The Shoreless Sea

by J. Scott Coatsworth

  Se had to be careful. They were openly attacking people like ser in the streets. Even people they thought were Liminals. No proof apparently needed.

  Se considered breaking in, but the two guards at the entrance discouraged that idea, at least from the front.

  Se would see if se could get around to the back and check out the building’s access.

  Destiny wished se had the skills of Andy’s little thieving friend. They would have come in handy right about then.

  Destiny sighed. Se would work with what se had. It was going to be a long night.

  Chapter Seven: On Edge

  BELYNN WAS about to head out to look for Destiny when someone pounded on the door downstairs.

  “Got it!” Ally’s voice came from the hall.

  Belynn pulled on her jacket. She’d never hidden who or what she was, although she’d used her abilities sparsely these last few years, but this new fixation on Liminals scared her badly.

  Kiryn and Dax lived in Thyre now, and her brother was much more open with the use of his gifts. He worked as an arbitrator, using his keen perception to get to the bottom of things.

  A moment later, Ally was knocking on the door. “There’s someone here to see you.” She stepped aside, and two wet, bedraggled boys were standing there.

  “Are you Belynn?” the older one asked.

  “You know these two?”

  Belynn shook her head. “Not exactly, but I think I’ve been looking for one of them. Thierry?”

  The older boy nodded. “This is Skate.”

  “Come on in.”

  They entered sheepishly, looking around the room in wide-eyed wonder. “Andy told me to find you.” Thierry put his arm around Skate protectively. “Just before they took her.”

  “What?” She looked up at Ally, who shrugged. “Who took her?”

  “Some of the guards. After she yelled at the new mayor.”

  Della. “Fuuu… I mean, spin me down.”

  Thierry’s expression shifted from concern to outright glee. “It’s okay. I’ve said worse. A whole lot fucking—”

  “Got it.” She rolled her eyes at Ally, who laughed.

  Belynn sighed. Poor street kids. It was a crime that kids like this had to live like that, when Forever had enough to feed and clothe everyone. “Where did they take her?”

  “I don’t know.” Thierry frowned. “She was hurt. She fell down on the stage, yelling at the mayor.”

  “I think I can answer that.” Destiny appeared in the doorway. “Della’s keeping Andy in a room at the back of the Mayor’s Residence, just off the square near the Rhyl.” Se looked at the two boys. “Who are these?”

  “Destiny, meet Thierry and….”

  “Skate.” The boy scratched his arm absentmindedly. “Do you have anything to eat?”

  Ally laughed. “Let me take care of them. You two talk. Sander should be home soon, and then we can figure out what to do with you all.” She said it lightheartedly, but there was a strain in her voice.

  This had to be more than Ally had expected when she offered to take them in.

  “We can’t stay here for long,” Belynn whispered when Ally was gone.

  “I know. It’s not fair to them.” Destiny sat on the bed, letting out a long sigh. “I think Andy’s okay. They took her to the medic after she had a brawl with Della in the square.”

  “Sweet Ariadne, she’s almost eighty years old.” Belynn shook her head. “What’s she doing getting into a brawl?”

  Destiny shrugged. “Della burned Andy’s sculpture.”

  “No!”

  “Oh yes, and Andy let her have it.”

  Belynn laughed. “I’ll bet she did. I can just see her shaking her cane at the mayor.”

  “Yup.” Destiny grinned. “She’d scare the crap out of me. Anyway, her arm was treated, and from what I can tell, Della has her under lock and key.”

  Belynn paced back and forth along the length of the bed. “Things are getting bad, fast. First the arrest warrants for Liminals in general. Now this. She’s turning the people against us.”

  “Looks that way.” Destiny took Belynn’s hand in sers. “It will be okay. We’ll figure it out. We always do.”

  Belynn stared at ser. How se had changed from the uncertain child se’d been when they had first met. Belynn had felt something even then—had seen the beauty in Destiny’s soul.

  The age difference—six years—had seemed much more significant when Des had been fifteen.

  When they’d met again five years before, they just clicked. Although Destiny was six years younger than she was, the connection had been instant. Like they shared a soul.

  Belynn squeezed ser hand. “I know we will.”

  She reached out to Kiryn, something she rarely did anymore. They each had their own busy lives, and she had finally learned to keep her own abilities under control. She kept them on a tight leash—a small part of her feared what would happen if she let them go too far. Hey there.

  His response was immediate. Hey, sis. What’s up?

  It warmed her heart. It was as if no time had passed at all since they’d seen one another. Mom is in trouble.

  She read the alarm in him before he replied. What happened?

  She explained as quickly as she could. She always takes on too much.

  She’s been like that since before we were born. More so since Mamma died.

  Belynn closed her eyes. Shandra’s loss had been a blow to them all. She is all alone now. I’m worried about her.

  I can be there in the morning—

  No, it’s too dangerous, and there’s not enough time.

  Are you sure?

  Yeah. Belynn sighed. Love you, Kir.

  You too.

  She let him go.

  “Is Kiryn okay?”

  “Yeah. Think so.” She looked into Destiny’s pale blue eyes. “What do we do? We can’t run. Not without Andy.”

  Destiny grinned. “We get her out.”

  THIERRY DEVOURED the soup Ally made for him and Skate, along with the bread roll and a side of cave cheese. He had eaten better that day than he had in months. Years, maybe. And now his stomach was rumbling.

  He was still hungry. “Do you have any more soup?”

  Skate elbowed him. “Say ‘please.’”

  “More soup, please.”

  “Better.” Skate grinned. “This is a nice house. You have to use your nice people manners.”

  “Skate’s right.” Ally winked at them both. “And yes, I do. Here, give me your bowl.”

  Thierry handed it over. “It’s really good.” He looked around. The kitchen was clean and new, the counter made of a single piece of stone.

  He slurped the soup up even though it burned his tongue, afraid if he didn’t finish it, she would take it away.

  If he closed his eyes, he could almost see his mother.

  They’d lived in a shared house on York Street, a place for the down-and-out who weren’t quite desperate enough to seek refuge in the Warren. The kitchen had been a mess, the walls covered with soot from the woodstove where she cooked.

  Her face was fuzzy in his mind now, but he could still see her smile and hear her voice. “You hungry, little tut tut? Just a minute and Mommy will have something for you to eat.”

  He opened his eyes and looked at Ally. “You have kids?”

  She stared at him for a minute, then shook her head. “We can’t.” She turned away, wiping her eyes.

  “You’d be a good mother. You make good soup.”

  She shook her head. “Thank you. I think.” He finished his bowl, licking the bottom to get all the delicious broth. He thought about asking for more but didn’t want to be rude.

  Maybe there was a way he could thank her.

  He got up and tapped her on the shoulder.

  She turned, and her eyes were wet. “What?”

  “Look.” He pointed at her arms.

  She looked down and found an infant in her arms, wrapped in a yellow blanket. The
baby cooed.

  She wiped her eyes and held him up, looking at him in wonder. “How…?”

  “You like it?”

  “He’s beautiful.” She touched her nose to the baby’s. “He?”

  Thierry nodded. “Sure.” The blanket shifted from yellow to blue.

  Ally’s face went white. “He’s not real.” She dropped her arms, and the baby faded away into nothing.

  “I can make him whatever you want.”

  “He’s not real,” she said again, her voice hardening.

  “I—”

  “That was very cruel, Thierry.” She was crying again, and she wiped her nose with the back of her hand, sniffling.

  His jaw dropped. “I… I just thought….”

  She put her hand on his cheek. “I know. Just… don’t ever do that again.” She let go and left the room, leaving him and Skate in stunned silence.

  ANDY STOOD at the window, looking out at the river below, holding her injured arm with her other one. She was a prisoner in one of the old houses along the riverfront—probably the Mayor’s Residence.

  The Rhyl ran by about ten meters away, separated from the house by a wide grassy verge. The sound of the flowing water was soothing.

  She was on the second story, too high for her to jump out or climb down, even if her arm wasn’t broken and her old bones weren’t so fragile.

  Andy looked up into the sky. The spindle burned golden red with its late-afternoon light, visible between the branches of the two giant mallow trees that flanked the Estate.

  She regretted that she’d never actually seen the skies of Earth—had never stood under that blue arch to feel the force of a storm blowing in off the sea or the warmth of the sun on her face.

  Forever was a beautiful place, she supposed. She’d lost the ability to really appreciate it over the years, or maybe she’d just forgotten to take the time to notice.

  The curve of the world ahead of her really was breathtaking. A hot-air balloon, striped blue and gold, rose up from the far bank of the river toward the sky, and a pair of river gulls dove into the water, one of them coming up with a silver fish in its beak.

  She closed her eyes, trying to feel Aine. Trying to reach anything outside of herself.

  There was nothing.

  I have no more left to give. Andy laughed ruefully. Surely that wasn’t true. Surely she was more than just her abilities.

  You are right where you’re supposed to be.

  Andy wished she could believe that.

  Was there really some great plan? Some higher purpose? Or was life just a series of random events that you stumbled through until the world spun by for you for the final time?

  Nightfall rushed past as she watched, the spindle going out and the trees outside slowly dimming to darkness.

  As her eyes adjusted to the evening light, she could make out the glow of the red ivy that wrapped the tree trunks. Across the water in the Warren, luthiel lanterns were lit one by one.

  Andy closed her eyes, her hand resting on the smooth wood of the windowsill.

  Her time here was coming to an end. Whether it was in a day or a year, soon Andy would cease to be. She knew it, and she was okay with it.

  She turned back to the dark room, finding the bed and sitting down slowly on the firm mattress.

  I have lived a remarkable life. From Transfer Station to this place an unfathomable distance from Old Earth. The Liminal kids, and her own beautiful Kiryn and Belynn.

  There were so many things she still wanted to do, but what she had accomplished was enough.

  There was a knock on the door.

  “Come in.” As if she had a choice. But she clung to the small dignity still allowed her.

  “Evening, ma’am.” The woman was young, maybe thirty years old. She carried a tray with a bowl of something steaming, a blue ceramic pitcher, and a lantern. “Missus Deveraux asked me to bring you some dinner.” She set the tray on the small table and bent to light the lantern.

  A cheery golden glow filled the room.

  “Thank you….”

  “Lizbeth, ma’am.”

  “Thank you, Lizbeth.” She could have tried to overpower the servant or break the pitcher and use the shard as a weapon.

  Shandra’s admonition—her promise—kept running through Andy’s head.

  You are right where you’re supposed to be.

  So she settled in and ate her meal, a bland corn and potato porridge, and said thanks for another day in the world.

  What will be, will be.

  It was enough.

  BELYNN LAY back on the small guest bed and closed her eyes.

  She opened herself up, and immediately the voices tumbled through her head. She focused on them, and they split apart into individual Liminals.

  Closest was Destiny, sitting in the kitchen, worried about both her and Andy.

  Not far away, she picked up Thierry’s signature. The boy was sated after a quick meal in Ally’s kitchen.

  There were fewer voices close by than normal. Many of the other Liminals had already fled the city. She supposed it was for the best, but it made her feel alone. Abandoned.

  Destiny touched her shoulder.

  She opened her eyes and sat up, blinking.

  “You were in deep.”

  Belynn nodded. “Just checking on the other Liminals.”

  “Good.” Destiny gestured toward the door. “We have a problem.”

  Ally was standing there.

  Belynn frowned. “The boys all fed?”

  Ally nodded. Her hands shook, and she looked sad. Or upset.

  “Ally, what’s wrong?”

  “I’m so sorry, Belynn.” She wrung her hands. “I think you have to go.”

  “What?” Belynn stood, steadying herself against the wall. “What happened?”

  Ally sniffed. It was clear she’d been crying. “It’s just… it’s not safe. Not with you here. And him….” She glanced back toward the kitchen. “You can stay tonight. But I need you to leave in the morning.” She turned away.

  Destiny and Belynn exchanged a puzzled glance.

  Belynn ran after her. “Ally, wait! What happened?” She caught up with her friend halfway down the stairs to the front door.

  “He—that kid can do things. Make you see things—things I don’t want to see. I’m sorry, Belynn. I really am. But I just can’t have you here.” She gave Belynn a quick hug and kiss on the cheek and ran out the door.

  Belynn frowned. Something had happened between Ally and Thierry—that much was clear.

  She climbed the stairs and headed for the kitchen. Thierry and his friend were searching through cupboards like the little thieves they were.

  “What did you do?”

  Her voice must have startled them because they both spun around, backs to the cabinets, and Thierry disappeared.

  “Show yourself, you little rabbit.” She closed her eyes. She could feel him. She crossed the kitchen and put her hand out, caught him by the hair.

  Destiny arrived behind her, ser arms crossed, clearly showing ser disapproval.

  Thierry appeared in Belynn’s grasp.

  “What did you do?” she repeated.

  “I… nuthin’.”

  Belynn twisted his ear. “Try again.”

  “Owww! She just… I thought she wanted a baby, so I showed her what it would be like.”

  Belynn sighed. “Oh for fuck and Forever.” She let him go and sank down on one of Ally’s stools.

  “What did I do?” Thierry looked hurt.

  Of course he had no idea.

  “She and Sander have been trying to have a child for three years.” She took Thierry’s hand and pulled him close, looking him right in the eyes. “You have to think before you act. You really hurt her, and now she wants us to leave.”

  He looked almost comically crestfallen. “I’ll go.”

  “No, that’s not what I meant.” She pulled him in for a hug. “It’s not your fault. You didn’t know.”

&nb
sp; He was shaking in her arms like a leaf.

  “What’s wrong?”

  He needed a good bath, but at the moment she didn’t care.

  He was quiet for a long time. At last he whispered something in her ear, something she couldn’t make out.

  “What was that?”

  “Please don’t let me go.”

  Poor kid. It broke her heart. He hadn’t grown up like she had, with a loving family—her mothers and her brother, who were always there for her. How often had someone ever shown him simple human affection?

  Skate watched from the corner, looking jealous.

  Belynn looked up at Destiny and gestured toward Thierry’s friend.

  Destiny knelt and took Skate in ser arms.

  He grinned really big. “Are you a boy or a girl?”

  Destiny laughed. “Yes. And no.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means that there are more choices in this world than just boy or girl, or yes or no.”

  “Oh. Okay.”

  Destiny squeezed him tight. “So what do we do now?”

  Belynn let go of Thierry and stood, meeting Destiny’s gaze. “We go get Andy.”

  THE DOOR burst open, startling Andy from a restless sleep.

  Bright light shone through the doorway, and she blinked and tried to make sense of what was happening.

  A man in a city guard uniform entered, accompanied by a shorter man Andy recognized as Thierry’s Mr. Leak. He was apparently Della’s assistant.

  “Sorry to barge in on you like this, but the mayor has need of your help.”

  Andy laughed harshly. “Couldn’t be bothered to come here, I suppose?”

  Mr. Leak shrugged. “She’s very busy.”

  I, on the other hand, have all the time in the world. “Let me put on my shoes.”

  “Of course.” He and the guard waited off to one side while she pulled on her sandals and laced them up. She felt grimy and in disarray, but she didn’t suppose that Della would mind.

  Mr. Leak tapped his finger on the table. “You ready?”

  “Don’t hurry me, young man.” She took her time, determined to control the one thing she still could. Her dignity.

  He backed off, grumbling.