asn’t prepared for a big haul tonight. But things worked out
well anyway!”
By now, Elena was feeling one of the pillowcases for herself. The
case was, indeed, full of clear, sparkling hoshi no tama. Star balls.
Memories. Worth…
Worthless?
“Priceless…although of course we don’t know what’s on them.”
Sage’s voice changed subtly. Elena remembered the warning about
“forbidden spheres.” What, in the name of the yellow sun, could they
possibly forbid down here?
Bonnie was the first to pick up a disk and put it to her temple. She
did it so quickly, with such flashing, birdlike movements, that Elena
couldn’t stop her.
“What is it?” Elena gasped, trying to pull the star ball away.
“It’s…poetry. Poetry I can’t understand,” said Bonnie crossly.
Meredith had also picked up a sparkling orb. Elena reached for her
but once again she was too late.
Meredith sat as if in a trance for a moment, then grimaced and put
the sphere down.
“What?” demanded Elena.
Meredith shook her head. She wore a delicate expression of
distaste.
“What?” Elena almost yelled. Then as Meredith put the star ball
by her feet, Elena lunged at it. She clapped it to her own temple and
immediately was dressed in black leather from head to toe. There were
two broad, square men in front of her, without a lot of muscle tone. And