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The Upside Down Kingdom: The Land of Talsar - Book 2 (Volume 2)

By Heidi Likins

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Chapter 1
Sudden Departure

Ariyuna turned from the barn door and peered toward the forest. Fast footsteps thudded through the foggy afternoon drizzle. A boy emerged along the path that led to the barn.
His ragged breath came in gasps as he pulled a letter from his coat. “It’s...from...Queen Baiyanarah.”
He handed Ariyuna a gilded envelope before bending over to recover from his exertion.
Dugur, the biggest ram in the district, took a step forward and lowered his enormous head.
The boy’s eyes widened, and he hurried back down the mountain path.
Ariyuna sighed, brushing a wisp of hair out of her face. “Why do you have to chase them all away?” She grabbed one of Dugur’s horns.
The ram nibbled at the corner of her letter.
“Stop it.” She yanked the letter out of his teeth and looked down at the ornate envelope. A sense of urgency lingered in the messy scrawl of her name across the front. On the back, the Queen’s stamp of the tooya, was crooked and smudged.
She opened it and read.

My dear Ari,
I’ve missed you so much. I know you were here to visit just a few months ago, but I desperately need your help. The Sand Lord, Els Edzyn, has found an ancient artifact in the ruins of Vachir that may lead us to the Enk Taivaan. Hopefully before Zovlon finds it. Come as fast as you can – and bring your brother Dalan.

Your devoted friend,
Baiyanarah

P.S. Please don’t delay, this may be very important!

A shiver ran down her spine at the mention of the dark sorcerer, Zovlon. Facing him a few summers ago had been the hardest thing she’d ever done. Was he up to something else now?
Dash, the younger of Ariyuna’s two brothers, stumbled out of the barn. He tipped his head sideways to see the envelope better. “What’s that? Looks fancy.”
“It’s a letter from Baiyanarah.”
“Don’t you mean Queen Baiyanarah?”
“Yeah, uh-huh. Where’s Papa?”
“Over in the pumpkin patch. He caught Dugur eating the new sprouts a little bit ago, so he’s a real grumpus right about now. Oh, I almost forgot. Ma says dinner’s ready.”
Ariyuna leaned against the barn door and reread the letter. Her uncle, Tabin, climbed down from the loft and joined her.
“What do you think?” Ariyuna held the letter up for him to see.
His disheveled hair hung limp from the mist. His eyes, one blue and the other greenish, scanned the letter.
“The Enk Taivaan.” He pulled his long hooded cloak tighter. “Another ancient gift of power from the Storyteller.” He took a deep breath. “Well, I guess we’d better go, then. Maybe even tonight.”
“You’d come?”
“Yeah. I’ve been indulging myself by staying here in Dorben too long. Besides, this farming stuff’s just not my bag of turnips. And Dalan too? Your Ma’s not going to be happy about that.”

Ariyuna gripped the letter tighter and cringed as Ma slammed the pot onto the table.
“You want to go where?” Ma shouted. “And Dalan, too?” She stirred the overcooked vegetables violently into a pile of green mush. “It’s still winter. The spring leaves aren’t even out yet.”
Dalan glared at the mound of burnt rolls on the table in front of him. “I’d be going with Tabin and Ariyuna. It’s not like I’m heading out on my own to get lost in the mountains.”
“No, no, no!” Ma stomped her foot. Globs of green pulp flung off the spoon she waved in the air. “You can’t go. You’re not old enough.”
“Ma, I’m almost fifteen now. Ariyuna was fifteen when she went with Baiyanarah.” Dalan stormed out the door.
Ariyuna watched him head for the barn and followed. She found her brother sitting on the edge of the loft.
“Dalan, why’d you yell at Ma like that?” She climbed the ladder to sit beside him.
“She was yelling at me.”
“Yeah, well, I suppose she was.”
“I didn’t mean to yell.” Dalan rubbed his forehead. “It just sort of came out. But it’s true. She’s always letting you do stuff, then says I can’t. And...and I really want to go.” He ran his fingers through his thick brown hair. “And why can’t she learn to cook better? Yuck! It’s the fourth time this week she’s burnt the bread.”
Ariyuna tried to stifle a giggle. “Ma’s never going to cook well, and you know it.”
A half smile crept up his face. “I guess you’re right. I suppose I should apologize.”
They sat in silence for a moment.
“By the way,” Ariyuna added. “Adventures aren’t usually all that fun. Mostly just scary and hard. At least mine was.”
The barn door creaked open.
“Dalan? Ariyuna?” The husky voice of their papa echoed through the loft. His bearded face looked up at them from below.
Tabin stood beside him.
“I talked to your Ma.” Papa shoved his hands in his pockets. “But she’s not understandin’ the importance of all this yet. Tabin, here, feels it’s urgent, so I’ll talk to Ma some more. She’s just a bit scared since Ari’s last adventure came close to killin’ her. Go get your packs together. You three should leave. Tonight.”
“Really?” Dalan’s face lit up as he hurried down the ladder.
Ariyuna followed behind.
“Thanks, Papa.” Ariyuna gave him a hug. A knot tightened in her stomach. She wanted so badly to see Baiyanarah, but anything to do with Zovlon could be disastrous. “Is Ma going to be okay?”
“Yeah, yeah. She’ll be right again in a bit. Oh, Dalan. I was savin’ this for your birthday.” Papa dug in a trunk by the barn door and pulled out a mountain knife with a carved bone handle and smooth leather sheath. “I think you’ll be needin’ it now more than later.” A twinkle of pride flashed across Papa’s face.
Dalan’s eyes widened. “You mean...I get to have one like all the other men...even though I’m not quite fifteen yet?”
Papa laid the knife in Dalan’s hands, then patted his eldest son on the shoulder. “Ma’s right to be worried. Zovlon can’t be taken lightly. Better go in the front door. I’ll go ‘round to the kitchen and talk to Ma some more.” He turned and headed back toward the house.
“Wow!” Dash’s head appeared in the doorway. “Papa gave you a mountain knife, and you get to go with Tabin? I wish I could go.” He tripped over Dugur and stumbled into the barn. His countenance darkened. “What am I going to do when you’re gone?” He gave the ram a shove.
Ariyuna laughed. “You’ll be fine. You’ve got your friend, Bortay.”
“Bortay? Are you kidding? All he wants to do is go fishing.”
Dalan examined his knife with a smile.
“Let’s go.” Ariyuna headed toward the house. “We don’t have much time. It’s already past noonmeal, and the light will fade fast, especially with this mist.”
In less than an hour, Dalan and Ariyuna said goodbye to their sobbing ma.
“She understands,” Papa whispered to Ariyuna with his final hug. “Just doesn’t like you two going away.”
Ariyuna nodded. “Thanks for everything, Papa. We’ll come back as soon as we can. Dalan, have you got Elch?”
“No. Why should I take a fish? The bottle’s heavy.”
“I really think you should take her.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. You definitely don’t want to do this without Elch.”
A frown crossed his forehead. “Oh, alright.” He dashed back into the house and returned with the fish Ariyuna had given him several years ago. He made sure the cork on the top was secure and shoved it into the side pocket of his pack.
“Tabin!” Ma called with a sniff. “You...take good care of them, you hear. Or...or...” She buried her face in her apron.
From down the path, Tabin crossed his fists on his chest and bowed. “I will do my best.”
Ariyuna gave Ma one last squeeze. “Come on, Dalan.” She ran to catch up to Tabin on the old overgrown path over the Yuratag Mountains toward Surtak.
Afternoon stretched into a gray evening. Glancing down at the plain silver band around her wrist, she winced. Last time the lessons that brought stones for the Itgel had been painful at best. She let out a long, deep breath. Would it be any different this time?
The rocky path absorbed her attention as she trudged upward. Thoughts tumbled over each other in her mind as time warped into the plod of footfalls and endless trees.
When she finally stopped to take in her surroundings, she noticed that night had crept over the forest.
Up ahead, Tabin headed down a narrow track toward a small clearing just off the path. “This spot will do for tonight.” He made a small, sputtering fire, and they ate their supper of burnt rolls and village cheese before settling down to sleep on the damp ground.
Just as morning placed a faint yellow line on the horizon, Ariyuna sat upright. Beside her, Tabin jumped to his feet.
She poked at the embers and a spout of flames danced upward.
In the bushes, not far from their camp, a pair of small pale eyes glinted in the darkness.

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