by J. B. Garner
Ms. Pink let out a sarcastic laugh. “Yes, I know exactly what you’re worth, Aelfson.”
I ignored Pink for the moment, confident in my balance. Aelfie had his hand clamped over the oozing wound (direct pressure is always a smart move), but he seemed more worried about the course of the conversation, one eyebrow arched. “That voice … you cannot be – “
“The girl you tried to do a quick swindle on at the bar?” Every word was spoken with utter confidence. “You are a notorious womanizer, Aelfson, and I happen to be a lovely woman. What better way to – “
I couldn’t tell which was the bigger pain to him, the wound in his leg or the sting of being pinned down so accurately. What? I had no illusions about the kind of man, er, Elf Aelfie seemed to be. “I may be an admirer of the female form but you go too far with such base accusations, madam!”
“I even doubt the orphan buys that one,” she laughed. “It does not matter anyway, not with the bounty you have on your head now.”
Aelfie’s next bout of surprise was somewhat honest for once. “I have done nothing to warrant such a thing! You must believe that!”
Before Pink could shoot off another verbal jab, I cut in, raising my voice just a touch. “For the love of all that is holy, cut the duel of wits and someone, anyone, tell me what the hell is going on here? Who are you and why can’t I feel you like I can him? What did you do anyway, Aelfie? Why does everyone want your head?”
Aelfread looks embarrassed, unable to meet my gaze head-on, but Pink was keen to talk. “Normally, I would not bother with informing a collar’s potential accomplice anything but I know you’re an orphan. You merit special treatment.”
I frowned at Aelfie as I sank back into the car seat. “Fine, start talking then.”
Pink put her full attention back on the road, angling towards downtown. “Let us start with the civilities. My name is Reba Kincaid and I am a licensed bounty hunter, authorized throughout the entire Northern Drachenreich.” That wicked smirk flashed across her face. “Most Figs call me Bunny, though.”
“You are the one called Bunny?!” Aelfie managed to overcome his embarrassment to show a note of awe and fear.
For me, though, I was starting to wonder if he would ever stop being so endearingly and frustratingly formal. “I feel like I should be impressed but I can’t say that I am.”
‘Bunny’ giggled, a bubble-headed laugh that was so different than her dead-serious speech so far. “There is much you need to learn, Dwarf. I am no social worker, though, so we will limit this to the important things.” She cocked her head towards the back seat. “Namely that dear, sweet Aelfson here has a legitimate bounty on his head. You had best take a step back from him if you want to stay safe.”
“A bounty that will be nullified the moment my father knows what Thyvian has up his voluminous sleeves,” Aelfie argued with surprising passion.
“Well, it is in force right now which is all I care about,” she parried. “Just be glad I’m the one bringing you in. Those amateurs Mr. Sinclair hired would prefer to bring you back in pieces.”
I rubbed my hands over my face. Had I been helping a scumbag this whole time, just because he was a stupidly handsome freak? More importantly, was I worried that I cared a lot less about that than I thought I should be?
“What exactly did he do then?” I looked up at Bunny, giving her the hairy eyeball. “And why aren’t there the guardsmen” – again, I meant to say ‘police’ - “involved in this?”
“I did nothing deserving of this kind of treatment!” the Elf protested.
“He broke a contract with Master Sinclair and made off with a priceless artifact.”
I shot my glare over towards Aelfread. His already pale skin was starting to go ghastly white and I found it hard to be too mad at him as he gave me a sheepish look. “Oh well, I suppose that is technically true,” – resolve seemed to fill his frail frame – “but you have no idea what Thyvian has planned around the stone. I’m doing this for the good of the entire Figment community!”
“Spare the siren’s song for someone who cares, Aelfson.” Bunny rolled her eyes and I could see a red glint in them. “And take this from one woman to another, Dwarf, do not fall for this act. Master Sinclair might be a Drake but he’s a fair-dealing merchantman and an important local personage. In fact, if you are looking for a guide into our world and need a pile of Marks to fund your way, he’s looking to hire on some Dwarves.”
What was it with everyone wanting Dwarves? Some little inkling flared up in my brain, more patterns and lines in my mind’s eye that formed runes and words with meanings that danced right outside of my reach. Was that what they all wanted? I had seen those words had power but was it something that only a Dwarf could do?
I pushed that out of my head for the moment. “What if I think that it isn’t an act? What if I want to do something about this?” I inched my hand along the seat, a hair closer to the parking brake. I wasn’t sure I wanted to do it, to risk a horrific car accident, on my gut feeling and sympathy for a guy I barely knew. I had made him a promise though and that weighed heavily on my mind.
“This is why.” That electric tingle rode up and down my spine like lightning, a dozen times more intense than when I had first met Aelfie, as pure white fur erupted out of Bunny’s exposed skin as her form shimmered in the dark confines of the car. The air itself pressed against my face as her entire body expanded and grew in the blink of an eye, her nose and mouth lengthening and shaping into a muzzle as her ears growing and stretched upward.
Before my eyes, Bunny changed from a normal-if-curvaceous woman into a terrible man-beast … at least that’s how it seemed for the two moments before I realized that the terrible man-beast was an anthropomorphic, seven-foot tall, fluffy-furred, pink-nosed bunny wabbit.
I burst out in hysterical laughter. God help me, I couldn’t help myself, especially when her cute whiskers shook as that rabbit nose twitched.
Bunny’s eyes blazed with furious red light as she casually backhanded me, knocking my chin back as she jammed me hard against the seat with her forearm. “Don’t you dare laugh!”
My giggles stopped in a heartbeat. They were petty laughs anyway. How many times had I wished for people to not laugh at my shortness or my beard? Besides, from the unnatural strength in the fluffy arm holding me back, I had to agree that Bunny was right. This was certainly a reason not to try anything nuts.
Aelfie rustled in the backseat, letting out a groan as he tried to move, but before he could do more to hurt himself, I let out a croaking apology. “Sorry, Ms. Kincaid, that was stupid of me.” Even if I really didn’t want me or Aelfie to be in the bounty hunter’s custody, she did deserve the apology.
The light faded from those big, adorable eyes but they remained blood red as Bunny pulled back her arm. “Apology accepted.” Without the support of the crushing pressure against my neck, I dropped back into the seat of the chair. Bunny’s voice was deeper now, with a faint, continual growl always lingering in the back of it, but it was still very recognizable. “Get back down, Aelfson. I don’t want you to pass out before we get to Sinclair’s place.”
I massaged my throat, more to help with the faint rug burn from her fur than actual damage to my trachea. Feeling Aelfie’s eyes on my back, I glanced sidelong at him and saw the concern in his eyes. Say what you would about him, he truly cared about me on some level. The rub was whether it was born out of compassion or out of some other baser desire.
Hoping for the former, I gave him a reassuring smile. “I am completely fine, Aelfie. Ms. Kincaid is right; you need to conserve your strength.”
He gritted his teeth and nodded slowly. “Very well, dear Mary, but please believe me. You do not wish to do anything for Dragonsong.”
“Enough chatter, collar,” Bunny barked as her fluffy paw pushed down on the accelerator. I had no idea where her boots went. Most of her previously loose clothing was simply filled out by her growth and shifting but some of it was simply, well, gone “And if you are going
to blather, at least use Master Sinclair’s preferred name.”
I gave Aelfie a reassuring nod and with the giant rabbit’s attention on the road, I gave him a sly wink. Maybe I was being stupid, dense, and stubborn but I knew at that moment I was throwing in my chips with Aelfread. After all, I had given him my word I’d help and protect him.
If there’s one thing Mary Stone does, it is keeping her word.
9
BY THE TIME we reached our intended destination, Bunny had shifted back to her human form, a process that was remarkably swift and subtle. There wasn’t even any shed white fur left behind. Aelfread had settled down as best as he could manage, cramped as he was across the back seat. The blood loss had slowed considerably and not because he was almost drained dry. Maybe it was some little bit of magic or maybe Elves healed quickly. I couldn’t say for sure.
As for myself, I kept quiet and observant. After Bunny’s demonstration, the obvious way to try to keep us safe was to bide my time and look for better chances to get out of this. She was a mean motor scooter, that much was obvious now, and it wasn’t simply because she could turn into a giant death rabbit. She had a keen head on her shoulders and was ready for trouble, so I wasn’t going to give her any.
Besides, I still had almost no ideas as to what Aelfie’s whole mess was about. This ‘Sinclair’ (or ‘Thyvian Dragonsong’, if you preferred) character would have some real answers. Maybe I could even get them out of him.
As we rolled out of the urban blight that plagued my neighborhood and into the lights of Downtown, the sky was turning purple as the sun began to claw its way into view. Had so much time really passed since this whole mess began? I rubbed my eyes, wishing for either a cup of coffee or eight hours left alone.
Instead, a small office building at the corner of a block of other near-identical office buildings greeted us. It was, well, pretty pedestrian, simple gray stone and architecture straight out of the ‘70s. The only thing that differentiated it from the other buildings was the descending ramp on one end that led to an underground parking deck.
The place sure wasn’t what I had been expecting. With the implications Aelfie had been making and the promise from Beaks and Blythe of whole pounds of gold, images of vast, monolithic skyscrapers and ancient, gargoyle-encrusted mansions had been dancing in my head. Real ‘epic villain’ sorts of stuff.
The subtlety of it all made me more concerned, not less. I had been around the block enough times to know the real bad guys in the world were the ones that didn’t make the headlines. The bad vibes only increased as the electric tingle started back in my spine and set in as a constant buzz.
Bunny turned the Kia into the parking deck. “Thank the Gods, you two will be out of my hands shortly.” Slowing the car to a crawl, her mouth quirked up on one side as she glanced over at me. “Dwarf … Mary, you do not have to be involved with this. You seem like a good enough soul and now you know that Figs are out there. I doubt you need anyone’s help to find out what you need to know. If I were you, in your position, I would walk away now.” As if to emphasize her point, she thumbed one of the automatic lock switches and my door unlocked.
“She is correct,” Aelfie added. “Though I have caused some, well, unforeseen damage to your domestic life, it will clear itself up quickly if you stay out of sight.” His pitiful sigh was both well-practiced and frighteningly genuine. “What was I thinking to lay these troubles at the feet of an orphan lady, no matter her capability?”
Bunny rolled her eyes. “Yes, what were you thinking?” She gave me a sidelong glance as we neared the bottom of the ramp. “Last chance.” Her finger hovered over the locking switch.
I glanced out the side window and eyed the mirror with its receding view of the exit. One last chance to step away and return to ‘normalcy’, whatever that was. “Well, those that raised me always said I made the worst decisions for the best reasons.” I settled my hands into my lap and smoothed out my skirt. “Why go against my nature now?”
Aelfread let out another agonizing sigh as Bunny locked the door. “As you wish.” She giggled again and it was just as grating as it was before. “I think you’re crazy but I admire your commitment to your convictions.”
I frowned and looked down at my hands. “Yeah, well … let’s get on with it then.”
She gave out a ‘mmhmm’ and guided the car into the deck proper. For such an early hour, there was a fair number of cars already parked, ranging from beat-up compacts to a small fleet of blue-and-green SUVs, each with a modest logo in block print stating ‘Sinclair Computing Industries’ across the sides. Like the building itself, it was all tremendously mundane and so led to more anxiety.
Maybe I should have taken the out when it had been dangled in front of my face.
Bunny parked within two spaces of the elevators and slid out of the car. I didn’t pay her any mind, expecting the doors to be locked in a second anyway. Instead, I clambered into the back as best as I could without stepping on Aelfie. I don’t often find being short any kind of advantage but it helped this once, letting me find the space to fit myself back there.
“You should have left me, dear Dwarf,” Aelfie moaned, one hand still pressed against his wound, the other placed against his forehead like a fainting diva.
“Now you’re being melodramatic.” I gently pulled his hand back from his injury to get a good look myself, holding my beard in my other hand to keep any hair or bits of debris out of the ugly thing. As I had guessed, the only blood left around the wound was drying and flaking, while the puncture itself looked swollen and angry. “If you want to worry about anything, worry about your hip. It looks like it may be infected already.”
He pulled back the hand shielding his eyes and glanced over at me. “Is it truly that bad?” There was that edge of anxiety in his voice that I had come to expect. He swallowed and shook his head. “No matter, it will be fine. A bit of high magic and I can clean that up.”
I wasn’t sure if he said that for my benefit or for his. “You know more about that than I.” I found myself squeezing the hand I held before letting it go. “Now we don’t have much time. I doubt we will be able to talk again for some time so – “
That brought Aelfread’s mind into focus. “Yes, we cannot waste time.” I didn’t point out that the very act of saying that was wasting time. “Whatever happens, do not agree to help Dragonsong. He needs someone who can work rune magic to finish the stone.” His eyes narrowed and focused on my face. “He needs a Dwarf.”
It was still mostly Greek to me but I was already having an inkling as to what he meant by rune magic. I had obviously worked it myself subconsciously but I had way more questions than answers. “Who is this person?” It was hard to not sound oddly stilted, at least by my reckoning, in Truespeech. “Why should I give two stones about what he’s doing?”
“Thyvian is a Drake, that is what he is!” I could smell the arrogance on the Elf like he had doused himself in Axe body spray. “They can rarely be trusted but this one is even worse.”
“I have no idea what a Drake is,” I frowned at him, “but are you saying this because of what this man is doing or what you think of his kind?”
The realization smacked him in the face but I’ll give him credit. He rolled with it well. “I will not lie to you, dear Mary. There are ancient enmities in play and I fear even an enlightened individual such as myself can fall prey to the wicked fangs of prejudice. Still, you must believe me that there is more than petty-mindedness at play in what I say.”
“I don’t think you have that much to worry about, Aelfie.” A rather self-deprecating chuckle escaped my lips. Let’s face it, I might have come to terms with so many of the problems in my life, the cruel kicks Fate had dealt me growing up, so I had plenty of practice in laughing at my own failings and flaws. “Even if I want to be, I will be of little help to these people.”
“Oh, please do not let such beliefs cross your mind. If only you could see yourself through my own eyes, you would know
not to do so.” He was sincere enough, if a bit sugary sappy.
“As much as I would love to hear this all day, do we have the time for you to lay on the flattery so thick?”
Aelfie scoffed at that. “Feh, I will not see you in such a state. Besides, you forget that I have seen your raw talent first hand. Even if I had not, the power of the runes is inborn instinct for you and your kin.
“Spire’s curse, this is all my fault.”
I rolled my eyes. Aelfie was serving as stiff competition in the pity-party department. “Stop it. I am a full-grown lady and I made every decision that led me here. If anyone is to blame – “
He grabbed my hand, giving it a fresh coat of ruby red blood. “No, you do not grasp the full extent of things. I put the idea into his head!” His tone was frantic with none of the affectations or control he had shown so far. “I thought it was impossible, that it would be harmless to dangle the idea in front of his snout. Oh, the Marks I was going to make! I still salivate at the thought of it.”
I seriously contemplated slapping him. Mainly because I thought it might snap him back to being on task but partly for the naked greed he was showing right now. Instead, I clutched his hand hard and gave his shoulder a shake with my other hand. “Come on now, talk sense! What is this stupid, Gods-forsaken ‘it’?”
I did have a way of getting attention and that got Aelfread’s. His mouth was open and the words were coming out when the door locks clicked and the passenger doors flew open.
Beaks’ deep, throaty voice almost hurt my ears as he shouted in English, “Okay, youse two, break it up now!”
Well, at least I hadn’t killed the poor bastard because he was there, right next to Bunny back to her full lagomorphic glory. He had on a soft neck brace and sported a new gauze accessory over his temple but he looked a lot better than I could have expected. Big boy Blythe was on the other side of the car, already moving to take hold of Aelfread’s shoulders.
“Don’t make any stupid moves, shorty,” Blythe warned. “The boss wants to see you and he doesn’t like us to rough up his guests.”