Chapter 16 #2
Bree. And you farken well better keep them apart!” At that, Zeon cut the connection.
Yet again, Qip muttered, “Why me?”
The five of them were looking at Qip, waiting to hear what he had to say. He took a breath. “As you have guessed, you were
sent here for a reason.” He looked back at the trusting young faces. “Vian has set a great and mighty task onto your shoulders.
The truth is that I don’t know if you can accomplish it.”
Like all young people, their expressions said, Yes we can! Try us!
In other circumstances, Qip would have smiled, but these people—with their families—were talking of overthrowing Empyrea.
“Before you can go forward, tomorrow you must procure two objects.” He couldn’t help glancing at Darr.
His left eyelight blinked three times. Yes, they both knew it was a lie. Obtaining the objects was not the goal.
“We have some magic things,” Aradella said. “We could—”
Qip raised his hand. “What you will obtain is fundamental to your success.” He did not look at Darr. He knew he’d again see
the blinking eyelights. But Darr was programed to send messages subtly. He sent a little flashing light that landed on the
table next to Qip’s hand. It could as well have formed the words ridiculous rhetoric. But they both knew there was no way Qip could tell them the truth.
Qip did his best to ignore the censure. “The first item you must obtain is the Rose of Vaheal. It’s a simple object and it’s
being held in plain sight.” He looked from one to the other. “The rose is used as a prop at our little playhouse. I’ve seen
it there for years.”
“You couldn’t slip in and take it?” Mekos asked.
Qip leaned forward. “If it could be stolen, I would have done it years ago. It must be given to a person.” He paused long enough to see the questions they were forming—but he had no intention of answering them. “It’s
a purple rose in a little white vase. It’s hardly noticeable. Somehow, you must get someone in authority to give it to you.”
Aradella made a sound of derision. “Bree can get it. All she has to do is look at a person and they capitulate. I’ve heard
several men say, ‘What is mine is yours.’”
Qip tried to conceal a frown at the jab. He looked at Bree. She said nothing but he saw her pick up a steel fork and conceal
it on her lap. To his amazement, she folded it in half—with one hand. Seconds later, she straightened it and put it back on
the table.
As he tried to not show his shock, Qip cleared his throat, and looked at the others. “The second thing you’re to get is a medallion.” He shrugged. “However, I doubt if you can do that—and stay alive, that is. The ancient medallion is worn by the Monster of Sheean.”
“What kind of monster?” Tam asked.
Qip took his time answering. “You asked about misfits. Sheean is one of them. His DNA was changed. In other words, he is like
me and we are what we are.”
“Like you?” Tam asked. “I think I speak for all of us in saying that we don’t understand what you mean.”
Qip put down his fork, Darr took his plate away, and the older man leaned back in his chair. “All of us here in this room
are misfits.”
“I am for sure,” Mekos said. “I am a Lely, but the others are quite ordinary.”
They smiled at his jest.
“No, no,” Qip said. “Being different makes you a misfit.” His voice began to rise. “I was cast out of the world I was born into.”
Aradella put her hand over Mekos’s. “We saw that in the Lair. The guide we had hated the Lelys. We don’t want to offend anyone.”
Qip put his hands over his ears. “Do not say that word!” he shouted.
They were shocked at his vehemence.
“Which word? Lair? Lelys?” Tam asked.
“No! The other one.” Darr quickly handed Qip a dark red liquid in a little glass. It seemed to have been prepared beforehand
and kept at the ready. Qip drank it in one gulp.
“You mean the word offend?” Aradella asked.
They waited while Qip regained his composure. “I apologize. I lived on Empyrea for many years, but I was hidden away for fear
that my looks would—” he swallowed “—offend some people. Worse, they might feel sorry for me and that would hurt them. Hurt
does not equal happiness or pleasure. And ‘equal’ is everything.”
All five of them were looking at him without a hint of understanding. Yes, he was quite short, bald, and wrinkled, and his nose was rather wide and stubby, but there was nothing about him that would make anyone feel bad. He certainly wouldn’t scare anyone!
“I was deemed to not belong, so I was sent here to Abicis with the other offensive people. All of us are too ugly or too beautiful,
too strong or weak, too talented or too . . .” He waved his hand. “We are too different, so we were sent away.”
“But you are magnificent at creating.” Bree glanced at Darr.
Qip took a moment to calm himself. “Empyreans are not stupid. In spite of our physical oddities, they know how to use whatever
talents we have.” He looked at Mekos. “Your grandfather was brilliant with machines so he was put on a spaceship. My friend
Cappie is often used. And I have a room full of machines that help me achieve what they need. My work is not offensive, just
my physical appearance.”
For a moment, they were quiet, then Mekos said, “If we live through this, you can have a home with us Beyhans. Or in Aradella’s
kingdom. You could get a wife, maybe.”
Bree said, “On Pithan, we have women who will take anything male.” Instantly, she realized how bad that sounded. “I didn’t
mean—”
Aradella cut her off. “Fox ladies will even take on humans and look what they get.” She reached up to Mekos’s hair and exposed
one of his pointed ears.
Her joke broke the tension and they all laughed, even Bree. Darr’s eyes twinkled with blue and green lights.
“So tell us what we need to know,” Mekos said. “Can we do it all in a day?”
“I hope so,” Qip said. “I don’t believe Olina will stop her search for you. Her army is bound to show up here. We are in luck
as tomorrow is our Play Day, with no work to be done. In the early morning, you and Tam will train with Darr. He’s seen fights
with Sheean so he knows what’s needed.”
“The fights are a regular occurrence?” Tam asked.
“Every week. The play is in the morning and the fight is later. Nearly everyone on the island goes to watch the play, then
they stay to see the fight.”
“What happens if a person loses?” Aradella asked.
Qip looked at her hard. “At worst, death. But sometimes it’s merely the loss of a limb or an eye.” Qip looked at Tam. “You
two young men can go in together.”
“Are women allowed to participate in the battle?” Bree asked.
Aradella gave a little laugh, then said, “Sorry. It was just an amusing image.” She looked back at Qip. “This monster has
the medallion?”
“It’s around his neck. When you defeat him, you can take it.”
“And everyone who has tried has failed to take it?” Bree asked.
“Oh no,” Qip said. “People fight to get the prize money that’s given based on how long he can survive in the ring. No one
cares about the necklace Sheean wears. I doubt if anyone knows of its power.”
Ian said, “You sound as though you know this person.”
Qip smiled at his perception. “I knew him before he was labeled a monster. He was a scamp but—” Qip broke off. “That doesn’t
matter now. You will need the medallion. Do whatever you must to get it.” He pushed his chair back and stood up. “I have to rest now. Tomorrow while
the men train, the women will go after the rose.”
Aradella gave a sound like a squeak. “My cousin and I cannot—” Mekos put his hand over hers and squeezed. With a sigh, she stopped talking. Personal feelings weren’t going to be considered
in this.