by Jeff Gunzel
*
In the morning, Aleesia set out bowls of fresh fruit before taking a seat at the table. Assirra couldn’t help but notice the large quantities being offered. Far more than they could possibly eat in one sitting, the kind gesture did not go unnoticed. Aleesia was trying to make their last meal feel special. They ate in silence, stalling. Their time together had been enjoyable, but it would soon be at an end.
“And what will you do now?” Aleesia asked, breaking the silence without looking up from her bowl.
A wide-open question that Assirra had to think about before answering. “I cannot go back to Eldham,” she said with a shrug. “Nor can I stay here,” she added quickly just as Aleesia tried to speak. “You were correct in your earlier assessment. Sooner or later the tarrins will realize I am not coming back, in which case they may come looking for me.”
“They might just assume you are dead.”
“Indeed, and that would be best,” Assirra agreed. “Still, they will come looking for me either way, either to seek validity of my death, or to prove that I have indeed betrayed them.” She shrugged again. “An argument can be made for both, I suppose. I am undoubtedly a traitor, and my old life is now dead to me.”
“Can’t you reason with them?” Aleesia asked. “You were their High Cleric, after all. Doesn’t that title still carry some authority?”
“That title is precisely what makes me a traitor,” Assirra explained. “For years I preached the ways of Odao to my people. And now it will appear as if I had been lying to them all that time. In a way, I suppose I have been lying to them, but it was never my intent. Remember, Aleesia, you were banished forever on my authority just for turning your back on our ancient ways.” She sighed heavily. “Their High Cleric turned traitor? Well, I would most likely be executed. And if I were to be found here with you, then you will also likely swing from a rope. And after all you have done for me, I will not risk your life a moment longer.
“I do not regret my choice. I feel as though my eyes are open for the first time. I have been given a second chance and I don’t intend to waste it.” Assirra drummed her fingers on the table as she looked at Aleesia thoughtfully. “But that is not what you asked me. You asked what I will do now and the answer is simple. Thanks to you, I will do what I was incapable of doing before. I now have a purpose, a challenge that must be met head-on. No more am I that messenger slave to a deity who cares nothing for me or my kind. That chain around my neck is broken forever.
“My friends are out there,” she said, pointing to the door. “They think I am an incompetent weakling, and with good reason. But that is no longer true. They have been burdened with an impossible task, and I plan to help shoulder that burden. They need my help, and this time I will not let them down.”
“No one ever saw you as weak, Assirra,” Aleesia said. “You were the strongest woman in the village.”
“I was the greatest liar in the village. I learned at a young age that I could go far in life by pretending to be strong when I knew I wasn’t. I fooled everyone, even myself for a time. But those days are over. I don’t have to pretend anymore.” Assirra rose from her seat. “We can put this off no longer, Aleesia. We both know my departure is long overdue. I must go now.”
Aleesia stood and rounded the table. “I can see that I can’t talk you out of this. After all, you always were a stubborn one. But you have no idea where your friends are. Where will you look first?”
Assirra shied away, both caught off guard and embarrassed by the practical question. “I do not know,” she admitted. “But that does not mean I should not start looking.”
Aleesia flashed a knowing, mischievous smile. “I just might be able to help you with that.”
A moment later they were back at the table, Assirra sitting while Aleesia stood behind her, fingers on her temples. “You may very well have surpassed my abilities, but there is still no substitute for experience,” Aleesia said. “I still have a trick or two up my sleeve.”
Her words were true enough. Over the years she had developed a set of abstract skills due to the constant handling of the otherworldly energy. Not unlike the spiritists, on occasion at least, she could see faraway objects through channeling the dead’s energy. But since the spirit energy was not whole anymore, she could only catch fleeting glimpses here and there. Perhaps they would get lucky this day.
“Now, I want you to imagine your friends,” Aleesia said, rubbing circles around Assirra’s temples. “I need you to picture them vividly, to focus on every detail in your mind’s eye. The more detailed an image you can summon, the better the chance of finding them.” Assirra did as she was told, trying to imagine each of them in turn. “You must do better,” Aleesia warned after a time. “There are many people in the world. If you cannot be more specific, then we will have no chance. As it is, these fleeting visions are sketchy at best.”
Assirra cleared her head and tried again. Not only was she trying to see them in her mind, she was trying to feel them as well. They each had traits that made them unique, special in their own ways. Liam’s bumbling curiosity, Owen’s grumpy nature, Xavier’s virtue, and Viola’s empathy. They each had a voice of their own, a unique energy of sorts that made them who they were.
Assirra’s thoughts began to change, to somehow morph on their own. Although they were still happening in her own mind, it was more like she was a witness to them than actually controlling them. At first, she recognized the landscape. The space she saw was just outside Aleesia’s hut. Then suddenly, the landscape blurred past with reckless speed. Her vision was moving somehow, only far faster than any horse or flying beast could possibly move.
A tiny speck of a town zipped up in a heartbeat. Doors, buildings and solid objects meant nothing as her vision seeped through walls like she was a ghost. Drifting into a tavern, she saw Xavier standing behind the bar. An admiring crowd watched as he juggled a number of foreign objects. The patrons seemed quite content as he put on his show.
“He is your friend?” Aleesia asked. Her voice was but a distant echo within this vision, but apparently she could see what Assirra was seeing. “I know this town,” she said without waiting for an answer. “Dawsbury. It is not even that far from here. That is where you will find him.”
The vision switched in a rapid change of direction. Again, the landscape went blurring past as she moved along at breathtaking speed. Into the mountains she flew, her ghostly body ignoring physics as it streaked through solid stone. She flashed up through the face of a mountain and saw a mighty tower. Seeping right through its walls, she blurred into a room before coming to a sudden stop. There sat Owen, Liam and Viola at a table. They were listening to an old man speak. The mood looked rather serious, but they didn’t seem to be in any immediate danger.
As far as she could tell, everyone was fine and she now had a general idea of their whereabouts. It had worked!
She wanted to speak to them, to tell them she was coming to join them as soon as she could. But her ghostly body reversed direction, pulling away on its own. She almost got sick as the landscape blurred past once more in reverse. With a jolt, she opened her eyes and gasped. Aleesia released contact with her temples, nearly falling back onto the floor. The experience was a mild shock for both of them, but the dizzying sickness passed in a minute or two.
“So we found them all,” Aleesia said, still a bit breathless from the effort. “I must admit, I am surprised that we got this lucky. Unusual indeed.”
“Why would you say that?” Assirra asked, standing on uneasy legs. “It worked. Was that not what we were trying to achieve?”
“Of course it was. But to be honest, I didn’t want to get your hopes up. I thought we might find one, two at the most if we got really lucky. However, this does tell me a couple of things. As we’ve already discovered, you have achieved a high level of mastery. But I fear you are a cannon with no instincts. When pointed in the right direction, you can be devastating indeed. But if you go off without the proper guidance, w
ell, things might become rather unpredictable.”
“And the other thing?” Assirra asked.
“These friends of yours, I see you care deeply for them,” Aleesia answered. “You must have an intimate connection with each in order to have pinpointed their locations so easily, even with my help. Most go their entire lives without forming such strong bonds with others. You are lucky indeed. I assume you will be going, then?”
“Yes, immediately,” Assirra said, smiling. Nearly leaping into her, she threw her arms around Aleesia. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you for everything.”
“I shall pack you a bag,” Aleesia said, pretending something was in her eye as she hurried off to gather more food. “Dawsbury is only a few days’ walk from here. Good luck to you, and safe journeys.”
Chapter 15
Leaning back against the bed board, lost in his own thoughts, Xavier gazed at the far wall with a blank look on his face. “Talk to me.” His eyes flickered down to regard the girl lying next to him. Lindsey lay on her stomach, feet in the air with her chin resting on the back of her folded hands. There was an unmistakable fondness in her unblinking gaze. For hours she had stayed by his side, yet he had yet to speak to her. Such had been the norm for several days now. But despite the ongoing silent treatment, she still found her way into his room each night.
“What are you thinking about?” No answer. “Xavier, why won’t you let me in?”
“What are you talking about?” Xavier asked, his gaze drifting back to the far wall as he continued to stare off at nothing.
“Into your world,” she said, pushing herself up onto her knees, bouncing slightly because she finally had his attention. “I want to get to know you better. But you always shut me out. Every time I try to talk to you, I feel like I’m talking to a chair. Your mind is always a thousand miles away. It’s like you don’t even see me.”
“But I do see you,” he said. “When I look at you, I see an innocent girl who is safe in her world. I would never do anything to jeopardize that. My world is a dangerous place. Trust me, you are better off staying in yours.” Although he really was trying to protect her, he couldn’t help but wince at the hurt look in her eyes.
“You made room in your world for her,” she said softly.
He looked away, unable to meet her eyes. “That was different. I didn’t need to make room, she was already in my world.”
Lindsey wiped her eyes and sat back on her heels. “So you’re saying she had no choice? Well, maybe that is the difference between us. She didn’t choose, yet I am the one willing to make that choice. I know you think you’re protecting me, but if that means pushing me away then I want you to stop. I’m not made of glass, Xavier. I’m stronger than you think.”
“You don’t understand,” Xavier grumbled under his breath. It was never supposed to get this complicated. How was he supposed to explain to her about his past, about who and what Viola really was? She wasn’t ready to hear any of this. Hell, she probably wouldn’t believe a word of it anyway.
“Oh, don’t I? I think it is you who doesn’t understand. You think I’m just some simple girl who grew up in a small town, hidden from everything that’s real. What could I possibly know about the world, right?” She rolled from the bed and loomed over him, hands planted on her hips. “Well, I know a lot more than you think, Xavier. Or should I just be calling you the Demon Hunter’s apprentice?” Xavier sat up with jolt. “That’s right,” she confirmed the look in his eyes. “I know exactly who you are.”
“But I-I… H-How did you—” Xavier stammered, completely at a loss for words. How did she know? He wasn’t exactly trying to hide it from her. He would have told her eventually. At least, he thought he would. But he was mostly trying to hide it from himself. He had failed at that life and it was a painful thing to face each day. Not only had he let down his master, he allowed someone he cared for deeply to die when he alone could have saved her. I should have saved her. He would never forgive himself for that, and every time he thought about that life, it was just another painful reminder. No, he wasn’t hiding his former life from her, he was hiding it from himself.
“I’m not stupid, Xavier,” she said, pointing a finger right at his face. “Dawsbury might be a small town, but plenty of traveling merchants come through this way every day. I hear the stories. I know what is going on in the world. And I’ve heard all about the Demon Hunter and his famed apprentice. Trust me, when you’ve heard the stories as many times as I have, you can tell which details are exaggerated and which are true.
“I suspected it the first day you showed up in this sleepy town. Bloody clothes, covered with wounds, yet you didn’t even seem to care. Not exactly normal behavior for a regular tradesman, wouldn’t you agree? But I knew for certain when I watched you perform in the tavern. You have a reputation you know, and not all of it has to do with violence.”
“If you knew, then why didn’t you say anything?” Xavier asked.
“Because it didn’t matter?” She twirled her hand in the air. “It wouldn’t have changed anything. I’m not some whore barmaid who falls for any guy she suspects of having fame or a fat coin purse. Nor do I have a thing for cutthroats and outlaws. I looked in your eyes, Xavier, and I saw right into your soul. I saw exactly who you are. Besides, if you knew I knew who you were, you might have snuck off in the middle of the night so you wouldn’t have to explain anything to me. But I never cared in the first place! I know you are hurting inside, and had no intention of making your life any more difficult than it already was.
“So you see,” she said, moving in closer, placing a hand on his cheek. “I’ve kept your secret all this time. What more do I have to do to earn your trust?” She leaned in and kissed the corner of his mouth. “Just tell me what you want from me,” she whispered. “Tell me and I’ll do it.” She kissed him again, this time squarely on the lips. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone. If you would just give me a chance, let me prove to you that I—”
Xavier rose up off the bed, his hands wrapped around the back of her thighs as he lifted her off the ground. Falling forward into his chest, she wrapped her legs around his waist, locking her ankles behind him. After being carried across the room, she let out a grunt when her body thumped up against the far wall. Lips locked together, she grabbed the back of his hair to keep him in close. Lindsey squeezed her legs, clamping down in an attempt to pull him even closer.
With his chest flush against her, she could actually feel his heart racing. Racing? No, hammering like a blacksmith pounding on iron. She felt the pounding so easily that it made her pause. Sure, he was just as aroused as she was, but was that normal? She really didn’t think a human heart could beat with such force. She yelped in surprise when her body slid higher up the wall. She knew he was strong, but she wasn’t exactly weightless. With just his arms he had moved her like she was a feather.
She gasped when he thrust his head up under her nightgown, pushing his face up between her legs with animalistic urgency. “Xavier, slow down,” she said, her voice a breathless whisper. Panting, he was pressed into her so firmly that she could hardly draw any air. “Xavi—” She shrieked when she felt the penetration of his tongue, the sharpness of his teeth mercilessly scraping away. With her hands on top of his head, she could actually feel him buzzing, the vibration quivering all the way up through his body. No, he wasn’t...buzzing. He was growling like some sort of animal!
“Xavier, stop, you’re hurting me!” she screamed, her groin on fire from the assault. “Xavier!” Kicking the back of his head with her heels, she slapped and punched at his face. Anything to loosen his grip. “Stop! What is the matter with—” Freeing one leg over the top of his head, she wedged her foot down near his shoulder and pushed. He didn’t move much, but she still managed to create some distance. Bringing her other leg over, she planted both feet against his chest and pushed with all her might. She slid down the wall as he moved back, hitting the hard floor with a jarring thud.
&nbs
p; Furious and in pain, both from his savage aggression as well as the fall, she looked up at him with fire in her eyes. “What the hell has gotten into you? Who treats a woman like—” She froze when he looked up. One of his eyes had turned completely black, the iris narrow and bright yellow. A series of dark green splotches crept down the side of his face, each overlapping the last like lizard scales. Stunned, shocked, her mouth worked wordlessly, producing little more than a series of airy chirps.
Seconds passed before she finally found her voice. But find it she did. With an earsplitting screech, Lindsey screamed at the top of her lungs. Immediately, the pounding of running footsteps thumped across the hallway just outside the door. “Lindsey?” came the familiar voice of Therian, the barkeep, whose room was only a few doors down. He rapped his knuckles on the door, three loud cracks. “Lindsey, are you all right?” The knob jiggled furiously and the pounding intensified.
Still screaming, her eyes closed as she tried to curl up in a ball, she felt a pair of hands grab her by the wrists. “No! No!” she shrieked, pulling back on her wrists, kicking her feet. “Get away from me! Help!”
“Lindsey! Lindsey, what’s the matter with you?” Xavier asked, struggling to restrain the thrashing girl. “What happened?” Clinging to her wrists, his eyes darted around the room. “Is somebody in here? Talk to me.”
A heavy thud and the door buckled slightly. Two, four, and on the sixth attempt the hinges cracked loose and the door folded inward. Therian stumbled into the room, clutching the sore shoulder he obviously used to break down the door. Head on a swivel, he glanced all around, searching for the danger. But Xavier and Lindsey seemed to be the only two in here.
“Therian!” Lindsey said, jumping to her feet.
“Are you all right? What’s going on? Where are they?”
“It’s him!” she screamed, whirling back and pointing at Xavier. “He—” She stared at Xavier. He looked shocked and confused. “He—” And he also looked exactly as he always did. His eyes looked normal and there were no green scales on his face. “He—”