A World Apart The Jake Thomas Trilogy - By Steven A. Tolle Page 0,41
head to look back at Jake. "I need to take Shadow to the stables in the Military Quarter and will find something to eat there. Stay here with Jonas. I'm sure he will answer your questions. I will be back shortly." He left, closing the door behind him.
Jonas spoke to Hailyn, a proud smile on his face. "I can see from Jake's face that you did a fine job healing, Hailyn. Thank you for your assistance." He gestured at the door. "If you please, I need to speak with Jake alone. Please make sure no one disturbs us."
"Of course, Master." Hailyn said with a small bow, giving Jake a smile as she turned and left the room.
Jonas took the other chair and set it across the table from Jake and sat down. He studied Jake for a few moments with his warm eyes, a thoughtful look on his face. Then he smiled and said. "Dominic has told me quite a tale about you, young Jake. He said that you are a stranger to these lands and have a great many questions. Let me try to find answers to them, if I can."
CHAPTER NINE
Jake took a second and organized the questions in his mind into some semblance of order while Jonas waited patiently across the table. Unfortunately, once he started, in his excitement that he may finally get some answers, everything came out in a rush.
"First of all, where am I? How did I get here? How can I understand you? What did Hailyn do to me? Who is Dominic? What are half-men? Why…" Jake cut off as Jonas laughed and raised his hands.
"Dom was right, you do have questions!" He chuckled a bit more, then said. "Be at peace, Jake. I will do my best to answer all of your questions, but perhaps we should start from the beginning. Why don't you tell me how you got here and we can go from there."
Jake, embarrassed by his outburst of questions, took a deep breath, and then told Jonas about the events that brought him here, starting from his day at school. He got to where Dominic saved him from Matus and his men and stopped.
"Dominic called them 'half-men'." Jake asked. "I don't understand what that means. They seemed as human as you and I."
"I will explain that shortly, but please finish your tale first." Jonas said, smiling to encourage him.
Jake continued on with his story. He got to the part of Dominic giving him the drink to help his injuries when Jonas laughed out loud.
"You actually drank that?" He said, chuckling. "I make that special for Dom. He is stubborn about not allowing me or anyone else to heal him, so I mix up some herbs and other elements that do help the healing process. But, because of his stubbornness, I add something special for the taste." He gestured to Jake. "Forgive my interruption; please continue your story."
Jake finished with the day's travels and the arrival at the city. Jonas was quiet for a moment, looking at Jake, then started to speak.
"Jake, to start, I cannot answer why you are here. I have never read or heard about any similar occurrences in the histories. I can only pray that the One has brought you here for a purpose."
"The One?" Jake asked, confused.
"He is whom we serve, the One, the Light of All Things. He is also called by some the Creator, He who made All." Jonas said, reverently.
"You mean God?"
"He is not commonly spoken of by that name, since many of the people used to worship many gods, but if I understand you, yes. Speaking of understanding, maybe it is He that allows us to understand each other's speech. I may be biased because of my calling, but I would like to think that He would want us to understand one another. We have to have faith in His goodness."
"I guess. So, you are a priest?" Jake responded.
"I'm not familiar with that name." Jonas said. "We are clerics, servants of the One. We teach the people of Him, as well as work as healers, scholars, historians and teachers of children. We each do work according to our strengths. Hailyn, for example, is very adept at healing, yet she also teaches the young children to read and write."
"Can all clerics heal like Hailyn?" Jake asked, remembering the unusual sensations of that process.
"No." Jonas said, shaking his head. "It is a gift that only some possess."