Light Speed by Arkadie, L. (accelerated reader books .TXT) 📕

anything in my life. I cannotdiscount what this Selell is capable of, but my father once told meto choose instinct over fear. And in this instance, I’m followingthe warmth which, to my relief, is flooding me once again.

Chapter4

The Downpour

“Will you let me carry you?” the Selell,Lario Exgesis asks timidly.

He seems more careful now that I know histrue identity. His crimes against my sisters and their bonds aregreat and certainly heinous. Fate was not kind to bond us, butbonded we are and so it is.

I nod stiffly because he stopped holding myhand to ask me that question. The tiny amount of cold afflicting myskin is akin to torture. This temperature is new to me and I simplycannot tolerate it no matter how hard I try. And he must know thisbecause as soon as I give my consent, he sweeps me up in his armsand we’re on our way.

I close my eyes as we go and allow hiswarmth to help me pretend that I am home. I visualize myself racingthrough the Forest of Whispers where the purple versa trees grow.The sunlight filters through their rounded leaves that shimmer inthe light and kisses every part of my face. But I’ve never beenhere like this before, in the Forest of Whispers. Not with thetingling in my stomach and the fire in my thighs. Not with myinstincts overruling my reason.

“Ad’ru?” The Selell whispers in myfantasy.

“Yes,” glides past my parted lips.

“Open your eyes.”

I slowly peel them open only to find himgrimacing into my face. So quickly, I’m becoming familiar with thelines, curves, and expressions of his face.

“We’re here,” he mutters.

I look away from him and all around me.We’re back where we once were, across the street from theestablishment where the two Selells once battled. Two white carswith spiraling red and blue lights on top and the wordpolice painted in blue along the side are parked infront.

The i’lek’u still flourishes behind theglass window where four men in blue shirts huddle around the manwho drew the handgun from behind the counter and pointed it atChex. I’m positive the humans cannot see the i’lek’u even thoughthey are affected by it.

I search for some sort of portal but all Isee are more buildings with pergolas, tall windows, and balconieswith decorative iron or wooden rails. It would be easy to see theportal glow because most of the establishments that line the streetare not lit from the inside or outside.

“I don’t see the portal,” I finally say,squinting out of frustration more than vision impairment.

“Give it time,” he quietly says, glaringstraight ahead through the window at the men in blue shirts.

The thoughts in my head are stilloveractive. I’m wondering if I made the right decision. At thisvery moment I could be with Cl’auta. I understood when Chex said“Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” Cl’auta would have figuredout a way to get to Na’ta. Surely, her powers combined with thoseof my other sisters who reside on the Earth could only aid me infinding Na’ta and bringing her safely home.

Home?

The notion of home has become obscure eversince I laid eyes on this one Selell whose crimes continue to listthemselves in my head. He’s the being who tried to dissolve thelove between Cl’auta and Ze Feldis with lies and used deceit inattempts to steal The Book of the Seven Seeds. And yet hereI stand, beside him. I trust this Selell, but find him far fromtrustworthy. In truth, I’m unwisely willing to risk danger toremain in his company. This could be a weakness of my humanity butthe impulse is too strong to resist.

“You tried to kill my sister,” I mutter inthe silence that lingers between us.

“Are you referring to Fawn?” he asks, stilllooking straight ahead.

I blink, taken aback by his response. “Haveyou tried to kill any other of my sisters?”

“I haven’t tried to kill any of them, noteven Fawn.” Now he looks down at me. “And that is the truth.”

“Then why did you feed her the mirk?”

His scowl intensifies. “I count it as one ofmy transgressions. One day I’ll pay for them all, but will you makethat time now?” he asks with fierce sincerity.

“But why did you deceive her?” I ask. Mytongue swells from anticipation.

He runs a hand nervously through his hair ashe considers my question. Then abruptly he looks away from me tostare straight ahead. “There,” he says with a sigh of relief.

I trace his line of sight with my eyes. I’msurprised to see that the portal is the cracked window.

“How did you know about this portal?” I ask,watching him with scrutiny.

“I don’t have time to answer yourquestions,” he says harshly. “Do you want to save your sister, ornot?”

My feet are like two boulders fixed to thesoil. This Selell is devious. If I elect to move forward with him,then I’ll be choosing danger. But Na’ta’s distress seizes me frombeyond the doorway and intensifies the longer I stand herecontemplating whether I’m brave enough to take a leap intodanger.

“I will follow you,” I sigh,surrendering.

The Selell, Exgesis tugs me across thenarrow street without looking both ways. We bolt toward the doorwaythat sets the entire span of the window aglow.

The human who was behind the counter stabs afinger in our direction and the men in blue look our way, but weleap through the portal before any of them can move toward us.

Now my face splits the warm, fluid rays thatcarry us from one dimension to the next. I see the white-hairedSelell in front of me. He knows exactly where he’s going, leadingme down a specific path. And this journey is not a short one. Thefurther we go, the more apprehensive I grow about putting mydestiny in his hands, but there’s no turning back now.

Finally the light disappears. The Selell andI are standing in an open field. The ground feels strange beneaththe soles of the shoes on my feet, so I quickly look down. And ohhow do I regret looking! It’s wet and mushy, black- andgray-flecked dirt layered thinly by slimy green moss. It’sdisgusting and foul, and neglected by those who