Chapter Sixty One
The Gold District - Lucas and Kayla's Suites at the Palace (Three days...)
Kayla stared down toward the gardens and shook her head, "Why does it seem like they are only down there to humor us now?"
"Because they are," frowned Ebony while she stared at the dark red mark on Mekhi's neck. "They are obviously not our little babies anymore."
"Uh huh," nodded Kayla. "It seems like just yesterday they were 10 and 11."
Xara lips twisted as she watched Sebastian, "Sebastian's always seemed older then what he is."
"He is very," Kayla paused and stared at the young man in question. "Mature," ended Kayla questionably.
Ebony rolled her eyes with a shake of her head, "If that's what you want to call it."
"What would you call it," asked Harmony from a swing seat not far away.
Kayla clicked her tongue toward Ebony as a playful smile tugged at her lips, "Yes Ebony. What would you call it?"
Ebony gave Kayla a withering look before she gave Xara her full attention. "I believe I'll leave what I'd call him better left unsaid." Ebony leaned her head against the pale blue and white stripped cushion of the chair and smiled, "Why don't we change the conversation now. Just thinking of their ages makes me feel old."
"Old," laughed Harmony as she reached for a glass of lemonade. "You must think I'm ancient than."
"You don't look a day over 28," smiled Kayla.
"Harmony you shouldn't-," began Ebony only to burst into laughter when Harmony gagged on the lemonade. "Oh you should have added water and sugar to that," giggled Ebony before placing her hands on her overly rounded stomach.
"Sugar and water," huffed Kayla.
"Kayla since you've become pregnant your lemonade has become more and more sour," giggled Ebony. "I'm fairly positive you are only putting lemon juice in it."
"Ugh," gagged Harmony while she sat the glass down. "I can't even with that lemonade," frowned Harmony as she stared at the yellow liquid disdainfully.
"I'm sorry," pouted Kayla prettily. "I do add more than just lemon juice," mumbled Kayla crossing her arms over her chest.
"I'm sure," coughed Harmony while she patted her chest.
Xara released a loud sigh while she stared down at Sebastian.
"Are you okay," asked Harmony with a puzzled frown.
Xara nodded as she picked up her cup of tea, "I'm fine. Just a little under the weather I believe."
"Oh," frowned Harmony. "Are you feeling under the weather?"
Xara tilted her head to stare blankly at Harmony.
"What are you thinking," asked Harmony with a curious smile.
"Thinking," repeated Xara slowly.
"Xara," frowned Kayla thoughtfully. "Are you okay you seem kind of -?"
"I'm fine," replied Xara with a small smile while she played with the fragile tea cup.
Ebony sat her cup down to stare at Xara's pale face, "You definitely don't seem fine." Ebony patted Xara's hand in comfort, "You can tell us."
"Yeah," nodded Kayla. "We are all friends here and -,"
"You consider me to be your friend," asked Xara with a wide eyed stare
"Of course we do," laughed Kayla. "Stop being silly and tell us what's wrong."
Xara stared around the table doubtfully before she shakily put her cup down. "Last night," began Xara hesitantly, "I woke up abruptly feeling as if I couldn't breathe. I reached up to touch he necklace Kevin gave me only to remember it was gone." Xara looked sadly toward Harmony and shook her head, "I know it's not yours or Lilith's fault it was stolen but after what happen I feel very vulnerable without it or Kaelen."
"You have me," growled Sebastian as he appeared beside her. "And I won't let anyone or anything hurt you."
Xara gave Sebastian a dazed smile, "You want to go out with your friends and have fun." Xara lightly touched her temple and shook her head, "And I don't want to be the reason why you can't go out and enjoy yourself.
"You can come visit me every day," supplied Kayla excitedly.
Harmony laughed and waved her hand, "That won't do. Why don't I come visit you and put Ruby firmly in her place?" Harmony lifted her chin and gave a faux haughty smile, "I am after all Harmony Lawson sister of Anthony Lawson and the favorite niece of Acadia Lawson."
"You are too much," laughed Ebony with a shake of her head.
"I know," giggled Harmony while she relaxed back into other chair. "But I remember how Orchid and that twit were and I'm assuming she's still like that." Harmony waved Sebastian away, "You can't be with her all the time so I will put the fear of the Lawson name into her....." Harmony smile darkened as she stared around the table, "Again."
Sebastian nodded, "Xara you look drawn and pale. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," sighed Xara while she waved Sebastian away. "Mekhi and Lucca are in need of you so go over there."
Sebastian leaned over with a smirked toward Kayla and Ebony while he placed a small kiss on Xara's cheek. "I know I'm probably too old to be so affectionate to my cousin;" Sebastian paused, his lips curled into a chilling smile toward Ebony and Kayla, "but I would hate for people to think I'm too mature."
"No they'd just think you're super creepy," smiled Ebony tightly.
Sebastian arched an eyebrow with a chuckle, "So you say."
**********
Olliyum - Flying Fish District
Kevin frowned as he pressed a damp blue cloth against Lucas's swollen cheek, "So you're telling me a woman that was no taller than 5 feet and weighed no more than 100 pounds did this?" Kevin waved a hand encompassing Lucas and Jacob, "So you just let her beat the shit -."
"Shut up," growled Jacob as he snatched the cloth from the chuckling Dion. "She had these two things that she was swinging around -."
"Sias," chuckled Kaelen. "Those two things are called sias and I told both of you to fall back."
Lucas glared toward Kaelen, "How the hell were we supposed to know that she could do all that crazy stuff."
Kaelen pressed his lips together to keep himself from saying anything as he glared at Lucas.
"Kayla uses those I things when she's practicing," nodded Dion.
"Yeah," nodded Anthony while he surveyed the dead bodies of the villagers. "I've seen her practicing with them."
"For the love of the goddess on Rayia," yelled Lucas as he jumped to his feet. "Are you trying to say that Kayla could have beaten her if she would have been here?"
"No," frowned Dion. "I am saying that if you and Jacob practiced more on your hand to hand combat skills you wouldn't have gotten the dog stank beaten out of you by a woman that only comes to here." Dion pointed to the lower part of his chest.
"You're making fun of me," growled Lucas.
Anthony sighed as he stepped between Lucas and Dion, "He's not making fun of you or Jacob. He's pointing out something that we failed to realize."
"Like," asked Jacob as he rose.
Anthony looked from Kaelen to Jacob and finally to Lucas, "We've never fought people that were our equal in powers."
"She was damn powerful," nodded Jacob with a click of his tongue.
Lucas released a strained breathe. "If we practice anymore we'll end out like -."
"Me," smiled Dion. "My hand to hand combat skills are top notch," boasted Dion as he bend down and picked up a clump of reddish brown dirt. "This doesn't belong here," mumbled Dion as he eyed the rocky seaside and the grayish black soot like soil.
"We can practice together," enthused Anthony with a grimace that meant to be a smile.
Kevin nodded, "I'm a little rusty but I think Dion and I can teach you -."
"I wanted to ask this but I never got around to it," drawled Jacob while he rubbed his sore and bruised ribs. "Why is it that Sebastian is all powerful but couldn't fight worth a crap; and you are an expert fighter but can't use your powers worth a damn?"
Dion twisted his lips while he visibly considered the question, "Probably because they didn't want either of us to be too powerful." Dion sighed while he scratched his head, "If they trained Sebastian to fight, I doubt he and Xara would have been around for long."
"Ah," nodded Lucas. "Sebastian does really care about his cousin -."
"Sister," interrupted Kevin in a disinterested tone while he held the vial of soil up to the light.
"What," asked Kaelen.
"Xara is Sebastian's older sister," repeated Kevin. He stared at the four shocked faced and shook his head, "My gods even together you four are dumber than a box of rocks." Kevin stared amazed at Dion, "You said at the council meeting that Oscar boasted of kidnapping a brother and sister."
"I did didn't I," murmured Dion thoughtfully.
"Are you serious," asked Kevin while he stared at Dion. "I shouldn't let you hang around them it's like they are sucking he intelligence right out of you."
"I'm offended by that," pouted Jacob. "I'm plenty smart."
Kevin dropped his head in mock defeat, "Are you?"
"Don't be an ass or I'll never call you grandpa," snapped Kaelen.
Kevin sent a megawatt smile toward Kaelen, "So when do you plan to call me that?" Kevin looked around to see that Anthony and Dion had started to walk toward some of the dead villagers while Lucas and Jacob both seemed distracted by their handhelds. "Maybe today," asked Kevin giddily.
"Not on your life," frowned Kaelen. "But here's another question," asked Kaelen with a confused expression. "Why are you, Dion and Anthony here?"
Kevin lips pulled into a thin line as he contemplated Kaelen's question. After several seconds he shook his head, "After you three failed to check in yesterday the council were worried."
Kaelen face scrunched up in disbelief, "We've failed to check in too many times to count."
"True," nodded Kevin, "but we've never received a distress signal from any of you."
"Distress signal," frowned Kaelen.
"Uh huh," smiled Kevin. "But I was fairly sure it was sent in error but now that we've arrived I think -."
"We didn't send a signal," frowned Kaelen.
Kevin shook his head and started toward Anthony and Dion, "It doesn't matter now. There seems to be something afoot and now the we're here to figure it out."
"Figure it out," laughed Lucas while he and Jacob joined Kevin, Anthony and Dion. "Start with how all these people dropped dead at the same time?"
"They were puppets being manipulated by the woman," sighed Kaelen.
Lucas nodded, "I figured that but how."
Kevin expression chilled, "Did she tell you her name?"
"Ans," supplied Jacob. "She said her name was... Unds Sevenova."
"No she said," frowned Lucas with a squint, "she said Ahs Savanoda I think."
Kaelen took a deep breath, "Her accent was horrible as if Ah'Tarian was not her first language and her name definitely wasn't Ah'Tarian or any derivative of it." Kaelen chewed on his bottom lip as he concentrated, "Her name is pronounced Ans Savanovic."
"Are you sure she said Savanovic," asked Kevin slowly. "She said and I quote Savanovic?"
"Yeah," responded Kaelen exasperated. "Why are you asking as if I can't say a simple name?"
Kevin took a deep took a deep breath while he stared at Kaelen. "Have you ever in all your years of living heard of anyone with that last name?"
"No but -," began Kaelen.
Kevin shook his head as he stared around in disbelief. "That name shouldn't be here. That person shouldn't be here." Kevin walked over to Lucas and grabbed his face to examine his healed wounds while he continued to mumble to himself, "Why now?" Kevin released Lucas face and proceeded to examine Jacob's face, "Why after so long?"
"Kevin," frowned Jacob while he attempted to remove his face from Kevin's grip. "What's going on? You seem -."
Lucas shook his head when Jacob turned to him in an attempt for the right word. "I don't know." Lucas stared baffled at Kevin, "He seems worried."
"Kevin doesn't get worried," laughed Anthony on to stop when he saw the drawn look on Kevin's face. "And now that I've seen for myself that he's worried I believe we need to know who this Savandova person is."
"Savanovic," drawled Kevin distractedly. "The Savanovic family died a long time ago."
"Obviously not," frowned Jacob.
"Maybe she's one of those people that adopted a new name," suggested Anthony.
"When Ans and I use to practice together -," began Dion.
"What," yelled Kevin abruptly, "wait? Did you say you and she used to train together?"
"I'm assuming it's the girl I used to practice with a few years back," frowned Dion. "From the way you guys described her I think it is."
"And you're just telling us now about -," snapped Jacob.
Dion held his hands up with his index finger pointed toward Kevin. "He's the one keeping secrets not me. I never knew her last name," Dion shook his head as if dazed; "I vaguely remember her telling me her first name."
"Ah," frowned Kevin while he gazed at Dion strangely. "When did you practice with Ans?"
"Um," responded Dion confused as he tapped his left temple. "I vaguely recall training with her but I can't..."
"Remember well," frowned Kevin as he kicked at the foreign dirt.
"That dirt," frowned Kaelen. "I've seen it before but -."
"That's nonsense," frowned Kevin. "There isn't a planet -," Kevin paused and stared at Kaelen's smug face and shook his head, "Well damn I guess you got me."
"I guess I do," smiled Kaelen cockily. "And since I seem to have got you maybe you should start by telling us -."
"I'll tell you but I don't think you guys are going to -."
Jacob shook his head as they started over the bridge, "Trust me we are going to believe you."
"Wait," cried Dion anxiously while he pointed over his shoulders at the dead people. "What about the bodies?"
Kevin turned and with a look all the bodies caught on fire, "I'd prefer if they stay down this time."
Anthony frowned, "The number of dead will not go unnoticed by the Olliyum or high council."
"I agree," nodded Kevin. "You and Dion go speak to the Olliyum council and spin this into something that doesn't scream of the apocalypse."
"Is this the apocalypse," asked Dion quietly.
Lucas gave Dion an insufferably patient look, "No it's not the end of the world." Lucas turned his gaze to Kevin and frowned, "But it is the end of all the secrets that Kevin's been keeping."
Kevin rolled his eyes and shook his head, "There's never going to be an end to my secrets but I'm amused that you think there is." Kevin turned and tripped as he started back over the bridge.
"Damn he was cool for half a second," chuckled Jacob to Kaelen as they watched Kevin walk away.
Kaelen nodded, "If only he'd watch his damn step."
"Then he wouldn't be the Kevin that we all love to make fun of," chuckled Lucas as he patted both Kaelen and Jacob on the back. "He'd be Kevin," continued Lucas in an enigmatic voice, "man of a million and one secrets."
Anthony placed a carefree slap on Dion's back, "We have clean up and crowd control."
"Spectacular," sighed Dion with a whine while he sent a message back to the council of the happenings on Olliyum. "How exactly are we going to spin the deaths of 376 men and women."
"By guaranteeing that we will find and stop those who are responsible for this travesty," responded Anthony confidently.
"And if they believe it to have been the Ah'Tarians," asked Dion sadly. "That is what Oscar and the resistence does you know," sighed Dion sadly. "They make it seem as if the Ah'Tarians and the Alliance is responsible."
Anthony's shoulders squared as they turned left while Lucas, Jacob, Kaelen and Kevin kept straight. "I'm not worried about the lies the resistence will spread about what happen here. I'm more concerned with the fact that Kevin -."
"Kevin knows more than he's letting on," sighed Dion with a nod.
"Of course he does and if he doesn't start giving up some answers I believe I'll be calling his mom," smirked Anthony.