For Dahlia had continued to “uglify” if that was the right word. She now had a hunched back and all her teeth had gone rotten and crooked. Her skin was greenish gray and her hair had been reduced to a few long, greasy strings that hung around her twisted, deformed face.
She was screaming for someone to help her—screaming at her mother, who she didn’t seem to realize was gone—screaming at the servants to do something, but no one seemed to be paying her any attention at all. In fact, the whole room was in complete pandemonium now with people running everywhere and shouting and yelling.
The bodyslaves were declaring their freedom and the guards and servants had begun to take the valuable and expensive knick-knacks that decorated the Grand Receiving Hall. With one hated Mistress gone and the other completely unrecognizable, the looting had begun.
“Quick,” Terra said, watching the pandemonium. “Now’s our chance to get out of here!”
The Monstrum all turned to face her and V’rone said,
“Hey—now I can see you, Little Terra!”
“But how were you invisible earlier, my Lady?” Tem asked.
“I would also like to know,” Rive remarked.
Terra gave them a mysterious smile.
“Let’s just say the Goddess works in mysterious ways. But I think this is our cue to leave. Come on—grab the Heart-finder before someone else takes it and let’s get out of here!”
“What about the Kat-sat-Suum?” V’rone asked, as they left the screaming Dahlia and the gooey puddle that was all which remained of Mistress Bodikin. “We’re the ones who went to all the trouble to get it!”
“Yes, but the Heart-finder is the only thing that really belongs to us—to our universe,” Rive told him.
“And the Kat-sat-Suum is too dangerous,” Tem added. “Look at what just happened to Mistress Bodikin and her daughter!”
“He’s right.” Terra shivered. “I never would have taken even a sip from it if I’d known it could do all that.”
“It only acted in that manner because they abused it,” Rive said. He was scooping the Heart-finder, still on its velvet cushion, carefully under his arm as he spoke. “They ignored the warning. Mistress Bodikin was greedy for youth and so the Kat-sat-Suum gave her more youth than she could handle. Her daughter, meanwhile, was greedy for beauty and for her mother’s wealth. She snatched the cup in a fit of envy and drank from it—thus bringing the opposite of beauty on herself.”
“Well, I’m just glad I didn’t take more than one sip or have any greedy thoughts in my heart when I was drinking from it,” Terra murmured as they all exited the Grand Reception Hall. “I think I got the best deal of all.”
“What’s that, little Terra?” V’rone rumbled. “The fact that you’re fifteen years younger than you were?”
“No.” Terra hooked one arm through his and the other through Tem’s and grinned at Rive. “I got the three of you. And I’m never letting anyone take you away from me again!”
FORTY-EIGHT
The minute they got back to the ship, V’rone set a course for the Monstrum Mother Ship and took them into deep space. Once they were all well away from Yonnie Six, they could finally relax.
“Whew—I’m glad to get away from there!” Tem flopped onto the long couch beside Terra, his feathery blue antennae wiggling in relief.
“You and me, both,” V’rone growled, settling on her other side. “Ship’s on autopilot and the Mother Ship’s going to fold space for us in a few hours,” he added. “It might be a while so there’s nothing to do until they contact us.”
“I think there’s something we should do,” Rive said quietly. “Terra, would you please come here?”
“Oh, uh, sure.” Terra rose from the couch and came across the living area, to where the Brain of the colony was standing. “Is there something you need, Rive?” she asked.
“Yes. I need to give you this.” And Rive held out the Heart-finder, which he had cupped in both hands.
“Oh…” Terra was almost afraid to take it from him. It was so delicate and lovely and the pink gemstone bud in the center sparkled like an expensive diamond.
“Take it—it’s yours,” Rive told her softly. “Just as we are all yours, my Queen.”
“Well, if you’re sure…” Carefully, Terra took it from his hands. She was determined not to drop it, even if it started flashing like a strobe light and blaring like a siren, like the fake Heart-finder had. She was prepared for a sudden assault on her senses.
What she wasn’t prepared for was for the pink flower petals to spread open and a soft, musical tune to start issuing from the delicate crystal ball.
“Oh…” she whispered, looking down at the flower which had fully blossomed. It was glowing in the center, a pure, pinkish-gold light that seemed to fill the whole living area with a warm, inviting glow. And still the beautiful, otherworldly music played, issuing, like the light, from the center of the pink blossom.