Page 71 of Stealing the Star Stone
“You ate one?”she squeaked, then with a grimace, slurped the fish into her mouth.Her eyes widened, a smile bloomed, and she licked her lips.“Like chicken, almost—”
She cried out and fell to a knee, dropping the blaster to clasp her head.But before he could react, she straightened, the pain scrunching her features smoothing out.
She blinked, color returning to her cheeks.
Eli helped her to her feet.
Amenkar handed her the blaster.Thank you,” she said.
“A pleasure.”
“I understand you,” she whispered, awe in her parted lips.“Your world’s magical.”
Amenkar smiled.“It pleases me that you think so.”
Geometric rocks stacked into great pillars of black stone pierced the sand like teeth.Eli clambered up a dune then gawked at more pillars lining the path.Each one carried a glowing symbol; his vision blurred, and words formed, speaking of legends and heroes.
“Are you reading this?”she whispered.
But he didn’t answer her, fascinated by the people gathering to watch them.Small houses rose out of the sand, cobbles appeared beneath Eli’s feet, and as he crested the dune, a city spread out.This was no village.Narrow roads formed a star and led to the center where he expected to find a castle, pyramid, or tall structure.
“This is Vael’Tir—the city of Lethaar.”Amenkar swept out a hand.
From the white of their togas and loincloths to the splashes of scarfs and headdresses, Eli struggled to take in all the detail.Gold skin gleamed everywhere, and gold marked the houses with crests of animals he didn’t know.
Chatter filled the air, from whispers to outright cries of alarm, demanding to know who they were.Amenkar marched on, waving aside anyone bothering him.
“The chief will decide” was all he said.On repeat.
“I’m starting to think this wasn’t a good idea.”Nova clasped Eli’s hand.“We’re moving away from the island.”
“We need help, Nova-honey,” he said.“And if playing nice with the local tribe gets us to the island safely, I’m willing to risk it.”
She harumphed but said no more.
When they reached the center of the city, what lay before them would forever be embedded in his memory.Therewasa structure, except it went down, carved into the black rock.Forests surrounded the hole like silent guardians.Along the sides, stairs headed into its depths, lit by flickering blue flames that burned without fuel.Like the one in the cave.Narrow waterfalls in muted orange plummeted into the shadows, cooling the air rising to bathe him in a fine mist.
A sense of rightness settled on him.
He trailed Amenkar without hesitation.Nova stayed on his ass, almost too close.But he wouldn’t complain when he needed her near.Anyone leaving the reverse pyramid dipped into tiny alcoves to let them pass.None bothered Amenkar.The deeper they went, the more the rock pressed on Eli.He couldn’t shake the timelessness of the stone steps smoothed by many feet over thousands of years.
“It’s incredible,” Nova whispered.
They reached the bottom where a pool dominated the center.In it, a few eels swam.
Eli paused beside it.“Amenkar, why do you fish for eels when you have pools of them?”
“These are sacred.”The man didn’t pause.“Come.”
Behind the pool and opening into the rock was an archway about fifteen feet tall.Poems of grandeur lined the curves.Two men stood guard, hefty lances in their grips, but they didn’t twitch when Amenkar strolled past.
Blue flames illuminated the tunnel, then into a hall they went, bigger with taller pillars than the cave they’d found the star stone in.People lounged on cushions and soft rugs, platters of food and drinks nearby.White-clothed servants rushed around, seeing to their needs.Ethereal music softened the hum of conversation.
Which stilled, all gazes on them.Along a broad path Amenkar continued, pausing in front of a dais.He climbed it and settled on a cushion.
His guards kneeled.“My chief,” they said.
Eli gawked at the distinguished man.Amenkar was the chief?Why deceive them?Or had the man not trusted them?Eli had expected a throne at this rate, instead, similar to the others, there was a rug, many colorful cushions, and platters.
