DREAMS AND NIGHTMARES

I have always had trouble sleeping in a strange bed and thought this hotel room would be the same. The room, rather plain with light blue walls, had a gaslight covered by a glass fixture next to the door, with another near the brass bed with its tall headboard. An open window overlooked the sea beyond the city.

Yet, no sooner had I changed into my nightclothes, performed the normal bedtime ablutions and gotten under the fresh smelling sheets, when sleep stole over me and held me fast in her arms.

Until the walls began to breathe. A strange sound woke me: a wooden creak, first pitched high, and then low, over and over as I listened with closed eyes, the sounds louder, then louder still.

Wooden creaks became a shriek of tortured wood and I opened my eyes as I sat up, gazing around in terror as the walls and ceiling above me were pressed in as if being pushed upon by some outside force. The walls pushed outward with another tortured shriek, and I pressed my knees against my chest, my back jammed up against the metal bars of the brass bed as the walls pressed inward so far I could have reached out and touched them on both sides, as the ceiling strained to reach my head.

Then the walls and ceiling exploded outward in a screaming blast of disintegrating wood and plaster. They flew away in all directions, with only the floor still intact and floating on an ink-dark sea extending an impossibly long distance away. The walls and ceiling continued on their mad flight into the shadowy grey sky above me until I could see them no more, the scent of saltwater strong in my nose as the bed and I floated alone. For a few moments, all was calm.

Until ripples began to form in the water a stone’s throw away. At first they were gentle, the bed swaying as each one passed, but then the bed bobbed like a cork as the ripples became faster and more intense. The ripples became small waves, and I clung to the metal bars of the headboard as the floor rode them up and down, the brass bed somehow anchored to the floor as the waves swelled in size.

I prayed to God that the bed would remain upright and the floor would continue to ride the waves like the ship we had just gotten off of, because if the floor and the bed sank, I could not swim. Somehow my piece of flotsam did not founder in the waves, and I closed my eyes as I hung on for my life, like a shipwrecked sailor clinging to a broken spar as the water became violent.

All at once the waves slowed, slowed some more, and then stopped. I kept my eyes closed, trying in vain to calm myself as the bed went back to a gentle bobbing, floating on the dark sea. Finally, my terror also subsided, and I opened my eyes as I let go of the headboard and looked towards the foot of the bed, the direction the waves had come from.

My eyes went wide as my fear gibbered inside me, wild as a Bedlam lunatic. Jutting up out of the sea was a monstrous head in the shape of a great jaguar’s, larger than any building in Old Town, with fur black and shiny as obsidian. Even though there was no light in the empty grey sky, I could see it clear as if the morning sun shone upon it. The head bent down on its neck to stare at me, its dark eyes filled with lights as if each one held a galaxy brimming with stars. It opened its mouth and in a cold voice whispered, “Jonathan…”

A loud bang woke me and I sat up in bed. My door was open, light spilling in from the hall and from the moonlight streaming into the room through the open window, with the walls and ceiling completely normal as Rhys lit the gaslight beside the door. Rune and Dame Kerry came in and moved to each side of the bed.

From the open window I began hearing popping sounds. “Is that gunfire? What is going on?”

Rune reached me first. “You need to stay calm, Ja,” he said, placing his hand on my shoulder. “The city’s being taken over.”

I struggled to regain my scattered wits. “Taken over?”

“By Bella and her private army,” Dame Kerry said, putting her hand on my other shoulder as she sat down beside me on the bed. “We’re here to protect you, but you’ve gotta stay put.”

“Does my grandfather know?” She nodded, both of them holding me as I tried to get out of bed. “You do not understand. I cannot stay here, because if Professor Bella finds me-”

“Too late,” a familiar female voice said from the hall. A moment later Professor Bella, dressed like a man in khaki clothing and corpse-white as ever, entered the room. I went stone still as she gave me a satisfied smile. “I would say you and Shabaka led me a merry chase, except you both gave Captain Lafitte ze perfect excuse to let a ship full of pirates dock at ze city wharf without ze Eldarion-Maya or ze Mexican army raising a fuss. Ze plan was perfect, or would have been,” her smile turning into a grimace, “had Marion not allowed all ze half-breeds to escape.”

“I told you no plan ever survives your first major battle,” Dame Kerry said. “At least Captain Ivy was able to secure one of the forts before the other got wind of the attack.”

The truth hit me square between the eyes. “You betrayed us,” I said, turning towards Rune. “Both of you.”

“Ja,” Rune said with a shrug, “except we joined Bella months ago to help take over the expedition once it reached Campeche City. We didn’t even know about you until after we were underway.”

Rhys ducked back out into the hallway as Dame Kerry shook my shoulder, making me look at her. “I’ve never betrayed you. I promised you I’d be the one guarding your back while you learned to move pieces around on the War Chess board of life and I meant it.” She leaned forward, a strange, hungry expression on her face. “You don’t realize it yet, but someday the world’s gonna be yours, and I’m gonna be standing right beside you when it happens.”

“Not until ze Camazotz is dead,” Professor Bella said, her voice like nails on a chalkboard. “Both of you will come with ze rest of us while Jonathan remains here under guard.”

Dame Kerry let me go and got to her feet. “Jonathan’s supposed to come with us.”

Professor Bella shook her head. “Too dangerous. Ran-Li has already agreed to lead us to Zotz-Na, because she thinks no matter how well armed we are, the Camazotz will destroy us all.”

Rune let go of me as well, though he remained seated on the bed. “You said the Camazotz is only ten feet tall, don’t ya know.”

“The glyphs I translated off of ze picture Catherwood drew of ze inner chamber of the Temple of the Bats, in Chichen-itza, clearly stated ze creature is ten foot tall, possibly fifteen at most. While ze firepower we will be bringing should handily kill ze beast, I cannot be certain there will not be casualties.

“So, once Captain Lafitte has dropped us off further down ze coast, he will return to pick up Jonathan and take him back to New York, where our good friend Corneal Vanderbilt will keep him safe until he is sent for.”

Dame Kerry folded her arms across her leather armored chest. “First it was ten feet tall, now fifteen?”

Professor Bella’s eyes narrowed. “Ran-Li pointed out my mistake when I showed her ze picture, and from what I know of ze glyphs, she was correct. She refuses to translate any more glyphs, but it does not matter in the least. Catherwood drew ze image of ze Camazotz standing on a mound of treasure while ze Maya king dances in front of it, and ze Camazotz was no more than twice the king’s size.”

Dame Kerry snorted. “Dancing kings?”

“Ze Maya danced all ze time as part of their rituals. So, Jonathan will-”

“I will not leave my grandfather behind,” I said, ready to jump out of bed and run past them. “If he is going into danger, I should go with him.”

Professor Bella stabbed her finger at my face. “You will cooperate or Shabaka dies.” I tensed, ready to flee, as she gave me a death’s head smile. “Your grandfather, Ran-Li, John Stephens and Catherwood are already aboard ship, which is well guarded in case you were thinking of rescuing them. Stephens and Catherwood I need, but Shabaka is only important to you, because he gave up control of his empire to your father and thus cannot help me.”

She shook her head as her voice took on a note of exasperation. “Jonathan, you have no idea how long we have been planning all of this. We orchestrated ze killing of ze Eldarion Nile-Mandrake clan and ze other branch of your family, and have watched you ever since. We could have taken you anytime we wanted, but ze leader of our movement planned everything out to ze smallest detail, including my attempt to kidnap you.”

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My eyes went wide. “You mean you were not actually trying to abduct me?”

“Oh, I was trying, alright. However, our leader told me ze spirit of ze Lion illusion would foil my attempt and, as usual, he was right.”

Despair rushed over me like a black wave and I placed my forehead on my knees as Dame Kerry said, “So, did he predict things would turn out as they have, with one of the forts still held against us?”

I looked up to see Professor Bella shrug. “He said he was in the dark once we reached Campeche City, and although I am following his plan, he told me to modify it as I needed.”

“How much gold do you think we’re talking about?”

Professor Bella’s voice became mocking. “Nice to see a Koncava show her true colors. Considering ze Maya have been appeasing ze Camazotz with gold since ze beginning of their civilization, there should be enough even for you to be happy with your share.”

“Jarl Aran must be one of you as well,” I said, not trying to hold back the bitterness in my voice as I realized the truth. “He did a masterful job of blowing smoke into our eyes, blinding us to this.”

All three of them burst out laughing. “Ze Olde Norse Empire is our headquarters,” Professor Bella said, “though only a few at ze top of ze food chain know. Corneal freely admits it was ze lure of ze golden payoff that enticed-”

A commotion began from somewhere down the hall, Miss Ravenwood’s voice calling out, “You can’t do this to me. I’m a Union citizen,” her voice growing louder, “and I’ve got rights-” Miss Rose pushed Miss Ravenwood into the doorway, the human woman’s arms tied behind her back with several lengths of black rope. Miss Ravenwood stopped mid-sentence. “No, please no.”

Professor Bella sighed. “Mon amour, I asked you to do one simple task: to make sure all ze half-breeds, especially ze male Eldarion, were in ze hotel when we captured Campeche City.”

“It’s not my fault! Ran-Li ordered them to go to Beach Town and I couldn’t tell her no. Nobody tells Ran-Li no.”

“Rhys tells me you never even tried.”

“He’s lying; I did so try, I swear it. Rhys is just jealous because I keep pushing away his advances.” Her voice became pleading. “Bella, I’ve never wanted anyone else except you. Only you.”

Professor Bella put her white hand to Miss Ravenwood’s tanned cheek. “Because I am dangerous in a way no one else is. Mon amour, it is not me that you love but ze thrill of not knowing whether a night of carnal passion with me will be your last. When I have left you quivering on ze floor, I see ze question in your eyes: will I let you live or will I take your life. You have always been a lover of danger, Miriam, which is why you traveled to ze wild places of the world and hated to settle down. You are in love with ze thought of your own death.”

A tear slid down Miss Ravenwood’s cheek. “Please?”

Professor Bella wiped away the tear with her thumb. “Shh. Mon amour, I am about to give you ze ultimate thrill of your life. I know if I mix a little of Jonathan’s blood with liquefied Aethyr vapor holding a special compound, then inject it into your vein, in a matter of hours you will change into whatever creature I want you to become. However, what I do not know; in fact, what no one knows, is if ze effect also takes place if put into a potion and drunk.”

Miss Ravenwood’s eyes had grown wide as little tea cake plates. “How do you know about all that?”

“Because before I knew about Jonathan, I injected such mixtures into humans to change them into monsters. Most of ze time they would die rather gruesome deaths, yet those few times ze mixture actually worked, ze transformation was… marvelous.” Her gaze went past Miss Ravenwood, as if seeing memories I hoped I would never endure myself.

Then she focused on the frightened woman once more. “However, if ze mixture was drunk, nothing happened. So, we are going to do an experiment to see if ze same holds true for Jonathan’s blood.” She looked at Rune. “Hold him.”

He grabbed my arms and held me down as I began to struggle, Dame Kerry giving him a hand as Professor Bella pulled out a dangerously thin stiletto from a sheathe at her belt. I froze. “What are you doing?”

She lifted the glass cover off the gaslight and ran the narrow blade through the flame, waving it around to cool it as she replaced the cover and turned towards me. There were burn marks on her fingers, but she did not seem to notice them as Miss Rose pulled out a glass vial filled with blue liquid, removed the stopper, and handed it to Professor Bella.

Who then approached me with the knife out. “I am about to give you a small scar, Mon Ami. Make you look more dashing.” She gave me her death’s head smile again as she waved the slender knife in front of my eyes.

Then steel flashed as she slashed my chin with the razor sharp point of the blade. I reared back from the sharp sting, the back of my head meeting Rune’s leather armor as she grabbed my jaw with a cool hand before letting several drops of my blood drip into the vial. She stoppered it back up and swirled it around, the almost glowing blue color darkening as she licked the bloody blade with the tip of her tongue.

“Remarkable,” Professor Bella said as she reached into a pocket of her khakis and pulled out a lace embroidered white handkerchief. “Definitely unique. Rune, let him go so he can press this against the wound.”

Rune released my arms and I snatched them away, taking the white cloth Professor Bella handed me with bad grace. “I am never going to become part of your movement, or whatever you call it, no matter what you do.”

She chuckled. “Jonathan, do you really think we would plan this out so carefully and not come up with ways to bring you in? Not only will you eventually become one of us, you will join us with a glad heart.” My glare dissolved into uncertainty as Professor Bella turned around and began walking back towards Miss Ravenwood. “Mon amour, if you drink this potion, all is forgiven.”

Miss Ravenwood gave her a suspicious look. “Do you really mean that?”

“Of course I do. If nothing happens, then that is that. However, if drinking ze potion actually works…” Professor Bella let her words trail off as she reached Miss Ravenwood. “Mon amour, not all ze ancient monsters were ugly or misshapen. Sirens, for example, were beautiful females with voices that could beguile men into doing what they wanted, and there were many others with faces so exquisite that no man would harm them.”

Suspicion slid into hope. “You’ll turn me into something beautiful?”

Professor Bella reached out and caressed the human woman’s cheek with her thumb. “I give you my sworn word. Will you drink?” Miss Ravenwood nodded, and opened her mouth. The Eldarion raised the glass vial to her lips and poured the dark blue liquid down her throat. Miss Ravenwood made a face as if the mixture tasted bad.

Then she dropped to the floor in a heap. “Aethyr goes to ze head like French champagne. Rhys,” Professor Bella called out, “will you carry Marion back to her room and remove the ropes?”

Rhys strode back into the room. “As you wish.” He hesitated. “Once your new expedition has departed, do you mind if I spend some time with her before Captain Lafitte gets back?”

Professor Bella’s smile became mocking. “You have heard how… pliant, humans become under ze effects of Aethyr. Do as you want but make sure Jonathan is fed and kept guarded until Captain Lafitte comes to pick him up after sundown tomorrow.”

“I installed the locks myself and reinforced the door frame when we renovated the hotel,” Rhys replied, grunting as he picked up Miss Ravenwood, now giggling like a schoolgirl. “The window is being constantly watched, and if he were foolish enough to climb out, he will only succeed in breaking a leg.” Rhys gave me a stern look. “He is an intelligent young man with no fairy tale thoughts of escape or rescue.”

Rhys had the right of it, yet I refused to completely abandon the idea of escape as Professor Bella said, “See that you do not fail me as your employer has. My reputation of… peculiar eating habits, is well deserved.”

Rhys paled, but only inclined his head. “I understand. By your leave?” Professor Bella nodded and he carried the still giggling woman out of the room.

As his footsteps faded, Miss Rose remarked, “I wonder if he’ll even remove the ropes.”

The mocking death’s head smile returned to Professor Bella’s face. “Poor Rhys is going to regret everything he plans to do to her once dear Marion turns.”

Miss Rose raised her eyebrows. “Will she?”

“I believe so, yet as I told her, I need to know for sure.” Jarl Aran had told me the potion would definitely change a person into a monster, yet Professor Bella did not know that for certain. I wondered how much else she did not know as she turned back towards me. “Jonathon, I must bid you adieu until I join up with you in Copenhagen. I truly wish you could come along, yet to lose you would be a disaster we would never recover from.”

“You are sending him back by ship,” Miss Rose said with a frown. “Wouldn’t it be safer to travel by airship?”

Dame Kerry snorted. “That shagtail captain would sell us out between one heart’s beat and the next, especially once Jonathan begins talking about how rich his father and grandfather are.”

“Do you see now why I keep her in my employ? Kerry always looks for ze worst in people.”

“And I’m never disappointed.” She made a face. “Well, I’m disappointed the little monkey ran off, but I should’ve expected it.”

“Betcha he was the one listening in on the plot and warned the others, don’t ya know.”

Dame Kerry gave Rune a disgusted look, but he just grinned as Professor Bella motioned for both her mercenaries to join her. As they started towards the door she looked at me. “One thing you will discover about me is that I do not lie. You will call me mistress, yet I swear to you, when you accept what you are, on that day I shall call you master.”

I shook my head. “Never. No matter what happens.”

She gave me a death’s head sly smile. “Mon maitre, ‘never’ is highly overrated.” When the others had exited into the hallway, she closed the door behind her. A key clicked in the lock and I was left alone.

The practice of altering humans using liquefied Aethyr and dark energy is well documented. However, due to the scarcity of Aethyr crystals (which are not found naturally but instead may be present in meteors crashing to earth), as well as the reluctance of most Eldarions to engage in such rituals, the incidence of humans actually being changed into monsters is quite low.

Unfortunately, this has not prevented people from being accused of the practice. Whether out of fear, or malice, or greed (the state being the recipient of an accused sorcerer’s property and belongings), over the years many people have been imprisoned and often executed for engaging in forbidden rites.

As for the so-called ‘monsters’, they were universally condemned as daemons and put to death, usually by fire. Civilized people would, of course, consider such an arbitrary execution to be barbaric. However, if you look deeper into the subject, you begin to understand why these altered humans were so feared. The process changed them not only physically, but mentally as well, with documented cases of a mild tempered man becoming a raging fiend who killed without a shred of remorse.