Page 29 of Dark Island: Rescue
"I had a vision," Esag said. "I saw Tula."
Annani's hand flew to her chest. "Is she hurt?"
"She's pregnant," Wonder said, the words coming out in a rush. "Esag saw her in a vision, and she's pregnant and terrified."
For a moment, Annani could not process the words. Pregnant. Tula was pregnant on Navuh's island, where boys were taken from their mothers to become warriors and girls were kept mortal, aging and dying while their immortal mothers watched helplessly.
"Sit," she commanded. "Both of you. Ogidu, please bring fresh tea and something stronger to give it a bite."
She guided them to the couch, Wonder sinking down as if her legs could not hold her, while Esag perched onthe edge of his seat, appearing ready to spring up at any moment.
Annani sat across from them. "Please tell me your vision and do not skip over any details."
Esag ran his hands through his red hair, making it stick up at odd angles. "I was trying to carve a figurine of Wonder for Anandur. He'd commissioned it. But every time I tried, it came out wrong. The features weren't quite right, the expression was off. I made three attempts, and each time, the same face emerged from the wood."
He reached into his pocket and withdrew something wrapped in cloth. As he unwrapped it, a beautifully carved figurine was revealed. Annani leaned forward to examine it, and her breath caught. The resemblance to Wonder was unmistakable, but the features were slightly different. She recognized the stubborn expression, remembering the young girl who had followed her and Gulan around five thousand years ago.
"It is her," Annani whispered, picking up the figurine and holding it with care. "She is older now, but I still remember that expression."
"The vision came when I was working on it," Esag continued. "Suddenly she was standing in front of me, as clear as you are now. She was wearing a loose silk gown, the kind designed to hide a woman's figure, but her hand was resting on her belly in that protective way pregnant women do. Her stomach was slightly rounded. She looked to be maybe three or four months along."
Wonder made a small, pained sound.
Annani gave her an encouraging look and proddedEsag to continue. "Did she say anything? Was there any message?"
Esag shook his head. "She didn't speak, but her eyes... it was like she was trying to tell me something, willing me to understand. She looked right at me, not through me like visions usually do. She saw me, and she wanted me to see her."
"She wanted help." Wonder's voice was thick with emotion. "My little sister is pregnant and trapped on that island, and she's desperate enough that somehow she reached out through whatever connection allowed her to appear in Esag's vision."
Annani set the figurine carefully on the coffee table, her mind racing through possibilities and implications. "Areana did not mention it when I spoke with her last Wednesday. If the pregnancy is that obvious, she must have known. I can see no reason for her to keep it from me."
"She might not know," Esag suggested. "If Tula is only a few months along and wearing concealing clothing, she might be hiding it, and Areana either did not notice or chose to respect Tula's wishes and pretend like she didn't know."
Annani shook her head. "Areana would want to help Tula."
"Maybe Tula is afraid," Wonder said. "She might think that even Areana can't help her. You know what happens to children born in the harem, and Areana can't stop it. She's had to deal with the same thing herself."
The reality of the situation unsettled Annani.
Ogidu returned with a fresh tea service and a bottleof whiskey with three glasses, setting everything on the table with his usual care.
"Will there be anything else, Clan Mother? Would you like me to pour the tea?"
"I can do it myself. Thank you, Ogidu. That will be all."
After the Odu withdrew, Annani poured tea for Wonder and Esag. "Would you like some whiskey in your tea?" she asked.
"I wouldn't mind some," Esag said.
Wonder eyed the whiskey for a moment before nodding. "I think the situation calls for it."
After Annani added a shot to each cup, she leaned back with hers and gave herself a moment to think. "I will speak with Areana on Wednesday and find out exactly what is happening. If Tula is indeed pregnant, we need to know what she wants to do. The father must be Tony, her current paramour, so if she wants to escape the island, she probably wants him to escape with her, which is a problem. Staging her suicide like Carol did would be believable, especially if her pregnancy is discovered, but a double suicide is less likely to pass even superficial scrutiny." She looked at Esag. "I assume that you have heard of Carol's island adventure."
He nodded. "She was incredibly brave. But I think a double-faked death might work. They could stage it as if Tula wanted to kill herself and Tony found out and tried to stop her, and they both fell over the cliff."
Wonder looked at him with appreciation. "That's not bad, Esag. Have you been watchingMission Impossiblemovies?"
He shrugged. "When I need a break from carving, I watch television. I like action movies."
