Then Chi took a turn, using magical arrows that Vee crafted for him, something that marked us with purple blobs to show if he were hit. And we got hit. I moved faster and faster, trying to anticipate and guard Rena against attack, encouraging her to drop and roll more than a few times, getting dirt all over her, and still Rena got hit more than once. Never anywhere vital, but if these had been real arrows? She would have been laid up for a good week healing.
After the third round, we stopped, wiping sweat and catching our breath. Chi studied me openly, taking in the tension, the angry, stubborn tilt of my chin. “You’re taking this hard,” Chi observed, not a trace of amusement on his face.
I didn’t even need to glance at Rena’s face to know how she had reacted to Chi’s words. The marksman seemed to enjoy testing boundaries. At least, that sharp assessment made me think he’d done it on purpose. “Chi,” Rena requested mildly, and gave him that look a mother would use to instantly shut all of her children up, “kindly do not bait him. Bannen’s protective even on the best of days, and if you send him into overprotective, I shall not be nice.”
Chi stopped dead in his tracks reaching for the water pitcher nearby. “It’s info I need to know. Bannen, on a scale of one to ten, how protective are you of her?”
I met his eyes unflinchingly. “Twenty.”
“So if something dangerous goes down—” Vee started.
“If that happens, my first and only instinct will be to protect her,” I said with a soft finality. “If I can guard your backs at the same time, I will, but don’t count on me.”
I prayed silently that Chi would let this go but because the gods are fickle and uncaring, none of them listened. “What if she says she’s going ahead, into danger, what then?”
“Then we go,” Rena said simply, trying for the right tone that wouldn’t put my back up. I knew that tone well. “This isn’t a matter of him keeping me wrapped in silk in a golden cage, Chi. He understands that sometimes we have a job to get done. But understand this: I have seen this man break multiple bones protecting me. I do not, under any circumstances, want to push him that far again. So if there’s a safer, saner way to get the job done, I will always try that method first.”
Vee gave me a smile that said I had just passed some sort of test. “We were worried about the two of you. Sorry if we sound like we’re testing you, we just don’t want you to be all bravado.”
“After what we saw you do earlier at the other shard, just blaze in and fight, it didn’t seem like you had any sense,” Chi put more bluntly. “And yes, you work amazingly well together, but that kind of teamwork can’t overtake all odds.”
I held up a hand, stalling anything else they wanted to say. “That was our fifth shard to take down. We knew exactly what we were getting into and how to combat it. Trust me, I am not cavalier about her safety, and normally I wouldn’t just waltz in if I didn’t know the situation.”
“All I need to know. Let’s work out a way to keep her out of the firing line, then, shall we?”
The training went better after that, the dinner that night light and enjoyable, and we all went to bed early.
Woods had us on an early morning train headed for the problematic stretch of the Rainbow River near a city I’d never heard of, somewhere east of us. (Where in the world was Kapanka?) This particular train seemed new, as it smelled of fresh paint and carpet, all done up in shades of forest green and creams. I saw few freight cars, mostly passenger ones with a dining car every so often. We were put near the front of the train, in one of the more spacious passenger cars. I noticed with interest this one ran on steam instead of coal, meaning it couldn’t be more than a year old. I had to wonder if that meant it would also be faster. Vee took up a bench all on her own, legs crossed and up a little, the only way that she could fit without cramming her knees against the other bench. That left three of us on the opposite bench, but apparently Woods knew Vee wouldn’t fit on trains well, as he had bumped us up from the economy seats to the private cars, so we had enough room to work with.
The view out the window captivated me for a while as I had never seen countryside so intensely green. It looked almost blue it was so green. I saw hints of very brightly colored birds in reds and golds flying by, but the noise of the train’s engine and the rattling along the track kept me from hearing any birdsong. I itched to lower the window and stick my head out, and would have, if I hadn’t been dead certain that I would have looked like an over exuberant five year old doing it.
With a captive audience, Rena unleashed her curiosity, eyes shining with excitement. “I’ve always wondered this. What’s it like working in the MISD?”
“Too much excitement in between mounds of boring paperwork,” Chi informed her, expression suggesting he was half-kidding. But only half. “They recruited me because I can literally hit anything, then paired me up with Vee because even though she’s formidable, a sentient quarter staff isn’t good at protecting her back.”
Seton-The-Staff flashed red in protest.
“You’re not,” Chi responded as if he perfectly knew what the staff meant to say. “Sure you flash pretty colors that mean something between the two of you, although your color coding system for words is insanely complex and redundant, you realize that, right? But she has to be looking at you for your warnings to do any good.”
“He has a point,” Vee told her familiar-staff in amusement.
I rubbed my forehead and stared at Seton. I still found this whole idea of an object familiar very, very strange.
Chi flapped a hand. “Anyway, back to my point, they paired me up with Vee pretty quickly once they verified how good I am—”
“Ever get tired of tooting your own horn, Chinna?” Vee interrupted dryly.
“—so I think I’ve seen more action than your typical Specialist,” Chi continued, unfazed by his partner. “But I do not exaggerate on the paperwork. There’s reports and forms for EVERYTHING. In triplicate. Even though you’re technically a consultant, you will not be spared.”
Rena eyed me sideways, already resigned. “You’re going to make me do all of the paperwork, aren’t you?”
“Why are you asking a question that you already know the answer to?” I responded pleasantly.
She heaved a very put upon sigh. “It’s a good thing you’re pretty.”
“My only redeeming grace,” I agreed, not at all bothered by this. She knew I was terrible with paperwork and sitting still. Rena exceled at it. Life was all about playing to your strengths.
“Are you considering joining us?” Vee asked her, the tone trying for casual and failing.
“Always been a goal of mine, to try,” Rena confessed. “I thought, since I have this consulting job with you, why not see how it goes? If I like the MISD, perhaps try for a more permanent position. Do you think they’d take me?”
“You’re inherently destructive, cute, and know how to follow orders,” Chi responded, almost laughing. “Trust me, my superiors will shed tears of joy if you sign up.”
I heard what he didn’t say. “In other words, you have a wide variety of people that are very good at destroying things and terrible at following orders.”
“And most of them are ugly as sin,” Chi agreed cheerfully. “So please, Rena, please do join us.”
“After this contract is done, I’ll think about it,” she promised.
I had an inkling that we’d likely join them sooner rather than later. Rena had always wanted to, and if the few people I’d met from MISD were any indication, the organization liked competent people. I could work with that.
The train chugged to a halt, whistle blowing, the metal wheels screeching a little on the tracks. I scooted around Bannen, trying to avoid leaning over him, as I popped the window down and stuck my head out. In Turransky, I wouldn’t have thought twice about plopping myself in his lap and leaning over, but at Mary’s we’d been comfortable being ‘engaged.’ People expected me to be hands-on with him, and I’d used that shamelessly to my a
dvantage. In the outside world, though, no one would automatically assume that we were together. I couldn’t keep pushing my own agenda on him without putting him in an awkward position and I wasn’t about to do that to Bannen. I made his life difficult enough as it was.
Shaking the thought away, I peered ahead, trying to see what had slowed the train down. “Uh-oh. We have some trees down on the tracks.”
Chi maneuvered around so that he pressed up against my back, also sticking his head out for a look. It felt strange to be in such direct contact with him, although I found I didn’t particularly mind. From the corner of my eye, I saw Bannen’s hands twitch as if he had strangled the urge to snatch Chi away. Interesting.
Oblivious to this by-play, Chi spoke, “A large one. That’s not going to move itself anytime soon. Vee?”
“You think I can move it?” his partner asked, already shifting to put her feet on the floor.
I drew back and gave them both a look askance. “Why are you thinking about moving it when I can just destroy it? It won’t take a minute.”
Chi stopped to really look at me, sharp blue eyes examining me like he needed to examine my face to see how serious I was. “So when you destroy something, it all goes poof like that shard did? There’s literally nothing left but dust and air?”
“If that’s what I tell my magic to do, yes.”
He stared at me for another moment before shaking his head. “You are terrifying. Cute, but terrifying.”
“You’re not the first to tell me that,” I informed him and strangely I felt like blushing. I wasn’t sure why. Perhaps because Bannen told me similar things all of the time and from him it meant flirting. I didn’t think Chi meant it that way, though. “Anyway, let’s go ask if I can help. The train engineer is probably the person to speak to, right?”
“Just follow me,” Vee suggested, moving for the door. “My uniform will get him to agree before we even open our mouths.”
The MISD blue was a very powerful thing. I didn’t think it an exaggeration. I followed her out, not at all surprised that Bannen and Chi followed at our heels, and I personally felt grateful for it. Not that Bannen is a surprise, he’d never let me go by myself, but Chi was a nice addition. It could have just been weak roots or a recent lightning storm that felled that tree, but then again, maybe not. There were a lot of magical creatures destructive by nature, and I didn’t want to bumble into any of them unguarded. I felt better having people watching my back while I worked.
We went down the narrow hallway of the train, Vee ducking and almost walking sideways in order to fit. It took three cars before we got to the engine, and she knocked loudly on the door before a man with thinning hair and ruddy cheeks swung it open and peered out. “Oh. Hello, Agents, wasn’t aware I had MISD onboard this trip.”
“Two of us,” Vee responded with a professional smile. “We thought we’d offer to clear out those trees on the rails.”
The engineer gave her a look of abject relief. “I’d take it as a kindness if you would. I’ll make sure to report it to the station when we get in, too, so you’re paid for the trouble.”
I perked up at the sound of payment. Money was always good.
“If you would.” Vee extended a hand, shaking on the deal. “Any dangers in this area you know of?”
“Baboons are mean this time of year, and we have more than a few snakes, but the thing I’d watch out for are the quetzalcoatls. Normally don’t have much trouble with them, but it’s nesting season right now, and they’re going to be very territorial. If you don’t wander deep into the woods, I don’t think you’ll have much trouble, though.”
I took the advice to heart and nodded to Vee when she looked back at me. I didn’t think I’d need to get off the tracks at all, so it shouldn’t be an issue.
“We’ll keep an eye out,” Vee promised. “Give us a few minutes.”
Vee led the way out the side, stepping down onto the gravel and turning to extend a hand, helping me down, not that I needed it. It was only a two foot jump. I took it anyway in the spirit in which it was meant. Vee struck me as a natural sweetheart.
Of course, Chi didn’t leave this alone. He paused at the top of the steps with arms held out expectantly.
His partner gave him a Look. “You can get down just fine.”
The man’s eyebrows screwed upwards, mouth dragging down at the corners, arms crossed over his chest in exaggerated lines, which for someone at least thirty years old, should have looked absolutely ridiculous. Instead he was adorably ridiculous. “Vee, I don’t feel the love.”
“Nor should you,” she retorted. Turning, Vee headed off in an easy stride.
Grumbling, Chi hopped down lithely and moved in a half-jog to catch up. I watched them go with a smile on my face, wondering if they were together or not. Sometimes their teasing bordered on flirting, and they seemed perfectly comfortable in each other’s spaces. Then again, they didn’t seem to act much different than Bannen and I, and look where our relationship stalled.
The thought wiped the smile off my face. Shaking my head, I moved forward, forcing myself to focus on the task at hand. Three trees lay on the tracks, massive and ancient, the bases jagged from where they had been separated from the roots. This definitely looked like the workings of a monster of some sort, as it had all the markings of being roughly torn into. Hopefully whatever had done it was far away.
I moved to the far right side, closer to the river, so that I could see all three trees at once. I might have taken a moment to look at the river itself too, because it truly was a beautiful sight. Bright violet, magenta, cyan, vibrant green, and a blushing pink mixed and swirled around each other just under the surface of the water, turning it sparkling and colorful. The moss in this area grew in those colors naturally—one of the only places in the world to do so, hence why everyone considered it a natural wonder. If I could ever afford a magical camera, one that could record color, I was coming back here to get a snapshot.
Well, I could look at this as much as I liked later. I’d be working in the river, after all. For now, I’d best work on the trees. With a blink, I switched over to my magical sight. One of the first things Mary had taught me how to do was ignore my magical oversight that saw everything in schematics and elements. I blessed the ability on a daily basis. Now, let’s see, the trees…wait. What was that? I peered more intently at the river and saw a brightly colored slug roughly three inches long, moseying along, the moss disappearing in its wake.
“Vee, Chi, I thought you said the moss-eating slugs are further north?”
They both snapped around. “They are,” Vee answered, worried, coming back toward me. “Why?”
I pointed to the rock not twenty feet from me, down the slope and near the river’s edge. “That bright pink slug is eating moss. That is what’s in the report, right?”
Vee had to strain her vision, follow the path of my finger intently for a moment, then she swore. “You have amazing eyes. I never would have seen that if you hadn’t pointed it out. Yes, that’s exactly what’s in the report. They’ve moved this far south already?”
I studied the river more carefully, eyes going to the other side of the bank as well. “That’s the only one I see. Could be it’s the vanguard. After I take care of the trees, we should probably start here and just walk up—let me make sure that there’s no other slugs in this area.”
“Good plan. The next station is where the infestation supposedly starts, but that’s a good six, seven hour walk.” Vee phrased this as if questioning how I felt about walking six or seven hours.
I snorted, not at all worried about this. “You should really meet my master, Vee. The woman believes walking is good for the soul. Or at least my soul.”
“I went through three pairs of boots in two years because of her,” Bannen added ruefully.
“Ah, one of THOSE types,” Chi said in recognition. “Well, if we’re starting now, let me go back to the engineer and tell him about the change of plans. I’ll snag wa
ter and snacks to tide us over, but we’ll let him take our bags to the next station. No sense lugging it ourselves.”
I thought that a sound plan and nodded. “Please.”
Chi went back to the train in a lazy lope.
Maple, oak, and birchwood trees might be different species, but it was all wood to me, and I didn’t need more than a minute to come up with the right spell to make it all disappear. They became nothing more than dust and air after I finished, and I could hear from the train a cheer go up. Apparently more than one passenger had been watching us through the window. I turned and gave them a friendly wave and smile, which got a few laughs and several waves back. I loved moments like these, when my magic did something good even as it destroyed, because it was such a rare thing. I basked while I could.
Chi dropped back onto the tracks, a pack in his hands, quiver and bow slung over his shoulders, as the train slowly revved back up to speed. “Some nice lady gave me sandwiches and pineapple juice.”
I blinked. He’d only been gone five minutes, how did he get a picnic lunch from a complete stranger in five minutes?
Vee shook her head, not even surprised. “Why do people like to feed you so much? I swear you get more free meals than an abandoned puppy.”
“I do not question,” Chi informed her, brown eyes laughing, “only thankfully receive.”
“You are so incorrigible, seriously.” Vee dismissed this with a wave of the hand. “Alright, Rena, we’ll follow your lead.”
“About that.” I bit my lip uncertainly, not sure how involved two senior MISD agents were willing to get. “The report mentioned that the slugs normally are, ah, underground unless feeding.”
All three of them looked at me for a long moment.
“You’re saying we’re going to have to poke around in the mud to drive them up, aren’t you.” Bannen didn’t sound put out about this, but then, his warped sense of humor likely thought this would be great fun.
I gave him a game smile and shrug. The train let out a whistle, and we all turned to wave at the engineer, who beamed at us as he went by, before I focused on the other two. Chi already had his boots off, rolling up the cuffs, which told me I didn’t have to worry about him. Vee held Seton up, conversing with the staff. Then she shrugged, tossing him to me, which I caught with both hands. “He doesn’t want to play in the mud, it takes eons to get grit out of his grooves, so hold onto him for me while we’re doing this.”
The Void Mage (The Familiar and Mage Book 2) Page 4