by Viola Grace
She called him and smiled at the rumble of his voice.
“What have you gotten yourself into, Imara?”
“Nothing. Just a little light territorial encroachment by a pack on a local farmer. I want to know what I am able to do to defend the space.”
“Can’t the farmer do it? He has the right.”
“I don’t think so. He is mainly a seer, and his daughter is still in school with me.”
She could almost sense his brain heating up while he worked out what he would say next.
“Technically, they are responsible for their defense, but if they offer you a legal foothold for yourself or your power, you can act on their behalf.”
“Wow. It is like you are a seer yourself. I have that very setup, or will by the end of the evening. So, I am allowed to defend this place?”
“By any means necessary. Call me if things escalate beyond posturing. I may not be able to come, but I can get a local XIA detachment to send someone out.”
“I will.”
“And Imara? Take care of yourself. This could get dangerous very quickly.”
“I will. Thanks for the consultation, Argus. I owe you dinner when I get home.”
“You don’t cook.”
“But you are a very brave soul. I am sure that I can figure something out.” She grinned, her soul bubbling a little as it always did when she talked to him.
“Make sure that Mr. E is nearby if you want to do anything really stupid. He knows his job.”
“Yes, Agent Argus.”
“I mean it. I worry about you.” His tone was low.
“I know. I don’t mean to get into trouble, but it seems to seek me out.”
“Well, at least you are lucky.”
She smirked. “Of course, I am. I met you, didn’t I?”
His laugh was wry. “Yeah, you did, and I am willing to pay the price for the association. Be on guard but be cautious. I am going to look into the pack that has moved in and see if I can get you any more information.”
“I await your update. Have a good shift. Don’t let the boys eat too many tacos. You know that trolls have delicate digestion.”
“Don’t remind me. Have a fun evening. I should have details in a few hours.”
Imara smiled and disconnected the call. They didn’t say goodbye, just like they didn’t need to say hello. Their communication was just one long conversation interrupted by time. Nothing could, or would, separate them. Part of her had realized it the moment that they met.
She got dressed in fresh clothing and went in search of Kitty. Mr. E sauntered up to her, and she lifted him to put him on her shoulder.
“Dude, you smell like sheep.”
I was making friends. They are very friendly sheep.
She rolled her eyes and found Kitty in the barn, brushing Bright Bell and soothing him. The horse was still quivering with upset.
Let me speak to him.
Imara approached and cleared her throat. “Mr. E is going to chat with Bright Bell.”
The kitten walked from her shoulder to the top of the stall door.
Kitty paused in her ministrations when the horse visibly calmed. “What is he saying?”
“I have no idea. He is speaking via his kitten side, so I am not privy to it. It isn’t anything bad though. Bright Bell looks calmer already.”
The horse in question moved forward and pressed his long nose to Imara’s shoulder. He nipped gently at her sleeve, and she stroked his head.
“Well, whatever he said worked. All of the horses are relaxed and at ease.” Andy’s voice was low and calm. “Ladies, time to wash up for dinner.”
Kitty nodded, and Imara finished petting Bright Bell as her friend exited the stall.
Mr. E hopped back onto her shoulder, and they left the barn where the animals were diving into their dinners and went to find their own.
The family dinner table was something that Imara had heard of but never experienced firsthand. Meals at the hall were generally had around the table in the library or in the common room.
Dishes were set around the table, and everyone had a place. Kitty’s mother showed her the seat that was set aside for guests. “Here you go, just call out if anything is out of your reach.”
“I will. Thank you. It smells wonderful.”
“Thank you. It is delightful to have a friend of Kitigan’s here at the farm.”
“It has been fun so far. Thank you for having me.” She went through the rituals that Bara had drummed into her.
“Oh, I am May, by the way.”
“Pleased to meet you, May. Your daughter has been an excellent study partner.”
Kitty came in, shaking her hands. “Don’t listen to that. Imara is an amazing and natural mage. Anyone near her gets better by simple proximity.”
“Can you get your grandmother?”
“She is washing up. Is she any better?” Kitty looked worried.
“She is as she has been.”
Imara cleared her throat. “I have some questions to ask about her husband, if I may.”
May looked at her for a moment. “After dinner is soon enough when my mother-in-law has resumed her watch on the future.”
Imara nodded, and when the elder Deegle appeared, she introduced herself to the vague and unfocused woman.
Dinner conversation was polite and centred around the class that Kitty and Imara were taking. Weather was a large concern on the farm.
When the grandmother rose and headed back to her attic room, Imara sighed, “All right. I hate to ask, but what measures were taken when Mr. Deegle passed away? Was his spectre stone generated? Are there any artifacts to anchor him? Where is he buried?”
May looked confused, but Andy cleared his throat. “We have the spectre stone, but we didn’t anchor it.”
Imara made a face. “Right. Okay.”
“We have enough personal effects to fill a room. This entire property was his selection. They moved here, and May and I moved in with them when we married. The land was perfect for both our family needs.”
“Would you mind having his spectre around?” It was an important question, and she watched them carefully.
Andy nodded his head slowly. “I would like to be able to speak with him again.”
May asked the pertinent question, “Would the spectre outlast Anna? I couldn’t bear it if she lost him again.”
Imara smiled. “I can anchor him to the land and give you directions for his slow dissolve after she passes. If you choose to keep him, he can be a permanent guardian.”
Kitty blinked. “You talk about him like he’s a dog.”
Imara rubbed her jaw. “His soul is gone; this is a copy of his emotion and intellect. He knows he’s dead, but I can give him enough energy to keep him solid when he wants to be. His spirit can roam this land and watch over it if you like. It would just involve a lot of rock and some planted trees.”
Andy stared at her. “It is that easy?”
“Well, if you are a Death Keeper, yes. The primary issue is the generating site. Where do you want to keep him and talk to him directly?”
Andy got up from the table, and he returned in a moment with a map. He moved dishes aside and opened it up. “Here. We always meant to install the stone here, but it is so expensive to get a private installation.”
“Right. I am going to need a hammer, chisel, the spectre stone, and a bunch of pebbles or river rocks. The trees can be planted later.”
May asked, “Do you need it by midnight?”
“Well, I would like to head to bed before eleven, so the sooner, the better. Time isn’t a factor, and we could do it tomorrow morning if you wanted. I just thought that having him here tonight would be a good start.”
The Deegles shot out in different directions, and Imara prepared another plate for Mr. E.
Why are you doing this? It will take a lot of energy.
“They are in pain. An entire family is in pain, and I can fix it. That doesn’t cost me anything b
ut slight dizziness and a few hours of focus. I will be fine in the morning, and I can send them powered items as they need it.”
They are mages, and hundreds of families can’t afford what you are about to do, are you going to do it for all of them?
“The ones that I meet face to face, sure. Just imagine, we can come back here for maintenance and you can chase more sheep.”
Point taken. Focus. You are going to connect some very rusty dots. This I have got to see.
With that encouragement, she started the inner chant that would focus the energy she needed to wake the spectre stone and bind it to the rock. She was going to need another meal when it was over or maybe just some pie.
Chapter Eight
The box was carved with designs, and she could feel the magic humming inside it. It was a holding box, and the glyphs were designed to keep the consciousness as fresh as the day that the deceased passed on. It was a bit unpleasant to think of it in such terms, but the spectre she was going to be releasing was not the original man. It was a copy.
The Deegles were waiting for her. She could hear the tapping in the rock to prime the hole. She would do most of the work, but a niche to start with was always appreciated.
Imara looked down at her robes. Packing them had been a whim based on what Kitty had mentioned. Now, Imara realized that they were at least two inches too short. She had grown since she started as apprentice.
Are you ready for this?
“Yeah. I have done this before.”
I thought you had to be a master before you activated a spectre.
“Only if the family is watching. This isn’t a first for me.”
Well, well. The more I live in the modern age, the more I learn. Are you ready?
“Stop asking that. Yes. I am ready. Here we go.”
She opened the door with the box held carefully in her left hand. Leaving the small house was symbolic. It was a neutral site that had nothing to do with the family. There were no ties for the spectre to attach to, so it was the safest place to start from, just in case she activated him early. It wasn’t going to happen, but protocol meant that someone had been stupid at some point.
She crossed the yard with Mr. E at her side, heading up slope from the house and against the trees, geographically in the centre of the property.
The family was waiting, even the grandmother was standing with her burned-out orbs on her fingers, around her neck, and held in her hands.
Andy was standing with the hammer and chisel in his hands.
Imara smiled, “Please set the tools down.”
He nodded nervously and set the tools at the base of the stone that held the chisel marks.
“Does anyone here not wish to see the spectre of the deceased?”
The family looked at each other, and they shook their heads. Andy cleared his throat. “We are in agreement. We want as much of him as we can have.”
“Very well. I will let you know when you can speak to him. Please, allow me to work without interruption.”
They nodded again and stepped back. The grandmother was watching her with fascination, so Imara smiled to her before she picked up the implements and set to work.
The first strike took her an inch into the hard rock. The second made the cavity she needed. With care and reverence, she opened the box and removed the stone that carried the residue of the man who was beloved by those around her.
Imara took the glowing gem and rammed it into the cavity in the stone. The rock melted as she focused on joining the stone and the gem together.
When her hand felt the burn, she pulled her palm away. Now, it was time to do her part as a Death Keeper.
She whispered to him, drawing him out, calling him to the objects he had left behind. She appealed to his love and the wedding ring that was sitting on velvet within the box.
It took an hour to pull the consciousness from the stone, but when she felt him release into the bedrock around her, she stood back and smiled.
“Anderson Morden Deegle, you are requested to join us.”
The spectre emerged from the stone and took form. Anna gasped and sobbed, May had tears in her eyes, and so did her husband. Kitty was simply in shock.
“Death Keeper, how did you come to be here?” Anderson Deegle turned his head. He was still transparent, but his voice came through.
“I am a student who shares a weather magic class with your granddaughter, Kitigan. She is an adult now, and as I was here for a weekend off, I am repaying my hosts with your rejuvenation.”
He nodded. “What about when you leave? How quickly will I fade?”
“You won’t. I will plant power nodes around the property tomorrow, and you will be able to walk the farm again, even hold Anna’s hand again if you wish.”
“Anna.” The longing in the voice was obvious.
“Yes, she is waiting for you. She has seen this moment and has spent twenty years waiting for it.”
He looked around and spotted his wife. “Anna.”
Tears filled her eyes, and she dropped the glass in the grass. “Anderson. Is it really you?”
Imara poured her death magic into him, turning the translucent body into something far more solid.
“Anna.” The spectre reached for her and then paused.
Anna didn’t hesitate, she held his hands, and when she felt the solid warmth of him, she sobbed and threw herself against him.
Imara looked to Kitty. “Did you get those rocks I asked for?”
Kitty nodded, and her gaze darted around until she found what she was looking for. She moved past Imara and grabbed a large pail from next to the stone. “Here they are.”
“Thanks. I am going to take these back to the tiny house. In the morning, if you are up to it, we can take another ride and anchor Anderson to the property. He can then come and go as he pleases or wherever you please. He will be able to reach the edges of your property.”
Andy was hugging the spectre of his father, and the joyful and tearful reunion was heartwarming.
“Yeah, you introduce yourself to your grandfather. I have to have a nap with rocks next to me. Ah, the life of a Death Keeper is so glamorous.”
Grinning but tired, Imara headed back to her tiny sanctuary.
Mr. E trotted along on his little legs, keeping up with her tired steps.
I thought that enhancing spectres didn’t exhaust you.
“It doesn’t, but fusing and raising one does. Tomorrow will be easy in comparison. All I need tonight is a good night’s sleep.”
It was as if she was casting a curse.
The howl brought her out of bed in a heartbeat. Imara rolled to the floor and sat blinking as she fought to figure out where she was.
The huffing and growling around the tiny house warned her that the wolves were in her territory.
Those little bastards. Do you want me to hurt them?
Imara spoke silently, “No, I want to take care of this myself. They are young, not homicidal.”
The door to the roof opened from the upper loft, and she slid out, removing her nightgown as she did. She gathered her focus and launched herself from the roof, shifting form as she fell.
The first wolf that had her full vulture weight went to the ground with a grunt. She pecked and pulled, tearing a strip off his neck. Another launch and she got the second wolf.
The third moved so that she was on the ground and couldn’t launch. Imara wasn’t having any of that, so she shifted and jumped at the bugger, pinning him to the ground as her form slowly became fully human.
“Naughty fellas. This isn’t your property, and it sure as fuck isn’t your territory. If you come back here, I will be much less polite.”
She levered herself off the wolf, and he and her two victims ran back to their territory.
Imara stretched, and when she heard a small cough, she turned to see the family staring at her. Kitty was bright pink and pale at the same time.
Imara grinned. “I will get back to bed.”
/> Andy raised his brows, “I didn’t know you were a shapeshifter.”
“Last term. Top of my class. It isn’t a glamorous shape, but I am definitely comfortable as a vulture. The nudity is literally par for the course.”
He nodded and herded the ladies back into the house. May turned back. “Thank you. I dread to think of what they would have done to us.”
“Just peed on you. That is their big move. My tearing a strip off them will follow them into their human form. It is one of the annoying little bits of etiquette that you have to learn when you change shape.”
Kitty looked as if she wanted to ask a question, but she was tucked inside the house.
Imara opened the door of the tiny house and returned to bed. Mr. E had pulled her nightgown off the roof, and he was using it as a cat bed.
She was tired enough that she didn’t really care.
Over breakfast the questions started.
“How do you learn to change shape?”
Imara cocked her head at Kitty. “You study for it. Not everyone makes it, and many are stuck in forms that would haunt your nightmares.”
Kitty shuddered.
Imara slathered some butter on her bread and tore the bread apart to dunk in her egg yolk.
May cleared her throat. “How is it that you have such a variety of skills at so young an age?”
Imara smiled. “That one is easy. I had nothing to do but focus on my future, so when I was given access to magic, I dove into it with my entire being. For my ultimate goal, I need to get through college with a degree as fast as I can. I have set my sights on courses that offer multiple credits because of their difficulty and that included the shapeshifting course.”
Kitty blinked, “Is that how you met your boyfriend?”
“No. We were in an ethics course. He was taking it for work, and for me, it is a requirement to getting my magical consulting license.”
May asked, “Consulting?”
“Yeah, I want to be a spectral consultant. Since Death Keepers are so few and far between and I am already a registered member of their guild, it is just a matter of getting the Mage Guild to accept me as a commercial member and I am on my way.”