Foretold

Chapter 6

Vasiliki and Alex sat in the large adobe room that served as a library for the couple hundred texts that actually belonged to the Praelia tribe. Of course, they weren’t looking at the books and scrolls opened to the public, but that didn’t matter.

The windows were open and the small amount of sun that could filter through the jungle’s foliage was being utilized fully.

She and Alex sat at a table next to one of the windows pouring over texts.

Alex still had difficulty understanding the texts. Vasiliki would read them to him out loud so that he could translate her words into English. But it was slow going as Alex had to stop her often to ask for an explanation.

“O trópos chri̱simopoií̱thi̱ke móno mia forá o̱s énas trópos gia na bei se af̱tí̱ ti̱n pragmatikóti̱ta.”

The Way was used only once as a way to… to get… Alex stopped, confused. “Gia na párete af̱tó?” To get what?

She stopped, cocking her head, uncertain how to explain herself. “Gia na ftásete edó̱.” She finally answered.

To get here? But why did her ancestors want to get here? “Giatí edó?”

She frowned, unsure. “Gia na mas apomonó̱sei apó tous állous.”

Why ever would they want to isolate themselves from others? “Giatí?”

She threw up her hands. “Den xéro̱, Alex!”

His heart sank. She didn’t know. “Tha máthete?” We will find out.  Alex tried to reassure them both with this statement, but it was difficult to reassure her when he didn’t really know if he believed it himself. But he had no choice. If he didn’t figure out what had happened to her people and how to get them out of this other dimension, he would be enslaved, or worse yet, killed.

***

The two took a break, both of them sick of looking at the pages and trying to figure out what they meant.

So far, all they knew was that the Way had been created by magic of some sort conjoined with machinery. And they had no way of knowing what the magic was, but upon examination of the machinery on this side of the Way, they could find no inkling of magic about it.

Sophia Andromeda had aided them in this search since she could detect the magic. It seemed that the reason it wasn't working on this side was that there was no magic in the machinery. Whether it had been used up or had never been there was another question.

And if it hadn't been there, then why hadn't it been? Hadn't the Praelia tribe's ancestors wanted a way to get back in case their supposedly perfect alternate dimension didn't work out as they wanted it to?

If it had been there, then where had it gone? Why had it gone?

The questions seemed unending.

Alex sighed, staring into the jungle from his spot on the grass.

Vasiliki glanced at him. "Tha vroúme énan trópo , Álex." We will find a way, Alex.

He smiled, nodding. "Elpízo̱ étsi." I hope so.

She scooted over closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder with a soft smile.

Tribeswomen glanced at them, some frowning, others laughing and pointing.

Vasiliki ignored them. More than likely, this display of affection and trust towards Alex would get her into trouble, but she didn't care. Alex was more important to her than keeping herself out of trouble.

She didn't know how it had happened, but over the last week or so, she had been growing to like Alex. He was a close, loyal companion and treated her with nothing but respect and kindness.

Oh, sometimes he grew frustrated when she used words he couldn't yet understand, but he never yelled, just asked her to explain. And usually, she found a way to explain her meaning to him without too much further frustration on either party's end.

Vasiliki had never had many friends. Most of the people who said they were her friends were just there for the power being associated with her gave them. Really, Daedalos was her only true friend. And now Alex.

True friends were rare things to find. Especially if you were in a position of power. When found, Vasiliki knew it was important to hang onto them no matter what anyone said. A friendless existence was one not worth living.

So, no matter what anyone said, she wasn't going to give Alex up. Unless he found a way back, he'd be stuck here forever, and she wouldn't let something bad happen to her friend just because he couldn't find a way back.

He was a good guy. He didn't deserve the ill treatment most of the women would give him.

For now, the ill treatment consisted of being taunted or slapped around on occasion. But for the msot part, he was left alone. That would change if people discovered he couldn't get them out of this dimension.

If people found out about that, he would be the first target for their wrath. He would die.

Her tribe wasn't known for their forgiveness. If Alex failed, there would be no mercy. Which was why if she knew they were going to fail, she was going to get him and Daedalos out and leave herself. There was no point to staying in this awful place if there was no way out. Because her mother and the rest of the tribe were going to drive themselves into extinction the way they were running the tribe. And Vasiliki didn't want to be involved in it.

"Tha prépei na epistrépsoun sti̱n ergasía tous." Vasiliki whispered, moving away from him.

Alex contemplated what she'd said, deciphering it slowly. We should go back to... to... What is that last word? "Prépei na páme píso̱ se ó, ti?"

"Ergasía." She repeated, pretending to be doing some sort of work.

He got it after another moment. Work. They should go back to work. He nodded. "Naí."

She stood, brushing off her skirt and gave him a hand up, smiling.

He grinned back at her, refreshed after the time they'd spent away from the texts and ready to go back to them. Perhaps today they would find something. Perhaps not. But he was ready to try again at any rate.