The Lost Knight (Volume IV) The Lost Prince

Chapter 20: Life Saver

The nice thing about having a friend with limited short-term memory is that I can confess anything to him. Trelix still gives great advice. But what cheers me up most is the big grin and the bear hug when I first walk in. Even though I visit every day, for him, he hasn't seen me in months.

We go through the same catch-up we do every time. I try not to rush through it because this is new to him and he's so happy, but it gets tedious, especially matching his enthusiasm. Sometimes I pity him and other times, I envy him. His friends will be alive forever.

"Trelix, there may be more to the search for the key other than finding the plaque. When I found it, I thought I was done. I thought that was the key, but then nothing happened. It's been months."

I shouldn't have said that. I have to be careful not to let any time references conflict with Trelix's new reality. He gets upset when he's confused. I think I'm good because I was gone for a long time before they set up a rescue mission, plus Trelix is patiently waiting for me to continue. "The plaque and the Orb haven't done anything this whole time. Then Carfron shows up."

I have to explain who Carfron is. I make it seem as if he showed up today, and Trelix accepts it even though it doesn't quite flow with my story. I also explain my dream and what dili-musebayer is. Trelix likes that word, so we spend some time with it. I help him pronounce it, but no matter how hard he tries, it's a grunt.

We take so long, I have to recap the beginning of my story, but he's keeping up pretty well. Maybe he's recovering some. "I'm frightened, like deep in my bones scared. Last time we did this, people got hurt. Bad things happened. I can't go through that again. I can't be responsible for that."

He pats my knee. He groans out some words, and I have him repeat a few times until I can translate what he's saying. "If you don't find the key, then everyone dies. All the cultures die. Liisoole."

The reminder of the Liisoole Faeries hanging from the trees slams home the facts. Stratagor Ziras believes the only way to win in war is to decimate your enemy. And he's right. The monsters of Ashra will die fighting him. His only path to peace is through his enemies.

The thought of Ziras finding the key before me snaps my thoughts inline. "You're right. I was so torn up by grief, I forgot why I was doing this. I have to find it first. I have to be the one that makes the choice." My mouth snaps shut, and I look around to see if anyone heard me. I can't believe I said that out loud. 

Trelix didn't notice my confession, so I continue. "We know what happens if he wins. Thank you, Trelix. You always give the best advice."

I have a plan now. I wrap things up and race back to my room. I eat a light lunch because I may be throwing it up later, and head to the Temple. When I get to the little room, Jonah isn't there yet. Carfron flops, face-first into the sofa. I pull up a chair in front of the table that holds the two plaques and candlestick with the Orb on top.

I stare at the Orb, but all I see is the upside-down room behind it.

"There's nothing here," I say to Jonah when he walks in. "It's the same as when Auntie made me look at it. It's a marble."

"Has Carfron said anything?"

"No, he's sleeping on the sofa,"

"I wonder if it's significant that your hallucination eats and sleeps."

"I don't think so. He doesn't go to the bathroom, or fart, or anything. I think he's supposed to be lifelike, but he's not."

"I wonder if that's significant. That he's such a poor representation of Carfron."

"I think you're overthinking it. I just wish I knew why he was here."

"It might be as simple as the Orb wanting you to get to work."

"But last time it wanted me to work, it glowed. We all worked. We got the plaque. What more does it need?"

"Hopefully, we'll find out soon."

I go back to staring at the Orb. He pulls up a chair across from me and gazes into it too. We stay that way for a long time. I've won a great victory when Jonah quits first. He leans back in his chair. "Anything?"

"Nope. I'm even being hyper-aware of how I feel and what I'm thinking, but nothing is happening."

"You were holding the invisible plaque when you thought you were drowning. Maybe you should try that."

I pick up the imaginary plaque and examine it. I try touching it to the real one. I stack them together and lay them end to end. Nothing happens.

"Maybe it's significant that Carfron's sleeping through this," he says.

"I doubt it. It might be significant that he's still here. I'm supposedly doing what he asked. Why hasn't he vanished?"

"Ask him."

"Carfron, wake up!" I shout. He rolls over and stretches with a groan but doesn't get up. "Why are you still here?"

He shrugs and smiles at me.

"What does that mean?" I ask.

"I don't know?"

"You don't know what that means, or it means you don't know?"

He shrugs again.

I turn back to Jonah and explain what happened. "I don't know why he's here." I sigh out some of my frustration "He's not helpful. Talk about a silly moose."

Jonah's eyes light up. "I think I understand. When you were focused on Lenox, Carfron implemented a plan to solve your problem. Somehow he was able to find him. Then he got you to go to him. Focus. That's what you need."

He stands and lifts his hands to his head. "Dilli-musebayer! No focus. Yes!" He races around the table and kneels next to me, so we're eye-to-eye.  "Agatha, when you were in bed with the plaque, when you were drowning, what were you focusing on?"

"The plaque. What it was. What it meant. That kind of stuff."

"Were you thinking about water, bathing, swimming, drowning?"

"No, I was spinning the stupid tile around trying to get it to do something."

"We've been staring at the Orb waiting for it to do something. What if it needs a command?"

"Show us how the key works," I say to the Orb while holding up the real plaque. Nothing happens.

"That was too direct. Focus on what you want. It's essential that we know how the plaque and Orb work."

"I'm scared. I may have imagined that I was drowning, but it felt very real."

"I'm right here." He places his hand over mine for support.

"Okay," I say with a shaky breath. "Here we go."

I had nothing to fear. We work for hours, but the only thing that happened was that Carfron put on a life preserver. One of those old-timey white ones they used on the Titanic. He looks funny sitting on the sofa in the life vest, but he likes it.

"This isn't going to work," Carfron says, eyeing his vest.

"Then take it off."

"Nope, not going to work," he says to the vest.

I turn my attention back to Jonah. "Apparently, the theme is water. Let's tell Dathid. Last time I said potato chips and he figured everything out. Let's tell him water and see what happens."

"He had a bit more information. Let's review what we know?"

"A life vest isn't going to work," I say with a wave to Carfron. "And I'm going to drown. Which FYI, is a big fear of mine."

"Maybe that's why he's wearing the vest."

My heart skips a beat. "Carfron's my vision, but he doesn't read my thoughts and stuff. If he's wearing a life preserver because I'm afraid of drowning—that freaks me out." Jonah frowns and puts a hand on my shoulder.

I wish Trelix were here. I need to punch something. "Carfron, take the vest off. You're right. It's not going to work."