The World Walkers: Quiar: The Case of the Counterfeit Enchantments (part 9, 42nd continuation)

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Part 9, 41st continuation

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Lucille thought for a moment, before sighing. ‘I have so many questions, Quiar, that I don’t know where to start.’

‘That’s normal for you, Lucy.’ Quiar sounded amused. ‘One of them I know already, though, so I could begin by answering that one while you think about which question you want to ask next.’

‘How do you know?’

‘We may well have only known each other a short time during this lifetime, but I’ve spent centuries with you as my Moonjumper, so I’ve come to understand the way you think. You want to know what’s different about this life, what made you decide to become a Moonjumper earlier than before and learn about all the worlds, when it isn’t something that you’ve done before.’

Nodding, Lucille hoped that no on was watching her too closely. She wasn’t so worried about being seen on Quiar, because she doubted there was anyone on the world who would tell the Council about the strange way she was acting, but she knew she had to keep being careful, otherwise she might be seen on one of her other worlds. ‘You’re right.’ She smiled. ‘It’s strange to think you’ve known me as other people.’

‘At first it was strange for us as well. The whole thing was strange. I can remember starting off life in one of the fae’s crystals jars, with the other worlds surrounding me, and that was when we first had a chance to have a conversation about what was happening. Athare started it once we were all complete. Before that we didn’t know that we could talk to each other, because we didn’t realise we had a voice that we could use. Now it’s something we’ve had no choice but to get used to, as we’re never going to die, not in the way the races do, and I’ve come to enjoy the position that I was given.’

‘I know there were more worlds that could have been placed. That was mentioned in almost all the journals of the world creators and from what they said it seems like Emrys took them with him when he left.’

‘He did, because Athare asked him to. She wanted to know that her children were safe and she trusted Emrys. They’d been spending time together for years before the fae arrived, so she’d had a chance to get to know him in a way that she hadn’t with the others she’d connected with. I don’t know where they are now, but I’m sure she made plans for what was going to happen to them next, and there’s a chance there might be other worlds that simply haven’t been found yet, as she doesn’t want them to be found until she’s ready.’

‘Like the sibling worlds of Kniroch.’

‘Exactly. There may be other sibling worlds, there may be other worlds like Gaelom, there may be more to the Web than we know about now, but the time is coming when we will.’

‘So I chose to be who I am now in preparation for a time of change.’

‘Yes, you did. We’ve known it was coming for a while, but the future can change.’ Quiar sighed. ‘The past can change on several of the worlds too, so there was a chance it might not be as soon as it could be, but from what we’ve seen I think it’s coming sooner than we prepared for. That’s why I’m talking to you about it now.’

Lucille bit her lip. ‘You think this might be the catalyst.’

‘I really do. On the other Quiars it’s caused massive change to both the world and the Web, which means it going to do the same here, but how things change depend entirely on what happens with the counterfeit ring.’

‘Now you’ve made me want to know, even though I know the choice I made was the right one. If I know what might be happening next I am going to react to it differently to how I would if I didn’t, so I have to stay uninformed and react rather than plan the reaction that I should have, especially as my reactions may affect the way they react to me.’ Lucille shook her head. ‘Before I came here I did I ask my sister to read the cards for me. I knew that coming here was going to change things for me, because everything I’ve done so far has, so when they told me that change was coming I though they were simply telling me what I already knew as they couldn’t tell me anything more. Now I think I misread them. They didn’t just mean change for me, but change for the whole Web.’

‘Even though I wish that things would never change I know they have to and this is something that we’ve been waiting for since the fae first created us. It’s going to change the Web, I hope, for the better, and it’s going to change your job.’ In her mind’s eye Lucille could see Quiar, teeth nibbling on the bottom lip. ‘I shouldn’t tell you too much, for exactly the same reason you don’t want to know what might happen to you while you’re dealing with the counterfeit ring. There are others who are preparing for the next step, while you need to be focused on dealing with these problems, because the last thing we need is for anyone to take advantage of the confusion that’s coming.’

‘Then I’ll do my best to bring an end to the ring. How long do I have?’

‘As long as you need. We’re keeping those who need to know informed about what’s happening here and they’ve already realised that you have the hardest job. They all know as little about me as you do, so while you’re learning about me in order to work out which step you should take next they’re doing exactly the same thing, although in a different way to you.’

‘Will Emrys be coming along to help with this?’

‘He might.’ Lucille knew that Quiar was smiling. ‘Athare wouldn’t tell me for certain, I think because she’s not sure herself, and the last thing she wants to do is give everyone false hope.’

‘If I fail…’

‘You’re not going to fail, Lucy.’

‘We both know it’s possible.’

‘I believe in you and I always have. If anyone is going to bring an end to the counterfeit ring it’s going to be you. You have good people around you, you’re doing all the right things, and I know that as long as you keep following your heart things are going to work out for you.’

‘Sometimes, Quiar, you’re much more optimistic than I am.’

‘When you’ve seen people deal with as much as I have you know that they have the ability to cope with the worst situations that life can throw at them. You’re a strong person, you always have been, and with everything you’d already been through I know that you will be able to deal with whatever comes next.’

‘I don’t feel strong.’

‘Lucy, you came to Quiar expecting to spend a few days in Sheepshank before heading back to write another report. Instead you ended up helping Peric and Bertram to solve the counterfeit problem they had there before travelling to Seahorse Port, where you’ve had to deal with chimeras, an unexpected friend, meeting Meriweather, try to help the people of the city out of the rut they’d got trapped in, and do so much more than you ever planned to, but you’re still your normal self. There are other Moonjumpers who would have left at the first sign of trouble, who would have walked away when they realised what the Port dwellers expected of you, who would never have accepted Kai or Merry it their lives, and yet you stayed, you accepted everything, and you have been the Moonjumper I always thought you were capable of being.’

‘I take it I wasn’t as good during my past lives.’

‘You were different and you didn’t have to cope with the same situations that you are now. That’s why souls live more than one life. It gives them a chance to learn about themselves, to learn what they can and can’t deal with, and prepare themselves for hard situations. I’m not saying you had it easy before, but this life is going to be the hardest yet, because it’s what you’re ready for.’

‘There are going to be people who aren’t ready for what’s to come.’

‘Of course there are and you’ll be able to help them. So will other souls in the same stage as you.’

‘Quiar…’ Lucille trailed off as she tried to work out how to ask the question she needed an answer to, without getting too much information. ‘What sort of state am I going to be in when I’ve finished this investigation?’

‘I’m not certain. What I do know is that you need to be ready to fight physically and mentally, because the situation here is going to get worse before it gets better.’

Mirrored from K. A. Webb Writing.

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