“How do we find the puzzle pieces?” Mekos asked. “How do we unite and stop being your puppets and existing only to entertain you?”
“My sister has dedicated her life to that question. When Kaley and her family were brought here, there were other Earth people who came with them. Each person has something special about them, something he or she can do. They have different levels of magic. What Vian foresaw involves them too. I don’t know how.”
“Bree was sent to another island,” Aradella said. “She was told it was imperative that she go. Will she help undo what your people have imposed on it?”
Davro nodded. “I hope so. One of the earthlings ran away. It’s believed she made it to the island where Bree was sent. My sister says that everything is part of a long-term plan.”
“Won’t your spy cameras see what we’re trying to do?” Ian asked.
Davro gave a smirk of a grin. “Thanks to my sister, Yuzans are being told that when you move from one island to another your only purpose is to make friends. So far, they think it’s all entertainment.”
Aradella curled her lip. “Maybe there are advantages to them thinking we’re stupid.”
Davro smiled. “That’s what my sister says.”
“But we are actually uniting the many islands on Bellis,” Mekos said, smiling back. “And your language chips are allowing us to do it.”
Nodding, Davro looked at his nephew with pride.
Abruptly, Aradella stood up. “It has been a long day.”
Mekos stood up beside her, Ian to his shoulder. “Yes, it has. Could werest?”
“Of course.” Davro stood. “Accommodation has been made for you.” He led them down a short hall and opened a set of double doors.
What they saw made Aradella gasp. Unlike the rest of the place, the bedroom looked like Qip’s cottage. There was pretty striped wallpaper in shades of pink and cream. A wooden bed had soft covers, and fat chairs were upholstered with a print of roses. It was truly beautiful!
“This is what Qip said you’d like.” Davro looked as though he hoped he’d pleased them.
“It’s lovely,” Aradella said.
Davro smiled and looked at Ian. “I have a reproduction of an Earth sultan’s palace for you. It is lavishly decadent.” To his delight, Ian flew to his shoulder.
“Lead the way,” Ian ordered and they left.
Alone, Mekos and Aradella looked about. She went to the window and opened the curtain. Outside were three of the giant playboards.
Have dinner with Thomas Jefferson.
Weaving class with Mahatma Gandhi.
See the best of the Cutting Games onSelkan. Feel the pain or not. Your choice.
She turned away in disgust. “I hate this place.”
Mekos fell back onto the bed and the comforter almost encircled him. “This is the finest quality of swan fabric. We save this for our own family. I wonder how they got it.”
“Stole it, then enjoyed the tears of whoever they robbed.” She dropped down onto a chair.
Mekos looked at her hard. “What’s on your mind? Other than solving all this, that is.” He waved his hand to mean what they’d been told.
“I understand what he was saying, and it’s made me think about my own life. I’ve always been jealous of my cousins.” She looked at him. “What if I had been made queen? What would I have done to my subjects? Would I have hated people based on their looks? Would I have sent pretty people to a place like Abicis? Or worse?”
Mekos smiled at her with love in his eyes. “Maybe learning this makes it all worth it.”
“I don’t want to stay here. I want to go home.”
Mekos turned on his side, his head on his hand. “And where is that? Have we decided where we’ll live? With help, we could probably overtake Pithan and you could rule—”
