The Secret of Zormna Clendar by Julie Steimle (great reads .TXT) đ
- Author: Julie Steimle
Book online «The Secret of Zormna Clendar by Julie Steimle (great reads .TXT) đ». Author Julie Steimle
Blinking first, Kevin then nodded. So did Jennifer. Jeff was nixing the alien thing entirely. Good.
With a slower nod to Zormna, Jeff added, âThe reason why Zormna and I did not get on at first is that Zormna isânoâwas part of the military that kept the borders of the country. We called it the Patrol. And the Patrol can be pretty nasty when trying to apprehend someone. Not only thatâbesides helping people leave our country, we are also part of the effort that is trying to change the political situation to make it a free country like your United States.â
Kevin exchanged looks with Jennifer, or tried to. Jennifer had been gazing at Jeff with gratitude.
âSo, youâre not part of a gang in Chicago?â Kevin murmured.
âIâve been to Chicago.â Jeff chuckled, shaking his head. âBut no. My scars are from being beaten in prisonâwhich I had barely escaped. My father is actually dead.â
Kevin drew in a breath. Then he looked to Zormna. âOk. I see. ThenâŠwhat about the FBI? What is their involvement in all this?â
âThe FBIâŠâ Jeff exhaled hard, thinking on that. Jennifer wondered what story he would spin. Jeff was better liar than Zormna, hands down. He naturally made things sound credible. âThe FBIâs job is national security. As I said, our people have migrated here secretly for a while. But honestly, I thinkâand this is all theory of courseâthey got freaked out like Darren-the-dimwit here, and actually think Zormna is an alien.â
Kevin rolled his eyes to the ceiling.
Jennifer closed her eyes, cringing.
âLook. I didnât say it was logical. But there it is.â
Jennifer hoped Kevin was finally convinced.
Her boyfriend closed his eyes, breathing in and out while thinking it all over. âOk. I understand why she is paranoid, and why you all reacted the way you did. But, I still want to know why a fourteen-year-old girl, who obviously loved being in their military, would be targeted by the government.â
âIt is not historically unprecedented,â Zormna muttered.
Jeff nodded. âEver hear of Helmuth Hubner?â
Kevin shook his head.
âFifteen-year-old boy who had been a Hitler youth, yet later spoke out against the Nazi regime in Germanyâguillotined,â Jeff said. He looked to Zormna. âBrian Henderson told me about him.â
âBut Zormna wasnât speaking out against the government, was she?â Kevin asked.
Zormna cringed. âI complained in earshot of the wrong peopleââ
âKorad?â Jeff raised his eyebrows.
Zormna nodded. ââBut mostly I just endured it.â
Jeff choked as if complaining to this Korad was incredibly dangerous behavior.
âBefore, you compared your situation to Anastasia,â Alex spoke up. âMaybe we should explain that to him.â
Zormna vigorously shook her head. âNo!!!â
But Jennifer perked up. âWhy Anastasia?â
Kevin looked confused. So did Darren.
Looking towards Jennifer, Jeff met her gaze. Yet he said to Darren, âDid the crazy lady ever tell you why she left her homeland?â
Darren huffed, finally glad they addressed him. âA family feud, I think. Her family was being systematically annihilated by the High Class, if they could find them.â
Jennifer cringed. The phrase systematically annihilated resounded in her head. Her parents never mentioned anything about that. Just that they believed that Tarrns would bring about the end of the world.
âWhy are you taking his word for it?â Kevin protested. âHeâs nuts.â
âBecause,â Jeff explained with a mild shrug, âthe crazy lady told some truths. And this part is the truth.â
Those of Jeffâs family glared again at Jennifer as if it were all her fault.
Kevin noticed. âWhy are you looking at her like that?â
âNo reason,â the blonde said, scowling like he wanted to hurt Jennifer.
But Jeff, with an apologetic look to Jennifer, said, âBecause her family comes from the class of people who have a vendetta against Zormnaâs family.â
Jenniferâs mouth popped open. She went white. Her eyes went back to the front door, looking for escape.
âEnough!â Zormna stepped to Jenniferâs side, taking her hand. âShe doesnât need this. It is not her fault.â
Jeff nodded as if to say I know. Unfortunately the others still did not look as satisfied, excluding Alex of course.
âDid you know?â Kevin stared at her.
Cringing, Jennifer pulled back from him. âIâŠI only just barely found out. Ok? I honestly thought I was Irish.â
âYou are American, and it is NOT your fault.â Zormna glared at every person who scowled at Jennifer. So much, that Jeffâs household took a decided step back.
But Darren folded his arms, huffing. He looked at both Zormna and Jennifer with complete disgust that neither of them had told him about this.
âHereâs the thing,â Jeff said. âJennifer, do you know why your class hates her family so much?â
Jennifer shook her head, shrugging. She didnât want to mention the thing about Tarrns bringing about the end of the world with all those murderous stares present. Finally she understood what Zormna had meant when she had said that these people had an entirely different point of view of life back Home. Jennifer looked at Jeff, begging with her eyes for him not to drag this out. But he only smiled apologetically at her.
âWell, the thing is, Zormna is a lot like Anastasia.â
âStop it!â Zormna shouted. In three steps she grabbed the back of Jeffâs neck.
But Jeff ducked out of her grip and dodged to the redheadâs side. He shook his head at Zormna. âNo. Jennifer needs to know the truth, so there is no more confusion.â
Zormna cringed, covering her face with her hand.
âHer secret is actually crucial to our rebellion,â he explained. âYou see, her family lineâthe one the government is huntingâis in fact the remnant of the old royal family. Zormna here is of royal blood.â
Jenniferâs jaw dropped. She stared at the tiny blonde more. Royalty? Really? Little miss super-ninja?
Kevin looked bowled over. Even Darren was speechless.
Zormna looked mortified. But she did not deny it.
âIs it true?â Jennifer inched near her, watching Zormna carefully. Those others around them observed Jennifer like they were making sure she would not hurt the little blonde.
Cringing, Zormna closed her eyes and nodded. âI didnât know until today. I came here looking for allies, as I knew he and Al were in the rebellion. And years ago I had wanted to join. ButâŠthatâs not the point. The point is, I had no clue.â
âHow can you not know you were royalty?â Kevin demanded.
Alex chuckled. âYouâd be surprised.â
Zormna shared a thankful look with him then said, âI was five when my parents were killed, ok? How much do you comprehend at age five?â
âBut people would have noticed,â Kevin murmured.
âDid you know?â Jeff asked, off-hand. âBecause I sure didnât. Not until I saw the mark on her shoulderâwhich she always keeps covered.â
Kevin looked sheepish.
Jennifer shook her head. âI never would have guessed it. You donât act like a princess.â
âHow does a princess act?â Zormna muttered.
Jennifer thought about it then shrugged back. How did princesses act?
Only Darren looked put out. He murmured, âShe didnât tell me. Why didnât Asiah tell me about that?â
âBecause you are a moron,â Alex cracked.
Jeff snickered. And so did the two college men.
Zormna just ignored him.
âThe point is,â Jeff nodded seriously to the threesome, âIt is a big secret, so big that we would do anything, and I mean anything, to keep you quiet.â
He looked most particularly at Darren.
Darren shrank into the couch cushions.
âAnd we need you to help us protect her,â Jeff added, looking to Jennifer and Kevin.
Zormna groaned.
âThe FBI thinks she is an alien,â Jeff said with a huff and another disdainful look to Darren. âSo we need your help to convince them that Zormna really is just an Irish girl stuck in America, living with an American family. And, we need you to be her eyes and ears so nothing bad happens to her again.â
Kevin nodded, this time entirely convinced.
âBecause we donât need them tangled in our little countryâs affairs,â Jeff said. âBecause that would be bad.â
âBad, like in how?â Kevin asked, too curious to let it drop.
Shrugging, the redhead said, âAs in international incident bad. Ours is a small nation, but highly industrialized with high-end tech. Weâve got the bomb.â
âThe Mouse that Roared?â Kevin murmured, a little dazed.
They all blinked at him.
âItâs just an old movie with Peter Sellers. Lookââ Kevin glanced to Zormna. âHow do I digest all this? How do I know you arenât all lying to me?â
âWould you prefer that we say we are Martians who have come to Earth and are searching for some kind of Messiah instead?â Jeff asked.
The redhead college boy choked. The blonde shook his head and rolled his eyes while the aunt and uncle shook their heads. Jennifer wondered briefly if that were not in fact the complete truth. It hit a scary cord with her. Maybe Jeff even wanted her to know.
âNo.â Kevin shook his head. âPlease.â
Darren shot Jeff a dirty look, aware that he was being made fun of.
âSo, we make a vow,â Alex said while getting up, pushing Darren with one arm back to the couch before he could rise also. âAll of us swear upon pain of death that none of us tells anyone about Zormna being a princess.â
âA princess,â Jennifer murmured out loud.
âNot even joking,â Jeff added, looking to Jennifer then most especially Darren.
âBut a princess, in my home,â Jennifer repeated. The past replayed in her mind again with a different interpretationâincluding how her parents mockingly called Zormna âYour Highnessâ. They had known.
âAnd you shouldnât let on to your parents who we are or that you know what Zormna is,â Jeff added with a nod to her. âI told you, it is better to be ignorant in this situation. Youâve got to understand they have strong feelings about thisânot unlike racism, if you get my meaning.â
Jennifer nodded heartily at him. She knew exactly what he meant. She had seen it firsthand.
âLike racism?â Kevin murmured, glancing at her.
âYes.â Jeff nodded again. âThey were raised with hate towards people of Zormnaâs lineage. So imagine it like racism. It is a mindset, one that is hard to change.â
Kevin nodded to himself, breathing deeper and calmer. This fit more into his paradigm.
But then all of those in Jeffâs household rounded on Darren. The blonde and the redhead cracked their knuckles as they towered over the space nut.
âThis is very simple,â Jeff said, almost nose to nose with Darren Asher. âNo more Mars talk. That means you get a different hobby, such as stamp collecting, bird watching, or card collecting. Because if you donât quit it, we will tie you up and leave you in the Pennington Forest for the animals to devour. Got it?â
âWhy does it matter if it is not real?â Darren replied with a mocking smirk. His tone said he knew they were just messing with Kevin to keep their secret.
âBecause,â Jeff bit out. âIt makes Zormnaâs life hell, and the FBI are actually listening to you. And we donât need that alien paranoia here.â
But Darren gazed dryly at him, unconvinced.
Zormna tapped Jeff on the shoulder. âLet me.â
Immediately Darren stiffened. His body tensed as the tiny blonde approached him. She leaned one leg on the couch and one arm on the back. âYou promised me. Remember? And did I not say for you to not annoy Jeff?â
Darren cringed, shrinking into the couch.
âIf you break that promise to me,â she said, âI will help Eric and Aaron take you on that long trip into the Pennington Forest where you will never be heard from again.â
âHey!â Kevin protested.
Zormna shot him a look. âNo, Kevin. He still thinks this is a game. But my life is on the line, and there is no reset.â
Kevin pulled back.
âSo, not a word to anyone,â Jeff said to all three. âNot to the FBI, not to Jenniferâs parents, and certainly not to classmates. Got it?â
Jennifer nodded first. âYou donât have to tell me twice.â
Jeff looked to Kevin. âAnd you?â
Kevin peered at Jeff with one eye closed and shook his head. âIâm still coping with you guys being foreign rebels. But I wonât say a word. But I swear, you guys had better
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