by M. Gregg Roe
Audrey didn’t dignify that with a response.
After a melodramatic sigh, Ilona pulled on her cloak, and Audrey followed suit. But when they reached the pillared entrance, they could see how bright the sky to the west had become. The rain wouldn’t be falling much longer.
“Do you have another occupation in mind?” Audrey asked to fill the time while they waited.
Ilona pushed back the hood of her cloak and shrugged. “The Guard hires spell-casters. Or maybe I’ll be good enough to eventually teach Shorinken. No one ever expected you to do that.”
Audrey smiled at her cousin. It might be more flattery, but it was also a reminder. She hadn’t expected to ever actually make it to the Witch’s City. She hadn’t expected to study anything as insane as unarmed combat, let alone be good at it. She hadn’t expected to become an adventurer, experiencing all kinds of unexpected and frightening things. And she certainly hadn’t expected to become the Guardian of Andoran’s Realm, effectively the man’s successor. Who knew what her cousins might become? They were young, and the world was filled with endless possibilities.
When the rain stopped, they descended the stone stairs and headed west toward the rest of their lives.
[ 45 ]
Warrior Coda
This time, Gabriel was taking no chances. Tipped off by Hazel, he was waiting next to the rear entrance of Alluring Apparel when his sister emerged. He took firm hold of her left arm as she gaped at him.
“We all need to be there,” he insisted, his clothes damp from the humidity.
“Let me go,” Marryn hissed. “I have plans. I have a date with Nollan.”
“You do not. He and Peri are covering the other two exits.”
Her mouth worked briefly as she teared up. “Gabriel, I don’t want to do this.”
He wasn’t unsympathetic. There was a certain finality in sorting through their father’s possessions, a recognition that the man was truly gone. She had taken the news badly, angrily shredding the letter in front of them before fleeing to her room in tears. After reluctantly agreeing, she had failed to show up two nights earlier, not returning home until nearly midnight.
“Mardan was a poor father,” he stated, staring into her eyes as he released her arm. “His abrupt departure is simply more proof of that.”
“I never thought I would hear you say something like that,” she said. “You practically worshipped him when we were growing up. I was the one he neglected. He never wanted a daughter.”
It was more complicated than that. Had Marryn shown an interest in being trained as a warrior, Mardan would have been thrilled. But a girl who was obsessed with her appearance and talked of marrying a rich man so that she would never have to work? Gabriel hadn’t approved of his sister’s behavior, either.
“Mother spent years trying to change him,” she went on, shaking her head. “I won’t make that mistake with Nollan. If I can’t live with his flaws, then he’s not the one for me.”
It was another example of his sister’s increasing maturity. Marryn was truly an adult now.
Gabriel nodded at Peri, now smirking at him from the corner of the building. (He had not been bluffing.) As he watched, Nollan and Hazel joined her.
After looking behind her, Marryn rolled her eyes and scowled. “I give up. Let’s just get this over with.”
He offered his left arm, and she took it without protest. She flashed Nollan a smile as they walked past the three.
Marryn was silent until they reached the circular street that enclosed the center of the city. “I still can’t believe that he ran off with that woman,” she said. “But I could see that they were in love.”
The letter had not mentioned what Zyrahi was, and he wasn’t about to enlighten her. He had also left Audrey out of his explanation of how the couple had departed. There was no need to trouble Marryn with those details.
Gabriel had come to take a pragmatic view of his father’s departure. It was more evidence that he was not simply a younger version of Mardan. He was his own man, one who would never abandon his children, whether they be natural or adopted. There would be no repetition of his father’s mistakes. If his children had no interest in combat, then so be it. As long as they pursued nothing unlawful, he would support whatever path they chose.
Entering without knocking, they found Medea in the kitchen, putting items from the pantry into a burlap sack. “I don’t think they did much cooking,” she commented before giving them each a welcoming hug. “Now that we’re all here, let’s start on the bedroom.”
They began by emptying the contents of the wardrobe and chest of drawers onto the bed. Gabriel opted to take two of the shirts his father had left behind, and Marryn surprised them by bundling up all three of Zyrahi’s left-behind dresses. Maybe she was planning to have them altered to fit. The remaining clothing would be donated.
“Good grief,” Medea said, pulling a sheathed dagger from the bottom of the wardrobe. “I had forgotten all about this. The enchantment’s gone now, but it once belonged to Mardan’s mother, Elara.” She held it out to Marryn with both hands. “You should have it.”
After accepting the weapon gravely, Marryn added it to her bundle. She had been named after Elara’s mother.
Continuing to move through the house together, it wasn’t long before only a heap of books and scrolls remained unexamined. (Mardan had never been one for accumulating decorative items.) Medea took a few of the books, mostly histories of Kaldir. Marryn surprised him by snatching up the book about demons. Gabriel decided to take remaining items. He could then sort through them at his leisure. Those he didn’t want he would donate to the library in the Witch’s Castle.
But there was one more thing. He opened the book devoted to pole arms and extracted the ten platinum pieces affixed to the inside of the back cover. Marryn gasped as he held them out on his right palm, but their mother reacted differently.
“That man,” Medea complained. “No wonder he never seemed concerned when I told him we were low on money.”
So his mother really hadn’t known about the coins. Marryn picked one up and examined both sides. “These were minted on Yunn. That makes them even more valuable.”
Medea shook her head. “I don’t think anyone here collects coins from that far away. They wouldn’t have any way to tell if they were authentic.” She picked up one and weighed it in her hand. “They’re heavier than standard platinum coins by a fair amount.”
Marryn returned the coin to his palm. “They’re worth at least 120,000 copper, probably closer to 150,000. What should we do?”
“Kora and I have no need for money,” Gabriel said quickly. He could still hardly believe how much money Desires paid his wife, nearly triple his own salary.
“It’s my decision,” Medea said, staring at the coin sitting on her own palm. “We will give one coin to each of the three temples. I will take four as my own emergency fund. The remaining three go to Marryn,” she said, smiling at her daughter. “Use them when you decide to move out.”
Gabriel distributed the coins, keeping the three that would be donated. Marryn’s gaze was distant as she stowed hers away in her belt pouch. As for him, the knowledge that their father had made certain of his family’s financial security had forced yet another reevaluation.
Leaving everything behind for now, the three of them went to a nearby inn that had a restaurant Mardan had always praised. As they ate and drank, they reminisced about the man, each revealing things that surprised the other two. Mardan might be gone, but the memories remained.
[ 46 ]
Succubus Coda
After she described her latest divine mission, Stanley burst out laughing. Earlier that day, following Lasrina’s instructions, Aliva had snuck into a room at a boarding house and taken all of someone’s socks. (The open second-story window had made the task both simple and quick.) She planned to donate the pilfered items to a local thrift shop, but not immediately.
“Now tell me what’s wrong,” he said, sink
ing into his usual chair in the sitting room. “Where is Romee?”
“Sulking in her room,” she answered, standing near the large window. “Lars has accepted a job in Wineton. He wants her to go with him, and she doesn’t know what to do.”
Because of its fine reputation, most of the school’s students eventually received at least one offer of employment. In Wineton, Lars would be close enough to visit his family regularly.
Stanley tapped his left ear as he thought. “I don’t think it’s a good idea,” he said at last.
Aliva felt the same, but she hadn’t told Romee that. “It needs to be her decision, but we can offer advice.”
He nodded his agreement. “We should break it down into pros and cons. That’s what I’ve always done with tricky business decisions.”
“Then let’s speak with her after dinner,” Aliva suggested, after which they spent several minutes discussing their strategy.
Following their meal at Gunhilda’s Café, the three of them went for a walk that ended at a scenic overlook of the Diar River. Romee bit down on her lip as she stared outward. She had barely said anything all evening.
“Lars told me he loves me,” Romee said suddenly. “I tried to say it back, but I couldn’t.”
Aliva looked at Stanley, and he shrugged. The girl’s unexpected statement meant that it was time to improvise.
“People sometimes mistake infatuation for love,” Aliva said gently, moving up next to the girl.
“It doesn’t feel right,” Romee breathed. “I think we’re too young.”
Aliva glanced at Stanley, and he nodded. It was unexpected wisdom from their foster daughter, a sign of her growing maturity. Before responding, she paused a moment to gather her thoughts.
“Why not wait?” Aliva suggested. “The two of you can stay in touch by exchanging letters. You can go visit him during your next break.”
Romee’s jaw tightened. “I don’t want to lead him on. He’s nice, but…” She closed her eyes momentarily as she sighed. “Lars is too shy. He likes playing Sparrow, but I don’t. I know I’ll never be good at it. And I’m not interested in fishing or boats or nets.”
Stanley cleared his throat. “As someone who was rejected many times when I was younger, I’d advise letting him down gently. Plan what you will say in advance, and try to anticipate how he might react. The goal is to keep him as a friend.”
“I’ll tell him I want to keep studying and training here,” Romee said in a firm voice. “That’s the truth.”
Pleased, Aliva patted the girl gently on the back. “Truth is important. Honesty is vital to maintaining friendships.”
After a solemn nod, Romee said, “I want to move into the dormitories next session. I think I’m ready now.”
“We will make the arrangements,” Stanley told her, moving up on her other side. There was barely room for all three of them on the outcrop.
“And you’re welcome to return if it doesn’t work out,” Aliva added.
Still looking outward, Romee broke into a wide smile. “Thank you. You’ve both been so good to me. I wish someone had given me that medication when I was younger. It’s so much easier to think about things now. Ilona and Iris both say I’m like a different person, but I still feel like me.”
Without the medication, the girl would have been climbing the surrounding rocks by now and endangering her life. Romee was different—less talkative, less impulsive, and more pleasant to be around. But sometimes Aliva missed the village girl with the twin pigtails that had run everywhere and talked nonstop.
On the way home, they encountered three of Romee’s fellow students and granted her request to join them for the evening. But Aliva gave one girl a warning look. The haughty looking blond had bullied Romee in the past.
“I think we’ve developed into decent foster parents,” Stanley said after the four had walked away.
Aliva rewarded him with a sultry smile. “I think we’ve done well with Romee, but that doesn’t make us experts. A younger child might be even more challenging.”
“It probably would,” he agreed as they strolled arm in arm. “A boy would also provide unique challenges.”
“We’ll wait until we’re sure Romee isn’t moving back in with us,” she said. But she had a feeling that wouldn’t happen.
They soon encountered Branwyn and her husband, also out for an evening stroll. On a whim, Aliva invited them over for drinks. It wasn’t the first time the four of them had gotten together, but there was a different feeling now. Instead of a childless couple that lived nearby, she and Stanley were fellow parents. Once she realized it, Aliva couldn’t stop smiling.
Late one afternoon, Aliva’s sewing was rudely interrupted by Lasrina. I like that design, spoke the beautiful voice.
It was a strange comment, considering that Lasrina didn’t even have a physical body. “Thank you. It’s a gift for Stanley’s mother.” She had been much friendlier toward Aliva since they told her of their fostering plans.
I am certain that she will love it, the goddess intoned.
“Do you need me to do something, or are you just bored?” Aliva asked, not minding the break.
After laughing melodically, Lasrina said, As it happens, my kind are not immune to boredom. I have a simple task for you tomorrow morning.
“What is it this time?” Aliva asked wearily. “Am I stealing someone’s underwear?”
You will be returning the socks.
The unexpected reply rendered Aliva temporarily speechless. The ways of the goddess were indeed mysterious. She and Stanley would be laughing about it for months.
Epilogue
Much of Zyrahi’s life now seemed inconsequential, an unpleasant dream that was best forgotten. Taking on the form of a human had changed her in unexpected ways, exposing her to new sensations, overwhelming her with strange and powerful emotions. A marilith only took joy from victory, from outmaneuvering opponents and vanquishing foes. But now, in her exquisitely sensitive human body, she could find pleasure in even the simplest of things. For the first time in her long existence, she felt truly alive.
At this point, Zyrahi doubted she could ever resume her original form. Some of her innate abilities no longer functioned, while others were less potent. And that had been before they departed Andoran’s Realm. It was, she suspected, a side effect of maintaining her new form for so long.
Zyrahi glanced over to where Mardan sat in front of the metal desk, writing in his thick notebook. It was his way of dealing with the periods of relative inactivity that accompanied inter-world travel. She passed the time by conversing with their fellow travelers, finding that her ability to comprehend other forms of communication rarely failed. Many of those aboard hadn’t even disembarked during the stop in Andoran’s Realm. Some simply weren’t interested, while others weren’t compatible with the environment. The Transient Voyager housed representatives of well over a hundred different worlds.
The vessel itself was a marvel. The interior could be reshaped in a myriad of ways to suit the needs of its diverse passengers. Three huge devices known as Omni-Makers used magic to create nearly anything that one could imagine. That was where their furniture had originated. (Mardan, predictably, had asked for armor and a sword.) Their small quarters were now more than adequate for their needs.
One of their early surprises had been that the journeys took time, but only from the viewpoint of those aboard the vessel. Furthermore, the amount of time was fixed, not varying with distance. As near as she could work out, it was a fraction over twelve days, as measured on Mardan’s home world.
They had spent perhaps two months at their first destination, a waypoint known as Turningplace Market. Hollowed out of iridescent greenish-gray stone, it was a sprawling city filled with an even greater variety of creatures. Parts of it were underwater, and parts filled with gasses that would have sickened or even killed the two of them. There were also areas that were too hot or too cold. Mardan had found it daunting, but she had reveled in the exp
erience. The dress she wore now, modeled after the one she had been forced to dispose of, had been crafted by something that resembled a tangle of translucent amber snakes. The deep red fabric was both soft and warm. And it seemed impervious to staining.
“It is almost time, my love,” she said, after hearing two high-pitched notes.
Mardan rose from the desk smiling. His clothes were a deep blue she thought went well with his eyes. On his black leather belt was a dagger with a matching blue sheath. She had been afraid he would want to go fully armed and armored, but that was apparently only for emergencies.
“I am ready,” he told her.
“As am I,” she said, taking his right hand with her left.
Had she ever once held another demon’s hand? No. Of course not. Demons rarely showed respect for each other, let alone affection. But she was human now, and that was part of their nature. A wonderful part, in her opinion. She squeezed his hand lightly, and he squeezed back. Ah, the feel of it!
After traversing a long, curving passage, they queued up behind a cluster of amorphous blobs, each adorned in a riot of shifting colors. That, in fact, was the manner in which they communicated with each other. She acknowledged their polite greeting with a wave of her free arm.
Others arrived behind them as the line to disembark moved forward. The blobs formed into thick cylinders and rolled. A few minutes later, the two of them reached the exit and gazed out in awe. In the distance was a city of crystalline cones that sparkled in the light of two amber suns. It floated high above a plain of lavender-colored vegetation that rhythmically swayed back and forth.
Zyrahi smiled with delight as she pulled Mardan forward onto the gently sloping stone ramp. Who knew what wonders awaited them?
[The Guardian’s story continues in Chaos Plague]
Preview of “Chaos Plague”