The True Ruler, page 2
part #5 of Worlds Apart Series
The Troyk Universe
The one inter-dimensional gateway outside Aster Province, the gem of the Troyk universe, was constantly monitored for unplanned activity. Anything foreign, regardless of size, was investigated by the Crystal Telepathic Guards. Shirl and her companions had entered the Troyk penal colony world from a portal Shirl had opened from the home of Zane and Leenea Childers. The female crystal telepath did not need a natural portal and created her own gateways.
Cassie had heard stories about the Troyk universe for as long as she could remember. However, seeing the purple sky and the city of stone below took her breath away. They were probably twelve hundred feet from the valley, and the vista was amazing. This was the world of her parents and her future home. A sense of belonging embraced her like nothing she had ever experienced. Tears welled in her eyes, but were not shed.
She knew armed C.T. Guards would meet them as they made their way down the mountain trail. However, it still alarmed her when weapons were raised at her party when they were halfway down the path. Phaser-like weapons were holstered as soon as members of her party were recognized. Cassie witnessed the relief wash over the two men’s faces. She thought it must be a difficult job investigating an unexpected opening of the portal.
“Why the unscheduled trip, Shirl?” one of the guards inquired.
He was Darden’s height, but was bulkier than her soul mate. She figured other women would find the guard’s dark brown, wavy hair and light brown eyes attractive, but he paled in comparison to her soul mate. Starc moved past Cassie and stood beside Shirl, not liking the way the guard’s eyes were caressing the crystal telepath’s body. His positioning also hid Cassie from the guards’ sight for the time being.
Before they left the penal colony, the small party concocted a story to explain why Shirl left through a portal she created, but returned through the naturally occurring gateway. It appeared Shirl told more lies than truths since she started living in the Troyk universe. Lying seemed to become second nature to her.
“I knew the Prime Ruler wanted to meet his granddaughter,” Shirl admitted. “As soon as she was identified, I knew where to find Cassandra. However, I did not want to advertise I was bringing her home and disappoint Jeryl Jarlyn in case I returned empty handed.”
Her traveling companions shifted slightly on the narrow path, allowing the C.T. Guards to see Cassie clearly. She wondered what they thought as their expressions changed. Cassie knew she needed to get used to being the center of attention. When the guards first arrived, they only had eyes for the exquisite Shirl.
The guard who initially spoke to Shirl approached, apprehension on his face. “Are you feeling all right, Cassandra?”
Cassie felt great, but wondered if there was something wrong with her outer appearance that led to the question. She turned to Shirl in a panic. Her old friend was the one most likely to level with her.
“You look fine, Cassie,” Shirl assured her. “Barash was one of three guards who found me when I first exited the gateway. I did not know how to navigate the portal and had a brutally rough ride. By the time they found me, I was bleeding from my nose, ears, and eyes. I was a bloody mess. Candy also had a reaction during her first inter-dimensional trip, but JoAnna did not. Since you are a mind control telepath, like JoAnna, I think your brain has an inherent ability to withstand the forces within the wormhole or whatever the portal is.”
What Shirl shared made sense. Cassie had suffered no ill effects after her first portal ride when she arrived in the penal world. As far as the guards knew this was her maiden journey and she wanted to keep it that way.
“Well, I, for one, am thrilled I will not have to carry you down the mountain trail,” Barash added. “Although it would have been an honor to assist such a beautiful woman.”
Cassie couldn’t help the blush that now graced her cheeks. It was obvious his comment had to do more with her appearance than the fact she was Jeryl Jarlyn’s granddaughter. She watched as Barash consumed her with his eyes. Darden never looked at her with the same hunger Barash’s stare contained.
“Down boy,” Starc said. Her soul mate’s twin brother obviously did not like the way Barash looked at her. “The Prime Ruler will be anxious to meet his granddaughter.”
The second guard had not uttered a word. Truly non-descript, everything about him was average. Medium brown hair, average height, and no distinguishing characteristics about his face made him utterly forgettable. No one introduced him and the guard did not bother to correct the oversight.
Starc grabbed Cassie’s hand and started down the trail, leaving the love-struck C.T. Guard behind. After weeks of being ignored by Darden, Cassie enjoyed the bit of harmless fun at the man’s expense. Besides, it held off the inevitable meeting with her grandfather.
It was not long before they were in the valley and at the outskirts of Aster Province. The stone buildings she saw from the trail were not as purple as they appeared from a distance, nor was the air. Cassie would have liked more time to explore her new surroundings, but Starc set a rapid pace.
The streets were crowded with people all dressed in colorful tunics and leggings. She stood out, wearing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, but no one seemed to notice she was different.
Numerous telepathic conversations assaulted her mind, but she was able to quiet down the chatter. What little time she spent in the penal colony had trained her how to reduce the volume of the noise in her head. Although there was more telepathic activity than she was used to, it did not negatively affect her ability to control the myriad of links she was connected to.
Her eyes soaked in the storefronts and street vendors selling their wares. Purple trees, shrubs, and flowers were in full bloom. They passed a large park with children playing and restaurants flanking the green lawns. This place was something out of a dream.
There was no pollution in the air. Troyk’s citizens walked everywhere and environment friendly trams connected the cities within this dimension. She was surprised electric cars had not been introduced. The Troyk people leveraged technology from other worlds they believed would enhance their standard of living.
Cassie pulled back on Starc’s grip when a massive building came into sight. Crystals were embedded into the marble and the structure sparkled as the sun’s rays bounced off the stones. It was absolutely gorgeous.
“That’s the Aster Province’s palace,” JoAnna informed her. “I stopped and stared the first time I saw it, too. People from other provinces travel here just to see it.”
“Wait until you see inside The Palace,” Shirl said. “The place is amazing.”
JoAnna swatted at Starc’s hand and he released his vice-like grip on Cassie. His hand was immediately replaced with JoAnna’s. Cassie had not met JoAnna until she intercepted a phone call meant for her father. Since arriving in the penal world, JoAnna visited her and Chartail often. Sharing the same telepathic gift brought them together. They were both fifth-generation mind control telepaths.
“We will return to Crystal Telepathic Headquarters,” Barash said.
Barash gave Cassie one last heated look before he and his silent partner strode away. Cassie imagined she’d see Barash again and his interest would die as soon as Darden eventually returned to the Troyk universe.
Before they headed into The Palace, Cassie hazarded a glance in Barash’s direction. At that very instant, his silent partner turned his head in her direction and nodded once before continuing on his way. Cassie was not sure what to make of the silent communication. She did not have time to consider his actions, it was time to meet her grandfather.
They entered The Palace through the front entrance with the rest of the tourists. Everywhere she looked were paintings, sculptures, and crystals on display. A magnificent marble staircase dominated the space.
Considering the number of people present, the hall was relatively quiet. It was not surprising since the Troyk were telepathic people. Only conversations people did not want to share in the communal pathways were expressed aloud. Family members were able to communicate through their familial links.
“The Prime Council is in session on the second floor,” Starc shared. “Prime offices and the province’s government are housed on the third floor. Your grandfather lives on the fourth.”
With JoAnna still holding her hand, they started to ascend the stairs. Koel situated himself on her other side. Cassie imagined JoAnna requested her soul mate journey next to her via their soul mate channel. How she wished Darden were here.
When they reached the top floor, Shirl skirted around them and talked to one of the guards on duty. The man Shirl addressed looked surprised, directing his attention to Cassie and then walked down a long hallway. It did not take a rocket scientist to figure out he was heading to see Jeryl Jarlyn.
“We are to wait for the Prime Ruler in his greeting room,” Shirl informed them when she rejoined the group. “I don’t think it will be long before Jeryl joins us.”
Cassie and JoAnna dutifully followed Shirl with Starc and Koel lagging behind. They entered a comfortable looking room with numerous crystals on display. Shirl stopped to examine the stones while JoAnna and Cassie headed to the seating area. Crystals were like catnip to her old friend.
She sat on a chair rather than one of the enormous sofas. For some reason, Cassie did not want to be physically close to her grandfather. At this point, she wanted her own space. Without having to mention anything, her friends sat near Cassie, which would force her grandfather to ultimately sit across the table from her when he joined them.
Two older men entered the room. Cassie did not immediately know which was her grandfather. She once asked her father which of his parents he resembled. Benko told her he looked like his mother. He had never known the woman who had given birth to him, but assumed he took after her. Jeryl Jarlyn had taken his mistress’s son and dismissed her from their lives.
JoAnna rose and embraced the heavier of the two men. “Hello, Uncle,” her friend said. It was clear that Chartail took after her mother. Cassie did not see any resemblance between this man and her father’s soul mate.
From a process of elimination, Cassie knew the other man was her grandfather. He was tall and looked to be amazingly fit for a man in his mid-sixties. She was paralyzed in her chair, unable to move. Jeryl Jarlyn seemed as affected as she was.
Jeryl Jarlyn’s nose was covered with gin blossoms. She never knew what those red blotches were called until a rock band named their group after the skin condition. Cassie imagined they were caused by her grandfather’s abuse of crystals, not alcohol.
Her grandfather stood staring at her. It seemed like an eternity before he finally spoke. “You look like your grandmother,” her grandfather said. “I would have known you, even if they had not told me you were here. Come here and give me a hug.”
Cassie somehow made it to her feet and mechanically walked to her grandfather. Her legs shook as she made the short journey around the table. When she saw the tears in her grandfather’s eyes, Cassie’s heart warmed. This man had been devastated when his son betrayed him and escaped from this world.
“Grandfather,” Cassie said as Jeryl Jarlyn embraced her. She struggled to hold back her own tears.
For nearly Cassie’s whole life, it had just been her and her dad. Even when Darden entered their world, it was primarily still the two of them since Darden was rarely around. Now that her grandfather was holding her, Cassie was surprised by the overwhelming emotions threatening to pull her under.
“I’m sorry for the tears,” Cassie said. “I feel so stupid not being able to stop crying. Only babies cry and you must be disappointed.” She imagined her speech was garbled by the rate she spoke and the sobs fighting to escape.
“My beautiful girl,” her grandfather said, “nothing could be further from the truth.”
He cradled her head and kissed her wet cheeks. Love she was not expecting to feel for this man engulfed her. Jeryl Jarlyn was the enemy, after all.
The reunion was interrupted when a small army of servants paraded in with a tea service, mountains of sandwiches, and delectable pastries. Serving food must be customary when the Prime Ruler entertained guests.
“My favorite part,” she heard JoAnna mutter. Cassie turned to see her friend bite into a pastry. JoAnna held up half of the treat she had not yet consumed. “Try one of these. It has a sweet, nutty flavor.”
Cassie could not remember the last time she had eaten, but all of a sudden realized she was famished. Her traitorous stomach confirmed her hunger when it growled loudly. She hoped the others in the room had not heard the rumble.
“Let us sit and have something to eat, child,” her grandfather said.
Instead of returning to her chair, Cassie joined her grandfather on one of the sofas. JoAnna was gleefully enjoying her second pastry. The poised, beautiful ebony-haired woman had quite a metabolism considering how slim she was. Cassie always struggled with her weight and the new delectables in front of her would go straight to her hips. She could already hear her fat cells crying out with joy.
She closely examined the sandwiches and selected what she believed was minced chicken salad on some kind of dark bread. Cassie bit into the sandwich and tried not to moan. Flavor exploded in her mouth, quickly slaking her hunger. Between the taste of tarragon and the tender chicken, she was delighted with her choice.
Cassie noticed her grandfather staring at her. “That was your father’s favorite. I adored that boy. Nothing will ever hurt more than his betrayal.”
Unwarranted guilt choked Cassie, making it difficult for her to swallow her third mouthful of food and she struggled to not cough it up.
How was she to respond to her grandfather? No force in existence would ever cause her to tell her grandfather where he could find his son. Before she ever stepped foot in the Troyk universe, Cassie knew her grandfather would ultimately request that information. As Jeryl knew the existence of Cassandra Clark, she was certain he knew Ben Clark still lived.
“Daddy always made his famous chicken salad on pumpernickel bread,” Cassie said intentionally referring to the past. “Whenever I had friends over for lunch or dinner, they always demanded his chicken salad. Every block party we attended, Daddy was assigned chicken salad sandwiches rather than allowing him to select what he wanted to bring.”
“All these years, he kept you from me,” Jeryl complained. It was not hard to miss the anger in his voice.
Feeling this inquiry was safe, Cassie responded to her grandfather’s statement. “By the time I came along, they lost their crystal telepath, Shirl’s mom. They were stranded, and one by one, he lost all his friends. The chlorofluorocarbons in Earth’s air caused the adult telepathic brain to disintegrate in their mid-twenties. It was only his mind control telepathic brain chemistry that saved him from the same fate as his followers.”
“Ben brought Cassie to the orphanage to play with me and Candy,” Shirl said. She noticed Shirl had referred to her father using his Earth name. “I had no idea Cassie Clark was your granddaughter when we first met. She was just a friend who gave me a new crystal every year for my birthday.”
Shirl held up the aquamarine gem Cassie had given her all those years ago. Purchased on the trip to Sedona that would forever change her life because it brought her Darden. Fortunately, her grandfather did not react badly to Shirl’s news.
Cassie took a cautious bite of her sandwich, hoping the lump in her throat was gone. She relaxed when she swallowed with ease. Her grandfather poured her a cup of hot tea. After several cooling blows across the cup’s rim, she took a sip.
“I have a lovely room all ready for you,” her grandfather said. “You cannot imagine how long I have been waiting for a member of my family to occupy it.”
Shirl and JoAnna shared a look. The blonde had once again lost the battle of who would speak up. Shirl knew Cassie when they were children, so it would be more realistic for the crystal telepath to suggest where Cassie should reside.
“Jeryl,” Shirl said, “we thought Cassie could stay with the Childers.”
Before Shirl could continue her argument, Jeryl Jarlyn spoke up. “I am her family. Cassie will stay with me.”
“Your granddaughter complained about having a headache shortly after she arrived,” JoAnna lied. “You are such a busy man with a government to run and Leenea has all the time in the world to pamper Cassie. Besides, Candy and Tolfer also live there. I understand Candy and Cassie are childhood friends. Tolfer also has the ability to teach Cassie how to manage the communal telepathic pathways. She is a young woman and needs to be with other people her own age to properly assimilate into this world.”
In response to JoAnna’s compelling argument, Cassie saw her grandfather struggle to come up with counterarguments. Jeryl’s glance bounced between Shirl and JoAnna. If Cassie was not mistaken, she saw glimpses of fear in Jeryl’s gaze from time to time. She knew they were home free when the Prime Ruler sighed in exasperation.
“Fine,” her grandfather acquiesced, “but Cassie will spend her afternoons with me as, well as dinners. There are a number of state functions she will attend as my hostess. She must take her rightful place in Troyk society. I will make sure one of our finest designers is here tomorrow afternoon to see to her outfits. Eventually, Cassandra, I want you living with me.”
Cassie had to suppress the laughter that arose when she noticed her grandfather’s distaste at her clothing. He no longer saw his granddaughter, but the young woman who would soon represent the future of the Troyk government. She was surprised he had not asked her about what telepathic gifts she possessed.
“We should head out and help prepare dinner,” Shirl said. “Leenea is a warm, loving person, but an atrocious cook. Thank goodness Tolfer is in residence. Besides his talent for teaching children how to manage their telepathic gifts, he is an outstanding chef.”
