Chapter 10 #4
Vian began to speak. “I can foresee the future. That this ability was detected early is why I look as I do and not as—” When no one seemed to understand what she was saying, she waved her hand in dismissal.
“When I was young, I foresaw that evil people would overtake the islands. Male and female would be separated and they’d come to hate each other.
It was a truly horrible sight. As I got older, I asked myself, ‘Can this future be changed?’ And if so, how could it be done?
Gradually, I discovered that I could apply ‘What if?’ to my visions.
If a person was given choices, how would that change the outcome?
After much work and trying many, many different pathways, I foresaw that the bad could be changed. ”
She took a breath. “But, to my horror, I saw that to reach the good, it would take thirty-five years and great sacrifices
would have to be made. Most shocking was that the biggest sacrifice would have to be made by me.” She paused, seeming to look back in memory. “I foresaw that if I were impregnated by a ship’s officer, a man I’d never
even seen, we would produce two descendants who could change the future.” She looked at Mekos, her eyes showing her sorrow
at having missed sharing his life. “I also saw that it was imperative that I not be part of the lives of these children. If they had contact with the world I occupied, none of the good would happen. And
if I removed myself from that world, it would not happen.”
When she turned to Tanek, the sadness in her eyes deepened. “I worked on the details. I saw that in my son’s early years he
needed to spend time on Earth. He needed to meet people and learn things. And also, he was to talk to an unborn baby, as his
words would greatly influence her life.” She glanced at Kaley, then back at Mekos. “When my son returned to Bellis and while
he was still quite young, he was to mate with a Lely.”
Vian paused for a moment. “It was difficult for me to deal with the fact that I would be a grandmother before I could be part
of their lives. But my vision showed me that if I made all the sacrifices, eventually, we would be a family. I would have
a life with a man who, in just one splendid night, I would come to love completely and forever.”
When she and Roal smiled at each other, it could be seen that their love—and yearning—was mutual.
Kaley looked at Tanek, silently asking if he knew about this. He gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head. No, he didn’t
know.
Vian paced a bit, then halted. “All those many years ago, I decided that my sacrifice would be worth it, so I set about making it happen. My son grew up without me. I wasn’t there to see my beautiful grandson tumbling about with the fox kits.
When the Earth woman arrived, I had more decisions to make.
For one, I had to figure out how they were to meet Zeon.
He’s like me, but with a weaker version of foresight.
There were things they needed to find through him. ”
Kaley looked at Tanek. They knew she meant Haver’s skeleton, and he had given them gifts of magic items.
Vian continued. “My family had to get that mask from Zeon. That I was forced to risk my beloved grandson’s life to obtain it made me ill, but, as always,
I focused on the results.” She didn’t look at her son, knowing that Tanek’s face would show his anger.
She paused, and when she drew in her breath, her face changed to what was unmistakably anger, but she kept her voice under
control. “The end of my years of sacrifice was to be that Mekos would wear the mask and marry Princess Aradella. My grandson
would be king! Evil Olina and Urah would know that the end had come, and they’d flee in terror. And finally, Roal and I could have a life together.”
Vian paused for a long moment and a fire seemed to ignite in her dark eyes. “But that didn’t happen.” Her teeth were clasped
together. “Do you know who destroyed my thirty-five years of work?”
The faces of the four showed they had no idea. Aradella and Mekos could be married now, couldn’t they?
Vian looked at them slowly, one by one. But when she got to Mekos, she stopped. “Tell them what you did.”
Tanek and Kaley bent forward to look at Mekos and Aradella, but they didn’t return the gaze.
“My mother told me you did something,” Kaley said as she looked at Mekos. “It had to do with that lizard, didn’t it? This
time, please don’t lie.” She put her hand on her necklace. “Lies hurt.”
Tanek looked at his wife. “Your parents are not here. Where are they?”
“Probably in a waterfall,” Mekos muttered. “Seems to be a family trait.”
Aradella snickered.
His smart-aleck remark didn’t have the effect he meant it to. Everyone in the room turned sharply and looked at him, waiting
for him to do as his grandmother said and “tell them.”
But Mekos and Aradella were silent, their lips tight, their eyes straight ahead.
When Vian spoke again, her voice was so calm it was scary. It made them remember that this woman, as one of the Seven, had
the power to give or take life. “Tell me, do you remember the guide Valona assigned to you?”
She waited for an answer, but there was none. “You two, with your I-know-everything attitude, were so contemptuous of that
woman that you never even learned her name.” She glared at Aradella. “I believe you threatened her.”
Aradella kept looking straight ahead.
Vian looked at her grandson. “After what you two did to her beloved Valona, she went to Urah and demanded to be heard. She
told Urah and her vicious daughter how you used that mask to dupe Valona. You used it before you were supposed to show that you had it! It didn’t take Urah much thought to figure out what you two planned for the wedding.
They were ready for your clumsy little play!”
“But I kept the mask locked up,” Kaley said. “I have the only key. How could they . . . ?” She trailed off.
Vian glared at the two young people. “They stole the mask. They found a Never who seemed to be part snake. He can slide inside
locks! A mask, a pretty knife, even a picture on the wall, they took them all.” She glared at her grandson. “Tell your parents
what you two did with those things.”
“We—” Mekos began.
“It was me!” Aradella said loudly. “All of this is my fault. I—”
“No!” Mekos said. “I was the one who breathed the gas. I should have protected you and Ian and—”
Vian put up her hand for silence, then looked at Tanek. “Your son stole a knife out of Valona’s house, then he put the mask
on so he looked like his royal girlfriend. When Valona was about to kill who she thought was the princess, Aradella arrived
on a wolf and stabbed Valona. To death!”
“She rode on a wolf?” Kaley whispered in awe.
Mekos straightened his shoulders, looking defiant. “What would have happened if Aradella and I had not stopped her?”
Vian narrowed her eyes at him. “What I foresaw was that the princess was to be on the altar, then you were to sweep her away to safety. Valona would have been enraged, but she would fear exposure too much to run after you. Your
marriage in front of all those armed men—who I worked hard to get there—would have sent Urah and her daughter running to hide
at the Lair. Then those three spiteful, arrogant women would have killed one another in a battle of jealousy. It was a perfect
plan that took thirty-five years to set up!” She shouted the last.
Looking like she was trying to swallow her anger, she turned to Tanek. “Valona’s death has increased the power of Olina and
her mother. Right now, the people are occupied with the idea of domestic bliss—as was planned. However, without a young king-to-be
as a leader, they’ll have no desire to overthrow a queen. This will give Urah enough time to create enchantments to subdue
the people. She’ll fill the water, the very air, with her evil concoctions.” Vian looked at Aradella. “I foresee that they’ll
find the princess wherever she hides. She’ll be told that she’ll either marry that simpering Nessa or the people she has come
to love will be killed. Urah’s plan—which will happen when she gains control of the men—is to take over King Aramus’s island.”
Vian lowered her voice. “My vision also shows that the princess will sacrifice herself in an attempt to save everyone. But it won’t work.
The truth is that no matter what Aradella does, she and my grandson won’t be allowed to live long—nor will the people who have helped them.
” She looked at Kaley. “Urah hates you for killing her sister at that cake house. Her revenge plan of eradicating you and your family will be successful.” She turned to Tanek.
“You won’t live long enough to unite the people.
You won’t get to Empyrea. You won’t . . . ” Suddenly, it was as though all energy
left Vian. Her eyes rolled back into her head and her knees bent.
Roal caught her in his arms, then soared with her up through the hole in the ceiling and out of sight.
Tanek turned to Kaley. “We need to get the princess out of here. Now.”
Kaley was feeling the effects of Vian’s words. It was like she’d been stamped on by a herd of wild horses. “Mekos . . . Aradella . . .
You . . . All of us . . .” she whispered.
Tanek grabbed her by the shoulders. “Don’t give up on me now. Do you know who Ian is?”
Kaley was staring at him. “Didn’t you hear what she said? We can’t—”
“We have more important matters to deal with. I need to find Sojee.” When he looked at Kaley’s face, he bent, his nose almost
touching hers. “If everything can be turned in a different direction by a single act, it can be turned the other way by another.
We just have to figure out how to do it.” He straightened and looked at Mekos and Aradella. They were on the far side of the
room, their heads together, and talking intensely. “We’ll take her to the top of the mountain where you hid, then Papá and
I will try to figure out what to do next.”
Kaley looked as horrified as she felt. “I do not like being inside a fairy tale.”
“Neither do we.” Tanek kissed her forehead then hurried out of the room.