Day 15

Kerri-liana Jones woke up in the library. She had fallen asleep there. She was looking up everything she could on mount Jeku. She had been unable to locate the city of gold or find any maps or tax references to it.

Even though the windows were closed there was a cold draft coming in. She rubbed her eyes and followed the draft to a bookshelf that was concealing a fireplace in the wall. She battled but finally after taking all the books off the shelf and sitting on the floor and using her legs to push, she managed to get the bookshelf out of the way. Cold air rushed into the room as if it was alive, with the desire to extinguish all warmth from the room.

Kerri shivered.

‘Why block a fireplace?’ she asked herself.

Another blast of frozen air swept across the room.

‘Maybe that’s why?’ she answered herself.

‘I wonder if I can use it? Maybe light a fire to keep me warm while I work.’ She ventured.

Kerri crawled into the fireplace and looked up to see if it was blocked. But it was so dark she couldn’t see 30cm up. She fetched her torch and shone it up. Black stone when up as high as she would see. Nothing seemed to be blocking it and with how much cold air was coming down it. She figured it was safe to make a fire.

Kerri left the library in search of some wood and a way to light the fire. She bumped into an interesting looking man. He had blue hair and olive brown skin.

“Hi” she said.

“Hi” he replied unsure.

“I am Kerri-liana. What is your name?” she asked.

“Glisson.” He answered unsure of her.

“I am the queen’s friend, you don’t need to worry.” Kerri assured.

Glisson pulled a face.

“Everyone is friends with the queen and that is worrying.” He answered.

Kerri shrugged having no comeback for that.

“Why are you wondering about so early?” she asked.

“Why are you?” he asked in turn.

“Looking for firewood and something to light it with. It’s cold.” She answered.

Kerri had sleep in her eyes and her hair was standing up. It also looked like an ink smudge on her cheek.

Glisson looked at her closely.

“Are you sure you are friends with the queen?” he asked.

“Yes.” Kerri said pulling out the royal seal of protection Tẽra had given her.

“Come on then.” He said leading the way.

They went to a room filled with wood and coal and barrels of lamp oil.

“How did you know where to find this?” Kerri asked impressed.

He didn’t answer just gave her wood to carry. He then filled a bag with wood and put some lamp oil in a small jar.

“Let’s go. Where is your room?” he asked.

“It’s not for my room but the library.” She answered.

Kerri was now unsure if he thought this was in invite to her room.

But he was unfazed by her answer.

“Lead the way.” he added “This is heavy.”

They went to the library. The massive room was filled with bookshelves and there seemed to be no end to the lines of shelves. Kerri led them to the fireplace. The cold air had been blowing in and opened some of the books piled on the floor.

“What are you doing in here?” Glisson asked her.

“Learning about mount Jeku and trying to find the city of gold.” Kerri told him not expecting him to have any answers that could help her out.

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Glisson put wood in the fireplace and with two stones he lit the oil he had poured over the wood.

“Mount Jeku is controlled by Victoria. She is not one to provoke.” Glisson said.

“Victoria is dead.” Kerri answered.

“She tried to kill Ter,” Kerri smiled “the queen. So is Griffith.”

“Why are you here at the castle?” Glisson asked.

“Because it’s safer for me here and I can learn.”

“Safer?” Glisson couldn’t hide the horror in his voice.

“Here is safer. Do you really believe that after all the attacks and almost death experiences over the past three days?”

Kerri shrugged with an awkward smile.

“I have a purpose here. There are things I need to do which I can only do here.” She answered.

“Like?” Glisson asked, “Because you are less likely to die out there then you are in here.”

Then he knew.

“It’s because you are like the others. Not from here. You think you can find a way home in one of these books.”

“What do you mean not from here like the others?” Kerri was defensive.

“Strange hair, doesn’t understand, speaks another strange language to all but a few. Suddenly here from… nowhere. Shall I really go on?” he asked.

“Who else knows about this theory of yours?” Kerri demanded.

“Honestly, it’s obvious, I don’t need to talk about it. I met Nikki and Fiona. Just don’t know why you are being so… defensive about it.”

Kerri didn’t know what to say. If she said she was not defensive she would sound more defensive. If she now tried to play it cool, it would look ridicules.

“What do you know?” Kerri finally asked.

“Somehow the queen has taken pity on you and become nicer…” his voice faded off and he looked like his brain was in pain processing the concept of the queen being nice.

“All I know for sure is there are some here that are not from Chayim, and they have caused rumors and trouble all over. Now that I am here. I think you all have met up here. Wanting to go home to whatever world you came from. But no one knows how. Because no one meant to come to a world with broken sugs.” He shrugged.

“Oh” Kerri said, “So how many of us are there?” she asked.

Glisson sighed

“I think the queen is befriending you as she wants to reopen the sugs and you are helping her. I also know opening them will not help this world. We have destroyed what strength we had, and we would become vulnerable to the stronger worlds.”

“So, you won’t help me because you’re afraid of what will happen?” Kerri asked.

“You don’t listen.” He shook his head “You hear what you want to hear. I think you should go home. But don’t open the sugs.” He stated.

“What if I can’t do one without the other?” Kerri asked.

“You managed to get here. You can get home again. You just need understanding.”

Kerri eyed him

“I feel like there is an insult in there somewhere.”

Glisson warmed his hands. Watching the fire crackle and leap.

“Ask what you will?” he said.

“Do you know where the crystals are hidden?” Kerri asked getting right to the point

“No.”

“Do you know where the city of gold is?” Kerri asked next.

Glisson frowned

“Most things gold, are related to the Aurum. Ask someone from that tribe.” He suggested

“Also, the city of gold might be a reference rather than a name.” he added.

“Nikki said a city made of gold?” Kerri pondered out loud.

“Does your tribe have any crystals?” Kerri asked.

“Rumored to have an intact crystal hidden in a moving city. But most are unsure if this city is real or where to find it. But I believe it is out there. My people where great, they advanced in science so it could be possible.”

Kerri suddenly realized how much she had given away. He already knew but she had confirmed.

“Can I trust you?” she asked.

“How am I meant to answer that?” he asked, “If I say yes, you will wonder if I am lying if I say no you will have me thrown in the dungeon.”

“Maybe not the dungeon, I have been there.” Kerri said thoughtfully.

“How comforting.” His displeasure was visible.

* * *

Nicolette Sintonarta was on her way to have a new set of tools made at the blacksmith. She heard the fire crackling and voices coming from the library. She drew her arrow and held her bow tightly. She slowly entered the room and saw Kerri talking to Glisson.

“Hi.” she announced herself.

Kerri got straight to the point with no greeting in return.

“Can this guy be trusted?” she asked.

“Um, he gave us shelter and fed us, even clothes us. But I don’t know if he’s trustworthy. I only know he took a chance helping us.” Nikki answered.

She smiled at Glisson. She couldn’t say hi as he wouldn’t understand.

“He knows you are not from around here. Not from Chayim.” Kerri said.

“That’s not difficult to guess. I don’t understand any of the languages here.” She pointed out.

“Do you think he can cause trouble for you?” Kerri asked.

“Trouble how?” Nikki asked in return.

“Tell people about us.” Kerri said.

“They already know.” Nikki said “Plus, who cares if there are strangers living in the castle?” she asked.

Kerri thought about it. Nikki had a point. Most were unable to blend in, they stood out and were not spared during the attacks. Kerri remembered that the queen had taken a liking to James. A strange man who didn’t understand her language. But then she had thrown him in the dungeon because he refused to eat.

Nikki looked at all the open books and the obvious search for the crystals.

“If the place Fiona and I found is the city of gold, where a crystal is hidden. That would explain why they were so hostile.” Nikki said looking at the open books.

“What?” Kerri replied coming back to earth from her thoughts.

“The place we found is gold, and a big city full of living things… gold people in a city made of gold… maybe your city of gold is found?” Nikki continued.

“Tẽra said I should get my stuff together so we can go home. So maybe we send out small parties to each place we know of so far. Like that city you found and mount Jeku referenced in these books. Once we have the crystal we return.” Kerri said.

“We don’t have enough people that speak both languages, I can take you there, but how can we insure it’s not a royal disaster like before?” Nikki asked paging through Kerri’s books.

“Tẽra will give us whatever we need.” Kerri said.

“Tẽra is getting married in a week.” Nikki answered.

“Really?”

“She is insuring we are safe if we never get to go home. She is the queen. If she marries, she can never leave. We will need to be quick, and you need to make sure you have everything you need the first time.” Nikki said.

Glisson watched the women talk with excitement and concern. Their plans were in the making. He had lied about a crystal being in the moving city. He just believed that if he and his family could move there, they could wait out the storm unaffected. He didn’t know for sure where this city was, but he believed it was real even though others didn’t. He could see Kerri was willing to do anything to find the crystals and she was friends with the queen.

“Ok so far, I know that all the crystals need to be placed on mount Jeku and that one of the crystals is in the city of gold. Then I hear that another crystal is in a moving city.”

“Moving? Like floating or on wheels?” Nikki asked.

Kerri thought about it

“Maybe?” she answered unsure.

“Lakisha said she was in a floating city with people like Glisson. Blue hair, blue eyes, light up when wet, etc.”

“Light up when wet?” Kerri interrupted “Sorry go on” Kerri apologized

“So, Autumn and Lakisha have been to this city. Maybe they can go back, and we can send Glisson with to fetch the crystal?” Nikki suggested.

“You are onto something.” Kerri was excited.

“But Glisson is part of the peace talks,” Nikki said sadly “He can’t go but maybe he knows someone who can go.”

“So is Autumn but she is out there finding the missing.” Kerri pointed out.

They devised a plan dividing the earthlings into groups to search out the crystals required to go home. Lakisha, James and Autumn with Glisson were put into one group to return to the swamp city. Nikki, Viola and Keimoni were put into another group to return to the city Nikki and Fiona found. Kerri-liana and Joe would go to mount Jeku.

Pleased with themselves they rushed off to find Tẽra and tell her the plan.