Neverwylde (The Rim of the World Book 4) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Disclaimer

  Chapter 1 - Cold

  Chapter 2 - Route

  Chapter 3 - Hoov

  Chapter 4 - Questions

  Chapter 5 - Danger

  Chapter 6 - Descent

  Chapter 7 - Ice

  Chapter 8 - Concern

  Chapter 9 - Hole

  Chapter 10 - Purple

  Chapter 11 - Beneath

  Chapter 12 - Ganj

  Chapter 13 - Warning

  Chapter 14 - Stone

  Chapter 15 - Escape

  Chapter 16 - Separated

  Chapter 17 - Discovery

  Chapter 18 - Easing

  Chapter 19 - Alternate

  Chapter 20 - Theory

  Chapter 21 - Trove

  Chapter 22 - Tojun

  Chapter 23 - Flight

  Chapter 24 - Orange

  Chapter 25 - Abrupt

  Chapter 26 - Choice

  Chapter 27 - Yellow

  About the Author

  More Science Fiction Romances by Linda Mooney

  Neverwylde

  The Rim of the World

  Book 4

  By

  Linda Mooney

  NEVERWYLDE 4

  Copyright © 2016 by Linda Mooney

  ISBN 978-1-941321-61-4

  Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 (five) years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  Names, characters and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

  Editor: Chelly Peeler

  Cover Art: Linda Mooney

  Other books in this series:

  Neverwylde 1

  Neverwylde 2

  Neverwylde 3

  Chapter 1

  Cold

  “Why do I get the feeling coming here was a bad idea?” Fullgrath muttered.

  “I wholeheartedly agree with you. I think we zigged when we should have zagged,” Cooter drily added.

  Kelen shuddered as another howl reverberated across the icy chasm. The cry sounded closer. Whether her reaction was because of the intense cold, exhaustion, or fear, she couldn’t tell. All she knew was that this new side of the planet was vastly different from the area from where they’d escaped.

  Kyber felt her trembling and drew his arm tighter around her. “We need to withdraw as far inside as we can and keep a fire going.”

  “I agree, but how far?” Cooter pointed his rifle barrel at the interior of the temple where they’d arrived. “There’s no telling what kind of little buggers are in there waiting for us.”

  “Well, we can’t stay out here where that thing that’s crying might see us, especially if we start a fire. That might draw its attention,” Mellori commented. “We have no idea how close that thing is, or how big it is. I’d rather take my chances inside.”

  They all agreed and turned as a group to retreat back inside the temple. Sandow was the last to join them. They watched as he walked over to the pile of supplies they’d managed to bring with them. He dug into a couple of bundles, extracting a few fresh, packaged uniforms.

  “I know your planet also has a cold climate, but this cold can kill us humans,” he informed the Seneecians. “How well are you holding up?” He turned to Kyber for an answer.

  Kyber glanced at his men before replying. “Right now, we are doing well. You are correct regarding our planet’s norm temperature.”

  “I studied your race intensely during my training before joining the crew of the Manta,” the physician informed him. “I know your hair shafts are double-insulated, with a hollow core, which allows you to retain body heat. If we are forced to remain here, I think you’ll be well-enough protected against the climate, but we humans are not as fortunate. We have to use layers of clothing to protect ourselves.” The man glanced around at each of the remaining crew. “I strongly suggest we each put on two uniforms.”

  “What about our hands?” Jules held up his fists he’d been blowing into.

  “Rather than discard our old uniforms, we tear them into strips to wrap around our hands, and cover our heads and faces to protect them against the wind. Leave the blankets whole.”

  Mellori helped the doctor size and distribute the fresh uniforms, which Kelen and her fellow crew members hurried to don. With Kyber’s help, she managed to strip underneath the blanket he held up for her and slip on a clean outfit when she heard a small cry of pain.

  Sandow was by Dox’s side almost immediately. A second later, Cooter handed over the medical kit he’d found among the supplies as the doctor examined the wound in the young man’s leg.

  “I don’t see any sign of infection, which is fortunate.” Sandow smiled and patted Dox on the knee. “You’ll be fine. It’ll just take some time. Do you need me to give you any pain medication?”

  Dox shook his head. “No. More cold.”

  Sandow nodded with understanding and helped the young man to finish dressing.

  Kelen shuddered again. Kyber reached up and grasped one of her hands. “Your hand feels stiff,” he murmured.

  “I’ll be fine.” She looked up at the others. “We need to keep moving. The exercise will help us battle the cold. I’m curious to know if this temple has the same configuration as the other one. Maybe there are areas below where we can find better shelter.”

  “Why can we not return to the other temple?” Kleesod spoke up. “Perhaps the creatures who forced us to flee have given up and left.”

  Kelen blinked at him, then quickly surveyed the other Seneecians. With the chill blowing through the temple, the aliens’ bodies had fluffed up their fur, giving them a more rounded, almost cuddly appearance. She pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. It was Cooter who responded instead.

  “We could go back, but how would we know it’s safe? Those eye worms and all were converging on us in droves. There’s no way we can fight them if they’re still there.”

  “Say you return and the creatures are waiting. Would not the elevator return you automatically after a few seconds?” Gaveer questioned.

  “Yes, it would,” Jules replied. “Remember, it seems to have a ten second delay.”

  Cooter got to his feet, drawing their attention. “Well, we’re not going to get anywhere just sitting around a jawing about it. Punch the button, Jules. This shouldn’t take long.” He strode up to the flat rock that was the teleportation platform and took a stance, hefting his favorite weapon.

  “How do we know enough time’s gone by to allow them to disburse?” Kelen asked. “How long has it been since we left?”

  “Twenty-seven minutes,” Dox supplied.

  “That should be plenty of time!” Cooter grinned. “I know I’d get fed up if I had to wait more than a quarter of an hour.”

  Jules approached the panel and paused in front of it. From his body language, Kelen immediately knew something was up.

  “What’s the matter?”

  The ex-navigator glanced back at her. “Two things.” He returned to the panel and ran his fingertips over it. “This thing is covered in a film of ice.�
�� He tried to press a light. “It’s frozen. I’ll have to shatter the ice, but I can’t promise it’ll work, even if I manage to clear it.”

  “But obviously the inner workings still function, or we would not have been able to get here,” Kyber noted.

  “That may be true.”

  He continued to study the panel of lights, prompting Kelen to ask, “You said there were two things? What’s the second one?”

  Jules waved a hand at the obelisk. “The pattern here looks nothing like the pattern on the panel back at the other temple.”

  “What?” Several of them hurried over to examine the configuration. At the same time, Jules went to retrieve his tablet and pulled up the picture of the other light pattern. The difference was undisputable.

  “If I manage to break the ice without damaging the panel, and the light works when I press it, I can’t guarantee you’ll end up back at the other temple. Yes, there’s another white light, which we associate with the temple, but how do we know it’ll take us back to our first landing site?”

  “Actually, there are two white lights,” Mellori noted and pointed to one that sat in the far upper left corner of the display, almost unnoticeable. “How do we know which one leads back to the first temple? You could end up at that third temple we believe exists.”

  Fullgrath grunted. “So far, everything’s come up in threes.”

  Jules tapped the encrusted lights. “What do think? Should we go for it?”

  “How will you break the ice?” Massapa asked.

  “That shouldn’t be a problem.” Fullgrath pulled his blaster and adjusted the intensity. “Let’s start with the lightest setting. Stand back, Jules.” He aimed the weapon at the panel and tapped the firing button once, sending a single shot at the obelisk. Jules reached over to touch the lights.

  “That managed to remove the outer layer of ice, but the buttons still won’t budge.”

  “Should I try another blast?”

  “No.” Mellori stepped forward. “A second blast could damage the inner workings. And since we don’t know the technology behind these transportation devices, the damage could be permanent.”

  “So, what’s our next step?” Kelen asked. “We need to find better shelter. Jules, does it look like there are more chambers below?”

  Jules scratched his beard as he studied the panel. “Yeah. I mean, it looks that way. But the lights… There aren’t any green lights. We agreed green meant a garden, right? A food source?”

  “What about water? A blue light?” Cooter questioned as he climbed off the rock.

  Jules shook his head, then stepped aside to let the others look for themselves. When Kelen scanned the panel, she also noticed what concerned the man.

  “There’s a purple light? And red lights? Jules, I don’t remember the panel at the other temple having those colors.”

  “It didn’t,” he confirmed. “Just like this panel doesn’t have green or blue lights.”

  “What about the other lights? Is there an orange light? Where’s the orange lights?” Sandow asked.

  Jules bent over and pointed at the bottom of the panel. “Way down here.”

  Kelen felt Kyber withdraw his arm from around her waist and get to his feet. “If there is any chance of us finding food, it could be there.”

  Sandow agreed. “Of course, that’s assuming the fact that orange also indicates a machinery room like it did at the other temple.”

  “If that orange indicates a machinery room, then it could also have food processing tanks,” Mellori remarked.

  “There is only one way to find out,” Massapa noted. “The only problem is, how do we get there?”

  “If we cannot use the panel, we will have to walk. The same way we discovered the lower chambers at the other temple.” Kyber held out a hand to Kelen to help her to her feet. “Each of us needs to load up with supplies. Carry as much as you can manage.”

  Cooter grabbed a blanket-wrapped bundle and hoisted it over a shoulder. “All right. I’ll take the lead. Just point me toward the maze.”

  Kelen and the others glanced around, looking for a corridor or doorway. Gaveer ventured several meters down the passageway, toward the other end of the temple where it opened up to the broad landscape. He soon returned and made a derisive sound.

  “That may be more difficult than we expected.”

  Translation: Easier said than done. Kelen nodded to herself, agreeing with the Seneecian. The corridor appeared to be one long, unbroken hallway from one side of the temple to the other.

  “Will be dark soon,” Dox commented.

  “Then we must divide up and check everywhere. Stay within calling distance,” Kyber ordered. “We must hurry.”

  Without responding, everyone took off but kept within earshot of each other in the event something tried to sneak up on them.

  Chapter 2

  Route

  It took less than twenty minutes before they acknowledged the fact that there was no maze or other corridors branching off the main hallway. They tried to find signs of a hidden room, but the stone walls were solid. If there was a doorway, it was cleverly disguised.

  If there was a doorway.

  They gathered in the middle of the temple where the hallway curved slightly, providing a slight barrier against the rising wind. Gaveer built a small fire for warmth and they huddled around it as the sky darkened.

  Kelen eased onto the ground, glad for the chance to rest. Kyber saw her wince with pain and bent his mouth to her ear. “You need to give that leg a chance to heal.”

  She gave him a wry grin. “We all need a chance to heal. We’re all suffering from exhaustion and extreme stress.” She flexed her leg and winced again at the knife-like spikes racing through her musculature. “Although I admit some of us are worse for wear.” Glancing back up at him, she reached to cup his cheek. “How are you doing? And be honest with me.”

  He dropped his eyes. “It will take time before I am back to full health.”

  “How much time? Days? Weeks? How fast do you heal?”

  “I am afraid it may take several weeks because of the blood loss.”

  “So we’re talking months.” She sighed heavily. “I’m in the same boat.” She scanned the rest of the group and observed how close to the breaking point they all were. Especially Dox. The young man lay on his back, his eyes glazed as he stared up at the ceiling. She automatically glanced upward, then realized Dox wasn’t lying semi-comatose or in a drug-induced sense of euphoria. He was filing.

  She straightened, alerting Kyber. “What is it, Kelen?” he whispered.

  She studied overhead, trying to figure out what held the unique young man enthralled. She sensed Kyber trying to notice what she was peering at.

  “Kelen?”

  “Shh.” She placed a hand on the Seneecian to stay his question. “Dox? What are you looking at?”

  After a few seconds, he turned his head in her direction. “Everything is wrong.”

  “Oh? What everything?”

  The others paused in what they were doing to listen to the exchange. They knew how differently Dox’s mind worked. They also knew the young man noticed things they missed, which could be crucial.

  “The words.” He pointed toward the glyphs covering the wall beside him, then straight up. “The ceiling.” He started to say more when another howl, closer, reverberated from outside. “All,” he finished simply.

  Kelen turned to study the pictographs carved into the stone wall behind her. Offhand, she didn’t notice any difference from the ones at the other temple. She frowned at Dox, who had gone back to staring at the roof.

  “Dox, can you read these glyphs?”

  “Not yet.”

  “What is he saying?” Fullgrath asked. “Is he saying this temple isn’t like the other one? Hell, we already knew that.”

  “I think he’s implying more than that,” Mellori corrected.

  “Like what?”

  “Like the fact that this temple doesn’t resembl
e the other one,” Kelen supplied.

  Cooter snorted. “We kinda got that impression when we couldn’t find the maze.”

  “You’re not seeing the whole picture,” Kelen continued. “These glyphs, he can’t read them. Which means it must be an entirely new language for him.”

  “I concur,” Mellori interjected and turned to the young man. “Dox, postulate. Tell us what you’re thinking.”

  “Don’t know. Not sure.”

  “Not sure of what?” Jules asked.

  “Not sure of species.”

  “What species?” Kyber questioned. “Are you talking about the creature that is crying outside?”

  Dox slowly shook his head. “Not sure of species living here.”

  Kelen felt her breath catch in her throat. Glancing at the others, she saw similar looks of disbelief on their faces. That and fear.

  Mellori cleared his throat. “Dox, are you saying there’s another species living here, other than what’s making that noise?”

  The young man waved a hand in Tojun’s direction. “Those marks are fresh.”

  They checked behind the Seneecian to look at the marks carved into the stone. Even without any way to check the rock to verify Dox’s claim, they didn’t doubt him. The young man never made an assertion unless he was positively certain.

  “Then there could be sentient life here? In this climate?” Jules whispered.

  “Could those eye worms live in this type of extreme cold?” Fullgrath interrupted. “Or those clicker things?”

  Like the big weapons master, Kelen caught herself glancing around the floor. But at the same time, she realized Dox didn’t appear to be in distress. If anything approached them, or appeared about to threaten them, the young man would not be lying there with his head pillowed on his arms.