Falcorans' Faith by Laura Jo Phillips Read Free Book Online

be able to see something that will explain them.”
    Faith crossed the room and stood at the far end of the viewport, putting as much distance between herself and the Falcorans as she could while still able to look out the window.  The Skyport was to her left, looking much larger than she expected from the outside.  The jump point, a patch of darkness that seemed lighter than the surrounding darkness of space, was not quite as she remembered it. 
    “It’s different,” she said. 
    “Different in what way?” Graysan asked, squinting intently in the direction she was pointing. 
    “When I saw it before it was like a hole, only in reverse,” she said.
    “In reverse?” Jon asked, frowning uncertainly.
    “If you dig a hole in the ground, then look into it, it’s dark.  Well, this was like that, only it was lighter than the space around it, while still giving the illusion of depth.”
    “And how is it different now?” Gray asked.
    “It doesn’t look like a hole any more.  It looks more like a...thin spot.”
    “Thin spot,” Tristan repeated.  Faith couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic again or not, but she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and let it go.
    “Imagine that space is like a piece of carpet that’s been folded and bent here and there,” she said.  “In some places the nap of the carpet is completely gone, worn all the way down to, and through, the backing.  That’s a hole, or jump point.  A shortcut that lets you go instantly to whatever bit of carpet is on the backside of the fold.  You following me?” 
    “Perfectly,” Graysan said, while Tristan and Jonathan nodded.  “Now, imagine that there are areas on the carpet where the nap is worn partially away.  Some areas more than others, some less, leaving thin spots in the carpet.  The thin spots don’t go all the way through, they aren’t holes, but in some places, they’re very close to being holes, going all the way down to the backing, but not through it.”  Faith turned back toward the viewport.  “This place right here was a hole when I saw it the first time.  I saw a ship come through it, then turn around and go back again.  Now, it’s a thin place.  A very thin place, like the thin backing of that piece of carpet, but it is no longer a hole.  It’s like a door that was open, but is now closed.”
    “What do you think happened to change the hole to a thin place?” Jonathan asked.
    Faith shrugged uncomfortably.  “I’m not a scientist,” she said.
    “We are fully aware of that,” Tristan said.  “Your opinion is asked anyway.”
    “Fine,” she said.  “I think it means that the Xanti have a way of punching holes into thin areas of space.”  
    Tristan nodded in agreement, his throat dry with fear for the first time in his life.  “And when they’re done,” he added, “they close it back up so no one can follow where they go.”
    Faith nodded.  That’s what she thought, too.

 
     
    Chapter Four
     
    Jackson Bearen sat on the floor with all three of their young sons.  Harlan, currently in his Owlfen form, perched on his right shoulder, while Mattlan, also in Owlfen form, perched on his left.  Weld sat on his knee, giggling as he transformed his human arms to fur covered wings, and back again, over and over.
    Jackson heard the Sentinel in his mind as it attempted to convince Weld to transform fully, to no avail.  “Weld doesn’t appear to be in the mood for seriousness right now,” Jackson said, knowing that the Sentinel could hear him.
    “ Apparently not ,” the Sentinel replied tiredly.  “Perhaps we’ve done enough for today.”
    Jackson agreed, smiling when the Sentinel winked out of his mind.  Suddenly both Harlan and Matt released their Owlfen and he had two squirming toddlers on his shoulders, their bright peals of laughter joining Weld’s as he reached up to grab them before they tumbled to the floor.
    Clark and Rob each plucked one of the boys from his