To Zeon’s astonishment, Aradella whispered, “Oh no!” and Mekos gasped as though in terror.
“Sorry,” she said. “The mask you gave Kaley and Tanek caused us some problems. Big ones.”
Zeon raised an eyebrow. “Did it? I’ll have to look into that. But this gift is something you’ll need. I can’t see clearly enough to know the details—” there was bitterness in his voice “—but I do know that it’s necessary.” On a table by the wall was a cloth bag made of worn-out tapestry. It certainly didn’t look like anything special. Zeon held the bag up. “This holds a lot.”
“That’s nice.” Aradella tried to sound interested, but the bag didn’t stir any emotions.
Zeon picked up four metal goblets and dropped them into the bag. It stayed flat. He put in a serving plate, a set of cutlery, then a vase of flowers. The bag didn’t expand. He put in a silver tray that was too big and too heavy to go into the bag, but it slid inside, and showed nothing on the exterior.
With an unexpected movement, he tossed the bag to Aradella. She almost sidestepped to miss it as it was bound to be heavy, but she did catch it. It was flat and light.
“Go on,” Zeon said, “open it.”
One by one, she pulled out the items he’d put in there and set them on the table. She looked at him. “This is the fantasy of every woman who has ever been born.”
Zeon laughed. “You’re to fill it with plants. I foresaw that you’re going to need them. It takes only a sprig of each one, but you’re to collect as many different types of plants as you can find. And...” His eyes seemed to go blank, as though he wasseeing something inside his mind. “And small stones,” he said softly. “There will be a need for some very odd things.” With a shake of his head, he came back to them. “Sorry. I can’t see much more. But take the bag and fill it.”
“I can get some plants on the way up the mountain,” she said.
“And a bone,” Zeon said sharply. “‘The bone of a righteous man.’ I can hear that.” He shook his head, as though coming back to reality. “I’m keeping you here too long. It’s a pretty day and you should go out. There was a storm when your parents were here, and they nearly froze to death. I had to go get them. If you’ll come with me, I’ll give you a map and tell you how to open the hidden door.” His face softened and his eyes lit up. “When you return, I have a surprise for you. It’s something very good.” He looked pointedly at Aradella. “You, especially, will be glad of this. At dinner, I’ll tell you about whatever I foresee this afternoon, then early tomorrow, the lot of you can go to Abicis.”
“The lot of us?” Mekos said. “How many are there?”
“Only as many as necessary. The arrival of too many people would arouse suspicion.” They could see that he was enjoying being secretive.
Mekos took the bag from Aradella and put in bread, cheese, sliced meats, and two bottles of wine. When he held up the bag, it still appeared to be empty. “Can I put a person in it?”
Aradella squinted her eyes at him. “So you can leave me here? Oh no you don’t!” She took the bag from him, and turned to Zeon. “Thank you. You’ve given us hope.”
He looked over her to Mekos and his eyes grew serious. “Maybe someday you can introduce me to your grandmother. I should very much like to talk to her.”
“Gladly.” Mekos turned away and raised his eyebrows at Aradella. It appeared that Zeon was indeed ambitious.
Zeon watched the two young people fly away on their green dragon, then he went back inside to work. What he really wanted to look into was finally being allowed to see that Vian,an Empyrean and one of the Seven no less, was number one of his order. But that information would have to wait. To clear his mind, he thought of the joy he was going to bring to Mekos and Aradella when they saw what he’d done. It hadn’t been easy!
When he’d first seen the vison of what could happen, he’d groaned. To make it come about, he knew he’d have to contact Reena. She was a very independent person and it was hard to persuade her to do things. He reminded himself that she didn’t like being called a witch, even if she was one. He knew that when she was five years old, she’d turned a playmate she didn’t like into a toad. It had taken a lot of threats to get her to change the girl back into a human.
Even though Reena was an adult now, her attitude hadn’t changed. She’d embedded the compulsory chip—the device Empyreans required to be implanted in everyone—into her big gray dog instead. When Zeon tried to reach Reena, the dog had been out chasing rabbits. Zeon had seen into that rabbit’s future. It would escape the dog and produce more offspring. Alotmore!
Finally, he’d reached Reena and told her what he needed. She’d been suspicious—and very protective.
Zeon had talked fast and persuasively and, at last, she’d agreed. But she’d made it clear that she didn’t like doing what he needed.
“You couldn’t use the other one?” she’d asked. “They’re twins.”
“Ah, so that’s why I kept getting a blurred vision. It’s the younger one I need. The one connected toyou.”
Reena grimaced. “All right, I’ll send her, but you better not let her be harmed.”
“I don’t think she will be,” Zeon said honestly. “How soon can she get here?”
“I’ll send her on one of Olina’s birds.”
Zeon raised his eyebrows. He knew she meant one of the huge creatures that had the head of an eagle and a four-legged body of some unknown Earth animal. “Good,” he replied. “Ilook forward to meeting her, and I’m sure Aradella will be very happy to see her.”
Reena seemed to be suppressing a smile. “I’m sure she will be. They’ve spent their whole lives together.” Abruptly, she cut off the connection in a way that made it seem like she was afraid she’d say something she shouldn’t.
Now Zeon was smiling. Aradella’s cousin, the beautiful Princess Bree, had arrived an hour ago. She was going with Aradella and Mekos to Abicis.
