Curse of the Chakka Chakka PRINT

Brianna squealed as Amon swam under the water and grabbed her ankles, pulling her under the water without warning. She fought his imprisonment and, kicking free, paddled to a safe distance before she spun around. Standing waist-deep in the geothermally heated lake, she scooped up two handfuls of water and threw them at him. He lunged away, diving into deeper water before swimming out of her reach.

Brianna ducked back under and struck out after him. She was glad the lake had been restored to its pristine state by her father after Saquin had turned it to acid. With warm water bubbling up out of natural fissures in the lakebed, it made pleasant swimming all year around. Most of the little time she had with Amon was spent by or in the lake.

As she pursued him, she noticed the sun had sunk low in the sky. Moonbeams, I’m going to be late again.

“Amon, come back. I have to return to the castle.”

Amon stopped, drifted in the water for a moment then stood, brushing his hair from his face. “Luna eclipse, Brianna, you always have to go back to the castle and the Abrasaxon.”

“I know, but my father has expectations and we did promise.”

He swam back to her and together they waded out of the water.

Amon took her hand and helped over the rocky beach. “I know. It could be worse, I suppose.”

Brianna dried herself and pulled her blue velvet robe over her damp undergarments. She tucked her over robe under her arm.

“You’ll catch cold like that.”

“I’ll change when I get there.” She flung herself against his chest and clung to him, reluctant to leave. Their time together was so short and at times, when resentment got the better of her, she thought her father deliberately arranged it that way.

Since she’d been in the castle and gotten to know him it had become clear that her father would prefer she love someone with Abrasaxon blood. Hakon had never said so, and claimed all he wanted was for her to be happy, but she knew he had concerns for her future life with a full mortal.

“I have to go, Amon, or I’ll be late again, and Alameda gets irritated with my constant tardiness.”

Amon’s smoky gray eyes darkened and with irritated impatience he planted a kiss on her mouth. “I suppose you better go then,” he muttered.

Brianna sighed. It was always hard to leave and Amon didn’t make it easier. Besides, she’d now left it so late she would have to do a travel spell and go disheveled from swimming directly to her class. Even so, she would not make it on time.

She’d hated travel spells since the first bad experiences with Issah’s rudimentary attempts when they had fled the Tyban. Without sufficient training a travel spell could go awry. Brianna avoided using them as often as possible. And despite Alameda urging her to practice her spells often she had no problem finding more palatable tasks to complete.

Her stepmother had promised it would get easier if she practiced, and she believed her, but the actual doing had proven to be the painful part. Each time she was caught up in the circular swirl of the spell Brianna’s stomach turned somersaults and became heavy with nausea. She tasted sour bile in her throat. Her blood thumped in her head then hurtled through her body, leaving her lightheaded and confused. She’d never been good with motion other than her own feet. Even riding Koshi made her gut clench in protest at times.

She stepped back from Amon and with a slow turn she sang out the words—

“Travel far, travel close

Carry yon host

Only so far as

Alameda’s rooms”

The air around her swirled and a curtain of mist exploded and closed off her view of Amon. Her feet lifted and weightlessness took hold of her body. The spin began. Her stomach protested, clenching and squirming.

She tumbled and vibrated with only a vague sense of the lake as it whizzed away and the solid bulk of the mountain that loomed beside her. The sunlight faded. She heard noises, voices and footsteps. Her surroundings became clearer, but she still tumbled. Vomit rose into her throat and she swallowed hard. Issah stared with her mouth open as Brianna flew past. With a jerk Issah thrust her hands out as if to grab her, but she couldn’t get a secure grip. Behind Issah, Alameda stood her spine rigid and upright, a deep frown furrowing her brow.

Brianna hit the floor with a painful thump, bounced once, twice, then slid across the crystal.

“Ouch,” she cried as she thudded into the wall. She stayed still, her legs crumpled beneath her, her long robe in disarray and hiked halfway up her thighs. She’d also lost one shoe and her over robe somewhere on the way. A sense of doom weighed her down. She was about to receive a severe scolding.

“Really, Brianna, if only you could summon up a little decorum. An Abrasaxon of your stature and age should not be twirling uncontrolled along the paths of movement under the influence of a badly directed travel spell.”

Alameda’s tone was sharp. Brianna flinched. Embarrassment sent heated waves crashing over her. Why can’t I get this right?

She scrambled up with as much dignity as she could. “Sorry, Alameda. I just can’t seem to get the hang of travel spells. They make me feel so ill.”

“Brianna, you must master the travel spell. Every Abrasaxon can transport themselves with this simple spell. But both you and Issah have demonstrated the special ability to transport more than yourselves. Like me. It took hard work to develop my skills to such an ability, but it is so valuable. I could not bear for you to waste such a powerful talent. You can perfect it, if you put in the work.”

Brianna cringed away from her stepmother’s raw frustration.

“If only you would practice more often. I hate to see you only using the spells to cover up your malingering with that young man. Apply yourself and you will make more progress.”

“Yes, Alameda, I promise I’ll try and do better.” Despite her resentment, she understood Alameda’s annoyance with her failure. In the beginning Brianna had shown significant potential when Alameda had tested her ability to carry more than one other within her travel spell. But that potential had not been realized because she’d shied away from practicing, unable to cope with the constant nausea the spell brought on.

Alameda glided to her seat and with regal poise sank into it, at the same time adjusting her full-length lavender-colored robe into elegant folds. “If you do not apply yourself, I will have to talk to your father about your lack of dedication to the Abrasaxon gift of magic.”

Her stepmother’s words punched her.

“Please don’t do that, Alameda. I’ll work harder.”

“You’ll have to if you’re going to be an asset to Hakon. Otherwise it might be best if you retreated to your village and lived a mortal existence.”

Issah leaned forward. “Mother, no. Please don’t say that. Brianna’s just not used to the discipline of learning magic. She needs more time.”

Frustration puckered Alameda’s brow. “Sit, both of you. I understand the challenges you face, Brianna, but you must both remember there may not be time to waste. We don’t know when the next evil entity will appear now that the rift is open. Your father hasn’t been able to close the rift completely and none of Donavon’s conquered entities are bound as strongly as they once were.”

Brianna sat hunched under the weight of guilt pressing on her shoulders. She admitted to herself that despite her experiences with Zelig and Saquin, now that she had her father’s protection she hadn’t really taken the consequences of the Tyban re-emergence as seriously as she should have. Since her move to the castle it had all been a bit of a game—mastering magic, appreciating what it was to have siblings, especially Issah, and learning about being Abrasaxon. And all the time she had Amon.

“But, Mother, surely there’re enough Abrasaxon with strong powers to provide protection.”

Alameda frowned at her daughter. “That may be, but you, Brianna and your brothers are the most powerful, and there may come a day when all that stands between Abrasaxon annihilation and survival will be the four of you.”

Issah looked across at Brianna and grinned. Brianna smiled back, but felt awkward and blameworthy. As the elder, she should be the more responsible and show Issah the right way, not distract her into mischief.

“Sorry, Alameda. I’ve been a little lax in my studies. I never really thought about the four of us being the most powerful force protecting the Abrasaxon world. If we fail in our duty then the mortals will be destroyed. They have few resources against Tyban.”

“Ahh, stepdaughter, you understand.”

Brianna nodded. “I promise to try harder.”

“Excellent. Then I have something in mind which might help you focus. Today I am going to call your tairu foa.”

“Oh, Brianna, you’re so lucky to be getting your tairu foa to help you with your magic. Mother, will you also call mine today?”

Alameda shook her head. “It is not time for you yet, Issah.”

“Mother, why?”

“Issah, do not challenge me. We have been through this before.”

Brianna cringed inside. The idea of tairu foa unnerved her. She had no liking of Alameda’s tairu foa. The big black wekaza with eight hairy legs, beady black eyes and long sharp fangs sent shivers vibrating down her spine every time Alameda called her. Her stepmother kept the wekaza, called Euphemia, in the pocket of her robe and let it walk back and forth across her shoulders and sometimes up into her hair.

“Do not look so unhappy, Brianna. This is a big honor. Father has had his tairu foa since he turned twelve rotations. Arythiah is so wise and can fly so high she’s able to observe the whole of Okana and Okiyarra with one long swoop.”

Brianna shrugged. “I would be impressed to have a sequila for my tairu foa, any shandina would be acceptable, but…but”—she looked straight at Alameda—“I mean no offense, but I find Euphemia somewhat daunting.”

Alameda smiled, then her laughter rang out in the room like bells chiming.

The door burst open. “And what are my three favorite women up to that is so amusing? Come, share with me. Alameda?”

Brianna was embarrassed to have been caught expressing her fears by her father. Heat rushed up her face. He had such high expectations of her. “It’s nothing, Father. Just a joke between us.”

Issah touched Brianna’s arm. “It’s all right to be intimidated when meeting your tairu foa for the first time, but you shall know her or him when they appear.”

“Yes, Brianna, your tairu foa is a special magical part of your soul. You will instantly know your tairu foa. Do not fear this new stage in life.” Her father rested his hand on her shoulder. “Do not fear, daughter, for this is a momentous time in your Abrasaxon life.”

Alameda held out her hand. “Come, Brianna, stand by me and I will call. Then we shall see if the Goddess deems you ready to receive such a companion.”

Brianna wanted to shrink away. What if I’m not acceptable? What then? “What if my tairu foa does not come? What if I’m not considered worthy?”

Hakon chuckled and gave her shoulder a hard squeeze. “There is no such thing as ‘not worthy’ with your tairu foa—just not ready.”

“Perhaps I’m not ready, or perhaps my tairu foa will be ashamed that I’m only a half-breed Abrasaxon.”

“Shhh, Brianna. You worry too much. Go ahead, Alameda, call her tairu foa.”

Brianna looked at her father, aghast. “You’re going to stay?”

“Yes, Brianna, and please stop worrying. Whatever comes forth will be perfect for you.”

Alameda stood by her divining pool. She raised her hands and began to vocalize. Not real words, but metamorphic sounds of the night—whistles, beeps, high-pitched cries and heavy sighs. Brianna looked around, almost convinced the noises came from outside the castle window. The water stirred in the pool. It swayed back and forth.

Issah clutched her wrist and Brianna tightened her fingers around her sister’s, all the time aware of her father’s heavy hand on her shoulder. Shivers danced over her skin. Brianna felt comforted by her companions but petrified as she watched the water swirl and sway. One sound seemed to overpower the others, slight at first then more prominent. Sharp barks came periodically, closer and closer.

Brianna realized the unidentified sound came from outside. A rustle of leaves from the courtyard, a squeak and a series of hisses that culminated in three short barks preceded the appearance of a small head over the window ledge. The round fluffy ears were golden, but tipped with black. They twitched and swiveled.

Brianna held her breath. Her heart beat faster, but her fear dissolved.

A long thin tail flicked up over the ledge and gripped the curtains, then with another bark the paccha leaped onto the ledge. He clung to his perch with the sharp claws on all four feet. He surveyed the room. His huge round eyes blinked once before he turned to Brianna, whistled, then jumped.

Brianna held out her arms and the tiny paccha landed in them. His long, prehensile tail curled around her plait.