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finger, she displays the one tiny dropof water that Ktkl once put inside of me. She then takes it andsmashes it on the end of the long plain rod that is the Scepter ofGant.

“If you had not returned it to us,” Ktklsays, “then it would have remained locked. But now…”

The metal casing falls off the Scepter andwhen it hits the water it disintegrates into a splash. Even LarioExgesis’ eyes grow wide at the sight of the glass rod encased inflecks of gold, red, purple, and green, lighted and floating inclear liquid. There are also solid gold knobs at each end of it. Heis surprised. It seems he didn’t know that the Scepter waslocked.

As Ktkl holds it out for me to take, I’msuddenly knocked off my feet and, upon hitting the solid liquid, Isee the back of a woman with long black hair streaking up and away.She snatched the Scepter out of Ktkl’s hand.

The rain is falling. The Mtknv are in anuproar. Lario Exgesis is gone. It is as if the world is spinningout of control. Then I see the back of the thief speeding towardus. My heart drops when I see that it’s Chex and he has one handclasped around her neck. Water splashes on me as he slams heragainst the surface and tears the rod out of her grasp.

“Take it Ad’ru,” he says gruffly as he holdsthe rod up with a straight arm.

Now that I’m back standing on my feet, Irush over to take it from him. Then his free hand slips into hisjacket and comes out clenching a dagger.

“Chex, no!” I shout but it’s too late. Hisarm swipes across his chest and he’s intending to slice her neckoff. But his blade is stopped by the solid block of water thatsuddenly surrounds the woman.

Ktkl’s broad hands take Chex by the wrist.“Murder is not allowed in Mtknv. If you kill, you will be judgedand sentenced.”

Dear God, I’m relieved that Ktkl stopped himfrom killing the female Selell! I am also dreading the ire behindthat expression Chex is showing me. In one agile move, he leaps onhis feet and glares at the petrified Selell, who I assume is GiaScoralini.

“If you want save her life then you bettermake sure I don’t get hold of her outside your borders.”

I study the frozen face of Gia Scoralini.Her eyes are bulging. The sight of Chex has definitely frightenedher. She is an attractive creature in the way she resemblesNa’ta.

“What happens outside of Mtknv is not ourconcern,” Ktkl replies.

Then Chex turns his angry eyes on me. “Whatthe hell was that Ad’ru?! Your coming here without me!”

I drop my face to look at my feet. I know Iwas wrong and knew he would be very upset when I saw him again. Butthen I feel his finger on my chin and he lifts my face.

“Don’t ever do that again?” he mutters.

“I will not,” I promise him.

His tender lips kiss mine. It’s a very quickkiss. He wraps an arm around my waist and asks Ktkl. “Can weleave?”

“You are free to go,” Ktkl answers.

I bow my head to my Mtknv friend and hetouches my forehead with one of his enormous fingers. A cool liquidsensation trickles down my throat.

“When you call, the Mtknv will come,” hedeclares.

And the water creatures remain true to form.They are the first to make an exit - with a thunderous splashingsound they melt into the sea, taking Gia Scoralini the Selell withthem.

Chex and I are alone, and for a moment I’mable to consider the beautiful sun that hangs above Mtknv and thesoft breeze that flows up my nostrils. I hope it will stop my headfrom spinning and my legs from dropping out from under me. Allaround me has just turned…

Chapter 13

The Denouement

…black.

I open my eyes. My lids and my limbs areheavy. I’m lying on my side and my head is resting on somethingfamiliar. I gaze up, blinking my eyes to focus. Chex plants a softkiss on my lips.

“You woke up?” His gentle whisper soothesme.

I cannot ignore Na’ta, Cl’auta, Falu,Pan’a’tua, and two others, Glo and Zillael, - whom I’ve never laideyes on - hovering around my bed.

“Alright, you can leave now,” Na’ta sayssnobbishly to Chex.

He sniffs hard and kisses me on theforehead. “I’ll be back,” he mutters and gives Na’ta the evil eyesbefore strolling gracefully out of an opening.

Now it dawns on me why I lost consciousness:Pan’a’tua used the power of matter on me. My sisters and I haveadverse reactions to it. It takes more time for our bodies toreconstruct after they have been deconstructed.

“Oh my God, Ad’ru,” Fawn nearly cries as shehurries over to squeeze me tight. “We’ve been looking for you.Hoping to find you!”

She is holding on to me as if her lifedepends on it. “I’m fine,” I assure her as I rake my fingersthrough her soft hair.

Once she lets go of me, Cl’auta comes to hugme. “It’s been a nightmare,” she says, shuddering as she recallswhat she has experienced.

I look up at Pan’a’tua who’s standing at thefoot of the bed. She smiles at me which for her is equivalent to ahug. I smile back.

“How are you Pan’a’tua?” I ask.

“Tek sek’ a,” she says, stillgrinning. I’m in hell.

She’s told me this many times beforeregarding the Earth. I smile back at her and extend my arms towardher. She takes my hand and, after I inject her with the i’lek’u,the light of home, she lets out an indulgent sigh.

“You put one over on me,” Na’ta says,smirking. Her arms are crossed over her chest and she looks asbrash as ever.

“I had to Na’ta. I knew you had your ownambitions.”

“Damn right.” She winks at me. “Score onefor you Adore. You’re good at this shit.”

Cl’auta throws a quick glance at her. I cansee that she’s become a little acquainted with Na’ta and isbothered by her insolence. One of my sisters chuckles quietly atCl’auta’s reaction.

“Zillael,” I say, identifying her by theyellow eyes and dark hair. She had these traits as an infant.

Suddenly she turns silent and her eyesnervously expand. “Yes?” she says anxiously.

Those eyes; I