by Lexy Wolfe
Everyone got to their feet as Mureln came back out of the water, talking amongst themselves or to Taylin and Mureln. Ash looked around for Storm and saw she had walked to the broad rock, gazing out silently. He went to her, putting his arms around her waist. "Are you all right, beloved?"
"No," Storm finally said, closing her eyes as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Again, I have been spoken to by those more ancient than I can comprehend, whom I have never met, as if I were an old friend returned to them." She pulled away, taking a few steps. "It makes no sense! I do not know them. But I feel as if I should." She shook her head sharply. "I hate when I feel confused."
The mage considered the warrior in silence, then decided to change the topic. "Do you remember when we first met in Desantiva?" Ash asked, sitting on the broad rock to watch her pace.
"How could I forget?" Storm replied drolly. "A foolish outlander stuck his nose into a matter that was none of his business." She added after a moment, "It infuriated me that I could not stop thinking about it. Or you. I was angry that a defiler would interfere in a Desanti matter. Or that you thought I was too weak to deal with my unwanted suitors myself." She sat next to him, taking his hand in hers, her voice quiet. "I did not want to admit to myself I was touched you wished to protect me. You behaved unlike I would have expected a defiler to, had I ever thought about anything beyond our borders before then."
Ash chuckled quietly, their fingers lacing together. "I was furious with myself for getting involved. Watching Sumalen and Skyfire quarreling over who could claim you, when you plainly did not wish either... It infuriated me. I acted before I realized it."
"Why did you?" Storm wondered curiously, looking at him. "I still do not understand. We were only enemies to each other. You were a defiler to me. I was nothing but a savage to you." She looked away, shoulders sagging. "An animal."
"I tried to convince myself of that," Ash confessed. "I had never seen a Desanti before we came to Desantiva, but I found myself drawn to your people as if I had always known them. When I saw you, I felt as though I had found a piece of myself that I had lost. And I would be damned if I was going to let either of those brutes call you theirs. You deserved so much better than them. Though Skyfire has since proven himself... almost good enough for my Swordanzen."
"Every time I saw Amelana with you, I had to fight the urge to gouge her eyes out. Looking back, perhaps I should have." Storm shook her head, oblivious to Ash's affectionate smile. "I thought I had some sand sickness, but... I did not realize you felt something, too. My people's mindless hatred of Forenten blinded me."
"Aelia." Ash turned her face towards him. They stared at each other for a long moment before they put their arms around one another, holding each other fiercely tight.
Skyfire looked away from the two back to Tyrsan, putting his hand on the Dulain's shoulder. "They will find their way back without us. It is not far to the tunnels from here." Tyrsan arched an eyebrow at Skyfire, then smiled faintly, nodding.
Part Three
Out Of Time
Chapter 1
Hitting the bed with a grunt, Jaison smiled up at Bella as the Vodani Unsvet tackled him, pinning his shoulders to the bed. "My, aren't you amorous today," he observed blandly, his eyes flicking down to admire the olive-skinned woman's nudity. "Any special occasion, or just a random need for a good tumble?"
"I have been gone for two months!" Bella pouted. "Aren't you happy to see me?"
His answer was to pull her down, kissing her deeply as he rolled over with her. Propping himself up on his elbow, he reached up to brush a tendril of dark hair out of her eyes. "You know I am always happy to see you, even when you are being particularly impossible." He tilted his head to the side as he studied her. "But something seems... different."
Bella's smile faded with a sigh. "Ever since you became a na'Zhekali, you have been insufferably perceptive. I blame Storm for awakening the Desanti in you." He caught her cheek when she started to look away, turning her eyes back to his. "I've been having... disturbing dreams. Started before I left for this last extended patrol." She tried to push him away to roll over, but he shifted to prevent her.
"You never have dreams," Jaison murmured, his concern and affection obvious. "Did something happen?"
"Nothing! That's the thing. They just started. Like I am scrying, but I'm not awake. And I cannot quite remember anything when I wake up except for a sense of dread." She half closed her eyes as his hand caressed her side and rested on her hip.
"Perhaps you should speak with Skyfire," Jaison suggested gently. "He is Su'alin." He finally let her roll over onto her stomach, moving to lie alongside her, resting a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"I do not even understand what this Su'alin thing is. A spiritwalker? Whatever. Besides, they're all undoubtedly fussing over Taylin's baby." Making an inarticulate noise of disgust, she pulled the bed sheet over her head. "This is ridiculous."
"It isn't, but I won't make you go if you don't want to." Jaison got up, shifting his belt before reaching for his tunic to finish dressing. "Not really sure how much help he could offer, to tell the truth. He only trained his abilities a fraction before he left his tribe to follow the Path of the Sword. Issonia's declaration of him being Su'alin has complicated things for him." Shaking his head, he said, "Never good when a Swordanzen is stressed. Worse, I think, for Githalin."
Uncovering her head, Bella pushed herself to her elbows, watching him over her shoulder. "Has he and Lyra finally consummated their relationship? Might help him with some of his stress."
Jaison rolled his eyes, ending the gesture looking at Bella. "Seriously, Bella? Not everything is solved with sex. And no, they have not." He reached for her clothing and tossed it on top of her. "Come on. You should see Izkynder. He's grown up a lot." He crossed his arms to lean on the small desk, waiting patiently.
"Well, he is half Vodani," Bella temporized. "Vodani grow up faster than the land bound. Except for Desanti, I suppose. But they cannot be that much faster." Jaison only made a moderately agreeable sound, falling silent as he waited on the Vodani woman.
Chapter 2
The doors to the grassy prominence outside of the common room were opened wide to allow the early autumn breezes to blow in. Seated on the woven rug bathed in sunshine, Storm and Skyfire sat back to back as they cleaned each of their weapons with ritual precision. Izkynder grabbed onto Storm's braids as he worked to pull himself to his feet. Storm barely winced, otherwise ignoring his antics. Looking over towards the tunnel entrance, the boy smiled brightly. "Papa! Mama!"
"Izkynder! What are you doing?" Mureln scolded mildly as he walked in. "That is not very nice, pulling Aunt Storm's hair like that." The three month old boy who appeared nearly a year in maturity pouted cutely. "Don’t even try that, young man. Being cute is not going to get you out of trouble every time."
Storm flicked a glance up. "He is doing me no harm. Only learning how to stand on his own." She reached around to catch him when he stumbled, the boy giggling when she tickled him. Izkynder was swept up and held aloft, squealing and giggling happily. "Soon he will be ready for his first weapon."
The healer and bard traded put upon expressions on the long argument with the Desanti about when to allow their son to learn to use weapons. However, neither felt like disrupting the lovely day with the topic of contention. As Storm sat the boy on his feet, he wobbled a bit before dropping to his bottom. "How can he be so mature?" Taylin wondered as she sat on a chair near the rug, holding her hands out to the boy who crawled over eagerly. "He is barely three months old, and he's talking already!"
"Vodani have always matured quickly," Mureln reassured as he sat across from Taylin, bringing his mandolin around to play. He smiled when Izkynder cheered and clapped his hands when he strummed the opening chord to his favorite song. "And Desanti even faster. Given how much Desanti influence he had before his birth, I doubt it is anything to worry about."
Turning shining eyes up to Taylin, Izkynder put hi
s small hand over her heart and said, "Mama, be good." The tension in the healer's shoulders eased as she looked down at her beloved child. Assuming the relaxation was due to maternal pride over her precious son, the woman hugged the boy affectionately, kissing the top of his head.
"Life is always short," Storm stated in a low voice, eyes focused on the ornate hilt of her knife as she cleaned it. "Like the flash of the warriors of heaven across the night skies." Even Skyfire looked over his shoulder with an arched eyebrow at Storm's use of a Desanti euphemism of the spirits of the dead. Sliding the blade back in its sheath, Storm drew one leg up, resting her chin on her knee with a sigh, closing her eyes.
Mureln and Taylin traded concerned looks. Leaning forward, Taylin put her hand on the other woman's shoulder. "Storm? Is everything all right?"
Skyfire chuckled, waving a dismissive hand. "Storm always gets out of sorts when she doesn't train herself black and blue every waking moment. Especially when our rest day ends up on a day with such good weather." He returned his sword to its sheath. "Not that either of us do not enjoy Izkynder's company, but he is a little young to take with us. It is too dangerous to have our attention divided between fighting and our little cousin."
Contrite, Taylin looked deeply apologetic. "You should have said something! He just always seems to adore being with you both when he knows you are free from lessons and training. We could have come back earlier instead of leaving you all day with him!"
"No!" Storm looked up, eyes wide in alarm at the thought she would see Izkynder less. "He is tlisan to me. One of the na'Zhekali. I take care of my own." More to herself, she added as she looked out the window, "For as long as I am alive to do so." The note of despair drew worried looks from the other three adults. And Izkynder.
"Sta-im!" Wriggling away from Taylin, Izkynder crawled over to Storm. Crawling up to face her, he put his small hand over her heart. "Be good!" The Desanti woman said nothing, only hugging the boy fiercely tight.
"I wish it were that simple, dear one," Storm murmured. Kissing the top of Izkynder's head, she got up and went to her and Ash's room without a word.
"Sta-im?" Izkynder called questioningly. Shrugging, he looked at the Desanti man as he toddled over to him. "'Fire?"
"She has been awfully moody of late." Mureln watched his fingers as he picked out an idle tune. "She isn't... you know." He looked up without raising his head to regard the Desanti man. "With child?"
"What? Oh, Kailee's tail, no. Storm is not pregnant, I assure you." Skyfire chuckled as he tickled the boy until he shrieked and giggled. "Whatever has her out of sorts will be taken care of with a good training bout."
Mureln was dubious. "You are certain? I could talk to Ash. He has been so obsessed with the archives, I am not sure he's noticed Storm has been... out of sorts."
Noticing the flicker of protective irritation over the questions about Storm in Skyfire's eyes, Taylin reached down to pick Izkynder up and sit him on her lap. "Beloved, Storm is always moody," she pointed out. "And when Ash is here, she tempers her mood so he doesn't even notice. It probably is nothing to worry overmuch about."
"Good heavens, is that little Izkynder?" Bella exclaimed from the archway, Jaison by her side. "Look at you!"
"Bella! Jaison!" Izkynder all but crawled over his mother to lean on the back of the couch, holding his hands out to the new arrivals. "Play!"
"It will be fine," Skyfire assured confidently as he got up. "But I am going to get some sleep now that you are back." He did not notice the uncertain looks Taylin and Mureln exchanged.
"Problem with Storm?" Jaison asked quietly, wincing as Bella picked up Izkynder, the boy screaming joyfully as she swung him around.
Mureln blinked. "How did you...? Oh." He looked towards Storm's bedroom door. "She's shielding again, isn't she?"
"For the past week, it has been like a looming wall ready to topple and crush me," Jaison confirmed sourly. "I know Ash has noticed it, but he's been wrapped up with something or other in the archives that has his attention tied in knots." He looked at Bella and shook his head. "Not that I'm not grateful for the peace if not so quiet since Izkynder's birth, but I cannot shake the feeling something is just waiting to crash around our ears."
The two looked sharply at Mureln when the bard grimaced, letting go of his mandolin to press the heels of his hands into his temples. "Nikkan's warning?" Taylin asked softly.
"It isn't getting any clearer." Growling Mureln got up and stalked over to the wine cabinet, grabbing the brandy instead and filling a glass. "But it is getting more insistent. Skyfire says he cannot help because he's not had the proper Su'alin training and that such things are dangerous if not properly trained."
"Which doesn't help you," Jaison finished the unspoken thought. He glanced at Bella as she tossed Izkynder into the air and caught him easily. "Hopefully we are worrying over nothing and once we can dislodge Nikkan, you'll be set to rights." His dubious tone was not lost on anyone, though none spoke of it.
Chapter 3
Hand in hand, Terrence and Ophilia looked around the corner of the building before running into Alysha's herb garden by her home. Putting his arm around her, Terrence pulled her close to kiss her tenderly as he leaned her against the wall by one of the vine-covered support pillars. The clandestine interlude was interrupted when Dremmen walked in. "Just what do you think you are doing?" the man demanded.
"I think I am kissing Adept Ophilia," Terrence replied in dry tones. Ophilia snerked then hid her face against his chest to hide her smirk, shoulders shaking with repressed laughter.
Dremmen leveled a wintry look on the younger Illaini Magus. "I was not speaking to you, Adept Terrence. I was speaking to Adept Ophilia." Leveling a hard look on her, he stated, "You are supposed to be in training until you can prove you have mastered the basic skills. Given your repeated failure to manage that much by this time is clearly an indication you are inadequate to serve the Timeless One."
"Oh, you are of that school of thought," Terrence stated as he released Ophilia, turning to face Dremmen, his arms crossed and keeping himself between the young woman and the irate Unsvet. "That it can only be the student's fault if they fail to perform. Or that the mentor is at fault for failing to remediate the student's training personally." Leveling a hard look on Dremmen, the mage stated, "When her delay is most probably due to failures by her instructors. Weren't you and that Meredith woman two of her teachers?" he asked sarcastically.
The Unsvet's face flushed with anger, but his demeanor remained mostly unruffled. "Unsvet Jaison is personally responsible for her," he pointed out icily. "When an Adept has problems with their training, her mentor should bring her up to speed. However, it seems Jaison is too busy to perform. At least, his duties. I'm sure the Adept is well versed in bedding animals. No doubt a flaw of Jaison's bestial heritage that he focuses more on carnal pleasures than cerebral matters."
"What?!" Ophilia exclaimed, turning bright red in embarrassment and anger at the insinuating tones. Sputtering incoherently, she fell silent when Terrence reached behind him to put his hand on her hip to calm her.
"Perhaps if you were as capable as you believe yourself to be, Ophilia would have been a reflection of your skills. But she is no longer your problem." Terrence's smile was cold and unfriendly. "Ophilia's no longer in the basic classes. The Dulain himself performed her assessment this morning. That is why we were... celebrating, when you so rudely interrupted." As Dremmen stared dumbfounded at Terrence, the younger man continued with all the lofty snideness the other man used earlier. "I am surprised you did not know. But then, you are obviously too busy spying on the rest of Almek's students and others here to realize she is no longer your concern." In a bored tone, he asked, "How fare your other students, Unsvet Dremmen?"
As Terrence took him to task, Dremmen turned deeper and deeper red until he snapped, raising his hand to direct a spell in the couple's direction. Terrence responded by holding his hands up in a warding gesture, the wild time spell dissipated agai
nst the shield wall created. When Dremmen turned to stalk out, he fell on his hands and knees. Pulling his leg out of the vine that had mysteriously grown around it, Dremmen scowled, picked himself up, and left.
Covering her face with her hands, Ophilia sighed gustily. "Terrence, I am so sorry you had to see that."
"No, no apologies," Terrence said softly, his fingers tilting her face up. "Believe me, I had to endure that sort of hateful prejudice before Ash took me in." Turning a hard look where Dremmen had been, he said coldly, "I am not a naïve boy any longer." Shaking the chill hardness, he smiled at Ophilia. "I didn't think you had the skill to direct vine growth, though. It was a nice touch."
"I don't," Ophilia replied, looking surprised. "I thought you did that."
"That was me," Alysha said quietly, emerging from her house's garden door. Reaching up to touch one of the blossoms from a hanging plant, she murmured, "Dremmen is a callous, hateful man. He knows he is unwelcome in my garden. He only seems to remember when the plants do not even welcome him."
Terrence considered the Unsvet woman in silence. "You are dual talented, aren't you?" Closing her pale hazel eyes, Alysha looked away shamefully. "I have heard of those who had an affinity for plants in Sevmana. That is how you directed the vine to snarl Dremmen's feet." Stepping in front of Alysha, he asked, "Why have you hidden this? Are there others who touch other talents among the Guardians?"
"Please, you must not speak of it to anyone!" Alysha begged, her voice hushed. "There are several people part of a secret faction of purists who would..." She bit her lip and shook her head. "Just forget you saw anything!" Looking frightened, she fled into her house and closed the door.
Terrence abruptly hissed in pain, tightly clutching his right arm against his body. Ophilia stood behind him, her hands on his left arm and shoulder, looking at his profile worriedly. His forest sprite companion began screeching incoherently, zipping around the garden angrily. "Terrence! Are you all right?" She ducked when Petal swooped so close she brushed against Ophilia's cheek. "Petal!"