by Viola Grace
“Probably. Trin is very forthcoming with information. If not, he will learn when he comes home or returns here.”
Heavy wingbeats were suddenly audible. Elioth looked up from his book. “Ah, they are here.”
Kabyl walked outside and stood as her parents were lowered carefully by long claws before Trin shot up, transformed into her winged form, and then, she landed outside the house.
Kabyl went to her dad and hugged him carefully. “I am glad you are up and around.”
“So am I, baby.” He smiled and stroked her hair. “Dexter is here?”
“Yeah. He is getting the list of the dead.” She sighed. “They are the ones I couldn’t find.”
Her mother murmured, “Oh, honey,” and pulled her close.
They did their group hug thing for a minute until Trin whispered, “Sorry about this, but I am getting cold.”
Kabyl looked at her and realized that she was blocking the door. The Ambermarles unraveled from their group hug, and everyone headed inside.
Elioth was making tea, and he inclined his head toward her parents. “It is good to see you again.”
Kabyl watched as her father slowly nodded. “I thought you hadn’t decided if you were staying.”
Elioth handed Mander a cup of tea. “I went out with your daughter to find the marks of the dead. She’s caring, so I am staying.”
Trin quirked her lips and beckoned to Kabyl. She followed the other dragon, and Trin closed the door to her bedroom behind them.
“Whew, so you have made a favourable impression on Elioth. Congratulations.”
Kabyl spoke softly. “So, not have a tutor was a possibility?”
“Naw, I would have gotten you a guard from the senate to master the dragon side of things. The energy attack was what I thought was a higher priority. If you can control that, you can control the drain to your system. Elioth thought that all hunters and trappers up north were savages, so he said he would come on a trial basis to see if you had merit to learn the techniques of his people.”
Kabyl blinked. “He didn’t say that.”
“He said it to me, but I knew you would make a good impression. This situation proved that magic in the wrong hands was far more dangerous than a human settlement in the wilderness.”
“Oh. Right. I see. He is worried about the damage to nature that the town has caused.”
Trin nodded. “Apparently, he liked what he saw when you took him on the tour.”
She sighed. “It wasn’t a tour. We were counting the dead. He did get to see the human habitation around here, and the lack of wildlife caused by the creatures.” Kabyl rubbed her neck. “That series of attacks is going to have ripples for years. Predators and prey, all lost to the area.”
Trin frowned. “Will you need help?”
Kabyl chuckled. “Eltrinia gave me the numbers. I will call if I have to. It might interest you to know that Elioth has begun training me.”
“Has he? What was the result?”
“A large explosion. I need to be less angry when I target.” She wrinkled her nose.
Trin grinned. “We all learn in different ways. Oh, your grandmother has answered a few of our questions. I have warned your parents that she is interested in visiting.”
Kabyl’s eyes widened. “Why?”
Trin put a calming hand on her shoulder. “Because you have changed, and she might be able to help you with it.”
“I haven’t changed, the other part of me just came out.” Kabyl paced in her room.
Trin’s voice was soft. “Then, you need to tell her that. Urada Cornish is a strong woman who has had to deal with a lot of strange circumstances in her life.”
“Some that she incurred on her own.”
Trin nodded. “We all make decisions in the heat of the moment when we panic. Sometimes they work out, sometimes others have to pay for our inability to save everyone. So, we start by saving ourselves, and then, we save those closest to us in whatever manner we can.” Trin smiled slightly. “If we don’t take care of ourselves first, those we love are in the line of fire, and we won’t be able to help them.”
Kabyl paused. “You are telling me to give her another chance?”
“Just hear her out. Completely. Let her talk to you, not the child that felt rejection, but the woman who needs guidance from another dragon with the same kind of signature. Your grandmother spews a flaming liquid. I think she can show you a lot.”
“Then, why Elioth?”
“Because you need a companion, and you need to master the skill that you can exhibit in your human form.” She quirked a smile, her eyes amused. “You are going to be helped by two masters. Madame Cornish is eager to prove herself to you. Elioth has deigned to accept you as a sort of apprentice.”
“So, chosen by two people who normally wouldn’t have given me the time of day?” Kabyl flopped onto her bed.
“They are both eager to teach you. They know that an opportunity to do something great has been offered to them. If you say the word, they are gone.”
Trin was sitting on the edge of the bed and patted her knee. “Now, get up. Your dad is home safe, and we are looking for a place to put the new arrivals.”
Kabyl nodded and sat up. “The old Sheffer place is cold but available. So is the Harker house.”
“Good. Now, go tell them that.” Trin nudged her with her elbow. “I am going to get a lift home with Eltrinia after I get something to eat.”
They emerged and found Kabyl’s mother trying to sneak up on Elioth and touch the tip of the pointed ear that was emerging from his hair as he sat at the table, talking to Mander and Dexter. “Mom. We have talked about this. You don’t touch ears unless someone gives you permission.”
Her mother quickly backed up and put her hands behind her back. “Yes, Kabyl.”
Elioth looked at Kabyl with amused surprise. “I must say, that has never been an issue before.”
“Oh, we are full of strange rituals here. I am going to put something in the oven and then head out to the Sheffer place and the Harker house. I just want to get fires going and check to make sure they are inhabitant free.”
Her dad looked at her with a curious expression. “Why?”
“Elioth is going to be staying, and I thought he might like some privacy, and Trin has warned me that Grandma Cornish might be on the way. I thought we might like some privacy.”
Mander looked around and nodded. “That is a sound idea. I am feeling weak and craving pie.”
She snorted and headed to their cold storage. She got some apple pies and some meat pies, carrying them toward the kitchen. She unwrapped the paper from around them, put it in the kindling pile, and put the pies in the ovens.
“Okay, I am just going to check the other houses. I will be back in half an hour. The pies are ready in an hour.” She made eye contact with her father. “Got it?”
“Got it.” He smiled.
She kissed his forehead, over two of the scars. “I am glad you are home.”
She hugged her mom, put on some boots, and headed for the door.
“Kabyl, what about your coat?”
“I don’t need it anymore.” She went to the wall with all the keys for the homes in town and took the two she wanted.
Elioth appeared behind her. “I will come with you.”
She shrugged. “Sure. It is only a few minutes away.”
She walked outside, and Elioth closed the door behind him. They walked slowly toward the Sheffer place. “Why does your home have all the keys?”
She shrugged. “When my father took over as local peacekeeper, he was literally given the keys to the town. It is an act of trust. Only the buildings inside the town have the keys in our home. Anything out of the territory becomes part of the villages, and they don’t want us to have access, so they get a longer response time.”
“Ah, so, the lack of privacy is the price of the town’s security.”
“Correct. It is a price that those in town are willing to pay, an
d the trust helps build community, but it does mean that bits of behaviour don’t go unnoticed. If you screw up here, we all know.”
“No pressure.” He smiled.
They reached the Sheffer cottage, and she opened it. The building was sound, and there were no heat signatures inside. “No rodents. Let’s see if we can start a fire. This place only has electric lights.”
“That is not a problem.”
She checked on the wood situation and sighed. “We will need more firewood for you to remain here. Hang on, I will check to see if there is any left outside.”
She walked outside and found the wood that was still in place. Later in the year, it would dwindle when neighbors used it, but now, it was pretty robust. A bit of poking around yielded a rusted axe.
She found a stump and went to work on it. When she returned, she had a few handfuls of kindling and an armload of cut logs.
Elioth had a tiny fire started. She handed him the kindling, and he worked the flames carefully until a larger piece could be added to the fireplace.
“Why are you starting the fires and then leaving the buildings?” Elioth asked her.
“Ah, to check the heat retention. Now that I have my heat senses at my disposal, I will be able to orient myself by where the fires are and see if there are any places that need insulation for next year.”
“I see.”
“It also wouldn’t do to put a guest up in a place that required constant heating. We do have fairly high standards of hospitality. No one dies because of sloppy housekeeping.”
He blinked. “That is a fairly good thing to have in a community.”
The wood continued to pile up until a cheery blaze was pumping heat into the room. The fire screen was a little rusty but still functional, and when the room’s temperature climbed, she took a look at the bed and bedding that was left.
“What happened to the owner?”
“They passed away. Mr. Sheffer built the cabin for himself and his family. The children moved away, and he and his wife aged here until they passed away after spending happy years together. They died six weeks apart, and they are buried in the town cemetery.”
“When did they pass?”
“Mrs. Sheffer died three years ago. We take turns keeping up the yard and gardens.” She shrugged.
He smiled wryly. “There are gardens here?”
“There are, and they are beautiful, but you have to be quick. Life isn’t kind or long around here. It is a harsh environment, and the people know it. You have to be willing to risk your life annually for this kind of freedom.” She smiled and went to check out the well inside the house.
It took a bit of effort to get the well working, but Elioth said he could manage. The kitchen was stocked with the standard plates and utensils.
“Okay, it is all here but the food, and we can get you some supplies tomorrow morning.” She grinned and took the key off the wall. “Here is your key.”
“What if I find the house more to my liking?”
She chuckled. “Then, I would have to revaluate what I have learned about you. Come on.”
Bemused, he followed her, and they made their way to the Harker house.
Chapter Thirteen
Kabyl finished doing the same prep she had done at the Sheffer cottage and finally looked at Elioth.
“Well, this one or the other one?” She chuckled, knowing the answer.
“Um, the Sheffer house is fine. I am good with that one.”
She didn’t blame him. Annabella Harker had had an eye for erotic figurines and portraiture, but as she was gone, and they hadn’t found anyone who was able to take over the artwork with any kind of comfort, the décor stayed. It was a bordello with no whores of any gender. Annabella had simply purchased every nude she found with no preference for the sex depicted.
“I thought you might be. Annabella was an excellent piano teacher, but her taste for visuals left something to be desired.”
“Did she enjoy male company?”
“No. She just liked the images. She didn’t have a sexual partner while she was here, as far as I know.”
“How did she pass?”
She sighed. “Bear attack. She was crossing a meadow on her daily walk and ran into a bear with aggression in mind. She was found a few hours later, and she died in my bed, waiting for emergency transport.”
He blinked. “You couldn’t use the dogs?”
“Far too far and wrong time of year. There was literally no way to get her to safety.”
“How old were you?”
“Fourteen. She was my piano teacher.”
The well was working, the electrics were more advanced, and she was able to get the heating on, so the wood-burning stove was just for slightly more rapid heat.
When they were done, and the house was humming to life again, she sighed. “There was a lot of laughter in this house. A lot of false notes and a lot of quiet conversations. She was always good for the basic questions of life.”
She looked around and nodded. “Right. We had best get back. The pies will be done soon.”
“So, you have a lot of ready-made meals?”
“We have to. Mom doesn’t have a true talent for cooking, so her meals are high on creativity and low on edibility.”
“I stand warned.”
He grinned, and again, she was surprised by the urge to keep staring at him. They walked back through the snow, and she asked, “So, do your folks leave the group often?”
“Almost never. It takes a seer and a boot to the ass to get us to step away from our comfort zone. We don’t like the human world, and the shifters look at us as strange and exotic.”
She kept trudging and shrugged. “You have to be able to see something to get used to it. Most folk start out with an idea of elves from history and fiction, and then, when one appears in front of them, they dump all they know or think they know onto the shoulders of that person. Frankly, I know about elves the same way I know about peacock shifters. Something pretty that lives very far away.”
He chuckled. “That is how I used to think of dragons. I knew they existed but was fairly sure that I would never meet one, and now, I have one in the family.”
“How do you feel about that?”
“I like Zzara. She has quite the spine to defend herself against those who were given the honour of caring for her but threw it away.”
“I think I would like to meet her one day. I always hear her spoken of with admiration.”
“If you can keep me alive through the winter, she might be up to share a cup of tea.”
She chuckled and led the way to the back door of her family home. The smell of baking pie was amazing, and she kicked off her boots before she hung the keys up on the inner wall of the entryway.
“So, has anyone checked on dinner?”
Dexter was in the kitchen with his arms crossed over his chest. “I am watching. Things are looking good.”
She put potholders on the table and winked at Trin before she went into the kitchen and put oven mitts on before transporting the first pie to the table. It was beef with bits of vegetables in it.
The next was chicken pie with mashed potato top. Then apple pie and then serviceberry. When everything was on the table, Dexter closed the oven. Plates and forks were spread around, and everyone had a seat. Mander stood and cut the pies into wedges, and while he was doing that, Dexter asked, “So, Kabyl, I hear you passed the peacekeeper entrance exams.”
She nodded. “I don’t know how my being a dragon will affect the situation, but I still want to take the training.”
Trin had been lining up to attack her meal, and she paused. “You want to be a peacekeeper?”
“Yeah. I have always wanted to have a community of my own to look after.”
Trin nodded. “Up here?”
“Yup. This is my environment. Now more than it ever was before. This is where my dragon was born, and this is where she wants to live.” Kabyl could tell that her referring to her drago
n’s wishes was having more weight than her own.
“I see. I will look into your options. I promise to get back to you within the week.” Trin forked up some of the pie and then blew on it before she put it in her mouth.
Everyone sat around the table and ate, even Elioth partook of the meat-based meals. That was a relief. Indoor gardens weren’t a popular thing this far north. The days were just too short at this time of year.
The meal took a turn for the funny as Mander and Dexter explained the kind of things that they dealt with. Aside from the occasional incursion from a bear or wild cat, the most common thing that they dealt with was stolen garden supplies in the planting season.
When Kabyl asked, “So, Mom, why are you so calm about Grandma Cornish coming to visit?”
The shocked screech and Trin’s quick departure let Kabyl know that it hadn’t been properly discussed.
The sight of Eltrinia appearing in the back yard and disappearing with Trin left Kabyl laughing.
“Mom. Calm down. She is coming for my dragon, not for you or me. Don’t worry.”
Her mother paused. “What?”
Kabyl explained, and when her parents were soothed, Elioth was fed and off to his new cabin for the rest of the night, and Dexter had shifted and was on his way back to the peacekeeper outpost, she was exhausted.
Late in the night or early in the morning, she woke up. There had been a pressure change in her room, and she knew that feeling. “Eltrinia?”
There was no answer, but her night vision showed her a huge chest sitting near the foot of her bed. It was a toe-killer for sure.
Kabyl got up and walked to the chest, opening it with a flipped latch and smiling at the contents. There was a letter.
Dear Kabyl, sorry to have run out on you, but I haven’t had much experience with mother and daughter issues so forgot that your mother might not be receptive to your grandmother’s arrival.
This collection of clothing should fit you. If you are ever willing to travel to the capitol, I have a seamstress who would love to meet you. The clothes inside the chest are her handiwork. She does a very nice job.