Free Ella Awakened by S. E. Duncan Page B

box back across the table
towards him.
    Burke
removed the necklace from the box.  He ran his finger over the stones and
smiled sadly. “It belonged to my sister,” he breathed so softly she might not
have heard him before her awakening.  “I want you to have it Ella.  Willow
would have adored you.  I want you to have something special from my home –
your home.  Our planet had three moons.  Each moon had a ring around it similar
to the planet Saturn in this solar system.  This charm is a depiction of the
moons over the ocean.  This is your heritage and your history, whether you’ll
ever get to set eyes on it or not.”
    Burke stood
and walked behind Ella.  He fastened the necklace around her neck.  Ella
reached up and laid her hand over Willow’s necklace and her mother’s black
diamond.
    “They look
nice together,” Burke told her as he returned to his chair across from her.
    “I don’t
know what to say,” Ella looked into Burke’s eyes; violet eyes like the water on
his world.  How appropriate that she thought she could drown in them.  “I’ll
always cherish it.”
    “I’m glad
you like it.”  Burke took Ella’s hand and gave it a small squeeze before
sliding the other package across the table to her.
    “Slow down,”
Ella laughed, “I’m still trying to imagine purple oceans.”
    “Okay,”
Burke smiled, “maybe I can help.  Our village was on a cliff overlooking the
ocean.  Think lush green rolling hills like Ireland.  Cobblestone streets
connected simple cottages.  There were animals in pens and yards full of
colorful vegetation like what you’ve seen in the greenhouse.  It’s true that
the flowers were more vibrant there than they are here, but the grass was still
green.  There were forests for hunting, fields for planting, and oceans for
fishing.  The water was very clear like in the Caribbean, only more lavender
than blue.  When it stormed, angry dark purple waves would crash against the
cliffs.  The sunsets would take your breath away and at night millions of stars
lit up the sky as the three moons rose over the ocean.”
    “You keep
saying was and were.  Sometimes when you talk about your world you use the
present tense, at other times you use the past tense.”
    “Was and
were, is and are.  I don’t know Ella.”  Burke raked his hand through his hair. 
“I’m sure it’s all still there somewhere, but it’s in the past for me.  I miss
it, and I wish I could show it to you instead of just try to describe it.”
    “I’m sorry. 
It must still be very difficult for you.  You must feel trapped here.  It’s
still so much for me to wrap my head around – you’re from a whole other world. 
My father’s world and I guess, maybe, my world now, too.  If I had a choice,
would I belong there or here?  I wonder if I’ll ever have an opportunity to see
it.  Do you think there’s any possibility that you’ll ever be able to go back?”
    Ella waited
for him to answer.  The seconds stretched and Burke sat with a faraway look in
his eye.  What’s he thinking?   “What is the name of your home Burke?”
she asked.
    Burke looked
at her.  “Quintar, my planet is called Quintar.  And I just don’t know if
you’ll ever get to see it, or if I’ll ever get to see my family again.  I can
tell you though, Ella, there are a lot of people who would love to meet you.” 
Burke gave the second package another little nudge towards Ella.
    Ella tore
the paper from the second package.  Inside was a beautiful wooden box with a
crest engraved on the lid.  The wood was dark, though whether from age or the
finish Ella couldn’t be certain.  The crest depicted a bird, much like some
kind of hawk, on a twisting and curling branch.  She ran her hand over the
crest to feel the elaborate detail of the carving, but drew back suddenly when
a slight vibration moved through her fingers.  Ella glanced up at Burke, but he
only nodded his head and made a gesture of