by M. Gregg Roe
“You should stay home today,” Aliva told her. “Take off your boots and lie down.”
Romee swayed again. “Don’t understand,” she mouthed, then fell over onto her left side with a frightened look that made Aliva feel even more guilty as she rushed forward.
Aliva put a hand on Romee’s forehead and cast Recovery, that most basic of healing spells. She couldn’t detect anything amiss other than extreme drowsiness, and that wasn’t something she could cure. They would just have to wait for the effects of the overdose of medication to wear off.
After removing Romee’s boots and putting the satchel aside, Aliva tucked her into bed. The girl dozed off instantly, seeming to sigh with each slow breath.
You have to tell her, Lasrina insisted as Aliva entered the sitting room.
“I know I do,” Aliva murmured. “But she won’t understand.”
You should have listened to your husband, the goddess continued.
Aliva’s only response was a grunt. Stanley was too polite to say, “I told you so.” But she would apologize to him.
Her day was ruined. She had planned to spend the morning buying the fabric and other items she needed for two dresses she had been contracted to sew. Now she would have to stay home and look after Romee. But that was part of parenting. The girl was their responsibility.
She was going to have to explain herself not only to Romee, but to Almera and Audrey. That wouldn’t be pleasant. But it also wouldn’t be soon.
Aliva’s attempts to distract herself by working on clothing designs or sewing chores failed miserably. All throughout the morning she kept looking in on Romee, usually staying for several minutes. Persuading the girl to keep taking the medication wouldn’t be easy. Well, unless she made use of her innate talents. But no, that would just be compounding her error. It was best to be honest and pray that Romee forgave her.
It wasn’t going well at all. The aroma of the chicken soup Aliva was heating had brought Romee to the dining room, but the girl was still noticeably groggy. Romee had undone her braids, leaving her long hair a mess that kept falling down over her right eye.
“You’ve been drugging me?” Romee asked after taking a long while to digest Aliva’s explanation. “Why? Did I do something wrong?”
Aliva had just explained the reason, but apparently it hadn’t registered. “It’s just something to help you concentrate, to help you in school.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Romee whined. “You should have asked.”
“Yes,” Aliva said from the kitchen. “We should have asked you first. I’m sorry.” She filled a bowl with soup and put it in front of Romee.
“How do I know there’s not something in this?” the girl said, scowling down at the bowl. “I don’t trust you.”
“Then I’ll eat it,” Aliva said, sliding the bowl across the table and hiding her dismay. “You can ladle out your own soup.”
After a brief hesitation, Romee reached out and slid the bowl back over. She picked up her spoon and began to eat, blowing on each spoonful before noisily consuming it.
Not a word was said as the two of them ate. And afterward Romee stomped out and then slammed the door to her room. Forgiveness was apparently going to take time.
After cleaning everything up the kitchen and wiping the table, Aliva decided to do her postponed shopping. Standing outside Romee’s door, she detailed her plans. But there was no response.
It was late afternoon when Aliva returned with everything she had set out to purchase and a few items that had caught her fancy. She took the bundles to the room that served as both an office and a place for her sewing. It took several minutes to stow everything in its proper place. She and Stanley shared a mutual love of organization.
“Romee!” she called out after there was no answer to her knock. “I’m back.” She unlatched the door, pushed it open, and stared in shock. Clothing was strewn haphazardly across the bed, and there was no sign of Romee. “She ran away,” Aliva breathed as her knees went weak and she broke out in a cold sweat. “Where would she go? Think!”
Calm down, Lasrina ordered. Sit down and think it through before you go running out after her.
That had been Aliva’s first impulse, and she would fly, not run. The goddess probably knew where Romee was, but asking would be fruitless. Instead, Aliva went to the kitchen, poured herself a glass of apple cider, and sat down in her usual chair.
It was late enough that Stanley could arrive home at any moment, so it was probably best to wait. Where would Romee go? The school was a definite possibility. Romee had friends there who lived in the student housing. That would be the first place to check.
Aliva sprang to her feet at the sound of the front door opening. She rushed up to Stanley and stammered out an explanation that probably wasn’t completely coherent.
He scratched the side of his head. “Would she try to go back home, to the Witch’s City?”
“I’m not sure she has enough money,” Aliva said, now worried about the possibility.
He took her arm and led her to the sitting room, where they both sat down on the sofa. “We need to think like an angry teenage girl who doesn’t know the city well and isn’t all that smart,” he said, sounding much calmer than she felt at the moment.
“Romee’s only angry at me,” Aliva told him. “I made it clear that you were against secretly drugging her.” Something occurred to her. “Would she head to Merryton? She’s mentioned knowing people there.”
He shook his head no. “She would have to take the northern ferry. She didn’t show up while I was there, and we would never let a lone teenage girl cross.”
“She could take a caravan,” Aliva suggested. “But they don’t run every day. She would need somewhere to stay while waiting. A cheap inn?”
“That also takes money she may not have,” Stanley pointed out. “Would she go to a temple?”
Aliva opened her mouth to reply as another possibility intruded. Would Romee report her to the Rohoville City Guard? Or would she go even further, seek out the ultimate authority within the city?
“I’m going to the castle,” she said after rising to her feet.
“She has met both Danj and Sabrina,” he said, nodding. “Who better to complain to than the King and Queen?”
“Both of whom are close friends of my father,” she added. It was unlikely that Romee had ever been told that, and it certainly wasn’t common knowledge. “I’ll try not to be too long,” she said, already on her way to the door. It wouldn’t take long at all to get there if she flew.
Aliva had always found the castles present in Andoran’s Realm to be an enigma. Their thick walls were designed to resist an attack by forces equipped with conventional weapons and siege engines. Towers that partly stuck out allowed archers to target anyone trying to scale the walls. Entrances often featured traps and multiple barriers. Some were even surrounded by moats or other barricades. And all of it was useless against an enemy equipped with skilled spell-casters or powerful enchanted items. With her abilities, sneaking inside the castle would have been trivial.
Constructed of dense, light gray stone, Rohoville’s sole castle was rectangular with round towers at each corner. Nearly fifteen yards in height, it sat squarely atop a flat-topped hill that provided commanding views in all directions. Danj had christened the structure The Royal Stone Thing, even having the words engraved above the front entrance. It was another example of the man’s odd sense of humor, and it never failed to amuse visitors.
Ignoring the stares she received as she landed just in front of the castle’s main entrance, Aliva strode directly up to the oldest of the four blue-and-red clad guards, a gruff older man that she recognized. “Did a teenage girl named Romee come here earlier?” she asked, forcing a friendly smile.
The man chuckled. “She asked to see the King, but I sent word to the Queen. That’s who she’s with, but I’m not sure where. You can come on in,” he concluded, motioning the other guards to move aside.
&nbs
p; Wishing she could remember his name, Aliva thanked the man and walked forward, passing through the open outer gate, under a raised portcullis, and then through another set of sturdy doors.
Turn left, Lasrina ordered, and after a brief hesitation Aliva obeyed. Take the stairs up one level and then go straight, the goddess continued.
Why was Lasrina suddenly providing help? Aliva had planned to just ask members of the castle staff. Maybe there was some purpose in it, or maybe the goddess was just bored.
The corridors and stairway were lit by glow-cubes sitting on small glass shelves mounted high on the walls. She wondered if there was someone whose sole job was to go around shaking them when they dimmed, but decided that it was more than likely a shared responsibility. It was certainly better than using torches or braziers.
Lasrina’s guidance led Aliva to one of the castle’s many small guest rooms. Romee’s eyes widened in shock when she answered the door. “How did you find me?” she asked.
Thinking fast, Aliva said, “A messenger brought us a note. I came to apologize again and ask if you wanted the rest of your possessions sent here.” If Sabrina hadn’t sent a messenger, then she certainly would soon.
“Uh…” Footsteps sounded from down the corridor as Romee stepped back and motioned for Aliva to enter. She closed the door as soon as Aliva was inside.
“I really am sorry,” Aliva said, gazing into the sad eyes of the girl she had so wronged. “Petra assured me that the medication would help you, and we didn’t want you to be expelled from the school.”
Romee went over to the bed and sat down heavily. The canvas bag she had brought was in front of the wardrobe, still unopened and bulging. By now, everything inside would be badly wrinkled.
“I just thought I was doing a good job of controlling myself,” Romee confessed, gazing off to the side. “I know I get too excited sometimes.”
“And you’re not alone in that,” Aliva said smoothly. “That’s why Petra developed that compound. She’s already sharing it with other alchemists, because she wants to help others.” That was admirable, especially when you considered that most alchemists guarded their secrets closely.
Romee had the pained look she always showed when deep in thought, so Aliva busied herself unpacking the bag and stowing the clothing in the wardrobe. It looked like the girl had grabbed items at random and stuffed them in.
“I want to keep taking it,” Romee blurted out, sounding surprised by her decision. “Can I talk to Petra about it? I remember meeting her when she was about my age.”
“You don’t need my permission,” Aliva told her, noting that Romee had packed no undergarments.
The look returned, so Aliva finished putting everything away and then placed the bag next to the wardrobe. When she turned around, there were tears welling in Romee’s eyes.
“I’m sorry too,” Romee said, then sniffed loudly. “I should’ve left a note. Or just waited. Or gone to see Stanley. Or…” The pained look returned.
Touched by the apology, Aliva smiled warmly at the teenage girl. Her own teenage years hadn’t exactly gone smoothly. Those years were hard enough for people who weren’t part demon and struggling to control their powers.
“I should go,” Aliva said, moving toward the door. “We’ll send the rest of your things over tomorrow. They’ll—”
“No,” Romee interrupted, shaking her head repeatedly. “I’m expected for dinner, but can I come back? Please.”
“Of course you can,” Aliva said, not hiding her joy. “But you should stay here tonight.” She produced a paper sack from her belt pouch. “This is the medication, and it’s now your responsibility. There’s a measuring spoon inside. Tomorrow morning, mix one spoonful of the powder with water or juice. Just one,” she emphasized as Romee showed a slight smile.
Romee took the sack carefully and put it on the bedside table. “Thank you, Aliva. I’ll come home after school lets out tomorrow. Okay?”
“We’ll be waiting,” Aliva said as she pulled open the door. “Take care.”
Down the corridor stood the Queen of Rohoville. Time and three children had added lines to the woman’s face and inches to her waist, but she still cut a striking figure. The bright blue dress she wore so well was one that Aliva had worked on. Its accents matched the woman’s steely gray eyes. Her elaborately braided dark hair added to her regal look.
“I’m impressed,” Sabrina said as Aliva walked up to her. “You apparently arrived before I sent someone to tell you that Romee was here.”
“It was just a guess,” Aliva said, secretly pleased. Then she filled the woman in on her conversation with Romee.
Sabrina nodded her approval. “I think you handled it well, but don’t get cocky. Raising children is a never-ending parade of unpleasant surprises, not that I regret it.”
“I don’t know how you did it,” Aliva told her. “I’m already a failure as a substitute parent.”
“She’s not the easiest girl to deal with, and it won’t get any easier when she starts dating. Just do your best.” Sabrina curved her lips into a smirk. “At least she ran off to somewhere safe, unlike a certain son I could mention. Just remember that you’re not alone in this. Ask other parents for advice, but not me. I have a kingdom to run.”
“Then I’ll leave you to it,” Aliva said. “Thank you, Sabrina.”
Once outside the castle, she flew home to give Stanley the good news.
Taking Sabrina’s parting words to heart, Aliva climbed the aptly named Temple Hill the next morning in pouring rain. The squat structure at the top housed temples to all three of the major deities, and she went to the entrance allocated to Arwon and asked to speak with Branwyn, who had raised a daughter of her own. Over tea, the slender woman dispensed several pieces of wisdom. Aliva had made a mistake, but it was important not to overreact. Give Romee too much leeway and the girl would soon get herself into trouble, maybe even something serious.
Returning home, Aliva cleaned Romee’s room and changed the linens. She and Stanley had discussed going out to dinner that evening, but instead he would leave work early and fix something special as a welcome home for Romee.
She was dicing up vegetables when Romee arrived, wearing a dark blue rain cloak she must have borrowed. “That smells good,” she said, sniffing the air. She put down her bag before removing the cloak and hanging it up in the small entryway.
“Welcome back!” Stanley called out. “Dinner won’t be ready for about an hour.”
“Okay,” Romee said, already headed for her room and leaving muddy footprints on the wood floor.
“Come back and take off your boots!” Aliva yelled, causing Lasrina laugh in amusement.
With a sheepish look, Romee retraced her steps and quickly obeyed. “Sorry,” she said. “I’ll clean it up.”
“Yes, you will.” Aliva tossed her a rag and watched the girl set to work. “How was dinner with the King and Queen?” she asked, and Romee’s exasperated expression in response was no surprise.
“I’d forgotten about Danj,” Romee said as she moved to the next spot. “Are any of those stories he tells true?”
The man’s enthusiasm for telling stories of his youthful adventures was at odds with his utter lack of storytelling ability. Aliva had suffered through it herself on occasion.
“Some parts of Danj’s stories are colored by his own memory of them,” Aliva explained, bringing Romee another rag.
“But the people are all real?” Romee asked without looking up. “The slutty priestess? The purple wizard? The tall druid? The pretty ranger?”
It was impossible not to smile in response. Trust Danj to use silly monikers instead of proper names. The slutty priestess was now in charge of the local Temple of Dukane, and Aliva had stayed with her and her husband back when she first came to live in Rohoville. The druid was Birchbark, and the ranger was Medea, both people that Aliva knew well. And as for the other one…
“The purple wizard eventually became my father,” Aliva said, sudd
enly missing him. “He stills wears purple most of the time.”
“Really?” Romee stood up, clutching both rags. The floor was clean now, but Romee definitely wasn’t. “Can you tell me about him?” she asked.
“After dinner,” Aliva promised, taking the rags. “Go clean up and change clothes.”
After Romee disappeared down the hallway, Aliva returned to the kitchen.
She had long ago concocted a cover story about her origins that incorporated a few true elements but was mostly lies. People were generally accepting in Rohoville, but that didn’t extend to demons. That was why it was best to just pretend to be a normal human who just happened to be both exceptionally beautiful and a spell-caster.
Dinner was pleasant, and so was the storytelling afterward. It was nice to be a complete family again, even if it was only temporary.
[ 15 ]
Middle Ground
Peri’s reaction to his inquiry was unexpected. Seated in front of his desk, he could see the sorrow in her eyes as her shoulders slumped. He had unexpectedly touched a nerve.
“The older sister of one of my closest friends agreed to be a surrogate mother,” she said, fingering her left braid. “It was a wealthy couple, and they were willing to pay a lot. She was deliriously happy during the pregnancy, talking about how the money would help her find a husband and allow her to travel. But when the baby was born…” Peri dropped her hands into her lap and sighed.
“She refused to part with it,” he said, feeling sad. “Was there a contract?”
“Only verbal, but that’s binding.” Peri wrung her hands briefly. “The Zardis City Guard got involved. They called in a cleric to question her. The priest confirmed that she had agreed to give up the child, so it was taken from her.”
“The initial agreement should have been executed in the presence of a cleric capable of detecting untruths,” he commented, but the flash of anger that provoked startled him.