by Davis Ashura
The sun seemed to breach the gloomy clouds when Serena smiled. “That’s a sweet thought.”
After dropping Serena off at the hotel, William drove back to Jake’s house and went inside.
Mr. Ridley greeted him in the foyer. “I’m sorry for treating your friend like that, but you have to understand—”
“Forget it,” William said, not wanting to rehash any explanations. He especially didn’t trust that the red-eyed beast wouldn’t wake up. The last thing he wanted was to have it unleashed on Mr. Ridley. “Did Jake tell you about Rukh and Jessira?”
“They’re the ones who saved him last summer?”
William nodded, although he didn’t like thinking about how close Jake had come to dying. It had been a matter of seconds. “You know, I hated having to tell you what happened the whole time after it occurred.”
“I hated having to hear it,” Mr. Ridley said, “but Jake’s fine now, and I don’t care if he still talks about Rukh and Jessira like they’re royalty.”
“No,” William corrected. “He talks about them like they’re divine.”
Mr. Ridley grinned. “I don’t know about that, but Jessira looks the part. She’s about as divine as any woman I’ve ever seen.”
“I can hear you,” Mrs. Ridley said from the rear of the house.
Mr. Ridley’s grin became sheepish.
“I’m betting Jessira heard, too,” William whispered. “Same with Rukh. He hears everything.”
“William, we might need your help,” Jessira called.
Mr. Ridley’s smile utterly departed, and William chuckled. He raised the pitch of his voice, making sure those in the back of the house could hear him. “Besides, Jake feels the same way about her. You know, like father like son.”
“You jackass!” Jake protested. “That goes against the bro-code, ratting me out like that.”
William laughed, and he and Mr. Ridley entered the kitchen. In the family room, he saw Rukh and Jessira looming over Johnny, who sat on the couch, wide-eyed and still. Mrs. Ridley fretted nearby.
“Hey, Johnny,” William said.
“He goes by John now,” Jake replied, standing next to his mom. “He says he’s too old for Johnny.”
“How old are you, John?” Rukh asked.
Jake answered instead of John. “Last birthday he turned fifteen-years-dumb.”
“Ha, ha,” Johnny—no—John replied.
“We need your blood,” Jessira said to William.
Mrs. Ridley twisted her hands in fear but didn’t say anything. Mr. Ridley went to her, put his arm around her shoulders, and drew her close.
Jake spoke. “Why? If you’re thinking of transforming John into a raha’asra, it won’t work. A raha’asra’s blood doesn’t transform every normal person like that. It’s unpredictable.”
Rukh nodded. “John doesn’t have a magical malady, but William’s blood might make the Healing easier. The necrosed portion in it might, anyway.”
Mrs. Ridley stepped out of Mr. Ridley’s arms, and fear lit her features. “It won’t change Johnny into what Jake is?”
“It shouldn’t,” William said. At least, I hope not.
“I need to cut your forearm,” Rukh told William, displaying a kukri. “Don’t worry, I’ll Heal it. You won’t have a scar.”
William held out his arm, and Rukh made a shallow slice. The cut stung, and an instant later, blood welled. William winced, but the beast within, his simmering anger, held the pain at bay.
“You’re next,” Rukh said to John.
Jake’s brother had grown pale, but he bravely held out his arm as well.
Rukh quickly sliced it and immediately grabbed William’s bleeding forearm. He pressed their wounds together until the blood mingled. After a few seconds, he grunted in satisfaction and separated them. “We’ll see if that helps,” he said before focusing on William. “Ready for a mild Healing?”
William took several deep breaths and readied himself. He hated this part. “Go ahead.”
Rukh sourced his lorethasra, and the tang of iron filled the air. It was a scent only an asrasin could smell. Rukh held William’s arm, and his eyes went blank as he stared at the wound. A moment later, lightning poured out of his hands.
William’s muscles went taught as the Healing entered him. He became hot and cold at the same time. The pain from the lightning rippled outward from the wound and spread to his fingertips. It traveled up his shoulders, across his chest, and through the rest his body, all the way to his scalp. William imagined his hair standing on edge. The pain went on for what felt like minutes but in reality was probably less than a second. When it ended, the wound on his forearm was healed without a scar.
Jessira moved to kneel beside John. “I need you to lie down.”
John shifted until he lay on the couch.
“Do you mind if I put my hands on your head?” Jessira asked.
John gave an uncertain nod but then firmness filled his eyes. “Do whatever you need to do.”
Jessira took John’s head in her hands, and her eyes went blank, like Rukh’s had only a few moments prior. “This is going to hurt,” she warned. Her hands glowed, and so did her green eyes. Her honey-blonde hair, hanging loose for once, billowed about her face. Lightning coursed out of Jessira’s hands and into John’s head.
Immediately, he spasmed, stiffening as if all of his muscles had clenched at once. The lightning continued to bleed out of Jessira, and John’s mouth gaped and closed, gaped and closed.
Mrs. Ridley pressed a fist to her lips and made a horrified sound. Mr. Ridley drew her again into his embrace. Jake went pale. His jaw clenched, and he took a single step forward before coming to a lurching halt.
William gave him a brief nod of support before returning his attention to John. The lightning still poured from Jessira and into Jake’s brother. He continued to gape and close his mouth while his posture remained rigid and unmoving.
This was a far longer Healing than William had expected. He sought reassurance from Rukh, but he had his attention focused on Jessira and John.
William swallowed heavily.
The lightning finally ended, and John groaned once before going limp. Mr. Ridley rushed to his side, crouching down and hugging his son while Rukh moved to support Jessira.
“John?” Mr. Ridley said. He cradled his son, peering into his vacant face. “Can you hear me?”
John’s head flopped, and he didn’t reply. Mrs. Ridley cried out.
Mr. Ridley’s head snapped toward Rukh and Jessira. “What’s wrong with him?” Terror filled his features.
“He’s only asleep,” Jessira answered. William noticed dark circles under her eyes. Her entire bearing spoke of overwhelming tiredness. She swayed on her feet, barely able to stay upright.
“Then he’ll be okay?” Mr. Ridley asked.
“He’ll be fine,” Rukh said as he helped settle Jessira on a nearby chair.
“But is he healed?” Mrs. Ridley asked. She knelt next to Mr. Ridley and stroked John’s head.
“It’s too soon to tell,” Jessira replied. “We’ll know more when he wakes up.”
Mr. Ridley rose with John in his arms. He took him to his bedroom, which was on the first floor, while Jake huddled with his mom.
William watched the scene play out and wished Landon could be similarly Healed and his memories restored.
Several hours after John’s healing, Jake checked in on his little brother. He still rested, hopefully comfortable and at peace as he slept in his room full of nerd stuff—a life-sized Alien, like from the movie, some wizards and dragons, a poster of Robocop, another of some silly show called “V,” U2 from LiveAid, and a final one of Cindy Crawford. His mom didn’t approve of the latter, but Jake did. Cindy Crawford was gorgeous. As for the geek stuff, he couldn’t care less. Everything else in John’s room belonged in a nerd lair, like something William, Daniel, or Jason would have wanted. Then again, John was a geek. He always had been.
Jake smiled. He still had trouble referring to
his brother as anything other than Johnny, but time never stopped and they all had to change and grow up.
Jake further darkened the room by closing the blinds. He softly tiptoed out the door, shutting it softly behind him and making his way to the family room.
His dad was talking to William. “College is like mal-tuition. It’s a waste of good money.” His eyes sparkled. “Get it?”
Jake rolled his eyes. It was an old topic that always got his dad on his soapbox, and the pun hadn’t improved with time.
“All you need are some math and finance classes at the community college,” Dad continued, “and you’ll be fine.”
“Unless you want to do liberal arts or history,” William said. “Or major in theater or music.”
Dad scoffed. “All that does is train you to ask if you’d like fries with that.”
“What’s wrong with working in fast food?” William asked. “It’s hard as hell.”
Jake did a double-take. “When did you ever work fast food?”
“During the summer between sophomore and junior year,” William said. “It sucked, but it also taught me a lot, like giving me respect for those who do it. Those people are busting their humps.”
Jake’s dad held up his hands as if placating William. “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with fast food,” he said in agreement. “I spent every summer in high school and college flipping burgers for tuition.”
Rukh smiled. “Ironic. You went to college, but now you decry it?”
Mom laughed. “He’s got you there, Steven.”
Dad shook his head. “No, he doesn’t,” he said. “See, the thing is, back then a person could flip burgers and afford college. It was affordable. Now everyone needs student loans.” He harrumphed. “It’s disgusting how much colleges charge nowadays, and don’t get me started on making a living in fast food. It can’t be done.”
The doorbell rang.
“I’ll get it,” Dad said.
Mom met Jake’s gaze. “That’ll be Steve and Sonya.”
Seconds later, Steve Aldo and Sonya Bowyer, Jake’s girlfriend throughout high school, entered the kitchen. He hadn’t seen either of them since that night when Adam Paradiso had kidnapped him to Sinskrill, had barely spoken to them, in fact, since he’d escaped to Arylyn, only a few phone calls. Steve had grown a goatee and might have put on some weight around his middle, but his dark eyes remained curious and alive, and the hint of an easy grin remained at the edges of his mouth.
Sonya had also changed. Her face, always beautiful, had gained character and she remained fit and fashionable with big hair—maybe bigger than ever—and snug jeans. Both of them wore curious expressions that became welcoming smiles when they saw Jake.
He hugged Sonya and Steve, while William, Rukh, and Jessira shook hands with them.
“That’s our signal,” Dad said. “We’ll leave you kids to get reacquainted.” He and Mom said their goodnights and headed upstairs.
Rukh and Jessira rose to their feet as well. “I think we’ll also leave you to do whatever the young do,” Rukh said.
Jake caught Steve watching them exit and eyeing them in speculation. “I remember a Rukh and Jessira from St. Francis,” he said, “but they were freshmen.”
“Those two are the same Rukh and Jessira you knew from before,” Jake said to his old friend.
“How’s that possible?” Sonya asked. “They were freshmen when we were seniors. Now they look way older than us.”
“Life,” Jake replied, knowing his enigmatic response didn’t really answer her question.
Steve studied him. “You’ve changed, too,” he said. He shifted his focus to William. “Both of you.”
William smiled in reply. “Lots of things have changed. Jake is going to tell you about it.”
His words sparked a reminder, and Jake sourced his lorethasra. He quickly wove a braid to prevent Steve and Sonya from speaking of what they were about to learn.
“So, what happened to the two of you?” Sonya asked. Her pleasure at seeing Jake seemed to have dissolved, and she stood with arms crossed. “You guys disappeared one night, and I hear you’ve been back for months. Only now you want to talk?”
“You might want to sit down,” Jake said. “We’ve got a story to tell.”
He and William spent the next hour explaining about asra, Arylyn and Sinskrill, and the ongoing ancient war between the two hidden islands. They didn’t bother mentioning Seminal or Shet.
Sonya barked in disbelief in the middle of their explanation. “You really expect me to believe this?”
William answered by causing a ball of fire to flicker on the palm of his hand. Jake made one of water and sent it colliding into William’s braid. A puff of steam exploded from the point of contact.
“You see?” Jake said. “What you saw was nothing. And that’s how it always begins. Very small.”
Sonya had always been a tough sell, though, and it took a few more demonstrations before she believed they spoke truth. She didn’t like it one bit when Jake told her she wouldn’t be able to tell anyone else about what she’d learned.
“That’s bullshit!” she exclaimed, rising to her feet.
William didn’t back down in the slightest. “Those are the rules we’ve got to go by. So do you.”
Jake eyed his friend in surprise. Prior to Sinskrill William had always been tongue-tied around Sonya. He’d acted like a doofus, really. Now here he was standing up for himself.
Sonya sputtered to a halt, apparently put off by William’s unwillingness to bend to her will. She eventually resumed her seat next to Steve on the couch.
Jake changed the subject. “What have you two been up to?”
Sonya gave William one last glare. “We’re both going to the Ohio State University,” she said, “and we’re both working toward getting into dental school, but Steve won’t cut it if he keeps trying to graduate Summa Cum Lauderdale.”
Jake shared a puzzled frown with William.
“It means he parties all the time instead of actually studying,” Sonya explained. “You know, like Spring Break at Fort Lauderdale.”
“I’ve gotten better,” Steve protested. He waved aside whatever Sonya might have been about to say. “Enough about us. You guys seriously live on some paradise?”
“We do, although Jake wishes none of this had happened,” William said with a smile.
Jake didn’t smile. “I have my reasons,” he said to Steve and Sonya, who stared at him in curiosity. “I had to pay too much for my magic.”
Sonya eyed him in sympathy. “It sounds like you’ve been put through the ringer.” She reached for Jake’s hand and squeezed it briefly. “Sorry if I came off kind of harsh.”
Jake managed a weak smile. “No biggie.” He gestured to William. “But can you believe my best friend in the world is this dork?”
Steve cracked up. “Three years ago, I never would have believed it.”
“Me, neither,” William added.
Sonya stared from Jake to William and back again. “You’ve talked about fighting your way off that one island, and that Serena was one of those mahavans or whatever, but which one of you is better?”
Jake frowned. “You mean stronger with asra? Or the better fighter?”
“Both,” Steve said.
“William. In both categories,” Jake answered without hesitation.
Steve’s eyes widened in surprise. “Seriously?” Disbelief tinged his tone.
Jake nodded. “The last two years of high school, he spent every night learning to fight. He could have kicked all our asses if he wanted.” He smiled wryly. “I’m only glad he never had a reason to.”
“What about Serena?” Sonya asked. “Other than being a bitch—”
“Careful,” Jake said. “She’s our friend now.”
Sonya waved his words away. “Whatever. How tough is she?”
Again, it was Jake who answered. “William could probably take her, but I’d have trouble. She’s so damn focused. She
and William are a good pair. They’re both too intense for their own good.”
Sonya eyed William in speculation. “You and Serena are . . .”
“Friends,” William said. “Nothing more.”
Although they could be, if William wasn’t such an dumbass, Jake thought.
TROUBLESOME TRUTHS
January 1990
* * *
Although he’d only come back from visiting Jake’s family yesterday, William wanted to get right back to work.
He’d talked Ward Silver, the magus who had taught him how to weave multiple braids, into helping him out. The two of them stood in an empty field north of Linchpin Knoll, getting ready for a sparring session. All combat training began with governors, the leather helmets meant to restrict their ability to source lorethasra, and they placed them on their heads. While William didn’t need one any more—he could control his braids well enough to not hurt someone with whom he was sparring—he and Ward both figured it was better safe than sorry. Plus, William couldn’t tell when the angry beast lurking in the back of his mind would surge to life. He hadn’t told anyone about it, but most of his friends had realized something was bothering him. They occasionally walked on eggshells around him, and he hated that. Some had even mentioned that his self-inflicted stress about stopping Shet was turning him into a dick.
It wasn’t true. The stress part, anyway. Something else was going on, and he wasn’t sure what it meant, but he knew it probably wasn’t anything good.
William tried to shove aside his worries and took a moment to study his opponent.
Ward was in his mid-twenties and had the dark-skinned, dark-haired, dark-eyed features that proclaimed him as a native of Arylyn. He also was a skilled craftsman and could wield lorethasra as a weapon more effectively than anyone William knew, except for Rukh and Jessira.
William set his governor in place, attaching the flaps across the front of his neck and buckling the straps under his chin. The helmet tightened on its own until it fit snugly over his head. He took in a deep breath and rolled his shoulders. The warm, humid air had him sweating, and he fanned himself with his shirt. The loamy smell of wet leaves and mold filled the clearing as birds cried out from the surrounding forest. An occasional breeze rattled the branches and stirred the leaves, rustling them until they sounded like cicadas in song. It also helped to keep the clearing from growing more stifling than it already was.