by Pam Uphoff
Paer pried an eye open, jerked upright and snatched the letter. "Endi!"
Rael giggled. "I knew you'd want that one." Dammit, he never sent me anything.
"Oh . . . 'Good going, Zucchini. I won't be able to come watch, but my minions assure me they will get me a vid. So win it, eh?' Drat. Well, at least that'll make you guys's job easier."
Xiat groaned. "It never occurred to me that we needed to watch for him!"
Rael handed over the book. Gorgeous little water colors here and there throughout a big fat volume of stories from Target Forty-two, titled Tales of Magic.
At first glance it looked like a children's book, and perhaps it was. But Paer started reading, and quickly giggling. A good way for her to relax. I'll bet Urfa had a conniption . . . well, all right, I don't think he does conniptions. He probably just had the whole thing scanned so the stories can be analyzed by sociologists and psychologists and whatever.
In the morning, Ezli announced that the horse van bringing the two last team members back here had been in a traffic accident. "Fortunately, and I'm embarrassed to say this, the riders were hurt worse than the horses. I'll be getting more information shortly, and I'll let you all know how Igdo and Ytbw are doing."
He bit his lip. "If it seems at all possible that they won't be ready for the Olympics, I'll invite Isgu and Efro to come up here."
Rael sat and thought that over. "An attempt was made to upset Paer enough to mess up a show, and one really bad score would have dropped her completely out of contention. Now we have this accident, and a good chance Efro and Isgu will make the team after all."
Xiat hunched a shoulder. "Fortunately there's not a third time to make it enemy action."
Paer squirmed. " Isgu carried on about his cinch, after Florence."
Rael bit her lip. "Is tack sabotage very common?"
"Common enough that everyone has a guard just standing around to keep an eye on things when people are whizzing in and out of the stabling area. And all night, of course . . . " Paer hesitated. "I didn't actually pay attention, at the time. But in Berlin, Snip did replace my cinch and stirrup leathers."
"I'll go ask him." Rael headed for the barn.
"I wasn't sure, I mean, it just looked like surface cracks from drying . . . But I don't let that happen. It was just one stirrup leather, but I replaced everything and looked over the saddle really really well." Snip turned to the tack chest behind him. Pulled out a long strip of leather. "See? These cracks right here."
Rael eyed them, knowing she was ignorant of most thing equine. "Do you have the other one? I'll send them in for some serious analysis, just in case."
By the time she caught up to Paer, the girl was explaining to the Team captain that she'd talked to Major Eppa, and he could send the Black Horse's extra low ambulance trailer to bring the injured horses here . . .
Is she being nice, or is she thinking there's a problem?
The Captain was looking dubious as Rael strolled casually up to the pair.
She tipped him a friendly grin. "You might as well get used to it. You're going to have guards all over, trying to not be obnoxious about it. In fact, you can take advantage of it. No one is going to fool with Paer's tack, so that means no one will get near anyone else's, either. Or the horses."
"I . . . " He flapped his arms a bit. "I had not considered the issue of Princess Paer's guards."
Paer rolled her eyes.
Rael giggled. "Trust me, she's much too nice to be a Princess candidate, let alone a trained Princess. We'll try to be assets, not nuisances."
Ezli nodded. "I talked to the driver, he says the brakes got soft, so he started pulling over, and then they were just gone, on a steep grade, with a sharp corner at the end. He said the emergency brakes were out, too. He said he downshifted, and started looking for the best tree to hit, when Good and Yip, in their bloody damned car pulled in front of them, matched his speed, slowed to contact then hit the brakes. The car is totaled, the horse van barely dented. I'm almost afraid to ask if there's any indication of sabotage."
"Ah. That kind of thing, this close to Paer . . . Asset on the way. Hopefully to find nothing but natural causes." Rael pulled out her comm and stepped away as she tapped out Izzo's number. The Interior Directorate had both the labs and the experienced personnel for this sort of thing . . . An irritated underling told her that Izzo was already in Lyon.
"Indeed . . . Good's having surgery on his shoulder this morning. He may be healed by the Olympics, but he won't be up to strength. Yip's got a concussion . . . we'll see."
Paer eyed him. " Isgu or Efro?"
The captain winced. "I think we need to invite both of them. And get them up to speed, in case Yip is out as well."
Paer eyed Rael.
Rael nodded her understanding. Isgu and Efro profited by the sidelining of two team members. Who else had a motive?
One bloody hell, I hope there's an easy explanation for the brakes failing.
***
Ezli was back in an hour. "Why, yes, it would be convenient for us if the Black Horse Guards would transport three horses from Lyon to Linz. And since we'll be a bit tight on living space—this temporary housing, with four bedrooms and bathrooms would be perfect for Vueg, Reyc, Paer and a female guard. Nice and secure."
Paer grinned. "What! But I was having so much fun watching the guards freak out checking the bathroom after anyone else had used it, because maybe there was a male human being lurking in there."
Xiat reached over her shoulder and pointed her minicomp at the captain's. "Got it. And laugh all you want, we really appreciate this."
"Well, the old mansion is set up to hold the whole ten member team. And cook for them, feed them, and give them two rooms to slouch around in, and one room converted into a medical clinic . . . " Ezli shrugged. "But it's, umm, snug. Everyone else lives in the barns or temporary housing. Including the coaches."
Paer nodded. "With a groom for every horse . . . the farrier and vet aren't full time, are they?"
"No, but we've got three drivers, the muck out boys, warm up riders, three men who keep up the facilities—we have to drag four arenas at least once a day—who am I forgetting? Oh, the two nutritionists. One for the horses, one for the riders."
Paer nodded. "Met them both yesterday. You wouldn't believe what they have me eating!"
A smirk from Okqi, walking past. "Oh, we believe."
"Every time I turn around, one of my childhood heroes walks by." Paer glanced at the frowning Rael. "Three time Olympic champ. One gold medal, two bronze medals."
"Just as well someone around here isn't horse mad and drooling over equines when they ought to be paying attention." Giggle.
After a good long ride, Paer was more than willing to again collapse in the Guard's trailer. "Madam Chin's a piker. Master Ibja . . . wants to know everything Crystal and I can do."
"Jump anything and everything." Rael eyed her. "Take a nap, the temporary housing is due in an hour. Hook up the plumbing and you're golden."
"They really are taking advantage. I think the temporary may become permanent, after the Olympics."
"Not our problem . . . well, your Team Membership doesn't expire with the Olympics, you'll be in and out of here, with me trailing along going 'but your homework! At this rate you'll never graduate from high school! Don't glare, you caught up nicely, the last few months. After the Olympics I'll start nagging you again. Right now even Urfa has to admit that your concentration is elsewhere."
"Yep." But Paer pulled out her minicomp to check . . . "Ha! I aced the report on horse populations. Just the final left, and I'll pass Geography I. Ha! I'll beat Ra'd yet."
She ignored Xiat's wince. All right, so that's not exactly a high bar, just now. But he's catching up fast, now that he's not getting sent home every other week.
She treated herself to the next silly story. The nice witch girls versus the snobby witch girls, and a fight in the orchard with chocolate oranges for weapons . . . After which the Massive
ly Strict Grownups made them eat all the ruined fruit. She eyed the next story, then firmly shut the book. One story a day.
I ought to do some studying . . . She pulled up the next Latin lesson, stuck the phone in her ear and walked off muttering about who was going to the forum. Or had already been. I could translate my Olympic goals . . . I will come. I will ride. I will take the Gold.
"Veniet. Et equitare. Et something aurum. Umm, needs some work." She shut down the program, and settled on a bench to watch Vueg—Veggie—ride her lean excitable gelding around a course full of tight turns.
Heaven. Maybe I should forget college and just ride all my life.
Then the move into the new building. The guards stuck Paer at one end and took the next room. Veggie laughed. "And I thought I had too little freedom! Don't worry kid, two more years and maybe your dad will be out, and you'll be free."
Paer bit her lip. "And I'll be eighteen. Maybe they'll back off then." And I'll miss all my friends! I want Rael to be my big sister forever!
Reyc poked her head into the other end room. "Hey, these are classy. We ought to have pulled in a Presidential daughter years ago."
General laughter, and checking of rooms. The guys didn't seem to mind, they were talking about shifting around themselves.
Ezli shook his head. "Don't get too ambitious. Until we pare the team back down there's only one extra room. Two, until Igdo comes back. Surgery went well, so as soon as the hospital will release him, he's headed for home and family. We might see him back in a month, but frankly, I think he's out for the year. Yip will be here tomorrow, but not riding until the doc clears him."
"What about . . . " Kookie—Okqi—raised his eyebrows.
"I've talked to both Isgu and Efro. Needless to say they're both ready to drop everything and come. I told them to be here in a week. By then we'll know how Yip is doing. And their horses, although the vet I talked to said they'd had a bit of shaking about, so bruises and stiffness, but no strains, sprains or anything else."
Yip—Ytbw—sported a neck brace and a spectacular black eye and bruising running back into his black hair. "Eighteen staples, this time. A new record for me."
"I can't believe you did that!" Veggie looked him up and down and shook her head.
"Hey, Good was driving. I just navigated. Uh oh." That last was his sighting Ezli with an older man.
"Yep. The doc's here, and you look like the One's own Hell." Ezli jabbed a decisive finger toward the clinic.
The next day the Black Horse trailer eased into the stable yard. Paer gave Crystal a last scratch and walked out to watch the three equine passengers debark.
The horses all looked a bit stiff as they walked off, but that was nothing unusual after a long day in a trailer. The first two were led by familiar grooms from Versalle.
There was a Guard driving, of course. The fellow that got out the far side must have been the regular driver. He made a beeline for Ezli.
"I don't understand it. I swear we had the van in for a complete servicing a month ago. How the hell half the underside rusted since then . . . well, I guess it wasn't obvious, but bloody hell! That was pretty scary."
"He means really, incredibly scary." The man leading the third horse had a wrap around his wrist. "I can't believe Good did that! I thought we'd killed him."
The driver nodded. "He got a little sideways, and quicker than you could tell it, the car got shoved all the way sideways, rolled a couple of times, then skidded downhill on its roof, with us crushing in the side for a good fifty meters. Then we all slewed off the road and the car hit some trees. Thank the One we were all but stopped by then, else . . . I couldn't believe it when they both crawled out."
Yip circled the trailer, his grin breaking out as he spotted his horse. "Hey, no regrets. There will be another Olympics in four years." He clapped the groom on the shoulder, then threw his arms around the horse's neck.
The groom grinned and handed over the lead rope. Apparently this was one Olympic champ who knew how to actually care for a horse.
Paer thought that over. Actually, I'll bet they all do. It's the spoiled darlings of the show circuit who never muck out stalls, never pick out a hoof. At this level, they're all expert at everything about horses. Endi gave me a good start . . . but Dear One, I'm an infant compared to these guys.
She spotted Snip and waved him over as she followed Yip and his horse into the barn. "All that stuff Endi taught you guys, will it help bruises?"
Yip looked around. "Everyone says your horseboy uses magic on Crystal."
Snip squirmed. "Well, I try. Don't know how well I manage, but . . . " He reached out toward Planke's Noir introducing himself with a hand to be smelled and breathed on.
Paer eyed the rider. Silver medal four years ago. "My guards would never let me get away with something so dangerous."
"Well, I didn't think the car would get rolled like that." Yip grinned. "In retrospect, it was insane, but, two men and three horses . . . "
A snicker from his groom. "We know you did it for Noir."
Yip flushed. "Well."
Paer sighed. "You'd have done it even if it had been some other horses, wouldn't you?"
"Well . . . " He shot Paer a half panicked look. "Don't go romanticizing me, and really, really don't do puppy love. I like guys, and it gets embarrassing when women corner me and get fresh." His eyes sheered toward the housing area.
Paer snickered. "Reyc or Veggie?"
"Veggie. For a minute there I was afraid I was going to have to beat her off."
Paer bit her lip and tried to not laugh. Turned back to the horse and watched Snip running his hands over the big muscular bay. Hands with a faint glow.
Yip's gaze went from those hands to the horse as he dropped his head and relaxed.
"Hmm. Davy? You paying attention?"
"Yeah . . . " The groom crouched down squinting at Snip's hands.
Paer closed her eyes and opened her mental shields to incoming . . . healing spells? Some push and pull spells, a deep massage, perhaps. "On days like this, I think it would be nice to be able to trade and travel to Target forty-two. Then I could get Endi to come back and teach me these sorts of things."
"He didn't? Oh, I'll bet you hadn't bloomed."
Paer nodded. "So I missed out on the magic massage lessons. Not to mention the calcium crystallization he used on Crystal's ankle."
"Yeah, I was surprised she came back from that." Yip stepped up and patted Noir as Snip straightened.
"Nothing much wrong with him." Snip eyed the man's bruised face and shook his head. "Pity brains don't heal faster."
"Yeah. Anti-inflammatory spells and some very specialized-for-brains healing spells, extra weak so they don't make things worse in the long run. Dammit. The doc doesn't want me on a horse for six months."
They walked away, talking. Paer turned back to Crystal's stall.
A faint snicker from behind her, and Paer glanced over her shoulder.
Wtdy shook his head. "Never forget that horses are equipment. We love them, but we'll also love the next one."
Paer choked.
"Oh, C'mon. We've all seen pics of you with your old pony. You can love him, and care for him all his life. Same with Crystal. But you'll be getting a younger horse soon enough, and you'll love him just as much."
"Well, yeah."
"Just remember, for the rest of this year, they are the equipment that will get you a place in any stable in the world."
Paer blinked. "Well . . ."
"Ah, youth, never looking more than one step ahead. I'll bet you're worse than Yip." He shook his head and walked off.
That's a very practical and . . . professional way to look at it. That Olympic medal, even just making the Team, is such a huge accomplishment. It'll take me wherever I want to go.
Where do I want to go?
She stepped back to lean on Crystal's stall. The big grey mare stepped over, her mouth full of hay. A soft whiff of breath, then back to chewing.
; Someplace where my horses are always my friends, never my equipment.
Chapter Twelve
18 Yusef 1398
Linz, Paris Division, One World
Rael was delighted to spot Izzo's car at the farm gate. They'd switched from rather lackadaisical security with a remote opener to two Blackhorse guards on duty full time. They let Izzo in and Rael tapped Xiat mentally.
:: Your boyfriend's here. ::
A mental growl. :: Bring him to the barn, it's as close to private as we can get."
When they walked in, they found Xiat with Ezli, outside Crystal's stall.
"Izzo, this is Captain Ezli. Ezli, Izzo's somehow become the Regional Analyst, despite his police background."
"A pleasure, I hope. What did you find?"
"A lot of rust in a very odd . . . shape. Best guess is someone sprayed a strong oxidizing agent up onto the undercarriage, just a quick spray as they walked by, as there's just a fan shaped distribution. What actually failed first was probably pretty random. The new oil filter was starting to leak, there was damage to the wheels, springs, shock absorbers, the works. It's . . . well, we don't quite know what they used. Hopefully the lab can tell us."
Rael hesitated . . . stepped over to the trash barrel and plucked out a crooked nail.
She held it out and concentrated. It rusted, crumbled.
"Fast oxidation spell. Not commonly taught. I can affect things a couple of meters away. It will affect things that would have been shielded from a spray, especially something sprayed quickly, so the pattern of damage will be diagnostic."
Izzo winced. "That . . . explains most of the irregularities the lab techs were pointing out. Princess school teaches that?" He look at Xiat.
She nodded. "I haven't used it since I passed the Miscellaneous Magic finals in my senior year. Mind you there were times I could have used an unrust spell, but that they don't have."