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The base of Mount Syeti: Rana
Rana, Balavati, Eka, and Tejas hushed their conversation and sat cross-legged on the icy ground with the silent crowd, hoping to catch up on what they’d missed in the meeting. She scanned faces for Kahali and Daman, but if they were present, the night’s darkness had swallowed them.
At the beginning of meetings, Luminaries announced the issue or question, and then the Crowned Ones connected in a silent, meditative linkage. The uncrowned joined in at whatever level their abilities allowed. The linkage gave Crowned Ones instant access to all sides of an issue. Since Rana and her friends had missed the beginning question of this meeting, which served like an anchor to the group mind, she couldn’t join in at any level.
The hair on her arms rose. The linkage must have already occurred several times as the area hummed with energy. If she were Crowned, she’d know the question, but instead, she had to be patient. Her fingers tapped her thigh, waiting.
The electric humming of the air stopped as the linkage broke for another question.
Luminary Samasti addressed them all. “Are all villages willing to participate in this Calling of the Earth’s children?”
The silent linkage ensued again. This time, Rana and her friends dove into the experience.
The intense energy created by five villages of Crowned Ones made the cold night air ripple so that the starry night above them appeared to dance. Between the energy before her and Eka’s warmth next to her, Rana became woozy. She swayed forward.
Eka leaned toward her and silently mouthed, “You okay?”
She nodded, but her heart fell. Was it because her parents hadn’t Crowned that only she was affected by lightheadedness?
Suddenly, Kalakanya stood up and turned to look directly at Rana. Despite the energetic heat generated by the meeting, an icy shiver passed down her spine, and the back of her neck tingled. Her heart skipping a beat, she cupped the back of her neck with her palm.
Oh, no.
These weird tickly neck sensations happened when Kalakanya performed a transtemporal scan on someone. Why is she scanning me? Rana rubbed her neck, trying to convince herself it was only a coincidence. The prickling intensified, as did Kalakanya’s stare.
Rana met Kalakanya’s steady gaze, her heart pounding. A transtemporal scan meant only one thing—Kalakanya was searching Rana’s past and future for information pertaining to the current issue. But what did she have to do with Calling the Earth’s children?
“The linkage shows all villages will participate.” Kalakanya’s gaze remained on Rana. “Our young ones will be the bridge. But first, we must discover where these Earth children dwell.”
“Can you locate them?” asked a guy from another village.
Only Kalakanya was skilled enough to locate a being that wasn’t Calling, and the Earth children weren’t exactly Calling them.
Kalakanya smiled but kept her gaze on Rana. “Of course. I believe I have already met two of them on the inner planes—a mother and son. But they do not understand those inner dimensions and do not realize I’m real. We must meet them here, in the physical world, because that is all they believe in. I’m not sure of their physical location. However, our group linkage will allow me to locate it. Let us rejoin...” She remained standing but finally closed her eyes, releasing Rana from the nerve-wracking transtemporal scan.
Rana exhaled, and her heart stopped clamoring. Panting, she refrained from joining this linkage and instead caught her breath.
A moment later, everyone’s eyes opened.
Kalakanya announced, “They are nearest our village, underground, and it’s not clear when they will break from the Earth’s womb. They have not decided. If we wait outside their door, it will scare them. Our young ones will find them.”
“But the danger... Couldn’t a Crowned One beam to their home and speak with them?” Sunila, an uncrowned woman from Rana’s village, asked.
The silent linkage began again. Sweat trickled down Rana’s back as the pulsing energy swept her up. Stealing a glance at Balavati and Eka, she frowned at their blissful peace. Frustrated, she swiped her brow and dove back into the energy.
Gandhapalin, Rana’s adopted father, said, “No, they have great fear. Beaming a Crowned One into their space would seem like an attack to them.” Deep lines furrowed his brow.
As he closed his eyes to restart the linkage, Balavati nudged Rana. The others joined in the linkage, but Balavati and Rana abstained.
“Did Kalakanya shoot a transtemporal scan up here...at you?” It was barely a whisper.
Rana shivered. “Maybe she saw my death, too. Ow!” Balavati had given her a quick jab with her elbow.
Eka furrowed his brow at them.
A Luminary from another village stood up and straightened her braid. “It’s decided. We’ll send out young ones, uncrowned, to make first contact with the Earth children. Kalakanya sees this path as the safest time thread. Due to the danger involved, volunteers must possess advanced skills. Each village will coordinate their own volunteers.”
Everyone murmured agreement, and the meeting concluded. Though the meeting was over, many lingered in the warmth, discussing the day’s strange developments. Eka and Tejas hunched together deep in a hushed conversation about the meeting while Rana rubbed her still-tingling neck. Dread permeated her being. How did Kalakanya’s scan of her relate to the Earth children?
Balavati sidled up close. “Maybe she was trans-temporally scanning someone near you?”
Rana blinked and leaned into Balavati’s warmth. “No, I felt it on my neck.”
“Oh,” Balavati sighed.
Everything seemed surreal. Rana had to focus and regain her wits. She gazed about the lingering crowd. Across the gathering, Daman and Kahali laughed with Sohana. Daman waved, and both guys rose to make their way toward them.
Someone tapped her on the shoulder. Eka. She’d forgotten he was even there. “Sorry, long day,” she said, giving him an embarrassed smile.
He nodded. “Tejas and I decided to volunteer to Call the Earth children. What about you two?” He glanced first at Rana, then to Balavati, then back to Rana.
“I’m not exactly advanced.” Rana brushed the end of her braid against her fingertips. One brush, two brushes...
Eka grinned. “Why would you say that?”
“I’m...” Rana paused, then shrugged.
“She’s a bit scattered,” Balavati said, covering her mouth as soon as the words were out. “That’s not what I meant,” she mumbled through her fingers.
Rana, teeth clenched, shot her a scathing look. Balavati had to be impulsive now? In front of them?
Daman and Kahali joined their little circle. Kahali, sensing the tension, shot her a questioning look. Rana shrugged. She sent to him mentally: Balavati being Balavati again.
He cracked a slight smile and said nothing.
Eka, missing all this, continued, “You’re underestimating yourself. Kalakanya transtemporally scanned you—you’re already involved.”
“She what?” Kahali’s eyes widened at Rana. “You?”
She nodded. “Kalakanya may want me involved, but I only want to focus on Crowning. Nothing extra.”
“You can’t stop living to Crown. Besides, nearly everyone Crowns eventually, so why focus on it all the time?” Eka grinned. “It takes all the fun out of being uncrowned.”
“Being uncrowned is extra fun?” Balavati challenged. “How so?”
“Well.” Eka’s eyes sparkled mischievously. “For starters, there’s eating. And then there’s the star beaming. I mean, once you’re Crowned and can do that, you lose your excuse to be late for classes, right?”
“No.” Rana laughed. “There’s still oversleeping. I can sleep through everything.”
“Not the time we buried your sleep mat in snow.” Kahali smirked.
“You didn’t!” Eka said, biting his lip to keep from laughing.
“Yup. And you, traitor”—she mock-glared at Balavati—“helped him.”
“Nice!” Tejas gave Balavati an approving grin. “And you thought my songs were bad, eh, Sakhe?”
“Songs?” Kahali asked, eyes alit. Anything musical got his attention.
“We’re talking about a guy obsessed with birds. Don’t get him started,” Eka warned. “My point is, you’ll miss a lot if you only focus on Crowning as a chore.”
“It worked for Sohana,” Kahali joked. “She makes everything a chore. But you, birdman”—Kahali threw an arm around Tejas’ shoulders—“you and I should chat about songs.”
“Aw, he likes me.” Tejas tilted his head down to rest it on Kahali’s shoulder and batted his eyelashes playfully.
Kahali snorted. “Sorry, dude, I’m already committed.” He pulled away from Tejas and tossed his other arm around Rana’s shoulders.
“Hmm. I seem to have missed that commitment?” Rana raised an eyebrow and grinned. “Was this commitment professed while I was buried in the snow?”
She realized Kahali’s and her antics had earned Eka’s keen attention.
“Every day, Rana.” Kahali’s grin became earnest. “And I do believe Balavati and I then lent you our furs and treated you to cups full of tea?”
“Yes, you did. But, just to be clear, this commitment you’ve supposedly professed to me wasn’t about burying me in snow again, right?”
Kahali turned a questing look Balavati’s way and then shrugged. “We could arrange it if you’d like, right, Bal?” His arm was still slung around Rana’s shoulders, but not in the same way he had done since they were youngsters, holding each other up on the ice. This strange more-than-a-friend element now mysteriously seeped from him, making her warm and giddy as well as unsure.
This was her best friend, Kahali. Everything was a joke to him. Was she misreading all this? She reconsidered his dancing only with her the previous night, until his arm shifted on her back as he stepped a bit closer.
Kahali: This okay?
Falling stars, she hadn’t imagined his interest. Mmmhmm, she sent, her heart soaring. At his stifled snort of amusement, she poked him in the ribs with her elbow.
Thank the One In All, the others hadn’t noticed. They were all laughing about something Daman said.
“What do you think, Rana?” Eka’s dark, gorgeous eyes sparkled with amusement.
Oneness, he expected an answer. They all awaited her reply. “Uhm, sorry. I spaced out there.”
“Oh.” His gaze fell on Kahali’s arm around her, and he frowned. “It’s been a long day. Tejas and I should get going.”
“Yes, its past our eggs’ bedtime.” Tejas smirked. “They get very cranky.” He rose, one hand on his belly like a pregnant woman.
“You’re taking this egg thing too far, my friend.” Eka snorted at Tejas’ pretending to take offense, then stood and picked up his walking stick. “It would be fun if we all volunteered. It’s the adventure of a lifetime, don’t you think?” His words included them all, but his gaze lingered on Rana, hopeful-like. “We could all do it together.”
Rana grinned despite herself. She couldn’t even stay focused on their conversation. She couldn’t imagine the Crowned Ones would consider her skill level advanced. “Maybe...?”
Balavati, hooking her arm around Rana’s, said, “We’ll talk about it. Have a good night.”
“I already have.” He gave a roguish bow and followed Tejas off toward their village’s camp.
* * *
RANA TURNED TOWARD Kahali. “So, are you leaving too?” She smiled expectantly at him, and then to be polite glanced at Daman as well.
Kahali took a deep breath as if working up the nerve to say something, and his arm around her tightened slightly. “I was hoping—”
“For a good night’s sleep, right?” Daman interrupted. “Come on,” he said, pulling Kahali’s free arm. “We all need to rest before starting home tomorrow.”
“I guess...” Kahali said and after giving Rana a strained smile followed Daman down the trail toward their families’ temporary huts.
As they strolled away, Rana wilted. What should she have done differently to get him to stay behind?
Balavati remained at her side, shooting her strange looks until after both Daman and Kahali were out of hearing range. Then Balavati lit into her.
“What are you and Kahali doing? Eka likes you!”
Rana’s mouth dropped open. “Huh?”
“Kahali’s joking around like he always does, but Eka doesn’t know that. You two looked like you were together.”
Kahali’s joking around like he always does. “Uhm...” Rana had no response. Was Balavati right?
“Unless...” Balavati waggled her eyebrows. “Something’s changed? Has it? Are you and Kahali...?” She bounced up and down, her excitement contagious.
“Maybe? I mean...” Rana blushed terribly and hoped the darkness of the night hid it. “I like him, but I’m not sure he’s serious. Tonight, he mind spoke when he had his arm around me, and it seemed like he was serious. But then he just left with Daman.”
“Wow.” Balavati performed a happy dance. “I always thought his flirts seemed a bit different with you, but still. This is weird. Happy weird, but weird.”
“Yes. And Eka’s intense eyes—did you notice? He seems close to Crowning...”
“Aha. I noticed. He also noticed you.” Balavati snickered.
Rana’s heart danced a little. Soared. Until her parents’ faces flashed in her mind’s eye, neither of which had the white hair of the Crowned Ones.
“And then there’s... my parents.” Rana dug at the packed snow with her boots. “I can’t ever be with any guy unless I Crown. I mean, I can date, but we can never, you know...couple?” The cozy energy and fun of dating was more than enjoyable, but someday, she’d want more.
Balavati smirked. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. And no one knows how your parents’ lack of Crowning will affect you. You’re already great with the furred ones.”
“Star beings don’t couple and have offspring before Crowning.” Rana had always defended her parents’ uncrowned coupling, but now she seethed with anger at the situation they had left her in. She needed to know why they’d had her, and they’d gone off and got themselves killed.
Guilt added itself to the tornado of emotions swirling madly within her. Oneness, what was wrong with her? This anger felt traitorous. Her parents had loved her and had died through no fault of their own. But what had they been thinking when they had her? A dull ache filled her chest.
Furred ones mated every spring without much thought. But for star beings, conceiving a child was always a conscious decision. They didn’t have accidents.
Had her parents’ decision to conceive her without being Crowned doomed her to an uncrowned life? Because if that were true, then no guy would want to be with her. Not seriously be with her, or they’d be condemning their children to also be uncrowned and limited for the rest of their lives. She heaved a great sigh of resignation.
“Rana, both guys like you. It’s not a great tragedy. It’s an opportunity.” Balavati had grasped her shoulders, ready to shake sense into her if she had to.
“Eka doesn’t know that I may never Crown or be able to have offspring,” she said.
Balavati doubled over laughing. “It’s a bit early to worry about kids.”
Rana glared at her, unamused. Eka had already shown his potential to Crown soon. What would he want with her if she didn’t?
Balavati made a poor attempt to control her mirth. She straightened, a hand covering her huge grin. “Okay, here’s an idea. Maybe you and I should volunteer, too.”
Rana raised her eyebrows, still fuming. “How could that possibly help?”
“Remember our lessons? The five kinds of love before Crowning?” Balavati ticked them off on her fingers as she continued, “Love of family, self-love, romantic love, love of community, and love of all.” She tilted her head. “If you’re worried about Crowning, we should practice. You know, volunteering for our community, or”—Balavati grinned—“exploring romantic love?”
Rana narrowed her eyes, and her mind raced. She’d do anything to Crown. Maybe Balavati had a point. Then she remembered Sukti’s vision, and a deep heaviness smothered her heart. It wouldn’t be fair to start dating someone if she were to die soon. “Maybe, but forget the romance.”
“You’re impossible,” Balavati said with such fervency that the lingering adults turned to her. She gave them a weak smile and then stalked closer to Rana and whispered, “Fine. Then let’s still volunteer. You’re not the only one that wants to Crown.”
“Fine.” Rana spun and clomped off toward her hut, puzzled at the intensity of her own reaction. What’s my problem?
As if in response, Eka’s incandescent grin filled her mind’s eye. And then Kahali’s laughter.