The Cleansing (Book One: The Folara Chronicles)

066: Ondrea

Ondrea wrapped the shawl around her as she hurried to answer the timid knocking on her door. 

She knew who was there before she answered.

"Mathilde." She opened the portal and stood back to admit her cousin, and the seven self-declared Ladies of the Council of Valdemar. 

One by one the young women entered and although Mathilde sat, Kahlest remained standing. 

Ondrea sat beside her cousin, her feet pulled up beneath her. She waited for Kahlest to begin.

"I am Kahlest, Premiere Harpyiae of Valdemar."

"I know who you are, young woman. What do you want of me?" Ondrea decided not to allow this headstrong youngster to dominate, she knew nothing of the history of the Council or its purpose.

Kahlest refused to be intimidated. "We are here to formally organize the Aerie."

"If it's the Aerie you are concerned with, I have no experience of it. What do you truly seek?" 

Kahlest did manage to look slightly confused at Ondrea's terminology. "The Council of the Aerie..." 

"If you are referring to the Council of Ladies of Aquaria of which I am a part, I am afraid you don't understand the purpose of that Council any more than I understand your Aerie." Ondrea smiled as gently as she could for Mathilde's benefit. 

"My Aerie..." Kahlest repeated solemnly. "We Harpyiae, of which you find yourself in league, we have powers others don't have. We need to safeguard ourselves, and protect..."

"To avoid the exploitation of your gifts by the unscrupulous and power hungry? Yes, I do understand that. The Council of Aquaria was instigated for just such a purpose even before the first settlers arrived on the planet."

Kahlest looked astonished. "Before the first settlers came? Were there Harpyiae on our Mother planet?"

"The Council wasn't formed to protect the Harpyiae which are a mutation the planet has made to adapt life forms to its surface. The Council was formed to protect power. Your Harpyiae mutation—excuse me, our Harpyiae mutation is a gift. But I believe that if you look around you will see that the mutation is claiming not just a part of your women, but the majority. Soon, no females born to your people will be human. I can see that the partial transformation nature has given you is confusing to you, but I assure you, nature will have her way, and this civilization will die. No species has ever propagated without females."

"Ondrea! You have the power to stop the complete mutation!" Kahlest cried, her eyes pleading, but determined. She quit twisting her hands and pressed clenched fists into the floor.

"What makes you think I possess such a power?" she laughed. "Do you think because I sat on the Council in Aquaria I have some special power that will cure you, the planet, the hideous perversions of nature, the toxic air? I assure you, I have no such gift!"

Kahlest leaned forward. "Oh yes, you do, Ondrea, you have the sight."

Ondrea flung out her arm in mock surrender. "Sight? I have no such gift!" She looked to Mathilde for support and Mathilde nodded.

Kahlest looked aghast, her eyes wide. "I came here to attain the earth magic you and Mathilde have. I need to understand it."

"There is no earth magic!" 

"So, you believe that we're all going to die? That the expedition was a failure?" 

Mathilde glanced at Ondrea. "There might be a way."