The Quickening

by Antonia Tiranth

"I can't feel any Rikashi,” she said, chewing a nail.

  That was strange. Would the Head of the Council leave her house to a human? Especially since she knew about the egg hidden in the basement and the books in her safe? I shook my head. “It has to be a Rikashi."

  "Jo?” A familiar and puzzled voice came from the doorway. I turned and saw Mr. and Mrs. Moreau, Phi's parents, standing there.

  "Mom? Daddy?"

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  Chapter 29

  Josephine Erlina Moreau

  I couldn't believe my parents were there. The next words out of all our mouths were exact echoes. “What are you doing here?"

  Did they know about the Rikashi? Did they know about our heritage?

  "You know each other?” Aer's father asked.

  I gave him my best “well duh, dude” look.

  "You guys inherited this house?” I asked, ignoring the stupid question.

  "No,” a shaky and crackly with age voice replied. “I did."

  They parted and a tiny, frail woman, with hair white as snow and eyes blue as the sky, stepped carefully forward, leaning heavily on a cane. Now that she was closer, I could feel that she was Rikashi.

  "Okay, but that still doesn't answer why you two are here,” I said, looking again at my parents.

  "Jo, this is your great Aunt Meranwe,” my mom said, reaching for the old woman's hand and helping her to a seat.

  "Meranwe,” I gasped. “You mean, you're Meranwe?"

  The old woman laughed, a croaking yet hardy sound. “No, I am named for my great-grandmother."

  Great-grandmother? How old was this woman?

  "I can tell from the look on your face that there is need for much explanation."

  I nodded and Aer tugged me toward one of the couches. Meranwe tugged at Daddy's sleeve. “Emmet, be a darling and make certain those crates are being handled with care. Violetta, have a seat, cherie."

  Dad left the room, looking a little miffed for being left out of the conversation. Mom sat on the couch on my other side.

  "So ... you're Meranwe's great-granddaughter?” I asked.

  "It is a long and difficult tale, but know that you are the last of Meranwe's line to know the truth."

  "Truth?” my mom asked. “What truth?"

  I looked at her, wondering how to tell her. Meranwe did it for me. “All in due time, cherie. All in due time.” She paused, her slender, skeletal fingers folded in her lap, and looked around. “I think a good preface to this story would be for your friends to reveal themselves, Josephine."

  I gave her a puzzled look, wondering if she meant for Aer to reveal himself but she shook her head. “Wei, is it? I am afraid I am not so good at hearing them anymore."

  "Oh!” She meant the dragons. “All right.” I guess this was one way to let my parents know what was going on. I called the dragons to the main living room. They were very excited and came quickly, glad to be shown off. “Mom ... don't freak out, okay?"

  "Don't freak out about what?"

  Blue, green, silver and gold zipped into the room, coming to rest on whatever they could.

  "Them."

  She took it a lot better than I expected. She didn't scream or freak out. Mom just fainted. Aer picked her up and laid her on the couch. I knelt beside it and patted her cheeks, waking her up.

  "Jo, sweetie, I could have sworn I just saw dragons."

  Wei unfortunately chose that time to climb up between us, resting her front claws on the edge of the couch asking me who this person was and why she went to sleep so fast. I ignored Wei's rapid-fire questions. “You kind of did."

  "Oh, my.” She scooted back a little bit, pressing her back into the sofa.

  "She's afraid of me?” Wei asked, as Leena scolded her loudly from the other side of the room.

  "A little bit,” I said.

  "Jo ... why are you growling?"

  I winced, not sure how to explain that one just yet. “Um ... you'll understand soon enough,” I said, looking to Meranwe. The old woman was gazing at the dragons with a smile.

  "It is good to see them. My great-grandmother told me so many stories.” Her voice was low and reverent. Lancelot walked over to her and leapt up to the arm of the chair, careful to keep his claws off her aged skin. I watched as she stroked him.

  I started to ask another question but I felt the tug of dragon eggs. “You brought more eggs."

  "You have the gift very strongly,” Meranwe observed, nodding. “That is good."

  "Will someone tell me what is going on here?” Dad stood in the doorway, disbelief written all over his face.

  I slipped my hand into Aer's, and he gave it a squeeze. I looked at Meranwe again. “Yes, please, tell us your story."

  "Aranul,” Meranwe said, looking at Aer's father. “Show my niece and nephew your hybrid form."

  Aranul looked a bit uneasy, but did as asked. This time Mom's eyes just got a little wider.

  "Violetta, Emmet, that is a Rikashi, another race of being that's been in hiding for eight hundred years.” Great Aunt Meranwe went into the history of the Rikashi and the Melwasul, all of which I already knew.

  I tuned most of it out, watching my parents’ reactions and running my fingers along Leena's spine. The silver had come to sit in my lap at some point. I started listening again when she begin talking about Meranwe's children.

  "Meranwe's daughter was unlucky enough to not be able to pass as either human or Rikashi. My grandmother and great-grandmother hid from the world. They moved far away from their clan, to the very edges of France. Amazingly, my grandmother met a human who loved her despite her ... obvious differences. The generations after that could pass for human. It was decided that I, along with my siblings and cousins would be the last to know of the Rikashi. I'm the last of those, and I'm certain I haven't got much time left.” She paused, looking very tired all of a sudden.

  "Would you like something to eat? Drink?” I offered, but she waved me away.

  "No, child. You're very kind, but let me finish.” She paused then looked at my parents who were now sitting on the couch holding each other. “You two,” she said, gesturing to my parents, “are both of Rikashi blood and your mixing has produced a stronger daughter."

  "Wait, both?” How could that be?

  "My great-grandmother produced two children. Both married into noble families, which had close ties and intermarried often. Your mother and father are distant cousins."

  I hoped they were very, very distant cousins. I didn't want to think about that, so I changed the subject. “So, how did you come to be the Council Head's beneficiary?"

  "She was my cousin and kept a close eye on our family."

  "Why?” Aer asked, speaking for the first time since Meranwe had begun.

  "My great-grandmother was her aunt. She wanted to make certain that none of her aunt's children were ever without what they needed, and she knew that I was entrusted with the location of all the eggs remaining in France."

  Silence and darkness descended on the room. Someone turned on a light and refreshments were brought. I wasn't hungry at all. My mind was working overtime to process all this new information. “So, what happens now?"

  She waved her hand at us. “You three seem to be all that remains of the Tinuviel. Unless others present themselves, you will be responsible for guarding the remaining dragon eggs. They are all close to hatching but need the touch of a Tinuviel to awaken them.” She smiled at me. “Your touch, Josephine."

  I snorted. “Wow, no pressure, right?"

  Her eyes were dancing with mirth. “No, Josephine. No pressure."

  I turned to my mom and dad, expecting them to jump up and leave the room any minute, waving their hands about dreams and fantasies. “Well, Mom, Daddy, what do you think?"

  They didn't respond at first but then Dad reached over and ruffled my hair. “It certainly seems like you've already become a Dragon Mommy."

  I looked down at the dragons sprawled across my legs and feet. “They didn
't give me much of a choice in the matter.” I lifted my eyes to Aer's. “Did you mean what you said?"

  "About what?"

  I gave him a pointed look, and he nodded. “Of course I did."

  "Well, then,” I said, nodding my head toward my family, “you have to ask their permission. Her's too."

  Meranwe picked up on the gist of the conversation a lot faster than my parents did. “I don't know, cherie ... you can do a lot better than an Elessar Gwindor."

  "Hey!” Aer said, leaping to his feet. “You've got a lot of nerve coming in here and—"

  I snorted, trying to hold back the laughter, but I couldn't do it. Aer's anger deflated as quickly as it had come and he stood there looking sheepish.

  Meranwe smiled and laughed. “Yes, cherie, I think you have made an excellent choice of male."

  "Mom? Dad?"

  "Does he make you happy, sweetie?” my dad asked, stroking my hair.

  I stood, shooing Leena from my lap to put my arms around Aer's waist and gaze up into his dark purple eyes. “Yes,” I whispered, my heart fluttering at the smile he gave me.

  "Then you have my permission."

  Even without the dragons, life with Aer would never be boring. Our tempers were similar, we would always butt heads over even the smallest of things, but there was love there too.

  I felt the pull of the eggs again and looked at Meranwe. “Can I see the eggs?"

  She smiled at me and nodded. “Of course, they're in your care now."

  "Wait,” I said, stopping mid-step. “What about you? You've taken care of them all this time."

  She held out her hand, which I took. It was cool and dry, like any other elderly person's hand. She put her other hand over mine. “Outliving one's children is a curse,” she said, quietly. “Not only have I outlived my children, but their children, and their children after them. I have lived much longer than I should, out of sheer will and stubbornness."

  "Phi inherited some of that thick headedness,” Aer replied with a snort.

  Meranwe laughed. “I would be surprised if she hadn't."

  "What are you trying to say?” I asked, ignoring Aer's comment.

  She patted my hand. “I am trying to say, cherie, that I am out of time and glad for it. I'm ready to join the rest of my family in the afterlife."

  I hadn't known this woman for very long, but still I was saddened. “But..."

  "But, you need me?” She shook her head. “No, child. I do not think you do. Look around you. You have all you need here, and you already have several Great Dragons counting on you. They know what they need to survive. They will tell you. You just need to teach them to be careful in this modern world and not to repeat the mistakes of their ancestors."

  "What mistakes?” I asked.

  She let go of my hand. “I've brought my great-grandmother's journals. Everything you need to know will be in there. Your young eyes should be up to the task."

  I shrugged. “I guess."

  "Now, go visit the eggs. I must speak with the Council. This house and all I own will pass to you and your family."

  "Um, thank you, I guess,” I said, unsure how to show gratitude for a gift given because someone was dying.

  "Give us a kiss and be off with you."

  I leaned over, pressing a kiss to her wrinkled cheek. I paused in the doorway. “Mom, Daddy? You guys all right?"

  "A little overwhelmed at the moment, Jo, but we'll manage,” Dad responded.

  I nodded and followed the pull of the eggs. Excited wonderings about what the dragons within would look like filled my head, along with my worries. But I knew it would all work out in the end. I had my family, Aer, Shirak and the others. Somehow we would figure out what to do.

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  Epilogue

  Aerandir Cirdan Gwindor

  "Good afternoon, ladies and gentleman. We are now making our final approach to Cairo."

  The captain's voice woke me from my nap and I stretched, dislodging Phi from my shoulder. She sat up with a jolt and slapped my shoulder. “Jerk."

  "We're almost there,” I said, brushing a stray wisp of hair from her face.

  She lifted her arms above her head, working out the kinks from sleeping in the cramped airplane chair. “Next time, we don't go anywhere unless we can borrow one of those private jets. This sucks. You think the kids will still be mad when we get back?"

  I laughed. Leena and the others had been pretty upset at having to stay behind when we'd left the mansion. They'd refused to speak to Phi. We were headed to Cairo so Phi could quicken the eggs there so they could hatch. Others had tried, the Tasartir in Egypt had spent weeks trying to talk to the hatchlings inside, but with no luck.

  We knew now that the eggs required the touch of a Tinuviel to initiate hatching. After trying to bring eggs into the country, it had been decided that sending Phi to the eggs was the smarter and easier method. She would talk to the hatchlings and tell them who would be taking care of them after they hatched. So far the method had worked with four other clutches of eggs—and our own little family had grown by three, the eggs brought by Meranwe.

  On other trips we'd been able to use private jets owned by fellow Rikashi, which allowed Leena and the others to come with us. But now the dragonets were getting too large and this time we'd been forced to take a commercial airline. Besides, after quickening the eggs, we were going on our honeymoon.

  "I think they'll get over it,” I said. “As long as you baby them when we get home."

  She snorted, buckling her seat belt. “They're getting too big to baby. Wei nearly crushed me the other day trying to get into my lap."

  We disembarked and looked around for the Carnesir who was supposed to meet us at the airport. I scanned the crowd, hoping he was holding a sign or something. Phi plucked at my sleeve and pointed to a man leaning against a pole.

  "That him?” Her Tinuviel instincts were still amazing to me.

  "I think so,” she said, already moving in that direction.

  I lengthened my stride, catching up with her. The man pushed away from the column as we approached.

  "Hasani?” He nodded, and I extended my hand. “I'm Aer, and this is—"

  "And this must be Josephine.” He shook my hand and then Phi's.

  "You can call me Jo."

  "Welcome to Cairo,” he said brightly. “If you'll follow me, we have a car waiting."

  We collected our luggage from the rotating baggage claim and then followed our guide out to a shiny black limo. Once we were in the privacy of the car, Josephine said, “I was confused about Nerwen's notes. She said there was one egg, but all the other clutches have had at least two. How many have you found?"

  "Nerwen was correct."

  "Just one?” I asked.

  "Just one,” Hasani reaffirmed, nodding his head.

  I looked at Phi, and we both shrugged. “That's very unusual,” I mused. “But there wasn't much in the notes about Egyptian dragons."

  Hasani began to smile, like a cat who swallowed a canary. He knew something we didn't.

  "What?"

  He shook his head. “Just be patient. You will see when we get there. And don't worry about notes. We found some journals with the egg."

  After we dropped off our bags at the hotel, Hasani took us to a restaurant for lunch. Neither Phi nor I ate much. We were both too excited about the egg. I wanted to yell at the Rikashi for beating around the bush, but I knew he was only being a good host.

  "Are you the only Rikashi in Egypt?” I asked when we were back in the car and finally on our way to the egg. The driver, also a Carnesir, and Hasani were the only two Phi said she felt.

  "Yes,” he replied sadly. “We were not many, and Maedhros was able to kill the others. It was luck that I ran into the one you sent to find the egg. I had met him many years ago on a trip to America."

  We drove away from the city lights and into the desert. The fading light was no problem for me or the other Rikashi, but I was concerned abou
t Phi.

  "There are lights set up near the egg's hiding place. We are posing as an archaeological dig site,” Hasani explained. “It is fairly amusing, though, that many of the other diggers keep laughing at our choice of site."

  They had taken great care with their ruse. The site looked exactly like any of the digs you would see on TLC or the History Channel. There was plenty of light from the floodlights, focused on a hole in the ground.

  "It was buried?” Phi asked as we got out of the car.

  "Sort of,” Hasani replied. “The entrance has been buried by the desert. Don't worry, we've shored up the sides fairly well."

  I looked at him. “Fairly well?” That didn't inspire my confidence to let my wife of a few days climb down into the hole.

  He shrugged. “No cave-ins yet. Anyway, we're trying not to disturb it too much, only enough to keep up the illusion that we are an archeological dig. We didn't want to draw attention to it."

  Josephine nodded. “You're doing the right thing. Let's go, boys. That egg is calling, and he's got a loud voice."

  We began our descent. The light at the bottom was provided by small electric lamps, which gave the whole place a yellow glow.

  "The entrance we think is actually much bigger, but we just dug this hole for now."

  "What makes you think it's bigger?” I got another “cat that ate the canary” grin.

  "You'll see."

  We followed Hasani through the entrance, the sound of sliding sand sending a shiver up my spine. I hoped their shoring up would hold long enough for us to get in and out. After a walk through a tunnel of sand, the walls suddenly expanded into blackness the lights could not reach.

  Phi was walking ahead of us now, I assume pulled by the lure of the egg. I wanted to call for her to wait, but I was afraid of causing an avalanche of sand. There were more lights along the floor, spaced at regular intervals. I looked ahead and saw that Phi had stopped in front of a large wall, her hands out touching it.

  I stopped, folding my arms. “So, where is the egg?” I whispered.

  "This is the egg,” Phi replied, her voice just as soft.

  "You've got to be kidding me.” I looked up the wall. It curved away from my vision about twenty feet above my head. No way this was an egg.