by Shay Roberts
"Your communication with Aido-Hwedo was subconscious, soul to soul."
"Aido-Hwedo is dead. This is just the crap you use to justify your actions."
Anger twitches on her face as she jumps to her feet. "Such an ignorant man! His body is dead but his soul is eternal. Many of us, including myself, have been trained to sense this communication between souls."
"So, you're a priestess? Aido-Hwedo talks to you?"
"We have no priests or priestesses. Aido-Hwedo speaks to many of us. You must learn how to listen."
"How did you learn this? When did he speak to you? What did he say?"
Ayana takes a step back, her face tightening. Then she lets out a long, slow breath. "How much time do you have?"
Over the next several nights, Ayana tells me her story. Her family was poor, and as a young girl she was sold as a slave so they could eat. The man who purchased her was a Hwedoist, and he brought her here. She grew up under the mentorship of the former Speaker and received a temple education, including lessons in English.
Her first contact with Aido-Hwedo was in her dreams, where he would appear but not speak. Eventually, he told her she would become his next Speaker. Over the years, he has spoken to her many more times, helping her deal with various problems around the temple, including how to handle me. It was Aido-Hwedo himself that advised Ayana not to follow me when I escaped the temple.
As much as I appreciate Ayana opening up, I'm not convinced her dreams feature a long-dead dragon. Yes, there is sometimes wisdom in dreams, but I think it comes from our inner selves. We sleep on things to let our subconscious mull over a problem, and we have an answer in the morning.
I'm careful not to express these doubts to Ayana. She's finally talking about herself and I don't want to discourage that. Also, we've managed to have several meaningful conversations that didn't end in sex, a first for me. Is this what it's like to have a female friend?
Now that things are better with Ayana, I'm a lot less distracted, and my time travel training progresses quickly. I learn how to take along a passenger, and what to expect when I accidentally try to materialize into something solid. I discover that I can jump with three other people, possibly four if I'm really rested. Fenfang is pleased with that, as three is her own absolute upper limit.
Materializing into something solid is impossible. If I do it by accident, I get pushed over into the closest open space. The jump takes a little longer, and it feels a lot like sliding along a wall until you hit an open door.
Only five weeks into my training, Fenfang announces that I'm ready for my final test. She shows me an embroidered image of a flower with yellow petals and a purple center.
"This ancient desert flower was already extinct by the Age of Man, also known as the Iron Age. The flower has no official name, so I call it Fenfangeae. I want you to travel to any date in 1400 BCE, find a blossom, and bring it back to me. This temple did not exist at that date, so it would be easier to make the first jump from above ground."
I whistle, pondering the enormity of the task. I've never made a jump of that magnitude. "I should probably take some travel supplies."
"You're not allowed to take anything with you, except for your claws. You can update your logbook when you return."
She sounds unusually firm, so I know the rules are not open to negotiation. Most of my belongings, including the beacon stick, are in my room. I'm only carrying the dragon amulet and a pouch at my side where I keep my sharp steel claws. I take off the amulet and hand it to her. "When do I leave?"
"Now."
It's a hot day outside, and the wind is whipping grit along the desert floor. I'm standing at the base of the hill that houses the underground temple. Oddly, they've never named it, so I call it Hwedo Hill.
I think my best strategy is to shift into a dragon and do the search from the air. I can cover a lot more ground that way and use my superior color vision to spot the flower. Also, if I get hungry, it's much easier to catch prey as a dragon than as a man.
I remove my pouch and temple robes and roll them into a bundle. They'll get damaged if I shift while I'm wearing them, and I don't want to return to the temple naked.
I find an open space, look around to make sure no one is watching, and then shift into my dragon form. I could have opted to do the time jump in human form, which yields better accuracy. However, in dragon form, the jumps are less strenuous, and accuracy is not important here since I'm not targeting a particular day.
Over time, the shifts into dragon form have gotten a little less painful, but it still hurts, like running a hairbrush over sunburned skin.
I feel my mood shift as I become a dragon. I'm more irritable, and I just want to finish this stupid flower test and return to the temple.
Now that I'm in dragon form, it's time to take the big leap. I find myself nervous as I prepare to jump almost two thousand years into the past. I've only jumped a fraction of that time before, and I'm worried about screwing up. I wonder if it's possible to get lost in time. If so, wouldn't Fenfang have warned me?
I grab my bundle of clothes in one of my fore claws and, with effort, flap my wings and lift off from the ground. The sunlight shines on my crystal scales, casting rainbow light on the ground below.
I find a thermal lift to aid my ascent, and soon I'm far above the desert scrub. I could have done the time jump from the ground, of course, but for some reason, jumps require less energy if made from the air. It's almost as if the earth creates some sort of interference.
I take a deep breath and begin the jump. I keep my eyes open to reduce the nausea. For a moment, the wind whips faster around me, then the bushes below are suddenly in different places, and I'm in an even hotter climate. I'm also incredibly sore.
I look down and see Hwedo Hill. I notice there's less weathering of the rocks. Unfortunately, there's no magic timepiece I can check to see if I'm in the year 1400 BCE. But the decreased weathering is a promising sign that I've hit my target.
When I was imagining this adventure, I saw myself arriving here and immediately plucking the yellow-and-purple flower. But it isn't going to be that easy. There's not a single flower in sight. I'm going to have to hunt for it.
I swoop down over Hwedo Hill and drop my bundle of clothes into a hidden niche in the rocks. I'll need them when I return. Before I can jump again, I'll have to rest a day or so, and I'll be less conspicuous in human than in dragon form.
I climb a thermal until I have a commanding view of the area, but I don't see any spots of color that would indicate flowers. How annoying. What if Fenfang gave me the wrong time period? I could be out here forever, looking for a flower that doesn't exist.
Acting on instinct, I turn north, toward the highlands. It will be cooler there. I don't know if that will increase my chances of finding the flower, but it will be more comfortable.
It's been a while since I've flown, and I almost forget to start memorizing the landmarks I'll need for my return flight. How stupid would it be if I found the flower, but got lost trying to return with it?
As I fly north, I find myself tiring. I probably should have rested a little after changing into dragon form. Time travel and shifting use different inner resources, so the jump back in time didn't affect my ability to shift. But at the least, I should have eaten something after the shift to help renew my energy.
As I fly over a dusty hill, I spot what looks like a structure. It's an adobe building, and I see dark-skinned men running around, pointing bronze-tipped spears toward me. Then arrows begin to fly.
Even though the arrows can't reach me, I have a powerful urge to swoop down and fry some asses. I was just flying by, minding my own business, and now they're trying to kill me. It's infuriating.
A little voice inside tells me that's the dragon talking. Exerting some self-control, I veer away from the archers and quickly leave them behind. Lagashan warned me about interacting with humans while in dragon form.
After an hour, I'm getting tired and hungry, and I
know I need to rest. When I spot an inviting lake, I swoop down over it and dive into the cool water.
It feels so good to be in water! My mood improves immediately. My vision works well underwater, and I soon find a school of fish to feed on. My hunger sated, I swim to the surface of the water and float there with my wings outstretched. I take a quick nap, and when I wake up, I feel my energy restored.
When I return to the air, I find the landscape changing as I fly north of the lake. The terrain is greener here, and I spot a few flowers. I drop to a lower altitude for a closer look, and feel a thrill of excitement as I spot one of Fenfang's yellow flowers on the side of a lush hill.
Landing on a slope is tricky, so I opt to land atop the hill and walk down. I decide it's better to do it in dragon form, because if I take human form, I'll have to wait for a day to rest up before I can take dragon form again and fly back.
I stomp down the side of the hill, my clawed feet crushing plants underfoot. I see some sort of furry creature scurry out of my path, and I resist the urge to chase it.
I have a little trouble finding the flower. With such a big head, my eyes are spread apart and it's hard to see small things up close. Eventually, though, I find the plant and flick my tongue over it, drinking in its scent. The flower smells sweet, but there's an undercurrent of bitterness coming from the stem.
This is going to be awkward. I don't have any pockets, so I'll have to carry the flower in my mouth on the return trip to Hwedo Hill, now a good fifty miles away.
I pull up the plant with my mouth, gathering a little soil in the process, and flip it under my tongue. It tastes bitter, and it's making me drool a little. This will not be a fun trip back. What shape will the blossom be in when I return?
Taking off on a downward slope is easier than on the flat, so I have no trouble getting airborne. By the time I reach the lake, the sun is setting, so I decide to push it and skip taking a rest here.
The water looks so inviting as I pass it by, and I find myself getting angry with Fenfang for sending me on this ridiculous quest.
I take a wide path around the adobe building, almost losing track of my landmarks before getting back on course. Eventually, a little after dark, I arrive at Hwedo Hill, exhausted. After I land, I realize I'm not in the same spot I left from, but I don't have the energy to lift off again.
My dragon mouth is numb where I've been carrying the flower. I spit it on the ground, where it lies wet and limp. It makes me happy to imagine handing the disgusting thing over to Fenfang. Serves her right. She didn't say it had to arrive alive.
I shift into human form. Fortunately, reverting to human form takes very little energy. If I get some rest tonight, I should be able to shift into dragon form again tomorrow if I need to. And with the rest, I'll also be able to jump back to Fenfang's time period.
I reach down and pluck the sticky, bedraggled blossom from the stem. Then I do some hiking around to find the hidden niche in Hwedo Hill where I dropped my clothes.
As I reach for my pouch, I realize something's wrong. My clothes aren't as I left them. It looks like someone unbundled them.
I quickly get dressed and am relieved to find my claws wrapped in a cloth inside the pouch. I put the wet blossom in the pouch and put on the sharp steel claws.
My orange eyes scan the darkness, looking for signs of trouble. I have slightly better night vision than I did before I became a dracoform, but it's still not great. As I try to separate the bushes from the rocks, I see a shape that doesn't fit either profile. It might be an animal in a sitting position, but it's hard to tell.
I don't like this. My options are limited. Without rest, I can't shift or jump, so I'm stuck facing this unknown creature with only my steel claws.
As I watch the animal, it stands, and I realize it's not an animal at all. It's a woman. How long has she been there watching me? Did she see me in my dragon form? I wonder if this is part of Fenfang's test.
The woman, moving very slowly, steps closer. She has long dark hair and pale skin. That's weird. Pale skin is unusual in this part of the world. Since I've been here, the only woman I've seen with white skin is Ms. Luvalle, and this definitely isn't her. This woman is nude and has a smoking hot body.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, alarm bells are going off, but the stronger emotion is lust. I want this woman. Badly.
As she gets closer, I notice something strange about her. Sometimes her eyes are dark, and sometimes they are yellow. Sometimes she has pointed ears emerging from her hair, and sometimes she does not. Sometimes she is tall, and sometimes short. Whoever she is, she's definitely not human. She has a supernatural allure.
I raise my hand to her, gesturing for her to stop. "Who are you?"
She cocks her head and smiles. For a moment, her teeth look sharp. She's close enough now that I can see where she's looking. Her eyes are fixed on the erection jutting from my temple robe.
I badly want to kiss her, but I somehow resist the urge and manage to adopt a snake stance, claws at the ready.
She murmurs something unintelligible in a guttural language, then slowly reaches down and drops something small on the ground. I can't see what it is.
She takes a few steps back and stops, gesturing to the object.
I get the idea she wants me to pick it up.
Is this some sort of trick? If so, it's a convoluted one.
Perhaps if I moved a little closer, I could identify the object on the ground.
Incarnation of the Saint
ALEXANDER ARGYROS
I can't believe I'm suffering the indignity of being taken into Spero's tiny office to be questioned like a common criminal.
She sits across the desk from me, entering my responses into her console.
"Did you have a relationship with Betty Harrow?"
"Certainly not."
"When was the last time you saw her?"
I recall her stopping by with a translation from the scrolls. After that, it gets confusing. I have one memory of hearing Spero pounding on my closet door, and telling Betty it was a lady friend who was making the noise. But I have another memory without the pounding, where I told Betty I wasn't interested in a relationship with her.
"My memory is a little hazy."
"We know she went to your house last night. What did you discuss?"
"She's translating a pair of scrolls for a case I'm working."
"Did the two of you argue?"
"No."
"What time did she leave?"
"I don't recall."
"We have investigators headed over to search your apartment. Will they find anything pertinent to her disappearance?"
Oh dear Lord! What if they find the chronomichani?
I resist the urge to cross myself, and try to keep my face calm. "I hope they find something that leads us to her. I'm worried about her."
"Of course, Colonel."
Another CCD functionary taps on the window and Spero excuses herself. I see them talking outside, watching me, pointing at me. I can tell there's been a development. Something has happened. Did they find the chronomichani?
I'm enormously tempted to make a time jump to safety, but I shouldn't do it here, in front of people. I need to ride this out a little longer.
Spero returns, her face grave. "Colonel Argyros, Betty Harrow is dead. We've found her body."
I'm finding it hard to breathe. Did I feed her to the chronomichani? Has my secret been revealed? I'm so nervous I don't trust myself to speak.
Spero slumps down in her chair. "We found her in her garden. Apparent cause of death was an intentional overdose. She left a suicide note."
I try desperately not to look relieved. "That's terrible. What did the note say?"
"Something about a bad breakup. She didn't write his name. She's been in counseling. Apparently, it didn't help."
"That's very sad to hear. So, there's no need to search my apartment?"
"No sir, I'll call them off. Thank you for your time."
If I didn't sacrifice Betty to the chronomichani, how did it get charged? I try to think back, but my memories of this timeline are confusing. I think there may have been a homeless man. I remember him getting into my car. That would make sense. I've used a number of homeless people over the years, but only junkies and alcoholics already on the verge of death.
As I leave the offices of CCD, I'm met by Snedeker.
"Hey boss, I'm packing our gear for Ethiopia. Same kit as before?"
I nod. "Hurry it along."
Snedeker, excited about the mission, rushes off to prepare.
I receive a text on my phone. Preceptor Stockhausen wants to talk to me immediately. This can't be good.
I head down to Level Black to meet her. Her aide ushers me into her office, and I'm soon seated across from her at the glass table.
She looks up from her console. "Colonel, thank you for coming. I'm looking at your travel request for this second trip to Ethiopia."
"Problem?"
"It's not clear to me why you want to return there, and with such a reduced team."
"The scrolls revealed evidence of a dragon cult. It's worth taking a second look to make sure we didn't miss anything. They've abandoned their temple, so I only need one man for security. I'm trying to cut down on expenses."
She nods, her mouth pursing. "About that. Accounting has flagged your last two expense reports for review. Until the review is complete, they can't fund any more travel requests."
"Flagged? Why?"
"It doesn't say. Possible errors, I suppose."
"Who flagged them?"
She checks her console. "One of their staff, a Captain Chester Davenport."
Chester! Of course it would be Chester. Another stroke of bad luck. It seems that getting him demoted hasn't removed that thorn from my side.
"How long will it take to clear up this matter?"
She shrugs. "You'll have to ask them."