Free Into Eden: Pangaea - Book 1 by Frank Augustus

that first afternoon Perez was nowhere to be found. Perez told his mother that he was going to visit some friends in Albion, but no one in the town had seen him. This was not unusual for Perez, and nobody but his mother worried over his absence. A year ago he had left on horseback to visit a cousin in Whitehurst, and then rode all the way to Mountain Shadows. He hadn’t been seen for almost a year, and then returned a few weeks back telling stories of dragons and an-nef of every kind.
    Abijah and Enoch were loyal homebodies, though. No adventures for them. Abijah and Jesse consoled each other in their mutual losses while Enoch listened patiently and awaited the leftovers from the meals that the servant-girl brought. While the spirit of his uncle lived in the dog, part of him was still a dog none-the-less. Enoch never mentioned their conversation the night that Jesse had regained consciousness. Perhaps Enoch thought that Jesse had been rambling with fever, but his fever had long broken and he was more determined than ever to avenge his father. Each day brought more refinements to his plan. With mid-summer now past, he might have to wait until spring to embark on his journey, but he could wait that long. After all, Anubis had waited almost five-hundred years. He was willing to stay put for the time being, at least that was his plan until his mother’s visit at the end of his first week in bed.
    “Jesse!” Tamar exclaimed. “I have some exciting news for you! Meroni is coming to help out with your recovery! Won’t that be wonderful? The two of you can get to know each other better! I wrote her all about what happened, how you so bravely fought off the fierce jackal-head and were gravely wounded and about how you were now Master of the house of Nashon!”
    That last statement was no doubt what prompted Meroni—his fiancé by his mother’s choice—to help in his recovery. Jesse doubted that she cared little for his health. His newfound wealth on the other hand was a different matter.
    His mother went on, “With Meroni here you won’t have to rely on the servants to do everything for you!”
    Jesse was starting to feel better already. He would dress himself and make his own way to the commode if it killed him.
    “I just received her reply this morning,” she continued. “She’ll be here in a fortnight. Won’t that be fabulous?”
    “Great. Just great,” Jesse mumbled back.
    “I knew that you’d be happy. Bye now. I have to go and start making preparations for her arrival.” With that, Tamar left her son’s room.
    Jesse looked over at Enoch, sitting by the chair by his bed. The dog was grinning.
    “Go ahead,” Jesse told him. “Have your little chuckle. I’m NOT going to have her play nurse for me and I’m NOT going to marry her. Now that the Atlantan senate has declared that men can only have one wife I intend to make sure that I get one that I like.”
    “A noble goal. But while the senate may stipulate how many wives you may have, your mother still gets to choose which one.”
    “Leave me, Enoch. I want to pout in solitude.”
    Jesse turned his head to the wall and Enoch trotted out—but not before finishing off the lamb-chops on the platter beside Jesse’s bed.
    The thought of Meroni coming to nurse him back to health brought on a depression that he hadn’t felt since his first day of recovery. He had met her only once before—five years ago when they were both eighty-five, and at a time when Jesse was just starting to show an interest in girls. Tamar had chosen Meroni as his bride for two reasons. First, Meroni was his first cousin and his mother wanted to keep Nashon’s money in the family. Second, Meroni was a beautiful girl. Women—including his mother—could be so funny about such things. Meroni was beautiful—there could be no doubt—but good looks seemed to be her sole asset as far as Jesse could see.
    Meroni was the daughter of Tamar’s sister, Helita, who lived in Atlantis. Meroni