by N R Tucker
Sara looked over at Ryan, “Do you think we could run the rest of the way?”
“I don’t know…” Ryan looked up in the sky where Tempe flew in her dragon form. Before he could signal his aunt, Sara shifted and jumped out of the carriage. “Sara!”
Shawn looked over, “What the…” Shawn stood to follow his sister.
“Shifters stay in the carriages.” Ryan jumped and shifted to his lion and took off after Sara.
Ryan’s order stopped Shawn cold. Unsure what was happening, Lady Snowbell placed a hand on his shoulder. Shawn snarled and sat down, never taking his eyes off his foolish sister.
Sara’s little fifty-pound dog form had already drawn the attention of a river dragon. She was running full out, but the thin river dragon – which reminded Shawn of a Chinese dragon – was closing in fast. River dragons grew to no more than fifteen feet in length with short, stubby arms and legs, but they were still large enough to eat a fifty-pound dog, maybe even kill an African lion.
Ryan leaped over Sara, shifted to his blue dragon, and caught the river dragon in his jaws. He landed at the edge of the river, pleased that Asp stood between Sara and the river. He was not so pleased when Sara shifted and grabbed hold of Asp for comfort.
“Sir, our companion did not realize the creature was a shifter. He saw only a tasty treat. It has been many years since we have watched for shifters when hunting near our river and he is young.”
Ryan turned with the dragon in his jaws. Standing before him, river merfolk, the ones with frog-like digits on their hands and feet, patted the dragon and spoke in a language Ryan didn’t understand, but the dragon did. He could feel the dragon relax in his jaws.
“If you release him back into the river he will not trouble you or yours again this day, honored guest of Lord Ellwood.”
Excellent suggestion. Let’s not upset the river merfolk or river dragons of the Northern Realm. Ryan heard Tempe in his head and agreed. He dropped the dragon into the water and shifted to human form. The dragon bowed, and Ryan inclined his head in return.
“What was the form you took before the blue dragon? Your dragon is impressive, but the other form pleases me,” one of the merfolk asked.
“Uh, African lion,” Ryan shrugged, keeping Asp in his view. Amusingly enough, Asp had the same look on his face that Ryan had sported a couple of years ago when Lady Dawn had sought the safety of his arms. Asp was terrified of causing a public incident. Good. Ryan looked back at the carriages. None of the adult fae had moved. Not surprising. According to the rules of conduct, they could not interfere or assist without an invitation. To do so would be an indication that they didn’t think the shifters could protect their own.
“African lion. It’s larger, bulkier, than the cat form Lady Tempest takes. Yes, it is a pleasing form.”
Ryan nodded and walked toward Sara. He looked up and saw that Tempe had kept her distance and he preened just a little, realizing the fae would consider her lack of involvement as an indication that she trusted him to take care of the issue. Ryan stopped and bowed to Asp, forcing the words out of his mouth, “Your actions have pleased me this day.” Asp nodded with only a slight smirk, handed Sara over to her cousin, and returned to the carriage.
Ryan waited until the carriages moved toward the buffet and whispered, “What were you thinking?”
“That I wanted to run, obviously. Don’t start…”
“Do not cop an attitude with me! That river dragon nearly had you for lunch.”
“I know,” Sara sobbed. “I screwed up, huh? Will Tempe send me back?”
“I doubt it, but you have to think. This isn’t the Seen and, while you’ve got the rules of court down pat, you apparently haven’t studied the predators of this dimension adequately.” Ryan took her arm, and they walked toward where the others were exiting the carriages and gathering around the buffet.
Sara looked up at her cousin, “Did you see Asp stand between me and the dragon? Wasn’t he brave?”
Ryan glared. He took on the dragon, and she praised Asp for giving her a shoulder to lean on. Women!
“The question you should ask is why you put Asp in danger by forcing him to come to your rescue?”
Sara turned to face Tempe, “I didn’t! Did I?”
“You think Asp and Ryan ran to challenge a river dragon for fun?” Tempe’s trademark eyebrow rose.
“I guess you’re right,” Sara replied sadly.
“You guess,” Shawn stormed over.
Bridget tapped Shawn on the shoulder, “Hush. Sara’s antics broke the ice and the others are discussing their own foibles now. Seems to be something of a game, each trying to prove that their mistake was the greatest or the most embarrassing.” Bridget hooked her arm in Sara’s and herded her toward the food, “But don’t do it again. This is the only vacation I get this year. I don’t want to spend the rest of it explaining to Father how I failed to keep you safe.”
As the sisters approached the group Asp called out, “I’ve prepared a plate for you, Lady Sara, should you be inclined to eat.”
Bridget watched as Sara blushed and joined Asp. He might not be as bad as Ryan had painted him. He was undoubtedly treating Sara well.
“I hope your sister is unharmed.” Rune stopped beside Bridget and offered her his arm. “I prepared a plate for you as well.”
Bridget beamed at him.
Fed, and after another short carriage ride, they walked a scenic path through a field of flowers toward Moelur Basin. Lady Samma sighed, “It’s as beautiful as I expected.”
“Oh yes, the flowers and butterflies seem brighter here than in the Seen,” Bridget agreed, snapping pictures. “I wonder if it’s true or if I’m just noticing the beauty since it’s my first trip to the Farseen.”
Rune smiled and helped her cross a small stream, using short pillars that had been placed as stepping-stones. “Based on my experience in the Seen, I think it might be a little of both. Every place I go in the Seen seems magical to me, more so than my reactions to similar sights here. I believe your reaction to the Farseen is similar.”
“Do the pixies and nymphs dress to blend in with the surroundings? I’ve noticed the ones in the forests wore mostly brown and dark green, while the ones in this field seem to prefer light green and the colors of these flowers.”
“It’s not a requirement. Though most dress to blend in with their surroundings, you will find some who dress to stand out.”
“We’re almost to the Soul River. It runs through the center of the basin. At this point it’s wide enough and deep enough that we might catch hippocampi playing with the merfolk,” Kamden commented as he passed them.
Bridget’s face lit up, “I’ve only ever seen drawings.” She topped the hill and squealed, “How lovely, and so many colors. I had no idea.”
Hippocampi were, in fact, swimming and playing with merfolk. The merfolk in the basin were larger than the ones they had seen earlier but still shorter than the fae and shifters, and they had flippers for hands and feet. The hippocampi, with the head and front hooves of a horse and the tail of a fish, came in various colors and markings. Some had recognizable hoofed creature colors like Pinto, Appaloosa, and even zebra. Others had coloring similar to brightly colored fish.
Rune smiled at her enthusiasm. It was contagious. He looked across the river, and his smile turned to concern as he shouted, “Watch the wasteland skies.”
Chapter 14
A massive gold dragon flew to greet the flock of red dragons approaching from the west, rendering Rune’s warning unnecessary. Lady Tempest, in dragon form, had already flown over to greet the flock of red dragons that headed toward the basin. Lady Tempest, due to her age, was as large as any supreme matriarch. She dwarfed the largest member of the red flock. He turned expecting Ryan to take his blue dragon form and join her. He wasn’t the only one.
Ryan smiled but didn’t take his eyes off the skies. “You think Lady Tempest needs my assistance?” In truth, he wanted to go to her aid, but her m
ind speak orders had been clear. This flock was friendly. She didn’t want anyone to join her. He watched Tempe stop in front of the prominent red while the others hovered in a V behind their leader.
“Excellent point,” Asp commented as he, too, watched the skies.
After a quick conversation, the reds flew off, and Tempe flew back to the carriages where the others waited.
*****
“Nothing,” Ryan muttered. “Not one piece of paper. If Val wrote anything down, it’s long gone.
Shawn looked up from his Kindle, “You’re still looking? I gave up days ago.”
“You are wise.” Ryan looked at the weapons on the wall again. He had wasted every spare moment trying to find something, anything to explain Val. “I just wanted some insight into Val.”
“Why, because everyone compares you to him?” Shawn shrugged.
“No, well maybe,” Ryan conceded still staring at the weapons. “I’ve been able to track down every weapon but that one.” He pointed to a wooden handle with a dull, square blade on it. It was at the highest point in the room. It looked similar to an ax, but the stone was larger and thicker. “When I’ve asked the fae about it they assume I’m making it up.”
Shawn looked up at the weapon, “Did Val fly?”
“What? No, not like the Central Realm Air Guard, but he could take a bird form.” He looked at the weapon and over at Shawn, “You think?”
“The only way to get to that weapon is to fly or find a three-story ladder, and I haven’t seen a ladder in the Farseen.”
Ryan shifted to his eagle and flew up to look it over. The weapon didn’t look like a fake. He pushed his bird body on the stone, nothing. He tried pushing on the handle, nothing. Staring at the weapon in disgust, he noticed tiny little chips in the stone. If he hadn’t been in bird form, he doubted he would have seen the indention. The area looked like it had been tapped with a small nail or a beak. That was it! He pecked at the stone once with his beak. Shawn yelled, and Ryan looked down at the opening in the wall. Ryan swooped down, shifted, and picked up the book. Excited, he opened to the first page.
“What’s it say?” Shawn leaned around Ryan to peer at the book. “What language is that?”
Ryan groaned. It was written in fae, ancient fae. Figures!
Chapter 15
Sage narrowed her gaze on the U.N. rep and growled, “We will not become pawns in your petty government battles.”
“You’re an American citizen. You owe it to your country to help protect our borders.” Aubrey Ewing, the U.S. representative to the U.N., commented across the table. She hated coming to PAC HQ, but it was the only place the shifter sovereign and high wizard would agree to meet. Once PAC HQ was up and running, they refused to return to the U.N. building in New York City.
“Preternaturals are only citizens in this country because you want access to our power and financial resources. You hope to use us as spies, assassins, and saboteurs,” Nova, high wizard, commented dryly.
“We would never do such a thing,” Aubrey replied indignantly, mostly because Nova was right. And that was a fact the U.N. representative would never admit out loud.
“You just asked us to send a telepath to the U.N. That person would be a spy,” Sage explained slowly, as if to a child.
“Only to protect us from other telepaths,” Aubrey explained again.
Sage took a sip of her tea and breathed in the orange blossom smell. She had chosen that blend to help keep her calm. Epic fail. “No one in the U.N. has a telepath on staff. At least not a telepath with any real power.”
“How do you know that?” Aubrey pegged Sage with a hard stare. The child who ruled an entire dangerous species was either a fool or cunning. Aubrey, like most of the human ruling elite, assumed Sage was a figurehead. Tempest was the obvious power and true leader of the shifters.
“I know because true telepaths are rare even amongst preternaturals. All have been notified by their respective leaders that using their talent to aid humans is punishable by death. In fact, any preternatural who sells their unique gifts to the highest bidder forfeits their life, and unlike you, Ms. Ewing, they understand that there will be no trial and no appeal, just death,” Sage smiled sweetly.
The intercom chirped on, “High Wizard, Sovereign, with apologies, you are needed in the command center. The issue is urgent.” Both leaders ran from the room, leaving Aubrey sitting alone with aids and guards.
*****
Lieutenant Colonel John Anderson walked toward the checkpoint where humans wishing to enter PAC HQ lined up. He no longer had to patrol, with his recent promotion he had other duties, but Anderson found that non-scheduled outings kept his people sharp, and if he enjoyed stretching his legs, well, that was nice too. “Sergeant Hall, how is the day progressing?”
“Not too bad, sir. There’s a bit of a line but no issues,” Sergeant Hall said.
Sergeant Hall was newly assigned to PAC HQ, but the colonel had been pleased to see the young man again. Both had worked the Salt Lake dual full moon gate events, and he found the sergeant to be an excellent soldier. Anderson looked at a helicopter approaching the landing pad a little too fast, “Who’s that?”
“Unknown,” Hall tapped his headset, “Incoming. They’re passing the chopper pad and heading straight for HQ. The chopper is armed.”
“Everyone to the bunkers,” Anderson ordered as the troops, human and preternatural, rushed to do just that. According to the preternatural leadership, those in PAC HQ were safe from a bomb, even a nuclear warhead, but everyone outside the shields had no protection. Doubting everyone would fit in the bunkers, Anderson took a second to be proud of the men and women under his command. They sent as many civilians as possible into the hopeful safety of the bunkers. There were few preternaturals outside, and apparently none who could open a gate.
No one tried to enter PAC HQ. Even the visitors knew that, in the event of an attack, those outside would remain outside. Shields stronger than blast doors lowered over the only entry into the building. A tint had been added to the shields so that everyone, even humans, could see it. PAC HQ was locked tight.
When as many as could fit were in the bunkers, those who remained outside closed the heavy doors. Incredibly, only two human soldiers and three preternaturals remained. Everyone else had fit. They turned toward the chopper and watched two bombs drop.
Anderson and Hall nodded to each other, accepting their death as the price paid to save others.
“Gentlemen, my shield awaits,” Jarvious, a relative of Tempest, called. As the two soldiers joined the preternaturals, he added, “It won’t stand against one of your nuclear devices.”
“Better than nothing, Jarvious. We accept your offer,” Anderson said. The shield closed, and Anderson looked at his companions.
“Liron of the Northern Realm,” the male bowed after he reinforced Jarvious’ shield. “You are Anderson and Hall. Lady Tempest honored your contributions during the dual full moons.”
Anderson blushed. What did that mean? He nudged Hall, whose mouth hung open. He didn’t blame the kid, he barely kept his own mouth closed.
Liron pointed to the female, “Lady Windy of the Central Realm Air Guard.”
Anderson smiled. The air guard was touted as the best trained flying force in the Farseen.
“Gentlemen,” she didn’t take her eyes off the bombs, closing in fast.
Hall could finally identify the bombs with his binoculars, “The first isn’t nuclear. The second is.”
“Well then, I believe the correct expression is ‘it’s a good day to die’,” Jarvious glared at the bombs.
“Or not,” Liron pointed to the shield that formed around the bombs. “But I’m not sure any have the power to contain a nuclear explosion completely.”
The bombs exploded casting an odd sort of firework display within the shield.
“It’s pretty,” Hall commented, surprised that they hadn’t died immediately.
*****
Nova glanced at S
age before returning her eyes to the swirling mass of bomb remnants in the shield, “How long can you hold that abomination?”
“If I don’t have to do anything else, a few hours. I don’t know what to do with the nuclear waste.”
“I say we return it to sender,” said Lady Trea of the Western Realm.
“While I agree in theory, we don’t know where it came from,” Nova replied calmly. “And anywhere we place it will contaminate more than just that location, in much the same way that cold iron impacts the Farseen.”
“Can you send it to another dimension?” Aubrey Ewing asked.
Sage turned to stare at the U.N. representative who should not be in the PAC HQ war room.
“With apologies, Sovereign, High Wizard.” Lady Sierra of the Northern Realm bowed. “The U.N. Secretary-General requested that Ambassador Ewing represent the U.N. in this matter.
Nova gave an unhappy nod. Later she would make sure the fae understood that the U.N. was not to be granted such favors. “We will not send toxic material to another dimension. This was caused by the Seen, it shall remain in the Seen.”
“But surely there is a dimension with no intelligent life. This waste could be dumped there without harm.” Aubrey ignored Nova’s growl.
“You think to transport this mess to another dimension. How shortsighted of you.” Lady Z’s voice was heard before she was seen. She dropped her veil and glared at Aubrey. “You want to destroy other dimensions with no regard for their environment. I can assure you I have never found a dimension without elementals, and they are all intelligent, apparently more so than humans. Preternaturals, hear me now. If I learn that any waste from the Seen is pushed into another dimension, I will lead the elementals in the war they are already contemplating here in the Seen over what has been done to their planet. Don’t make me prove to everyone that I’m the power you have to worry about. If I start a war, I will clean this planet and The One can start afresh.