“Oh, kitten. I never meant to be this much of a tomboy.”
Blackie slitted one golden eye at her and then pointedly went back to sleep.
“I know you don’t care.” Linn threw one of her dirty socks at him. Those she had spares for in the survival kit, not that she needed them in Hawaii. Bath first, then she would try to figure it out. Maybe she could cut off the jeans and modify the tee to be cooler.
She soaked until her fingertips were pruny. Emerging from the bath wrapped in one towel with the other twisted around her long black hair, she felt positively decadent. She had decided to make her jeans into shorts, with their various rips they were ready for it anyway. If she cut the tee a little, sleeves off and cropped, maybe, it would work.
She stopped dead when she saw the room. Her pack was gone, Blackie and Lambent where she had left them. There was art on the walls, flowers in vases, and a bookcase on the far wall. It was filled. Open mouthed, Linn wandered over to it. She spotted Coyote’s books, and a mix of her childhood favorites. She pulled a copy of the White Dragon off the shelf and realized it was her own copy. The inscription from her mother to her on her eighth birthday was on the flyleaf. Bewildered, she put it back.
Crossing the room again to the dresser, she pulled open the top drawer and found her underwear. Looking through it, she saw that some was her own, some was new. She started to dress with relief. She really, really hadn’t wanted to put the dirty clothes back on. She stopped and looked around. It was gone, too.
Linn pulled a long, well-worn t-shirt on and looked at the clock. If she napped for an hour she’d have plenty of time. She curled up and the bed and pulled Blackie closer. He started to purr and she closed her eyes. She slept dreamlessly until the alarm she had set sounded.
Chapter 23
Linn got up and looked in the closet. She had no idea what to wear, but when she saw the lone dress hanging there, she guessed it was the one. A vibrant blue covered with white hibiscus flowers, she realized as she took it off the hanger that it was a tankini and a wrap-around skirt. It almost completely covered her, but it felt light and cool. She shook Blackie awake.
“You don’t have to get dressed, but I know you’re going to want to come play.”
He stretched, showing his white fangs. “My, what long teeth you have,” Linn teased. He ignored her and trotted to the door. She opened it and they stepped out into the living room. Sekhmet and Steve, both back in great cat form, lolled on the carpet. The girls were dressed in identical bright pink muumuus, and ran to Linn when they saw her, hugging her tightly.
“Hey!” She bent and cuddled them, saying softly, “I didn’t go anywhere.”
Gareth strolled over nonchalantly, then reared up to lick her cheek. Linn wasn’t fooled by his little-boy bravado. She rubbed his ears. “It’s OK, I’m here.”
She looked sheepishly at Sekhmet, who laughed. “They have known you longer than they have known me at this point, child. Don’t worry. All will return to normal in time, but you...” She walked over to Linn, and then sat, face to face with the girl. “You will always be part of our family, and loved.”
Sekhmet touched her cool, wet nose to Linn’s, and then licked her cheek with her great rough tongue. Linn put her arms around the shaggy neck of the goddess. “Thank you,” she whispered in the fur. “I have gained so much this summer.”
“The same goes for me,” Steve said gravely. He was sitting next to Sekhmet now. “You have only to call and I will come running.”
Linn hugged him, too. His fur was sleeker, but the bulk of his musculature made him look as big as Sekhmet.
“Don’t cry, child. It’s time to go party a little!” He laughed at her, showing off his fangs. They were very white against his gleaming black fur.
She chuckled. Moira took her hand. “Linn! Look!”
Linn followed the insistent little girl to a balcony that she hadn’t realized was there, it blended with the plants inside so well. The glass doors stood open, allowing the sea breeze to sweep into the room. She stood on the brink for a moment, smelling the familiar sea, and yet subtly different from the cold Pacific she had grown up with.
With Patch tugging on one hand and Moira on the other, she went down the path to the private beach, surrounded by cliffs on the land side. A perfect semi-circle of black sand, gleaming in torchlight as the setting sun flamed in reds and oranges over one cliff.
She could smell barbecue and hear laughter as they reached the beach. Blackie and Gareth raced past her toward the waves. Patch and Moira giggled and took off after them. Linn followed, concerned for the little girls in the waves. Then she stopped as a foam-white woman rose up out of the waves and caught Moira, who shrieked with giggles as several others emerged from the waves and started to play with the children.
Linn realized they must be Naiads, there to protect the children, and went back up the beach to where the adults had gathered.
Pele met her and hugged her. “I see you found your things.”
“Yes, thank you. I was wondering what I was going to wear! The dress is pretty, thank you. How did you get my books here?”
“Come meet Cora, she’s just arrived,” her grandmother replied indirectly.
Linn let it go, following her grandmother to where the slim, pale girl was standing. She looked awkward. Linn felt badly for her. Taken from her family and brought to a strange place, even if it was a beautiful, comfortable place. At least Linn had family with her almost the whole time. And had made more family during the summer, too.
Linn held both her hands out to the younger girl. “You must be Cora. I’m Linn.”
“Hullo.” Cora smiled and took her hands. “Yes, I am. I’ve heard so much about you.”
Linn blinked in surprise. “You have?”
“Of course. My father knows your father.”
“What?” Linn squeaked.
“He sends his love,” Cora went on, smiling more widely at Linn’s reaction.
“Have you met him?”
“Oh, yes, I live with my father part of the year. The rest of the year I live in London with my mum.”
Cora tucked Linn’s arm in hers and they started to walk down the beach. At first, Linn was stunned, then the questions tumbled out of her. Cora answered cheerfully.
*****************
Sekhmet came to stand next to Pele. “Looks like they hit it off.”
“Yes, I thought they might. Nothing in common, of course, but they are of an age, and have no peers here.” The fiery goddess smiled at her friend.
“Stith and the kitsune have joined the furball in the surf.” The cat woman looked toward the water, luminescent with torchlight and a bioluminescent something the Naiads were providing. It was certainly very pretty.
Pele laughed. “Good, all the little furry children playing together.”
“Botan is somewhere around here with Cloud. They are much alike.”
“Very quiet and wise beyond their years. Not too much of a surprise.”
“Steve and I head out tomorrow afternoon.”
“Not going to wait?” Pele looked at her, a little surprised that they would cut their rest short.
Sekhmet shook her head. “I have a bad feeling about this.”
Pele sighed. “I am afraid I agree with you. Something is going on. This is so unlike their past campaigns.”
Sekhmet sipped from her glass. She was in human form for the party. Some things weren’t possible with paws. Long-stemmed glasses were one of them. Dresses were another, and a rare pleasure for her. She turned to look at Steve, who was helping a pair of Coblyns with the grill.
“So predictably male,” she murmured in amusement. Charred meat and fire, too, were peculiarly his milieu.
A running Coblyn caught her attention. Pele and Steve saw him coming, too, and they all converged on the little man. “Plane... The plane went down.”
“What!”
Pele cried out. “The twins, they went after the twins!”
Sekhmet turned to her.
“Steve and I are going now.” Her urgency made her voice rough.
“I am coming with you. Hypatia...” Pele looked around for the Scholar.
“I’m here.” A voice came from the depths of a cushioned wicker chair. “I can keep an eye on the children.”
“Thank you. Tell Linn where we went, please?” Pele asked.
The old woman stood, shedding some of her facade and moving more quickly than her normal. “Go. I will take care of them.”
They went, straight onto the High Path so quickly that none of the children realized they were gone until later.
Chapter 24
Linn and Cora had gone into the water, splashing and playing in the warm surf with the little kids. The kitsune, Linn learned, were the fox forms of the Japanese immortals. They were mischievous little girls. She hadn’t met Botan or Cloud, yet. Stith, a blue-eyed husky in dog form, and every bit as gangly and happy as a boy, was a joyful addition.
Linn finally left the water, tired out, and walked up to the patio area where she had left her skirt. She didn’t see anyone at first, until someone sitting in a shadowy chair cleared their throat.
“You must be Linn,” a papery voice addressed her.
“Yes, ma’am.” She walked curiously toward the chair until she could see a thin, elderly woman, her face a lacework of wrinkles framed by silver hair.
“Oh, call me Tia. Your grandmother, Sekhmet and Steve were called away.”
“Oh.” Linn felt her heart sink down to her toes. She swallowed to get the lump out of her throat.
“Yes, child. It isn’t good. I will let Pele tell you when she returns.” The scholar’s voice was warmly sympathetic.
Linn thought for a moment. It couldn’t be a crisis, or they would be bringing the children in. She finally spoke again, “I have been wanting to meet you, Tia.”
“Oh, have you now?” The old lady smiled broadly.
“I have some questions I’d like to ask you... You might not be able to answer, but I need to talk to someone!” Linn burst out.
Hypatia laughed. “Tomorrow, then, we shall meet in the library. Tonight, I think you and I have our hands full with the children.”
“I’m so glad we have the Coblyns and the Naiads helping.” Linn smiled at the Coblyn who was managing the grill and he grinned back. Suddenly it clicked what they reminded her of. She covered her mouth and choked back her laugh into a coughing fit.
“What?” Hypatia leaned forward, smiling.
Linn leaned down and whispered. “I just realized, it’s like living with Yoda’s family...”
Hypatia looked blank. “Who?”
“Have you ever seenStar Wars?”
The old woman shook her head.
Linn settled into the chair next to her. “I wonder if the library has DVDs.”
“Yes, there are quite a few. I haven’t had time for them.”
“Well, I think you and I should take a little time.” Linn grinned. This would be fun.
Hypatia laughed again. “Child, you are a jewel.”
Linn’s stomach growled. “Oooh... the food smells good. I wonder if it’s time to gather the kids?”
Daffyd appeared at her elbow, startling her. “They will come up when they are hungry, which should be about... now!”
Linn laughed as Blackie, dripping wet, led the charge to the picnic tables that had been set for the children. She excused herself from Hypatia, who seemed disinclined to get up, and went to help with serving.
The party wound down after dinner, as children started to get sleepy. Coblyns who Linn hadn’t met yet came and went, nodding and smiling at her but rarely speaking. Each sleepy child went off with one, until finally Linn and Hypatia were alone on the terrace.
“You should get some sleep, child.”
“I’m waiting for my grandmother.” Linn felt the weariness pulling her down, but didn’t think she would be able to sleep until she knew what was going on.
“I don’t think they will be back quickly, dear.” Hypatia stood slowly and laid a hand on Linn’s shoulder. “I’m going in. Why don’t you try, at least?”
“All right.” Linn nodded and got up, yawning as she did so. “I guess I should. Seems strange not to have to take care of the kittens.”
Hypatia squeezed her hand. “Sleep well, dear.”
“And you... I’ll see you in the morning?”
“Yes, I’ll be in the common room for breakfast.”
Linn didn’t know what time that would be, and decided she would find and ask a Coblyn before bed. “OK.”
Linn made her way up the path, missing her shadow kittens as she did. She wondered where they were. When she walked into her room she found out... lying on her bed, fast asleep. She laughed.
“Good thing Grandma gave me a big bed.” she told the sleeping furball.
After a shower and putting on jammies, Linn pushed Gareth out of the way and curled up, thinking about the evening. She thought she was going to be awake for a while... and then she drifted off.
Blackie, sitting on her chest and washing her face, awakened her.
“Pthhh! Hey! Gettoffa me!” Linn rolled off the bed and landed with a thump on the floor. She glared at the kitten, still on the bed looking down at her. He stuck a paw out and batted at her hair playfully.
“Oh, that’s it...” Linn grabbed him and rolled him on his back, growling and tickling his stomach. He growled back and wrapped all four paws around her arm, engulfing her hand in his jaws. He didn’t bite or scratch her, though. The kittens knew they could hurt, and chose not to. Gareth joined in the fray and the three of them wrestled for a few minutes.
Linn slipped away as the brothers played with one another. Dressing quickly, she ran a brush through her hair, wincing as the snarls from swimming pulled. Next time she needed to remember to braid it first. Leaving it in loose tendrils down her back, she slid on sandals and headed for breakfast.
Hypatia waved at her as she entered the big room where most meals were served. A Coblyn greeted her at the door with a little bow.
“If you would tell me what you would like, it will be brought to you, Miss Vulkane.”
Linn blinked. She didn’t think anyone had ever called her that. “Can you call me Linn, please? I’d like ham and eggs if that’s OK.”
“Yes, we would be happy to call you Linn. And it will be out shortly.”
Linn made her way through the scattered tables, water gardens and plants until she reached Hypatia. “It is so pretty in here.”
“Very soothing and peaceful.” Hypatia stood and kissed Linn’s cheek. “Did you sleep well, child?”
“Yes, until the kittens woke me. Did Grandmother come home yet?”
“No,” Hypatia shook her head and sat back down. “She sent word that it is complicated, and she will be home possibly tomorrow or the next day.”
“Oh.” Linn sat. “I’m feeling rather... lost. I don’t know what to do with myself. The Coblyns have the children well in hand...” To punctuate her point, a giggling Moira ran up.
“Linn!”
“Hey, sweety!” Linn scooped her up for a hug and nuzzled the little girl’s neck. Moira squirmed to get down.
“Bye!” And she was off again, with a young Coblyn woman in pursuit.
“See?” Linn chuckled, turning back to the older woman, who was smiling at the cute display.
“Would you like to try your hand at being my research assistant?” Hypatia offered. Linn had no idea that she would be taking the place of Peter, who was caught on the High Plane and badly missed by his lover.
“Sure! I love to read and look stuff up. What do you need help with?”
“Your grandfather said you would probably be helpful. And then Sekhmet and Coyote both told me the same thing.”
“Wow.” Linn was stunned at the references. “They said that?”
“Yes, dear, they all think highly of your intelligence, and your maturity. Your grandfather said you understand Operational Security, correct?”
Linn sobered. “Yes, ma’am. I know I wouldn’t be able to talk to anyone about what we are doing.”
Hypatia nodded. “Good girl. Now, as for what we are looking into, I will explain all in my office later. Now, please enjoy your breakfast.”
Linn looked up to see a Coblyn with a serving tray approaching.
“Hello, Linn!” the young woman said cheerfully. “I have your breakfast. When you’re done, if you could bring your dishes to the pass through...” she pointed toward a set of double doors Linn guessed led to the kitchen. “Let me know if you need anything else! I’m Deirdre. I’m your guide here at the Sanctuary.”
“Hi, Deirdre. How do I reach you?” the girl asked curiously.
“Oh, just speak my name and what you need. We have a system, sort of an intercom.”
Linn remembered her manners. “Thank you. It looks delicious.”
“You’re welcome. I have to run....” Deirdre bounced away.
Linn applied herself to her breakfast and Hypatia sipped her juice in silence for a while. Gareth and Blackie both strolled in, looking smug. She guessed they had been well-fed when they declined a taste of her ham. They sat with her for a minute, and then slipped away again.
Finished, Linn gathered her dishes and Hypatia showed her the pass through, where she handed them to another smiling Coblyn.
“How many of them are there?” she asked the scholar.
“Oh, hundreds at least. It’s like a small Coblyn town here in the Sanctuary. In exchange for their living, they work various jobs to keep it running smoothly.” Hypatia led her into another tunnel.
“I’m having trouble telling some of them apart.” Linn admitted ruefully, following her.
“Oh, I’m fairly sure they do that on purpose.”
Linn laughed. “Well, OK, I guess that just keeps guests guessing, then. I mean, I’d know Deirdre or Daffyd on sight, but most of them don’t introduce themselves.”
“Names are important to the Coblyns. They rarely gift them to others, and never to a stranger.”
Hypatia led Linn out into an unfamiliar tunnel, and then briskly down it to a door with the word “Scholar” engraved on it. Hypatia touched the carving. “Flattering, this, it was in place and ready for me when I arrived. I didn’t even know I was coming, but your grandparents prepared.”
Vulcan's Kittens (Children of Myth Book 1) Page 13