Dark Angel by Lisa Tuter (reading in the dark .txt) 📖

was watching us, or me.”

I’d been looking at Papa’s face while I was talking, and now looked at Mamas face. It was as white as Papa’s had been at dinner, her eyes were a midnight purple (the eyes of those of our race changed colors depending on our moods) and her mouth was a hard thin line. “Did I do something wrong, Mama?” I asked in a small voice, afraid I’d done something I wasn’t supposed to do, though what that might be I had no idea. Papa laid a hand on her shoulder, and through the Link that they shared I’m guessing he was talking to her. After a minute she looked at me and smiled, her eyes having gone somewhat back to normal, but I could see her smile was forced. “No, dear, you’ve done nothing wrong.” she was saying, “but from now on when you and Alanah, or you and Enish, wish to go anywhere outside of the palace, make sure Lani or an adult is with you. Yeshta?”

“Yeshta, Mama,” I said. “Well,” she said, “I think it is time for you and your sister to go to bed, Enish is already there. Good night, my darlings. Misekahna.”

“Misekahna, Mama, Misekahna, Papa,” Lani and I said as we hugged our parents then left for our rooms. Opening the Link we talked as we walked. *Do you think there’s more going on than they’re telling us?* I asked Lani. *I don’t know, Ceci. They’ve never hidden anything from us before, why should now be any different?* *I don’t know, but before there wasn’t as much danger as there is now, Ala.* *How much more danger could there be now?* She asked. *Remember what you were telling me at dinner? About the talk in the inns on your way home, about the Council?* *I’d forgotten that!* Grinning at her I gently punched her on the arm *I noticed. Well, we’d better get to sleep. Would you mind going with me to the village in the morning, to talk to Alanah?* *Sure, Cec. Goodnight, sis.* At that we both went into our separate rooms.

Taking from my dresser a short sleeved, spider silk nightgown the color of roze fish that ended at my calves I changed out of my tunic, pants, and boots and into it . Before turning off the lunar/solar powered lights, I looked round my room in pride at the assortment of books, furniture, and prized momentos. It was oval shaped, with ice veined, cream colored marble walls, a slightly dome-shaped ceiling, and huge arched, bay windows. Along part of one of was a book shelf filled with leather bound books, stacks of note books, sketch books, jars of brushes, boxes filled with paint. On the very top shelf were scrolls of maps, a globe of our planet, another rotating series of globes from the other planets near ours. Attached to a groove in the bottom and top of the shelf was a ladder, though now that I had my wings I no longer needed it. Next to the bookshelf was a scroll top writing desk cluttered with various writing projects of mine.

In the center of the room stood my bed, a four post, canopy bed with light linen drapes in deference to the warmer nights that the summer was bringing. After turning off the lights I made my way to my bed and turned on the lamp, and picked up a book from my bedside table to read before going to sleep. After reading for a little bit, only about a half hour, I decided to put my book up and go to sleep, because the next day we had lots to do, and the cool sheets and warm aromatic breeze coming through the windows was making me tired. I thought I saw something watching me through the clear, ice crystal windows of my room, but dismissed it because I was tired.


Chapter Two


I coughed in the smoke from my room, finally finding my way to the hallway. Must find Mama and Papa, I thought to myself, they’ll know what to do! Covering my nose with a wet cloth to help me breath I staggered through the smoke filled hallway to my parents room. I heard fighting further down the hallway, oh great, I thought to myself, we’re under attack too! Luckily I’d brought my staff, and had my short sword strapped to my side. When I got to my parents room a lump formed in my throat, a solid form of fear and shock. My parents room was ransacked, but what had shell-shocked me was the sight of their lifeless bodies sprawled across the floor, blood pooling under their bodies. “AGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”, I screamed, the someone started shaking my shoulders, I whirled around, whipping my staff around to attack……and my eyes came open, my mother was shaking my shoulder, looking down at me worriedly. “Ceciliana, daughter, awaken!! Wake up!!!”


Gasping, my eyes popped open and my eyes focused on my mothers face. Crying, I buried my face in her shoulder as she hugged me to her, slowly soothing away the nightmare. Rocking me back and forth she hummed softly, rubbing my back, letting me know I was safe. Once I’d calmed down she sat me back from her, looked into my eyes and asked me, “What was it, child, that scared you so badly?” Behind her stood my father, concern on his face and in the way he stood, still tense as though ready to fight off whatever demons dared try attacking his family. Swallowing a lump that had formed in my throat, “You were both…on the floor..in your room…..covered in blood,” the image, still fresh in my mind, brought on a fresh bout of tears, and hiccups this time. This time both Mama and Papa held me, enfolding me with their wings in a cocoon of love and ticklish feathers.

After awhile of them holding me, I calmed down and we disentangled ourselves. Looking closely at me, Mama asked, “Are you alright now, Cec?” Taking a deep breath, and pushing the gristly images from my dream as far back in my mind as possible, I nodded, “I’m fine, Mama.” And since it was dawn, or shortly after dawn, I guessed I may as well stay up instead of going back to sleep, so I asked, “What are the plans for today?” Sensing that I really WAS feeling better, Papa sat down on the bed. “I was thinking I could take you and Alanah flying.”

“Really Papa?!” I asked excitedly. “If you would like to we can,” He replied, with an amused glint in his eyes, “but first you’ve to get dressed and eat breakfast. SO…” he said grinning and patting me on the leg, “you may want to eat and get dressed, and quickly. I heard from one of the night watch as they were leaving their posts that the weather today is perfect for flight.” After he said that he and my mother left me to dress and went down to the banquet hall. Getting out of bed, I hurried to my dresser, pulling out and putting on a pair of soft, black, Muskog leather trousers, a dark gray, linen tunic that fell to mid-thigh and a lighter gray Muskog leather vest, then I pulled on a pair of summer stockings and a pair of leather, knee high boots. After hurriedly latching my sword belt, and attaching my leg sheath with my dagger (my parents always insisted my siblings and I be armed no matter where we are) I made up my bed, grabbed my back satchel and hurried down to the banquet hall.

When I entered the hall, I saw Alanah sitting at the high table with my family, eating sweet smelling fruit, hot nut muffins, juice, and fragrant, steaming sausage. Rising into the air, I flew across the large room to the table, taking a seat beside my friend. Seeing that she and Papa were almost finished I fixed myself a plate and ate quickly. After I ate, I pulled an oiled cloth bag out of my back satchel and stuffed it with a few slices of sausage and a few muffins. Tying it up and putting it in my bag I slung it on my back. Standing up I grinned at Papa and Alanah and said, “Are we ready?” Papa grinned at me and Alanah just grinned and rolled her eyes, the Papa stood, slung on his pack and sword, kissed Mama and then we were off, the door guards opening the doors for us as we approached them. Once we were outside I realized how right the guards were when they said today was perfect for flight. The sky was clear, dotted here and there by a puffy cloud or two. Birds were singing, flying abut and calling to each other, and there was a slightly warm breeze. Taking a deep breath I did a few spins in the air, enjoying the beautiful weather.

“Ceciliana,” my father called, already several yards ahead of me, “hurry, child, we’ve to be back by dark and there is something I want to show you and Alanah.” As quickly as my wings could carry me, I flew over to Papa and Alanah’s side and we flew on, over the tree tops and hills, valleys and rivers that make up our country and planet. After what seemed like hours, we came up to a mountain top, warmed from the sun. Turning to Alanah and I my father spoke “Cec, Alanah, where I’m taking you, you must mention to NO ONE, yeshta?” “yeshta”, we replied both of us wondering where it was he was taking us that was of such importance, and excited that we were going. Turning from us he started walking, leaving us half flying to keep up with him. We walked for awhile, probably around twenty to twenty five minutes, Alanah and I looking round in wonder (we’d never been here before).

Stopping in front of a group of rocks, my father turned to us and smiled, “Here we are, girls.” We looked around, but didn’t see anything special. “Um..Papa,” I began, “where ARE we?” Grinning at us my father turned and with a wave of his hand the rocks disappeared showing instead a well lit stairwell leading, presumably, down into the mountain. He started down the stairwell, leaving us to follow him. Not wanting to be left alone on an unknown mountaintop, Alanah and I started down the stairwell after my father, the “rock” entrance going back into place. Once the door way to the entrance was closed the only light was from millions of sky crystals that were embedded in the walls in swirling designs. “Come on girls,” my father called from further down the stairwell. Pulling ourselves away from the designs on the walls, Alanah and I hurried after my father, making sure not to step on our wings on the way down. After what seemed like hours but was probably nothing more than ten to fifteen minutes my father led us