by Martha Carr
“I’ve already heard the same rumor.”
“That is worrisome. You’ve only been back a moment and it’s already reached your ears. No one will give details about who it might be or if it’s a group. Did you hear more?”
Correk gave a firm shake of his head.
“Whoever it is,” said the king, “they have managed to buy loyalty with fear or money, or both.” The king moved his fingers in a pattern that Correk knew was to protect the room from eavesdroppers like a stray willen looking for something to bargain with later. “The queen does not know, and I’d like to keep it that way for as long as possible. My source tells me the necklace is back on Oriceran. This dark force, whoever they are, they must have plans for us all.”
Correk thought about telling him about the willen’s cryptic message, but without proof it could turn out to be a dangerous distraction. There was always the chance Correk was putting the pieces together wrong. It would have to wait until he knew more.
“What can I do to be of service?”
“At the moment, there is nothing any of us can do but stay vigilant. I’m glad you’ll be on Earth. You will be my eyes and ears there. That gives me comfort, my old friend. The gates will be opening sooner rather than later and we cannot risk starting off with dark forces threatening.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The general was always being underestimated because of his small stature. He heard all the jokes about Napoleon or dynamite in a small package. He decided a long time ago to use all of it to his advantage. Too often, people underestimated his resolve and tried to test him. They never saw him coming.
He got great pleasure out of clearing up their misconceptions. Today was going to be no exception. He sat across the desk from the director of the psychiatric hospital and waited patiently. The director was leaning on the desk, his ID badge dangling over the particleboard disguised to look like oak. There was a smarmy smile plastered on his face. The fluorescent light overhead glared off of his bald head where the comb over didn’t cover.
On the desk between them were the discharge papers for Eireka Berens and a report that repudiated her mental illness. That was the part that was sticking in the director’s craw. He was willing to release the patient but with conditions.
“We have integrity here, you understand. This woman has issues. She’s clearly got schizophrenic tendencies, talking about elves and fairies and entirely other worlds. We can’t just say that never happened, now can we? We have to consider the public’s safety.”
Still, the general waited. He knew when someone was making a case to get what they wanted. The director didn’t give a shit about the public’s well-being or Eireka Berens sanity. He wanted something. Something big.
The director swiveled in his chair, pulling blueprints off the credenza behind him, rolling the rubber band off and opening them, laying them over the general’s papers.
“Now, if Ms. Berens had an adequate place to check in and still receive care on an outpatient basis, let us know that she’s still responding to all our care, we would feel better. I’m sure my fellow lodge brother, the mayor, would agree with me.” He tapped the drawings and smiled, the gap in his front teeth visible.
The general raised his hand, his eyes still on the director. An aide placed a folded piece of paper in it. No one in his entourage looked very happy.
The general carefully opened the paper and put it on top of the blueprints and pointedly slid it forward.
“I don’t know if you realize, but my time is valuable and you are wasting it. As you can see from the paper in front of you, you are a government employee at a government-sponsored institution. And somewhere in the chain of command, way above your head, there is me. That means that you have been wasting my time for quite some time.”
The smile slipped off the director’s face. The general tapped the paper again.
“Read the last line,” he said in a low and menacing tone. “As of this moment, consider your ass fired. You are no longer employed by this institution.” The general’s anger was kept in check only by his satisfaction at firing the director and watching the realization sink in.
The director sank back in his chair, his ego deflating.
“But…but…but…” he sputtered, spit flying onto the front of his crisp white lab coat.
“What’s that?” The general was starting to enjoy his day. There was a cockroach under his shoe and he was having the pleasure of hearing the crunch.
“I need this job!” whined the director, slapping his hands on the top of his cheap desk.
“Now you want your job back?”
The general stood up and brushed his arm across the top of the desk, pushing the blueprints onto the floor. His face was hard, the pleasant mask he entered with, gone. He carefully placed a pen down on the form.
“The next time someone from my office comes in and asks you to sign anything,” he said, in a slow, even, menacing tone, leaning over the desk, “you sign the fucking document.”
The director took the pen with a shaking hand.
The aide came around and pointed at signature lines as the director nervously signed his name, droplets of sweat smearing the ink.
“Good!” The general clapped his hands, smiling. “Always a good day when everyone works together.” He dropped the smile, sailing out the door without another word. Enough of his day had been wasted already. He hummed a song he heard on the radio as he headed down the hall. Leira Berens was one step closer to working for their side.
***
Leira read the paper again, trying to take it in. Her mother was declared sane and the government offered its sincere apologies for the error. A check was enclosed for $1,000,000 as restitution. The general was careful to point out that wasn’t her salary or even a signing bonus. It was to be Eireka Berens’ money. After all, it actually was a mistake to have ever locked her up. All over the country, others were being freed as well. All the government asked was that the whole matter be kept secret. That was exactly what Leira wanted, too.
She had dreamed of a moment like this a thousand different ways when she was younger. As she got older she stopped letting herself think about it at all. It always seemed like magical thinking.
She smiled at the thought, blinking back the tears welling in her eyes.
“Well, now,” said the general in a fatherly tone, patting her shoulder. “Big moment.” He cleared his throat and smiled at Leira.
If I could find my grandmother this day would be perfect.
She put the thought out of her mind. One victory at a time. The rock was rolling in the right direction.
“How soon?”
“Tomorrow. I know I told you by today but erasing her history is taking a little doing. It turns out there were a few agencies watching your mother. Apparently, they knew more than we realized, which puts them on our radar. Nonetheless, by the morning any trace of her will be gone from their system and if they try to look her up again, we’ll be notified. You not only have my word, which I assure you is inviolate, you have my gratitude for what you are about to embark on for us. Your country, in fact your world, Earth, will always be grateful, even if most inhabitants will never know anything about it.”
“Exactly the way I want it.”
“Always a good feeling when a plan comes together and everyone feels like they won.” He smiled. “Now, we have all of your paperwork to sign so we can make it official and get your clearance. There are benefits as well. Medical, dental, and a decent 401k. My aide will show you where to sign. Enjoy your evening Leira Berens, special attaché to the United States government. You’ve earned it.
***
Leira made one other condition before she signed. It was written in the agreement that she could tell several specific people about her new job. She agreed to leave out Oriceran, her complicated DNA, and her own magic in general. But she wanted to be able to tell them something close to the truth. After all, they were family.
She stood in her s
mall living room surrounded by all the things that were so familiar, thinking about how things were about to change. My entire life, everything is changing. She twisted the sapphire ring on her finger. Will I even be able to live here anymore? There’s no room for my mother, much less a troll, Correk and my mother. Let it go, Berens. You’re getting more than you ever imagined possible. The rest will sort itself out.
“This is going to be one of the weirder conversations I’ve ever had to start with anyone.” She looked at the troll sitting on the edge of the couch. He kept cocking his head from one side and then to the other as if he understood, cooing and trilling. “Hello everyone, I’ve quit my job with the police department to become a ghost hunter. No? How about witch doctor. Or vampire slayer. No one’s mentioned any beings like that, yet.”
She shook it off and watched the troll give a shake as well. He grinned, showing even rows of sharp, pointy teeth.
“Okay, now or never.” The troll slid off the couch and came over to stand next to her. “Oh no, you’re not coming. You’re not part of the bargain I made. Your whereabouts will have to remain hidden. Come on little fella.” She leaned down and held out her hand, waiting till he crawled onboard. She placed him in the center of the couch and whispered, “Nesturnium.” He settled in, sighing as he sat back against a pillow. Leira looked at him and wondered if he was bored, despite the spell. She grabbed the remote and turned on Netflix, starting the movie Gremlins. “You’ll like this one. I have a feeling these are cousins of yours.”
She twisted the ring one more time and reminded herself, everything changes tomorrow, before opening her front door and heading out to the patio. She weaved her way through the mostly empty tables over to where the regulars could always be found.
“Leira!” The familiar chorus went up from the people huddled around one end of the bar, laughing and telling stories. Estelle was at her usual post, standing on her stool, already handing someone what they wanted to drink before they had a chance to order. Smoke swirled around her bouffant.
Leira hesitated, surprising herself. She never ran from a fight. Maybe that’s the problem. This is all good news. Who knew it would be harder to face good news than it was to deal with the bad.
“You okay?” Margaret shushed the others, batting at them, sloshing the martini in her other hand. Craig stopped mid-sentence and turned around to look at Leira, along with Mike and Scott.
Mitzi picked up Lemon and smiled at her. “What is it, sugar?
Leira felt her throat tighten and fought the tears welling up in her eyes.
Mike got off his stool, shaking out a pant leg as Scott stepped over to Leira. No one dared to touch her. They had never seen her so vulnerable.
“What is it? Are you sick? Did someone die?”
“Drink this, it’ll help,” said Estelle who had migrated over to them with a shot of bourbon.
“It’s my mother. She’s coming home.”
Not the words she had expected to start with but there it was. She wanted to tell someone that it was real. It was official. And she couldn’t think of anyone else, besides Correk. He was due back any moment. My cousin. I want all of my family to know.
“My mother is coming home. Tomorrow.”
“Well, I’ll be damned.”
“Fucking amazing!”
“That’s the best news I’ve heard in a month of Sundays.”
“Beer’s on me!” Estelle was loading up the bar with a beer for each of the regulars.
“Damn, this is a big occasion. Estelle is buying!” Mike started grabbing bottles and passing them around before Estelle could change her mind.
“And I quit my job.” Damn, that was not the way I wanted to say any of this. She smiled as a tear rolled down her face. “Oh fuck, I’m not good at happy.”
“Okay, so, you’re happy you quit. I’m not sure I get that.”
“I got offered another job. With the Feds. I’m a new agent in paranormal.” She wiped her face on the edge of her shirt. “I start Monday.” Everyone started talking at her at once.
“That makes all the difference, honey. You should have started with that.”
“Holy crap, you’re joining the X Files!”
“Does that make you Fox or Scully?”
“Scully, smart guy. The woman.”
“The feds really do believe something’s out there. Wow!”
“Here, take your beer!”
“Is it a party?” Correk strolled up next to her as if he was always on this side of the veil, his feet on Earth. He looked well rested and calm.
“Her mother’s coming home!”
“Tomorrow!”
“And aliens really do exist!”
“And Leira Berens is going to track them down.”
“Here, take a beer! They’re on Estelle.”
“Just the first round!”
“That is a lot of news to take in.” Correk smiled and held up his bottle. “To Leira Berens. May she always know friends, family and all good things!”
“Hear, hear!”
She curled her toes, determined not to do the ugly cry. Fucking feelings. She smiled as she took a nice large swig of her beer. To all good things.
***
“Correk you ever think about joining a bowling team, you have go to with the Pin Pushers.” Estelle cackled, looking up at the scoreboard. “Damn, boy, you are bowling a near perfect game.”
Leira got up to take her turn, a lopsided grin still plastered on her face. Everything seemed a little easier. She stepped up to the line and rolled the ball, feeling a whizz of energy course through her as the ball sailed down the alley, curving just so, taking out all the pins. She smiled with satisfaction and went back to sit down.
“You might want to try and get a couple of spares,” Correk whispered. “Now that you know what you can do, you have to show discretion.”
“I’m just so damned happy.”
“That’s a combination of magic, beer and a little good news for a change. You’re high as a kite.” He looked at her sitting there, sipping her beer, smiling and waving at people. “Never mind. Enjoy your night. Life will intrude again, soon enough. Everyone deserves a night like this and you have earned it, and then some.”
“Feelings are not all bad,” Leira snickered.
Correk leaned in to tell her, “Like I said, you’re high on magic. Enjoy it. The hangover is a bitch. But I have to say, it’s generally worth it. Just don’t go making strikes from here without getting up. No, Berens, that wasn’t a suggestion.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Leira stood in her mother’s room shaking with rage. Her mother stood quietly next to her, holding her hand as she looked around the room. An old wooden dresser painted white and a single bed with a metal frame. Not much more than a cot with a thin mattress. It didn’t help that she was fighting a magic hangover and was seeing the world through a fog. It felt like she was moving through mud.
Correk paced around the room, grunting and swearing under his breath as he stopped at various points in the small room. He touched the windowsill, rubbing off grime with his finger, shaking his head.
He was doing his best not to unleash a fireball and send a horde of nits down the pants of everyone who worked there. Leira considered it but in the end vetoed the idea. Still, she was saving the idea for later, in case she changed her mind.
Eireka Berens was determined to be very still until she was safely on the other side of the many locked doors. There was nothing worth saying that she couldn’t rant about later. Right now, she just wanted out.
Still, standing there feeling the warmth of her daughter’s hand in hers was something to savor. Fifteen years. She had held her hand many times in the years since she was first locked up. But never with the knowledge of freedom just on the other side. She smiled at her daughter, channeling small bits of magic to soothe and calm her. To mother her.
“Alright, well, your paperwork is certainly in order.” The floor nurse, a large woman with a short
bob wore a tight, pinched smile. Her lips were a garish red. She blocked their exit for a moment but Correk stepped forward, willing to lift the woman over his head and throw her like a javelin, if that’s what it took to leave the place.
She took one look at him and quickly shuffled out of the way, holding the papers to her chest. “Haba, haba, haba,” she mumbled, opening and shutting her mouth like a fish.
Leira squeezed her mother’s hand and led her out of the room, feeling the pulses passing from her mother and into her palm, and up her arm into her chest.
“It’s going to be okay, Mom. That bitch will not stop us. Not today. No one will.”
Eireka smiled at her daughter. At the word Mom. It was worth the wait. It was worth every fucking year. “I knew you’d figure it out. I knew.”
“Go on out to the car. I want to find the doctor in charge. The man who kept her in here all these years.” Correk was so angry his eyes were flashing light out of the corners.
“Not a good idea. You’ll turn him into a donkey.”
“Old wives tale, but if I could… Go on, I just want a word. We’re leaving, but all of these other people are not. Go. I’ll only be a minute.”
“I’m coming in, fireballs blazing if you get yourself stuck in there.”
“These motherfuckers cannot hold a fully charged adult male Light Elf,” he snarled.
“Nice time to finally pull out all the big words. I like it.”
“I met your father,” said Eireka, smiling at Correk.
He stopped mid-swear and looked at her, searching her face like he couldn’t have heard her right.
“It’s true. You look just like him.”
Leira saw the pain on Correk’s face. “We can all talk about this later. We need to get out of here. I don’t like being here one minute longer than we have to. Go say your piece. Don’t injure anyone, and get the fuck out of there as soon as possible.”