Alora: The Wander-Jewel (Alora 1)

“Yes, I know. I heard the entire story of Vindrake cutting Alora’s throat and you finding them in the snow. I’m hearing every thought in your mind. You’re so loud I can barely hear my own thoughts. You must learn how to block.”

You can read my mind? I didn’t realize your gift let you do that?

“Farsight doesn’t work in that manner, Jireo. The only way we can mindspeak is if both of us are gifted. I haven’t spoken inside a mind since my father passed.”

That’s impossible! I can’t have farsight. I already know my major gift—I’m gifted in dexterity.

“Jireo, we can discuss this when you return. I need to block your thoughts before I go insane. Please tell the others all is well in Laegenshire, but Vindrake escaped. I will contact you later.”

Darielle? Darielle?

“That was odd. I conversed with Darielle in my mind, and I don’t even have a sightstone.”

Beth was staring with narrowed eyes. “Ah, that explains it. Your face had some pretty scary expressions. Is everything okay in Laegenshire?”

“You’re not surprised we could talk in our minds?”

“Seriously? With all the weird things you guys do? I don’t think anything would surprise me anymore. Oh wait, I’d better knock on some wood.” She made a fist and rapped her knuckles on the table beside her.

“Many of the things you do seem unusual to me, as well.” He gave a pointed look at her fist.

“Oh that? ‘Knock on wood?’ If you say something hasn’t happened, you have to ‘knock on wood’ to make sure it doesn’t happen after you say it.”

“In that case … Kaevin and Alora haven’t died.” Pain shot through his knuckles as he slammed his fist against the wooden table. But it was worth it.

*****

“So Alora and Kaevin are alive.” Charles’ relief was short-lived. “This time, they survived. But what about next time, Graely? And the next? And the next? Surely you can see this world is too dangerous for Alora. For both of them.”

“I’ve been considering this ever since our conversation at the healing house in Montana.” Graely’s lips were pinched tight as he spoke. “I agree Kaevin should stay in Montana with Alora for now, and I believe the council will concur. But Alora must continue her training with Raelene so she’ll be less vulnerable to Vindrake. And we must find a way to close the portal between our realms before Vindrake discovers its location.”

“And you’re going to find a way to eliminate the soulmate bond altogether?”

“If it can be done, we’ll find a way to do it.” Graely’s muscles flexed on the side of his jaw.

“I’m sure it isn’t an easy job being responsible for so many people. I can barely handle the stress of being responsible for Alora.”

Graely buried his face in his hands. “If this plague remains uncontrolled, that number may decrease significantly. Laethan received a report of five more deaths yesterday and a large number who’ve sickened. Most of the illness occurs in the farming areas rather than towns, but then again, the majority of Stone Clan is made up of simple farmers.”

“I’m just thinking out loud here, but what if Alora transported someone with the plague to Montana? Maybe Dr. Sanders could diagnose the problem and send some medicine for it. It might be some kind of plague we’ve already conquered in our world.”

“One thing we know for certain, we can’t transport a sick person. When bearers were common, it was well known that a sick person who transported would likely die from the transport.”

“Oh. … Hmmm. … Maybe I can talk Doc Sanders into coming over here, but I doubt it. So far he doesn’t even want to hear anything about your world, much less visit it. I think he’s in denial.” Maybe I could take a video of a patient and take it to Doc. No, I can’t transport a camera or a cell phone. “I’ve got an idea. I can get Laethan to give me a detailed report about the symptoms and the progression of this plague. I’ll just write it down and bring it to Doc. And I bet we could find a way to bring a blood sample on a transport.”

“Your friend could discover something from a patient’s blood?” Graely sat forward, a smile on his face. “We could get some blood for you. Perhaps we could even send the leeches with you after a bleeding. And Darielle could draw a picture of the rash.”

“Leeches?” His stomach turned a somersault. “Sure, I guess we could put some leeches in a zip-lock bag and take them back. And drawing a picture is a good idea. What’s this rash look like?”

“Laethan has warned everyone to check their wrists and ankles for the first signs of the plague rash.”

“Wrists and ankles? Really? We’ve got something in the states we call Tick Fever that starts like that. Actually it’s Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. An infected tick bites you, and you get a fever and a

headache and sometimes this strange rash.”

“Ticks? It’s caused by ticks? And do you have a magick treatment for this fever?” Graely was on his feet, striding toward the healing house. Charles hurried to keep up with him.

“It’s not magic, but I’m pretty sure they give you antibiotics. We don’t know for sure it’s the same thing, you know. I’m no doctor. Maybe you shouldn’t say anything to Laethan or anyone else until you know for sure. Maybe it’s too soon to say anything.”