The Realm Protectors - Chapter 43: Chapter 43

"Nile, it would be a lot easier to pack up that stuff if you took it apart, honey." Enya laughs from her spot on the couch. Nile is attempting to pack up his board of evidence while keeping all of his colorful pieces of string attached to each piece. Everyone else is having fun watching him painstakingly remove each piece of paper and tape. Faris and I are leaning against the wall. Avani and Nikolina are sitting in two chairs facing the couch, playing some type of card game. They've been there for a few hours now –Lyra started braiding Avani's hair for her into some complicated hairdo. Enya is sitting on the back of the couch, her bright red boots on the cushions. Ciana is sitting on the couch next to Enya's feet, carefully stacking Nile's papers in a box. Her eyes skim each one, causing her to frown in thought.
"I just don't get it." Ciana sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose. "If they want to speed up this whole 'ultimate destruction' process, why don't they just attack the gateways back-to-back?"
Enya shrugs. "Maybe they have to do more surveillance to make sure their plans will work."
"Maybe Gray has to recharge," Avani suggests. "I'm sure it must be hard work to destroy a gateway."
"It is actually not," Lyra says, her hands working crazy fast through Avani's thick locks. "Gateways are very unstable, as I have always said. It is practically a black hole in a fancy disguise. That is how our magic of tunneling works. Black holes are very much like a temperamental child. All you have to do is strike the right nerve and boom." Avani makes a bomb noise to accentuate her friend's point, laying a card down on the stack between her and Nikolina. Nik groans and throws down her hand.
"Maybe there's another motive behind it that we're not seeing," Faris suggests.
"Besides the whole 'tearing our worlds apart thing?'" I laugh. "I'm not sure there's more behind it than that."
"Everything is so precisely scheduled, though." Ciana huffs as she lays another piece of paper in the box. She scrunches up her face and Faris' eyes flick to the motion, his neck and ears going pink. I chuckle, smirking at him and bumping Faris' shoulder.
Nile turns around and hands Ciana another stack of papers to put in the box. "I think they're trying to make it seem like we can't keep up with them."
"I think you're right," Tucker says from his spot in the corner. "They're trying to make you seem like the kids you are." He's been quiet this entire week, staying around us at a distance, always keeping an eye on our backs.
"We're not kids though," Avani huffs.
"Compared to the High Arches of the past, you guys are very much kids." Tucker snorts in response. "Normally High Arches are trained for a decade before assuming the position, usually somewhere in their forties or even fifties. None of you have even graduated yet. Nile's the only one who's even eighteen."
"I turn eighteen in two months," Enya sighs. "But you're right. They're trying to make us look small and weak. We need to find some way to show everyone that we're not."
"Well, this is a start," Ciana says, looking at one of the pieces of paper Nile handed her. She reads aloud, "'Arch Stellato single-handedly saves Cielo.' Where did you get this, Nile?"
"It was in the paper this morning." Nile shrugs. "If it was published here, I'm sure it's not long before the news spreads everywhere else. Elementals aren't normally strong enough to carry the weight of an entire city by themselves." He nods proudly at Faris, who smiles in response.
"Just keep doing what you're doing kids." Tucker sighs, leaning back against the wall. "But just be careful, because I'm sure it won't be long before the other shoe drops."
Another long press conference later, we're finishing packing up before we go to Stelluna. Lyra is flitting around excitedly, chattering about how much she can't wait to see her family. It's really cute actually, and I find myself unable to stop smiling.
"I don't know why we don't just have Lyra tunnel us places," Faris groans. "Then we wouldn't have to wait for the tunnelers every time."
"I'm sure he's just running a little behind today," Enya tells him. She furrows her brows and checks her watch again. "Though it is pretty rude to be late for a meeting with the High Arches."
"I am sure they are just busy," Lyra assures us. "Though in the future, I would be happy to tunnel us for the rest of our journey."
"Noted," Enya says, nodding. Someone knocks on the frosted glass door. Tucker goes over to open it while we all prepare our bags for travel.
"Apologies for the delay, your Highnesses." A young woman around our age says, scurrying into our room. Her hair is wind-tangled, falling into her face as she straightens her deep purple robes. "My name is Vannozza, and I will be escorting you to Civitastella." She bows quickly before chopping her hand through the air.
"Thank you, Vannozza." Enya smiles. Tucker goes first, making sure the tunnel is safe. He comes back through to our side, letting us know everything is clear before we all go through. Stars and planets swirl around us dizzyingly before we emerge in front of the gates of the capital of Stelluna.
"The city of stars," Lyra sighs to herself with a smile. She leads us into the massive city, telling us about all the interesting sights. The city is made of tall spires of dark stone, each connected by multiple bridges. Round windows with wide stone ledges are carved into the spires, soft blue light shining from inside them. The sun is sinking into the horizon in front of us, painting the sky in fiery oranges, pretty pinks, and passionate purples. The city is cast in the sun's late-day golden light, giving everything an ethereal look.
"Like Mork, we try to only see by the natural light of the sun and moon," Lyra explains.
"Welcome," Senator Esmeray says when we reach an elaborately carved pillar in the center of town. "I hope you have all had a wonderful journey so far. You have actually arrived on a wonderful night – according to star charts, tonight is going to be one of the best displays we have had so far this year."
"That is wonderful!" Lyra claps her hands excitedly. "I was hoping we would have at least one good stargazing night while we were here."
"You got your wish then, your Highness." Senator Esmeray bows to her, a bright smile on his face. "Your parents are looking forward to seeing you as well, this week."
"I am looking forward to seeing them, as well." Lyra grins in response.
"Come now, let me escort you to your lodgings for this week before Arch Centauri drags you to her family's house." Senator Esmeray laughs, his opalescent coils waving slightly in the wind. He turns, leading us toward a building a few yards away. "The Versorluna is not as grand a hotel as you may have stayed in some of the other countries, but it is safe and comfortable."
"I'm sure that anything you've chosen will be perfect," Enya tells the senator.
"I do hope so." Esmeray nods. He points up at the spires around us and the polished stone bridges between them. "The pontes connect every building together. At night, our people gather on them to watch the stars together. It's quite the display."
"I can't wait to see it," I find myself saying, watching Lyra as she looks around at her home city. She seems so at-ease, a calm but happy grin painted across her face. The starlight freckles across her cheekbones seem to glow more here, in the natural light of dusk. Lyra turns her head, violet eyes finding my blue ones. She smiles wider, extending her hand to me. I find myself smiling back and taking her hand. She squeezes it, her hands so small compared to my own.
"Here we are," Senator Esmeray interrupts my thoughts. "The Versorluna. Your rooms are on the top floor. Feel free to explore the city once you've gotten settled in."
"Thank you, Senator," Nile says before leading us inside. The lobby is a wide circular room, with a rounded desk on one side and a set of stairs connected to the opposite side. The woman at the desk gives us the key to our room, pointing us up the stairs. We thank her before ascending, the tower getting narrower and narrower as we go. The top of the staircase reveals a door bedecked in shimmering paintings of constellations. Enya inserts the key and opens the door, revealing a circular hallway around the door. More doors painted with other colors signify each of our rooms. We dump our bags into our rooms quickly before hurrying back down the stairs and out into Civitastella.
"Tell us a little bit about what to expect here, Ly," Avani says as we make our way toward the Centauri family's house.
"I am told my mother is much like me," Lyra replies. "My father works in one of the crystal shops downtown. I have two older twin sisters as well."
"Twins?" Faris asks.
"Yes, Scilla and Soraya." Lyra stops us, allowing a group of children to run across the path. They smile and wave at us before continuing on. "They are around Nile and Enya's age. A little bit boy-crazy too." Enya shoots a protective glance at Nile. Lyra turns a corner and sighs with a smile. At the end of the road is a little brick cottage with a thatched roof. Lyra hurries towards it, passing under the white arch bent over the packed dirt path. Little purple flowers line the way leading up to the patio, complete with a white and fancy door. The Centauris is painted across the top of the door frame with swooping white strokes. Lyra knocks on the door and rocks back and forth on her heels while we wait.
"Oh, by the way, it is tradition for guests in Stelluna to be cleansed with incense when they enter a home." Lyra turns to tell us. "Do not be alarmed if my mother approaches you with a smoking stick." She laughs to herself while Avani and Nik exchange a glance. The door opens, revealing a woman in a long purple skirt and long-sleeved blouse. Her tight opal coils surround her head in a wide and impressive crown. She grins when she sees Lyra and opens her arms. Lyra breaks into a smile so wide it's like a quarter moon, running into her arms. The woman kisses Lyra's head profusely before stepping back and holding Lyra's face in her hands.
"You are beautiful, my star." The woman says.
"I missed you too, Mama." Lyra giggles. She turns around, smiling at us. "Friends, this is my mother, Adhara."
"It's wonderful to meet you, Mrs. Centauri." Enya says.
"Please, please," Lyra's mom waves her hand, dismissing the formality. "Any friend of sweet Lyra's is family to me. You may call me Adhara."
"Thank you, Adhara." Ciana smiles. Adhara grins wider.
"Come in, come in," She tells us, waving us inside. "Wait right here in the cleansing room while I grab the incense." She scurries off around a corner while we all cram into the entryway of Lyra's house. She comes back a few short minutes later with a man who introduces himself as Oberon, Lyra's father. They both take an incense stick, taking turns wafting the smoke around our bodies. It smells really good; some blend of herbs that I make a note to ask Lyra about later.
"Dinner will be ready soon," Adhara tells us after she and her husband are finished cleansing all of us. "Feel free to take a seat and chat while you wait."
"We are honored to have you all here with us this evening," Oberon bows to us before following his wife into the kitchen.
Lyra leads us into what must be the living room: a small room with a couch and two comfortable-looking armchairs. Two identical girls with opalescent dreadlocks and ebony skin are waiting for us on the couch, sitting eerily identically. They lift their heads at the same time as we enter, looking at us. Both have the same crescent moon tattooed on their foreheads with dark ink. They smile in unison, identical dimples appearing.
"Sister!" One of them says, standing and giving Lyra a hug. She has a stack of silver earrings in her right ear, and I notice the other twin has an identical stack in her left ear.
"Hello, Scilla," Lyra smiles. She squeezes her sister tightly before letting go. The sister with the left earrings – Soraya, apparently – rises and hugs Lyra too.
"We are pleased to have you home," Soraya says.
"Introduce us to your friends, dear sister," Scilla grins, looking Nile up and down. Enya purses her lips.
"I'm Ciana," Ciana pipes up, grinning from ear to ear. She points to each of us in turn. "This is Avani and Nikolina. That's Enya and her boyfriend Nile. That's Faris–"
"And this is Carter," Lyra interrupts her gently, wrapping her hand around my arm. She smiles at me softly, eyes sparkling. I smile back at her before looking at her sisters.
"It's a pleasure to meet you both," I tell them.
"We apologize in advance if we mix you up," Enya says, her hands white-knuckled around Nile's hand. "We haven't met many twins before."
"It is quite simple really." Scilla starts chattering about how she and Soraya are different. Lyra places her hand on my arm, turning my focus to her.
"Come with me," She whispers. "I want to introduce you to my parents." My heart jumps at her words, and I nod. She smiles, gently grabbing my hand and pulling me into the kitchen.
Her parents are both crowded around the small stove, tossing an assortment of ingredients into a large pot filled with boiling liquid. The smell of roasting vegetables and incredible spices fills my nose deliciously. I take a deep breath of it and sigh.
"Mama, Papa," Lyra begins. "There's someone I'd like to introduce you to." Her parents turn around, dusting their hands off on their matching purple aprons.
"Ah, it must be this handsome young man," Adhara grins.
"This is Carter," Lyra nods.
"It is nice to meet you, Carter." Oberon smiles. He offers his hand and I shake it.
"It's nice to meet both of you, too," I tell Lyra's parents. "I can see why Lyra is such a wonderful and loving person. She had great examples."
"Well, look at this little fawner," Adhara laughs, shaking her head. A kettle on the stove next to the pot of soup starts whistling, causing Lyra to jump.
"It looks like it is time to eat!" Oberon grins, clapping his hands together. "Everyone gather around the table!"
Twilight falls, darkness covering the city and stars peppering the sky. Lyra brought all of us out to the ponte connecting our room to the other towers around us a few minutes ago. All around the city, people gather out on the pontes and stare up at the sky, waiting for the show to begin.
"Everyone contributes to the show," Lyra whispers to me. We're sitting next to each other on the edge of the ponte, leaning against the railing. She swings her legs back and forth. "I have not been able to add my talents to a show for a long while now."
"I'm sure it'll be the best show these people have seen in a while," I tell her. She grins.
"Shh, it's starting!" Ciana gasps. I look up at the sky to see a cloud of dust forming, rainbows of murky colors swirling around inside of it. More clouds form until the twilight sky is covered in magical nebulae. They're small but beautiful, forming into simple shapes like stars and hearts.
Lyra raises her hands, moving her hands around in circles. A cloud of nebulae larger than all the other clouds combined joins the party in the sky. The crowd around the city goes wild, clapping and whistling. Lyra's face glows with happiness as her cloud thrums with magic, colors bursting bright and beautiful. Music begins playing somewhere far below us, and people on the hundreds of pontes stand and begin to dance. Toes tap, arms swing, and legs twirl as joyful shouts rise up in a heavenly symphony.
Our friends start laughing and dancing behind us, joining in the powerful joy sweeping the city. Lyra is beautiful, practically glowing in the light of her city so full of happiness. I feel my face grow hot as she turns to me, standing up and extending her hand.
"Come on," She giggles. "Come with me." I take her hand, standing and following her back into our hotel. She leads me up the stairs, her small hand intertwined with mine. We emerge on an upper level, a doorway leading out onto an empty ponte. She leans against the railing, giggling at the sight of our friends dancing below us. Lyra turns her face up to the sky, the glow of the nebulae reflecting in her violet eyes. My breath catches in my throat. I make an embarrassing choking noise too, and she turns to look at me.
"Carter?"
"I... I've been thinking," I find myself saying. "I was wondering... um..." Lyra tilts her head, curiosity and confusion swirling in her lavender gaze. A few stray curls fall in her face. I take a breath before speaking again.
"This past year and a half that we've known each other has been incredible," I begin. "Lyra, you are amazing in every way possible. And I... I feel something for you Lyra. My heart sings when you're near. I'm so incredibly happy whenever I'm with you, and I was wondering if... if you'd like to be more than friends?"
Lyra's eyes widen, her lips parting slightly. "Are you talking about being... a couple? Being together?"
"If you don't want to or if I've over-stepped we don't have to," I rush, words falling out of my mouth before I can stop them. "We can stay friends if you want, but I just thought that–"
"Shh," Lyra coos, eyes bright and a brilliant smile across her face. "I would love to be your girlfriend, Carter."
I feel myself smile so wide it almost hurts. "You would?"
Lyra nods.
I laugh, sweeping her up into my arms and spinning her around. She giggles, tossing her head back and smiling to the heavens. I set her down, looking her in the eyes. She bites her lip, turning my attention to her mouth. I see her eyes flick to my lips before returning to my eyes. She begins to lean towards me, tilting her head up. I lower my chin, bending to meet her. Her eyes flutter closed, a soft breath escaping her parted lips and brushing across my cheek like the touch of a feather. It sends shivers down my spine and I close my eyes too. My lips brush hers, a tentative phantom of a kiss that sets a fire in my heart. I cup her cheek in my hand, her hands resting on my chest as I bend down again, pressing my lips to hers more firmly this time.
Lyra gasps, pulling away. I open my eyes to see her shaking her head, fear written across her face.
"Lyra?" I ask her. "What's wrong? Did I do something wrong?"
"No, no," She says, chest rising and falling with rapid breaths. My heart pounds in my chest. "It is... it is... the-"
"The gateway!" Someone screams from far below. The chorus of joyful shouts quickly turns to panicked screams as bursts of purple light begin to flare from the gateway on the horizon. I squint my eyes, just barely able to make out the sight of a group of people dressed all in black fighting with the purple-robed guards.
"We have to save the gateway!" Lyra shouts. She grabs my hand, turning to run back into the hotel. "Come on!"