Atlantis in Peril Read Free

to the mark on Promi’s chest. Even the size of the soaring bird was the same. Only the color differed; Sammelvar’s was gold instead of black.
    â€œWe shared this mark through all those years of terrible strife,” he said quietly. “Yet now, I fear . . . we share little else.”
    He glanced up at the sky, then added, “Which is why I’ve asked him to join us here today.”

CHAPTER 3
    The Song
    J oin us?” asked Escholia, surprised. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
    Sammelvar ran his fingers through his white mane. “Honestly, my love, I don’t know. But he’s already so upset with me, I doubt it will make things any worse.”
    Seated between her parents, Jaladay turned to each of them, viewing them with her second sight. But she didn’t speak.
    â€œI know,” said Sammelvar ruefully, “Promi doesn’t want to talk about anything. At least not with me. He’s made that very clear. But we
do
need to talk about the veil. It grows weaker by the day . . . and he insists on continuing to travel through it.”
    â€œHaven’t you already warned him?” Escholia questioned. “Made the dangers clear?”
    The elder spirit nodded his head. “I’ve done everything short of banning him from all travel outside the spirit realm.”
    â€œI doubt even that would work,” commented Jaladay. She stroked the tail of her sleeping friend, Kermi. “He’s just determined to keep going to Earth.”
    â€œYes,” replied Sammelvar. “To visit his friend.”
    â€œHer name,” declared a new voice, “is Atlanta.”
    All of them turned to see Promi, striding toward them across the cloud. Though purple honeyscent flowers bloomed all around, filling the air with their sweet aroma, he didn’t pause to enjoy them. Nor did he take the time to notice that each flower was actually a miniature world, complete with creatures, buildings, and flowering meadows of its own.
    Promi’s parents stood up to greet him. So did Jaladay, after gently setting Kermi down on the cloud so he could stay asleep. Yet the young man’s expression remained grim. As he joined them, he looked at Sammelvar and demanded, “Am I in trouble again?”
    Calmly, Sammelvar answered, “Just because I sent a wind lion to find you doesn’t mean you’re in trouble.”
    â€œIt does if the wind lion is my old friend Theosor and he gives me a look that says
you’d better be careful
.”
    Before Sammelvar could reply, Escholia said, “It’s good to see you, Promi.”
    Tossing his long black hair, he answered, “Is it really?”
    Escholia moved to his side and gave him an awkward hug. Then, peering at him with her misty blue eyes, she declared, “No matter what you may think, Promi, we are always glad to see our son.”
    Jaladay raised her hand, trying to signal to her brother not to say the words she could tell he was thinking. But Promi ignored her warning.
    â€œIf you’re always glad to see me,” he grumbled, “then why did you send me away as a child?”
    Taken aback, Escholia blinked the mist from her eyes. “We did what we needed to do to save you.”
    â€œEven if that meant erasing all my memories?” Promi shot back, his voice rising. “You stole them from me completely!”
    Clenching his jaw, he shook his head. Then, in a whisper, he added, “The only shred of my childhood I have left, through all those years living on the streets, was that little scrap of a song you used to sing to me. Do you know how that feels?”
    Escholia started to say something, then caught herself. Sammelvar took her hand, his face more careworn than ever. He heaved a sigh, then spoke to Promi.
    â€œI didn’t ask you to come here to rehash your grievances. But rest assured, we had ample reasons to do what we did. Including saving your