Page 18 of Ngozii's Plight

“As for the planet’s issue, your foe is in action. Things in the cities are beginning to worsen, more trouble is brewing, and the divide is only going to grow from here. The source of all this chaos is aware of your destiny, aware that you are meant to mend this. Danger lurks ever closer, so be on your guard or lives will be lost. I wish you the best of luck, Kari, I know you’ll do what’s right.”

Blinking, the tiny pink light flutters away, the others disappearing with it as I’m left alone on the riverbank. There’s a heavy silence in the air as I think for a moment on all that she said.The source of all this chaos. So there is a singular source for the troubles of this world? What is it? Could it be a who? I have a lot of research to do, a lot of questions for Vahru as I sort this out and learn what I can. I can only hope that I’ll have time to do the research I need to figure out what’s going on behind the scenes. Surely not everyone in the cities feels negatively, and I can find help somewhere. Someone has to have answers to my questions.

Rustling in the brush behind me has me whirling around, nervous that I’ve been followed, that is until I see it’s Vahru, his shirtless purple body slipping through the leaves until he’s smiling at me and pulling a twig from his loose dark hair. “There you are. I wondered where you could have run off to.”

“How did you know to look for me here?” I ask as he drops onto the bank beside me, his hand tucking a loose curl of blonde hair from my face before he kisses my cheek and rests back on his hands.

“I followed our bond, of course. I’ll always be able to find you, Princess.” He smirks at me, and I roll my eyes, the purple people eater song ringing in my mind. He chuckles, probably hearing it, too, as he bumps my shoulder.

“I was just chatting with The Guardians. They gave me a little praise and some friendly advice for what we’ve done so far.” I glance around at the trees, trying to see if they’re watching us right now, but without the telltale lights, I can’t be sure.

“What did they say this time?” He studies my face as I lean forward and watch my toes draw patterns in the water. Vahru must sense my confusion because his tail brushes against my forearm in a soothing gesture.

“They told me that the issue with Tavionna doesn’t need bloodshed, so if I can find another solution, I should. I hadn’t really had a plan yet, but now I’m worried that she’s going to show up here, guns blazing, and we’ll be defenseless.” I sigh as I shake my head, hating the panicked thoughts in my mind and the insecurity in my voice.

“I’m not so sure that’s what she plans to do, but now that we know where she is, we can get to her with the portal, maybe talk things through and find a peaceful solution. Perhaps that’s what The Guardians meant.”

Turning to look up at him, my eyes trace the lines of his face before I’m sucked into the swirling depth of his ocean blue eyes. “Maybe. They also said the source of the chaos in this world knows of me, my destiny, and that I plan to fix the divide. So we’re in danger, even here. Despite the fact that Criido’s safety comes first, I still need to get on with fixing your world before it’s too late.”

“We should get the others, tell them of this, and maybe together we can come up with a plan to move forward. The more brains on an issue, the faster it’s resolved, right?” He smirks at me, leaning closer to kiss my forehead.

“Right.” Pulling out my comm, I send a message to Jeff, Criido, and the girls to gather up and meet at the chief’s to discuss something important. Vahru pulls me to my feet once the message is sent, and we begin our walk to the village.

We’re quiet as we walk along, and he pulls me to his side, his arm around my shoulders as we trudge down the path. His fingers trace along my arm in an attempt to soothe me, as I’m sure he’s getting hints if not full blasts of my unease and fear. I hate to admit that I feel a bit lost at the moment, overwhelmed and unsure. Once again, I’m right back where I started since coming here, with too many missions and not enough of me to go around to fix it all.

But Vahru’s right, getting together with my team is important. Delegating what I can takes some weight off me so I can focus on the most important issues. Problem is, I’m not sure which is worse right now, the thought of Tavionna showing up and wiping out the village, or some evil mastermind living in a tower somewhere with his finger hovering over the detonate button to destroy us. Either way, we’re sitting ducks, and I have no idea how to protect us from either threat.

As we all file into the chief’s cabin, Willa and Tonya bring out trays of snacks and tea for all of us. Unable to sit and relax, I pace the length of the sitting room in front of the couch where Criido sits, watching me closely. The others are sitting around in the chairs, the hunters of Jeff’s elite team standing guard behind the couch. All eyes follow me as I pace, and my unease only grows.

With Vahru’s help, I quickly fill them in on what The Guardians said and my fears following those words. Because he says it’s good for me to be open and honest no matter how I fear it will make me look, I also spill my guts on how pathetic I feel that I have no solution to protect us. I’m not sure what to do at this point. Which is when silence falls on us all. They all think as my heart rate spikes.

“Kari, do you have any plans for mending the divide yet?” Criido asks softly, curiosity shining in his wrinkled eyes as he gazes at me.

Shaking my head, I respond with, “No, not really. I want to do more research, dig into the world’s history, and see if there’s something I’m missing before I take a step forward. Your safety is priority right now.”

He nods, accepting my answer as he leans forward and gently takes his tea from the table, holding the cup between his hands as he sits back into the couch. Jeff stands and walks over to me, resting a hand on my shoulder. His hazel eyes seem more brown than green today as he smiles at me.

“We’ll figure this out together, don’t worry. I’m sure the hunters and I can convince some others to help us bulk up security and keep an eye out for threats. Maybe you could reach out to that genius kid and see if he has any solutions.”

Nodding as he speaks, a plan slowly starts to form in my head. “Yeah, if we can figure out Tavionna’s plan, that’s the other priority. We need to find a defense against her before she takes over the village.”

A cackling laugh rings out as Criido jumps, his tea cup smashing on the wood floor as his tea pools at his feet. He and Willa stare at the floor in shock, the hunters jumping forward into ready stances as they look around the room and then down to the floor, as Jeff and Vahru quickly pull the table back to reveal a face within the liquid.

A heart-shaped pink face with swirling patterns on it comes into view. She laughs again, her plump lips open to reveal shiny white teeth. When her eyes open, I notice the mesmerizing swirl of purple and silver, but it’s the hardening of her eyes, the way her brows settle low into a menacing snarl, that has me bristling. She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, but she’s angry and out for vengeance.

Chapter 12

Tavionna

Seated cross-legged on the floor of my sanctuary, I rest two hands on my knees, fingers up, the others pressed together in front of my heart as I breathe deep the incense and candle smoke. It is time I make my intentions clear to Criido and his little band of followers. No more will I sit idly by while my people suffer.

The deep, long breaths help to center me as I dive into myself, connecting with the universe as I traverse the stars, looking for a reflective portal through which to speak to my prey. It takes a lot of effort to stay on track, and by the time I reach the right planet and cabin, I can feel the sweat drip down my temples from the effort.

I watch silently as a tea cup is set on the table, the contents high enough for me to see around me to all gathered. Listening intently, I eavesdrop on the conversation, waiting for the right moment to announce my presence. Showing oneself in a cup of tea isn’t exactly a spectacle, but without something larger, I’m afraid it may have to do.

As my eyes scan the small crowd gathered around the table, my guides whisper names to me, filling me in on who my enemies are.

Kari, the supposed leader of her little band of misfits. The former space captain destined for greatness. Or so they say. She’s a tiny, thin, wisp of a thing who looks no stronger than a child. Her bright blond hair and big green eyes make her seem so innocent, her small stature only adding to the façade. She shouldn’t be difficult to get rid of.

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