Aqua Jewel

Chapter 14 - Alyk

I knew we hadn't defeated Lord Dennek, but I did not feel disappointed, knowing he was still alive. He was gone, at least for now, and I was able to free my mother.

I stood there for a few seconds, staring at the spot where Dennek had been only moments ago, my mind spinning with facts, lies and questions.

I turned around, still processing the past half hour or so, and there was my mother. Standing at the bars of her cage, gazing in awe. At the sight of the woman who I always believed would protect me, the woman I loved more than anyone else in the world, all of my emotions came pouring back into my shocked, emotionless body. I wanted nothing more than to be with her again, and now, Dennek wasn't around to stop me.

I rushed to the man-sized birdcage, barely slowing to squeeze my arms between the bars and wrap my arms around my mother's torso. I felt warm relief as she did the same. I felt her soothing fingers stroke through my hair, and her hand on the back of my head as she pulled me closer.

Everything would be all right.

"You have a lot to tell me," she whispered into my ear.

"I do, and I will tell you. Every little detail," I promised in return. I pulled away, just enough to look up into her aqua blue eyes. "First, we have to get you out of here."

A whisper from behind me, however, completely changed my priorities.

"He's still alive."

I spun around to see my friends gathered around Alyk. Nika had his wrist in her hand, two fingers feeling for a pulse.

Rennoc narrowed his eyes in disbelief. "He can't be."

I broke away from my mother and went slowly over to Alyk. It was almost too much. His shirt was now soaked in his own blood, and his skin was deathly pale.

"Are you sure?" I asked. I didn't want Alyk to be dead, but I really couldn't see how he could still be alive. I knelt down on the floor between Rennoc and Lae and gently picked up his other wrist, feeling around with my fingers for a pulse. For a few panicky moments, I felt nothing. Then there was the soft thud of a heartbeat. A burst of joy filled my upper body. "He's still alive!"

"I wouldn't be too happy," Lae said. "Unless we get help immediately, he'll die anyway." Sometimes I hated Lae for being so realistic, although she did have a point.

"Then why are we all just sitting here? We have to go find a healer!" I cried urgently.

"Lae just shook her head sadly. "We're in Jesburgon, remember?" The village for the untalented?"

"There must be someone with a healing talent; how else could they care for the sick and injured?" Rennoc said.

"Weren't there other ways? I mean, before the Globe of Tarahabi, our ancestors used herbs or something. Maybe the untalented still do?" Haras suggested, thinking deeply. "Lae! Lae can grow herbs, can't you Lae?"

"Guys," Nika shushed us. Then in the silence, I heard it, a low humming from the other side of the room. A sense of déjà vu came over me. I spun around to find the source.

The necklaces, still lying abandoned on the floor at varying distances, were glowing and vibrating.

The two closest to each other – red and green – snapped together, as if drawn by a strong magnetic force. Quickly, the others connected as well, and the glow brightened until the light was so intense that I was forced to squint. At the same time, the colours went down, each fading to a bright white.