The Realms of Ethair by Cecilia Beatriz Read Free Book Online Page A

kicked
in, he ducked sideways, the falling wooden beam narrowly missing
his leg. He landed near the burning staircase, his face mere inches
from the flame. Its tongue licked at him singeing several strands
of the hair that covered his forehead. Then, he saw the hazy gray
shape on the wall, which was neither shadow nor soot.
    The moment seemed to stretch as he
and It appeared to
take each other’s measure. A tale meant to frighten children from
staying outdoors came back to haunt him.
    Man fears the unknown.
    a shadow is shadow if known,
    an unknown shadow is not a shadow,
    It is feared.
    The Others dance with unknown,
    The Others play with fear,
    they consume it…
    and with it goes the mind,
    until man becomes a puppet to be played with and
    a servant to do Their bidding.
    A trickle of fear crept into Arturion’s heart
that he could almost smell it leaking from his skin. The gray
matter, a Zertan creation, perceptibly grew an inch.
    All his years as Gate Keeper should have
prepared him for this possible confrontation. Yet, he was not
ready.
    It loomed above him.
    “Kriss-tii-naa.” A collection of voices
sibilantly whispered in his mind.
    “ Tina!” Someone screamed outside, snapping
him out of his panic. A tendril of It shot out to grab him. He clamped his eyes shut and willed
himself to initiate his Merkaba.
    The air smelled of earth and green things,
a home away from home. He lay sprawled on the grass, his breathing
coming out short as he inhaled the clean air. His mind worked
double-time, trying to reassess the situation at hand and how to
salvage it.
    Sara’s prophecy rang in his ears. The
Zertans would return for Karina, he was sure of it now. They would
use leverage to get to her. It was no longer Karina’s life at
stake, but also her family and friends.
    A small plan began to form and with it his heart
ached, making him gasp sharply. He would lose her friendship, he
realized. No. The mission is more important. She – her life is the
mission. Duty comes first before personal feelings. I’ve taken an
oath. I must finish this. To see her safe and alive should be
enough. It will have to be enough.
    His feet moved on its own taking him to where
Sola had said she would be residing. His stride lengthened with
urgency and slowed only when he caught sight of the house at a
distance. Light shone through the windows invitingly. He resisted
the urge to let himself be known to its occupants, unsure of how
she would receive him.
    He laid his palm on a nearby tree and
asked its spirit the permission he needed. Without further ado, he
climbed it and found a position where he could have the best view
and still remain unnoticed. Securing himself on a branch, he
watched the two women by the window. Arturion felt relieved at the
sight of Karina. Kala proved to be good company when he saw his
friend smile at something the girl had said.
    Worries about prophecies, the future, and
the plan he had put into motion crowded his mind. He concentrated
on the scene before him. Gradually, the tension in his shoulders
eased and trivial thoughts replaced his other concerns. He had been
so preoccupied in making sure of their escape that he had not had
the time to notice his friend’s change of appearance. Her hair was
longer now and her features sharper. She had considerably lost
weight since his last visit to Karina’s home.
    The fear in her eyes during last night’s
Merkaba had pained him. Arturion had lost control of the situation.
It was his fault for underestimating the Zertans. He had not
anticipated that They would make their move so soon.
    At this distance, he could already smell
the change in her aura, a subtle scent of lavender. Its density was
almost indiscernible to those sensitive enough to feel it that she
could have been mistaken as a member their community. The
transition has long been underway.
    It should have been next to impossible for
the Zertans to find her. How had they learned about her?
    Karina ’s head turned to