(excerpt from Chandra's Quest Book 2 Twisted Embers. Chapter 11 The Forest Avolea)
The group spent the night in Saun
then the next day rented a hovercar to Vylean, another town, heading north. In
the daytime they ventured into town, shopped for supplies and went back to
their room. Night fell, and they got much needed sleep except Chandra. She kept
thinking about Makea and Xenos.
“I
wonder where that bitch is now? Will Xenos track me down? I have the armband he
put on me, so it is a guarantee that he will.” She looks at the armband and
frowns, letting out a soft sigh. “He will
be a problem, if he finds me,” she thought.
First sign of daybreak Carlos is up and about packing his stuff. Chandra
rubs her weary eyes. She managed to get some shut eye in the early morning
hours but not enough.
“I didn’t get much sleep,” she
told Keeja.
“I did but I am worried that we won’t make it to that place called Avolea.”
She whispered. “We are trotting around with a killer, and a bug alien creature….
thing. I think we should go our own way. Leave them. We can make it…I know
we can.” Keeja eyed Treau suspiciously.
“Well, look at you. I guess I
brought out the adventurer/rebel in you,” Chandra chuckles.
“I’m being serious,” Keeja said
with a smile.
“Well, yes I know that they are an
odd couple to be consorting with but, Carlos hasn’t harmed us, and I do not
sense an underlying motive for them helping us, so I think we should continue
on our quest with them… wherever it leads us.” Keeja sighed and grimaced.
“If you say so,” she responded,
with an ambivalent tone. Chandra put her arm around her friend, to reassure her
that everything will be fine, even though she holds doubt in her mind.
“I really like that armband, too
bad it’s a tracker,” Keeja said with a sigh. She was about to touch it, but
Chandra quickly put on her top, covering the armband with her sleeve.
“We better get packing,” Chandra
said. Keeja shrugged and nodded. After they packed, they carried their stuff to
an all-terrain electric car parked in a lot nearby. Treau transformed into a
Valurin guard.
“When did you bump into a Valurin
guard?” Carlos asked him.
“It was in Doesha. I simply touched
his hand when I was in a Comigae form. I was walking pass him, and I simply bumped
my hand on his. I excused myself and went on my way. He conceded.
“Wow, it’s that simple?” Carlos
asked.
“Yes, it is.” Treau gave him a nod.
“When I touch a person, I inherit
their persona, their energy. It is easy for me to change
into that individual and impersonate them. Even their finger prints are copied
into my DNA.”
“Interesting,” Chandra chimed in.
As the vehicle passed the plains of Fyui, Chandra feels anxious. Her heart is
filled with anticipation. She looks at her belly.
“I think I am pregnant but I’m not sure.” She
grimaced. “I hope we reach Avolea. If
that place is truly a sanctuary, then I will be safe there. I will feel more at
ease knowing that my baby will be born in a haven,” she thought.
“Look at the spectacular view,”
Keeja said, as she points out to the tall trees ahead. Chandra let out a
nervous sigh and gulped.
“I guess so,” she said, not paying
much attention. She is immersed in her thoughts. Keeja digs into a bag and brings
out some takeout food.
“Carlos got this at that market
place we stopped the other day. Do you want some?” she shoves the piece of food
in Chandra’s face.
“They are fried fish balls. Carlos said fish
poop, but he is joking I’m sure.” She pursed her lips. Chandra couldn’t stomach
the smell, she feels nauseous. A side effect of pregnancy. Keeping her
pregnancy, a secret from her friends is becoming difficult.
“No, I don’t want anything.” She gave Keeja a weary smile.
“Hmm, I noticed you haven’t been
eating that much.
Are you sick?” Keeja asked.
“Maybe. I’m not sure. It could be
stress related, though.” Chandra shrugged and turns her attention back to the
ominous trees that lay ahead.
They grow larger as they get
closer. “Avolea, a place of sanctuary. I
certainly hope so.” She gently rubs her belly.
“There is a problem.” Treau said. His eyes
glazed over, and a distant look shadowed his face. Everyone looked at him,
anxiously.
“What is it?” Carlos asked. He set
the hover car on auto-pilot.
“I sense someone is tracking us.”
Treau paused. “A bounty hunter.”
“What! She is here on the continent
of Lyvia? I told you she would come!” Keeja cried out.
Chandra sat up with a start. Her
heart sank.
“No, I do not sense a female but a
male.” Treau’s eyes became normal again.
“Oh no,” Chandra whispered, rubbing her forehead with her fingers.
“What is it Chandra?” Keeja asked.
She noticed her friend’s distressed look.
“It’s Xenos. I thought he was far
away.” She looked at her arm.
“Damn! It’s this armband!” She
showed Keeja. “One of the armband’s jewels is glowing.” She said.
“How
did he find me? I thought he was far away, off this world?” She
pondered for a moment. “Wait, it’s been several weeks, almost a month since we
last saw each other so it is possible he found his way back to Eurleau.” She
conceded.
“Oh shit,” Keeja whispered, her
mouth dropped, staring at the armband.
“Damn it!” Carlos said. “So, you
think Lizard man is back on Eurleau?” He asked, anxiously.
“I don’t know what happened to him
and his friend Dukar after the Valurin tried to abduct me,” she continued. “All
I know is that the gas he used on them was supposed to leave them in a
temporary coma for a few days or maybe weeks. I believe they were sent
somewhere, probably to another continent or maybe to the moon Dyna.”
“Well, I guess Javarins are a
sturdy bunch,” Carlos said, tightly.
“Why is it doing that?” Keeja
asked, as she touched the glowing jewel on the armband with her finger.
“Don’t touch it!” Carlos shouted. Keeja gasped and jerked her hand back, her
button brown eyes popped open. She grimaced.
“If you touch it, it will pick up your DNA
signal and he will definitely know you’re with her.” Treau said. Keeja gulped,
her worried eyes glanced at Chandra.
“Yeah, what he said,” Carlos
added. “We have to get to Avolea before
he catches up with us.” Carlos chimed in, with a solicitous look in his eyes.
Chandra grimaced and sighed. It is her burden to bare but now she has put the
rest in danger.
