Photo | Gabriel Scapin de Oliveira …

Horus and His Companions The Sun The Light & The Moon… 1st draft

Mark said, “I can zap.”… Chapter 11

We rode a long while; covered an immense amount of ground; all of it this wide open dry land. Off to the right I could see a huge jagged snow capped mountain range, that appeared hundreds of miles long. The area had stark beauty, but as Lucia had said, it was actually a barrier or battle field. Now apparently people lived here. Who? I am sure we both would be finding out soon. The guy who apparently rescued us from the other two was now in complete control of our situation. It was a weird situation at that too. I had always in the back of my mind half expected myths to have a kernel of truth to them, but I was presently sitting upon a bit of that magic. It felt very real. It could also be very dangerous. I did not feel threatened by anything just now, but with things so fluid… it was hard to say what I would do next.

As suddenly as the ride began it ended. Still on the horses we sat there, waiting for something. The young man turned to me, began to introduce himself, but appeared slightly distracted.

“I am Mark. I didn’t get to introduce myself back there. I needed to get the two of you away from them. They are nice enough, but they do not understand your present situation, as I do.” Mark said, as he patted his horse’s shoulder.

Lucia was arching her back and giving him more room there atop the horse. She was listening and looking at me. It was all very surreal at this point.

“Mark, you mentioned danger back there. What is your plan? What do you plan to do to us?” I asked, to cut the chase. Lucia did not appear afraid, so I did not do anything at this point.

Mark, took in a breath. “I am so sorry I did not have a chance to clarify what it was I am doing for you. We still have a problem here. I am talking with Marta about it right now. Sorry for my half attention. I will say, I do have a plan. I will conjure up three robes to wear. These will identify to others that we are of the flesh eater clan. With these on each of us, we should pass unharassed by the curious. I must take you to a safe place, where you can meet the others, who need to see you. I am thinking it will be one of two places.” Mark said, he held out his arms in front of him, then saying some unintelligible words, several neatly folded black robes appeared to hang over his arms at his elbows. He handed me one of them. He began to help Lucia into her’s. He laid his robe across his left thigh. “Pull up the hoods please and over your faces. The horses will know the way, so it is not necessary for you to see completely the road ahead. After Lucia got her’s on and her face well hidden, he turned his attention to me. You did that well, Gemma. We are certainly ready. Now if Marta will tell me what it is I need to know, we can get started.”

I sat there in silence for about 20 minutes. I was comfortable. Not too warm and not too cold, this place was amazing that way. I was still amazed by all of it anyway.

I asked Mark, “How are you communicating with Marta?”

He looked over at me, appearing to give me his full attention. “I am sigiled as part of the flesh eater clan, so I can communicate directly with its members. On another level I am vaguely connected to the darkones and to the whole of the Odians. It is hard to explain. I am sure though you know what I mean, Gemma.” He said.

I asked him, since I did kind of know what he met, due to my own experiences so far and from what Lucia had told me of her story. “Mark, why is it taking so long to find out what to do next? I sense you are worried and you are keeping it together pretty well. Is there a problem?”

Mark smiled. “No, Marta is gathering together those we need to meet with. She is going to have us meet at the Lyceum that is on the edge of town. I thought she would do that. Your appearance was unexpected, but it was anticipated considering what had just happened to the both of you.”

Lucia looked over at me from under the huge hood. Her eyes that I could see were misty now and worried. The word ‘unexpected’ stood out to me too. Lucia would crash and burn if we did not see someone or something significant soon. I hoped to the gods, Mark was not arranging to send us back to our world, without seeing anyone here. I know Lucia had questions and I certainly had my questions. I don’t know if Lucia could humanly survive this unexpected arrival here. I decided to watch her closely. If I saw any indication of her faltering emotionally in anyway, I was going to start yelling until someone did something reasonable, that did not include sending us back to where we came from.

At that point, I had forgotten Mark was pretty good at reading minds. Big mistake on my part.

Mark pursed his lips together. “If you think my lady here would be allowed to harm herself or become that despondent, you miss understand my efforts here. No one is going back anywhere. You each are equals with your mates and decisions are made on that basis. Yes, it is realized you are both in a very fragile situation, but no harm will come to you or yours. Do you believe me?” Mark said.

“I am not sure, Mark. I know Lucia. You do not. You do not know me. You definitely do not know what we have been through and what it is we need at this point.” I said, in a defiant tone.

Lucia pulled back the hood covering her tear stained face and looked at me. She was gone, I could tell. Emotionally done in. “Hey, Mark, can you do something ASAP. Like zap us there or let us at least walk this off. We are both very thirsty and hungry, let alone confused. Basically getting to the point of non-functional.” I said, as I moved slightly on the horse forward, that made my mount uneasy as to what it was feeling coming from me apparently. Damn it I will have to get use to everything reading my god damn mind here.

“You put it so well, Gemma. I felt Lucia here slowly falling apart, as you put it. I am not inhumane. I am doing the best I can. This is very dangerous and something close to my heart here. Lucia is my queen and she is yours, hopefully. I would give my life for her. If I could just, zap, as you have said, I would be doing so. I can, zap. But into what situation would be the problem. I am indeed a magi, I am also a necromancer and an instructor at the Lyceum with someone very dear to Lucia’s heart, actually several someones. I also have had the pleasure of working with your brother, my princess. So please, by the gods, be patient with me will you. I beg you….” Mark’s voice trailed off. He was definitely by the looks of it connected now with Marta and giving a very necessary update about his charges to her.

“Ok, Gemma, we are off now to the Lyceum. Do you think we have time to make it there? Marta wants to know what you think.” Mark said, in all honesty apparently.

“Lucia.” I said, looking at her. “Will you be ok for now, for the ride. You will have to be together enough to talk with people. But it may all be worth it. I am sure they will have some food and a place to sit too there.” I was assuming all of this, but wanted to give who ever a chance. Mark was kind of our emotional hostage at this point. I knew he was getting all of this.

Mark then placed his arms around Lucia. Why, I did not understand. But he was hugging her and whispering into her ear, something. Lucia became suddenly relaxed, as he pulled her hood lower over her head, obscuring her face totally. He held her sensually with his left arm. Then he looked over at me.

“I did what had been suggested by Alec. A spell he had consent to do in the past to Lucia. It worked. Of course there is you, I must also deal with. A very strong willed Lyran female. What say you to hearing something from your mate at this point?” Mark said, looking at me, almost pleading with me.

“Ummm, Mark you definitely do not have permission to do that to me. But I am glad you know Alec. That is enough for me.” I said, then I thought about what he had just said to me. “My mate? What did you mean by that?”

“Well at the least I have gotten your attention now my princess.” Mark said, then smiling. “Brad said to tell you to just hang on til we arrive there at the Lyceum. He promises to explain it all to you. He asks you to wait until then.”

Hell, he knows Brad too. Or maybe he just read my mind. But he did help Lucia. “Ok, I’ll take the bait Mark. I will wait. But I swear…. If it turns out I am wrong I will have a lot of apologizing to do to you, sir.” I said.

Mark slapped my horse on its rump and yelled, “Pull your hood down for the ride, princess.”

Next…

Lucia said, “I do trust you Alec, with my life.”… Chapter 12

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He said, “Because I can.”.., Chapter 10