The Fenimeldiyaan: Displaced Time - Chapter 6

Rachel was relieved to find that she wasn’t alone after all. Although Apollo sat rather glumly in the back of the truck, staring out the window. Absently, Rachel scratched at her neck, where the collar had sat before Lord Vedat had removed it. Apparently kind or not, Rachel wasn’t planning on being his slave for very long.

Instead of focusing on what Vedat was saying, Rachel touched Apollo’s mind with her own. “Penny for your thoughts?” she transmitted to him.

“We’re trapped.”

“Not necessarily,” she sent back to him. “Just because I can’t put him to sleep doesn’t mean that he won’t fall asleep on his own at some point. And when he does, I’ll be ready for him. He took off the collars, which means we’ll be free to go search for that little girl and get out of here.”

“If only it were that simple,” Apollo replied. “What if we’re caught?”

“What’s the worst he can do to us? I plan on breaking out tonight,” she told him.

Apollo closed his eyes briefly. “We’re his property now. He can do whatever pleases him to us. But … I will go with you.”

“Good,” Rachel sent back.

Vedat’s voice interrupted them. “We be here!” he said, and with a toothy smile, gestured to his home.

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Sartoria. Gerald focused on the familiar name, remembering the Sartorians who’d helped him recover Elsa. And, after all, Selonicus was Anwyn’s husband. Or had been. Whichever. The time-travel business was really beginning to make Gerald’s head ache.

He nodded slowly to Selonicus. “Aye, very well. Once accommodations can be made, though, I’d like to be taken to Sartoria, if ye don’t mind. I might know a few people there who can go about taking me home.”

Veerna shrugged. “I don’t want to go to any of those places. Just chuck me a ship and I’ll be happy.” She peered at him carefully. “So, Nick, I won’t be honour-bound to stick with you for all eternity if I go and agree with your deal?”

“You will be free to leave whenever you wish,” Selonicus confirmed.

She inclined her head slightly, her white hair slipping over her shoulder. “I suppose the chance to help whip the Cyad dog into submission wouldn’t be too bad,” she said after a moment. “Particularly not after what they did to me. And I never did like authority figures oppressing the weak. Okay, Nick, you’ve got yourself a space pirate.”

There was silence for several seconds. Then she pressed on, “Can we eat now?”

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Daren and Morgan left the basement laboratory and went back upstairs. Morgan grimaced, rubbing his forehead. “I hope we find her soon, if only to stop her from sending emanations that feel like she’s stabbing my mind with a knife every other second,” he muttered.

Daren wasn’t listening. His hand lay on the pommel of his blade, and his eyes were narrowed slightly. “I heard something,” he said softly.

“Probably me complaining,” Morgan suggested hopefully.

But Daren still wasn’t listening. He bounded forward suddenly, drawing his weapon as he went. A figured swathed in black lunged out at him, tackling the young King to the ground. Daren’s attacker cursed the royal violently as he pressed Daren’s wrist against the floor painfully. “Think you can kidnap her and then stab me?!” he yelled once he stopped cursing. “You arrogant blackguard child of the River Styx!”

Without warning, he put a hand to Daren’s forehead, and the King went limp. Morgan stared at the young man as he swung around, drawing a bronze sword from a sheath at his side. “It’s not what you think,” Morgan said, spreading his hands innocently.

“I’ll beat you both if I have to,” the young man snapped, his cowl sliding back from his head. Cold, clear-blue eyes stared out at the mage from beneath messy black bangs. “You will tell me where she is!”

“I don’t even know who you’re talking about!” Morgan cried. “Can’t we talk about this like civilised people?”

The young man scowled, fury darkening his face. “We’re beyond that, you kidnapping scum.”

Although Morgan really just wanted to smack some sense into the other boy, he knew somehow that he had to win him over to his side. Otherwise, the only way he could get him off his tail would be to kill him.

Swiftly, he ensnared the boy in shadows and shoved him against the wall. “Just … stay there,” Morgan said tiredly before connecting with Andreas’s mind. “Umm, I hate to interrupt, but there’s an angry young man up here who thinks we kidnapped someone. He already attacked Daren. A little help might … help?”

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Elsa woke with a start, sitting bolt upright. “Gerald!” she yelled in a panic. “Don’t hurt him!”

Elaine grabbed her twin’s arm, trying to soothe her. “Els, it’s me! It’s Elaine. Gerald’s not here …”

Elsa covered her face, sobbing. “He’s going to kill him. Set is going to kill him if I don’t go and see him at the docks …”

Elaine embraced her, trying to get her to stop crying. “Shh, shh,” she whispered. “You’re not on the docks. Gerald’s not under Set’s control, I promise. Please, don’t cry.”

Her twin buried her head in Elaine’s shoulder, still crying. “I need to see him. I can’t let him die,” she whimpered.

Elaine began to think that Elsa had concussed herself. The very sight of her was distressing to poor Elaine, and she untangled herself from Elsa’s grasp and ran to the door of her room. “I’m sorry, someone, please!” she cried, hoping one of the healers would come. “She’s just babbling, someone, please!”

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Vedat insisted on showing them around his large elegant home on the outskirts of the city, explaining every aspect of it in painstaking detail.  For the most part, Rachel and Apollo nodded and smiled, hoping that the extensive tour would soon be over.  Rachel in particular found the Varagan’s constant stream of chatter irritating, but realised that small details might be important for her escape attempt, so she could not even allow herself the luxury of tuning him out.

To her further annoyance, he insisted on introducing his seventeen children, twenty concubines and various other members of his household staff.  “Two of me security guards have sorcery skills” he remarked, “but nowhere near as powerful as yers.  I’d like ye to work with Haluq and Sahnaz”.  He gestured to two burly men who looked similar to himself.  “They be responsible for setting up protective wards and patrolling the place.  Tis a lot of work for the two of them, which be why I’ve brought ye in”.

Haluq and Sahnaz bowed to Rachel and Apollo.

“Best follow protocol” Apollo projected to Rachel.  “Show that we’re willing to co-operate”.  He chose his words carefully in case the two guards had telepathic abilities.

Apollo returned the bow.  A moment later and with great reluctance, Rachel also bowed.

Vedat smiled at them and stroked them on the arms.  “Now I’d best show ye to yer quarters.  Ye deserve to relax afore ye take up yer duties tonight”.  He led them along a corridor towards the rear of the house.  “Since ye be friends, I’ve put ye close to each other.  Rachel, yer quarters be here”.  He pointed to one of the dark wooden doors.  “And Apollo, ye be opposite.  Ye’ll find bathing facilities and clean clothes laid out for ye.  Someone will come and fetch ye to the kitchens for dinner.  If there be anything else ye want in the meantime, ask one of the house servants”.

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While they ate, Gerald and Veerna observed their fellow revolutionaries.  Some of them wore camouflage outfits which resembled military uniforms, but the majority of them had utilitarian work clothes.  They all had a haunted air about them, as if they had seen many horrors during their time as resistance fighters.

A grimy young man with stringy shoulder-length hair and a pointed chin pored over a map, muttering to himself and tracing routes with his finger.  He reminded Gerald of a younger version of Andreas, making him wonder whether the skinny scruffy teenage urchin might be a relative.

Sensing Gerald’s eyes upon him, the lad grinned and beckoned.  “Planning tomorrow’s assault on Barracks 39.  Want in?”

Veerna put aside her food and moved closer to the map.  “Does it involve blowing stuff up?”

“Aye, exactly”.  The skinny young man grinned.  “I be Celeste Fiori, resident expert on explosives.  Back home, I used to get into trouble for making me explosive compounds.  Here they love me for it!”

“Celeste sounds like a girl’s name” Veerna teased.  “You sure you’re not a girl?”

Celeste giggled.  “I’ve never been sure and I don’t really care.  Tis the name the priests gave me at the orphanage.  They pick random names from a book.  Ye can call me Les if ye prefer.  Tis what me friends call me”.

“Ye wouldn’t happen to be Carpathian, would ye?” Gerald asked.

His question prompted another fit of giggles from the teenage saboteur, followed by a fast head-shake.  “Carpathian!  Ah, ye be a real comedian, Gerald.  No, far from it.  I be Par-Varah, the lowest sector of society on Vara.  I take it ye’ve had dealings with Carpathians then?”

“Aye” Gerald confirmed.  “I’ve got friends in the Inner Circle.  Andreas Cesario and his wife Anwyn”.  He paused, remembering the time difference.  “At least they were me friends in me own time … in the future”.

“Never heard of ‘em” Celeste answered.  “Far as I know, the Benedicte and Montessori families be running the Inner Circle.  In the future, ye say?  Ye be a prophet as well as a comedian, eh?”

Gerald sighed.  “Tis complicated.  I don’t even understand it properly meself.  But I’d like to volunteer for yer mission tomorrow, along with Veerna”.

“Then I be delighted to have ye onboard!”  Celeste grinned and slapped his two new recruits on the arms in a friendly manner.

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Andreas appeared before Morgan had finished transmitting his urgent request.  “Tis alright, me friend.  I’d already detected Ewan’s presence.  His arrival messed up me equations.  Talk about bad timing!”

“You know him?”  Morgan gestured to the dark-haired young man held in his net of shadows.

“Aye”.  Andreas grinned and nodded.  “Ewan Andric, also known as Morpheus.  Met him on a mission a while back, with Gerald.  Must be something serious to make him venture so far from home”.

“Kidnapping” Morgan reminded him.  “He thinks we’ve captured someone close to him.  A female.  Maybe his mother?  Or his girlfriend?”

Andreas shook his head.  “His parents be in the Beyond and he ain’t exactly the type to go courting dames.  No, tis most likely his sister, Rachel.  I met her on the same mission”.

“If you know him and his sister, it can’t be coincidence that he’s here” Morgan mused.  “To be honest, I really don’t care.  But you need to do something about Daren.  I don’t know what kind of spell Ewan cast, but it knocked him out cold”.

Andreas leaned over and touched the unconscious Daren on the forehead, also using his enhanced senses to scan for any signs of damage.  “Tis a sleeping spell.  Morpheus’s speciality.  Twon’t do Daren any harm, but we’ll have to wait for him to wake up.  If I try to counter it, twill most likely send me to sleep as well”.

“I’ll watch over him while you interrogate Ewan” Morgan offered.

Andreas nodded and went over to Ewan.  “So we meet again, Ewan Andric.  Ye remember me, eh?”

Ewan glared at him.  “Never seen you before.  I don’t care who you are, I want my sister back, unharmed”.

“Ye really don’t recognise me, do ye?”  Andreas laid his hands on the side of Ewan’s head and scanned his surface thoughts.  “Ah, that explains it.  Tis true to say that we’ve never met.  That version of Ewan Andric came from a parallel universe.  Anyways, I be Lord Andreas Cesario and I don’t have yer sister.  Rachel ain’t here”.

“Liar!”  Ewan’s eyes blazed and he strained against his bonds.  “What have you done to her?”

Andreas shook his head.  “I’ve not seen yer sister.  I’ve no idea where she be.  If ye don’t believe me, ye can read me”.

He pulled Ewan’s hands free from Morgan’s shadow snare and placed them on the sides of his head.  “Ye may look into all me thoughts and memories.  Ye’ll see that I only met the other versions of ye and Rachel once.  And I give me word that I’ll help ye find her”.

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A tall muscular man appeared in response to Elaine’s distressed plea.  He wore the usual black sorcerer’s robes but his muscular physique and braided hair gave him more of a warrior-like appearance.  “Let’s take a look at her”.  He spoke in a refined academic manner, following Elaine into the room.

“Twins, eh?” he remarked, smiling at Elaine.  “My husband has a twin.  They both be red-haired like you two.  When we first got together, I used to worry that I’d hug and kiss the wrong twin, until I learned to tell the difference between them.  I be Remyn Saavut, one of the chief healers here”.

Elaine introduced herself and her sister, also giving a brief explanation of what had happened.

“Concussion can interfere with memories” he stated, using his sorcery skills to examine Elsa, who continued to fidget and call out for help.  “I’ll need to do a mind merge with her to find out more.  With your permission, of course”.

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Rachel went into the room for only a few minutes. She sat on her bed and breathed inwardly several times, trying to calm herself for her upcoming escape. Hopefully, there wouldn’t be anyone she’d have to put to sleep; it was exhausting, every time she did it. But she would, if it meant gaining her freedom and going back home, to Athens. To Nottingham … to Guy.

She changed into the clothes Vedat had told her were hers. They fitted perfectly, though she didn’t want to leave behind her cloak. Whatever would help her blend in when she made her escape, though.

Once she’d finished, she went across the way and knocked on Apollo’s door. “Apollo? Can I come in?” she asked.

“Yes.” The answer was soft, but she heard it and went in, closing the door behind her.

Apollo was hastily tugging his glove back over his hand. There was a slightly stricken look on his face. “What is it?” he asked.

“We need to go,” Rachel told him. “Now. They won’t be expecting us to go now. That’ll increase our chances of escaping, right?”

“I … suppose.” Apollo made no move to stand up.

Rachel frowned at him, crossing her arms. “What is the matter with you?” she said. “Don’t you want to escape?”

“Of course I do,” Apollo said with a hint of asperity. “You’ll forgive me, but I haven’t exactly been having the best of weeks. After being imprisoned in a time-lock, absorbing a mute girl into me to save her, having said mute girl torn out of me, and getting sent to another world and another time, captured by slavers, sold on the market, and taken in by an overly-talkative slave master who seems to consider us to be family!”

Rachel stared at him. “Umm … are you sure you’re alright? And why were you taking off your glove?”

“I am perfectly fine,” Apollo said. “And my … my palm was itching. That’s all.”

Although she knew he was lying — his already pale-skin was ghastly white, and he appeared to be sweating — there was no time for them to discuss it now. She put out your hand. “C’mon. I’m going to get you out of here, and we’ll see about taking you to someone. I think you’re sick.”

“I’m a healer,” Apollo protested. “I don’t need to see one!” But he did accept the hand Rachel offered him, and she pulled him to his feet. The healer swayed uncertainly for a moment before steadying himself. “I’m fine.”

“Oh sure,” Rachel said. “Really fine. Let’s go.” She tugged him along behind her.

The two made their way through the house, trying to avoid whoever they could. Even when someone found them, they didn’t question their wanderings, and they went mostly unquestioned to the door. Once there, they glanced at each other. “Are you sure about this?” Apollo asked. Unlike Rachel, he hadn’t bothered changing into the clothes Vedat had given them.

“Yes I’m sure,” Rachel said impatiently. “Come on!” She pulled Apollo through the door behind her and looked out cautiously. The streets were dark and dreary, night having fallen about an hour ago.

Once she was positive the streets were empty, she ran out. Unfortunately, she didn’t have Apollo’s wrist anymore and she didn’t notice for several moments that he was no longer behind her. By the time she did, he was already over a hundred feet back from her, still near the door of Vedat’s house.

He was doubled over, his face grey, strange black veins weaving their way up his neck. Rachel cursed herself for not realising how ill he’d actually been, but by that time, it was too late for her to do anything about it. “Apollo!” she hissed.

He looked up, grimacing. “Go,” he said. “Vedat’s not horrible to me. I hope he won’t be, anyway. Find Andreas Cesario. Tell him I’ll be waiting. Go!”

Cursing him, Rachel turned and ran. She didn’t want to be alone, but she just couldn’t go back into slavery. Not without suffering terribly.

Still, tears of guilt pricked at her eyes as she wondered if she’d done the right thing.

As for Apollo, he struggled to remain standing, but black spots entered the corners of his vision. Jezebel … she must have poisoned him before sending him off. She’d always hated him the most. Gasping for breath, he felt the poison moving through his veins before his legs gave out beneath him and he lost consciousness.

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Since the mission wouldn’t be occurring until the following day, Gerald wandered off as Veerna continued to speak — and flirt — with Celeste. True to form, the Voldinian referred to him as Les and completely ignored Gerald. It appeared that she held no interest in Gerald after learning he was a happily married man.

In the room he’d been given, Gerald sat on his bed and stared at the wall. “Els, where be ye?” he whispered, his voice soft. How could he have lost her? How could he have allowed himself to be separated from her once again? Even worse, how could he go on a potentially fatal mission when he didn’t even know where she was?

But he knew enough about the Cesarios to realise that Selonicus was Anwyn’s husband. He trusted the man. Staying with him and helping him was Gerald’s biggest shot of getting back to the present — and then to Vordelle. Things would have been a lot less complicated if he’d been in the present.

He laid back, staring at the ceiling. He missed his family and he missed Andreas. Just once, he wanted something they planned to actually go according to plan. But it never did.

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Ewan narrowed his eyes at Andreas. The temptation was for him to use his magic to put him to sleep, but that didn’t solve the problem of the shadow-maker. He must have been involved with Erebus, to form such a thing, but he forced himself to focus. Rachel was most important. Sighing at the situations she was always putting him in, he closed his eyes and reached into Andreas’s mind, moving past what the man was offering him via his dreams.

After several long moments of silence, Ewan pulled away reluctantly. “Oh, alright,” he said, scowling. “I guess I believe you. You don’t seem to be lying, at least.”

Andreas stepped back, smiling at Ewan. “Morgan, ye can let him go,” he said cheerily.

“Alright,” Morgan said, narrowing his green eyes at Ewan. The shadows released Ewan, and he hit the ground gracefully, brushing his dark hair out of his face. “Wake up Daren.”

Ewan glanced at Daren and nudged him with his toe. “He’ll be awake shortly,” he said before turning his attention back to Andreas. “How do you plan on finding my sister? I know it’s your fault she’s missing. Time was meddled with, and thanks to you and Merlin, the door he opened between our world and yours was not closed. So my question is, how do you plan on fixing it?”

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Elsa tried to get out of bed, clutching her head, but Remyn gently took hold of her shoulders, putting her back under the covers. “Easy, my dear,” he said softly. “Everything’s alright.”

Elaine was near tears herself. “Please, do whatever you can to help her,” she said, her voice trembling. “She’s with child, I don’t want her straining herself … this business with Gerald has gotten her all upset already … do the mind merge, and whatever you have to, to bring her back. I can’t stand to see her like this!”

Remyn smiled and nodded. “You have nothing to fear,” he assured her. “She’ll receive the best of care while she’s here. No harm will come to her.”

Elaine looked down at the ground. “I hope you’re right,” she whispered, rubbing at her eyes to keep the unshed tears back. “Please be right.”

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Strong hands lifted Apollo from the ground, causing him to stir.  He looked up through blurry eyes and saw the faces of Haluq and Sahnaz.  “Apollo unwell” Haluq projected.  “Shouldn’t have gone out on patrol.  Should’ve told us about yer illness.  Enchanted illness by sorcery.  Must tell Lord Vedat.  He will summon a healer”.

Too exhausted to project anything in reply, Apollo gave a weak nod.  The two burly security guards carried him back into the Degurmin residence and laid him down on a low divan in a darkened room.  “I stay with ye” Haluq informed him.  “Sahnaz go fetch our Lord”.

Sahnaz hurried off and returned a few minutes later with Vedat.  The Varagan Lord’s brow creased and he shook his head.  “Tis a bad curse upon ye, Apollo.  Powerful sorcery.  Only a feeder priest can banish such a curse”.  He then issued instructions in his native Varagan dialect to Sahnaz, who dashed off again.

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Rachel ran on, not daring to look back.  She had the vague impression that someone was pursuing her, so she pushed herself to run faster.  She carried on running until she could no longer see the street where Lord Vedat’s magnificent residence was located.

Noticing an alley up ahead, she slowed her pace and slunk into it, keeping well back from the main street.  Her breath came in ragged gasps and she leaned on the grimy wall for support until she had recovered sufficiently.  When her breathing had settled down to a comfortable level, she peered out, hoping that she had lost her pursuer.  A few beggars hung around outside restaurants and taverns and some drunken revellers staggered along the street singing — or more accurately — shouting unfamiliar songs.  Their off-key renditions amused Rachel and made her wonder what they were singing about.

Having reassured herself that no-one was following her, she ventured out of the alley and made her way further along the main street, trying to act as if she knew exactly where she was going.

She walked for what seemed like hours, leaving the residential district behind.  Warehouses and factories loomed on either side of her, their giant shadows negating the feeble glow from the few working street-lights.  Sagging from exhaustion, she decided to find somewhere to spend the remainder of the night.  Part of her wished that she had not been so hasty to escape from the soft bed and comfortable quarters which Lord Vedat had provided for her.  She was alone in a strange city, far from home and without even the most basic supplies.

Hearing a slight rustling sound coming from behind her, she turned around.  A tall cloaked figure emerged from the shadows and grabbed hold of her.  She struggled to get free but was too tired to put up any sort of a fight.  Tired … that gave her an idea.  She could put him to sleep and make her escape.

Before she had a chance to invoke her sleeping spell, a hand clamped over her mouth and nose, pressing down on a damp cloth.  The noxious fumes made her stomach churn and her head spin.  Less than a minute later, she fell unconscious.