Silver Hooves in the Darkness

Chapter Twenty-Four

Ercole pulled his carriage across the open fields of Dome Erba. The large wheels made ruts in the ground softened by the rain that had fallen during the night.

Bundled in a hooded grey cloak, Alessandro walked beside the equinii, choosing to delay his entry into the carriage for as long as possible. At the last warning sign for humans who approached the dome's edge, they stopped.

Ercole set down the ends of two long pieces of wood that projected from the front of his carriage. He had gripped these to haul the vehicle along the streets of Dome Erba. He opened a panel in the box that formed the body of the vehicle to reveal the interior of the passenger compartment. Ercole folded down a set of steps, so they could enter the carriage. Alessandro had brought his healer's pouch and another cloth bag, which held clean clothing. He tossed them both inside.

The interior had four glowing patches of light recessed in the corners to give it some illumination. Two red bench seats, which were opposite each other, were upholstered for human comfort. Four small handles protruded from the walls for passengers to grip to steady themselves if needed.

Paola sat across from the healer. He threw back his hood. Beads of sweat began to form on his brow, and she wondered whether he had regretted not taking the calming tablets the big equino had offered.

"It is time," Ercole said and slammed the door shut. A click told them that they were now locked in the vehicle. A cool breeze began to blow from a vent near their feet. She wondered how the closed vehicle circulated air, but felt confident in a design originally created in Dome Scienza.

"Recycled air," Alessandro said with a nervous laugh.

It was another concept she did not understand, having no reason to understand the workings of a carriage, but she remained curious. Ercole had retrieved his harness from a storage space at the back of the conveyance. As they sat quietly together, the rubbing of leather, metal and wood against each other told them of his preparation.

It suddenly grew silent. The wheels shifted position, causing the compartment to sway slightly. Alessandro clutched the handle set beside his seat. The carriage began to move forward. It bounced along the rough trail out of Dome Erba. Ercole had warned them that the vehicle would rock significantly until they reached the Maze.

"My father came from Dome Scienza," Alessandro began, as if talking would keep his mind off the uneven ride. "His eldest brother had left him his spice business. But I never understood why my father did not sell out. Why he would want to leave his laboratory and come to Dome Erba has always been a mystery to me. Why had the Chief Knowledge Keeper even let him out of Dome Scienza? He was an expert in energy manipulation, especially through crystals, and studied the effects of such actions on biological systems." He chuckled. "But it happened, and if it had not, then, he would have never met my mother, and Giovanni and I would not exist.

Laboratory. She knew that word. Her capsule had been located in one. Had Alessandro's father also been involved with the bringing forth of equinii? She knew that humans in other domes held those in Dome Scienza in high regard as Knowledge Keepers. Why would the healer's father have come to Dome Erba, where inhabitants used fireplaces, candles, and a touch of hearth magic, instead of cool columns of light radiating from glass tubes, to illuminate and heat a dwelling? Clearly, the lifestyle in Dome Erba was a change to a more natural and simpler one. Maybe, his father wanted to live in a land that was green and not entirely composed of metal and glass and machines.

"It was unfortunate that he died relatively young. There was more--"

The compartment suffered a final jolt, and they both gripped their safety handles. Ercole had entered the Maze. And Alessandro did not complete his thought, leaving her to wonder whether his father had taught him skills that he had brought from Dome Scienza.

Once inside the Run, the carriage gently moved in time to the grey stallion's movements until the rhythm almost lulled the equina to sleep. But the healer's fretful humming kept her awake. In the soft light, his face became a mask of terror.

"My exam at Dome Scienza?" she asked, hoping to distract him.

His eyes flickered with annoyance, but quickly shifted to gratitude. He said. "Have no fear. We will meet with a friend of Gemma's named Lucia. Within the last cycle, she and I have corresponded...extensively." He smiled. "Knowing of my father, she wished for me to one day visit her at Dome Scienza. And it will give me the opportunity to tell her of Gemma's....passing." He had stopped using the affectionate term that he had once used for the librarian.

The equina knew the word for the tools of a Knowledge Keeper. "Will she be able to detect the light map of the domes within me with her instruments."

Alessandro raised an eyebrow in surprise. "How much do you know of instruments?" he asked.

"Only that one must pass the final test before one's first entry into the Maze. EQ-FFIO-TH-Blanca-15 did not."

Alessandro's expression became sad as he tilted his head, frowned, and regarded her with serious eyes. It was clear that he did not want to hear more.

But she continued. "We were examined at the same time. Her legs were not strong enough. She was being sent for...'re-e-val-u-a-tion'." It had been a long time since she thought of that word. "Do you know what that means, sir?"

Was it the formality that she had used that made him look away, or an answer that he did not want to give her.

"Lucia can be trusted," was all he said, before his eyes suddenly went wide. He quickly pulled out a linen bag from his healer's pouch and vomited into it.

What other discomforts would the healer suffer on their way to Dome Scienza? It did not take too long for her question to be answered.

 Although she tried to engage him in further conversation, all he could do was slam his right hand against the safety handle until a purple bruise marred his skin. It was only then that he curled up into a ball on the wide seat, and sometime during the journey, in complete exhaustion, he fell asleep.

Lulled by boredom, Paola soon joined him.

*****

In humanoid form, Cappello ran in front of her across an open field. Miacarabella streaked alongside her friend, her bushy tail swaying. He waved back at her, beckoning her to follow. It is wonderful here! Come!

I cannot! Not yet! her soul cried out to him.

He stopped. He scratched the tip of his black ear nonchalantly.

You will always choose rightly, he said, and smiled. He bent down and picked up the cat, who pawed his chest happily.

*****

The carriage bounced to a halt, the shock forcing the equina and the healer to awaken. Alessandro blinked nervously and began to bang on the walls to demand release from his confinement.

She sat beside him and grabbed his hands. "Enough!" she said.

The healer winced, but calmed down, whether in shock because an equina had taken liberties or because she had squeezed his bruised hand too tightly.

They both strained to hear what Ercole was doing outside the compartment. When the latch clicked, Alessandro immediately pushed the door open. Wide-eyed, he leapt from the carriage without waiting for Ercole to put down the steps.

The stallion recoiled, his nose wrinkling at the stench clinging to the healer.

Alessandro got to his knees and vomited on the metal floor of Dome Scienza. When the spasm passed, he exchanged glances with Ercole. Paola had to agree that the human stunk, but she went by his side and rubbed his back for comfort.

Above the highest tower of glass and metal, the dome's orb shone with cool brilliance against a solid blue ceiling.