Crais(20)

“What lives above ground in the suns’ light here?” Lucas said without inflection.

I turned to Talina, expecting her to add a question, but she remained silent.

Jordan smiled, his teeth the same flat polished ivory as Channa’s.

“Curiosity is a gift, and its rewards are knowledge. Allow your minds to broaden enough and nothing will take you by surprise.”

I sighed, casting my eyes in Lucy’s direction. Great! We had another soothsayer in our midst. Bring on the obscure random babble.

“Please sit and I will explain as much as you need to know, nothing more and nothing less.” He waved in a gesture to a nearby area.

I realized that wherever we were right now was much smaller than that cavernous hall from before. We followed him, and it was with relief I noticed chairs scattered around. They were made from vines, in a kind of hammock style, with wood as the structural support. I sank into one, grateful as it cushioned my weight and gave my muscles a reprieve.

When we were all seated he began to speak.

“A millennium ago our people lived above the rocks. Our world has always had two suns but they were further away, the world was cooler and water flowed above the land.”

I was instantly captured as his strong, soothing voice weaved the tale.

“But then something changed. Slowly the world began to heat, millions of us were lost. We could not survive in the harshness that started to ravage Crais. The air changed. What we needed to breathe was being replaced by ash and death.”

He paused, letting his eyes roam our faces for a moment.

“It was my ancestor, from long ago, one of the first priests, who discovered the water. It led him under the ground; it revealed a grotto of the finest forest in which greens could be cultivated. It provided clean air, and a sanctuary for the animals that we both nurture and hunt. The water showed him how to survive. We now are small people. Those who survived and evolved live in the rocks. We have twelve tribes, numbers only in the thousands.”

I wanted to interrupt at that point. I had a million questions, but something warned me not to speak yet.

“This has been our life for a thousand years. And I believe that eventually the suns will consume us but until then we survive.” He clasped his hands beneath his chin, the dim lighting reflecting off the hardened scales of his skin. “Tell me where you are from. Why have you come? Are you our saviors?”

I swallowed loudly, wishing I had the answer he was looking for. After hearing his story I wanted to save them. But where could they go? I +couldn’t transport thousands of Crais inhabitants to Josian’s little planet. I looked at Lucas. He shook his head. And apparently First World wasn’t an option. Maybe we could re-evaluate their situation after I had spoken with Josian. He knew a hell of a lot more than I did.

“I’m sorry,” I began. “I wish I could say that we’re here to take you all somewhere more hospitable for survival. But we just don’t have that sort of power.”

His face fell then. It was so minute I doubt most people would have noticed, but I did.

“However, I will take your situation to my family and see if they have any solutions.”

He nodded as he spoke dismissively. “We have survived, and we will continue to. Why are you here then?”

His expression was harder now that he knew we weren’t there to provide help. Did he suspect we were asking for it instead?

“We come from another world, one that is part of the Crais star system, connected to your planet,” I started.

Lucas interrupted me. “First World is the name and I am its ruler.”

Arrogant ass.

“Future ruler,” I said drily. “I’ve been sent on a mission of the highest importance, an undertaking to save all of the planets in the First Worlds star system. I need to find a Crais female.”

“Which tribe is she from?” he asked.

“We have no idea. All I know is she is half-Walker – my race of people. I’m guessing she would look or have abilities that differ from the average Crais inhabitant’s.”

His expression never changed. He would be an excellent poker player.

“You will be looking for Fury, from the Palasands people.”

I hadn’t expected him to have a ready answer.

“You need to travel back through the sacred waters. She will be on the other side.”

“Hell, no.” Lucy jumped to her feet. “That was the most horrible, freak-me-the-hell-out experience of my life, and that includes getting sucked through Abby’s wormhole Walker doorway.” She crossed her arms. “Not going to happen.”

Once again he regarded her with calm eyes. Jordan was the coolest and most collected man I’d ever met.