TERRA (The Portal Series, Book 2) Read online

  The streets were lined with multistory wooden apartment buildings that looked like they might fall over in a strong wind. We headed uphill at first, and towards the top of the hill the houses got more substantial, and the people were better-dressed. But things deteriorated again, and maybe got worse, when we started down the other side of the hill, further away from the river. Finally Valleia, Affron, and Palta disappeared into one of those large apartment buildings. Carmody and I stood across the narrow street and looked up at it.

  On the first floor were a few small shops, including what looked like a bar or tavern. There were four stories above the shops. The building was made out of wood, and some of the planks looked like they were rotting. There were small curtained openings in the walls; no glass windows, no shutters. And no chimney that I could make out, just a hole in the roof. Next to the building, naked, dirty children were playing in a small alley.

  I could feel a familiar lump growing in my throat. I remembered my first night in Carmody's world, stuck first in a cold refugee camp and then in a jail cell. That seemed like paradise to me now. Would I ever see my bedroom in Glanbury again? I looked at Carmody. His face showed no emotion. But he murmured a sentence in Latin that I thought I understood. "Hoc est pessimum." This is very bad.

  Eventually we saw Palta come out of the building and look around for us. When she saw us, she motioned for us to join her.

  "Eamus," he said to me. Let's go. And we crossed the street and followed Palta inside.

  Palta led us into a small courtyard behind the building, then up a narrow, rickety staircase. The interior of the building was dark and smelled of vomit. We passed a couple of men going down—one was missing an eye, the other had a withered arm—and both of them stared at us suspiciously. Palta and Carmody ignored them. She led us up to the fourth floor and opened a door into a dim, hot room. I noticed a couple of low benches, a table, and a few stools; in the corner was a toilet—I was surprised it wasn't a chamber pot. We walked through this main into a small, windowless cubiculum, separated from the main room by a curtain.

  In the room, Affron was lying on a narrow bed, and Valleia was kneeling next to him, holding his hand. She looked up at us, and I saw tears on her cheeks. "We must keep Affron alive," she said. "If he dies, then none of this matters."

  Chapter 9

  Carmody went over and put a hand on Valleia's shoulder.

  And Palta knelt in front of Affron, with her head touching the floor.

  I stood in the doorway and felt lost. I didn't know the language. I didn't know the world. And I didn't know these people, or why they were acting the way they acted.

  Finally Affron stirred. "Just need... to rest," he murmured. And then he fell back asleep.

  This seemed to rouse Valleia. She rose from her knees and murmured, "Enough." She saw Palta and said, "Girl, we will need supplies for the insula—food, water, wine, candles. Can you do it?"

  Palta scrambled to her feet and bowed. She pointed to me—"Can I take Larry?" I liked it that she remembered my name.

  "I suppose." Valleia handed her a couple more coins. "Don't waste money. We have little enough. Speak only Latin. And stay away from soldiers."

  Palta and I left the apartment—the insula, Valleia had called it. The heat was blistering now. I was afraid we'd get lost as we traveled through the narrow, twisty streets, but Palta didn't seem concerned. Nearby we found a small forum with a fountain in the middle, another open-air market at one end, and shops lining the cobblestoned plaza. At the market we bought bread, cheese, figs, olive oil, and a jug of wine, and then went into shops to buy more items; Palta haggled strenuously with everyone. Then we sat on a bench near the fountain; I noticed for the first time that colored flags were flying everywhere. Children splashed in the fountain's water. "Festival is approaching," Palta said. "Some kind of games, I think." I figured we should be getting back, but Palta didn't seem in any hurry. "Affron will not die," she stated.

  "Why not?"

  "Because he told me he would take care of me."

  "Should we be speaking English? Valleia said—"

  Palta made a disgusted face. "That woman is no one."

  Was she jealous of Valleia? Or did she know something I didn't? Valleia certainly hadn't been very nice to her. I felt nervous about speaking English, but I wanted to learn more about Palta. "Tell me about where you came from."

  "It is called Gaia," she replied. "It is not happy place. Affron saved my life there and brought me here. I served him until they put him in prison. Then that pig Hypatius took me for his own. I was so happy to kill him."

  "How did you know how to use that gun—that gant?"

  "Because gant comes from Gaia. Gant is why it is not a happy place."

  "So you don't want to go home?"

  She shook her head. "No. I want to serve Affron, that is all."

  "Oh."

  We sat in silence for a while, and then Palta asked me about my world. I started describing it, but I got choked up talking about my family and had to stop. She looked at me, and then nodded as if she understood. "Eamus," she murmured.

  We bought a jug and filled it with water from the fountain, and then made our way across the forum.

  That's when we saw soldiers for the first time. A pair of them were tacking a notice to a large wooden board while a few others stood by. We didn't stop to see what the notice said. Instead, we hurried back to the insula with our purchases.

  * * *

  The apartment felt like an oven, although no one seemed to mind the heat as much as I did. Affron was still asleep. Valleia and Carmody were sitting together in the main room, talking. We told them about the soldiers as we set the food and supplies out on the table.

  "We cannot stay here," Valleia said. "It's far too dangerous. In a building like this, everyone knows everyone else's business. But we need more money to go anywhere else."

  "Can we steal it?" Carmody asked.

  "Perhaps, but I hardly know where, or how."

  "We have the gant," he pointed out.

  "We could use the gant, of course. But it could draw attention to us."

  We heard movement from the bedroom. Affron pulled the curtain back. "Don't use the gant," he said. "I can get the money we need."

  Valleia rushed over and hugged him; Palta knelt at his feet. He still looked tired and a little out of it.

  "How do you feel?" Carmody asked.

  "Hungry," he replied.

  We led him over to the table, where he sat while we served him. I noticed that there weren't any couches as there had been in Hypatius's house; apparently ordinary people in places like this just used chairs and benches when they ate. That was fine with me. When we had taken care of Affron, the rest of us sat down and ate with him.

  "How can you get money?" Carmody asked Affron finally.

  "I shall have to steal it, I'm afraid," Affron said.

  "But how?" Valleia pressed him.

  Affron made a vague gesture. "Don't worry. There is no risk. But I will do it tomorrow. Today I must rest some more."

  Valleia looked like she wanted to press the issue, but she didn't. Instead she said, "If we have money, what shall we do? We could bribe a ship's captain—"

  "We should stay in Roma," Affron replied.

  "Why? It will be more dangerous for us here than somewhere in Barbarica."

  "But it will be easier to defeat Tirelius from here."

  Valleia's face brightened. "Do you mean that? Are you ready to fight against Tirelius?"

  "I don't see how we can avoid it. We can't run from him forever."

  "But how will you do it? How can we defeat him?"

  Affron shook his head. "I don't know. I just need some time to recover. I don't even know where we can stay."

  Valleia considered. "Here is an idea. The Roman Games are starting soon, yes? Rich families will already be fleeing the city for their villas by the sea. I expect we could rent one of the houses they have vacated. Pretend to be a wealthy family fr
om abroad, here to experience the Games. Such a house will give us privacy, running water, soft beds—it will do until we have a plan."

  "Ah," Affron replied. "That is good. Yes, we could do that."

  "But such a house won't be cheap," she pointed out.

  "You find the house, and I will find the money."

  When Affron had finished eating he went back to bed. Palta went in and sat on the floor next to him. Valleia continued to sit at the table, looking worried. Carmody and I went over by the windows, where we could get a breath of air. "Are you all right?" he asked me.

  "I'm okay, but I wish I knew what was going on," I replied.

  "We'll find out before long, I think."

  "You and Valleia..." I began, but I didn't know how to ask my question.

  Carmody knew what the question was, though. "We met in a world that wasn't mine, wasn't hers," he said. "But there was an immediate attraction that transcended space and time. Do you think such a thing is possible, Larry?"

  "I don't know. I guess so."

  Carmody looked at me like I was too young to know what he was talking about. Which I guess I was. "She didn't really have to bring me back here to Terra," he said, "but I am very grateful that she did—even though our circumstances are now less than ideal."

  "Things will get better, probably," I said.

  "Let us hope so."

  No one said much for the rest of the day. When it got dark out, Palta went into the bedroom and lay on the floor next to Affron. Valleia and Carmody lay down together in one corner of the main room, and I got as far away from them as I could, lying down next to the table.

  It was too hot and noisy and uncomfortable for me to fall sleep at first. I wished I had a pillow—how could you sleep without a pillow? People were shouting drunkenly at each other in the apartment below. I heard wagons passing by on the street, the distant sound of music.

  And then finally a breeze came up and the room started to cool off. I must have fallen asleep finally, because I dreamed I was having one of my typical arguments with Cassie. I couldn't even tell what it was about, just that I was mad at her. I started to stomp out of the room. And then I heard her start crying. She came up and embraced me from behind and sobbed, "Don't ever leave us, Larry. Don't ever leave."

  And then the dream turned into something different, and I could feel the embrace. And I could feel the hard floor beneath my side as I lay on it. I was awake. It was still dark, and the room was silent except for the sounds of people breathing. I turned my head, and I saw Palta, snuggled up to me, fast asleep.

  It felt good, the way her head on my chest had felt good in the boat. But why was she here beside me? Why wasn't she back on the floor next to Affron?

  I forgot about Palta, though, when I noticed something else. Affron was sitting cross-legged in front of the small windows. He was making strange motions with his hands in the air, like he was trying to describe something, or he was conducting an orchestra, or doing those Chinese exercises I saw people doing once on the common in Glanbury.

  I sat up, and he must have heard me, because he put his hands down and, without turning around, he murmured, "I'm sorry you're in this mess, Larry. When I left you before, I thought you'd be safe."

  "I was safe," I replied, keeping my voice low. "But Valleia said you needed my help."

  "Valleia worries about me a great deal. But I am grateful to you for coming as you did. And I will do my best to make sure you're able to return to your world."

  "Something happened back in my world," I said. "Valleia told me not to talk about it to anyone, especially at your trial. When I returned home that final time in the portal, it was at the exact moment I left. I think maybe that also happened the first time I used the portal, although I'm not so sure about that. But anyway Valleia said that's impossible. Time passes at the same rate in every universe, or something like that."

  While I was saying this Affron turned around so he was facing me. "That's very interesting," he said.

  "Did you set up the portal to do that?" I asked. "I mean, it sure saved me a lot of explaining when I got back home."

  "No, no—I wasn't responsible for that."

  "Then what happened?"

  "I have no idea, Larry. But I remember seeing you that first time... in a world not terribly different from your own."

  "The Burger Queen world."

  "Is that how you think of it? Yes, that world. And... you stood out."

  "I was dressed funny—for that world, anyway."

  "Yes, but it wasn't how you were dressed. You were different. That's why I asked Valleia to bring you here. I didn't really think you could help me at the trial. And it turns out I was right."

  I didn't know how I felt about that. I liked the idea of being different; but I didn't feel different. "Do you think I could do it again?" I asked him. "Go back home the instant I left? That would be so much better for my family, for me, for everyone. A lot less explaining to do, a lot less worry for everyone."

  "Yes, I understand. All I can say is—if it happened once, it can happen again."

  That gave me some hope, although it was still very puzzling. I asked another question. "Hypatius says people think you've visited the world of the gods—the gods who created Via. Have you?"

  "People think a lot of things about me, apparently. But no, I haven't visited the gods. I don't really know if there are such beings."

  "But when I talked to you in that church—back in Carmody's world—you said that some, you know, advanced race created the portal and then disappeared."

  "Yes, I did say that. But it's just a theory that many of the priests have. And now I wonder—I wonder if that theory is correct."

  "Why? And why do people think you've been visited by the gods, if you haven't?"

  Affron sighed. "Too many questions, Larry, too late at night. I will show you something tomorrow that may help you understand. When we go to steal the money. Now let's get back to sleep."

  He stood up and returned to the bedroom. I lay back down on the floor, snuggled up to Palta, and tried to do as I was told. But it was hard. What was he going to show me? And he had said: When we go to steal the money. Did that mean I was going with him? Why?

  And what had he been doing in front of the windows?

  I fell asleep finally, and when I awoke it was daytime, and Palta was no longer by my side.

  Chapter 10

  Everyone else was already awake. Palta had gone to buy food. When she returned, we sat down to eat breakfast. That's when Affron announced that was taking me with him.

  "Isn't that a risk?" Valleia pointed out. "He knows no Latin."

  "He'll be fine."

  "But what are you going to do? If it's dangerous, you should take William with you."

  "There is no danger, Valleia. I just need some company."

  Valleia looked like she wanted to argue with Affron, but she didn't bother. I noticed Palta looking down at the table. She wanted to go with Affron, I realized. Why did I get to go? She had already done more to rescue us than I could ever have done, by leading us out of Urbis. Why shouldn't she continue to help?

  I didn't know.

  Affron and I left after breakfast. "The first thing to do, Larry," Affron said when we were out on the street, "is to get rid of this beard of mine. I'll be sorry to see it go."

  So we found a barber nearby, and Affron came out a few minutes later clean-shaven. He looked very different without his black beard.

  "Aren't you worried that the barber will remember you?" I asked.

  "Roma is a big city," he replied. "Do you know how many men are having their beards shaved off today because of the heat? Too many to track, even with the soldiers searching for us. This isn't your world, Larry. There is no photography, no television. We should be safe unless someone who actually knows me happens to run into us. We will be fine."

  "What about speaking English? Should we do that?"

  He shrugged. "People from every part of Terra are arriving i
n Roma for the Games. You will hear a lot of foreign tongues being spoken here. English will sound like just one more of them."

  That made me feel a lot safer.

  We walked through the city. Affron seemed to be looking for something, or someone. While he searched, he started talking about Terra. "I suppose you've learned a little about this world by now," he said.

  "Hypatius told us a bit."

  Affron nodded. "Hieron had a wonderful idea when he discovered Via: take the brightest minds in the world, send them off to every other world—and bring back the best ideas about how to organize society. And the priests have done many great things. Women have equal rights with men. Slavery has been abolished, except when you commit a crime—then you work for the state instead of going to prison. We prevent disease with good sanitation and hygiene and sewage systems—even in wretched insulae like the one where we are staying. We don't have advanced medicines, but that is perhaps a reasonable choice—to have them, you need to create a world of factories and mass production, with the accompanying dehumanizing labor and pollution. We give up some things, but we gain much more."

  "What's the problem, then?" I asked. "Why are you and Valleia and Gratius opposed to Tirelius? Is it gants?"

  "Yes, gants. Fifty years ago, there was a revolt against the priests. It was led by King Harald of Gallia—that's France in your world, more or less. The priests thought that Gallia was loyal; they were wrong. They thought the revolt would be easily put down by our soldiers; again, they were wrong. Before they knew it, Harald and his army were headed for Urbis, and there weren't enough soldiers to stop him. The soldiers were off guarding the borders with Barbarica. No one thought they were needed to protect Urbis itself."

  "What happened?" I asked.