Within Gold and Glass (Book One of the Jamyria Series)

The Jamyrian Jungle (Pt. 1)

"Cameron, where are we?"

There are no longer warm-toned tree trunks but moss and plant adorned ones. Frilly, tentacle-like vines cascade from the canopy above with hibiscus-like flowers dangling precariously. Everything is mushy, moist, and bright.

"You want an exact location?" he laughs.

"Is this the same forest?"

The dense vegetation is unfamiliar and full of unknown squeaks and hoots. Margo almost expects a tropical parrot to swoop down or a monkey to swing past on a vine.

"The forest changes the deeper in you get," he answers.

The shika passes a branch of purple flowers, each blossom a cluster of glowing needle-like petals. There are hundreds of shades of green around them and not one fit for a tree. She tightens her eyes again.

"It's too bright," Margo complains.

"It'll get better," he says. "When we get deeper, there'll at least be more flowers to break up the colors."

"Sounds even brighter."

"Like I said, you'll get used to it," he assures her. He pauses. "The forest isn't the only thing bothering you, is it?"

Margo's hold on him tenses. He always manages to see beyond her façade. There is a part of her that longs to indulge him, but sharing all that's happened since their last meeting is far too painful to consider. Speaking the words aloud only validates them. Nothing will change that fact that Kylie is eternally gone. She was a warm glow in Margo's heart like a lamp filling her spirit with light. Losing her was like losing that light. It took only a second for everything to change, just a second to engulf her world in darkness. Now Margo is left blind and clawing for walls that are not there only to fall deeper within the shadows of her pain.

Her death was over a year ago, and Margo is far from healed. She doubts she will ever be the same. She is grieving, and what's worse than grieving is accepting pity from others, so she lies. "I'm fine. Just adapting to this world, I guess."

He smiles back. "I promise everything's going to be fine."

But it won't. It will never be fine again.

*

"I don't want your meaningless excuses," she says in an innocent voice, though no witness is fooled. Behind the eyes of a doe lay venomous teeth. "I want to hear of results." The Queens dress dances at the waist, sending shudders to its hem as she steps down from her dais. Hands delicately clasped behind her back, she leans in towards the Crewman and breathes, "Should it be this difficult? He is only one man. Such a job should be considered child's play for my Crew, should it not?"

"Yes, your majesty," he shivers at each of her breaths that roll across his face. "We are genuinely putting forth our best efforts. He's certainly somewhere within —"

"Of course he's somewhere!" the Queen spits. Though she is fuming up at him, the Crewman suddenly feels ten inches tall. "Your job is to find him and bring me his head." She takes a deep breath to steady herself. "That will be all."

She waves a gloved hand and starts toward the only object other than herself worthy of taking a person's breath away. Resting in three clawed prongs to the right of her dais is a grand globe. It stands nearly as tall as she, comprised of solid gold and a fine crystal sphere. "Show me the Marked One," she orders it. She curses when it does nothing but give off its usual luminous glow, though it is the same result it has given her all day. "Show me my Crew."

This time the globe fills with bits of sand that stir in the wind. The spiral of specks shift into different colors and collect in the center of the globe. Color washes over the image, and a perfect three-dimensional replica of her selected Crew appears. The Queen smiles at the only amount of progress made in finding the New Mark.

"I should be out there with them," growls the man lurking in the shadows. He cannot be seen but for each passing into a faint beam of light as he paces and disappears into darkness once more. His dark face remains hidden under his hood.

"You stay with me," she orders.

"I'm the best you've got!" says Shomari stepping completely out of the shadows, the muscles under his coat tense. "Send me, and I'll have the Marked One destroyed."

"Remember what happened the last time I sent you to kill a Mark?"

He snarls at her. "That won't happen again." Shaking his head, he drops his eyes. "Never again...."

The pair of doors to the throne room suddenly burst open with a clatter. Belitza, Head Guardsman and Noble, stalks in with her emerald cloak rippling grandly behind her small and narrow frame. She stops in front of the throne, flanking Shomari off, and in a swift movement whips down her hood to reveal the circular mark covering the back of her bare head. Her mouth is twisted up in a cruel but pleased expression.

"She's ready," she announces.

The Queen cracks a glorious smile. "Perfect. Have there yet to be any sightings?"

"No, your majesty."

"And our insider? Have we made contact?"
Belitza shakes her head. "We hope to in the next few days. A Crewman is waiting for a safe time to discuss the facts, but as you know, your highness, there can be setbacks and delays when trying to remain inconspicuous."

"Very well," the Queen says. Shomari growls quietly from behind Belitza. "And the Beast...?"

"Has been pushed further from her usual regions to hunt the New Mark. And as soon as we hear of a sighting, she will be moved to the appropriate region." Belitza holds her smooth head high, chin in the air.

"Excellent," says the Queen proudly.

"The Guard is also preparing to move out —"

"No, not yet. I will not risk my finest soldiers knowing this Mark is fresh and could potentially be dangerous. I will not allow disaster to come to my strongest protection. For now, send only a few."

"As you wish," Belitza obeys with a bow. "I will send Saul and his troop. Do you wish for me to accompany them?"

The Queen thinks this over. "Yes, but from a distance. I am ordering you to not interfere no matter the circumstance. If after three days you have yet to find him, report back to me."

"Hold it!" Shomari bursts. "You'll send her but not me? I'm your most powerful Guard. You know I could do more than sit around here all day!"

The Queen rises. She glides down the few steps leading to her throne and is suddenly so close to Shomari her face is nearly under his hood with him. She lowers her voice so that only he can hear what she has to say.

"You know what your job in Jamyria is, Shomari. And you will do it, or I will silence you myself. Understand?"

His chest rises and falls repeatedly in fury, but he can do nothing about the anger locked inside of him. He drifts back to the comfort of the shadows, blocking out the cold tinkling of Belitza's laughter