A friend and confidante, Barb would listen to Dani, she would say all the right things, soothe Dani’s hurt feelings and with heartfelt sympathy – with honest heartfelt love. It would be so easy to call her but Dani had to be strong. Barb was happy in Texas, at work on a nursing degree from Texas Baptist College. The last thing she needed was Dani’s cloud of despair raining misery on her head.

The irony was not lost on her either, Barb being straight and all. A friend and

The irony was not lost on her either, Barb being straight and all. A friend and confidante, Barb would listen to Dani, she would say all the right things, soothe Dani’s hurt feelings and with heartfelt sympathy – with honest heartfelt love. It would be so easy to call her but Dani had to be strong. Barb was happy in Texas, at work on a nursing degree from Texas Baptist College. The last thing she needed was Dani’s cloud of despair raining misery on her head.

where Jordan had been sitting mere moments before, remembered the high rate of speed at which his brother had been driving and the black ice that had sent the mustang skidding and the car she had been in with Ethan driving into a tail spin as well, except Ethan had corrected the slide and the car skidded to a stop on the lawn on the opposite side of the road. She was out of the car so fast, her heart in her throat her nose filled with the smell of gasoline and hot metal and burnt rubber and heard the tick and hiss of the ruptured engine, just before she started to scream Jordan’s name.

Now she remembered the sight of his brother’s blue late model mustang crumpled around a sugar maple on the passenger side where Jordan had been sitting mere moments before, remembered the high rate of speed at which his brother had been driving and the black ice that had sent the mustang skidding and the car she had been in with Ethan driving into a tail spin as well, except Ethan had corrected the slide and the car skidded to a stop on the lawn on the opposite side of the road. She was out of the car so fast, her heart in her throat her nose filled with the smell of gasoline and hot metal and burnt rubber and heard the tick and hiss of the ruptured engine, just before she started to scream Jordan’s name.

Chapter 29 “Oh.”“What now?” Theo said with some impatience.It was late the following afternoon and they were both burdened with bundles of grass gathered that morning along the river where swampy areas had extended south of the lake. Dani thought they had enough grass now to make a rope several hundred feet long and no exaggeration. Theo had spotted what he called a mere of pooke which turned out to be a thick gooey patch of the mud, glistening and murky, beneath the rotting trunk of a fallen tree. It took him a while to shimmy his body out over the fallen tree breaking boney branches and gingerly avoiding heavier branches that were broken off leaving ragged spikes. He held onto one of the more sturdy of these while he leaned out over the bug infested black-green slime and filled one of her water bottles. He forced the liter bottle on her, making her place it in the compartment that usually housed her flashlight and she had walked the rest of the day chased by the icky smell of swamp. Theo’s arm had been caked with the mud up to his elbow – it seemed the quality pooke was at least a foot beneath the surface – but it eventually dried and flaked off leaving the sleeve of his second skin looking pristine and new.The swampy areas had finally petered out and the bank of the stream they followed was thick with vegetation that they were forced to pick their way through or around having a two-fold outcome. One, it kept Dani’s mind off sex for most of the day and two, with no native trails to follow it made the going very slow. When Dani asked why there were no native trails Theo explained it was because the natives never went near water. When Dani asked why, he said in his blunt way, “I do not know.” He seemed to know very little about the elusive “natives.” “How do you know they even exist?” she asked. “Because of the trails,” he said. “Well maybe the trails are animal trails, did you ever think of that?” And he had just looked at her giving a shake of his head. “I do not have to see a native to know they exist, they just do; everyone knows that.”Now, several similar conversations later including one where she tried to get him to tell her about his conversation with the Queen and he refused, and after an hour of silently regurgitating the previous night’s revelations Dani spoke. “They’ll be sending the scouts after us again, now they know where we went.”Theo stopped and turned, his eyebrows raised.“You figured that out just now?”“Do you think they’ll catch up?”“They are with us now.”“But – when – how is that possible? You said we have at least a three week head start.”“I said we made up the three weeks from our detour into the Hill Country; in fact I would not at all be convinced of when we are were the scouts not trailing us even as we speak. Their very presence proves we have not been shifted out of time.”“When? Time?” What in the world was he talking about?"Remember where you came from. The planet Earth you know no longer exists; its resources gave out long ago and yet here you are, a girl from a planet that has not even settled its moon or tamed its solar system, let alone spread out to tame other solar systems. What is a little time differential to you?He waved his hand vaguely in front of the lump where the sapphire was tucked inside his second skin and continued speaking into Dani’s dumbfounded silence. “Consider your mother’s skills and of course this. Think about that part of your “dream” you did not convey to me because you though it was nonsense, a bit of true dreaming within the larger scope of the telepathic link between your sapphire and his.”Dani flushed. “I did not hold that back to deceive you.”“Keep your shirt on. I know you left it out because it represents confusion, I am trying to help you sort it out.”Theo shifted his load of grass higher on his shoulders.“The queen obviously visited Rhany – I suspect Rhany is the troop’s captain – and gave them orders to proceed south to Lone Mountain ahead of us. They have been with us at least from the day I came out of the belly of Lone Mountain to fetch water – you were off skulking – and the Captain showed himself to me. I recognized him from the day we left the wintering cave. So far they have left us alone because, I suspect, they are operating under new orders – this time to protect you not to acquire you. They have been trailing us since we left Lone Mountain, always at a respectful distance. The Queen sent them ahead to act as my backup. That is the only reason I have not tried to lose them.”“But Theo!” Dani protested. “How? Mama didn’t know we were at Lone Mountain until after we got there.”“She is your mother. You of all people should know of what she is capable.”“Capable?”Theo shook his head over her ignorance. “Your friend Barb has a better grasp of your mother’s capabilities than you. You lived with her, you must know something.”“We had a psychic link if that’s what you mean. You know, she would call the school nurse just as I was walking into her office to complain of a bellyache; or we would think the same thing simultaneously; or she’d show up just as I was picking up the phone to call for a ride; little things like that. I was only just becoming aware of it right about the time she ran off.”“Always with you it is this bitter anger toward your mother, Danielle.” Theo responded to her tone, and then turned and started walking again. “Be careful. It might well ruin you.”Dani ignored his rebuke.“How could she send Captain Rhany and his troop ahead after she knew where we were? That makes no sense. They would still be three weeks behind us!” Dani spoke to Theo’s back as she picked up her pace to keep up. She did not know why he was getting all bent out of shape just because she had no idea what he was talking about. Mom was mom, nothing special beyond just being Mom and when you’re a kid her being mom was special enough. What could Theo know about it – he had no mother. He was an orphan.Without turning around, Theo said. “Figure it out.”About an hour later what Theo said earlier caught up to her. “What do you mean she visited him? Was that what you meant by ‘time differential’? She traveled back through time using the King’s sapphire and sent the troop ahead to get to Lone Mountain before us?”Theo stopped and leaned his backside into a large squat boulder dripping in moss and folded his arms over his chest. Despite sounding aggravated his expression was amused. A cloud of spicy gumdrop odor exploded from the disturbed moss; it made her mouth water it made her hungry all of a sudden for the flavor of gumdrops, a treat she had given up years before in the interest of keeping her body strong for athletics.“For such a smart girl, Danielle, you really are dense.” Theo had begun to incorporate earthy colloquialisms into his speech in the last few days. Clearly he was developing a firm grasp of American slang. “She walks in your dreams, right?”“They’re just dreams Theo – the product of my subconscious.”“It was a dream that prompted you to come to Haven, correct?”She just stared, feeling her face flush, feeling resentment at being called out on this when she barely believed it herself, but Barb had suggested that Mama was sending a message through her dreams and Dani could deny it to her last breath, but that was exactly what happened. It was the mommy dream that prompted her to search for the “key”. She refused to give Theo satisfaction by admitting he was right. She wondered what her mommy dreaming had to do with anything.Before answering her thought Theo said, “Gumdrops? What are gumdrops?" He shook his head and continued without waiting for an answer. "If your mother can walk in your dreams, has it not occurred to you that she also walks in the dreams of others? Why do you think Orphans call her the Wood Witch of Keeper’s Hill?”“Has she visited your dreams?”“A couple of times; once when I was very young and again when I was Dreyden’s Disciple.”The very idea sent a chill through Dani. Theo belonged to her and her mother had no business going into his head to spy on her or them or even him.“What message did she give you?” She could not keep the bitter anger – the envy – from her voice. Theo was being awfully nonchalant about the Queen invading his dreams.The humor in Theo’s eyes faded a bit.“No message. She was dressed in strange garments – like yours – but for the most part she simply observed me, but I can tell you I did not like it. Though she said nothing, I could feel her wondering about me.”“Wondering what?”“’What is to become of you Theo? Who will you be, Theo? How will this all work out for you?’ No, I did not like it one little bit. My mind is my sole refuge, my thoughts belong to me.”Dani let that comment role over her, not clear if it was a simple observation or a complaint against her thoughts mingling with his. She hated their connection more than he did. But she liked his choice of words: ’My mind is my refuge.’ That sentiment she agreed with heartily. For several days they follow the small river that sometimes flowed wide over heavy boulders into white frothy trenches between shallow river banks and at other times plunged into deep narrow wedges that they followed from high bluffs following only its echo and once they were forced to detour around a large patch of verminudice that cascaded down the short but steep incline to the water’s edge. As the days passed her restlessness seesawed between a deep ach to little more than a low nervous tension in her stomach and meanwhile Theo seemed to slip ever further into a moody silence that relented only at the nightly campfire during their reading of the journal. He certainly was intrigued with whatever subliminal information her mind gave up about Earth and what life was like back there and his questions often pulled them away from subject of Mama’s writing altogether stretching the one hour read into two or longer.Days later they came across a cave where Theo decided to make camp in mid-afternoon. It was less a cave and more a wide wedge created by the tilt of three enormous boulders that looked as if they had been tossed together by some giant hand that had piled soil over it and planted vegetation. Moss covered exposed areas of rock while thick bushes and trees canted at gravity defying angles over the water that was swept to one side from the main flow of the river bed to make a dreamy shaded pool. They spent the remaining afternoon there, alternately soaking in the pool (both wearing their second skins) and sleeping under the shade of the dipping trees on the flat sheet of granite before the mouth of the cave. The air was filled with the thick confused scents of felder and gumdrops. Several times Dani woke to find Theo staring at her with a stern frown.They settled in for the evening after a dinner of roast fish and ripe valya and a short reading of Mama’s journal; they were catching up to the place where she had left off their last night at Pelbraydyn. Theo was unusually withdrawn, even for him. After the exercise of swimming -- even after the afternoon naps -- Dani expected sleep to come quickly but as soon as she lay down the restless passion began to stir. Her body ached with need. From hard learned experience Theo did not curl up beside her to share their body heat but sat across from her by the fire and stared at her, his expression more angry than she had ever seen it. It wasn’t her fault. “What?”She demanded.For answer he stood up and slipped out into the night.It took a while, but finally Dani slid into a heavy sleep and woke later to the dim, glow of the waning fire to find Theo crouched beside her, his hand on her shoulder.“What?”“I have made up my mind.” Theo answered.“Made up your mind about what?” Dani blinked sleepy eyes.“It is clear no one warned you what I am. None of this is your fault, I know that now but I have to remedy the situation or go mad. Your safety is paramount.” “No matter what you’ve done, Theo, I know you would never hurt me.”“Quiet! Forget what I have done; I am talking about what I am.” He shook his head and his tone was full of exasperation. “Until now you have seemed to be immune to me, but these last days….”It finally dawned on her what Theo meant. “How many times do I have to tell you….”“Yes, yes. I know all about your childish infatuation for women.”“Whatever I’m going through right now has nothing to do with you. I like you very much but I am not attracted to you at all.”“You have female hormones.”Was that meant to shed light on the subject? “What do you mean?” “Regardless of your sexual proclivities you are reacting to me and since you will not leave and I cannot I must take the upper hand before I lose my head and do something we will both regret.”A feeling of alarm penetrated her brain. Dani sat up. “What are you talking about?”“Danielle you must remember that my kind is engineered. With that engineering comes certain ... drawbacks and do not ask me for the particulars because I will not expound on them.""Why not?" It was hardly fair for him to be so cryptic and mysterious and then order her to refrain from asking questions. Her curiosity meter instantly leaped into the danger zone.He held up one finger. "I mean it." "That is not fair.""Drop it.""I will not. I want a thorough explanation.""No, Danielle." Upon seeing her rebellious scowl, he said in a pronounced whisper, "It is embarrassing.""Embarrassing? You? You people walk around naked without a quibble. All of you seem perfectly at ease being naked in groups so I doubt there is a single person on this planet who has any inkling of what it means to feel embarrassed.""Well, you are wrong." Theo stood up and with stooped shoulders gave her stern warning to stay put. "I am going away for a while.""Going away?""You will be perfectly safe. The king’s men are here and while I am gone they will draw near and stay close. They will protect you."She stood up and grabbed his arm. A flutter of panic turned her stomach over."I forbid you to go.""I have to. Once I understand how I am to deal with this situation, I will return.""No! I forbid it." His eyes darkened and the expression in them reminded her of the first time she ever saw him, his eyes filled with hunger, as if he wanted to eat her.“Do you want me to fuck you?”Taken aback by the sudden threatening look in Theo’s eyes and his crude choice of words she shook her head. “No.”“My self control is worn very thin, Danielle. There is a limit. I am going to leave and stay away until I am in control again." Then his cheeks reddened and the storm clouds in his eyes gave way fear. “Danielle, I would die rather than allow myself to hurt you.” She knew that was the truth; he had already proved himself willing in that regard. “How long?” Dani called after him as he strode toward the mouth of the cave.“However long it takes.”

Chapter 29 “Oh.”“What now?” Theo said with some impatience.It was late the following afternoon and they were both burdened with bundles of grass gathered that morning along the river where swampy areas had extended south of the lake. Dani thought they had enough grass now to make a rope several hundred feet long and no exaggeration. Theo had spotted what he called a mere of pooke which turned out to be a thick gooey patch of the mud, glistening and murky, beneath the rotting trunk of a fallen tree. It took him a while to shimmy his body out over the fallen tree breaking boney branches and gingerly avoiding heavier branches that were broken off leaving ragged spikes. He held onto one of the more sturdy of these while he leaned out over the bug infested black-green slime and filled one of her water bottles. He forced the liter bottle on her, making her place it in the compartment that usually housed her flashlight and she had walked the rest of the day chased by the icky smell of swamp. Theo’s arm had been caked with the mud up to his elbow – it seemed the quality pooke was at least a foot beneath the surface – but it eventually dried and flaked off leaving the sleeve of his second skin looking pristine and new.The swampy areas had finally petered out and the bank of the stream they followed was thick with vegetation that they were forced to pick their way through or around having a two-fold outcome. One, it kept Dani’s mind off sex for most of the day and two, with no native trails to follow it made the going very slow. When Dani asked why there were no native trails Theo explained it was because the natives never went near water. When Dani asked why, he said in his blunt way, “I do not know.” He seemed to know very little about the elusive “natives.” “How do you know they even exist?” she asked. “Because of the trails,” he said. “Well maybe the trails are animal trails, did you ever think of that?” And he had just looked at her giving a shake of his head. “I do not have to see a native to know they exist, they just do; everyone knows that.”Now, several similar conversations later including one where she tried to get him to tell her about his conversation with the Queen and he refused, and after an hour of silently regurgitating the previous night’s revelations Dani spoke. “They’ll be sending the scouts after us again, now they know where we went.”Theo stopped and turned, his eyebrows raised.“You figured that out just now?”“Do you think they’ll catch up?”“They are with us now.”“But – when – how is that possible? You said we have at least a three week head start.”“I said we made up the three weeks from our detour into the Hill Country; in fact I would not at all be convinced of when we are were the scouts not trailing us even as we speak. Their very presence proves we have not been shifted out of time.”“When? Time?” What in the world was he talking about?"Remember where you came from. The planet Earth you know no longer exists; its resources gave out long ago and yet here you are, a girl from a planet that has not even settled its moon or tamed its solar system, let alone spread out to tame other solar systems. What is a little time differential to you?He waved his hand vaguely in front of the lump where the sapphire was tucked inside his second skin and continued speaking into Dani’s dumbfounded silence. “Consider your mother’s skills and of course this. Think about that part of your “dream” you did not convey to me because you though it was nonsense, a bit of true dreaming within the larger scope of the telepathic link between your sapphire and his.”Dani flushed. “I did not hold that back to deceive you.”“Keep your shirt on. I know you left it out because it represents confusion, I am trying to help you sort it out.”Theo shifted his load of grass higher on his shoulders.“The queen obviously visited Rhany – I suspect Rhany is the troop’s captain – and gave them orders to proceed south to Lone Mountain ahead of us. They have been with us at least from the day I came out of the belly of Lone Mountain to fetch water – you were off skulking – and the Captain showed himself to me. I recognized him from the day we left the wintering cave. So far they have left us alone because, I suspect, they are operating under new orders – this time to protect you not to acquire you. They have been trailing us since we left Lone Mountain, always at a respectful distance. The Queen sent them ahead to act as my backup. That is the only reason I have not tried to lose them.”“But Theo!” Dani protested. “How? Mama didn’t know we were at Lone Mountain until after we got there.”“She is your mother. You of all people should know of what she is capable.”“Capable?”Theo shook his head over her ignorance. “Your friend Barb has a better grasp of your mother’s capabilities than you. You lived with her, you must know something.”“We had a psychic link if that’s what you mean. You know, she would call the school nurse just as I was walking into her office to complain of a bellyache; or we would think the same thing simultaneously; or she’d show up just as I was picking up the phone to call for a ride; little things like that. I was only just becoming aware of it right about the time she ran off.”“Always with you it is this bitter anger toward your mother, Danielle.” Theo responded to her tone, and then turned and started walking again. “Be careful. It might well ruin you.”Dani ignored his rebuke.“How could she send Captain Rhany and his troop ahead after she knew where we were? That makes no sense. They would still be three weeks behind us!” Dani spoke to Theo’s back as she picked up her pace to keep up. She did not know why he was getting all bent out of shape just because she had no idea what he was talking about. Mom was mom, nothing special beyond just being Mom and when you’re a kid her being mom was special enough. What could Theo know about it – he had no mother. He was an orphan.Without turning around, Theo said. “Figure it out.”About an hour later what Theo said earlier caught up to her. “What do you mean she visited him? Was that what you meant by ‘time differential’? She traveled back through time using the King’s sapphire and sent the troop ahead to get to Lone Mountain before us?”Theo stopped and leaned his backside into a large squat boulder dripping in moss and folded his arms over his chest. Despite sounding aggravated his expression was amused. A cloud of spicy gumdrop odor exploded from the disturbed moss; it made her mouth water it made her hungry all of a sudden for the flavor of gumdrops, a treat she had given up years before in the interest of keeping her body strong for athletics.“For such a smart girl, Danielle, you really are dense.” Theo had begun to incorporate earthy colloquialisms into his speech in the last few days. Clearly he was developing a firm grasp of American slang. “She walks in your dreams, right?”“They’re just dreams Theo – the product of my subconscious.”“It was a dream that prompted you to come to Haven, correct?”She just stared, feeling her face flush, feeling resentment at being called out on this when she barely believed it herself, but Barb had suggested that Mama was sending a message through her dreams and Dani could deny it to her last breath, but that was exactly what happened. It was the mommy dream that prompted her to search for the “key”. She refused to give Theo satisfaction by admitting he was right. She wondered what her mommy dreaming had to do with anything.Before answering her thought Theo said, “Gumdrops? What are gumdrops?" He shook his head and continued without waiting for an answer. "If your mother can walk in your dreams, has it not occurred to you that she also walks in the dreams of others? Why do you think Orphans call her the Wood Witch of Keeper’s Hill?”“Has she visited your dreams?”“A couple of times; once when I was very young and again when I was Dreyden’s Disciple.”The very idea sent a chill through Dani. Theo belonged to her and her mother had no business going into his head to spy on her or them or even him.“What message did she give you?” She could not keep the bitter anger – the envy – from her voice. Theo was being awfully nonchalant about the Queen invading his dreams.The humor in Theo’s eyes faded a bit.“No message. She was dressed in strange garments – like yours – but for the most part she simply observed me, but I can tell you I did not like it. Though she said nothing, I could feel her wondering about me.”“Wondering what?”“’What is to become of you Theo? Who will you be, Theo? How will this all work out for you?’ No, I did not like it one little bit. My mind is my sole refuge, my thoughts belong to me.”Dani let that comment role over her, not clear if it was a simple observation or a complaint against her thoughts mingling with his. She hated their connection more than he did. But she liked his choice of words: ’My mind is my refuge.’ That sentiment she agreed with heartily. For several days they follow the small river that sometimes flowed wide over heavy boulders into white frothy trenches between shallow river banks and at other times plunged into deep narrow wedges that they followed from high bluffs following only its echo and once they were forced to detour around a large patch of verminudice that cascaded down the short but steep incline to the water’s edge. As the days passed her restlessness seesawed between a deep ach to little more than a low nervous tension in her stomach and meanwhile Theo seemed to slip ever further into a moody silence that relented only at the nightly campfire during their reading of the journal. He certainly was intrigued with whatever subliminal information her mind gave up about Earth and what life was like back there and his questions often pulled them away from subject of Mama’s writing altogether stretching the one hour read into two or longer.Days later they came across a cave where Theo decided to make camp in mid-afternoon. It was less a cave and more a wide wedge created by the tilt of three enormous boulders that looked as if they had been tossed together by some giant hand that had piled soil over it and planted vegetation. Moss covered exposed areas of rock while thick bushes and trees canted at gravity defying angles over the water that was swept to one side from the main flow of the river bed to make a dreamy shaded pool. They spent the remaining afternoon there, alternately soaking in the pool (both wearing their second skins) and sleeping under the shade of the dipping trees on the flat sheet of granite before the mouth of the cave. The air was filled with the thick confused scents of felder and gumdrops. Several times Dani woke to find Theo staring at her with a stern frown.They settled in for the evening after a dinner of roast fish and ripe valya and a short reading of Mama’s journal; they were catching up to the place where she had left off their last night at Pelbraydyn. Theo was unusually withdrawn, even for him. After the exercise of swimming -- even after the afternoon naps -- Dani expected sleep to come quickly but as soon as she lay down the restless passion began to stir. Her body ached with need. From hard learned experience Theo did not curl up beside her to share their body heat but sat across from her by the fire and stared at her, his expression more angry than she had ever seen it. It wasn’t her fault. “What?”She demanded.For answer he stood up and slipped out into the night.It took a while, but finally Dani slid into a heavy sleep and woke later to the dim, glow of the waning fire to find Theo crouched beside her, his hand on her shoulder.“What?”“I have made up my mind.” Theo answered.“Made up your mind about what?” Dani blinked sleepy eyes.“It is clear no one warned you what I am. None of this is your fault, I know that now but I have to remedy the situation or go mad. Your safety is paramount.” “No matter what you’ve done, Theo, I know you would never hurt me.”“Quiet! Forget what I have done; I am talking about what I am.” He shook his head and his tone was full of exasperation. “Until now you have seemed to be immune to me, but these last days….”It finally dawned on her what Theo meant. “How many times do I have to tell you….”“Yes, yes. I know all about your childish infatuation for women.”“Whatever I’m going through right now has nothing to do with you. I like you very much but I am not attracted to you at all.”“You have female hormones.”Was that meant to shed light on the subject? “What do you mean?” “Regardless of your sexual proclivities you are reacting to me and since you will not leave and I cannot I must take the upper hand before I lose my head and do something we will both regret.”A feeling of alarm penetrated her brain. Dani sat up. “What are you talking about?”“Danielle you must remember that my kind is engineered. With that engineering comes certain ... drawbacks and do not ask me for the particulars because I will not expound on them.""Why not?" It was hardly fair for him to be so cryptic and mysterious and then order her to refrain from asking questions. Her curiosity meter instantly leaped into the danger zone.He held up one finger. "I mean it." "That is not fair.""Drop it.""I will not. I want a thorough explanation.""No, Danielle." Upon seeing her rebellious scowl, he said in a pronounced whisper, "It is embarrassing.""Embarrassing? You? You people walk around naked without a quibble. All of you seem perfectly at ease being naked in groups so I doubt there is a single person on this planet who has any inkling of what it means to feel embarrassed.""Well, you are wrong." Theo stood up and with stooped shoulders gave her stern warning to stay put. "I am going away for a while.""Going away?""You will be perfectly safe. The king’s men are here and while I am gone they will draw near and stay close. They will protect you."She stood up and grabbed his arm. A flutter of panic turned her stomach over."I forbid you to go.""I have to. Once I understand how I am to deal with this situation, I will return.""No! I forbid it." His eyes darkened and the expression in them reminded her of the first time she ever saw him, his eyes filled with hunger, as if he wanted to eat her.“Do you want me to fuck you?”Taken aback by the sudden threatening look in Theo’s eyes and his crude choice of words she shook her head. “No.”“My self control is worn very thin, Danielle. There is a limit. I am going to leave and stay away until I am in control again." Then his cheeks reddened and the storm clouds in his eyes gave way fear. “Danielle, I would die rather than allow myself to hurt you.” She knew that was the truth; he had already proved himself willing in that regard. “How long?” Dani called after him as he strode toward the mouth of the cave.“However long it takes.”

Chapter 26 The rapport they had enjoyed was shattered. It was bad enough he could read her mind -- it was humanly impossible to guard her every thought -- but her humiliating reaction to his promise now made her uncomfortable and uneasy. She had cried in front of him before but this time was different. He had touched something dark and hidden in her, some fear or need so intimate she could not name it. How could he know her better than she knew herself? Did she trust him with that knowledge? It seemed she had no choice.For his part, Theo carried on as usual. When he saw her bucket project he took it over and in quick order hollowed the log, bore two holes on opposite sides and made a rope from tree bark stripped from a tender young stem to fashion a handle. He scolded her for neglecting her thumb and administered first aid. While he did so, Dani noticed the burn on his jaw had split again and was oozing. She picked up one of his bandage strips and scrunched it between her fingers and reached to daub the wound. He pulled his head out of reach."Leave it.""Theo." Dani protested."Do not fuss over me.""Fuss? Who do you think brought you back from the brink of death? Who dragged you into this fire circle? I did, from way over there, and who put this tent up to conserve our wood and who cleaned up after you when you were helpless as an infant? Who saved you from your own stupidity? I did. I think I have earned the right to fuss over you." Anger was the great equalizer, slamming down on the awkwardness and booting it out, but she had gone too far, said too much and now Theo had an excuse to again rebuke her for saving his sorry ass.His eyes narrowed. His anger was blatant. If Dani could see auras, his would have been spun with the green-black energy of a tornado."No one asked you to save me."She withdrew her hand and stood up. "Now who is the ingrate?"She shouldered her pack and headed for the steps."Where are you going?" He called after her, his voice sharp with fear or panic."Up top," she called back. "I have no idea how long it’s been since breakfast and I want to check the traps I set."Her traps delivered nothing. One had collapsed and the other had not been touched at all. It would be fish for dinner, then. But she was not ready to return to Theo and the bottom cave. The fresh air tasted sweet but made her chest ache and the thin air, coupled with the altitude, left her feeling light headed and head achy even though she paced herself while gathering roots, berries and edible mushrooms. Exhaustion got the better of her so Dani took shelter under a bush that overhung a tiny spring. After soaking her suit she curled up on a thick layer of moss -- it smelled like spicy gumdrops -- and slept, waking hours later, sweaty and trembling to the fading light of early evening, the dim jangle of chimes and the clutching shreds of a memory of her trip to Israel fast on the heels of another prairie dress dream in which she and Theo had spoken in Hebrew.She returned to their shelter her thoughts cycling in Hebrew with a catch of three small fish and her pouch filled with her earlier acquisitions and the addition of two plump pear-shaped fruit she found growing on a tree she could not identify. The skin of the fruit was a creamy white blushing pink and looked succulent and sweet. She hoped they were edible. Theo would know.Theo was sleeping like a baby beside a small fire in the top chamber, his head pillowed on the haversack. Getting to the top floor must have taken him hours. The finished bucket was nearby, filled with cool water. Had he gone to the waterfall to fill it or had he filled it down below and carried it up those many steps? She shook her head over him. He was so damnably annoying and yet just as endearing. Her tube tent and the Mylar sheet were rolled up together around the tent poles, secured with strips of leather cord and laid beside the bucket. There was no need to go down to check the big cave because Dani had made a point not to bring anything down there that was not absolutely essential. She was sure Theo had put out the fire; he was always conscientious about such details.She made dinner, cooking the roots and leaf-wrapped fish fillets and sliced mushrooms in embers from the fire she raked away from the center of the smokeless blaze. She woke him after the food had toasted for a half hour. The skin of the root was dark and charred but its meat was soft, crumbly and delicious, the fish fell apart in soft white chunks. They ate with their fingers and drank water from the plastic bottles, one for each of them. During dinner Theo asked about her traps and when she described what she had found he told her about the jhinj (hinge/creeper) a needle nosed land lizard that liked to steal food from traps in the process destroying them. Its presence in the area had probably scared away the intended game. He advised her to relocate the traps but she had already done that. He called the white fruit Valyah (va-lia/heavenly). They each ate one for dessert, gnawing the succulent sweet flesh off the rusty rose colored pip. After they cleaned up they sat while the setting sun streamed in through the narrow entrance."This is what we are going to do." Theo announced. "We are going to read the Queen’s book, from the beginning so that I can catch up and we will not stop until we reach the end."For a minute Dani thought Theo meant Mama’s Orphan War trilogy because he said Mama’s book, but she quickly realized he meant her journal. She had not touched the journal since her last night as Maddie’s guest. She had no interest in reading another word of it. Ever. However, Theo looked determined."Tonight? All of it?""An hour or so of reading each night until it is finished." Theo nodded."Why?" Dani did not bother to tell him she did not want to read it; she guessed he probably knew already and he probably knew why, though she was a bit cloudy on why."You are a Keeper’s Thrith, Danielle. That bond means you have a Purpose to fulfill."It was very clear when he said Purpose that in this context it was a proper noun: capital P- lowercase -u-r-p-o-s-e."What purpose?""God’s Purpose." Again with the capital "P" and in a tone that suggested he thought it should be obvious."I told you, Theo, I do not believe in God.""Belief is not a prerequisite to His existence, Danielle.""That is not the point. I have one purpose here and that is to collect my mother and take her back home.""Yet, in spite of ample opportunities you have not yet done so.""What opportunities? You took my necklace first thing." Dani knew now that calling that thing a necklace was like calling a real diamond cubic zirconia. Thinking of diamonds reminded her of her own raw diamond and she reached into her handmade bag to make sure it was still there. The cold lump slid into her hand as if it had a will of its own. It still emitted that strange current but it was not as enticing as she remembered. "You missed two opportunities to be reunited with your mother: at the pinnacle and at Pelbradyn. It seems a curious route you have taken for one so determined to get your mother back home.""What choice did I have? If I had left you at the pinnacle you would have taken the sapphire with you. If I had waited to visit Mama at Pelbradyn you would be dead. You said it yourself; my connection to the sapphire drove all my decisions. If you had just left the sapphire alone I and my mother would be home by now and you would still be hiding out in that cave."By now Dani was pacing."You cannot avoid God’s will, Danielle.""Watch me.""If this situation has taught me anything it is that you cannot shape your own destiny. When I found the Stone on you I thought only of myself. I thought that here at last was my opportunity to fulfill my promise. You did not factor into that decision."Dani opened her mouth to say I told you so, but Theo held up his hand."You are correct, I would have kept the Stone had you turned yourself over to the King’s Scouts at the pinnacle; but when I was captured I knew it was only a matter of time before they discovered the Stone and it would be returned to you. I never once imagined you would do this, give it to me, make me your In Between. I only hoped the Bond would not take. I was certain the Keeper would not approve it, that I was a bad choice. But here we are."The sun had fallen so low in the sky a stabbing beam of light struck the hewn ceiling."What is your point, Theo?""Has God not said, ‘That which I purpose shall succeed’? It seems our paths are inextricably joined. Do not make the mistake of thinking that your plans will derail God’s plan.""How do you know getting my mother home isn’t God’s plan?""Have you considered the possibility that the Queen will not want to go with you?"Danielle crossed her arms, realized what a defensive gesture it was and dropped them to her side and began to pace again. Of course she had considered it, again and again but what her mother wanted was moot. Dani had come to Haven to take Mama home willing or not; like it or not and Dani was as determined as ever even as that scene in the shuttle played through her thoughts again and again. It was obvious Mama had a life here. Her presence here not only benefited the King but it benefited the people. Dani had heard one bone head at Pelbradyn refer to the queen as the Wood Witch of Unicorn Mountain. "What makes you think I will give her a choice?"Theo only stared at her. What was he thinking? His silent stare unnerved her. Her only recourse was to continue, to finish her thought."Do you think she gave me a choice when she ran off with her boyfriend without a word to me about it? I promised Aunt Angie that I would bring her home. She hurt me when she ran off, but she hurt a lot of other people too -- her whole family. They deserve an explanation. They deserve to hear an apology from her lips."She crossed her arms again, but this time did not drop them. Just let him try and tell her she had no right, just let him. He said nothing, though she could tell that he wanted to.He shook his head and pulled his haversack near. He rummaged through it and brought out one of his pouches and shook out several of his collection of obsidian."I hardly think kidnapping the Queen fits into God’s plan for you.""I told you I do not believe in God. I will do what I want. And what I want is to make my mother pay for what she has done. There is no way I am reading another word in that journal, no matter what you say. Besides I fail to see what one has to do with the other.""Like it or not, Danielle, I have to help you find your Purpose and reading the Queen’s book is a place to start."Dani failed to see what one had to do with the other. She told Theo.He sighed deeply."I am struggling to come to terms with this situation the best that I can. I have no idea what I am doing and in this instance I am following a method completely foreign to me.""And that would be?""Intuition!"

Chapter 26 The rapport they had enjoyed was shattered. It was bad enough he could read her mind -- it was humanly impossible to guard her every thought -- but her humiliating reaction to his promise now made her uncomfortable and uneasy. She had cried in front of him before but this time was different. He had touched something dark and hidden in her, some fear or need so intimate she could not name it. How could he know her better than she knew herself? Did she trust him with that knowledge? It seemed she had no choice.For his part, Theo carried on as usual. When he saw her bucket project he took it over and in quick order hollowed the log, bore two holes on opposite sides and made a rope from tree bark stripped from a tender young stem to fashion a handle. He scolded her for neglecting her thumb and administered first aid. While he did so, Dani noticed the burn on his jaw had split again and was oozing. She picked up one of his bandage strips and scrunched it between her fingers and reached to daub the wound. He pulled his head out of reach."Leave it.""Theo." Dani protested."Do not fuss over me.""Fuss? Who do you think brought you back from the brink of death? Who dragged you into this fire circle? I did, from way over there, and who put this tent up to conserve our wood and who cleaned up after you when you were helpless as an infant? Who saved you from your own stupidity? I did. I think I have earned the right to fuss over you." Anger was the great equalizer, slamming down on the awkwardness and booting it out, but she had gone too far, said too much and now Theo had an excuse to again rebuke her for saving his sorry ass.His eyes narrowed. His anger was blatant. If Dani could see auras, his would have been spun with the green-black energy of a tornado."No one asked you to save me."She withdrew her hand and stood up. "Now who is the ingrate?"She shouldered her pack and headed for the steps."Where are you going?" He called after her, his voice sharp with fear or panic."Up top," she called back. "I have no idea how long it’s been since breakfast and I want to check the traps I set."Her traps delivered nothing. One had collapsed and the other had not been touched at all. It would be fish for dinner, then. But she was not ready to return to Theo and the bottom cave. The fresh air tasted sweet but made her chest ache and the thin air, coupled with the altitude, left her feeling light headed and head achy even though she paced herself while gathering roots, berries and edible mushrooms. Exhaustion got the better of her so Dani took shelter under a bush that overhung a tiny spring. After soaking her suit she curled up on a thick layer of moss -- it smelled like spicy gumdrops -- and slept, waking hours later, sweaty and trembling to the fading light of early evening, the dim jangle of chimes and the clutching shreds of a memory of her trip to Israel fast on the heels of another prairie dress dream in which she and Theo had spoken in Hebrew.She returned to their shelter her thoughts cycling in Hebrew with a catch of three small fish and her pouch filled with her earlier acquisitions and the addition of two plump pear-shaped fruit she found growing on a tree she could not identify. The skin of the fruit was a creamy white blushing pink and looked succulent and sweet. She hoped they were edible. Theo would know.Theo was sleeping like a baby beside a small fire in the top chamber, his head pillowed on the haversack. Getting to the top floor must have taken him hours. The finished bucket was nearby, filled with cool water. Had he gone to the waterfall to fill it or had he filled it down below and carried it up those many steps? She shook her head over him. He was so damnably annoying and yet just as endearing. Her tube tent and the Mylar sheet were rolled up together around the tent poles, secured with strips of leather cord and laid beside the bucket. There was no need to go down to check the big cave because Dani had made a point not to bring anything down there that was not absolutely essential. She was sure Theo had put out the fire; he was always conscientious about such details.She made dinner, cooking the roots and leaf-wrapped fish fillets and sliced mushrooms in embers from the fire she raked away from the center of the smokeless blaze. She woke him after the food had toasted for a half hour. The skin of the root was dark and charred but its meat was soft, crumbly and delicious, the fish fell apart in soft white chunks. They ate with their fingers and drank water from the plastic bottles, one for each of them. During dinner Theo asked about her traps and when she described what she had found he told her about the jhinj (hinge/creeper) a needle nosed land lizard that liked to steal food from traps in the process destroying them. Its presence in the area had probably scared away the intended game. He advised her to relocate the traps but she had already done that. He called the white fruit Valyah (va-lia/heavenly). They each ate one for dessert, gnawing the succulent sweet flesh off the rusty rose colored pip. After they cleaned up they sat while the setting sun streamed in through the narrow entrance."This is what we are going to do." Theo announced. "We are going to read the Queen’s book, from the beginning so that I can catch up and we will not stop until we reach the end."For a minute Dani thought Theo meant Mama’s Orphan War trilogy because he said Mama’s book, but she quickly realized he meant her journal. She had not touched the journal since her last night as Maddie’s guest. She had no interest in reading another word of it. Ever. However, Theo looked determined."Tonight? All of it?""An hour or so of reading each night until it is finished." Theo nodded."Why?" Dani did not bother to tell him she did not want to read it; she guessed he probably knew already and he probably knew why, though she was a bit cloudy on why."You are a Keeper’s Thrith, Danielle. That bond means you have a Purpose to fulfill."It was very clear when he said Purpose that in this context it was a proper noun: capital P- lowercase -u-r-p-o-s-e."What purpose?""God’s Purpose." Again with the capital "P" and in a tone that suggested he thought it should be obvious."I told you, Theo, I do not believe in God.""Belief is not a prerequisite to His existence, Danielle.""That is not the point. I have one purpose here and that is to collect my mother and take her back home.""Yet, in spite of ample opportunities you have not yet done so.""What opportunities? You took my necklace first thing." Dani knew now that calling that thing a necklace was like calling a real diamond cubic zirconia. Thinking of diamonds reminded her of her own raw diamond and she reached into her handmade bag to make sure it was still there. The cold lump slid into her hand as if it had a will of its own. It still emitted that strange current but it was not as enticing as she remembered. "You missed two opportunities to be reunited with your mother: at the pinnacle and at Pelbradyn. It seems a curious route you have taken for one so determined to get your mother back home.""What choice did I have? If I had left you at the pinnacle you would have taken the sapphire with you. If I had waited to visit Mama at Pelbradyn you would be dead. You said it yourself; my connection to the sapphire drove all my decisions. If you had just left the sapphire alone I and my mother would be home by now and you would still be hiding out in that cave."By now Dani was pacing."You cannot avoid God’s will, Danielle.""Watch me.""If this situation has taught me anything it is that you cannot shape your own destiny. When I found the Stone on you I thought only of myself. I thought that here at last was my opportunity to fulfill my promise. You did not factor into that decision."Dani opened her mouth to say I told you so, but Theo held up his hand."You are correct, I would have kept the Stone had you turned yourself over to the King’s Scouts at the pinnacle; but when I was captured I knew it was only a matter of time before they discovered the Stone and it would be returned to you. I never once imagined you would do this, give it to me, make me your In Between. I only hoped the Bond would not take. I was certain the Keeper would not approve it, that I was a bad choice. But here we are."The sun had fallen so low in the sky a stabbing beam of light struck the hewn ceiling."What is your point, Theo?""Has God not said, ‘That which I purpose shall succeed’? It seems our paths are inextricably joined. Do not make the mistake of thinking that your plans will derail God’s plan.""How do you know getting my mother home isn’t God’s plan?""Have you considered the possibility that the Queen will not want to go with you?"Danielle crossed her arms, realized what a defensive gesture it was and dropped them to her side and began to pace again. Of course she had considered it, again and again but what her mother wanted was moot. Dani had come to Haven to take Mama home willing or not; like it or not and Dani was as determined as ever even as that scene in the shuttle played through her thoughts again and again. It was obvious Mama had a life here. Her presence here not only benefited the King but it benefited the people. Dani had heard one bone head at Pelbradyn refer to the queen as the Wood Witch of Unicorn Mountain. "What makes you think I will give her a choice?"Theo only stared at her. What was he thinking? His silent stare unnerved her. Her only recourse was to continue, to finish her thought."Do you think she gave me a choice when she ran off with her boyfriend without a word to me about it? I promised Aunt Angie that I would bring her home. She hurt me when she ran off, but she hurt a lot of other people too -- her whole family. They deserve an explanation. They deserve to hear an apology from her lips."She crossed her arms again, but this time did not drop them. Just let him try and tell her she had no right, just let him. He said nothing, though she could tell that he wanted to.He shook his head and pulled his haversack near. He rummaged through it and brought out one of his pouches and shook out several of his collection of obsidian."I hardly think kidnapping the Queen fits into God’s plan for you.""I told you I do not believe in God. I will do what I want. And what I want is to make my mother pay for what she has done. There is no way I am reading another word in that journal, no matter what you say. Besides I fail to see what one has to do with the other.""Like it or not, Danielle, I have to help you find your Purpose and reading the Queen’s book is a place to start."Dani failed to see what one had to do with the other. She told Theo.He sighed deeply."I am struggling to come to terms with this situation the best that I can. I have no idea what I am doing and in this instance I am following a method completely foreign to me.""And that would be?""Intuition!"

Chapter 25 Dani knew Theo shifted from his unconscious state into natural sleep when the white prairie dress dream returned and she woke with the usual spurt of long forgotten or suppressed memories and the sound of Theo mumbling in his sleep. She knew he was out of danger when he woke and asked in a raspy voice for water. By then Dani had explored the cavern and found a way to the surface. A narrow steep stair step was carved into the inside wall that opened into a small cave with a narrow opening that let in bright daylight. The bright light of day hurt her eyes at first but they quickly adjusted. The air in the upper cave stirred with a draft from outside that was warm and balmy, even a little humid. There was another fire pit, a much smaller one and there again was a stack of wood nearby, not nearly as old as the pile down below. She made a quick assessment of the chamber, seeing immediately it was a better shelter than the one in the belly of the hill. Its only drawback was there was no immediate source of water. The cave opened out onto a wide ledge that overlooked a thick forest. The ledge was high up on the slopes of a mountain, high enough that she could look out across the rough top of the canopy.  The first order of business was to provide better shelter for Theo so she spent some time in the near forest on the mountain’s steep slopes searching for branches long and strong enough to serve as tent poles. Less natural light made it through the densely packed Fughari and the canopy undulated with the opalescent shimmer even in daylight adding a disorienting liveliness to the shadows of the thick forest growth. It played tricks on her eyes and after a lengthy search with the poles she needed in hand she thankfully returned to the cavern to tackle the problem of constructing with her tube tent and the emergency blanket, combined with the poles, a shelter that would act as a buffer against the damp air of the cave and at the same time radiate heat into the tent. The cavern environment’s only support structures were the stalactites and stalagmites or the cavern wall, but none were positioned near the fire pit and there was not enough space between the mineral deposits for a tent except the space where the entrance to the fire circle was accommodated. For practical and safety reasons Dani decided it unwise to block that space. Her only other option was to drill holes in the floor to support her tent poles. She used Theo’s rock collecting tools: a pike and a steel hammer. The work of boring holes in the rock floor of the cave kept her awake and when sleep overtook her, as it inevitably did, she was so bone tired she slept like a rock. Sleep was to be avoided as much as possible. She did not want to give the King another chance to probe her brain looking for information that was none of his business.  Before she inserted the poles or raised the tent she had to move Theo.  She decided finally that Theo’s needs outweighed his privacy and quickly, but carefully removed the contents of his haversack. The garments at the bottom of Theo’s bag appeared to be religious vestments. These were wrapped in a green cloak made of light weight wool that was soft and certain to be warm. It would do. She removed the cloak; the rest of the garments she carefully returned to the bag. Dani put the emergency blanket aside and got the cloak under Theo and used it to drag him straight off the tent. During the move in spite of being dragged across the uneven floor Theo never stirred. She helped herself to some water before tackling the work of getting the tent up, arranged the tent so that it opened facing the fire. At the back she attached the Mylar sheet and immediately the air inside the tent warmed. By the time she had Theo back inside the tent and covered with the cloak she curled up beside him and slept, overcome with exhaustion.  When she woke she heard Theo muttering. “Corners like it’s on rails,” he said in flawless English, echoing her very thoughts in response to a memory of driving her Geo Storm on South Stream Road from Bennington to Pownal on the day Ethan had sold the car to her for $1,000 dollars. It had belonged to Aunt Birdie’s Great-Aunt Tildie, who had bought it new in ’93 and drove it around town until her death at the age of 99 in 2004. It was still like new and had under a thousand miles on it. Great-Aunt Tildie had not got out often, but she had doted on her “sports car.” Ethan had talked his parents into selling it to Dani as a graduation gift, cheap, and they had happily agreed.  She quickly backed out of the tent and stared, not at Theo, but at the dark winking blue of the sapphire. She busied herself at the fire – much smaller and more manageable now that the tent was rigged with the reflective emergency blanket. Only after her thumping heart quieted did she dare return to Theo. His wounds were healing nicely. His jaw was shadowed with the stubble of his returning beard, except the scabbed over burn spot on his jaw that had cracked open. The blisters on his lips had scabbed over and were healing quickly. Dani squeeze water into his mouth and applied the last of the pooke to the burn; it worked better than the triple anti bacterial ointment. The skin on his face had blistered and now it was peeling. Between that and the scar under his eye and hi newly arranged nose, he looked awful though most of the swelling and the redness in the cut under his eye was diminished. While Theo slept, Dani made short trips to the forest to gather wood from the nearby slopes. She could never tell until she got up to the top what time of day it was. On one trip it was night and she sat on the ledge and conjugated verbs in French while she enjoyed the flaring colored lights in the Fugharim until the cold started to seep into her bones. On other trips she looked for any natural resources that could be commandeered and put to practical use. (These she stored in the upper level cave.) She set two traps. She located a water source: a waterfall that tumbled recklessly down the steep incline of the mountain a few meters into the forest. Getting water from the source to the new shelter posed a problem. Her water bottles and Theo’s bowl and cup were not inadequate.  She discovered a log that when hollowed out looked big enough that it could be used as a bucket. She carried it back down to the cavern and sat beside the fire, using Theo’s pick to chop the interior meat of the log, and then hollow it out scraping with a wide circular slice of obsidian. She put the chips and shavings aside, to be taken back to the top later. The small bits and pieces of wood would make excellent kindling. Whittling kept her hands busy, but it left her mind free to wander. In the quiet of the cavern, the distant echo of water flow and the drip-drip-drip of mineral water was the only accompanying voice to her lonely thoughts. Her mind chased after unreachable answers to questions she could barely formulate. Why had Mama abandoned her? What about that letter? She struggled to remember had there been a letter with the box in the days following Mama’s sudden disappearance? Why had Maris changed so drastically and was it her fault? What motivated Theo? What was a Bond? Why did the sapphire frighten her so profoundly? How would she ever get Mama back home when her fear of it grew more profound every day? She wished Theo would wake up but that only started her worrying about how to get him to the top. When her wandering thoughts became too much for her she put the bucket aside and picked up the Psalter and read it aloud to Theo. The meaning of it was mostly incomprehensible to her, but all the same, somehow, it gave her comfort. She was sitting beside him, holding his hand and reading from the Psalter when he finally woke. “Danielle?” She immediately leaned in close to his face, gripping his hand. Her fingers were calloused and a blister had formed on her thumb from gouging out the bucket with the half-moon sliver of obsidian. It stung when her hand connected with his. His free hand came up and clawed at the bandage that covered his eyes. She pushed his hand away from his face. “Leave it.” She said. “Your wound was infected and I had to open it up and let it drain. Its healing nicely, but you’ll tear the new stitches out if you don’t leave it alone. How are you feeling?” For an answer he sat up and at the same time he pushed the bandage off and gingerly prodded the scar under his eye while he glared at her. She had anticipated this and welcomed his anger because sparring with Theo was preferable to being alone with her thoughts. His head bumped into the tent. He took in the shelter and what lay beyond which was the small fire and the greater darkness of the huge cavern. “Where are we?” “In a cave, deep in a mountain, the Lone Mountain, I think. There is a smaller cave near the surface that is warm and dry. It’s open to the summer breeze. We will move you there as soon as you are ready, before you are ready if I can think of how to get you up all those steps.” “Steps?” She poured treated water into his cup and handed it to him.  “Drink.” He drank greedily. “It tastes odd.” “That would be from the water purification tablet. Don’t worry its perfectly harmless.” He lifted an eyebrow but did not pursue the topic further. “How did we get here?” “The Stone brought us here."  “Why did you do it?” He whispered. “Don’t you know?” He shook his head.  What would it take to make him understand that he was important to her? She was furious, but she kept her answer neutral.  “You are my friend. I could not just stand by and let them kill you. “ “You still believe in my innocence?” She answered him bluntly to disabuse him of that idea. “You raped Ruby.”  He turned his head away. “Yes.” “How could you?” It seemed to Dani that rape was about the most un-Theo-like behavior; beyond comprehension. “I was not exactly at my best.” It was a callous comment buffered only by the bitter self recrimination in his voice. There was no consolation in his answer and even less in his voice. “Bad,” Dani said at risk of sounding callous now too. “But certainly not bad enough to warrant the death penalty. Why did you choose it? Why did you give up? I can see you wanting to get away from me; but how could you give up on your promise to Anthony?” Sitting up, even for such a short duration had already sapped all his energy and he laid back and murmured just before he slipped into another slumber. “I did it for you.”  When Theo woke again later they ate roast quibshift and onion from a bunch Dani had dug up from under a leaning Wooknut sapling. He chugged water between bites. After, when he finally noticed his blanket was Anthony’s cloak he stared at it in silence but said nothing else about it. He examined the tent and studied the emergency blanket and its shimmering surface. She said nothing about his last devastating comment.  “Where are my clothes?” He looked around, suddenly aware that some of his things were missing. “Where is my pack?”  After Theo exhausted himself taking inventory of all the supplies Dani had left behind to save him, she left him sleeping and climbed to the upper chamber where it was daybreak and returned shortly to put together a simple breakfast of fresh berries and a fish that she caught, cleaned, filleted and then cooked on a flat rock beside the fire. She woke Theo and after he quickly devoured the scant meal he started complaining again. “You should not have interfered.” He said. “And let you die? Then what would become of me?” The funny farm was what, she thought, a visit from the men in white coats with a straightjacket and a long needle attached to a vial full of the sort of anti-psychotic cocktail that produced drool. Theo blinked. “You are about as likely to be institutionalized as I am likely to tell you about Anthony.” Her worst fear realized, Dani retorted. “Stop reading my mind.” “If only I could. You should have let me die. It was the only sure way to sever this bond.” “There has to be another way.” “The only other way is for you to take the Sapphire back, but since you fear it more than I do, that is not likely to happen.” She looked at him helplessly. How was it her fault? Was she to blame that the King gave her a magical jewel and never bothered to explain to her the consequences of putting it on? Suddenly, seemingly without provocation Theo’s temper erupted. “You should not have put the Stone around my neck.” That’s what she was to him, she thought, a millstone around his neck. Then her anger kicked in.  “You should not have stolen it!” “I did not steal it.” “Oh? You just borrowed it, I suppose? You let me think I was trapped here. You let me think it was lost for good and I had no hope of returning home.” “You knew I had it all along.”“No.” She did not even bother to yell at him for reading her mind. “I do not need to read you mind to know this, Danielle; it became evident that you knew I had the Medallion when you stopped fretting about it. “From the moment you put that thing on you were bound to its Keeper. It draws you, but you resist it. Your desire for me, this show of loyalty, is nothing more than your need to restore your Bond to the Stone, except that desire is eclipsed by your fear of it.” “No!” She said again, more forcefully. Though his accusation made no sense at all it still bore the ring of truth. How could she be afraid of a thing, this object of beauty, this Stone of Power? Was the power behind it what frightened her? “When you transferred the Stone to me, you put me in the middle of that bond. I am not trained for this. I do not know what I am doing. It takes years of training to prepare an In Between. You should take this stone back, Danielle. Go to the foot of the mountain where the King’s guard certainly awaits you and let them take you to the King’s mountain where you belong. The King and his people will know where to find a skilled Thrithing’s practitioner.” She wished, oh how she wished she could read his mind and see why he had taken the stone in the first place. At the very least she deserved to know the reason. As far as she was concerned that unexplained detail lay at the heart of everything they had gone through since they met. But the bond only worked one way; she could not read his mind. It was so unfair. She was at a severe disadvantage. She could no longer keep Theo guessing about how much she knew about Anthony, there would be no keeping him off balance. He had the upper hand. He was in control. But worse than that, Theo seemed to think she had no feeling for him at all and she knew her love for him was real. She was a true friend and even without the complication of the Thrithing’s Bond and his crimes she would have risked everything to save him from the Crucifixion Tree. All he could think about was what a burden she was and after she had come so close to reuniting with Mama but instead had put his safety first. She threw herself at him with a snarl and with her fists flying. How dare he think so little of her. Even in his weakened state, Dani was no match for him. In very quick order he had her legs pinned beneath one leg and his two arms wrapped around her middle and her arms trapped beneath them. She waited for the scolding, for the rebuke that tantrums will not be tolerated, but he only spoke her name, in a tired and gruff whisper. “Danielle. Danielle. I sought not to rid myself of you, but to rid you of me.” After she stopped struggling he whispered in her ear. “It will be all right. I will not leave you. I will not leave you to deal with this alone.” He must have spoken to some deeply hidden fear she knew nothing about because his promise cut her to the core, her throat tightened and great sobs erupted and poured out tears of anguish so powerful her body shook under its power.