The Lemurian who had given the ‘attention’ command clicked his heels together and yelled “Dismissed!” Immediately the entire assembly turned to their right and marched off in their neat lines towards the back of the palace, leaving Jillituk, Tupilek and Cory behind.
Without a word, Tupilek bowed and then walked towards the front of the palace.
Cory turned to follow but Jillituk grabbed her arm.
“Shouldn’t I go with him?” Cory asked in a quivering voice. “He’s taking me to my mother.”
“There’s no need to worry. With the hand of Maheetek, I will show you the way.” Jillituk smiled sweetly.
Cory eyed the little Lemurian woman whose thoughts, unlike Tupilek’s, were easy to read.” My beautiful child! Praise Maheetek! The Prophecy will save us.”
Tupilek disappear through tall golden doors at the top of the steps leaving Cory and Jillituk completely alone in the courtyard. There were no furnishings of any kind, not even any plants. Cory squinted against the brilliant light reflecting off the palace and white stone courtyard. Unlike the lonely melody that identified Ellesmere Island, the earth’s melody here was welcoming, soothing. Cory took a deep breath. The air was sweet.
“Let’s go inside,” Jillituk said at last.
“Am I going home?” Cory whispered anxiously.
“Yes,” Jillituk answered.
“Will I be with my mother?”
“Of course.” Jillituk gestured towards doors that Tupilek had gone through. “This way.”
Cory was excited but still leery. Her knees wobbled with each step. She counted as she inhaled and then exhaled to slow and steady her breathing.
She followed Jillituk into a hexagonal foyer of creamy pink stone. A deep red carpet, cut in the exact shape of the room lay in the centre of the floor. An arched doorway was directly across from the entrance bordered by large golden urns. They walked through to a long, well-lit hallway.
Jillituk hurried down the passage with Cory at her heals.
Glowing crystals embedded in the ceiling gave off warm light. Colourful tapestries hung on the walls the entire length of the passage. They were pretty, peaceful images of Lemurians at work: farming, building ships, picking fruit….
Cory relaxed as they made their way. She didn’t sense danger, there was nothing threatening or even frightening in what she saw or could pick up in Jillituk’s thoughts. There was just the unknown which should have been terrifying but for some inextricable reason, wasn’t.
At the end of the passage was a large white room. The floor and walls were made from sparkling white bricks that looked like giant sugar cubes. One wall was mainly of windows that extended from floor to ceiling; a doorway in the centre opened to a garden beyond. The room was furnished with a dozen or more chairs and half again as many large sofas. All were covered with white fur and arranged in three circular seating arrangements with six-sided tables at the centre of each. One huge colourful tapestry hung on the far wall. Jillituk stopped in front of it and closed her eyes. Reclining her head slightly, she brought her hands up as if in prayer.
Cory looked at the tapestry and saw a horrific scene of violence and bloodshed, nothing like the ones in the hallway. The large, intricately woven embroidery showed a violent battle. Dozens of yetis were shown in various stages of death, some with swords thrust into their abdomens, some having their heads lopped off, others lying in pools of blood. Trees were bent as if a storm might have contributed to the carnage, but it was clear that the Lemurians were the ones most responsible for the massacre as they stood triumphant, looking noble in their victory. In the background was the Crystal Palace bathed in brilliant light. Several tall Lemurians stood in front. One was in the centre, arms outstretched light emanating from its hands.
Jillituk lifted her head, still facing the tapestry. A sweet smile defined her expression. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”
The grotesque images were anything but beautiful in Cory’s mind. Being chased by the yeti had been terrifying but seeing images of their violent deaths was disturbing. She glanced at Jillituk and forced herself to say ‘yes’, not wanting to offend.
Jillituk nodded. “We are very proud of it and of the battle it depicts. Praise Anemi .”
“Anemi?”
Jillituk nodded but didn’t explain who or what Anemi was. She motioned for Cory to follow her.
Cory caught Jillituk’s thoughts which were still focused on praising Maheetek and now Anemi. It was very unsettling but Cory pushed her anxiety aside.
She said she’s taking me to Mum. That priest guy did too. I have to believe them…I have too.
They crossed the room to a glass-like staircase and climbed to the next floor, arriving at a small sitting room, simply furnished with a sofa, two arm chairs and a table between them. Cory followed Jillituk across the room, desperate to see her mother. They went through a doorway and into an enormous bedroom.
A large, canopied bed was against one wall opposite three tall windows through which she glimpsed treetops. Shiny silver tables sat on either side of the bed, glowing clear crystals in the shape of birds sat on top of each one. There was a sofa and two wing-backed chairs positioned around a six-sided table like the ones in the white room downstairs. A huge crystal chandelier hung in the centre of the ceiling. Her mother wasn’t there.
Jillituk crossed the room and opened a wardrobe. Several gowns were hanging inside. “You’ll need to change for dinner,” she said pulling one out and hanging it next to the mirror on the inside of the door. She titled her head admiring the dress and sighed as if extremely satisfied about something.
“Dinner?”
Jillituk nodded.
Cory eyed her suspiciously. Something didn’t feel right. Her breath caught. “With my mother?”
Jillituk’s eyes narrowed. “Of course.”
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