Prince of Attania, 2

Attan took the time to shower and change into his enforcer uniform—and get a haircut—before heading out to Elea’s village. It was a relief, in many ways, not to have to deal with Stenson. Now Stenson was his father’s headache.

Stenson cornered him before he left. Since he hadn’t gotten anywhere with Jet, he tried to convince Attan one more time not to go to sea, especially with Elea. “They’re just using you, you know,” he said. “Because you’re strong and because they see you as expendable.”

Attan nearly laughed. Wasn’t that what Stenson did? “So I should do as you tell me instead?”

Stenson’s eyes flared angrily. “You’ll kill us all!”

Attan didn’t want to do that. “I won’t,” he promised. There didn’t seem to be any point in waiting any longer. He’d already said his good-byes to his family, and the others would meet him at the ships. Attan let go of his physical self, unsurprised when Stenson didn’t.

Alone, Attan could travel in elemental form exceedingly fast. He spread himself out across the land, feeling it pulse and breathe beneath him. If he had his choice, he’d stay like this forever. But he had promises to keep to the people he loved, even Stenson. Attan focused on Elea’s small village and directed his essence there. Beyond, on the edge of his awareness, he sensed the distant barrier far out to sea. How could he ever have missed it before? With a burst of anticipation, Attan materialized in Elea’s village.

“Attan!” With a pleased cry, Meetoo popped into form right in front of Attan and threw his arms around him. “You’re back!”

It was like looking into a mirror. If not for Attan’s enforcer uniform, there would be nothing at all to distinguish the two of them. Meetoo could be Attan’s twin. When he had taken corporeal form, he had modeled himself after Attan.

From the cave-houses set back into the hill, two more figures came running. One was Elea, looking even taller and thinner than Attan remembered, if that was possible. And the other was his old friend, Greg. Greg had lost all his childhood stockiness and had shot up to nearly Attan’s height. His unruly red hair was trimmed and neat, and he had signs of stubble on his upper lip. Attan felt a stab of—envy? He quickly suppressed it.

“Man!” Greg panted as he caught is breath. “There really are two of you!”

“I told you!” Meetoo said. “I’m Meetoo. He’s Attan.”

Meetoo’s vocabulary had improved since the last time Attan had seen him. He seemed more mature, also. Considering he had been ‘born’ little under a year ago, that was incredible.

“Hey, Greg.” Attan smiled. “I see you’ve met my double.”

“You’re not kidding!” Greg grinned. “Elea tried to tell me it wasn’t you but it took a little bit of convincing.”

“A little?” Elea scoffed, walking over to place a soft kiss on Attan’s cheek. “Welcome back, Attan.”

Attan blushed. “Did Meetoo give you any trouble?”

“Of course not!” Meetoo said indignantly, surprising Attan yet again. “I take good care of Elea.” To prove it, he wrapped an arm around the girl’s shoulders, pulling her close. Elea leaned into him, smiling indulgently.

Across the way, Attan could see other people coming towards them. He recognized Tark, Elea’s father, and—was that Reggie with him? None of them looked particularly happy. “I thought Reg would meet us at the ships,” he said, though he was glad to see his non-family ‘uncle.’ He imagined it wouldn’t have been easy for a young kid like Greg to convince Elea’s whole village to let her go to sea with a bunch of Family. Maybe Uncle Reg was here to show them it wasn’t just Family involved in this venture.

Tark stopped short when he realized the uniformed enforcer who had appeared in his village was Attan. “You again,” he said, not too pleased. It was interesting that he had no problem with Meetoo, who currently had his arm possessively around Elea, even though Meetoo had to have been a constant reminder of the Family Prince. “She’s not going. I already told these people.”

Attan glanced at Elea. “I understand. I was surprised when I first heard that Elea and Meetoo would be accompanying us. She’s much better off staying here with you.”

“Oh you can take Meetoo,” Tark replied. “In fact, do take Meetoo.”

Tark knew what Meetoo had been, what he’d done inadvertently to their village when he was ‘born.’ That he tolerated Meetoo at all was nothing short of amazing. Combine that with how much he looked like Attan, and it was a wonder that Tark had allowed him to remain in their newly rebuilt village.

“No Papa,” Elea said quietly. “If Meetoo goes, I go too. You know Meetoo needs me.”

Because Meetoo was still unstable. Attan hadn’t had a chance to ask Elea for details yet, but that’s what he’d meant if he asked if Meetoo had caused any trouble.

“Then you both stay,” Tark said, folding his arms. “We need you too.”

Reggie looked tired, tired and frustrated. He shook his head. “I don’t pretend to understand everything you’ve told me, but the King has requested your daughter and, er, Meetoo come on this trip, for Attania’s sake. I’ll do my best to make sure no harm comes to your daughter.”

“The King wouldn’t even know we existed if it weren’t for a certain someone,” Tark muttered beneath his breath. It was true, but not completely. If Tom Jadock hadn’t brought his men here to try to coerce Elea and later Attan to help him in his experiments to control free elementals, the spirits these people believed in, none of this would have happened and Tark’s village would still be virtually unknown by Attania’s government. Of course, then Meetoo wouldn’t be here, either.

Attan glanced at Greg. “You know about the spirits?” he asked, figuring that was a safe enough topic. He wasn’t sure Greg knew of his brother’s involvement here, and he didn’t want to bring it up. No matter what, Tom Jadock had been Greg’s brother.

Greg nodded. “Reggie filled me in on the way here from what Daniel and the King told him. Daniel and the others are waiting for us at the harbor near Palmer. And Elea told me a little bit more.” He tilted his head. “They’re really elementals? And he’s one of them?” He nodded at Meetoo.

“A type of elemental, I guess you could say,” Attan corrected. “And Meetoo isn’t one, anymore. He’s physical now, like Family.”

Reggie stretched out his hand. “Attan,” he said with a warm smile that banished the shadows from his face. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“I’m glad this is finally happening,” Attan replied, shaking hands. “I’m sorry to hear about the flitter accidents. Was it anyone I knew?”

Reggie’s expression turned solemn. “Ricky,” he said. “He was one of them. He insisted, when I would have sent somebody younger. In retrospect, I’m glad I didn’t send out Greg or one of the new recruits like I had planned.”

“Greg can fly the flitters?” Attan asked, then immediately realized it wasn’t the most important fact here. “I mean, I’m sorry about Rick. We should have taken the ships out sooner.”

“We figured it was worth trying with the flitters. Now we know there’s really something there. That’s why your Dad wants Elea to accompany us. He says she can send things across the barrier.”

“Spirits,” Elea corrected. “One way. And only those that want to go.”

Reggie smiled sheepishly. “See? I’m still not too clear on the whole process, though your Dad and Daniel swear it’s possible.”

Tark growled, “None of you can cross the barrier. I don’t even know why you want to try.”

Meetoo let go of Elea and put his hands on Tark’s shoulders so he could stare him earnestly in the face. “I will take care of Elea. You don’t have to worry, Papa.”

Papa! Attan bit back a grin at Tark’s astonished expression.

“It’s important, Papa.” Elea added.

Tark threw up his hands hands and walked away. The frizzy-haired woman, Elea’s mother, put her arms around Elea as the other women of the village slowly surrounded them. “Are you sure you want to do this?” her mother asked. “We can’t sing spirits to the sea without you.”

Elea smiled. “Yes, you can.” She hummed a soft melody, and after a moment the other women joined in. Attan felt the pull. He glanced at Meetoo to see him with a fierce frown as he concentrated on keeping his physical shape. He was getting better at it. Elea stopped, and the other women continued the melody for a few moments. The pull was not as strong, but still there. Gradually, the melody dropped off, the last one to carry it being Elea’s mother. Attan sighed.

Neither Greg nor Reggie had felt anything. They both looked confused as Elea’s mother kissed her daughter and gave her her blessing. “Be safe,” she whispered.

Later that evening, the entire village, plus Reggie, Greg, Attan and Meetoo sat around a big bonfire sharing dinner before their departure the next day. Meetoo and Elea would both be going with them. Attan sat with Tark, while Elea sat in between Greg and Meetoo, both of whom vied for her attention. Tark noticed. “My little girl is growing up,” he said.

“Yeah,” Attan replied, watching the girl in question. Her cheeks were flushed as she responded to something funny Greg had just said. Her eyes met Attan’s and she smiled.

“I’m holding you responsible,” Tark continued, catching their gaze. “You bring her back safe and sound.”

“I’ll make sure she’s safe—that you’re all safe.”

Tark nodded, satisfied.

The next morning, they started out, with Reggie and Elea in Reggie’s sturdy land vehicle. It was somewhat modeled on the giant transporters Tom Jadock had used, but on a much smaller scale. However, the intent was the same: to travel over rough terrain. “Daniel’s design?” Attan asked Reggie when he saw it.

“Yes. He came up with the basic design after and we worked like crazy to manufacture it—this is a prototype. So far it works great.”

Attan wondered what Stenson would think of his design being used by Family sympathizers. Actually, Daniel’s design was an improvement over the hulking transporters Stenson’s Sons had built. It was more mobile, for one, and could be used on regular roads without having to widen them. More small transporters could move just as much as a single gigantic one. “What do you call them?” he asked, curious.

“Unofficially? The Danmobile,” Reggie said with a laugh. “Officially? Ground flitters.”

Attan liked that. He held out his hand. “See you in Palmer,” he said. He watched until the Danmobile was out of sight. “Come on, Meetoo, you’re with me.”

He transformed to wind, and Meetoo did the same, winding seamlessly through him until they were one entity, surrounded by elementals of air, water, light, and shadow. Attan headed out towards Palmer and the ships that were waiting for them.