Authors: Robin D. Owens
She hooked the stick in a belt loop of her jeans and pointed from
the baby to herself and held out her arms. "Give her to me."
Wariness crept into the girl's gaze.
"Give her to me!" Alexa demanded.
The girl's glance slid from Alexa to the circle of people behind
her. Whatever she saw reassured her. Carefully, she held out the baby.
Alexa cradled the child, pliant but live, in her arms. She flipped
the corner of the blanket from the baby's face. Sleepy brown eyes gazed up at
her. A little smile emitted a bubble of drool. Alexa sighed. She put her finger
to each small fist in turn and smiled back when the baby clasped it, then the
tiny girl snuggled against her and shut her eyes.
"Marwey," the teenager said.
Alexa looked up.
The girl pointed to herself. "Marwey."
"Alexa," Alexa said.
"Al-yek-ah," Marwey pronounced.
Alexa shrugged.
Marwey pointed to the baby. "Nyja." The girl gestured to
the indigo lady, "Marshall Sabre Thealia." Then Marwey indicated the
big guy. "Dom Marshall Sabre Reynardus." Finally, Marwey inclined her
head to the short, round man. "Marshall Boucilier Partis."
All right. Alexa deduced that Thealia and the short man,
Partis—probably her husband—had one title and the big jerk had two. Figured.
The healer came up and held out her arms for the baby.
Alexa clutched her closer.
The doctor said something that sounded gentle.
Alexa patted the baby. "Is she going to be all right?"
Alexa emphasized the rising inflection of a question and raised her eyebrows,
hoping such signals would get her meaning across.
"Ayes." The healer nodded vigorously, smiling.
Slowly Alexa handed the infant over.
The doctor unwrapped the baby and freed her arms and legs so Alexa
could see them whole and moving. The baby girl's face screwed up and she cried.
The healer shushed her and turned.
"Wait!" Alexa said.
The healer looked over her shoulder.
Alexa pointed to the shadows where the man she'd sent flying had
lain. "Is
he
going to be all right?" Her stomach clutched as
she waited for an answer.
In broad pantomime the doctor lifted her shoulders high and dropped
them, frowned. Then she bobbed her head at Alexa, said something to Marwey and
took the baby away.
Alexa's chest constricted. She'd considered the baby her only
friend in this place. And how absurd was that?
Hard bootsteps striding in her direction made her pivot.
Reynardus, scowling and muttering under his breath, marched to her. Again she
felt fury—this man's fury—batter at her. Alexa shuddered.
The little round man, Partis, hurried forward and stepped in front
of her, forestalling Reynardus. Once again Partis held his staff with yellow
fire flickering at the top. Facing the others, he said a few sentences.
Raising his voice, Reynardus argued. With a motion, wind whipped
around him, the nobles' robes flapped, Alexa's clothes plastered cold and wet to
her skin. To Alexa's surprise, Partis stood his ground. Thealia came and stood
next to him, raised her hand and stilled the air. Alexa's vision sharpened—she
saw the energy fields of the man and woman. His was yellow and hers as indigo
as her stream in the rainbow. They flowed together as if becoming a single
entity, and the whole aura pulsed stronger—and malachite green. Their Songs
melded into a lovely pattern.
Finally, Reynardus stepped around the couple and flung out his
hand in demand to Alexa. Alexa jutted a hip, put her hand
on it, and raised her eyebrows. She'd dealt with plenty of arrogant attorneys.
She smiled with all her teeth. She could be a predator too. The memory of the
sound as the man she'd fought hit the wall tugged at her and nausea rose. She
pushed it aside. Pushed
all
thought aside. She had to be strong, show no
fear, if she was to win the respect she needed to be safe.
The big jerk, Reynardus, barked an order at her. Gestured.
Alexa didn't get it. She widened her stance and set her hands on
her hips, just noticing that her clothes had dried. She angled her chin up.
God, she'd crash when the adrenaline stopped, but she was jazzed now. The ends
of her hair lifted. Heat and energy throbbed along her skin, silky with power.
He growled, his eyes narrowed in frustration. With wide movements
he tapped the empty sheath along his right side. He pointed to the stick she'd
hooked to her jeans. He snapped his fingers, opened a broad, calloused palm.
Alexa smiled. "No!" She put her hand on the short staff
under the pointed tip and angled it forward, curved her fingers around it.
She heard the grinding of his teeth as he repeated his actions.
"No!" she
shouted. Grinned. "What
part of 'no' don't you understand?"
"Ttho!" Marwey said from a little beside and behind
Alexa.
When Alexa slid her gaze to Marwey, the girl continued.
"No—ttho!" She smiled sweetly as if she too enjoyed thwarting
Reynardus. "No—ttho!"
Alexa turned back to the big guy. "Ttho! What part of 'ttho'
don't you understand?"
Thealia bit off some words. Then she spouted what could only be
instructions, gesturing. Alexa watched closely, but only understood that the
lady wanted someone to go and get something.
A massive man, even bigger than Reynardus, clomped over. He
scanned Alexa up and down. She returned his stare. He snorted, took some huge
gloves—gauntlets?—from his belt, pulled them on and went in the same direction
as the doctor. Squinting, Alexa finally saw the door in the shadows, huge and
pointed.
After he left, the others talked among themselves. The words
hummed in the room like the low-level buzz of bees on a summer afternoon.
Alexa unhooked the stick, pushed the hook into the short staff and
took time to compose herself. Though the others watched her, no one was
threatening. She loosened her muscles and kept upright. So many emotions and
reactions to the night's adventures tumbled through her that she kept a hard
clamp on them and tried to use pure observation and reason. She glanced around
the room while keeping an eye out for any more danger, holding the stick ready.
The chamber, round and very large, was made of white stone. All
the furnishings appeared to be the very best any world could provide. Around
half the room ran a built-in stone bench with padded seats, jewel-toned large
pillows and rugs around its base. Colorful tapestries of pastoral scenes
alternated with bright banners showing coats of arms. Windows were set high in
the wall, about two stories up, and were as pointed as the door.
The altar was in the same quadrant as the pentacle and draped in
maroon velvet, with a white lace over-panel. It held the bright rainbow of
crystals—could they be huge precious stones?—the chime stick, two knives, a
large smoking incense burner and two goblets, one of silver and one of gold.
Alexa was just wondering if she dared explore when the door
creaked open and the huge man walked in. The scent of a damp, cold night wafted
in with him, along with the hint of a smokey fire. The humid mixture of odors
wasn't one Alexa would smell
in Colorado. Her emotions
threatened to break through the barrier she had erected. She couldn't let go!
She couldn't afford to
be seen as weak or
vulnerable. She bit her bottom lip to keep it from trembling.
The massive guy stopped in front of Thealia. He held a rolled
bundle—Alexa studied it and exhaled in relief—nothing living or newly dead was
in it.
They talked a moment, then Thealia directed the others. They all
formed a half-circle facing Alexa. Reynardus, still glowering, was the end of
the half-moon to her left.
The huge man entered the half-circle and laid his bundle on the
floor before Alexa. Just bending from the waist put him eye level with her. He
stared at her as he unrolled the cloth. It clinked a little, made sounds of
wood and metal and glass. The cloth was made of quilted felt, and she could see
seams between pockets. The man flipped back the top flap.
Alexa reflexively retreated a step. The others murmured.
Before her were four rows of ten pockets. Most showed the top of a
stick like the one she held. All looked old and valuable and powerful. Imbued
with magic.
Thealia glided up, and the huge man took her former place in the
half-circle. She gestured expansively to the sticks. "Batons," she
said. Or something close enough for Alexa to understand it. Batons. Were they
the same as magic wands? What could they do? What did they signify? The healer
hadn't worn one. Nor did Marwey. But everyone else did.
"Deshouse," Thealia said, making the same sweep with her
hand. When Alexa didn't move, the lady frowned. She walked down the long row
and indicated each pocket with one toe of an elegant slipper, as if
demonstrating the word
choose.
Alexa got distracted by the slipper, peeking out and showing a
narrow foot, then retreating under Thealia's skirts. It was
pointed and looked to have jewels set in a pattern like a
flower—
"Alyeka, deshouse!"
Mind wandering. Not surprising after all she'd been through.
Still, the evening of adventure and discovery wasn't over. Alexa stiffened her
spine and narrowed her eyes to see the batons better. She pressed her lips
together as she concentrated, believing she could see faint outlines of energy.
But how did she choose? By the attractiveness? The color and the jewels that
appealed to her? By the "aura"? By smell? A couple of them were
polished wood. Should she touch them?
No. Definitely not touch each one. Who knew what sort of
electrical, magical, whatever, charge she might receive?
Still she felt as if she was coming to the end of her strength. If
she needed to choose, she would. A smooth wand of dark green jade caught her
eye. It looked slightly thinner than the others. Her fingers would close easier
around it. The top was finished in tarnished bronze in the shape of flames,
round at the bottom, pointed at the tips. Just below the metal was a small tube
of a transparent material, glass or crystal, circling the jade. Now, that was
interesting. What could the tube hold? Blood? She was definitely letting her
imagination run away with her. There was another clear tube at the bottom of
the staff.
Each time her tired eyes traveled up and down the myriad sticks,
they lingered on the jade baton.
Alexa took a step forward and everyone hushed. She thought if she
squatted she wouldn't find the energy to stand again, so she bent forward to
scrutinize the wand. She couldn't see anything in the tube. She nibbled at her
lip. When she looked up, she met the glare of Reynardus. Awkwardly she tossed
him his baton.
He grunted as he caught it. Ran his hands up and down it as if
checking for new nicks. Then he
sniffed
it and scowled at her. His
eyes seemed to sink into the deep shadows of his sockets
until they were lost except for a gleam of distaste.
Well, she probably had sweated on the thing. Or transferred some
of the liquid from the pool to it. Still, sniffing seemed incredibly rude. She
sent him a pointed glance and
sniffed
at him as if he were the
inadequate one.
He muttered something under his breath.
"Sanctuaire!" reproved Thealia.
He shut his mouth, but Alexa thought he still cursed.
Minute trembling began in her calves and Alexa took the warning
that she was at the end of her endurance. She slipped the jade wand from its
pocket.
It blazed like a green candle, parts of it becoming translucent
and beautiful.
The others sighed. She heard whispers of approval. Alexa blinked
as she looked at the flame atop her new possession—her only possession besides
her small fanny pack and clothes—Push that thought aside. The little sculpture
glowed with copper and bronze flames, as if new. They seemed to flicker
inside
the metal too. Small white sparks flew from the tip of the longest flame.
Wow.
Seeing movement inside the upper tube, she brought it closer to
examine. Mercury, also known as quicksilver. Mysterious and fascinating.
Thealia clapped her hands sharply. Alexa looked at her. She
touched her chest with elegant fingers. "Marshall Sabre Thealia." She
repeated Marwey's introductions. Thealia curved her hand over Partis's
shoulder. "Marshall Boucilier Partis." Thealia inclined her head
toward Reynardus. "Dom Marshall Sabre Reynardus."
Thealia nodded and waved at Alexa. "Marshall Alyeka."
Oh boy. Alexa hung on tighter to her stick—baton. She couldn't
assimilate much more.
Thealia launched into a little speech with lots of gestures. She
indicated the circle of Marshalls, the pentacle, goblets and gong. She hummed a
snatch of the music, pantomimed Alexa whooshing down onto the floor. Then she
clasped her hands and bowed to Alexa.