Fale sighed. “Goodnight.”
He chuckled, turning off the light. “G’night, Sprout.”
“I sprouted, you know,” she said, feeling brave in the dark.
“Yeah,” he said quietly. “I know.”
“Remind me to tell you what else happened at Lisle’s.”
“What did happen at Lisle’s?”
“I’ll tell you tomorrow, but it was strange.”
“Okay.” He touched her forehead and left.
“Don’t forget to pack a bag,” she called after him.
As Fale drifted out of consciousness, she thought she heard a voice in her mind telling her to beware. She tried to shake it off as she slipped under the dark blanket of sleep.
It can’t get much stranger than this. Can it?
Chapter 6
The aroma of hot coffee and flatcakes woke Fale in the morning and she realized with pleasure it was Saturday. Fale stretched languidly, watching the dust motes playing in the rays of sunlight streaming through the front window, like children twirling on a playground.
Flatcakes were one of her favorite foods. Keron wouldn’t know, but Nelson had made her apple flatcakes and chocolate flatcakes and a variety of types on Saturdays mornings when she was a child. Fale smiled to herself, enjoying the daydream.
“Good, you’re up. What’s got you so happy?” Keron stood in the kitchen doorway.
You. You making me breakfast.
“Coffee and flatcakes.” It was her most frequently chosen breakfast combination of all time. It was the first meal Nelson had fed her when he brought her home to live with him, and every Saturday after. The poor man had no clue children didn’t drink coffee and Fale liked it too much to tell him otherwise. Besides, he added powdered cream and sugar to hers.
“You guessed it,” Keron said.
“That’s an aroma I know well.” She smiled radiantly.
“Man, there went a good surprise.”
“Well, did you make them in a smiley face?” she teased.
“Be right back." He ducked out of the room, and Fale laughed joyfully. It was possible she was being hunted, yes, but she hadn’t felt this happy in a long time. And it was all about a box of pancake mix. In fact, mixes were what they lived on. There was no fresh meat in Alloy City, or eggs, or milk. Everything came in powdered substitutes or dehydrated and frozen meals, but that was all they knew. The Industrial District, close enough to Harvest Region, received fresh fruits and vegetables, thankfully, or they would be dehydrated, too.
The stockyards were in the southern most region of Algea. Very few people in Algea got fresh meat, but the militia of the Engineering Design District, living between the stockyards and Harvest were heard to be all-powerful. It was where most of the plans came from, for each sector in Algea. The sectors created products, but Engineering Design dreamed up all the new inventions and gave what was needed to each. It was a good thing the civil wars had been over for hundreds of years so power in one sector only strengthened all the others. Fale stared out the window at her city.
What would life be like if all the cities took care of themselves? She could imagine the power struggle over the best, richest and most beautiful cities. It was better this way. They all needed each other.
Fale knew as a Takanori warrior she would get to travel to other sectors to train and learn from famed warriors of all kinds. A harmony existed in sharing a craft with others. An intense worry sprouted in her at the thought of all Algea’s cities going to war with one another over a power struggle. To have to fight the warriors in those other cities rather than learn from them and commune in peace, it would be unthinkable. Fale stuffed the thought down.
“What’s on your mind?” Keron leaned against the door opening with two steaming mugs.
“Flatcake mix and civil war, this time.”
Keron walked over and set her coffee on the table. “How do those connect? Or is this ‘Fale Logic’ on a tangent?”
“Something like that.” She smiled and looked down at the mention of what he used to call ‘nonsensical thinking’ and thus termed ‘Fale Logic.’ It wasn’t her fault her mind ran off track.
“Just kidding, Fale. Don’t take it personally.” He bent down to look in her eyes and smiled gently. “Don’t have any flavored cream here, but I tried to make your coffee light brown with milk.”
She took her mug in both hands, blew the steam, and drank. “Aah,” she moaned.
Keron put a hand on his heart and held his other hand out to her. “Wait’ll you taste my cooking.”
Fale laughed despite herself and took his hand, letting Keron lead her to the tiny kitchen table for two. She tugged her boxers as low to her knees as she could. Even though she tried to cover up, Fale felt nearly naked in her pajamas in Keron’s kitchen. It felt too familiar. Keron’s back was to her as he worked at the stove. She watched tendons pulling the muscles of his shoulders in little bunches, his valezsan arm moving effortlessly with the will of his body like water running over stones.
Fale felt herself floating like she did at Lisle’s and was overcome with terror.
Not now. I can’t trade places with the boy while I’m with Keron. Get a grip, Fale. Focus! She took her key and held it in her hand so tightly the edges nearly pierced her flesh. She closed her eyes and thought of the pain. Only the pain. Focus.
When Fale opened her eyes, Keron sat across from her; a pile of flatcakes between them, and a pancake with a chocolate smiley face on her plate. “Wanna tell me about that?” he pointed to her still shaking hand.
Fale dropped the key back under her shirt. “Not yet.” She looked everywhere but his eyes.
“Fair enough." He frowned and forked three flatcakes off the stack.
“Thanks for my smiley, though.”
“Not a problem.” He clipped; his lips set into a thin line. Her attempted return to normalcy had fallen short. Oh, he’s going to pout. Fine, be a baby.
“What are you doing today?” she asked, taking a bite of her breakfast.
“Agency workout training.”
“Is there a fight soon?”
His face pinched. She could tell he was gauging how much to reveal. “There’s a fight tomorrow night, but you don’t know anything about it,” he said sternly. Keron had been forced into fighting in the underground for the Control Agency to contain him and his wild temper, but also to win money by betting on him. As long as they controlled the fights, they were still the ruling body, even though underground fighting was officially illegal because of its deadliness.
“Do you have to?” she asked, trying not to whine.
“Yes Fale.” Keron stood up. “I’m the main freakin’ attraction.” He threw the batter bowl and spoon into the sink with a crash and put his hands on his head. As much as he enjoyed fighting, he hated being used by the Control Agency.
“But maybe you could stand up to them, maybe-”
“They own me, Fale. Don’t you get it? I don’t get to say where I go, what I do, who I hate, who I love-” He walked out of the kitchen into the bathroom and slammed the door. Fale heard the shower turn on. Could being fantocci have anything to do with why he had turned her down so long ago? No, he’d already told her she was too young and naïve. She sighed.
Might as well eat.
Keron emerged from the steamy bathroom levelheaded and wrapped in a towel. “Be dressed in a minute. You should wait about half an hour for hot water, though,” he said coldly. Fale ignored his off-handed behavior and drank her coffee. She had already cleaned up her dish and gotten out her clothes so she could change in the bathroom after her shower.
Keron sat in the chair opposite her and picked at his plate. “Sorry,” he grumbled.
“I hope you work it out this afternoon,” she said, looking away.
His expression darkened for a moment. “Are you coming back here tonight?”
“Do you want me to?”
“Dammit, Fale.” Keron took a deep breath, held it, and expelled it slowly. “Sure. Yes
. I said we were in this together.”
“Because I have to meet Izzy for lunch today, and I’m sure she’d put me up if I’m too much trouble." Fale made it sound like a question.
Please say no.
“Would you be more comfortable with Iz?” he asked sincerely.
Oh, no. Trick question. How do I answer without looking desperate?
“Izzy doesn’t know what’s going on yet. And her studio is pretty small, I doubt we’d be comfortable on top of each other.”
“You haven’t told Izzy?”
“There’s never been a good time. She worries so much.” Fale didn’t want to endanger her friend, either, in whatever was going on. Keron had already been threatened, Lisle was being asked questions by his wizards, and she had involved Nelson herself. She had a childlike faith in Nelson’s invincibility, as many apprentices do after growing up with their mentor. She couldn’t imagine anything happening to him, he would live forever. And so would Izzy, if Fale had any say in the matter.
“What does she think of you staying here?” Keron asked.
“She knows we’re only friends…” She shrugged a shoulder.
“I see.” He smirked. “My reputation has just been ruined.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Izzy’s mouth. And the fact that I am now a cradle robber, to everyone we both know.”
Fale crossed her arms indignantly. Keron lowered his eyes to her rounded neckline and said, “Who knows, this might pay off. I’ve been in worse situations.” His meaning dawned on her.
Fairly steaming, Fale stood up so fast she dropped her pile of clean clothes and said, “Shut up. You don’t know what you’re talking about. Izzy wouldn’t do that. Would she?" She picked up her clothing while he watched her with the look of a hungry predator.
“Oh, she would,” he spat. Fale was uneasy as his eyes narrowed. Was he trying to bait her?
What happened to the sweet Keron from earlier?
Fale showered quickly because of the cold water, but she wasn’t going to spend another minute with him acting like that. She twisted her hair around the sides of her head and made a twisted bun as best she could. Her silk top was the exact olive shade as her eyes, minus the spiky ring of gold around her pupils. It was trimmed in a darker green velvet ribbon with a square neck. Her cheeks were pink and her lips full. Fale actually felt pretty as she looked into the mirror.
She found Keron waiting on the couch for her in the living room. He stood with his mouth open and held out Fale’s shoulder bag. She took it, hiding her smile. She loved seeing she could affect him, too. It made her feel powerful. Since the apartment would only open to Keron’s wristband, they would need to coordinate when they returned.
“What time will you be back?” she asked.
“I have to be there by ten and we’ll go to two. Then from three to six.”
“Two-a-days. Yuck. It’s what we call it at the TacTrac. Okay. Well, I can meet Izzy for an hour or so and go back to her place. I need to pick up a tincture; I’ll do it on the way back ‘cause they close at six. Then we should meet back here at the same time.”
“Didn’t need the rundown, Fale, but thanks."
Such a sour mood.
“Hope you have a good day,” she called as he went out the door.
“Girls,” he muttered. Fale smothered another laugh behind her palm, as she followed him out. Keron made sure the deadbolt was locked behind them and took off for his training center while Fale began a brisk pace.
It was during her walk into the city center when Fale had another vision. People walked around her as she stood in one place, her gaze on things unseen. The pictures flashed through Fale’s mind.
She saw Lisle in his suit at a podium. A clock face spun horizontally as she stood in the middle and watched the sun travel across the sky. As it was beginning to lower in the west, the hands stopped at five o’clock. A picture of Lisle’s superiors leaning forward in their seats as he pointed to an easel with her key drawn on it. Four robed wizards in bright colors gathering Lisle into their huddle, speaking into his ear, pointing, looking stern, then patting his back with fake smiles. Finally, the picture that stole Fale’s breath; Lisle conflicted, sad, and yet proud, to hand Fale’s key into the waiting hands of the wizards.
The world came back into focus and Fale desperately tried to think of how to change the vision. Stop the meeting? Not likely. She decided to go to Lisle’s.
“Lisle, it’s Fale again. Open up." She knocked repeatedly on his white painted door.
He opened it a crack. “Is it you or the boy?”
“Lisle, don’t be stupid. I’m not freaking out.”
“Okay, okay, it’s you." He unchained the door. “You’re so rude to be so gifted.”
“What are you-? Never mind. I had a vision involving you.”
“Me?” Lisle puffed up with importance.
“Yeah. When you meet with your leaders tonight, I want you to leave me out of it. All my information, except for what they already know.”
Lisle led Fale to his living room. “But the Source Wizard Gasten will be present and I have based my presentation on you because yours was the most interesting story.”
“Lisle, the vision says they will use you to get the key from me.”
“They wouldn’t do that,” Lisle protested as they both sat opposite each other.
“Maybe not normally, but if you pitch a whole presentation on me, won’t it make me interesting? I don’t know if this assignment was meant to dig for information or not, Lisle, but please change it. I can help you. We have six hours.”
“No. You go. I’ll fix it. I won’t tell anyone your problems except maybe the boy, if he comes back. Has he?”
“I think it almost happened this morning at the kitchen table.”
“What happened?” Lisle leaned forward.
“Nothing. I stopped it.”
“You…stopped it?” Lisle looked at her incredulously.
“Yeah, is there something wrong with that?”
“Only it’s supposed to be impossible for mortals.” Lisle leaned back and threw his hands up. “You have no idea how much natural power you have.”
“Really? So, tell me.” Fale was intrigued. What kind of power could she have? She was ordinary. Not a wizard at all. Only a girl, hiding an old key. She really wanted to know what this power stuff was about. Maybe she wouldn’t have to be fighting this feeling of fear around every corner, if she had some control.
“Come back a week from now, when I don’t have to re-do a life-changing presentation. We’ll also experiment with calling your boy and communicating with him.”
“He’s not my boy. Sorry about the extra work, though.” Fale was frustrated that he totally ignored her question, but she let it go because she felt responsible for making him resolve her predicament.
“Will this keep you out of danger?”
“I hope so. Either it’ll help, or it will tick off whoever is looking for information. I don’t know who the source is, Lisle. I don’t know who all the bad guys are.” Everyone was beginning to look like a potential enemy. She creased her brow into worry lines.
“I’m a good guy.” Lisle looked at her hopefully. There was so much need in his expression. Need to be acknowledged, need to be accepted, need to be trusted. If Fale had to guess Lisle’s life goal, it would be to do magic on the side of good. There was no doubt in her mind, Lisle was one of the good guys.
“I know. I trust you, but I have to trust my visions and they say someone wants your knowledge.”
“I won’t tell, Fale, I promise.” Lisle gave her his best puppy dog look. She laughed.
“Thank you. I’ll let you work on your presentation.” Fale stood up. Lisle rose in front of her, reached to a shelf above her left shoulder and pulled a cloth bundle from a wooden box. He held it out to her.
“What’s that?” she asked.
“Please.” Lisle considered her bright eyes. “Don’t say no. Ta
ke this. I’ll feel much better. It’s enchanted to mortally wound anyone who attacks its owner. Only use it if you have to.”
“Lisle, I can’t…” She took the cloth from him.
“Please,” he interrupted her.
“…accept this,” she continued. “What if you need it?”
“I’ll enchant another one.” He grinned. He held a hand over hers and spoke the word, “Erus.”
“What did you do?”
“You are the owner now.”
Fale sighed and opened the cloth to find a shiny red leather sheath, six inches long with a glistening gold hilt sticking out. The leather had been stamped with a flying beast and words Fale didn’t know. The ornate strap was around two feet long in her estimation: a perfect length. Carefully she removed the blade and turned it over in her hand to feel its weight. The golden hilt was intricately designed with a rope-like handle and twin heads of the beast on the scabbard adorning the guard. The blade itself was perfectly symmetrical with a sinister edge. She felt the blade for flexibility.
“Titanium alloy?” she guessed.
“Grade five,” he confirmed proudly.
“It’s beautiful,” Fale breathed.
“It’s yours.”
“Turn around so I can put it on?”
Lisle looked confused for a moment, then blushed profusely as he caught her meaning. When he turned, Fale slid down her pants. She returned the dagger to its sheath and attached the strap’s golden buckle to her inner thigh, so the blade rested directly under her right hand when standing. She slid her silk slacks easily over the thin sheath and let down her shirt to cover the top. Unless she was working out, it would be indiscernible. “How can I thank you?” Fale asked.
“Stay alive,” Lisle said quietly, turning around.
“Why do you seem so sad, Lisle?”
“It’s silly. Maybe I’ll tell you next week. Can you meet me, same day, same time?”
“Lisle, whatever it is, you can tell me,” she urged.
“It’s nothing. Really.”
“If you promise,” she said warily. “I need to go meet Izzy for lunch, but I feel so much better. Thanks again, Lisle.”
The Key of F: a young adult fantasy romance (Freedom Fight Trilogy Book 1) Page 8