by Miki
"I have no doubt you can heal me. However, how is it possible? I’m as healed as I can be. My body needs to do the rest of the work. My doctor thinks I heal very fast. Always have, in fact."
"Let me show you." He takes out a deep green stone from his robes. A mage’s robe must have loads of pockets. He starts singing.
Kino stands and crosses over to us. He joins Jericho’s melody. Exquisite. Although I can’t understand a word.
The mage puts the stone against my forehead. His lyrics sound like a breeze in the forest. The pain in my body leaves. The desire of the stone questions my body and lines up with it. I’m sure the stone wants me healed; I agree with it. My head falls back, eyes roll up in my head, and I slump out of my chair.
Spar catches me, pulling me onto his lap.
I watch as he does this. I’m wide awake and outside of my body. I glance around the room at each gargoyle. Each one is a varying shade and color of light. The mage is different, though. He still has light, but I can see his face. He examines my expression while the others are looking at my body.
“Jericho, how did you do that? Will you put me back in my body?”
“My lady, I did not do this You did. Just as you decided to absorb the healing stone. Your ancestors passed along to you this ability. You should know this is only the beginning. It is not your gift. You must still learn that. Lady Macbard, you and your family have been this way for many, many generations. You must will yourself back into your body and wake up. Do so now, my lady!”
I did. When I open my eyes, Spar's face is agonized. He is panicking, stiff, getting ready for action. I do the only thing I can think and lean over, kissing him lightly. His lips soft and accepting, he returns my kiss.
I back away from him before this gets out of hand. It’s not what I want to do, but necessary, all the same. I feel his grip relax. He’s okay now, so I stand. The entire room is watching me.
I turn and look them over. “Well, that was interesting. Who's hungry? I think I could eat a horse right about now!”
“What?” Kino looks so upset. “I feared we had lost you! Jericho, please attend to her.”
Jericho simply smiles at Kino.
“Oops! Sorry, my red-hot chili pepper.” Maybe I shouldn't have called him that. Well, it’s too late now. I’d better try to make it all better. “I’m just fine. In fact, I feel better than before I was shot.” I chuckle.
I think I need to change tactics a bit, because of the funny looks on every face around the room. “Pretty sure y’all couldn’t see everything that just happened. It was the most amazing feat. I was standing outside of my body for a minute there. I could see you all. I spoke to Jericho and he spoke back to me.”
They all look like they’re recovering, including the king. I walk to him. “I know that must have looked bad—the stone sinking into my forehead and then my body collapsing. The reality is, the songs called to me, as did the stone. The stone wanted me to let it in to heal me. I agreed. When I agreed, I must have decided to spend some time watching the room… outside of my body. Jericho told me my ancestors could do this.” To myself I say, I need to spend some serious time thinking about what just happened as well as how it happened. I sit next to Spar.
The whole room full of people erupts but not in a noisy way. It’s like the echo thump I felt when Mica pulsed at the sentries. My body tremors from the feeling of the gentle throbs on my skin. The looks I’m getting are the type when your mama is about to take you to the ER. I understand they’re concerned. Jericho sits beside me and many of the looks subside with most of the pulsing waves.
Spar asks, “Do you really feel okay?”
“Better than ever, really.” He believes me and adopts his I’m watching you face.
The food arrives and we all have some. Spar grabs me some water and a plate of fruit, cheese, and fresh baked bread.
When we finish eating, the king asks me, “Will you stay in Navan for the day, Kendra. Please, make yourself at home. We will meet in this room again tonight. I think we could all use some rest and it is time for some to sleep.”
Where has the night gone? I’m sleepy too.
I’m given a room of my own. Mica tells me it’s my room and I can stay in it whenever I want. The kitchen staff has left food on my table. I ask Spar if he’ll stay in my room as he changes. He quickly accepts. Mica agrees and leaves us alone.
I promptly jump straight into Spar’s arms. “I’m not letting you go. I’ll give up everything and everyone I know if I have to.”
He swoops me up and kisses me hard, holding nothing back. I wrap my legs around his waist and put my hands on his face, pulling it closer and kissing him back with everything I have.
He moans into my mouth. “Kendra the change is coming. I have to put you down, baby, or you'll be stuck here until I wake. I’ll stand right here at the end of your bed, if that’s all right with you.”
“I understand, handsome. I’ll be here when you wake.”
He kisses me lightly. His warm lips smile at me in the kiss. He takes a step back, raises his wings, and, holding one arm in his ‘look at this pose,’ points to his bicep. Then he hardens into stone.
“You little pissant. Yeah, you got muscles. You must’ve ate a ton of spinach. I love you. Good... sleep, uh, torp? Yeah, that sounds good to me. Good torp.”
Eleven
Changes
Kendra
I wander around the caves. I discover some very interesting albino fish in a pool in one room. I find a formation which looks like a buffalo and another, a mausoleum.
I text Jared and Dana a short message telling them I’m with Mica as I eat the food that was left for me. If I spend much time in Navan, I’ll have to bring some books. It does look like the gargoyles have some kind of Internet, because their tablets seem to work on a network of some type. “My Kindle should work just fine,” I mumble.
Since the clock on my phone says it’s getting close to dark, I head back to my room. I want to be right in front of Spar when he wakes.
Maybe I’ll tease him. Ding, brilliant idea! I take off my shirt and loosen my sweatpants until they are just hanging on my hips. I comb my fingers through my hair, lifting my arms over my head, just as I hear a breaking-glass tinkling sound.
Spar doesn’t even look like he takes a breath before he’s on me. Laughing, I bite his lip. Things heat up. We don’t have a door, but I couldn’t care less. He’s mine and I want him. He wants me back, unless I miss my guess.
Nope, I’m sure.
Spar stops, and we catch our breath. “Kendra, I want you to know I’m still me. My memories of my life with you are all here. I have to ask, though, are you okay with how I look now? Is this body too awful for you? You still love me, but do you still want me as a gargoyle? Can we still be a couple? I don’t know what I’m saying. I’ll understand if you can’t. I mean, thinking about it, I can’t be in public without causing a commotion. You probably don’t want to live here in Navan.” He turns away from my face as he asks his questions.
I raise my hand and put my fingers on his lips to stop him from saying any more. “Spar, you’re mine. I’m yours. I want you. How could I not? You are magnificent. You always have been. Now, you have a little… extra. Don’t question whether I love you. You’re perfect the way you are. Let me ask you the same question back. Do you think you can be with a puny human? Wouldn’t a big gargoyle lady be easier for you?”
“No, Kendra, you are the one for me. The…”
We both hear noise; someone is coming, and it’s not either of us.
Kino puts his hands on the doorway to my room and stops as he sees us in a ‘getting it busy’ position.
“Well, I believe I can presume your rational for not answering your tablet messages.” He smiles, then quickly recovers his usual serious demeanor. “Mica has sent orders that we are to meet in the conference room with Kendra. Breakfast will be served there today. We are already late.”
Spar helps me up. I pick up my sh
irt and put it on. Kino never turns his head or acts embarrassed. Well, I guess it could have been worse. I slip my shoes on. Finger-combing my hair up, I fix it into a messy bun. If I stay here often, I’m going to need to bring some personal items. I’m already planning my future stays.
Off we go. When we get here I’m feeling self-conscious, I decide I need to bring more appropriate clothing if I’m going to end up in meetings with royalty when I’m here in Navan. I don’t want to look like I’m homeless in front of the king of the gargoyles again.
King Findare’s smile, as he comes to me, says he doesn’t care what I’m wearing. Maybe it isn’t such a consideration with gargoyles. With as little as I’m wearing, no one in the room except the King and Jericho are wearing less. Thinking about it, it only makes sense. The temperature in the cave stays a steady 62 degrees. Outside is much hotter in the summertime, with temps regularly topping 100-degrees. It does get colder in the winter, though. Does a gargoyle even feel the cold? There are many more things I want to know about the race.
“Kendra, my dear child, please come to the buffet with me. You need to eat, and I want to begin the meeting. We face a desperate situation, which we must address urgently. I am, of course, hoping for your help.”
“Of course! I’ll help in any way I can.”
Looking over the buffet, I take a plate and start filling it with food. “Oh yeah,” I say in an exaggerated southeastern New Mexico drawl. “One of my favorites, jalapeno cheese bagels.”
Sitting next to the king and Spar, I notice we’re sitting in the same places we were last night. There are a few more people here today, though.
As the room settles, a smallish, short greenish colored gargoyle with an obvious superiority complex begins, “Your Highness, if you don’t mind, I will begin,” he blares. Without even waiting for an answer he begins his speech. “I have information…”
The corner of the King’s lip curls slightly in annoyance. He controls his facial expression and, with a wave toward the belligerent little goyle, he motions his consent.
Little green goyle apparently only now becomes aware of me. He stops his prepared remarks. Staring at me while speaking to the King, he says, “I do wonder, Your Highness, why we have a human present in such a pressing meeting. I will have one of the Elite escort her from the room and take her to her own home in Cueva Hallow, where she can be with her own kind.” He points toward one of the guards to make his demand an order to the specific guard.
Feeling self-conscious, I start to get up to leave with the guard, not sure why I’m here—I must agree. It seems I can’t be in this room without having everyone stare at me. I’m now very uncomfortable. I question whether I should be here or not.
“No, Count!”
Several goyles jump up, in an obvious attempt to defend me. Jericho, is the one who speaks. “You do not know who you offend,” he sneers at the Count. “Let me make the introduction. Count de Treon, I would like you to meet Kendra Macbard of the Tarragon family blood line.”
What on Earth is Jericho saying? The little goyle, if it’s possible, just turned even greener than he’d started out.
Then he kneels in front of me, “I humbly beg your pardon, Edling. I had no idea there were any surviving children of the dragon lords.”
I hear Mica whisper, “Well, the dragon is out of the bag now.” I look at him and laugh at the movie reference. I’m still stunned about the statement.
Are they saying I’m a dragon child? That can’t be possible. I’m human.
Spar takes my hand and holds it tightly against his leg. We look at each other with astonished expressions. Neither one of us understands exactly what they’re saying.
“King Findare,” I start, but he interrupts.
“Kendra, just call me Findare or Fin, if you please. This meeting was to give you information on many things, your ancestry included. I did, however, intend a more diplomatic approach. Please be seated, Count. I’ll continue the meeting. The subject of your ancestry is known to most gargoyles. The Macbard family have been watched over and protected for more than a millennium. I’ll have a historian show you the information and any proof later, if you would like.”
I nod my assent without interrupting him.
“Now, as most of you know, Kendra is part of this community and is to be treated with the respect given royalty. Count, it is beneath you to belittle someone because they are human. Do not let that happen again. If you cannot properly eliminate your unfounded biases, I will exclude you from the coming negotiations with TASS.
“Kendra, we have much we need to go over. I must give you the short version for now. The humans have convened a secret multiumvirate in Scotland. This is similar to the idea of a triumvirate, yet the member number is larger. The multiumvirate called The Alumbradai Sanctuary State or, TASS, is comprised of the most powerful individuals in the world. Those who make the most important decisions. I will provide you more information later. Suffice it to say, no world leader has any power which was not given them by TASS. Not even the American or Russian presidents.
“An old enemy is gaining power again. The last time this person had any power, he tried to annihilate the humans as a race.” The King paused, maybe for effect. I’d pause there if I wanted the words I’d just spoke to have time to sink in with everyone.
“Today while we slept, Baratium made another strike. On top of the devastation he heaped on the world last week, he has destroyed an entire African village. Thousands have been killed.”
The room erupts in murmurs. Gargoyles fire question after question at the King. “Where is he? How will we defeat him? Do we have a plan?”
The King raises both hands, commanding the room to quiet. “I will answer your questions. First, though, I must finish my report.”
A rumble of assent zips around the room.
“Baratium commands several powerful mages and hundreds of Crafted. The wooden Crafted who work for him are not like us. They have been warped by magic to go against their true nature. Our nature is to protect. Theirs is to destroy. We are sending a contingent of ambassadors to TASS. However, because of old prejudices, the humans still fear us. Kendra, we know we need to work together with the humans to win this fight. I humbly ask: will you be our ambassador at this meeting? Will you represent the gargoyles, the Ceorfan?”
He lets out a giant breath and he flops down into his chair looking like all the steam had been let out of him.
Speaking to myself, I’m not the type to be a drama queen. I am not going to be a drama queen. Squeezing Spar’s hand, I stand, and in my most determined voice, say, “I will do my part. I’ll need to study a great deal to catch up on the politics and other important issues involved, but I’ll be your representative.” I almost said human representative, but I’m not even sure I am human anymore.
Okay, my heart is beating so fast. I’ve got to get a grip.
Everyone in the room is smiling. Pretty sure that’s right. Some goyles look pissed off when smiling. Their auras are showing me they’re happy and not mad. The little green turd is even glowing a happy yellow brightness.
I study him for a time to see if I can get a clue to his real character through his aura. I see some crimson. I usually equate red with anger. It can also mean passion or a warrior’s spirit. There is not much of the color though. There are more purples. He might be angrier at himself than me or any of the others. There’s a lot of purple that I have a feeling comes from being hurt at some time in the past. I decide I’m going to give him a chance. I’ll keep an eye on him, especially around humans. I might ask Fin if he needs the Count for the meeting or if he is included because of his status alone.
My degree is in political science. Maybe, with all the reading I’m about to start, and from the information Fin is providing, I might get to brush up on my political skills. What have I gotten myself into? I’m sure I have plenty of back up. I won’t be going into a war zone alone, that I know of.
“Kendra,” the King says, “
one of the subjects we have not touched upon yet is when you were shot. We have intelligence the Jessup Cartel is targeting you. I understand you may have inadvertently arrested the son and heir of the head of the cartel. The very one who would take over if his father dies. If that was not enough—while defending yourself and others, you killed their chief strongman, Jerry Drinker.”
The King nods for Mica to continue. “Drinker had been singularly responsible for the growth of the Jessups and was the linchpin to their organization. For example, you ending him has stopped their sex-slave trafficking in most of North America. It won’t last, but it is costing the cartel.”
I continue to listen. My investigative and protective side is now taking control and the ‘holy shit’ side is retreating.
“They’re losing men internally,” Mica continues, “due to the loss of Drinker’s leadership and lack of trust in the remaining Jessup leadership. Drinker was both evil enough to enforce the Jessup’s will and trusted by Don Manuel Jessup, the semi-competent but ruthless founder of the cartel.”
Considering all angles of my predicament… If Drinker was such an intricate part of the cartel, I’ll have to be on guard against not only bounty hunters, but also assholes who want to score a name for themselves.
Mica, noticing my concentration moving to other areas, offers the final nail in the frame he’s been building. “Jessup has placed a contract in the underground market for your head. It’s large enough that everyone who can pull a trigger will be trying to collect the reward.”
He looks at the King, who, without any pause at all, continues, “Kendra, I respectfully request you be our guest here in Navan until we have rectified this problem.”
“No sir!” I state categorically. My response is too harsh, so I add, “Fin, I have a job. I have doctors’ appointments. If Jessup is coming after me, he’ll also go after my brothers. With a target on them, I’ll do whatever I can to keep them safe. In fact, I need to call them. Then I need to get home.” I pause and look around the room for support. Finding none, I add, “They need to understand the situation with the Jessup Cartel.