Keepers of the Flame

by Robin D. Owens

  “There’s a bedroom in the back you can have,” Bri smiled back. “It’s purple.”

  Bri read some of Alexa’s Lorebook at the desk until even that woman’s interesting adventures couldn’t keep her head from nodding and the words from blurring. So she stumbled a couple of steps to the bed and fell down on it.

  Awoke suddenly an hour later, filmed with cold sweat and trembling from dreams of horrible monsters attacking her parents, dreeths that shot fire at their plane. Bri watched helplessly, from the center of a glowing pentacle, surrounded by chanting figures.

  The worry she’d been suppressing surged into a tsunami of panic. She didn’t know that she could move. The room seemed to whirl around her, then close in on her. She wasn’t home, wasn’t on Earth, wasn’t near her parents.

  She sensed her twin, shouted down their link.

  Elizabeth, our folks!

  18

  Elizabeth’s face appeared before Bri’s inner eye. Easy, twin.

  Bad dream. Bri sat up and rubbed her face, grimacing at the dampness of it—sweat, tears. She couldn’t speak of it yet, put fears into words. I’d like to take another look at the Temple where we were Summoned, Bri said.

  Elizabeth sniffed. I went there yesterday evening. When YOU were partying.

  Getting to know people, Bri protested.

  Of course. It was said with twin-exasperation. I went alone and the place was empty. She hesitated.

  Go on. But Bri had sensed her feelings, the awe at the building and the echoes of Songs, particularly ones that had used energy to heal, linked to a montage of images that had flashed through Elizabeth’s mind. How a square pool had attracted her, radiating waves of healing in pale auras nearly colorless but which she could see. The vestiges of not only the green pentacle that they had arrived in, in the west of the great circular room, but others. Even smudges of colors that Elizabeth thought were used to Summon the other Exotiques.

  Wow, Bri said, almost forgetting her fears as the dream panic wore off.

  Yes. That’s just the impressions I got. You should definitely visit it, too. Another hesitation. WE should go together, but you should also go alone. Just to feel and see what it might bring you.

  Bri reeled back against her padded headboard. For Elizabeth, that was a comment way out there. Okay.

  Anyway, I observed the Temple thoroughly,

  Bri bet she had.

  I don’t think we could take ourselves back. There’s great energy there, but I don’t know whether we could access it to use it to get home. Elizabeth gulped. I have no idea how to craft a…a…

  Magic spell? Bri could almost see Elizabeth wince.

  Magic spell, Elizabeth said faintly. Unless you studied New Age spirituality as well as healing methods. For once there was no hint of derision. Her voice had lifted as if with hope.

  I attended some Wiccan and other pagan ceremonies, Bri confirmed. But only as an observer.

  A few seconds of humming silence.

  Too bad, Elizabeth said.

  Do you think the other Exotiques would help us?

  Not until we cure this sickness.

  Their parents would return in two weeks to find their daughters missing. They’d have already called to tell the twins that their flight had been fine. Panic came back to spear her. What if their flight hadn’t been fine?

  Calm, Bri. And Elizabeth sent her calm, professional calm as if Bri was a hysterical patient. But Bri knew better. There was a tiny voice locked down in the back of Elizabeth’s mind that was screaming too.

  How many flights have we heard of that have crashed on the way to Hawaii? Elizabeth said.

  Not many. Elizabeth had a point. The constriction in Bri’s chest loosened slightly. Is there ANY way we can find out if they’re safe?

  I don’t know, but I know who we can ask, Elizabeth said grimly.

  Marian.

  Marian, Elizabeth agreed. I’ll go right now. The telepathic-talk link between them stopped abruptly though if she tried, Bri could sense what Elizabeth was doing—running out the door, racing down tower stairs. Elizabeth had learned to move fast as a doctor.

  All Bri could do now was sit back and wait.

  But she wouldn’t, of course. She had to fill her mind with other things. She walked down to Zeres’s room to see him snoozing, too, and it occurred to her that she should make sure the house had no liquor in it.

  As soon as she’d finished speaking with Bri, Elizabeth went to the Circlet’s suite in the Castle keep. She had no doubt Marian was there. One of the new developments of her “Power” was that she could feel where the other Exotiques were if they were in the Castle. Fortunately, this was one of those senses she could turn on and off.

  She lifted her hand to run her thumbnail over the harp-strings and a pang went through her as she saw the pale pink she’d painted her nail. A celebration that her schooling was over and she had some good weeks of vacation before she started her job at Denver Major Hospital.

  Just thinking those words brought more pain and the image of Cassidy. Bright blue eyes, fearsomely intelligent, black hair, sculpted features. Black Irish, though he’d been an orphan and shuffled through a foster care system that he’d believed had treated him “well enough.” But he never spoke of the past, only the importance of the present and future. She suspected he wanted to be as “normal” as she. She’d thought he’d loved her, but perhaps it was only her loving family that he’d wanted.

  Standing outside Marian’s suite wasn’t helping anything. Elizabeth set her shoulders.

  The door opened to Jaquar, another blue-eyed, black-haired man: thankfully his features were more gorgeous-Asian than Celtic. “Salutations, Elizabeth,” he said in the deep voice that was his most effective magical tool.

  She smiled, knew it was thin-lipped but it was the best she could do. “Salutations, Jaquar.” She curtseyed. May as well go into this confrontation excessively polite.

  He stepped back and let her in, shut the door and bowed.

  Marian sat by a window that showed volarans rising and circling down from the Landing Field.

  “Salutations, Marian.” Elizabeth attempted to brighten her smile but failed.

  Marian rose. “Hello, Elizabeth. What can we do for you?”

  “Bri and I have a problem. Our parents were flying to Hawaii yesterday morning. We don’t know if they arrived safely. Could our cells have received a message from them?” The cells that Marian’s damned companion had eaten.

  “I’m sorry, no,” Marian said. “Cell phones definitely don’t work across the dimensions. Both Koz and I brought one and the Circlets performed many tests.”

  Elizabeth glanced around the room, saw a large clear crystal ball. “Is there any way to find out what is happening on Earth?” It came out more like a desperate plea than a simple request.

  Marian hesitated. Elizabeth could hear a lie coming.

  She straightened to her full height, not quite as tall as Marian, inches shorter than Jaquar. “Neither Bri nor I will be easy in our minds until we know our parents arrived safely. No one wants upset doctors.”

  Married-couple telepathy between Marian and Jaquar. Elizabeth wondered if telepathy with her twin was as irritating. She had to keep her hands from fisting. She wanted action. Horrible to be helpless.

  Jaquar’s brows dipped. Elizabeth flicked her smile back on, realized it was useless.

  “We are not accustomed to our Exotiques having very strong ties with Earth,” Jaquar said.

  “I understood that Marian did.” Elizabeth kept her manner outwardly serene even if she radiated stress. She stared into Marian’s blue eyes. “You must have worried about your brother.”

  “He was away on a retreat.”

  “Then you knew he was safe.”

  Marian flushed, touched fingertips to her breast over her heart. “Thinking back, I believe I knew he was safe because I had a bond with him. I felt he was safe. Perhaps you should search inside yourself.”

  Elizabeth
felt fiery heat wash up her neck and into her face. “I don’t have that skill yet.” She took out the small crystal sphere that had been in her pocket all day, cupped it in her palm and said, “Bri?”

  Bri’s face formed in the ball. “Can she find out for us?”

  Holding the sphere between thumb and forefinger so everyone could see each other, Elizabeth said, “Marian believes we should be able to sense their health.”

  Tugging at one of the purple streaks in her hair, Bri said, “What? Meditation or something? How can I relax if I’m imagining a plane crash!”

  “Good point,” Elizabeth said, wishing Bri hadn’t voiced her own fears.

  Bri’s looked at Marian. “Can’t you help us?”

  “The Lorebook of Exotique Marian,” Jaquar said quietly.

  “I didn’t hear that,” Bri said. “I’m coming up there!” The crystal showed a couple of misty tendrils that quickly faded. Elizabeth placed it back in her pocket, relieved. Bri was on her way and there would be two people to pressure these magicians.

  Marian lifted her chin. “If you’d read my Lorebook, you would have known that my mentor has an interdimensional telescope.”

  “As if I’ve had time to read your Lorebook,” Elizabeth replied. Then Marian’s words cycled through her mind. “An interdimensional telescope. That would mean your mentor—”

  “Bossgond,” Jaquar interjected helpfully.

  “Bossgond can see Earth.”

  “Yes.” A pause. “If he knows where to look. The Hawaiian Islands is a big area to search for two people.”

  “They spend the first three days on Oahu. I have their itinerary. I’ll be right back.”

  When she turned the corner to their hallway, an intense telepathic humming between Marian and Jacquar stopped. They’d sensed her, she supposed, and were now composing themselves. She was determined that her parents’ safety would be verified. Nothing was more important. If she had to find her way to this dimensional telescope and chivvy this Bossgond into looking, she would. They would. She grinned fiercely. Bri was on her way. When they fought together they never lost.

  She didn’t bother with the doorharp but gave a hard rap on the door, turned the knob and walked in.

  Marian was flushed. Irritation showed brightly in her eyes. Jaquar had a stiffness to his bearing. From the corner of her eye, Elizabeth caught a large glowing crystal ball with wisps of mist…. It had been recently used.

  Elizabeth closed the door behind her and lifted her chin. “I trust you have been making arrangements to check on our parents?” She was polite and authoritative.

  “Ayes,” said Jaquar. Relief swept through her. He stepped in front of Marian. “Bossgond is a dedicated scholar, which makes him a very curious man. Most of us are quite curious. If you can give us a location where Bossgond might find them, Marian will help him look.”

  “I think it’s more important to stay here for the council of war early tomorrow morning—” Marian started.

  So that was the tension between them!

  Jaquar rolled over Marian smoothly. “We can leave immediately and reach Alf Island before nightfall. We may even be able to find them this evening.” He shifted a little and Elizabeth got the impression that his next words were for Marian as much as herself. “We can spend the night in our own home. Search for your parents tomorrow morning.”

  Marian stared at them, then said, “I’ll pack.” She went into another room.

  “Bri and I can accompany—” Elizabeth started.

  But Jaquar was shaking his head. “Leave the Power workings to the Circlets, Exotique Medica.” Obviously he wouldn’t irritate his wife in this. Elizabeth wanted to press, but she and Bri hadn’t been invited, had no way to get there or any place to stay overnight without help. Her jaw flexed, but she kept quiet.

  “That reminds me.” Jaquar went to a small laboratory table in the corner of the room and brought back two small bottles, one tinted a faint orange, the other slightly yellow. “Language potion for you and Bri, good for a week. I have noticed your speech deteriorating.”

  Elizabeth’s lips compressed, but she took them. No harm had come to them so far.

  Marian returned with what looked like two sets of light saddlebags, wearing a split-legged gown. “Do you have any idea where your parents will be?”

  “Of course,” Elizabeth said. She went to the long table near the windows, set her appointment book down and flipped open to the section for her parents’ trip. Marian joined her.

  Unfolding the color computer printouts, Elizabeth just stared for a moment as more pangs of homesickness struck. The top sheet showed the hotel information and included pictures of the hotel, the beach, and a room.

  Marian sucked in a breath and Elizabeth glanced at her to see a wretched expression, softening Elizabeth. Despite the choices the Earth women had made, they’d miss Earth. She certainly would in their position.

  “This is where they’re staying,” Elizabeth said.

  Jaquar put his hands on his wife’s shoulders and stared with lively interest at the page. “Such a tall building. Fascinating.” He shook his head. “I’ve never seen such trees, such a beach.”

  Slowly, Elizabeth separated the top sheet from the rest and handed it to Marian. Marian’s fingers trembled as much as her own as she took it. “Thank you. I’ll take good care of it,” Marian said in English.

  Elizabeth said, “When do you anticipate looking through the…looking for them?”

  “If we leave here within the next few minutes, and considering the strength and Power of our volarans and how much Distance Magic we use, I’d say two and a half hours.”

  Elizabeth let the sentence with more strange concepts sink in, breathed deeply, and replied, “Hawaii is three hours behind Denver.” She flipped to the list she’d made. “If they follow the reservations I made, they will be touring the Byodo-in Temple on Oahu then. Dad is the Dean of Anthropology at the University of Denver. I arranged a special individual tour. They’ll spend some time there.” Elizabeth drew out the information and printouts of the Temple.

  One of Jaquar’s long, elegant index fingers tapped the blurry picture. “What is this?” he asked sharply.

  “Huge bell, like a gong,” Marian breathed.

  “Gong?” Elizabeth questioned, then got it. A shiver sifted through her. “It’s a big bell.” She fumbled for recollection. She hadn’t printed anything out about the bell. “But not silver, I don’t think.”

  “Sound from a massive bell is much like a gong,” Jaquar said. “That would help Bossgond find the location. What are the chances of your father wanting to ring it?”

  Elizabeth closed her eyes. “A certainty. People are encouraged to ring it. He won’t just do it once, and he’ll make sure Mom rings it, too.”

  “Some sounds can cross worlds,” Jaquar said. “They are there today. It is fated, I think.”

  19

  Peacocks! squeaked a little voice. It took Elizabeth a couple of seconds to understand that the word came to her mind from the hawk now perched on the edge of the table.

  “Tuckerinal,” Elizabeth said coolly. She hadn’t forgiven him yet for eating her cell phone. Her fingers curled tight on her organizer. It was a good thing that she hadn’t gone electronic with her life, like Bri had.

  She stared with narrowed eyes at the ex-hamster. “I had photos from my Dad’s birthday party on my phone. Show them to Marian and Jaquar. They’ll be looking for our parents in the dimensional telescope.”

  The bird’s eyes rounded. It blinked, seemed to consider, then projected two smiling heads close together.

  A moan came from Elizabeth. Her parents had never looked so happy, so solid, so loving—of each other and of the people their eyes were focused upon—the twins.

  To her surprise, Jaquar’s arm came around her shoulders and he supported her.

  Another photo appeared. This one showed her parents standing together in the wooden-paneled den. Her father’s arm was around her mother’s
waist and in his other hand he held the leather wallet with their trip information and tickets, the twins’ gift. Her mother’s arm was around his waist and she leaned into him. Again they beamed with happiness.

  Elizabeth simply stared. Finally she rasped, “Bri will have more,” she whispered. “She brought a digital camera.” How glad Elizabeth was they had that!

  Jaquar said, “These two will do fine. Tuckerinal?”

  The hawk hopped to a sheet of paper, shut its eyes, swayed. Elizabeth watched in amazement as color images appeared under him. They were large, larger than eight by ten, and the resolution was as good as professional studio shots, not grainy as they would have been if she’d printed them out. She made a sound in her throat. He opened his eyes and staggered a little to the side. Power. Part of my payment for eating your nut.

  Marian cleared her throat too, and Elizabeth saw her misty eyes. “I apologize again for the terrible fright yesterday morning. Consider this little trip of ours repayment.” She gave a half-smile. “I can see why you want to check on them. I’ll reiterate something else. We Exotiques stick together. I wouldn’t have knowingly hurt you and this is the last we’ll talk of repayment and favors or anything else.”

  “Fine,” Elizabeth said. She nodded to the photos. “May I have those after you use them?”

  “Of course. And Tuckerinal will make a set for Bri.”

  “Bri is fun to be with,” chirped the hawk.

  They heard a choked sound behind them and found Bri, hands at her mouth, staring at the photos. Behind her was Sevair. Bri’s hair was touselled; she smelled like the scent of volarans, amber resin.

  “They’ll help?”

  “They think they can check on Mom and Dad. Did you bring your digital camera?”

  “No, I didn’t think of it. Why?”

  “Marian can explain. I take it you haven’t read the Lorebook of Exotique Circlet Marian, either?”

  Bri gulped. “I’ve started Alexa’s.”