By the second day, I was carrying Datha and we were near the village. That’s when I heard it. The familiar booming baritone of Ruckus’s laughter. I winced as Ilias laughed. Man, that guy was annoying. There was a girlish squeal. So Niran was here and so would Atesh be then. Those two came in a pair. Pallas’s hyena laugh followed. The only one I didn’t hear was Nero. That didn’t surprise me. Boulder’s stiff words made Ilias laugh and once again I winced. Geeze! Shut that guy up! Does he do it on purpose? I hoped so or his kids would be unbearable.

  “What do you hear,” asked Datha.

  I had stopped halfway through my trek through the forests when I heard the voices.

  “We’re about to meet those people I have seen,” I said, continuing to walk. Datha hmmed and clung to my back.

  “Are they friendly?” she asked.

  “Some are. Some are annoying and one resembles a rock,” I muttered remembering Boulder. I wasn’t sure they would be glad to see me again. I did escape their grasp and their council twice, no three times now! But who was counting? I hoisted Datha higher on my back and took off at a run. We made it to a small trail leading to the village. There was a guard post but no guard so I passed it and kept walking. Datha got off my back and straightened her raggedy dress. We looked like two escapees which was what we were. We should have taken some more time at that lake but there was nothing to be done about our clothes.

  Datha wore a ragged silver dress that was going yellow with age and I was still in sacrificial garments. Hopefully, we wouldn’t be scrutinized too closely. We entered the village and it was like the village of the first oracle. The slaves seemed freer and happier although not as free as the oracle’s had been. They stuck to their masters and didn’t frolic and play. There were children though.

  A big change from Saphiros where there were no children. Mothers carried their babies in bassinets on their backs as they shopped in the market. They'd taken my money but maybe I could steal a few coins for Datha to dress in something other than what she had been wearing for ten years? As we were strolling through the market. Nails on a chalkboard stopped me and I winced.

  “Never thought to see you again,” said Ilias as he and everyone else came over to see who he was talking to.

  “Hey, I didn’t have a choice alright? The council was going to put Myra into slavery,” I said.

  “It’s our law. Hybrids go into slavery,” he said.

  “Look, we’re from another place, another custom. Slavery was abolished hundreds of years ago for some people. We don’t have powers on our home planet or realm or wherever it is! So why did you guys not let us go home? Your lovely council put us against a Morgan of titanic size in an arena as entertainment for you guys! All we want is to go home!” I yelled getting a few looks from a vending woman not too far off.

  “Where is Myra?” asked Atesh.

  I turned to him glaring. “In your council’s grasp being tortured as we speak.”

  “The council does not torture,” said Boulder.

  “They love nothing but to torture,” I yelled.

  “We should take this elsewhere,” boomed Ruckus who was getting nervous at the attention we were getting. Kin were whispering and pointing at us. I shrugged off their stares but Datha fidgeted under them so I nodded at Ruckus and followed the group to a small house. It had a flat roof and was made of some kind of alloy. It was painted a nice goldenrod yellow and had planters at the windows.

  “This is my home,” said Atesh as he pressed his hand on a few runes beside the door. It unclicked.

  “Come in,” he said and I followed him inside. It was spacious with a kitchen, a dining room and a living space. To the back were a few rooms.

  “My mom is at the market. She won’t be back for a while. Let’s all sit in the living space and talk there,” said Niran as Atesh led us to the large room connected to the dining room by a sliding door. There was a large wooden table with several chairs and a small couch to the back by the wall as we entered. The other walls were covered in books and scrolls. Of course. What else was there to do but read in this place? I sat on a chair near the center of the table and took a breath.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  Datha rubbed my back comfortingly and I sighed. I dearly wished Myra was here with me for this. I usually bullied people into helping me. I couldn’t do that here. My story would have to do. I began from the beginning to after we left them and to when we met the oracle. Then our trek to the other oracle only to find out it was a trap and our ordeal with t rex pterodactyl and Datha’s re-emergence. Finally the last fight and our being here and Myra’s fate. I paused.

  “I’m going back to free Myra and could use some help,” I said, gazing at each of them.

  “We can’t go against the council,” said Boulder, and Nero and Pallas nodded.

  “I’m with you,” said Atesh, smirking surprising everyone but me. I knew of his colossal crush on Myra.

  “Atesh! You would be labeled a traitor,” said Niran, afraid for his brother. Sometimes Atesh didn’t think things through.

  “This is what mother has been saying about corruption, Niran. Faran was taken into a corrupt system. This isn’t just about the otherworlders. I’ve been thinking about leaving the brigade anyway. Last night they asked me to torture a slave child because he was hungry! I see that as corruption and it's sanctioned by the council,” he said.

  “You didn’t tell me this,” said Niran crossing his arms although he looked ridiculous in all that silk.

  “I was going to but the time hadn’t come up. Look at what they have done to our sister! Mama was lucky she was able to keep her as the house slave. This has to end, Niran.”

  “Fine, then I’m coming too,” he said.

  “You are?” I asked surprised.

  “Yes, someone has to keep this one out of trouble,” he muttered pointing to Atesh and grinning. Ruckus’s laughter boomed around us like thunder.

  “Well, if those two numskulls are going then so am I. Someone's got to keep an eye on the terrible duo,” he said, smirking.

  Boulder scowled and shook his head. “I can’t go against my patron,” he said.

  “You mean grandfather…” muttered Atesh and Boulder nodded.

  “And I cannot go against the wishes of my patron,” said Nero.

  “I could help but Nero’s right. We shouldn’t go against the council,” said Pallas.

  “I agree with Nero and Pallas,” said Ilias, and I was grateful. I wouldn’t be hearing nails on a chalkboard all the time!

  “Three Kin ain’t so bad,” I muttered.

  “We have to turn you into the council,” said Boulder and I glared getting ready for a fight but Nero shook his head.

  “We’ll take you to the oracle. She will know what to do. I trust Noali,” he said and I glared at him.

  “Did you say Noali? The oracle who got us into this mess in the first place?” I asked, gritting my teeth.

  “Yes, she’s the true oracle. Her sister Medina has a few abilities but she is the true oracle,” said Atesh.

  “You mean there are no others,” I asked my rage rising. 'Cause if that was true, then the oracle had sent us into a trap knowingly.

  “There are seven lesser oracles around Sapherine all with different abilities but she is the main one. She does not need an amulet to work her spells,” said Niran

  I calmed slightly. So maybe she didn’t set us in a trap but she had to have known! She could have warned us!

  “Alright, I’ll see the oracle,” I said and Datha paled.

  I rubbed her arm. “Everything is going to be fine sis. You didn’t choose to be in a big bird for ten ears.

  She turned to me. “Jonah, I was that bird.”

  Say what!

  She nodded. “I was that Morgan you fought before Myra found me in my mind and released me of the spell,” she said.

  “What do you remember before you became a Morgan,” asked Nero, his chocolate eyes searing into Datha as I held her.

  “All I can remember are acidic blue eyes and feminine laughter and bells. There were a lot of bells,” said Datha as she shook. I held her closer and rubbed her arms trying to warm her sudden cold pebbled skin from the goosebumps racing up and down them.

  “That sounds like Medina,” said Atesh. “Why would she be the last thing you remembered?”

  Datha became still and her eyes blazed. “There is a secret on Ice Temple,” she said and slumped into my arms slightly, eyes glazed as if she was seeing something we could not. She probably was. Her usually hidden galactic swirls were there for all to see.

  “By Oppolomei! Is she an oracle?” asked Ilias as he stared at Datha.

  I nodded. “She was never tested since she was taken and cursed but I’m pretty sure she could pass the tests,” I said.

  Datha stirred and moved to glance at me. “We need to see the Oracle,” she said.

  I sighed and nodded.

  “When can you take us to see the oracle?’ I asked

  “Now’s as good a time as any,” said Atesh shrugging, and the others nodded.

  “Let’s go then,” I said and we walked out of Atesh and Niran’s home.