CRYSTALLUM LOST DREAMS | Fantasy Novel |

Chapter 7

"Mr. Aran Allet, kindly leave your luggage on the ground and take a step back."

"Hey, I told you I have nothing on me!" repeated Aran loudly, as the physical search began.

Fez, Cora, and Marmorel turned crimson and didn't move a finger. Elidana, on the other hand, frowned and walked towards her friend.

"Miss, stay back," one of the armed soldiers ordered her.

She ignored him. "Stupid, you still have Mansell's ticket on you," Elidana said.

Aran smiled and breathed a sigh of relief. He pointed his pocket. "May I?" He drew out the object very carefully and handed it to the soldier with the same grace. "I'm sorry, I didn't remember I had it with me."

The soldier carefully examined the business card, folded it during the check, and swipe it over the black stick. "You should know that you can't carry unauthorized technology out of the borders," he explained. "The watch on your wrist is old, but this object is not."

"I'm sorry. I didn't notice it... but," Aran gestured to turn the ticket over, "can't you make an exception? There's an autograph from Losh Gani and I really want to take it home," he concluded anxiously.

The guard switched his gaze between the ticket and Aran's face. He suppressed a smile, asked a fellow soldier to pass him the service knife, and cut off the edges of the piece of paper. "Here, keep it." He had removed the signaling system, leaving the pilot's autograph intact. Aran gave an embarrassed smile. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome! I'm from Jalla and this year I was really disappointed. But Xanter Roha surpassed everyone. In the end, the thing that really matters is the number of laps."

Aran moved on and once he stepped on the train, he wiped the sweat from his forehead. After the checks to the others also came back negative, they looked for a wagon with empty seats."

They dismissed the first two and, when they entered the third, Aran stopped next to a couple of available seats. "Cora, let's sit here." Elidana and Marmorel sat next to them and placed their luggage under their seats. Fez, having trouble fitting Marmorel's bagage into the designated space, decided to place it on the seat behind Cora.

After a few minutes, the train departed: the intense screeching of the Seorite made them long for the background music of the Silver Bullet and even the subdued noises of Edel. Like on the first journey, the train boarded the ship that would cross the Sea of Beiram towards Orielm.

"I think it's time to figure out what to do," said Cora, and Fez stretched his head from behind the seats.

"Okay, we need to find a place to hide the stones..."

"The orphanage is out of the question: with the children and Mrs. Flint everywhere, I can't do much," said Cora, scratching his head.

"It would be a problem at my house too. My mother would start asking to many questions," added Fez, propping up the suitcase with a bolt.

"If we have no other alternatives, let's keep everything at my place. We'll put the stones in my room and take them out one at a time," concluded Aran with a pensive expression. "Every afternoon, you and Elidana will come to my house to bury the Seorite at the Grand Jalme."

"Great idea," nodded Cora.

"In the morning, Fez and Marmorel will retrieve it," continued Aran, "hoping everything goes smoothly."

"Me and Marmorel?" asked Fez.

"Yes, you and Marmorel. I won't be able to leave the house, I'll have to make sure no one touches the stones."