The Silent Quest - IziCain (inspiring books for teens TXT) 📗

is that?”
He sniffed, “if you rest too.”
Anahita shook her head, wondering in what need she should rest. She hadn’t done much on the way here, certainly nothing to do in the near future... she didn’t need a rest till a couple of days- she had lived for six days without sleep once- yet he looked very concerned. She wondered if it was for her injuries that she had to rest, or if it was for the satisfaction that she needed her strength back for something like the Black Spectre. She couldn’t hold back a thing like that, if it was a growling wolf-
“What are you thinking?” he asked suddenly.
Anahita shrugged, “nothing. I don’t need any rest, if I needed to, I would be snoring my backside off.”
He gave a small laugh, then his face fell and he stared out at the sands. She watched him fight a current inside, yet it was invisible to her thoughts, why did he look so sad?
Then the question bubbled, “Can I ask you something?”
He blinked, “yes?”
“Where are your parents?”
He looked taken aback, then rubbed his temples and sighed. The way his face lolled down harder made her regret the question, what if his parents had died a brutal death like hers? What if he didn’t want to talk about it, because it brought back a sorrowful picture? Anahita glared at the sky, crumbling thoughts of her own parents tortured her mind.
“They’re with Mu’aqquibat, safe.”
She frowned, Mu’aqquibat? He couldn’t be serious, they were with- angels? It was impossible; legend said the dead roamed the gates of heaven and hell, but with Mu’aqquibat? He wasn’t a Gabriel like angel... he was the protector from death. Why were Ren Talon and Ulrika Talon’s parents with the protector of death?
Before she could verbally ask, he gave a small yawn and rubbed his hazy eyes.
“They had a will,” his voice held a hollow edge, no emotion. “They wanted me and Ulrika to live, Queen Concetta was ruling then and the war broke out. I and my sister are the only siblings, when death came; Mu’aqquibat came in the way and promised my parents that if they came with him their children could live.
“So we lived, watching our parents torn in-between life and death, we used to have dreams about them looking very happy in a kingdom of bloom- but that’s stopped now since the flood.”
Memory flew into Anahita’s mind and she gulped, “a year?”
He swung his head to her, “yes. Were you there during the flood?”
She simply nodded, not trusting her voice. He edged closer; peering into her lost big eyes and shook his head. Inside the house they heard dishes clattering and glass broke, Ulrika swore fiercely and squeaked.
“Anahita, I need your help!” her voice echoed for some time.
“Morning call,” he smiled, though it wasn’t satisfyingly playful.
Anahita gathered up her torn lilac gown and went in to help Ulrika. She didn’t look back even as she felt Ren’s sad gaze on her, what did he see in her that made him so boldly sorrowful? Did he sense her unease, or was he just playing nice?
In the kitchen Ulrika was kneeling down and gathering some pots which she explained had fallen as she opened the draw, the glass which lay on the floor beside her had fallen from her grasp. Anahita ran to the dustpan and brush, sweeping away most of the glass, feeling like she was back at the Castle. Her stomach twisted, motion pictures of Ali and Havana and Rose flickered in her vision, she realised she missed them- excluding Havana. She hated that girl, to the inner depths of the core of her heart.
Ulrika allowed the worry to pass as both girls went to sit down beside the fire in the living room, the dark figure of Ren was unmoving on the grass, staring into the distance.
“He is like that,” Ulrika whispered. “Always thinking about things, he likes time on his own, to regain power and strength.” She poked her head out. “Ren, please do not come indoors for a few minutes OK?”
A muffled voice satisfied her; she turned back to Anahita and grinned. Something glittered there as her eyes traced Anahita’s small figure.
“You’re dirty,” Ulrika snarled.
Anahita cringed, “I know. You did not have to say it like that!”
The other girl grinned, “OK, let us get this sorted. You head down the hall to the bathing area and I’ll see what we have. I will also tell Reno to stay out there for some more time, we do not want him walking in-”
“I will not!” Ren called. “Clean her up good; I do not want her foul odour of blood and oranges edging another Black Spectre towards us.”
“You shut up!” Ulrika laughed. “Come, I shall show you to it.”
The bathing area was so nicely decorated and warm that Anahita didn’t want to leave, Ulrika had gotten her dressed in a lose silk gown and told her to stand under a small hole in the ceiling. Water engulfed her. Ulrika explained that the silk gown was to be worn if injuries needed to heal; she said that the silk was special and contained chemicals that mixed with the water and healed the wounds. She was also told to scrub at the dress, the soap would go through the cloth and clean her spotless, her hair was a little hard to wash; she called for Ulrika who appeared with a bowl of peeled oranges. She smiled and placed the bowl at a nearby stand and came over, she blocked the hole and grabbed a sweet smelling shampoo. She explained how these things worked; Anahita had told her she used to wash her hair with soap which made it stiff and ‘un-shiny’ as she put it. Ulrika’s touch was soft; she massaged the lime and lavender into her scalp and sung riddles till most of it had come to a sticky solid halt. When it was almost dry, Ulrika ordered her to unblock the hole and rinse it all out, grinning while she said that she needed to scrub her scalp free of the shampoo. It was difficult to wash long hair by yourself, so when Anahita was done she stepped out and Ulrika pulled down a large bowl like thing from the ceiling and let it hang over the girls wet head. A few moments later a towel was wrapped around her hair and air gushed around her body. The dress flew around her ankles and her skin dried ever so quickly, Ulrika grinned. From the way she clapped when the dryer turned off, Anahita knew Ulrika was openly happy with the result. She removed the towel from her head and let her hair fall lose, she combed the knots out carefully and pulled her into a small dressing room. Ulrika declared that she would pick the dress, and to Anahita’s surprise she picked a pair of leather trousers which were too tight but Ulrika said they were handy for when they got to the Sand Land. She gave her a black top which was high necked and full armed, it was extremely comfortable.
“All your clothing will maintain a certain mass of temperature,” she explained as she handed her a small jacket. “They will keep you cool in the warm weather and warm in the cold weather. Fear nothing!”
Grinning madly, Ulrika took her through into the living room; she allowed her a view of herself. The scar on her cheek was almost gone, for some bizarre reason after days of not signalling a disappearance. She looked better than a few minutes ago, alive and fragile, she couldn’t help but smile.
Her damp hair was easily drying, causing a few strands to spring into curls, but allowing the rest to straighten by itself.
Ulrika brought back the bowl of oranges and set it on the table, Anahita sat down and took a few oranges, and they were sweet and ever so tasty. Ren entered and smiled, directly at Anahita.
“Wow,” Ulrika clapped her hands. “I think I’m going to enjoy your lovely company, like what I’ve done to her, Reno?”
Ran having taken a seat beside Anahita nodded, “smells better. Looks different, too. Bless the Meerad family.”
The two girls exchanged a weary look, but then began eating oranges rather loudly just to make Ren cringe. Ulrika playfully threw him the skin, he kicked her from under the table while all the time Anahita watched and wondered what it would be like to be a big sister or a younger one- fun!
But that advantage had been taken away from her, so far away that she wouldn’t dare reach it with her forbidding will. She ate more oranges, remembering when she had peeled them for the Queen but was not allowed to eat them herself, that had been a very fun day. Skin lay everywhere, when the guards had entered they were furious, that was the only day Anahita had spoken before the evil Havana and blamed her. Of course she had not been beaten, just told not to do it again; there was no denying the fact that the Queen fed her a few slices of it while she was at it. Fancy that!
“We are leaving soon,” Ren announced and Anahita sighed. “I do not want to delay any more time, it is not that I want to go away from my beloved sister, I just want to get a move on back to Arabia. We have slept well before we arrived, I think.”
He glanced towards Anahita who nodded dumbly, “right, I think we’ll head off now.”
“But-” Ulrika began but silenced herself.
She knew very well that if she disturbed her brothers plans, he might not well like going anywhere, but stay by his sisters side and help her do the things she only wished to do: get her parents back. That was what Ulrika was after, her parents. Ren was after freedom for the Persians and Arabians, he had also promised to get their parents back.
Anahita stood, “thank you Ulrika.”
The pretty girl shrugged, “no problem. I will always be here, if Ren ever brings you back.”
Ren gaped, “what? Of course I will, I can see you two are like bonded friends, now Anna, you ready?”
Anna... her parents used to call her that.

When they had bid the beautiful Ulrika farewell, Ren led the way towards the only place Anahita had wanted to avoid.
The Sand Lands.
Her stomach lurched, this place, as soon you stepped into it brought a tingle of want and hatred including memories and nightmares all at the same time. Ren didn’t seem to have a problem, buying maids from Persia and taking them back to Arabia- he was the master of these doomed lands. As they walked, Anahita looked down at her clothes, remembering what Ulrika has told her.
“All your clothing will maintain a certain mass of temperature; they will keep you cool in the warm weather and warm in the cold weather. Fear nothing!”
Smiling, Anahita trotted on like a beggar stalking a rich man. Ren had gotten rid of his armour and cloak, she hadn’t realised he wasn’t wearing it. Instead he was tad in the same leather black trousers and top but with a much more boyish and loose jacket. He said they had packed another pair of clothes before the leave, he told her she had a dress and some accessorize and he carried a simple suit.
“They’re only for special occasions,” he had warned. “You wont go in this bag unless I say so, understood?”
She had nodded smugly; of course she was going to go in that bag, to get her food and water obviously.
Ren was unexpectedly brave, she had to admit that. When she saw a rattle snake hissing towards them through the lumps of sand she had screamed and hid behind him. Mr Bravo Talon had leaped forward and gripped the snake around the neck, squeezed and sent it to its misery. He said it wasn’t a sin to kill snakes, but the snakes out here in the