| Fantasy Fiction posted December 3, 2023 | Chapters: |
...14 15 -16- 17... 
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Echo begins to recover under the care of Phoebus
A chapter in the book Return To Concorde Valley
King Phoebus
by davisr (Rhonda)
| Background Years after a fire took her parents lives and devastated her home, Echo works at a small town newspaper as an investigative reporter. Her past and present intermingle as she tries to escape danger. |
End of last chapter:
"Of course," Echo repeated. "Who taught you?"
Theo grinned and looked her straight in the eyes. In that moment, Echo knew the nut was about to crack wide open and that her life would never be the same.
"My father," he said. A sparkle danced in his sea green eyes. "He used to be a Centaur."
Echo was beyond disbelief at this point. She simply stated, "Well, that explains the horse connection."
Theo tilted his head forward. Echo responded by tapping her forehead on his.
Pulling her into a hug, Theo took a pinch of powder from his jacket pocket and blew it into her face. At once, she grew sleepy and slumped into his arms. She was vaguely aware of being carried out of the tree by strong, gentle arms. After that, she knew nothing more until she awoke in a strange, beautiful world.
New Chapter Begins:
The first sensation Echo was aware of when she awakened was the scent of flowers, trees, earth, and even horse, yes, she thought, horse. How did she know that? Her recent memories were steeped in shadow.
The next sensation to arrive was hearing. There was someone moving around the room. She could hear heavy footfalls and the scraping of something, maybe stone on stone. And, she could hear purring.
Her sense of touch became distinct as she felt a soft muzzle rub against her cheek. A rough tongue licked and tickled her face.
"Sunny," she said. She touched a warm body she knew to be gray, but only appeared as a blur. A soft meow welcomed her to her new world.
"Who else is here?" Echo tried to sit up, but felt too weak to do more than wriggle under soft covers. The scent of the blanket was familiar, like Theo's vest she had worn in the woods.
"I'll be right there," a man said. Like the vest, the voice sounded familiar.
Echo heard the tap and scrape of footsteps draw near. She wasn't sure who they belonged to, but for some reason, wasn't afraid. Through the mist, she was able to see the man lean in. He was large with dark hair, and, yes, green eyes that penetrated the fog.
"Let me wash your eyes," he said. "I have medicine on them."
Echo felt a warm rag brush her eyes. The material was scented, something she might never have noticed before her senses became so acute. It was some flower, she thought, but wasn't sure which one, maybe Jasmine.
"Open your eyes," the man said.
When she did, she was overwhelmed by the most striking colors she had ever known. It was as though a dirty lens she had been looking through just disappeared.
Echo blinked a few times and looked at what had to be her doctor. A mere shadow before, he was now visible as a statuesque man with dark curls falling to strong, scarred shoulders. Echo couldn't tell his age as he appeared young and old simultaneously.
The green eyes that had pierced her fog, now regarded her with tenderness.
"You're King Phoebus, aren't you?" she asked, "Theo's father?"
"Yes, Ma'am," he said. He sat on the edge of her bed and reached an arm across to lean on the mattress. "Noticed the resemblance, did you?"
"Hard to miss, but you don't look much like your other son, Georgios."
Phoebus seemed nonplussed. He was either used to direct questions, or was good at hiding annoyance. He answered her without hesitation.
"You're right," he said, "Georgios looks more like his late mother. She and our daughter were killed in a fire long before Theo was born."
Echo's eyebrows raised in surprise. She wasn't expecting an answer without fighting for it.
Phoebus's eyes sparkled in response. "How are you feeling?"
Echo put a hand on her head. "I'm a little woozy. What happened? The last thing I remember is your son blowing something in my face, and me collapsing."
Sunny meowed and nestled against her face. He looked suspiciously at the large doctor, mewing a few more times. Phoebus muttered something in a strange language and the cat settled down.
Phoebus winked at Echo. "Theo warned me about you and your inquisitions."
"I'm sorry. It's my way of whistling in the dark. Ordinarily I'm not this nosy, though I'm not sure Theo would agree."
"That's okay. You've been through a lot. Theo told me about that, too. Can you describe what you're experiencing right now?"
"It's hard to explain. I mean, I'm sore from the wreck I was in."
"How so?"
"Just a general aching, not bad like it was in the forest."
"How about the gashes from the Specters?"
Echo reached down to touch her wounds and found them covered in gauze. "They feel better, too."
"Very good. How weak are you?"
"That seems to be my biggest problem. I can hardly move."
"Oh sorry." Phoebus pulled a weighted pad off her. "That was to keep you warm and still. You don't need it now."
With the pad gone, Echo sat up. "Better, thanks. But, I've got something weird going on. My senses are strangely heightened. What's with that?"
Phoebus leaned back and crossed his arms. "Just a byproduct of a society where there's no pollution. You'll get used to it. My wife did."
"Diantha?"
"Yes. I see your memories are intact."
"Like the one where Theo blew something in my face without my consent."
"My son is young and awkward. I'm sure he didn't mean to take you off guard. He just knew you were facing a long journey through tunnels and that you were in no shape to ride a horse."
"Tunnels?"
"Yeah, there's a pretty complicated maze through the mountains meant to protect Concorde Valley from outsiders. No one's allowed in without being blindfolded."
"Or drugged."
"There was more in that powder than sedative. It contained herbs with healing properties to antidote Specter poison."
"How did Theo get it?"
"I flew it to him with a sparrow when he told me how bad you were."
"A sparrow?"
"Yes, a sacred bird to our people. They're one of our main means of communication since we don't use electronics."
"That's funny, Georgios called me a little sparrow."
"He must be very fond of you."
Echo smiled at the memory of the large man with unusual features. Phoebus smiled too, then grew serious.
"You were very sick when you got here," he said. "Theo knew how dangerous the wounds of Specters can be. He'd watched you closely. As you neared our valley, the poison from it had spread to dangerous levels. He communicated that to a sparrow, who told me. That's when I sent the powder."
"None of which I noticed."
"You weren't aware because you were sick and because you didn't know our ways. There will be much new to you. Try to suspend disbelief and it will help you adjust. It's one reason strangers aren't often welcomed to our land."
"Theo was reluctant to bring me here."
Phoebus just nodded.
"If Theo knew I was so sick, why did he push me hard in the woods? Shouldn't I have been resting so the poison wouldn't spread?"
"For these injuries, the best antidote in the short term is to keep moving and stay distracted. Often, the worst damage of Specter wounds is the despair they spread."
"And in the long term?"
"Get you to me, which is what Theo did. Once you reached the outer gates, he administered the powder. Theo is a wonderful leader and a brilliant artist, but a very poor doctor."
"Where is he now?"
"At our family home. He'll come get you in the morning."
"Why isn't he with me now?"
Phoebus looked at his patient with mild surprise. "Why would he do that? I told you he's not a doctor."
"But he could visit and make sure I'm okay."
Phoebus smiled. "I get this must be a tradition where you come from, but here, if a person is to recover, they have to have time to do so. Entertaining takes the energy you need to heal."
"Of course," Echo repeated. "Who taught you?"
Theo grinned and looked her straight in the eyes. In that moment, Echo knew the nut was about to crack wide open and that her life would never be the same.
"My father," he said. A sparkle danced in his sea green eyes. "He used to be a Centaur."
Echo was beyond disbelief at this point. She simply stated, "Well, that explains the horse connection."
Theo tilted his head forward. Echo responded by tapping her forehead on his.
Pulling her into a hug, Theo took a pinch of powder from his jacket pocket and blew it into her face. At once, she grew sleepy and slumped into his arms. She was vaguely aware of being carried out of the tree by strong, gentle arms. After that, she knew nothing more until she awoke in a strange, beautiful world.
New Chapter Begins:
The first sensation Echo was aware of when she awakened was the scent of flowers, trees, earth, and even horse, yes, she thought, horse. How did she know that? Her recent memories were steeped in shadow.
The next sensation to arrive was hearing. There was someone moving around the room. She could hear heavy footfalls and the scraping of something, maybe stone on stone. And, she could hear purring.
Her sense of touch became distinct as she felt a soft muzzle rub against her cheek. A rough tongue licked and tickled her face.
"Sunny," she said. She touched a warm body she knew to be gray, but only appeared as a blur. A soft meow welcomed her to her new world.
"Who else is here?" Echo tried to sit up, but felt too weak to do more than wriggle under soft covers. The scent of the blanket was familiar, like Theo's vest she had worn in the woods.
"I'll be right there," a man said. Like the vest, the voice sounded familiar.
Echo heard the tap and scrape of footsteps draw near. She wasn't sure who they belonged to, but for some reason, wasn't afraid. Through the mist, she was able to see the man lean in. He was large with dark hair, and, yes, green eyes that penetrated the fog.
"Let me wash your eyes," he said. "I have medicine on them."
Echo felt a warm rag brush her eyes. The material was scented, something she might never have noticed before her senses became so acute. It was some flower, she thought, but wasn't sure which one, maybe Jasmine.
"Open your eyes," the man said.
When she did, she was overwhelmed by the most striking colors she had ever known. It was as though a dirty lens she had been looking through just disappeared.
Echo blinked a few times and looked at what had to be her doctor. A mere shadow before, he was now visible as a statuesque man with dark curls falling to strong, scarred shoulders. Echo couldn't tell his age as he appeared young and old simultaneously.
The green eyes that had pierced her fog, now regarded her with tenderness.
"You're King Phoebus, aren't you?" she asked, "Theo's father?"
"Yes, Ma'am," he said. He sat on the edge of her bed and reached an arm across to lean on the mattress. "Noticed the resemblance, did you?"
"Hard to miss, but you don't look much like your other son, Georgios."
Phoebus seemed nonplussed. He was either used to direct questions, or was good at hiding annoyance. He answered her without hesitation.
"You're right," he said, "Georgios looks more like his late mother. She and our daughter were killed in a fire long before Theo was born."
Echo's eyebrows raised in surprise. She wasn't expecting an answer without fighting for it.
Phoebus's eyes sparkled in response. "How are you feeling?"
Echo put a hand on her head. "I'm a little woozy. What happened? The last thing I remember is your son blowing something in my face, and me collapsing."
Sunny meowed and nestled against her face. He looked suspiciously at the large doctor, mewing a few more times. Phoebus muttered something in a strange language and the cat settled down.
Phoebus winked at Echo. "Theo warned me about you and your inquisitions."
"I'm sorry. It's my way of whistling in the dark. Ordinarily I'm not this nosy, though I'm not sure Theo would agree."
"That's okay. You've been through a lot. Theo told me about that, too. Can you describe what you're experiencing right now?"
"It's hard to explain. I mean, I'm sore from the wreck I was in."
"How so?"
"Just a general aching, not bad like it was in the forest."
"How about the gashes from the Specters?"
Echo reached down to touch her wounds and found them covered in gauze. "They feel better, too."
"Very good. How weak are you?"
"That seems to be my biggest problem. I can hardly move."
"Oh sorry." Phoebus pulled a weighted pad off her. "That was to keep you warm and still. You don't need it now."
With the pad gone, Echo sat up. "Better, thanks. But, I've got something weird going on. My senses are strangely heightened. What's with that?"
Phoebus leaned back and crossed his arms. "Just a byproduct of a society where there's no pollution. You'll get used to it. My wife did."
"Diantha?"
"Yes. I see your memories are intact."
"Like the one where Theo blew something in my face without my consent."
"My son is young and awkward. I'm sure he didn't mean to take you off guard. He just knew you were facing a long journey through tunnels and that you were in no shape to ride a horse."
"Tunnels?"
"Yeah, there's a pretty complicated maze through the mountains meant to protect Concorde Valley from outsiders. No one's allowed in without being blindfolded."
"Or drugged."
"There was more in that powder than sedative. It contained herbs with healing properties to antidote Specter poison."
"How did Theo get it?"
"I flew it to him with a sparrow when he told me how bad you were."
"A sparrow?"
"Yes, a sacred bird to our people. They're one of our main means of communication since we don't use electronics."
"That's funny, Georgios called me a little sparrow."
"He must be very fond of you."
Echo smiled at the memory of the large man with unusual features. Phoebus smiled too, then grew serious.
"You were very sick when you got here," he said. "Theo knew how dangerous the wounds of Specters can be. He'd watched you closely. As you neared our valley, the poison from it had spread to dangerous levels. He communicated that to a sparrow, who told me. That's when I sent the powder."
"None of which I noticed."
"You weren't aware because you were sick and because you didn't know our ways. There will be much new to you. Try to suspend disbelief and it will help you adjust. It's one reason strangers aren't often welcomed to our land."
"Theo was reluctant to bring me here."
Phoebus just nodded.
"If Theo knew I was so sick, why did he push me hard in the woods? Shouldn't I have been resting so the poison wouldn't spread?"
"For these injuries, the best antidote in the short term is to keep moving and stay distracted. Often, the worst damage of Specter wounds is the despair they spread."
"And in the long term?"
"Get you to me, which is what Theo did. Once you reached the outer gates, he administered the powder. Theo is a wonderful leader and a brilliant artist, but a very poor doctor."
"Where is he now?"
"At our family home. He'll come get you in the morning."
"Why isn't he with me now?"
Phoebus looked at his patient with mild surprise. "Why would he do that? I told you he's not a doctor."
"But he could visit and make sure I'm okay."
Phoebus smiled. "I get this must be a tradition where you come from, but here, if a person is to recover, they have to have time to do so. Entertaining takes the energy you need to heal."
"But what if I get lonely?"
"Talk to your cat. He's very knowledgeable and terribly devoted to you."
Echo took a deep, exasperated breath. "I don't speak cat."
"That's unfortunate. He understands you." Phoebus stood up and walked to a small table nearby.
Echo placed a hand on Sunny and stroked his soft fur. He responded with an utterance she swore was, "I love you." What was it about this place? Was she really learning to speak to animals?
Listening to her cat's purrs and the tap of mortar and pestle, Echo grew drowsy, but couldn't resist another question.
"Did you really used to be a Centaur?"
She heard a soft chuckle. "I'd hate to be interviewed by you when you're not sick."
"Is that a yes?"
"Is asking questions how you relax?"
"Not at all, but getting answers is."
Phoebus nodded and turned around. He knelt beside the bed with a cream he'd been mixing, and spread it on her scratches and wounds. They tingled, but didn't burn.
"If answers will help you rest, I'll assist you. To start with, I am Phoebus, King of Concorde Valley, son to Poseidon, god of the sea. I once made my Uncle Zeus angry so he turned me into a Centaur. I lived that way for more years than I care to share. It wasn't a terrible existence, but it wasn't the life I was born for. In the end, love set me free."
"That's the short version?"
"Very."
"And Georgios?"
"His mother was a Centaur, a true one, who was never my mental or physical equal. When Georgios was born more human than horse, he hung around me most of the time. I taught him to ride a horse so he could be like the rest of us.
"Later, we had a daughter. She was a Centaur. Even though she was more intelligent than her mother, there was something wild about her that never quite tamed. Still, I loved her with all my heart.
"When she was little, the house we lived in was burned to the ground. My wife and child were unable to escape."
Echo's eyes fluttered open. "I lost my family in a fire, too."
"So I heard."
Echo yawned and stretched. The wounds on her body barely protested. Turning on her right side, she looked Phoebus directly in his eyes. "If I was so sick, why didn't you come to me rather than make me travel through trees to get here?"
Phoebus placed a hand on her arm. "No outsider ever comes straight here. They must be invited, and they must fight their way in."
"Like a journey?"
"Like a mission."
Book of the Month contest entry
 Recognized |
A special thanks for the artwork, on Bing.com
Book Summary so far:
Young Echo Jones is overlooked by First Responders as she hides in a wheat field during a house fire. Both parents killed in the fire, she escapes into an ancient forest behind her home. Alone and afraid, she meets up with a young boy, Theo, from mysterious origins that tends to her while searching for help.
20 years later, Echo is working for a newspaper called the Taylorville Sun. Among other duties, she investigates a serial killer who has now struck in her small town, and covers the opening of a new mega-store, Super Handyman.
After gathering all she needs on the store opening, she meets up with Bessie, an elderly columnist from the Sun who has an inside scoop on the death of the woman killed in their town. Bessie tells what she knows about the night of the murder, and sends Echo off to go back to work.
Echo arrives at the Newspaper, where the Christmas party has already begun. Before going in, she finds an envelop addressed to her. In it are pictures of the dead woman and Echo. The newest member of the police department, Tony Bradley, shows up to take her statement. He is, immediately, suspected of being the serial killer Echo is investigating.
At the end of the party, a parade of her friends set out to follow her home and keep her safe. After a series of unfortunate events, she ends up fleeing across ice and snow to trees she hopes to keep her safe. She's confronted by Specters who try and take her hostage. Theo, her childhood acquaintance, shows up to save the day.
After a battle outside Echo's apartment complex, Echo and Theo have fled through the trees toward his homeland, Concorde Valley, an undisclosed place near or within the Great Forests of Southern United States.
Characters:
Echo Jones: Young girl left stranded by a fire that took her home and parents in the first part of the book, then as an adult, she's an investigative reporter for a small town newspaper.
Her main assignment is to look into a serial killer that has struck in their small town in Georgia, just out of Atlanta.
A side assignment is to cover the opening of a fancy hardware store in Taylorville, Georgia.
Theo: Named Anthos by his parents. Protagonist of the book, and Echo's love interest.
Claude Baker: Editor of the newspaper, Taylorville Sun. Younger brother of Frankie, one of the editors.
Brian Baker: Claude's adult son who works at the newspaper as a typesetter and photographer
Frankie Lawrence: Claude's older sister and co-owner of the newspaper
Sara Beth: Works at the newspaper as a columnist. She specializes in fashion and gossip and is Echo's nemesis.
Bessie Johnson: 83-year-old columnist that works for the Sun and gathers ads from local venders. She has knowledge of the attack on the local woman killed by the serial killer.
Sherry Roe: A local victim of the serial killer Echo has been writing a series on.
Officer Tony Bradly: Rookie officer for the Taylorville Police Department. He's the one who found Sherry Roe's body after the murder. Also, the man Bessie feels is the killer.
Ends up being Theo, Echo's mysterious childhood rescuer
Junior: Frankie's neighbor who comes by the office Christmas party. Found to be a Specter, or minion of the enemy.
Specters/men in dark clothing: Minions of the Enemy. Have eyes that turn red when they're angry. Can appear as normal humans, serve the Enemy.
Kitty Sunshine, aka Sunny: Echo's Russian Blue cat
Theo, A nickname for Anthos: An 8-year-old, of mysterious origins, who finds young Echo in the forest and tends to her needs. We see him later as a grown man who rescues Echo once again.
Georgios: One of Theo's Captains, and Echo's rescuer, Theo's half brother
Phoebus: King of Concorde Valley, Theo's father
Diantha: Queen of Concorde Valley, Theo's mother
Poseidon: god of the Sea, Theo's grandfather
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. Book Summary so far:
Young Echo Jones is overlooked by First Responders as she hides in a wheat field during a house fire. Both parents killed in the fire, she escapes into an ancient forest behind her home. Alone and afraid, she meets up with a young boy, Theo, from mysterious origins that tends to her while searching for help.
20 years later, Echo is working for a newspaper called the Taylorville Sun. Among other duties, she investigates a serial killer who has now struck in her small town, and covers the opening of a new mega-store, Super Handyman.
After gathering all she needs on the store opening, she meets up with Bessie, an elderly columnist from the Sun who has an inside scoop on the death of the woman killed in their town. Bessie tells what she knows about the night of the murder, and sends Echo off to go back to work.
Echo arrives at the Newspaper, where the Christmas party has already begun. Before going in, she finds an envelop addressed to her. In it are pictures of the dead woman and Echo. The newest member of the police department, Tony Bradley, shows up to take her statement. He is, immediately, suspected of being the serial killer Echo is investigating.
At the end of the party, a parade of her friends set out to follow her home and keep her safe. After a series of unfortunate events, she ends up fleeing across ice and snow to trees she hopes to keep her safe. She's confronted by Specters who try and take her hostage. Theo, her childhood acquaintance, shows up to save the day.
After a battle outside Echo's apartment complex, Echo and Theo have fled through the trees toward his homeland, Concorde Valley, an undisclosed place near or within the Great Forests of Southern United States.
Characters:
Echo Jones: Young girl left stranded by a fire that took her home and parents in the first part of the book, then as an adult, she's an investigative reporter for a small town newspaper.
Her main assignment is to look into a serial killer that has struck in their small town in Georgia, just out of Atlanta.
A side assignment is to cover the opening of a fancy hardware store in Taylorville, Georgia.
Theo: Named Anthos by his parents. Protagonist of the book, and Echo's love interest.
Claude Baker: Editor of the newspaper, Taylorville Sun. Younger brother of Frankie, one of the editors.
Brian Baker: Claude's adult son who works at the newspaper as a typesetter and photographer
Frankie Lawrence: Claude's older sister and co-owner of the newspaper
Sara Beth: Works at the newspaper as a columnist. She specializes in fashion and gossip and is Echo's nemesis.
Bessie Johnson: 83-year-old columnist that works for the Sun and gathers ads from local venders. She has knowledge of the attack on the local woman killed by the serial killer.
Sherry Roe: A local victim of the serial killer Echo has been writing a series on.
Officer Tony Bradly: Rookie officer for the Taylorville Police Department. He's the one who found Sherry Roe's body after the murder. Also, the man Bessie feels is the killer.
Ends up being Theo, Echo's mysterious childhood rescuer
Junior: Frankie's neighbor who comes by the office Christmas party. Found to be a Specter, or minion of the enemy.
Specters/men in dark clothing: Minions of the Enemy. Have eyes that turn red when they're angry. Can appear as normal humans, serve the Enemy.
Kitty Sunshine, aka Sunny: Echo's Russian Blue cat
Theo, A nickname for Anthos: An 8-year-old, of mysterious origins, who finds young Echo in the forest and tends to her needs. We see him later as a grown man who rescues Echo once again.
Georgios: One of Theo's Captains, and Echo's rescuer, Theo's half brother
Phoebus: King of Concorde Valley, Theo's father
Diantha: Queen of Concorde Valley, Theo's mother
Poseidon: god of the Sea, Theo's grandfather
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