amorous fool."

Kyla laughed and winked at David. "I'm afraid you are near danger yourself."

They could hear the men laughing as they walked away. When they reached Awel's sitting room, she arranged pillows on the floor before the fire and motioned for Kyla to join her. She smiled slyly at Kyla. "What do you think of Cymry?"

"He's nice. I like him, but I like all of you. And, you're all really beautiful."

"My brother has eyes for you."

Kyla, was pleased they were beginning to speak normally in their individual languages with understanding, but still puzzled over Awel's statement. "Is something wrong with how I look? I know we're different, but are our looks unpleasant?"

Awel replied, "He thinks you're especially lovely." Kyla dropped her head, and Awel became further perplexed. "Kyla, do you have a mate? Is David or Troy your mate?"

Kyla choked back a laugh. "I've never mated. I belong to the Union of Evolved Planets. UEP."

"You look to be several years older than I; how can it be you've never mated. Don't you like men?"

"Yes. I have many men friends with whom I work and have recreation." She could tell Awel felt frustrated, but she didn't know why.

Awel took a deep breath, and blurted, "You say you've never mated; does that mean you've never mind-melded or bedded with anyone?"

"Mind-meld? I thought you called it mind-merging."

"Mind-merging is what I do with you. Mind-melding is a complete blending of two minds of the opposite sex—you become completely aware of one another's thinking and feelings. You become one, a permanent thing, whether you marry or not."

Kyla squirmed in discomfort, twisting her hands together. She did not feel comfortable with the conversation, but wanted to gain Awel's understanding. Naturally, she would be curious about a strange woman from the stars. Besides, she wanted to know about the sexual habits of the Argelian people. It was a part of her job, gaining full knowledge of unknown people.

"Awel, I don't have those yearnings or needs. I cannot even imagine doing what you're asking. The Union made sure my only interest is Union of Evolved Planets work."

"How could they do such a thing to a human?"

"I don't know exactly. It has something to do with the altering of body chemistry."

Awel took Kyla's hands in hers and tears threatened to brim over. "That is horrible, but surely, not all your young women are altered?"

"No, not all of us. The ship's counselor is married to the captain, but most women that stay in space are like me. Women that marry, have children, and form permanent family units stay on planets."

"I could have sworn you were attracted to Cym. Didn't you feel anything?"

"I don't know exactly. I've never reacted like that before, don't understand it, and am not sure I like the sensation. Constantly blushing isn't fun."

Kyla felt a deep sense of relief when Awel picked up her harp and began playing a plaintive melody. She sincerely hoped no further conversations concerning mating, or melding, or whatever occurred.

Later, she tossed and turned while lying in bed, and her mind continued to wind itself around thoughts of Cymry. She became angry with herself. _What's the matter with me?_

## Chapter Seven

_______________________

Clanging bells jolted David awake. He clapped his hands over his ears and winced as the sounds echoed through the bedroom. "Damn, wonder what that's about." He sat up and looked at Troy. "Suppose it's a call to worship?"

Troy wiggled deeper into the plush coverings of his bed and groaned. "I think I'll stay here until I dry to dust. Have you ever slept this well?"

David rolled to his feet and went to the window. The view spread for miles. The building cut back into the mountain. From six stories up—a hell of a drop. "Smoke in the distance. I wonder if it's a town or a manufacturing plant."

Troy laughed. "There is no large industry on this planet. They have insufficient power to—"

David held his hand up to interrupt an assault of explanations. "Troy, I don't care. We need to get our asses back to the rover. Should've contacted Big Mama yesterday. We're in effect AWOL. Going to be hell to pay."

The door crashed open and Eiddyl burst into the room throwing garments at them. Strain showed in his face, and his lips compressed against his teeth. He tossed an armful of clothing to David, who instinctively caught them. A pair of boots clunked at his feet. The same followed for Troy.

"Get dressed! Fire in the Talar Mountains! Hurry! Cymry's getting our mounts ready."

Troy jerked upright, throwing the covers aside. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed, and stared at Eiddyl. "What can we do?"

"Fight fire."

"We are not firefighters." Panic pitched Troy's voice several octaves higher than normal. "Eiddyl, we need to get back to our ship." He glanced over at David, who only shrugged.

"On Argel, everyone able to stand on two feet fights fires. Many could lose their homes and all Elfin could burn."

Eiddyl's urgency was contagious. David dressed as rapidly as possible while trying to understand the clothing. He stood in leggings, looked over his shoulder and puzzled over a flap that hung from his behind. Eiddyl rocked from foot to foot and gave a grunt of impatience. He reached between David's legs, pulled the flap up to the front waist, and pointed out the ties.

Troy followed David's example, yanked everything in place, and pulled on his boots.

"Wondered if we were going around with our privates exposed," David said while pulling on a knee length tunic. He pranced, with limp wrists, to the door. "Always wanted to wear a dress. Am I cute, or what?"

Troy glanced at Eiddyl, laughed, and pushed David through the door. "I wonder why they think stone buildings can burn."

David raced behind Eiddyl through winding hallways, Troy on his heels, and down five flights of stairs. A cacophony of excited voices came from the back of the palace. They ran from the palace and across a cobbled courtyard, slippery with the morning dew, surrounding a massive stone building full of broiling activity. Men already on the backs of various creatures, with trailing pack animals, headed away from the courtyard.

A young boy fought to pull a shoulder high, squealing animal by a nose ring. She kept trying to turn to her brood of six babies that followed her, causing bedlam as scurrying men stumbled over them. Cymry called out to the boy, "Get those japin out of here!"

Troy stopped in his tracks. "What are those creatures?"

David said, "Look like some kind of pig to me." He picked up the last piglet and placed it in the boy's arms while the mother screamed. "Run!" The boy ran and the enormous japin followed, trying to catch her baby.

"Are you a lunatic? That creature could have bitten you." Troy held a hand to his chest.

"Yep, but the problem's solved, isn't it?"

Cymry led Llyr and Eres from the stable, fitted with bridles and saddles. Eiddyl led two animals that caused David and Troy to gasp. "What are those things?"

Eiddyl and Cymry laughed at their expressions. Cymry smoothed his hand down Llyr's horn. "Goldenhorn." He then touched the horns of the two animals obviously meant to be David and Troy's mounts. "Rhosynhorn," he said, with a glint in his eyes.

Troy nodded. "That word sounds like 'rose' plus 'horn.' It's the color of their horns."

David shuddered. "Ugly critters. Looks as if they are constructed from the creator's scrap heap of unneeded animal parts."

They appeared similar to the goldenhorns in that they possessed four legs and one head, but that's where the likeness ended. Heads as broad as David's arms, shoulders to wrists, bobbed as the brutish creatures turned baleful eyes in their direction. Troy grimaced as the one closest to him shook its head, opaque mucus flying from thick, flaring nostrils and big, rubbery lips. David stepped back as his mount jerked its head to fling large floppy ears from its face. Dangerous three-foot-long red curving horns, capped with large wooden balls, protruded from bony, bulbous foreheads almost caught him with an uppercut. The animal fidgeted and almost tromped on his foot with a three-toed, shaggy foot, bigger than a dinner plate.

Troy scratched his head and looked as if he considered the likely hood of a host of biting parasites had already boarded the thick coats, snarled in a variegation of dull, brindle colors covering bulging bellies and deeply swayed broad backs. The final crowning glory—grotesque hair shot out in wild clumps where tails and manes might be expected. He stood back and glared. "You expect us to get on these abominations?" Stepping closer, he stroked the neck of his mount with caution. "At least they have beautiful eyes, David. Such long lashes and mesmerizing lavender are to die for."

"Oh, for Creation's sake, Troy!" David stared up at the saddles, well above his head. "How the hell do we get on the things?"

Eiddyl made a clicking sound and the two rhosynhorns knelt. "Amazing!" David shouted as he scrambled astride and the creature stood. Soon he realized the saddle was safe and comfortable as a rocking chair, with a tall back support, which he considered a plus. Surprised, he saw a pleased look on Troy's face.

Cymry led off at a brisk trot, followed by his brother. David found the rhosynhorn's rocking gaits pleasant and its speed comparable to that of the goldenhorns. Grinning, he thought, these animals are great. After thirty minutes of traveling out of town through the low hills, they entered the meadows they first saw after landing.

An hour later, watching the front of the line disappear between two hills, Troy glanced at David and said, "This is incredible. Why do you suppose they recruit this many people? Judging by their anxiety, forest fires are calamities of the first order. The idea of our joining in this endeavor worries me. This might be a convenient way to get rid of us."

David threw up his hands and grunted. "What can we do? Never seen a forest since I was a kid and never a forest fire. We really need to get in touch with the Adventurer."

"I don't expect this will take long," Troy said while peering from the front to the back of the line. "From the look of things, everyone is coming and should make a short job of this firefighting business." He turned in his saddle and searched for the end of the column. "They are still coming. If we look on the bright side of things, bringing us along shows acceptance of our presence."

David nodded. "Or maybe, fighting forest fires takes precedence over worries about strangers from space."

The brothers, riding alongside listening to the conversation, looked at one another and grinned.

_Not exactly_ , came Cymry's silent answer.

A deep crevice formed between David's brows. "What do you mean?"

After the meeting, talk started about eliminating all signs of your presence on Argel.

David repeated the words to Troy whose pupils rimmed in white.

To his shock, Cymry laughed. _Don't be concerned. You'll be safe once you provide a service to Argel. It is our custom to honor anyone proving to be colleagues through actions. To fight fire is the greatest service possible._

When David translated the silent words, Troy shuddered. "How can you be sure we will be safe? I find this quite disturbing."

As long as you are with us, you're safe. Now, you see why we brought you with us, yes?

A cross shaped shadow moved up ahead on the ground. As David watched, it grew larger and larger until . . . David looked up. "What!"

He ducked, throwing himself across the neck of his rhosynhorn. A flying creature, like the one seen through the rover window, swooped down close enough that its turbulence disturbed the surrounding trees. It's wings spanned forty feet or more. He turned his head to the side and looked over at Troy, who had buried his face in his mount's scruffy mane.

Cymry and Eiddyl laughed in abandon while waving to the rider on the creature, who looked doll-like at that distance.

David sat up, his face flaming hot. "Is it like the thing that attacked our vessel? They look dangerous."

Cymry answered, _Fyrdracos._

Eiddyl grasped David's wrist to assure his understanding of the unspoken message. _They are very dangerous if left wild. The one you saw is a young one, domesticated and trained by the man on its back._

"If that's a young one, I sure as hell don't want to see an old one."

Troy, a shade lighter than his usual coffee color, picked mane hair from his mouth. "Fire drakos. That must mean fire dragon, David. That is what Kyla called them. I wonder what they are doing here. Finding out would be a worthy research project. However, this little side trip is getting more and more frightening."

Several more hours of travel brought the column into a gorge enveloped by towering mountains. David was pleased as the air became cooler and thinner. By early afternoon, they moved single file, along high cliffs covered with small gnarled trees. The way became torturous, but the pace never faltered. Now, the scent of burning wood stung his nose and he saw more and more dragons circling overhead.

They progressed downhill from the gnarled trees, to towering evergreens, and into a primeval-like forest of mammoth oaks. There was little undergrowth and almost no light. Large herds of graceful, deer-like animals calmly foraged in the dimness or rubbed their single horns against the trunks of the trees. A flash of movement caught David's attention. "Troy, look!"

Eiddyl looked back over his shoulder. _Taryn child._

The child, no taller than two feet, carried a bow in his hand and an animal across his shoulders. He ran to an oak, appeared to walk straight up the trunk, and disappeared into the foliage. David and Troy watched in curiosity.

Eiddyl laughed at their expressions and pointed overhead. They peered up to a matt of vines and foliage disturbed by a sudden movement above them. The boy ran across a swinging bridge. Eiddyl smiled at their expressions of awe _. We're under the homes of the Taryn._

They traveled through the night and slept in their saddles. On occasion, unseen Taryn women dropped food and water on long dangling vines for men and animals. Late in the afternoon, they arrived at an encampment. As they rode through the camp, David found its size and the flurry of activity impressive. A large number of small, women scurried between cook fires, larger men sprawled in exhaustion, and a huge healer's tent stood by a stream.

They walked near a bubbling stream. David hadn't yet finessed making the beast kneel, so Cymry went over to help him dismount. His knees buckled when his feet met the ground, and he rubbed his saddle-worn backside. He watched Troy's face cringe as he walked with legs apart, his hands gripping his rump. They grasped the reins of their rhosynhorns and followed men to the stream where everyone removed saddles and reins to let the animals drink and graze.

Walking back through the camp with Troy, David saw a group of people, none an inch over four feet, and raised his brows in question. Cymry chuckled. _They are the Taryn people. The mountains of Talar are within their realm. They are very industrious and, although shy, you will find them quite friendly._

David's mind swelled from the intentness of mind merging, but he felt proud that he managed to understand Cymry's every telepathic word. The space explorers had never seen that many different domesticated beasts on any other planet. Knee-high animals with coats of soft, silky fur in waves across their bodies with engorged teats moved around the camp. Small, hairy girls, their skirts pooling around their three-legged stools, pumped milk into metal buckets. David compared the animals that pulled the heavy-laden wagons with a cross between Earth's oxen and an elephant. He pointed at the large animals with raised brows.

Cymry said, "Trahern."

Then he saw a wire enclosure of chickens.

Chickens? Where the hell . . .

As they followed Cymry back to the teaming midst of fire workers, Eiddyl led Troy to the group of white-robed Elfin surrounding a large crystal stone. Its faceted surface glittering with light made David stagger and a rainbow of color dance behind his closed eyelids. He didn't have time to question Cymry before he found a shovel in his hands, and a large man pulled him into the forest.

Troy averted his face as Eiddyl clutched his wrist and entered his mind. _Elfinista Mages. Don't look into the stone._ He needed no warning; a great force radiated from the crystal that made his head swim.

A tall, cadaverous man rose from his cushion by the stone and walked toward Eiddyl. _Watch it, here comes an Arglewydd!_ Troy's mind went blank and he stared at the prince. Eiddyl responded with an explanation.

Troy sighed. "Oh, you mean he is a Lord."

The man reached their side and spoke with Eiddyl in a demanding tone. Eiddyl shuffled his feet, looked down and seemed to speak with reluctance. Not understanding, Troy stood aside, observing. The man turned and stared at Troy with such intensity, he became uncomfortable. His anxiety rose when Eiddyl walked away without explanation.

_I am Arglwydd Brac._ The message boomed through his consciousness. Brac's claw-like hand gripped his elbow with surprising strength and steered him toward the trees. About fifty feet deep into the forest, he pointed to what appeared to be a mammoth oak, its diameter twice Troy's height of six and a half feet.

Troy countered with lifted brows. "So?"

A rough push toward the tree, accompanied by a thundering message in his skull, stunned him.

Tree talk. Now!

Troy had no problem understanding this man's mind merging. It vibrated his brain. However, he didn't know what to do. When first arriving, the pine warned him of the storm through no effort on his part. He leaned forward and placed his hands against the tree. The ruthless man put his hands on Troy's shoulder and pushed him against the oak.

Talk to tree, now!

Troy clasped his head. "Okay. I see you are serious about this, but I do not know how to do it." Realizing he must try, he dropped to the ground, closed his eyes, placed his palms against the rough bark, and concentrated. Nothing happened. "This is not working. Please, be reasonable."

He started to rise until he saw the thunderous expression on the man's face. Alarmed, he dropped back down trying to remember what he did before. Then he thought of the tree's storm warning at the rover. Then he relaxed and refocused. His mind filled with a kaleidoscope of green leaves, white and brown branches, spinning in a blur giving him the sensation of flying through the forest. He felt heat and the colors of fire seemed to curl back toward him, his eyes sprang open in surprise. "It is frightened. By God, I feel its fear!"

The Arglwydd nodded encouragement, his grim face softening, and he motioned for Troy to continue. It became easier and he felt as if he rode on a wave of the oak's consciousness, moving outward, tapping the feelings of other great oaks, tall evergreens, and even small saplings. He moved through a green haze toward something threatening that filled him with fear. The trees whipped about and moaned. Smoke filled his lungs, hot ashes stung his skin, and then a violent wind blew his mind clear. Troy sprang to his feet with a startled cry. "Winds are beginning to blow in the Alar Valley! It will turn the fires against the firefighters!"

Troy did not understand what happened. Where the hell is the Alar? It appeared he would not be provided any enlightenment. Left standing alone, shocked, he watched as Brac, in defiance of his age, spun around and dashed toward the compound, his robes whirling behind him.

Troy looked up into the branches. "Why me?"

At his words, hundreds of cool green leaves drifted down over his body, and a sense of loving peace came over him. Without realizing what he did, Troy reached out and placed his hand against the rough bark. Limp with fatigue, he trudged back to camp. He found a spot out of the path of workers and dropped in a boneless puddle to the ground. Never had he felt such bone screeching fatigue.

David gasped for breath. It wasn't just the fumes—he had run beside his long-legged companion for forty-five minutes without a break. Dark Eagle breathed with ease, not a drop of sweat stood on his face. They came to a clearing unburned by the inferno. David stopped, leaned on a tree, and struggled to calm his breathing.

Along the fire line, men with wet blankets smothered embers while others, with huge knives, chopped back undergrowth, clearing large swaths ahead of the blaze. North and east flames roared hundreds of feet toward the sky and the rolling black smoke blocked out the sun. How could men, no matter how many, beat back a conflagration from the bowels of hell?

With no mercy, his partner pulled David into the fray. He lost sense of time as he pounded small out-breaks of fire and shoveled dirt on smoldering wood while wheezing and coughing. It didn't take long for him to learn to keep his feet moving so his boots wouldn't burn.

A wonderful breeze caressed his body. He lifted his face to a frightening sight. A dragon hovered overhead and settled down almost close enough for him to reach out and touch. It possessed an enormous wingspan, claws capable of killing a rhosynhorn with one swipe, and a long graceful neck ending in a horned, vicious-looking snout.

A swarm of men came running, apparently unafraid of the beast. He noticed two huge leather sacks hanging from the dragon's neck. Backing away from the dangerous snout, he watched the firefighters rush to the sacks, dipping out water to drink and to pour over scorched bodies. After everyone had their fill, they wet blankets. David thought he would die of thirst, but couldn't bring himself to get close to the flying monster.

Everyone labored through the long hours of the night without a stop for rest or food. Every muscle in David's body screamed for rest. His eyes burned, dry and itchy in their sockets, crying for moisture. He marveled at the resilience and dedication of all the men and women, from the small Taryn to the large, muscular Lakos, and the willowy, fair Elfin. After working non-stop through the night and next day, Dark Eagle, who had brought him to the firefight, told him to take a break. He stumbled back into trees the fire bypassed, collapsed to the ground, and leaned against a tree trunk.

Upon awakening, the sun had risen and the fire seemed further away. A man on a small animal, unaware of his surroundings, rode up beside David. He slumped over a glittering stone held in his hands. Another man rushed up, conferred with him, and received some sort of instruction. The man on the ground shouted out and raced over the ground toward the fire. David wondered what he should do, when someone grabbed his elbow and said, "Come on, men in trouble!"

He almost didn't recognize Eiddyl with singed hair and rivulets of sweat streaking a soot-covered face. "What happened?"

"Fire turned back on fire fighters. In trouble, caught in a circle of fire," he replied, panting as they ran.

"How much water can those dragons carry? Can they dump water on the men?"

Eiddyl stopped and stared at him. "Of course. I'll tell the mage to send orders." In moments, Eiddyl rejoined David and gripped his arm. "Let's go."

Within minutes, they came to a wall of roaring fire with horrified men milling around in shock and despair. An Elfin, his face contorted in sorrow, walked up to Eiddyl, and spoke to him. He turned to David. "Alpha and Omega! Cym is caught in that!" He raced toward the fire and David tackled him to the ground. "Let me up, damn you! Let me up!"

David straddled Eiddyl's chest and raised his fist, thinking it would be better to be unconscious rather than burned up. Then he felt a disturbance in the air and pointed. "Look! The dragons! Do what you did with the rover—call the frydracos to us with water."

Grabbing an armful of wet blankets, David started toward the inferno waving at the dragons. A dragon dumped water on him as he entered the fire with Eiddyl on his heels. While stumbling with wet blankets over their heads, and struggling for air, dragons followed spilling water over them. Air currents from the dragons' wings pushed back the wall of smoke giving them oxygen and a narrow path to follow.

They came into an opening in the ring of fire and David stumbled over a body. Scrambling up with tears streaming, he struggled to see the three men on the ground in the dense smoke. He and Eiddyl, each pulled up a man, put their arms around them. They staggered to the third man, and gathered him between them. The fire again engulfed their path. Where were the dragons?

His pant legs were on fire. Then a flood of cool water bathed his body. He looked over at Eiddyl whose face was a rectus of pain. In a matter of seconds, they came through the fire—it had seemed a lifetime. All five men collapsed face down while others beat the fire from their clothes and dragged them to safety.

David rolled to his back as Eiddyl turned his brother over and screamed, "Healer! We need a healer!"

Two men with a litter ran up, a woman running alongside carrying a large leather bag. Long black braids swung around her shoulders as she hovered over Cymry. She put her ear to his chest and looked at Eiddyl in relief. She wound wet rags around his face and instructed the litter bearers to take him. They ran off with the motionless Prince.

David watched as she moved from man to man and gave orders to her assistants. "Meadowlark, how is he?" Eiddyl tried to talk with her, but she ignored him until each man received care. While medicating Eiddyl's hands, she talked quietly and he settled down.

"What did she say? David asked, "Will Cymry be okay?"

Yes. Thanks to you, his burns aren't too serious. We can only pray the fire didn't damage his lungs beyond repair.

After the healer washed out their eyes with a cooling fluid, David and Eiddyl moved into the forest and dropped down against a tree in exhaustion. David asked, "How many people are fighting the fire?"

Thousands. Those tall muscular men and women, like the man who brought you out here and the healer, are Lako. They are the strongest and best fighters but the small people, the Taryn, fight the hardest, having the most to lose.

"Why's that?"

"Their homes and lives are dependent upon the trees."

Eiddyl spoke aloud and David understood him. He smiled upon realizing he had begun to understand the Elfin language without depending on mind speak.

David stretched his throbbing legs. "Doesn't everyone depend on the forest?"

"Yes, you're right, but the Taryn actually live in the trees. Their whole way of life exists in the tops of the trees." He brushed cinders from his hair and smiled when David nodded his understanding. Eiddyl said, "It took a stranger, not even of Argel, to think of using the dragons to wet down the fires."

"Why?"

"I guess it's because the flyers worked for years to train them—are afraid of losing them to the fire. The creatures love fire, are reckless, and hard to control. Although, exposure to fire won't hurt them, it will hurt their riders."

David asked, "Do you have enough of them to train to really help with the forest fires?"

Yes, hundreds live near the fire mountains; but they're dangerous, hard to catch, and ```even harder to train. It takes years to domesticate them and, even then, they remain a danger to their rider and extremely hard to handle. If we could find a way to protect the riders, the few we have would be of greater help in the fires.

"On ship, we have clothing allowing men to go into flames without harm. With proper breathing apparatus and clothing, your men could swoop down without harm, if the dragons would take them." They sat without moving until David felt his heart rate and breathing return to normal. He asked, "Why did they endanger the frydracos and themselves today?"

"Two royal sons."

## Chapter Eight

_______________________

David leaned over, heaved, and brushed hot cinders from his hair. What the hell do I think I'm doing? This fire isn't my problem. Almost surrounded by flames, with one line of escape, he spun around, terrified. Where's Dark Eagle? Damn, I'm alone. Gotta' get out of here. He looked up to see the fire racing through the tops of the trees over his head. Little time left for escape.

A horrendous crash. An enormous section of a tree ripped free and fell from the top branches, crashing in a shower of flames across a Taryn bridge. A small figure huddled there, silhouetted in horrific relief against the inferno. The bridge shuddered. The child wailed. His face, illuminated by the fire, twisted into a stark mask of terror.

"Oh, mother of Creation!" With a sick feeling, knowing no way to save the child, he turned and ran.

After a few feet, he glanced back. What he saw brought him to a halt. At one end, the bridge tore loose in an eruption of fire, flinging splinters of sparks down through the dry foliage. The child screamed in panic. Cries from a lower branch answered. A lone female, with a smaller child clinging to her neck, frantically ran from branch to branch below the burning treetops. She screeched to the child above, holding out her arms.

The bridge fell. The child jumped.

David's heart lodged in his throat as he watched the child fly through the air. The mother reached for him and caught the fingers of one hand. For a time, that seemed an eternity, the child dangled mid-air with flames crawling up his body. Then a fiery branch fell, searing her arm and tearing the child away. The anguished howl of the mother joined the scream of the child as he plummeted to the ground.

"God help me, I can't run from this." He surveyed the ground under the tree as he ran. Thank Creation it was clear. He reached the tree where the figures stood on limbs twenty feet above him. With arms outspread, his head thrown back, he screamed, "Jump!" The grief stricken mother teetered over the edge of the branch, searching for her fallen child. Her long skirt flamed and she brushed at it. The child she held in her arms began to wail. Eyes wild, she looked down at David, held out her child, and let it drop.

As soon as he landed in David's arms, the little Taryn scrambled up to his shoulders and wrapped its hairy arms around David's head. Pushing the limbs from his face, David looked up in time to see the woman jump. The baby wasn't heavy and the woman was very small, but the impact when she hit his chest knocked him to the ground. Before rising, he yanked at her flaming skirt. She released the waist tie and David it jerked from her body.

David grabbed her hand and started to run, but her screams stopped him. He turned to see her hobbling on one leg. A bone had ripped through the skin of her thigh. His head pounded—they were going to die. He leaned over and flipped her across his shoulder.

He staggered and attempted to scream for help. Only a croak from him joined the mother's moans. Eyes afire, tears streamed down his face.

Burning branches rained from the top of the trees now. The smoke choked him. He leaned over, and ran. Struggled for enough oxygen to survive. He stumbled to the place he had visually marked as the escape route. Gone, it was gone. Fire surrounded them. David dropped to his knees and sobbed.

Well, I tried—I really tried.

On the third day of working with the tree, Troy awoke to the rumble of his stomach. He slid his tongue across his dry, chapped lips and they stung. He sat up and worked his jaw, trying to moisten his parched throat. He needed a drink to wash away the acrid taste of smoke and ash. An aroma of exquisite flavors tantalized his nose. His mouth watered and he stumbled to a small Taryn woman doling out something soup-like with hot, crusty bread.

Twittering, she handed him a mug of a light, rosy-colored drink similar to the refreshing light wine served at the palace. He drank it in one long swallow and held out the cup. She refilled it and handed him a bowl of meaty stew. Troy nodded his thanks and walked away. Still exhausted, he reclined against a tree and tried to eat, while considering the recent activities with the oak and the priest.

During the nights, Ol' Argley awakened him often to demand his service. Over time, as Troy continued to merge with the tree, the man's demanding arrogance changed to courteous respect. Troy learned the circle of strange people somehow passed on his messages to fire fighters through the sparkling stone, only three feet in diameter. Fatigued with their efforts, they fell asleep where they sat until restored, then pulled themselves upright, and began to work again. Always, at least six men or women attended the stone.

As he studied the mages, a small slender figure dropped to his side and gripped his wrist. Surprised, he turned to her. "What are you doing here, Awel?"

She managed a smile, although she looked as tired as he was. "Same as you. Helping."

"What can you do? Are you a healer?"

"I can heal, but I'd rather work in the relays—to guide the fire fighters, to let them know where everyone is, and forward the information your tree gives." She smiled while tucking her long silver-white hair beneath her hood. "Troy, you've saved many lives and will receive much honor from everyone, including the king."

"All I want is to be allowed to go back to our ship."

"I hope you get what you want." Awel stared at him, a crease forming between her eyes. "Why are you frowning?"

"Do you really think your people will let me go after what I've done with the tree? I do not think so. That angers me and what your brother did angers me more."

She turned to him with flaring eyes. "Alpha and Omega, whatever did my brother do to upset you?"

"He knew that if he told anyone of my ability it would, in all probability, trap me here against my will. In spite of that, he told Brac about it."

"Oh no, my friend. Don't you realize that as strong as the Arglwydd is, all he had to do was to take one look at you and know. Even I, when first seeing you, sensed something different about you. No, Eiddyl didn't have to say anything."

"Of course. Why did I not think of that? All along, I have believed Eiddyl betrayed me, that I would be trapped here as a slave to your country's needs."

"That is rather insulting. How could you think such a thing about us? My father would never, never do such a thing." Her furious expression turned into a grin. "That doesn't mean that he won't do everything possible to convince you to stay."

Awel gave his hand a pat and stared vacantly off into the distance. A shadow flickered across her face and she turned to Troy. "Have you heard from David?"

Troy dropped his eyes, ashamed. His friend's plight had been the farthermost thing from his mind. "Is he okay? Has he been injured?"

"No, not hurt. David's become quite a favorite among the Lako. Don't worry, Dark Eagle will protect him. Have you seen any of the Lako men yet?"

"Many ordinary people don't look like your family. Are they Elfin? Taryn folk are short, hairy, and sturdy. The mages or priests, whatever they are, seem to be Elfin."

Awel gave a tinkling laugh and placed her hand on his knee. "People with my coloration are called Elfinista. We, as well as the ones you consider ordinary, are from the Elfin Realm."

"Okay, which ones are the Lako?"

"They're the large men, some as tall as you—are beardless, dress their hair with beads and feathers, and are quite handsome. You'll find the names they give themselves interesting. They fancy names honoring their spirit guides—usually animals. They are fierce fire fighters."

"Did you bring Kyla with you? I have not seen her."

"Oh yes, and she's also proving to be quite useful. She has an incredible ability to decipher languages and find creative ways to communicate with differing people. Kyla spends her time in the medic tent where Taryn assist the healers." Awel's voice rose in enthusiasm. "We have never seen anyone communicate in their language. We call it bird-talk and always thought it impossible to learn."

Awel smiled at Troy and patted his hand. "Do you realize we've conducted a long conversation with no trouble understanding? It's certain that your work with the mages has sensitized you to mind-merge. You seem to understand our language as well as Kyla does. When will you start speaking it?"

"I'm practicing with that ziggy priest. Tell me about the Taryn. I thought a small Taryn we saw on the trail was a child. I realize, now, it was a teenage boy. He carried some kind of dead animal on his shoulders and ran up the side of a tree. An amazing sight."

"Oh no, he ran up steps carved in the trees leading to their villages. Although we don't understand much about their home life, we benefit in trade with them. Women, left without a mate, often work as servants in the Elfinista or other households. The men without families serve as scouts and are prolific hunters for our army."

"I find that to be interesting—fills me with fascination. If I were more adventurous, I would like to visit them up in the trees."

Awel stood and flicked a bit of cinder from Troy's hair. She glanced at him. "Maybe, someday we can arrange that. Well, I've been away long enough—back to my duties." Troy watched her until she entered the tent and then fell asleep before finishing his food.

It seemed only minutes passed when Arglwydd Brac shook him awake. He stumbled back to the great oak to face the intense emotions of the tree. It always scoured his mind with the forest's message of grief, horror, and incredible thirst. He recoiled from the torment as the merging stabbed into his mind and exhausted his body.

In the midst of the usual communication, an image flared throughout his mind overcoming everything else. David struggling, caught in fire, dying. The tree fired the knowledge of his friend's location vividly. He gasped, bent over, and held his head.

Brac put an arm around his shoulder and drew him away, his empathy soothed Troy's sorrow _. I saw that, my friend, let's hurry to the mage stone. I'll send a message to a fire priest to call the dragons and the men forth to save your friend._ The mage's calm words gentled Troy's frantic worry.

As they ran, Brac said, "Rain is on the way. The priests and priestess have called upon Alpha and Omega to bring the rain clouds and gather them to the west where the fire rages."

Back at the camp, Troy watched exhausted fire fighters dwindle in and collapse wherever they could find a space within the camp. Soot covered all of them and many were injured. One of the white-robed priestess healers, accompanied by sturdy Taryn women carrying a basket of supplies, circled among the arrivals to determine each man's needs. She assigned some to the healer's tent, some were placed in hammocks near the stream, and others simply given food and drink. Everyone's ability to maintain order and quickly take care of fire fighters awed Troy. It was a massive operation.

He became curious as men with festering burns received treatment and almost at once returned to the firefight. A large man with long black braids shoveled down food one-handed, while an Elfinista woman slathered an ointment over his free arm. Troy squatted beside them to watch. The man flinched and grunted when the priestess ran her hands across his wounds, but continued to eat. Just as Troy decided the patient needed hospital care, the burned, blackened skin turn to red, to pink, and then the healing became complete as he watched.

Unable to believe what he saw, he decided to visit the healer's tent to observe. Inside the tent everyone scampered around in frenzied activity, and the smell of burnt flesh hung heavy in the air. A double row of twenty cots, each side of the tent, held moaning and whimpering men. Small Taryn women spoke in twitters and warbles, bustled back and forth, bringing basins of clean water and bandages to the robed priests and ordinary women treating the fire victims.

Mid-way the tent, Kyla knelt by a man, her hands and the front of her apron covered in blood. She held together an axe wound while a priest held a small glowing stone and slowly moved his hands inches over the gash. The blood subsided and the wound gradually closed into a clean, thin, white scar. Kyla looked up at Troy, wide-eyed. "Miraculous, isn't it?"

She stood up, swayed in exhaustion, and held out a hand to Troy. "Let's take a break and talk. I haven't stopped in twenty-four hours and need something to eat." She took off the apron, wiped her hands on it, and threw it in a large basket.

He put his arm around her and led her from the tent. "I can recommend the soup and bread with enthusiasm. The wine is pretty good, too."

"No matter. I could eat rocks and drink acid about now."

They walked to the stream for her to wash blood from her arms and hands. Then Troy led her to the cook pot and held her bowl out to the small, dark woman stirring the soup. To his surprise, Kyla warbled a bird-like sound, to which the woman returned with a musical warble. He looked around for a quiet place to eat and gestured to a space beyond the crystal workers. When they walked past, Kyla asked, "Have you figured out what those people do?"

"They use that stone as a method of communication over long distances to the firemen. Whenever I get a message from my talking tree, that old man by the group runs to the group and relates it to them. When sound waves were first sent over the air for long distances, crystals were used. I believe there is some connection, but this is not my area of expertise."

Kyla dropped to the ground and took her bowl from Troy. She took a long drink from her cup and said, "Everything is incredibly bizarre, isn't it? Salves that heal burns on contact, stones that close wounds and mend broken bones, and all these diverse people working together with such efficiency."

"Yes, I find it all hard to believe. Only now, have I gained trust in my ability to communicate with a tree."

"That must be an amazing thing to experience. Do you feel any affinity for the tree or it for you?"

Troy laughed. "When it let me know David was in danger, I appreciated it so much I hugged it."

She smiled and poked his arm. "Yeah, but did it hug you back?"

He couldn't look at her. "Something happened. Sometimes I feel as if it comforts me." Shaking his head, he said, "Forget it, I'm losing my sense of reality."

"Okay, but I'll want to hear more about it when you feel like it. Have you heard from David and the king's sons?"

"No, and I'm worried for David. If he gets hurt, I don't know if his body will heal like these people."

He thought of his vision, but decided not to worry Kyla with it.

Troy reached over and wiped a drip of soup off Kyla's chin. "I do not think this healing has to do with the physical make-up of these people. They seem to be as human as we are. As hard as it is to accept, this ability, or whatever it is, it heals as if it is magic."

"Awel can do it, too. I've seen her do amazing things and everybody seems to expect it—to take it in stride." She wiped up the last of the soup with her bread. "Guess we need to get back to our work. Do you think anyone on the ship will believe any of this?"

Troy stood and pulled Kyla to her feet, saying, "I'm here seeing it and can't believe it. Brac told me rain is coming, maybe the fire will end soon."

"Oh, damn Creation!" She pointed, "Look, isn't that Cymry on the litter being taken toward the tent?" She started running before the sentence left her mouth.

Arglwydd Brac called to Troy before he could follow her. Kyla's horror at seeing Cymry injured flooded his mind as he accompanied the Lord into the forest to commune with his tree. Was she getting into something for which she was unsuited and incapable of dealing with without great pain?

* * *

Kyla entered the tent, her heart in her throat, and ran toward Cymry. While the stretcher-bearers placed him on a cot, she quickly washed her hands in wine and hurried to his side. He lay unconscious, his breath labored. A white-robed priestess ripped open his tunic and laid her ear against his chest. Frowning, she said, "Let's hope his lungs aren't burned and he's only suffering from smoke inhalation. Kyla, wash his face so I can see his color."

With tender strokes, Kyla cleaned Cymry's face, her throat tight and her vision swimming from unshed tears. As she brushed cinder from his hair, Awel came to her side and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Kyla, let's cut his garments off and treat his burns. Don't worry, Bethan works wonders with healing lungs."

The priestess asked them to place all the pillows they could find under Cymry's shoulders to ease his breathing. The three determined women worked together without further speech. As the priestess moved her hands slowly across Cymry's chest, from the bottom of his rib cage up to his sternum, Kyla thought she could hear his breath coming more easily.

Abruptly, he sat upright, coughing, and gagging. Frightened, Kyla looked at Awel, whose face relaxed and she smiled.

She reached over and took Kyla's hand. "This is good. It hurts, but it's good."

When he finally dropped to his pillows with tears streaming, Cymry gasped, "David came through the fire for me . . ." He passed out.

Awel went to other victims while Kyla sat by Cymry's bed and refused to move the rest of the day. The gray color left his face and his breath deepened. Then she became aware of her behavior. Her tears, her panic, and sitting by Cymry throughout the day seemed peculiar. What's going on? Are the planet's special forces driving me crazy?

When she thought of what Cymry said about David, she felt remorse for forgetting him again. She rose from her seat by the bed and went to every man that came in from the fire to ask about David, but no one knew his location or even if he still lived.

Three nights passed after the prediction of rain. Midday, Kyla felt fat drops of water splatter against her arms. As the rain increased in intensity throughout the afternoon, she watched men stagger from the forest into the compound as she searched for David. Without a thought to modesty—small, sturdy Taryn men, slender, elegant-bodied Elfin, as well as tall, muscular Lako men dashed to the stream, scattering soot-blackened and burned garments along the way. They submerged their bodies and dunked their heads in the water, shouting in glee. As they exited the water, Taryn women handed them towels and clean tunics.

Again, Kyla circled among the men, asking about David with no results.

Most of the forest fire subsided and men continued to arrive the next day as the rain continued to slow. Dark Eagle, the enormous man, who seemed to have adopted David as they fought the fire side-by-side, rushed David into the clearing. David appeared to be in good spirits as he observed the spectacle at the camp through red, swollen eyes.

The small Taryn's legs straddled his neck, waving his arms over David's head, whistling in delight. An old woman dashed up and held out her hairy arms. She and David struggled to pull the child free, but he gripped his savior's neck. The spectators cheered and clapped their hands at the unusual sight.

Kyla appeared at his side, her lips trembling.

"What's the matter, aren't you glad to see me?"

She looked up at him, her eyes liquid. "I was so worried about you, and no one could tell me you were all right. What are you doing with a young Taryn wrapped around your neck?"

"He has stuck to me like a leach ever since we and his mother managed to survive a fire. Can you help this little woman get him off me. Maybe his mother is in the medical tent, they brought her out from the fire before I left. Her burns are extensive and her leg is damaged."

Kyla held her arms out and twittered to the child that his mother was in the tent. Excited, he jumped from David's shoulder into her arms with frenzied twitters. She passed him to the Taryn woman who dashed toward the medical tent.

She smiled as David bowed theatrically to the crowd that still sporadically cheered while he walked to the stream's embankment. He looked around, his face red, and didn't strip as had the men around him. He dashed into the stream fully clothed. He gasped at the cold water, and before he could gain his breath, hands reached out and dunked him.

Awel walked up to Kyla and took her hand. "The poor man. Wait until he goes through the cleansing routine."

When he surfaced sputtering, one of the men jerked his tunic over his head and scrubbed a rough, pine-scented bar of soap into his hair. Men surrounded him cheering and clapping his back. Before he could gather his dignity, he found himself stripped, cleaned, and on the shoulders of his huge companion. Kyla stood back, watching the men bringing him up the bank of the stream. Troy and the three royals stood in the rain cheering. He had become a hero in a world and in a situation of which none of the people from the Adventurer could've dreamed about two weeks before.

Kyla sympathized with his embarrassment but laughed when he shouted to the man beneath him, "Put me down, Dark Eagle!"

When his feet touched the ground before the mob of delighted people, he attempted to cover more of his body than his hands could manage. He visibly cringed when Awel walked up to him, her sparkling, blue eyes raking him head to toe. With a smile, she held out a clean tunic and laughed while he scrambled into it.

The rain came to a desultory stop as the last of the firefighters reeled into camp. By midnight, everyone had bathed in the stream and gathered around the campfire, ready for food. A huge banquet spread across several wagons. Almost emptying the medical tent, men bandaged and limping, joined in the merriment. Before everyone piled their plates high, the thrum of drums sounded, accompanied by cheers of joy.

Kyla sat on a log by a cook fire. Troy and David joined her. Troy clapped him on the shoulder. "How do you like being a hero, buddy?"

"A lot better than facing the wrath of the Council. I understand you've made quite a name for yourself with your tree talking."

"Yeah. It's been quite an experience, for which I have no explanation. My fellow botanist used to kid me about my abilities with plants. They swore that I must talk to them. I never thought much about it—just seemed to know what the plants needed. I do not dare tell them of this experience when I get back. They will swear I have gone insane, or worse, they might believe me."

David pointed. "Look." Dozens of men and women began dancing to the beat of the drums, winding around the several fires. The air rang with voices of jubilation. Troy's body jiggled and he patted his foot to the rhythm.

"I think those drums are causing my prehistoric genes to vibrate," Troy said. "Here comes a Lako woman that looks healthy and strong. Oh, my God, David, she has her eyes on me. What am I going to do?"

"I suggest you dance with her, if that's what she wants. She's almost as big as you are— probably a lot stronger. After seeing them work in the forest, I firmly believe she is capable of forcing cooperation."

Before Troy could decline, the woman grabbed his hands and pulled him to his feet. Kyla laughed when, to her complete surprise, Troy began cavorting—a wilder side exposed, which no one knew he possessed. As more drums joined in, Troy's whole body vibrated with the rhythm. Most amazing of all, he danced with a woman and it looked completely natural.

Awel walked up to David, sat down beside him, and watched the dancers. Kyla said, "I don't believe what I'm seeing. Look at Troy. I've never seen him act like anything but an old fuddy-duddy professor, before this."

"What is fuddy-duddy?" Awel asked.

David laughed and put his arm around Awel. "What she means is Troy's always very serious and tends to lecture like an old teacher—he has no sense of fun or humor."

"Well, he's certainly having fun now. He keeps up with the Lako woman quite well, and the Lako are famous for their dancing."

Her face puckered in intent concentration, Kyla watched Troy. "David, doesn't it look as if Troy is enjoying more than the dancing?"

David, who only had eyes for Awel, said, "What?"

"Darn it, watch Troy. Am I seeing what I think I'm seeing?"

"What are you talking about?" Awel looked to David and Kyla in confusion. "It's only a man enjoying a woman."

David grinned. "Exactly. Well, well, will wonders never cease?" He turned to Awel. "Let's take a walk over to the tent where there's light. My arms and chest are burning. Will you see if they need some of that magic salve?"

Kyla said, "Of all the sneaky..." David pulled Awel away, grinning back over his shoulder at his shipmate.

Just as Kyla wondered how long it took to put medicine on non-existent burns, Eiddyl and Cymry joined her. Cymry smiled down at her. "Wouldn't you like to dance, Kyla?"

Thinking he was much too sick to dance, Kyla shook her head. "Thank you. I'd like to, it looks like fun, but I'm really too tired. Why don't you two join me in a cup of wine on this lovely log seat nature provided?"

Cymry said, "Eid is uninjured and is one of the best dancers around. Please join him. I'll sit here and wait for you."

She hesitated, but Eiddyl laughed and pulled her to her feet. They joined a circle dance leaving her breathless and laughing within minutes. The men went down into a squat, threw out one leg, bounded up, and repeated with the other leg. Across the circle, she could see Troy hold his own. As the men performed this strenuous activity, the women gaily circled around them. Soon, everyone joined hands, circling the campfire, executing intricate steps.

Kyla struggled to keep up and breathe at the same time. Eiddyl finally led her back to Cymry. "Brother, we need to spend a lot of time dancing with these sky people if they expect to keep up with Argelians."

Kyla smiled, taking a deep gasping breath. "Maybe you're right about me, but Troy seem to be keeping up quite well."

Eiddyl excused himself to find, as he said, a "wild woman" that could keep up with him. He danced away.

When Kyla returned to the log beside Cymry, he took her hand and pointed up into the trees. Tiny Taryn youngsters, some no taller than a foot, crowded the limbs above their heads dancing along the branches in rhythm to the music. Some youths had absconded with cooking pot lids and banged them together in time with the music while twittering melodiously.

"My god, isn't that dangerous? Don't their parents know?"

Cymry laughed and said, "They never fall."

## Chapter Nine

_______________________

"Jack, are you sure they're on Javet III?"

Captain Rochelle glanced over at his wife. "They have to be. The only other planets within this system, capable of sustaining sentient life, have been thoroughly monitored."

"Perhaps they crashed on some other planet and are no longer alive."

"The rover would have sent out a distress signal. Because we haven't picked up a signal, they must be alive and turned the locater off." He rubbed his forehead. Now, that would be incredibly stupid. He leaned back in his chair, threw his feet onto the desk and crossed his ankles. "I've never heard of one becoming non-functioning in a crash. Since we haven't located them on the other planets, they have to be on Javet."

Kelly picked up a model ship from his desk and turned it around in her long delicate fingers. With a worried frown, she returned the model. "I hope the life forms on Javet aren't too aggressive."

"It would serve them right if they tangled with some violent, territorial creatures. It would save me the job of ripping off their heads should they get back on ship. As a matter of fact, our investigators reported warring in the southern lands."

"Shades of space, Jack. If they could hear you now, I doubt they would want to come back, no matter how they got there."

They turned to a loud knock on the door. Without waiting for a response, a rotund figure bound through to the captain's desk, his collar rumpled. "It's no use. For days now, I've sent out my most experienced pilots, and they all say that when they get within a hundred feet of the barrier, their vehicles bounce back like rubber balls. We've never experienced anything like it before. I really don't know what to do we haven't already tried."

The captain frowned and ran his hand across his stiff crew cut. "Did you get any samples of the thing?"

"No, sir. There's nothing physical about it."

"Joe, meet my wife, Dr. Kelly O'Brien. Let's ask her." Captain Rochelle turned to her, raising his brows. "Any bright ideas, Dr. O'Brien?"

"Paranormal?" She braced herself for an outburst.

"Damn it, Kelly, it's taken me years to accept your abilities; how can you expect me to think some pre-literate, pre-tech people can do anything this advanced?"

"Well, merely because you don't believe in something doesn't mean it's not true, as you've found out with me." Her eyes brightened as she slipped forward on her chair. "I want to go up with a pilot and see if I can sense anything."

The captain looked at his flight deck controller and threw up his hands. "You might as well set it up. I'll never hear the end of it, if we don't." He turned back to his wife. "Be careful, report to me the minute you're back on ship."

The flight deck controller's eyebrows lifted in question. "If we can't get through, how the heck did David pull it off?"

"It beats me, but we've looked everywhere else. You know, we need to leave for the Gyran sector within three weeks, and I intend to leave with or without them. I'm going to catch enough hell because of these three idiots, and I don't dare compound the problem by being late to our next assignment."

By mid-afternoon bells, his work slowed down, and he again reviewed the personnel records of his three AWOL personnel. "What in the name of Creation could have given them the notion to go out exploring?" He glanced down at a file. Troy, older than Kyla and David, was a rather staid, professorial type, inclined toward solitude and study. "I know this wasn't his idea. He would never go absent without leave."

The captain slammed the stylus down on his desk, rolled his chair back, and stood.

He walked to a port window and stared out at the nothingness. The Union of Evolved Planets had spent billions of credits training his crewmembers. I have to find them—they're too valuable, and I need them.

As he went to get a cup of coffee from his dispenser, Kelly and a uniformed pilot entered. Her eyes glowed with excitement.

"What? What did you find out there?"

"It _is_ a paranormal shield. I felt it when I used my own psi ability to push against it. It's very strong—very powerful."

The pilot added, "I saw wavering in the air when she held her hands up to the window of the rover. It really did respond to Dr. O'Brien."

Captain Rochelle strode back and forth across his office. Turning to his wife, he shrugged. "Okay, I believe you. I'm not giving those upstarts any more time to contact us. They managed to get through that shield—they must know how to get back. In the meantime I want you," indicating the pilot, "to take the larger barge ships and ram the damn thing. If that fails, come back, and take a larger force. Let's see what happens. Dismissed."

"Belay that order, Captain. We need to talk," Kelly said.

His brows rose and his mouth tightened. He abruptly turned to the pilot. "Come back in an hour, and we'll see what's to be done."

The pilot nodded and did an about-face. When the door closed behind him, the captain fastened his eyes on Kelly. "You know better than to counter my orders in front of anyone."

"Yes," she dropped her eyes to her fisted hands that lay in her lap. "Haven't you asked me over and over to try to restrain you from overacting when in a temper?"

He dropped to his chair and ran his hands over his face. "Right. You're right. What other possible thing can I do other than plow through that shield and get our crew members?"

"First, let's consider a few facts. Number one, those are well-trained people down there and have brilliant minds. Number two, if we can't get through that shield, neither could they."

Rochelle, frowned and threw his legs up on his desk. "Where are you going with this? Obviously, they _did_ get through."

"Maybe they were pulled through. Ever consider that? And, if they were, it's up to them to convince whatever power controlling things to let them come back."

"They could have, at least, sent a message to the ship."

She raised her brows and held her hands out, palms up. "Through that shield? I don't think so."

He groaned and dropped his feet to the floor. "What's number three?"

"Wait as long as you can to give them every opportunity to get back. Then when time runs out, leave them. You won't be the first captain to lose members of your staff somewhere in space."

"Spinning space crap, Kelly, don't you realize what a bloody rotten mark will go on my record if I do that?"

"Not as rotten as the one you'll get for not obeying orders and fail to arrive at the Gyran Galaxy on time. Our supply ship won't sit around waiting for us. We must arrive on time."

"I really hate it when you are right."

## Chapter Ten

_______________________

Troy rose with the golden sun and watched as, one by one, fire fighters rolled from beds of dried leaves and ferns. He joined the Adventurer personnel. They were quiet and thoughtful. Like himself, he knew David and Kyla were re-evaluating their lives, so drastically affected in twelve days. The royals were also subdued.

Assured no one looked his way, he hurried from the camp and into the woods. He arrived in front of the gigantic tree, meaning to say goodbye and feeling a little silly about doing so. "Good morning, big guy, I'll probably never see you again and want to say our experience enriched my life and I appreciate it."

Cool, new-born leaves showered him. He smiled and said, "Yeah, I love you too."

Branches trembled as a rumbling voice spoke. _The baptism of new leaves makes you a brother to all the wise ones. Look to my wooden sides._

The trunk looked the same, rough with deep ridges running its length.

Above your head, Mage.

He leaned back, his gaze traveling up the trunk until something odd appeared. Stepping closer, he imagined he saw a face carved in smooth wood. He squinted his eyes. It appeared to be a very old man with a long beard.

_That, mage, is the last mage with whom we could communicate that lived fifty years ago. This is our tribute to him. Go around my body._ On the opposite side, directly in front of Troy, a carven face, a perfect image of his own face returned his gaze.

Troy touched his forehead to his wooden one and swallowed back tears.

This image is on all wise trees, and you shall know them by this sign. You will know all there is to know about the forests throughout this land, and you are bound to us in brotherhood.

Shaken, he backed away and picked up a cane-size limb. Head bowed, he returned to camp.

Taking a deep breath, Troy looked around at all the people in camp working in concert. The rain had tamped down the smoke the day before, and now a clean mist settled over the camp. Everyone moved in languor as they prepared to clear the camp and head home. Even the livestock's movements were sluggish.

He found Kyla inside the medic tent before the workers dismantled it. "Do you think you can get a sample of the salve that heals wounds? I would love to discover its components."

"I've already thought of it." She handed him a small jar. "Someone left a healing stone on that cot. I thought of taking it but somehow felt hesitant to pick it up."

Troy didn't hesitate. He reached for it and in the next instant found himself flat on his back half-way across the tent. Kyla ran to him and stared down, wide-eyed. "What happened? Are you all right?"

"I think so. That thing sent an electrical current through me—damn near stopped my heart." He massaged his chest. "I suppose my curiosity about these mage stones will remain unsatisfied. I will not try that again." With a grunt, he pushed himself up.

Walking outside the tent with Kyla, Troy watched chirping Taryn melt into the treetops. The Lakos were jolly and noisy as they went about packing up, but they soon disappeared into the forest. One young Lako woman stood at the edge of the trees and looked back at Troy.

"Look at that," Kayla whispered. "She looks as if she's lost her best friend."

Fixated on Meadowlark, Troy didn't hear her. Her tall willowy form beckoned him. He held his breath. Her oval face lit by glittering beams of sun filtering through delicate foliage twisted his heart. The ethereal forest nymph set fire to his soul. He struggled to breathe.

Then she faded into the forest.

"Troy, are you all right?"

He couldn't answer, his throat was so tight. He felt he would never be all right again.

David tightened a cinch on his rhosynhorn as he prepared to leave. As a smoke-filled cough rattled up his throat, a commotion caught his attention.

Awel, holding the lead to her mount, grabbed his arm. "Look, isn't that the little Taryn fellow you saved from the fire?"

At only a foot tall, the youngster outran a group of chirping, excited Taryn women and bolted in his direction. David winced when hit directly in the chest by a ball of fuzzy energy. His arms automatically wrapped around the child. Suddenly, twittering women surrounded him, reaching for his little passenger. Wild-eyed, David looked around for help while the little Taryn climbed higher out of reach until wrapped around his neck.

Awel stood staring, her jaw dropped.

Kyla joined them and placed her hand on David's arm. She turned to the excited women, and softly twittered. The small women became quiet except for the elder of the group who began making the musical bird sounds. David watched as Kyla's face turned sorrowful. "What are they saying, Kyla? What's wrong?" He leaned over, holding his chest, and coughed up black phlegm from the fire.

"His mother died yesterday from the burns she suffered." Tears were in her eyes and her voice trembled. "When he realized she wasn't coming back, he ran to you."

"What the hell am I supposed to do with him? Where's his father?"

"The fathers will care only for their own children," Awel said. "I've been told that usually, another female member of the family or clan will take him in."

Kyla turned back to the old woman, and they started twittering back and forth. Not understanding a word, David became more and more anxious about what would happen to his little friend. Kyla's expressions didn't look too promising, and the howls coming from over his shoulder didn't either. Awel walked over and put her arm around Kyla, which worried David even more.

He reached up and patted the crying child while saying, "For god's sake, what is it?"

With tears streaming down her face, Kyla turned to him and took a deep shuddering breath. "His whole village and his family were burned to ashes. He has no one. Poor baby."

Upon seeing the group of Taryn women turning to go, David became frantic and reached up to pull the child from his shoulders. When he did, the little boy grabbed hands full of the long blond hair and held on. "Damn it, Kyla, tell them to come back and take this kid. I can't keep him." The child gripped tighter, almost tearing his hair from his scalp. "Turn loose, you little beast."

The women ignored Kyla's call and kept walking away.

It appeared Awel might also cry. "It's all right, David. I'll help you with him, and when we get home, maybe we can find a solution to his problem. I can't bear to hear him cry anymore."

David looked from one tearful woman to the other and grimaced. "Oh space crap, I'm a lost cause. I cannot abide crying females. Okay, let's saddle up." He coughed until his face became red. "Damn, how long will we have to fight the smoke and crap from our lungs."

Cymry led the way from camp with Kyla by his side. They fell into an easy silence, and he considered their experiences. She had tended to his burns with such tenderness, they mind-merged so completely, Cymry couldn't stop thinking about her. He must remember his position as heir to the throne. Thank Alpha and Omega they hadn't mind-melded.

Memories of the night before forced their way into his conscious. After the rigors of the fire war, injuries, and lack of sleep, they had tumbled into a bed of fallen leaves in exhaustion, and immediately fell asleep. Cymry woke up curled around her body. It had been all he could do not to meld with her. His intense physical need propelled him to his feet.

His thoughts were interrupted by a bout of coughing.

Regaining his composure, he scanned his memories and couldn't find a single romantic liaison that had stirred such a turmoil of emotions as he felt right now. Even the most momentous affairs with the finest ladies, or with the wildest women of the lower caste, had not put him in this predicament. It wouldn't do. Popet disapproved of his wild ways with women, but said little to control it. Cymry knew his father expected him to get it out of his system and settle down to marriage with Patrice.

Eiddyl took a deep breath of the cool, clean air. It had cleared as they entered the forest of huge trees that supported the Taryn villages. He noticed less coughing came from the travelers. From overhead, pungent aromas from food preparation and sounds of musical voices and instruments wafted down as the Taryn made ready for celebration. Young children swung from vines, twittering, and teasing the mounts on the ground. Their happiness was so pervasive, it was impossible for the travelers to be irritated.

Riding next to Troy, he wondered at the star man's disquiet. He tried to pry into Troy's mind, but met a wall of resistance. Somehow, the tree-merging work had developed his psi abilities. After hours of leisurely riding, Troy's mental anguish so intruded upon Eiddyl's peace of mind, he leaned over his saddle and gripped Troy's wrist. Startled, his head came up, leaving his mind so wide open, Eiddyl felt scoured by the confusion and sadness.

"What's wrong, my friend? Can I help you?" Troy didn't respond for such a long time, Eiddyl felt the need to try again. "Are you so disenchanted with Argel—is it that important to get back to your ship?"

Troy shifted in his saddle and turned toward Eiddyl. "On this planet, do you have men that are lovers of men?" He didn't expect Eiddyl to understand his meaning.

Eiddyl smiled and, in a compassionate voice, replied, "Yes, we do. There are not many, most are in the priesthood. I suppose that's not surprising considering they are raised separated from women from their sixth year."

"That's how I grew up. The Union takes select youngsters from their mothers at the age of three. I grew up in a same-sex pod until sixteen, and then went for training on a ship. I have a close friend, Jason, with whom I've partnered since childhood. Right now, I have to admit to more than a little confusion."

"Why is that?"

Troy hesitated for a moment, opened his mouth and then closed it. His jaw muscles contracted and he bit his lip. After taking a deep breath, he opened his mind to Eiddyl _. I stayed with the Lako woman last night. Unaware of my nature, she became quite provocative and, I have to admit, I found her uncomfortably appealing. It made me question myself. Right now, all I want to do is ride back and see her, but I know it's wrong._

He shrugged, looked off in the distance, twisted in the saddle, and then turned back to Eiddyl _. I suppose you think me foolish. Maybe it's because she is the first woman near my own coloring, tall enough to look me in the eyes, I have ever seen. Right now, I do not understand what happened._

Eiddyl leaned across Eres and gave Troy's arm a gentle pat _. I very much doubt the Lako's instincts about you are wrong, and her interest in you was clear. They're very attuned to nature and sensitive regarding other people. Rest easy, my friend. When we get home, the priests will insist upon investigating your gift with trees, anyway. I can assure you, when the examination is over, you'll have complete understanding of yourself and why you feel this way._

"I wonder if I will ever see Meadowlark again." Troy's voice held such longing, Eiddyl turned away to hide his smile and strangled up black soot from his chest.

Birds sang, dried leaves crunched and crackled as forest animals searched for food. On occasion, a frydraco swooped over, stirring the foliage, and David would cringe. Overhead, the activity of the Taryn increased and periodically they would swing down with refreshments for the riders.

David jumped when Awel, who rode beside him, said, "You have been quiet a long time. What're you thinking?"

"Think I'm crazy to have a hairy little critter around my neck. He's making me sweat, and I can't get him off."

Awel's musical laughter filled his ears. She leaned over, rummaged in a side pack on her rhosynhorn, and pulled out a sweet cracker. Holding the food under the Taryn's nose, swinging it back and forth, woke him up. When he reached for it, she laid it on David's saddle. Down he came and settled on the saddle in front of David.

"Now, why the hell didn't I think of that?"

"Clearly, because you've been deep in thought about something else. Which you have yet to tell me about."

He opened his eyes in pretended shock. "Surely you know? I've felt you trying to poke around in my mind."

She playfully slapped at him with the ends of her reins causing her mount to jerk to the side. "That's not true. Besides you picked up a lot of our language from the fire fighters, and it's no longer necessary for me to meddle."

"I'm afraid most of the words I learned would singe your pretty ears. For the sake of being better acquainted, I suppose you'll have to meddle. I won't mind, although, the practice does bring people uncomfortably close together." He turned his head away from her and coughed for several seconds.

But, isn't that what you want? Don't you want to feel close?

_Kyla, Troy, and I have lived in such tight quarters with so many people, it has become second nature to keep our thoughts and feelings to ourselves. It would cause bedlam on the ship, otherwise._ David hesitated for a minute and twisted uncomfortably in the saddle. Not knowing the proper way to express his worry to Awel, he feared speaking his mind.

Awel looked around at the others and resumed with audible speech. "Don't worry, David. Let it out and trust I have the good sense to take into consideration your limited knowledge of our ways. No matter what you say, I promise to not be offended."

He sighed in relief. "I'm really unsettled by you, or rather the strong feelings I have for you. This is not like me. What have you done to me? I-I really do like you."

"I know you do. And, as I proved last night, the feeling is mutual."

David smiled as he thought of her abandon in their bed of leaves. "I thought perhaps it might have been curiosity or the result of too much wine and dancing. Whatever caused it, I don't think I'll ever forget you when we leave."

"I hope you stay." Her clear sky-blue eyes pleaded with him.

"Everything is so foreign to me here. Of what use could I be if I stayed? It's easy to see Troy would be quite an asset with his abilities. So would Kyla."

"What did you do in sky travel?"

How could he explain engineering and the physics of traveling faster than thought to someone like Awel? She interrupted his pondering, saying, "Why don't you envision a day you would ordinarily work and let me see it."

He could not help smiling at her simple solution to his communication problem. "I hope to become proficient in this mind-merging business. It's handy."

As they leisurely made their way down the mountains, he followed her advice by imagining a day on ship. When he could see her becoming overwhelmed, he would stop and wait for questions. David finally asked the question that burned inside. "Since you and your brothers are royalty, wouldn't your family be upset with you and Cymry becoming involved with commoners, not to mention strange people from space?"

"That's Cymry's uppermost concern right now. He managed to control himself last night, but today he is having a hard time dealing with his feelings for Kyla. Men always seem to have a hard time when it comes to emotions."

"Yes, it's a problem for males in any society."

"Kyla has a good heart. I wonder if she wants children. She would make a fantastic mother."

David frowned. "Maybe so, but it's impossible."

"Why? Is she barren?"

"Our child-bearing women remain on one of the planets we inhabit. Travel is not an option for them. Kyla's schooling trained her, from childhood, to hold an important position in space travel. When it was decided she would be of value to the Union of Evolved Planets, having babies was no longer an option for her."

Awel's eyes flared. "How horrible."

"No, expedient. Her education was extensive and costly. By the time her debt to the Union for that education is paid, she'll be too old to give birth." David shook his head. "Besides that, children cannot thrive in space travel."

"I couldn't bear to give up the opportunity to have a child. Children are valued above all other things to Elfins."

David thought back to what he'd seen at the castle. "If children are so valued, why aren't there more of them?" When he couldn't call up the proper word in Elfin, he used UEP standard.

Awel's eyes swam with tears as she turned to him. "The Elfinistas are diminishing because of inbreeding, and babies often die before aborning. In trying to strengthen psi powers, our reproductive abilities have weakened. In the past fifty years, the practice has been abandoned, but the damage was already done."

"The villagers seemed quite prolific."

"Yes. They aren't Elfinistas. They are citizens of the Elfin Kingdom, not of the Elfinista bloodline."

She grinned at him, nodding towards his saddle. "Your baby has gone to sleep."

"Hrrump. Baby. Good God of Creation."

They rode on side-by-side in quiet contemplation.

Soon they came down into a valley filled with slender trees hosting silvery green leaves that trembled in the breeze. The sun made its way through the delicate trees onto the undergrowth of wild flowers and bushes of succulent berries. David watched a bear-like animal strip fruit from stems and hand it to her fat babies. Birds swooped down trying to steal a portion. A white hawk disturbed the peace by diving to a clearing and snatching up a small animal.

After riding for hours, Cymry brought the group to a halt near a spring. Everyone dismounted and led their mounts to water. He was so morose, when the group remounted, Kyla rode with David and Awel.

David smiled at her. "Why did you leave Cymry's side, Kyla?"

Instead of answering David, Kyla turned to Awel. "What's wrong with your brother?"

"My noble brother rarely denies himself of something he wants and is finding the experience most unpleasant, even though it's his own decision."

"What decision is that?"

Awel lifted her brows and grinned. "Surely you must know."

David laughed at Kyla's obtuseness. "Come on, Kyla. The guy has a major longing for you, and I expect there're some taboos keeping him from mixing it up with an alien, or a less than royal woman."

"Oh, for Creation's sake, David! What a thing to say." She turned to Awel, who only nodded her confirmation. "Does he think I'm inferior?" Before waiting for an answer, she snarled, "Who does he think he is?"

Awel calmed her with a touch. "I'm sure if he felt that, he would not be in such a torment. The problem is the betrothal between him and the daughter of Lord Ercwlff. When they were small children, our families dedicated them to marriage at their majority. Also, we aren't even sure if any of you are human."

David jerked upright and glared at her. Awel reached for his hand, but he wrenched away. She simply smiled at him. "David, be calm. I'm not like my brother. At any rate, we may find that your Creation dust is the same as ours."

Kyla sneered. " _That_ I don't understand, but what difference does it make? After our rescue, you'll never see us again. The sooner the better."

After riding all night, with sounds of sporadic coughing, they left the mountains and were back in the gentle rolling hills. They stopped early in the afternoon to camp. Tired of Kyla's attitude and needing to get away from Awel to spend time thinking about the situation, David moved a distance away from the others. He pulled cheese and bread from his saddlebag and settled on a stump. Why, after such a brief time, did he feel bound to her? It felt good, but then it felt confining.

From where he spread his bedroll, he could look down a cliff for several hundred feet and see a mother bear flip fish from a gurgling stream to two small cubs. He smiled when a cub caught a fish mid-air and his sister grappled with him for the prize. Other animals, small and large, cautiously kept their distance as they drank from the opposite bank.

The little Taryn sat close to him and watched the animals. He very neatly broke his food into small portions and quietly ate. David handed him a cup of water, but helped him hold it because his small hands couldn't span it. He crawled in his bed and wondered about fleas as the child followed and curled up by his side. He patted the boy and grinned in the darkening sky. "I think I'll call you Twitter. Twit for short."

The next morning they broke camp. As David saddled his mount, a rider pounded toward them on a greyhound-lean, deer-like animal.

Kyla gasped, "What _is_ that animal?"

Awel replied, "It is a hydd. They're very fast. Notice its heavy rump muscles and the lightness of its body. They cannot be used as beasts of burden; consequently, only women or the smallest men are allowed as riders."

David glanced over. "Oh, they're like the ones we saw on the eve of that terrible storm."

As the uniformed Elfin soldier hauled back on the reins and stopped near Cymry, the lather-covered animal appeared near death from exhaustion. The rider leapt to the ground and made a hasty bow. After catching his breath, he said, "Prince Cymry, you and your brother and sister are needed. Also, the strange visitors. I have orders from the king that you are to make all possible haste back to Crisiant."

"Stay here to rest and water your mount. We'll ride on." Cymry looked over at David and Troy, but avoided Kyla's eyes. "Sorry to do this to you, since you're unaccustomed to riding, but we must go with utmost speed."

## Chapter Eleven

_______________________

To David's amazement, the awkward lumbering rhosynhorns kept abreast of the graceful goldenhorns. He shouted in glee and looked over at Troy, whose face twisted in fear and pain. Twitter's fingers gripped the front of his tunic and his scraping nail caused David to look down at the child's wild grin. Kyla clung to her saddle, laughing, her eyes clamped tight.

Late in the afternoon, they galloped up to the entrance of the crystal castle where grooms waited to take charge of their mounts. All six entered the grand foyer at a run. David stared around at the opulence as a court attendant led them through a labyrinth of intersecting halls. When they reached two adjoining, carved brass doors, Cymry and Eiddyl stopped to smooth their hair and tunics. David felt the Elfin's uneasiness and saw Troy and Kyla reflect his worry. A low, troubled twitter came from his shoulder.

David licked his dry lips and swallowed. His heart pounded as he and his shipmates followed their royal friends, hailed by trumpets. The throne room was even more massive than the council hall. About fifty noblemen stood and watched, with narrowed eyes, as they entered.

The royals along with their visitors approached the king and stopped to bow. The king held up his hands to prevent anyone from speaking. David noticed the man was simply an older and more massive version of Cymry, comfortable in his seat of power. He could sense no animosity emanating from the older man.

The king motioned David and Troy forward, maintaining a serious and stern expression, even as he glanced at the little Taryn perched on David's shoulder. "Men of the stars, we Elfin, Taryn, and Lako owe you much for your help in the fires and it will be acknowledged in formal ceremony."

He shifted in his seat and leaned forward, his blue eyes glittering. "I owe you most particularly for bringing my son out through the fire; however, I need to speak of a grave problem we have with your king. We have been besieged by your people for days."

The king spoke too rapidly for them to follow, but the power of his thoughts rang through David's mind. "We have managed to hold them back, but our defenses are growing weak. What do you propose we do? Are you such important people that an army of air machines attempt to break through our shields? What say you?"

David glanced at Troy and cleared his throat. With a slight bow, he said, "Sir, I for one want to stay here." Twitter almost fell from his shoulder.

Troy turned to David, his black eyes wide and his jaw dropped. "David, that's impossible. The Union of Evolved Planets will never allow us to stay; you know the captain will break through the Argelian barriers, sooner or later."

David looked at the king's wise and patient face. "Sire, I think it would be better for you to drop your shield than have it battered down. We need only a few minutes to get a message through to our ship. You can then close your shield and briefly reopen it for a reply, only if necessary."

He stared at David, his face twisted with lines of disbelief. "You can contact people so far in the sky that we cannot see them?"

"On the small sky chariot is a bit of machinery that makes it possible. We have tried to use it, but couldn't get through your shield."

The king looked around at his counselors. "I think while there's a lull in the battering from the sky people, we need to have any who wish to stay be mind and body monitored. Take the two young men to the priests."

Troy yelped, "I'm not staying."

The king smiled at him, but his voice was stern. "You must humor me."

"Test the woman, also," demanded Cymry, which caused a stir and murmur throughout the room.

David wondered about Kyla's reaction and glanced at her. Her eyes were aglow and a tentative smile curved the corners of her mouth.

"Son, be wary." The king looked at his son with a stern expression. "Of course, it won't hurt to have it done." He waved them away.

Outside the throne room, the friends looked at one another, confused, not knowing what to do. Troy said, "I do not want anyone messing around with my mind or my body. I will not contribute to Argel through procreation anyway."

Kyla laughed. "I know one Lako female who might hope you would."

"Damn it all, Kyla, that is not funny. This is an incredibly serious situation."

Eiddyl shook his head. "I'm afraid you don't really have a choice about being monitored. The process is not painful. It may be a little disconcerting, but I'm sure you're all willing to experience that to get on your way."

Awel took charge as her brothers left to check on the goldenhorns. Troy followed her up narrow winding stairs of translucent stone that seemed to go up forever. At last, they stepped into a large circular room, dominated by a towering, glittering stone placed in the center. As Awel conferred with three of the crystal workers, Troy gawked at the place. Heavy fabric protected the stone, but it gleamed through the covering and its power jangled his nerve endings. He glanced at David and Kyla and their expressions told him the place affected them the same way. The room opened to the elements by floor-to-ceiling windows, draped in shear, white curtains swaying in the breeze.

Troy shivered. "That crystal must be a larger version of the one used in the fire fight. It gave me the creeps, too."

"Have you noticed there's no source of long distance communication here, except those things? I'm dying to know how they work," David said.

"Don't make the mistake of touching one." Troy held up his hands in mock fear.

"Why? Have you?"

"Yes, one of the small ones the healers used, and it knocked me flat—hurt like hell. They hold an electric charge." He grimaced.

"Look!" Kyla pointed outside to a large dragon swooping around the tower on shimmering wings, its aqua-blue scales glowing in the sunlight.

"Yeah, I forget to tell you how the dragons were used in the fire," David said. "I have never seen anything so impressive. If I lived here, I'd give an arm or leg to own one."

Before he could explain further, Awel approached them with two white-gowned priests and a similarly clothed priestess. She introduced each visitor to a priest-monitor, and took Twitter from David's arms. With a minimum of fuss, the monitors guided them to individual alcoves.

Once inside, Troy felt vulnerable and wanted to resist lying down. He stood a head higher than the priest who smiled up at him, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "Troy, my name is Oth, I intend you no harm. In fact, if you relax, this process may be quite pleasant."

Patient, Oth stood waiting for Troy to lie down. Troy felt no animosity coming from the priest, although he could feel himself compelled by the man's mental powers to go to the couch. Finally, with a shrug, he folded his long limbs onto the platform and lay down.

Oth placed his hand over Troy's chest. _The state of mind you acquired when melding with the trees is required now. It's all you need to do, unless closing your eyes will help your concentration._

After Troy forced himself to relax, the priest placed his hands over his head. All consciousness of his surroundings disappeared.

He entered a dream-like state and his life experiences rolled across his mind in brilliant dimensional scenes. For the first time since the age of three, he saw his mother and father, whom he had long forgotten. The pain in their faces frightened him when officials came for him. They pulled him away from his mother as tears streamed down his face. The small child's pain overcame the adult he had become. It went on and on until he saw his life with Jason and understood the emotional tie to be a deep friendship. His companionship with the trees filled him with joy and pain. The experience with Kyla in the field of red flowers flooded his mind—the shock as he realized what he did. For a moment, emotions seared his body with awareness of the Lako woman. Longing overpowered him.

He awoke knowing, that while his mind filled with images and emotions, there had been a delicate tracing of his nervous system—the exploration of his very essence. He felt reborn, filled with joy. Now aware of his uniqueness, he knew himself as a powerful, sexual male that desired women.

When he looked up at Oth, tears streamed down the priest's face. Except with the oak, Troy could not recall ever shedding tears as an adult; but, when he touched his own face with trembling fingers, they came back wet. After he managed to get to his feet, Oth held him steady for a few minutes. Swaying a little, he looked at the priest in wonder. "Did you see and feel all that?"

Oth dipped his head in acknowledgement. "I feel a deep honor knowing you, star man. I felt your joy and it became mine." He gave a feather touch to Troy's cheek. "What occurred here will forever remain private between us, except for a report concerning your health and life force.

"Your tree-melding astonished me. I never knew trees felt such pain. A terrible but wonderful thing to experience. Do you realize the old oak increased your ability to experience emotions as never before? You are a better man for it. I expect, if you leave, the trees will call you back. That's all for now." He gave a slight bow and left the room.

Troy joined Kyla and David where they waited. He felt stunned, and his voice trembled when he spoke. "I'm staying if there's any way I can get the captain's approval."

Awel came to escort them to sleeping chambers. Their rapt expressions kept her quiet in respect for their feelings. She went with Kyla, filled the bathing basin, and found fresh clothing, all without saying a word. When she handed Kyla towels, she found herself folded in the other woman's arms. She could feel the powerful emotions coursing through Kyla's body. Caressing the space woman's cheek in understanding, she turned and silently left the room.

Awel slipped on comfortable house-slippers and left the suite. She entered her brother's sitting area.

"For Alpha and Omega's grace, Awel, I'm barely dressed."

She nodded at Eiddyl and asked, "Where's Cymry?"

When he nodded toward the bathing room, she went in without knocking. "One day you are going to be very embarrassed by coming in here unannounced, you flighty brained wench." Cymry noticed her rapt expression. "What?"

"When you finish shaving, all three of us need to talk." She walked back into the sitting area and dropped to a stool by the fireplace. When her brothers joined her, she announced, "I want David to stay here."

Cymry gave her a sympathetic look. "I know you do, but what can we do about it?"

"He'll need the support of the other two when they report to their ship and try to get permission to return. Eiddyl, you're in close rapport with Troy, can't you think of any way to encourage him to stay?"

"No. He is a grown man and what he does is his own business. Father will probably ask him to stay, and that should be all the encouragement he needs."

Awel turned to Cymry. "I know you can influence Kyla. She's already half in love with you."

"I'd love to influence Kyla." He grinned and gave his sister a wicked leer.

"Don't get any ideas along that line, my dear brother. She was sexually inhibited early in life and is unable to play your favorite game." She placed her hands on her hips and gave him a stern look. "If she were to stay, it's possible the priestess healers can help her. Right now, she is physically immature and has never lain with a man."

"My God! What did they do to her?"

"No one understands, since a case like it has never been seen. No matter what, if you find yourself alone with her, you mustn't try to reach her physically—only emotionally."

Eiddyl said, "I seriously doubt Cym can practice such restraint once Kyla is in his arms."

"I'll have you to know, I did exactly that at the fire camp." Cymry glared at his brother. "This information does make me feel a little better. When she didn't respond to me, I feared I'd lost my charm." He shrugged. "Anyway, it's immaterial since they're leaving soon."

Awel jumped up and put her hands on her hips. "What's the point in having brothers, if they won't help a sister out?"

Cymry slapped her across her backside with a towel. "Sorry, little sister, but for once in your life, you're not going to get what you want."

She flounced from their room speaking over her shoulder, "Neither will you, dear brother."

## Chapter Twelve

_______________________

All the forest fire fighters slept late the next day.

Full of energy and well-being, David rolled out of bed, crossed the room, and shook Troy's shoulder. "A perfect day. Rise and shine, my friend."

Troy turned over pulling a pillow across his eyes, protesting the sun beaming across his face and David's thoughtlessness. "Are you deranged? Considering a preponderance of evidence, I am about to perish. My training did not prepare me for fighting fire or riding on hard, leather saddles. Go away."

David laughed while pulling up his trousers, "Guess that's a no to breakfast, huh?"

Twitter stood on the bed and stared at him, tears forming at the corners of his eyes.

"Look at your baby," Troy said in an accusing voice. "He's afraid you are about to abandon him. Do not dare leave it with me."

"Twitter is not an 'it,' he's a little boy."

Troy pulled the covers over his head. "You are such a mother."

"Fuck you."

A chuckle rumbled from under the blanket. "Are you sure that is what you want?"

David reached for Twitter. "Troy, you're about to lose your front teeth." Grinning he sat on the edge of the bed. "Hop aboard, Twit. Let's go eat."

When he reached the door, he turned back to the bundle of covers. "Suppose you'll spend more time in the gym after this experience."

As he went through the doorway, Troy's pillow slammed into his back.

On ship, exercise was required, but David went much further than Kyla and Troy, working out hard every day in the ship's recreation center. Therefore, the fire fighting and travel had barely fazed him except for crapping up his lungs.

Later, when they met with their Elfin friends for lunch, David felt wonderful as he practiced his Elfin speech, expressing his delight with the different people he met and animals he had seen. If it could be believed, he even fell in love with the rhosynhorns. Troy and Kyla remained silent but managed to kick him in the shins when he repeated, more than once, about how great he felt.

Wincing, Troy twisted around toward Cymry. "What has the king and the council decided?"

"I think they're satisfied with a brief lowering of the shield for you to communicate with your rulers, but are still worried about another sky chariot landing here. They're still arguing about it."

Surprised, David said, "I'm sorry we didn't make it clear. It's not necessary for another one to land."

"Why, David?" Awel asked. "Are all three of you planning to stay?"

Troy raised his eyes and looked at David. "Well?"

"No, we have to go back. Even though we want to stay, we can't. We have to ask for our captain's permission." David winced. "I imagine what we'll get is severely punished."

"Yes, that's quite probable." Kyla rubbed her back against the chair and moaned. "Anyway, I thought visitors to Argel weren't welcome."

Eiddyl said, "Our deepest fear is that of being invaded from the sky and our way of life destroyed. A long time ago, a ship arrived and the Ssh'fah people welcomed it. Within weeks, more than half their population was dead or dying from some contamination left by the sky people."

"What are Ssh'fah? David asked.

"They are very strange and war-like people that live in the Bari desert. The nearest settlement is a hard, ten-day ride south. They're dangerous and are often seen trading in the port cities. Some people call them lizards, refusing to believe they're human."

Troy glanced at David before speaking. "I'm a part of the group of scientists that determines if the UEP settles on a planet. Already, it has been determined this is an unsuitable planet for us; although, it would be perfect as a port for our intergalactic ships."

"In ger lac ic?" Awel asked.

"Meaning ships that travel from one galaxy to another. Argel is only one planet in your galaxy," explained Kyla. "Beyond that are many, many other galaxies with hundreds of planets."

Eiddyl's eyes expressed a child-like wonder. "Are they the stars we see? I always thought they were holes in the night sky."

David looked at Kyla and Troy, who covered their smiles with their hands and nodded.

Kyla dropped her hand and turned to Eiddyl. "The sky is not solid—it's only space. What you see are stars—not holes. They belong to your constellation. But you can only see a small number of your stars—there are many more galaxies filled with stars beyond yours."

Picking up the chalkboard used for listing the menu, David illustrated the distance around Argel and used it multiplied to show the distance to the Adventurer and its size. Using that distance, he demonstrated the possible distance to a star.

Cymry looked at him with doubt. "I can't believe that. How can you possibly go so far? Surely your people must die before they arrive at their destination?"

Awel answered. "David explained a little to me. They travel so fast, they can circle Argel before one can blink."

"This is interesting," Cymry said, "but doesn't explain how you'll get back to your ship without one of your sky chariots landing here."

David looked at Cymry, his head cocked to one side. "Impossible to explain so you'd understand. You'll have to wait until we leave, then you'll see it happen. Our ship, given our precise location, can bring us to it."

Awel brought her hand to her mouth, wide-eyed, and asked, "Will it hurt?"

"No. For us it will be like being here and, then in an instant, being on ship."

"Well, this magic is something I want to see," Eiddyl sat on the edge of his seat, his eyes glowing with excitement. "If we get close to you when this happens, could we go with you?"

David shook his head. "Not at all. The ship has a map of our bodies they use to transport us and anything within twelve inches of our bodies."

"It would be interesting to go with you."

Troy laughed wryly. "No it wouldn't. If you think that council meeting rough, it was nothing compared to what we'll face when we get back. We don't look forward to it."

"Suppose you simply refuse to go." Awel's eyes glistened with tears.

David shook his head. "Can't do that without causing Argel problems. They'd come for us no matter how strong your shield. If angered, our captain will blow through it."

Awel's voice held a tremor as she spoke. "I so hoped you could stay."

He took her hand and squeezed. David couldn't think of anything else to say.

Cymry stood up and put on his cape. "If you'll excuse Eiddyl and me, we need to explain all this to my father. He'll be much relieved. I suppose you already know your leaving will sadden us. Perhaps, by the grace of Alpha and Omega, you'll find a way to come back."

Awel's lips quivered as David, with a gentle hand, guided her from the room.

As everyone was leaving, Kyla saw Troy frowning, while staring into the distance. "I thought you'd be happy to go."

"I would have before Oth showed me what I am really about. I will never be able to go back to what I was. The truth is I no longer belong with the UEP, or here."

"You could make a life here. We need to think of bargaining chips." Kyla threw her arms wide. "What does Argel have the Union could use without causing damage here? What value would we be to the Union if we stayed?"

Troy smiled at Kyla's enthusiasm. "Setting up a peaceful place for burned-out space travelers or anyone with deep psychological problems is the first thing that comes to mind. The atmosphere would be healing for anyone." He chuckled. "Also, these priests can do far more for a person in thirty minutes than years of conditioning or psychiatric treatment."

Kyla looked thoughtfully out the window. "I know what I'd like to do that's consistent with my training. I believe Earth, many thousands of years ago, seeded this planet. I've come to realize the root of their language is one of the ancient English languages. If I could prove it—that would change the whole character of any interchange between the UEP and Argel."

Troy shrugged while sighing. "That might do more harm than good.

"How about how we've become able to mind-merge?" Kyla's voice lifted in hope. "Wouldn't that be of value? I don't know, but believe it's worth thinking about."

"Come on, let's get out, and walk around." Troy linked his arm through hers. "Maybe go to the stable and see our wonderful ugly rhosynhorns."

"Where's Twitter? David walked out of here with Awel, but I didn't see the little fellow on his shoulders."

"The last time I saw him, he was under one of those mammoth tables in the kitchen playing with another little one." As they stepped outside, he continued. "What is David going to do about that little twit when we leave?"

## Chapter Thirteen

_______________________

That evening, Kyla joined David and Troy at the head of the curving stairs. All three were dressed like royalty, ready for a celebration. From the royal's behavior, it promised to be an extraordinary and important event. They expected the king would inform everyone of his decision concerning dropping the planet's shield.

Kyla's jaw dropped and she stared. "Oh my goodness, you two are dream princes." She circled around them smiling. "My, my, what a ruckus this would make on ship. What are the swords for?"

David strutted around in a circle and then posed, one knee cocked and his hand on the hilt of the sword. "Aren't I magnificent? Aren't I wonderful?" He laughed at Kyla's sour expression. "You look as if you just sucked a lemon."

"I've seen you full of yourself many times, but I believe this tops anything I could ever imagine." She turned to Troy. "You're absolutely grand. I wish Meadowlark could see you now. I never would've thought purple satin would give you such a glow." Troy ducked his head, hiding the corners of his mouth that trembled upwards.

When they came downstairs, Cymry waited for them at the doors to the dining hall. He smiled his approval and adjusted Troy's sword. Turning to Kyla, he took her hands and his eyes swept over her with such hunger, she felt heat rising to her face. Her chest suddenly constricted and she found it hard to breath. His tongue slid over his bottom lip as he tucked her hand within his elbow and escorted her into the hall. She glanced at Troy and David who grinned at the sexual by-play. _Jerks_.

To Kyla's amazement, everyone stood along the banquet tables, and as they entered, the room boomed with the sound of stomping feet. She felt it thrumming through her feet. It continued until Cymry seated them at the head table with his father. Rustling sounds like dry leaves blown by the wind filled the room as voluminous gowns of the women folded into sitting positions.

A silence fell as King Craddoc stood, a huge, ornate sword in his hand, and motioned to David. "Stand and approach."

Her throat constricted in sympathy when Kyla saw David's face blanch and his hands tremble as he wiped them down his legs. He walked to the monarch and stood at attention, face rigid. The king turned to his people and placed his hands on David's shoulders.

"This young man from the stars fought seven days in the fires. Although, he never fought forest fires before, he inspired the fire fighters to try new methods. He advised riders to fan a path with the frydraco's wings while dropping water on him and Prince Eiddyl. In this manner, they saved the lives of three men, one of whom was my son, Prince Cymry. Because of this, we will never forget him." He turned to David. "Kneel, son."

Kyla almost laughed at the relief showing on David's face. He knelt. The king put his left hand on his right shoulder, touched the sword to the left one. His voice reverberated around the room, "Let it be known from this day forward, wherever he might travel, David will now be known as Arglwydd Dafydd of the Elfin Domain." Kyla's heart stood still as the king swung the sword around and presented it, hilt up, to David with a flourish. David took the sword and returned to his chair, his cheeks blazing.

After handed another sword, the king turned to Troy and motioned for him to rise. Again, he turned to his subjects. "This young man, also from the stars, had never seen a forest—never knew of his miraculous ability to speak with the great trees. In spite of all that, for seven days and nights he drained himself of all his energies in mind-merge with the great ones. His efforts saved lives and thousands of acres of our forest. Losing Troy will sadden everyone.

He repeated the gesture with the sword, and named him Arglwydd Tallwych. The king gave him the jewled sword and clasped Troy's hand with both of his. "The Elfin, Taryn, and Lako implore you to remain as an honored member of my family."

Troy staggered to his seat and Kyla knew he struggled not to make a fool of himself with tears. She understood, of all the king said, the one thing that most touched Troy was the invitation to become part of a family. Troy had never known family, nor belonged to any group that he considered family. She knew he could only remember what Oth had shown him of his parents.

Once seated, he leaned over to David and Kyla heard him whisper, "Arglwydd means Lord."

"Royalty?"

Troy nodded.

As everyone ate, the king quietly advised that early the next day, in the meadow by the river, they could contact their ship. As long as no other chariot approached, the protective field would stay down until they received an answer or the ship evacuated them. "In our gratitude and the love my children have for you, we would be pleased if you decide to come back to us."

Several people in the crowd stood and stared in the direction of a disturbance near the kitchen doorway. Kyla turned to see what was happening and slapped her hands across her mouth to stifle her laughter. Twitter was scrambling under the tables, around the ladies' skirts, a young Taryn woman in pursuit.

The king stood, staring at the sight. The woman stopped dead in her tracks before the king, wide-eyed, and began backing away, her hands clutching at her chest. She let out a weak twitter, turned and ran from the room, her skirts billowing behind her. Craddoc began chuckling, the air of outrage at the tables subsided, and the people started smiling.

Kyla didn't know whose expression was the funniest when the king turned and stared at David, who held Twitter against his chest. David's face blazed—King Craddoc's eyes flared and his jaw dropped. Kyla could no longer contain her laughter and Awel joined in. Craddoc's laughter boomed through the room.

As laughter swelled around him, Twitter looked around, grinned, and pointed at the king while musically twittering. Everyone quieted and stared at the child.

Kyla began twittering and the little Taryn nodded in agreement. Twitter's face blazed red and he hid his face under David's tunic.

"Alpha and Omega! What is this?" The king's eyes darted from Twitter to Kyla.

She glanced around at the royal family and saw they were enjoying the spectacle. "Sire, this is Twitter. David saved him from the fire and now the child won't leave his side."

"What about the bird sounds you made?"

"Popet," Awel said, "Kyla can talk with the Taryn."

"Hrrump, I doubt that. All right, Kyla, what did you two say?"

"He wanted to know who the big man with the loud voice is, and I told him that you are his king." She took a deep breath. "He's very embarrassed."

"Loud voice? Wife, tell me that's not true."

Betrys gave his arm a pat, looked up at him, and said, "Sometimes, very, very loud." He looked at her, a deep crease between his eyes. "Come, my darling husband, let us hear the story of how David became an adoptive father."

Kyla could hear Troy, under his breath, saying, "Mother."

Cymry said, "If it weren't for Troy, David and the Taryn mother and child would have burned beyond saving."

Craddoc glanced around at the young people, his brows raised. "That sounds like another legend in the making."

"Yes." Everyone turned to Eiddyl. "Troy received a message from the tree about where his friend was trapped in the fire. The message was relayed to the men struggling against the fire near our position." He looked around, saw he held everyone's attention, and went on. "I called the dragons to drop water so Dark Eagle and a few of his men could get in to bring David, with the child hanging to his neck, and the woman to safety."

"Praises to Alpha and Omega!" Betrys' eyes closed, and her hands clasped to her breast.

The talk went on, but Kyla stopped listening. She pushed her goblet of wine away. She felt tipsy, but didn't worry because it was apparent everyone felt the results of the spirits. Even the king and queen.

In preparation for an exciting morning, they all retired early. Awel could hear Kyla tossing and turning. After an hour of listening to her torment, Awel put on a robe, crossed the adjoining sitting room, and went to Kyla. She sat on the edge of the bed and took Kyla's hand. "What is troubling you, sister?"

Kyla sat up and punched pillows behind her while Awel lit a candle. "Awel, do you regret making love with David?"

Awel's face was solemn, but there was no hesitation in answering. "No. Blending with David in body and mind was a blessing I'll never forget. If I have sorrow, it's for him because I'll be left with a joy he'll never know."

"What do you mean?"

"We are mind-merged and I have his baby lying within me."

"Oh, Creation! Aren't you upset? Does David know?"

Awel clapped her hands and laughed. "Of course. I told him earlier, but he doesn't believe I could possibly know. But, he'll know in time. The merging will take care of that—I will always be a spirit inside his head wherever he goes. And, I'll have his child."

Kyla searched Awel's face and found only honesty. "What would happen if I went to Cymry now? I'm not a woman like you—have never felt like this before, and don't understand what I'm feeling. I have an overpowering urge to go to him, but if I do, what will happen?"

"Oh, you foolish girl. Get up and put on your slippers. I'll take you to him right now before the two of you waste any more time." She pulled a robe from the armoire and handed to Kyla. "Eiddyl shares the apartment with him, but their sleeping chambers are set up like mine, providing all the privacy you need. When I get you inside, all you have to do is go to the room on the right." She chuckled, and said, "It would cause quite a furor if you make the mistake of going left. Eiddyl would faint."

At the door of the princes' suite, Kyla stopped and stared at the door, her heart in turmoil. Awel gave her a push forward. "Go on, I have a date to sleep with Twitter tonight, unless David arranged a baby sitter."

Kyla silently made her way through the moonlight to Cymry's room. She stood inside the bedchamber, her heart pounding, watching his chest rise and fall in the moonlight. Suddenly, her courage left her, and she turned to slip out.

"Wait."

She froze.

"I was waiting for you. What took you so long?"

Instantaneous anger flooded her body and she turned toward him. "Well, aren't you the arrogant one? What made you so sure I would come to you?"

"Because, just as we willed your air chariot down, I willed you to come—and because my sister knows of my feelings for you, I knew she would show you the way."

She crept to his bed and perched on its edge. He reached for her hand and brought it to his lips. "Was I wrong to spell you? I thought I felt your longing as we traveled together. Am I mistaken? If so, please accept my pardon."

"It isn't that." Kyla bit down on her words. "You could have saved me from embarrassing myself."

Cymry trailed his fingers down her cheek and wound gentle hands around her neck. "How so?"

She pulled away from his touch. "You might've come to me. Wouldn't that be more proper than for me to skulk through the palace to find you? I feel like a fool."

"Ah, I think I understand. In your world, it is the man's responsibility to pursue. That surprises me. You seem so _ffraid_."

"What does that word mean?"

"It means strong, courageous. Our warrior women, the Owena, are _ffraid_. I felt it proper to respect that in you. I noticed Troy and David treat you as an equal."

"I am equal." She turned and stared into his eyes, glistening in the pale light.

"Then why does coming to me embarrass you?" He lightly trailed his fingers down her arm. "I would think a woman feeling equal to men would not hesitate to ask for love."

Kyla shivered under his touch. "That's not what I'm afraid of, and I'm not sure why I came."

"Is it fear that held you back, Kyla? What made you change your mind?"

"I suppose the situation between David and Awel is a strong influence. She told me she would always hold a part of him. In that, she can find happiness for herself."

"Oh, he'll be back. She knows and isn't that worried."

"How can she be so sure? Even we aren't sure of the possibility of returning."

Cymry pulled her over on top of him and chuckled as he tightened his arms around her. "Do you realize they melded together at the fire camp?"

"What does that mean?" She slapped her hands to her head. "Oh, my God, there's so much I don't know about you people."

He pulled her head to his and ran soft lips along the ridge of her jaw and down her neck. Lifting her head, he gazed into her eyes, Cymry said, "In mind-melding, two people become one until death, gaining full knowledge and understanding of one another. If you stay, I would like to mind-meld with you." His lips trailed over her cheek to her eyes and tenderly kissed one, then the other.

"Even if I stayed, that wouldn't be possible." She shuddered from his caresses. "I understand you're to marry Lord's Ercwlff's daughter."

Cymry ran his hands down her back. "Wouldn't you be willing to share my affections?"

"Absolutely not."

Laughing, he rolled them over until he looked down into her face. "Kyla, touch your forehead to mine, shut your eyes, and relax. I want you to know what you'd be denying if you leave."

Gentle fingers held her wrists on either side of her face and he brought his face down to place his forehead against hers.

"What?" She twisted, trying to free herself.

"Relax, love. We are going to do together what the priestess did while monitoring you. Did you not become completely aware of the very essence of your being then? We can join our minds and you'll experience exactly what I feel for you, and then you'll completely know me."

Kyla felt herself drifting in deepest contentment. Suddenly, Cymry's sexual need flared bringing a flame inside of her—an emotion never before felt. She wanted to fight to hold him when she felt him pulling back, but he retreated only to fill her with his complete acceptance and an abiding love so intense it almost shattered her heart. She gasped, "Oh, my!"

Without her knowledge, tears streamed down her face. Without understanding, she tried to get closer to Cymry, and thought, everything—I would give everything to have such a love.

As his mouth moved across hers, he murmured, "You see. It's not only the physical I want to share, it's all that I am."

As Cymry caressed her, in spite of the stabbing pains in her abdomen, Kyla was lost in passion she never dreamed possible. When she caught her breath, she asked, "Was that mind-melding?"

"No, Love. That was an intense merge—mind-melding is so much more."

Exhausted, intertwined with Cymry, she became aware of his difficulty getting to sleep and wondered why. While wishing for the experience to know how to comfort him, she fell into a sensation-drugged sleep.

In the morning, when sunlight beamed across the bed, Kyla drifted toward consciousness and memory. Sitting up, she looked to the pillow beside hers and experienced an incredible sense of loss, knowing he left her. She dropped back down, pulled the comforter up to her chin, and began wiggling her toes. Continuing to move the different parts of her body to find everything in place, she drew in a deep sigh of relief. She had expected parts of her body to be burned away.

Eiddyl stuck his head in the door, grinning ear-to-ear, and wiggled his fingers at Kyla. "You gave me very satisfying dreams last night, little sister."

Kyla blurted, "We didn't do anything." Then she immediately felt foolish. He laughed as he walked away, leaving her deeply embarrassed.

In the adjoining room, Cymry said, "You're asking for a knot on your head, Brother."

Eiddyl laughed. "Put a knot on everyone's head that missed a restful sleep last night and knotted heads will become the norm."

When Cymry entered the sleeping chamber and looked at Kyla, she sat rigidly upright, feeling her face freeze into a mask of horror. "Oh, my God, was Eiddyl joking? Surely, everyone wasn't aware of us last night, were they?"

He sat on the edge of the bed and handed her a cup of hot tea. Leaning over, he brushed her cheek with his lips. "Kyla, as telepaths, we learn to shield our thoughts and emotions from others. You didn't know how, so you blasted the palace with your feelings."

"Why didn't you tell me? How am I ever going to leave this room and face everyone? "

"I'm afraid I was well beyond being discrete and was not about to interfere with your feelings by addressing that problem. Don't let it concern you. You must realize, we all inadvertently trespass on others' privacy."

"Oh, my God! I can only imagine what Troy and David will say. I'm so humiliated."

Cymry pulled her into his lap and cradled her head against his chest. "At the fire camp, were you aware of the activities going on in the different sleeping pallets? Even though my sister and David became one, I'm sure you were not aware. Last night, neither did Troy and David. Believe me, they know nothing."

"Thank goodness for that. At least when I leave, I won't have to look in every face and wonder if they know I lost my senses."

"Lost your senses? For the sake of Alpha and Omega, you finally gained your senses."

He stood her on her feet. "You better get up and prepare yourself. The shield will drop in an hour and you have to face what your future will be. We'll find no further privacy, so I want to plead with you to come back to me."

"To be what?" Kyla asked, narrowing her eyes.

Cymry smiled and then softly whispered, "Only everything."

"You know everything about me, now, don't you—how damaged I am?"

"Damaged, or not, we belong to one another—we're almost one now."

Later, when they walked into the meadow, the large crowd gathered surprised Kyla. The king stood, his arms around his wife's waist, and nuzzled her ear. Betrys looked at Cymry and Kyla as they approached. "Look what you've done to him. His head is full of romance."

Betrys, seeing Kyla's distressed expression, touched her hand. "I'm so sorry, child. I didn't know my foolish remark would affect you like this. How could you possibly be ashamed of something so wonderful?"

"Momete, she's embarrassed only because others were aware of what she experienced, not that she experienced it." Cymry glared at his mother and hugged Kyla to his side.

"Oh, dear. I totally forgot these sky people are head-blind."

"Not as much as you might think, Momete."

King Craddoc shot a daggered look at his son. "Cymry you haven't forgotten your obligations have you?"

Fortunately, activity around Troy and David put an end to what might have become an uncomfortable conversation. David had retrieved the com unit from the rover and spoke into it. Several men standing near David jumped back, wide-eyed, when suddenly the palm-sized screen in David's hand displayed a man's face. King Craddoc looked at Kyla with a worried expression. "What manner of magic is this?"

"It's not magic, sire. It's our captain speaking on the communication link."

"Very strange talking machine. He seems very angry."

"Yes, sire. We left the ship without his permission, wrecked a rover, and have been out of touch for two weeks. He has every right to be angry with us."

No one understood the words, but everyone nearby knew the red-faced captain spoke with anger.

David shook his head and tried to break into the diatribe. "But, sir . . ." only to be interrupted with words, more heated. David turned to Kyla. "Come on, Kyla, Troy, time to go."

The king stepped forward, a determined expression on his face. "Let me talk with this man. I need to thank him for your help."

However, the screen darkened and David said, "Sorry, sire; this is not a good time. Perhaps later."

Awel stood with Twitter in her arms. Both were sobbing.

Kyla walked toward David and looked over her shoulder to Cymry with tears in her eyes. David stepped over to Eiddyl and whispered in his ear. Eiddyl nodded as Kyla and Troy joined David, who punched the com. "Ready for deportation." There was a flash of light—then, for a second, a space of nothingness appeared.

END BOOK ONE

Keep reading for excerpts from Book Two, _THE SSH'FAH WAR_
The War

When Troy ran back to the edge of the desert, the rhosynhorns were becoming more violent. The large wooden balls, usually covering the points of their curving horns, were missing. Men jerked the unruly tails of the animals, fueling their outrage.

The pounding of camel hooves almost drowned out the bellows of the rhosynhorns. Troy became numb with fear and wondered what everyone waited for. He could almost make out the features of the screaming Ssh'fa, streaking toward them, whirling their evil curved swords above their heads, determined to ride the Elfin troops down. He ran back to his tree, and began climbing.

The staccato of nearby drums, echoed east to west, and the soldiers stepped away from the rhosynhorns. The animals surged forward sounding their deafening war cry, a growling bellow, escalating into an ear-splitting screech. The Elfin soldiers moved back toward camp, not staying to watch. The trees rang with Taryn trills and warbling.

Troy could hear the thunderous clash of rhosynhorns with camels and the blood-curdling screams of Ssh'fa shattering the desert air. He strained to see the action through the thick cloud of sand. Meadowlark gripped his hand.

* * *

The rover hovered over soldiers moving back to their camp. Moving forward, David grinned as hundreds of small furred arms waved above the canopy of the trees. Arriving at the edge of the desert, what he saw from the stationery vessel stunned him. Their heads lowered, the rhosynhorns plowed through the camels, pulling their long vicious horns through the bellies of the camels. The carnage was unbelievable. Ssh'fa jumped or were thrown from camels and ran back into the desert or toward the forest. He saw one rhosynhorn shaking a flailing Ssh'fa speared on his horn.

David turned the rover to watch surviving Ssh'fa trying to enter the forest. Arrows shot from above killed hundreds before they reached their goal. Some disappeared into the darkness of the trees. Sickened by the carnage, David turned eastward to see how that section fared.

* * *

High in the oak, Troy watched. After the rhosynhorns attacked, the small men in the trees immediately dispatched Ssh'fah entering the forest. Troy's stomach roiled at the horrible screaming of men and beasts

As the bloodcurdling screams of Ssh'fah and animals in the desert subsided, Ssh'fah poured into the forest faster than Taryn could shoot them. He saw them swing through the trees, releasing their arrows with precision. Every arrow found its mark. The Ssh'fah fell even before they knew of the danger lurking above.

As Taryn pulled back, the Lako, further back and hidden behind trees, sent a wall of arrows through the Ssh'fah. Thousands of dead or dying covered the forest floor beneath him and hundreds more of the bloody enemy charged over them without regard for their own.

Troy merged with the tree and cried, "Now!"

Limbs and branches fell from the trees. Bushes and vines whipped the Ssh'fah, tearing their skin to ribbons. Heavier timbers felled or crushed many. Within minutes, a wood and flesh dyke formed.

Silence. It was over.

No living Ssh'fah remained in the forest to retreat.

The trees hummed in satisfaction.

Asad'far & Kyla

Kyla's captors prodded her forward, kicking her when she didn't move fast enough. Her heart dropped in complete despair as they drove her towards a blood soaked Ssh'fah, whose clothing hung in shreds. She recoiled as his terrible snarl resonated from beneath a fur crown adorned with the horns of some wild animal.

When she reached him, his unholy mask of filth opened in laughter. He reached for the insignia on her uniform and shouted to his men. She understood enough of the language to realize he believed they had captured a prince.

Laughing Ssh'fah pressed in closer to her. The hissing glee became more frightening than the previous howling. Their odor was unbearable. The circle tightened and a hand reached toward her face. She panicked and swung her tied hands into his jaw.

She gained consciousness gradually and the pain became so intense, she attempted to move back into the blackness. When it failed, she struggled to analyze her situation. The ropes tying her hands looped through a band around the camel. Hanging over the hard saddle, increased the pain in her head, rivaling the agony of her bruised ribs. With the sun directly overhead, she felt her back searing. She tried to moisten her cracked lips, but her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth.

* * *

Knowing her efforts were futile, it still seemed unreal when a Ssh'fah knocked her from the saddle. She tumbled to the sand and sprawled face down. Her head lifted and she blinked through the sand spraying from hooves and saw the boots of men dropping from the camels.

Spitting sand, Kyla struggled to get to her feet; but once on her knees, her back turned to molten heat. When she felt fire again, the tip of a whip curled around her neck and stung her cheek. Lashing after lashing continued as she curled around her body, buried her face in her arms, and concentrated on holding back screams.

When she began to lose consciousness, someone hauled her to her feet by the back of her tunic. She felt the shredded uniform tear away and moisture run down her back. A leering Ssh'fah grabbed the tunic and attempted to pull it off, while saying, "Let us match the front of this whimpering pustule to his backside."

Kyla screamed and crossed her arms across her breasts. The men encircling her began to hiss in laughter. One said, "We must teach you not to run. Your father will pay a handsome price for the gift of your sorry life." He looked to the man behind her and motioned. "Bin al Kalb, hold him upright." He clutched the collar of her tunic, and ripped downward.

The cheering and cursing men fell silent. Naked from the waist up, Kyla stood with her hands protecting her breasts, tears streaming down her face. "By the holy eye of Sc'fada, it's a woman!"
