Sue nodded. “Excellent.”
“Jaime and Tahendra, will you please come with me?” Kelne walked across the living room and over to the fireplace. Then he knelt facing the two six-year-olds. “We have business to attend to, Tahendra, and that is why I brought you here.”
Jaime looked over at his uncle Kris, who nodded and winked. Jaime smiled back at his uncle, then turned to face Kelne.
“This is a very ceremonious occasion for all of us. You see, today is the day that you two become siblings in Kalendra. That’s where Tah is from. Uncle Kris will also be Tahendra’s uncle in Kalendra. She will live with Sue in her new home. Look, just across the street.”
Tahendra and Jaime looked across the street, and Kelne raised his small crystal. It flashed, and per his request, Jaime and Tahendra now believed she’d always lived across the street.
“Jaime, I need to ask you to take care of Tahendra—you know, teach her how to get around and how to deal with things like school when it starts. It would be so kind of you to take her under your wing,” Kelne said.
Jaime nodded. “Yeah. I’ve been to school. All my brothers already went. I know where things are.” He turned to Tahendra. “I can show you,” she nodded.
“I’ll make sure they’re in the same classes,” Sue said to Kris.
“Really? You can do that?” Jaime said.
Sue nodded. “You guys are golden,” she said.
“Before I go,” Kelne said, “I need everyone to stand in a circle and hold hands. He raised his staff, and the room went dark except for a single light on each of their faces. “I have some important announcements.”
Everyone looked at him and nodded.
“As painful as it was to take Tah from her loving home, I know she is here for the good of mankind. She is one powerful moon child; unlike any I have known. For your safety, Tahendra, I must respectfully eliminate all your Kalendrian memories. They will come back in time, once you return, and I am certain you are safe. I promise. But they will not serve you on Earth, and they may not serve for quite some time upon your return. I take into my crystal your moon memories and the memories of your early childhood. I am so sorry, my grandniece.” In a flash her memories were stored in his crystal staff for her safety. Kelne wiped a tear from his cheek, not wanting to face the loneliness his family would have without his beloved Tah. He took a deep breath.
“Sue, thank you so much for your dedication and loving spirit as her mother on Earth, to steer her in the right direction. I’m glad you know what skills she’ll need in Kalendra when she returns.”
Sue bowed her head and nodded. “I’m so glad I can help,” she said. “This will be my pleasure. I like Jaime too. It’s good.”
“Kris Campbell, you are a fine man. You have a fine nephew. I wish for you to always feel welcome in Kalendra and visit often. I would love for you to tell Jaime and Tahendra stories of your travels in my world—you know, fables and fairy tales, so people don’t know it’s real.
“Again, I must apologize. While I wish you to remember how to return to Kalendra and the travels you had on your trip, you cannot know about Tahendra’s arrival here, and I remove those memories now.” Kelne’s crystal flashed. “She has always been Jaime’s neighbor, as far as you know. You do not know I came here or that this ceremony will make them siblings when they return to Kalendra. I fear they’ll need the lifelong ties a family provides for the work they’ll have ahead.” The crystal flashed again.
“Jaime,” Kelne turned to the young man, “you remember Tahendra as your best friend forever, just as she remembers you. You and she will come to Kalendra together one day, I hope, as tourists. And I hope I won’t need your assistance for an exceptionally long time. You don’t remember more than meeting me with Uncle Kris.” Kelne’s crystal flashed.
The lights in the room were restored. Kelne was gone. Kris went to the kitchen to get some ice cream for Jaime, Tahendra, and Sue. They all sat on the front porch together.
“I’m thinking about getting a cabin in the woods, out by the coast. What do you think of that idea, Jaime?” Kris asked.
“Yes, yes!” Jaime said.
“I have a listing out there,” Sue said. “It’s a wonderful stone cabin, right near Kelne’s portal to Kalendra,” Sue said, and she winked at Kris.
“You’ve got this all figured out,” Kris said.
Sue nodded.
Thank you for reading my books!
I hope you enjoyed my book. If you did, I would appreciate it if you could write a quick review. It helps me tremendously as it is one of the main factors’ readers consider when buying a book.
As an Indie author I need your support.
Thanks so much.
Barbara
About the Author
Barbara Ferrier is the author of the four-book series, Kalendra Chronicles, ready for release spring 2021.
Her first career was producing television in LA. She also made a film in rural Nepal, while trekking through the Himalayan foothills.
The fictional world of Kalendra was created by painting the fantasy world’s locations, characters, and props. To build her skills, Barbara taught drawing in her kid’s classrooms, eventually teaching hundreds of kids.
www.barbaraferrier.com
barbara@barbaraferrier.com
Instagram: @barbaraferrier
