Bright Side

by Zenina Masters

  “I am sure we can find something to keep you busy.”

  Ystella smiled wryly. “Do you have a farm?”

  Kenzi chuckled. “We have a garden.”

  “That will have to do.” She inclined her head. “Thank you.”

  She sipped at her tea and then asked what she had been dying to know. “How far along are you?”

  “I am just at thirty-eight weeks. Don’t worry. I won’t blow.” Kenzi chuckled. “My husband is going to ask a few questions. Roman has never met an undeclared mythical before.”

  “I look forward to meeting him. I have never met a mer-person before.” Ystella wrinkled her nose. “I am not much of a mythical, just a mishmash of horse and unicorn.”

  Kenzi cocked her head. “What do you mean?”

  “I am not pretty or white or shining or graceful. I am a horse with a pointy horn that I can sand down to keep from being noticed.”

  Kenzi nodded. “I see. Pain is something that we make ourselves used to. In your case, I am guessing that there was a side effect to the sanding?”

  “The dust. It had side effects.”

  “Like what?”

  Ystella reloaded the teacups and nibbled at a cookie. “It granted wishes.”

  Kenzi blinked. “You are joking.”

  “I am not. I gathered it up and dumped it in the wood shavings that we kept for the stalls, and anyone who walked through the shavings was granted one of their minor wishes. A bit of money, a good first date, and the best omelette they had ever made. It was a weird few weeks until all of the dust was composted with the dung and shavings, and even then, the flowers that bloomed in the compost pile were amazing.”

  “What happened when the compost was used?”

  Ystella laughed. “We set county records that year for the largest watermelons.”

  “Did anyone guess why?”

  Ystella sipped at the tea. “Nope. They all blamed it on the new stallion that we bought for the farm. They were a little disappointed when it didn’t happen again the next year. I started to burn the horn shavings after that.”

  “What was your reaction to that?”

  “I would run a fever while it burned, but when it was ash, I was fine.”

  Kenzi sighed. “I get the feeling that I should be making notes.”

  Ystella laughed. “I can repeat it as necessary.”

  “How would you classify your type of unicorn?”

  “I have never thought about it. I am thinking that it would be a native expression of wild magic.”

  Kenzi looked pleased. “That I will definitely write down.”

  Ystella smiled and finished her tea. Even though her grandmother had driven her out of the herd, she didn’t feel weird or alone. She was where she was meant to be, and this was the start of something new.

  Ystella looked around the woods and smiled. Roman and Kenzi were indoors, and she was free to wander the gardens.

  She undressed slowly and folded her clothing neatly on a tree stump. It was the first time that she had changed out in the open in years. She wasn’t sure that she had enough magic to make the change, but she was going to try.

  She focused on her forehead, wrapped the sense of magic around her, and eased onto her changing hands and feet. She called bullshit on anyone who said that it was seamless and painless. Ystella felt every break and tear as well as the icy shiver of her body taking extra mass and energy from the world around her. The mass exchange was hugely in favour of the unicorn, so the weight had to come from somewhere.

  Once the transformation was complete, she walked toward the house on the edge of the water. Her horn wasn’t full, but it would be after two or three more shifts. It was pulling magic from the air around her.

  Kenzi and her mate were sitting on the deck, and they both stood up when she wandered into their field of vision. She didn’t need to look behind her to know that there were flowers and herbs blooming with every step.

  Kenzi got up, and Roman helped her down the steps. “Ystella, you are amazing.”

  Ystella bowed, careful to keep her stumpy horn from striking her admirers.

  Roman reached out to touch her side, and she stood still.

  “You are very warm.”

  Ystella nodded as she let them pet her. She lowered her head toward Kenzi’s very swollen belly, and the information she got from the contact made her wish she could smile.

  Kenzi stepped forward and carefully ran her hands over Ystella’s neck and sides. Ystella could feel the magic prickle along her skin.

  “You are amazing, Ystella. There is not a flaw on your hide or in your mane.”

  Kenzi tugged slightly on Ystella’s mane, and Ystella sidled away.

  She backed out of their grasp, bowed her head, and extended her foreleg before she straightened and headed back to the woods. Time to get her clothing back on.

  Ystella smoothed her clothing and wiggled her toes. She could feel the increased pressure of magic behind her eyes. Her skin was recovering, and the plate of bone in her forehead was beginning its magical broadcast once again. This was the part that made her nervous. Her own folk couldn’t really understand what they were feeling, but someone like Kenzi was going to have no difficulty figuring out what was going on.

  She walked back through the small windbreak of trees and returned to the deck where Kenzi had now taken a seat. Roman was bringing out a tray of food, and Ystella could smell the heat of the barbeque.

  “What are we having?”

  Kenzi smiled. “Hamburgers, steak, grilled asparagus, salad, baked potatoes, and grilled peaches. I am not sure what you are having.”

  Roman sighed. “She is joking. There is plenty for everyone.”

  Ystella nodded and walked toward the grill. “Can I help?”

  Roman raised his brows. “Do you eat meat?”

  “I grew up on a farm. I eat meat. Vegetarianism is a luxury of the modern era. If the global market collapsed, folk would be starving all over the world, and the luxury of selecting what you want to eat, as opposed to what you needed to survive, would fade quickly.”

  He blinked. “That sounds like it has come up before.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “My grandmother is a vegetarian. My father’s father is not. The arguments are heated, and I have to agree that while meat is murder, it is also an efficient exchange of protein for labour.”

  “In that case, you can grill the meat. When I swim, I eat everything raw and that isn’t great for Kenzi right now.”

  Ystella held her hand over the grill and counted. It was hot. She curled her fingers into her palm as she pulled her hand back, and then, she went to work on the steaks. Once they were on the way, she set the hamburgers on the edges of the grill and checked her watch.

  She walked to the table where Kenzi was scribbling notes and poured herself a glass of lemonade. There were three glasses, so she guessed it was for her as well.

  Kenzi didn’t look up, but she asked, “Did you know you were leaking magic?”

  “Yep.” She sipped her drink and then got up to do a quarter turn on the burgers.

  Ystella returned to her seat.

  “No one has noticed?” Roman asked over his shoulder as he finished drizzling olive oil on the asparagus.

  “Nope. If they have, they didn’t realize what I was.”

  Roman nodded. “Right.”

  She grinned, got up, and flipped the burgers. The steaks were browning nicely, but burgers were her favourite. They got all the attention she could manage and maybe a little bit of magic.

  Chapter Five

  Ystella collected the dishes much to her hosts’ disagreement, but they had provided the food, it was her job to tidy up.

  Kenzi waddled in, and she leaned against the counter. “So, why is your name Ystella?”

  “Because my grandmother wanted all of our names to start with a Y.”

  “May I ask why?”

  “You can,
but I still haven’t gotten an answer, so I am guessing you wouldn’t get one either.” She smiled.

  “Why did your grandmother have so much influence?”

  “She is our herd master.” Ystella saw Kenzi’s surprise. “Oh, yeah, women can run the herd. She also ran my grandpa into the ground. Folks said he died with a smile on his face because he didn’t have to go to work in the morning.”

  Kenzi covered her mouth. “Oh man.”

  “I know. So, are you going to have to run tests on me or something?”

  “I think that observing you at this point is the best thing I can do. Do you have a mate?”

  The question came out of thin air. “Um, no. I actually ran into your hunter at a matchmaking dance.”

  “Did you? How was it?”

  Ystella blushed. “It was fine. He was very persistent.”

  “He? Wait, Magnus?”

  Ystella finished drying the dishes. “Yes. He’s an excellent dancer. He was even able to locate me in the shadows where I was hiding before we took our turn on the floor.”

  “But, you danced with him?”

  “I did. Like I said, he is a good dancer.”

  Kenzi nodded. “You did say that.” She suddenly yawned. “I am off to bed.”

  Roman chuckled and came in from outside. “I will help you up the stairs, pet. Ystella, I wish you good evening as well.”

  Ystella nodded. “I will just keep myself awake a bit longer. The stars are coming out.”

  The other two smiled and wished her a good night.

  Ystella wished them the same and wandered outside to try and figure out her place in the universe.

  She was out until midnight and still had no answers.

  With regular shifting, her horn grew to full length in three days. It felt weird. There was a lot of power in that magically hardened horn. It felt like she was walking around with a cannon strapped to her forehead, no matter her form.

  When Kenzi came in to breakfast, Ystella paused and slowly turned around. Casually, she asked, “Do you have a doctor or a midwife or a doula?”

  “I have a midwife. Why?”

  Ystella turned back to the eggs she was scrambling. “You might want to call her. The baby will be here before lunch.”

  Roman was spreading butter on toast and a piece of bread ended up crushed in his hand. “What?”

  Ystella took the eggs off the heat and tumbled them into a bowl. “She has been in labour since yesterday afternoon.”

  Kenzi quirked her lips. “How can you tell?”

  Ystella tapped her forehead. “The waves of energy around you have changed. This thing acts like a magical sonar array.”

  Roman was staring at his wife, and when the corner of her lips tightened slightly, he realized, “You are in pain.”

  Kenzi waved it off. “I have a high threshold but make that call.” She stroked her belly slowly. “Our little one is going to be making an appearance.”

  Ystella grabbed a piece of toast and piled eggs on top of it. She ate it quickly. This mother and child were going to need an extra set of hands.

  The midwife was a shifter council midwife. She was being assigned to some of the higher-ranking balanced couples, and it appeared that she enjoyed the power.

  Midwife Heather was wrapped in the security that she could handle whatever happened. She gave Roman strict orders and looked at Ystella with contempt.

  Ystella smiled brightly and followed to the bedroom to help Kenzi with her clothing.

  The midwife frowned at her. “What are you doing?”

  “Helping a friend. You can either assist me, or we can have words that are four lettered and very to the point.” Ystella smiled softly.

  The midwife blinked. “What?”

  Kenzi chuckled. “I want Ystella here.”

  “She will get in the way.”

  Ystella laughed. “I have attended over nine hundred births. Thirteen of them were human. I know what to do.”

  The midwife blinked. “Right. As long as you stay out of my way.”

  “I will work the head and shoulders. You can do the rest.”

  The deal was struck, and soon, Kenzi’s contractions took over.

  Roman came in and held Kenzi’s hand, swearing that one child was more than enough. Kenzi rolled to the side and slapped his cheek. “I say when we stop having kids.”

  He leaned back and smiled slightly. “Yes, Kenzi.”

  Ystella sat with her hands on Kenzi’s shoulders, and she kept the soon-to-be mother’s energy from draining.

  Kenzi gave her a look through sweaty lashes. “Thanks for that.”

  Ystella smiled. “You have had some trauma in the past. This will heal it if you survive it. I am trying to make that happen.”

  Kenzi nodded. “I know. Thank you.”

  Anything else that would have been said was lost in a rush of activity as the little wolf-merman made his way into the world.

  Ystella stayed by Kenzi’s head, and she concentrated on sending the rejuvenating magic through her friend from head to toe. The golden wash of energy patched every injury in her body and soul as it ran through her and down to her feet. When Heather handed over the baby, she was healed.

  Kenzi sighed and leaned back. “I wish you could bottle that.”

  The midwife was blinking. “What just happened?”

  Kenzi jerked her head toward Ystella. “Wild unicorn.”

  Heather was still tidying up down below, and her head jerked up, staring at Ystella. “That can’t be. There hasn’t been a sighting in seven hundred years.”

  Ystella shrugged. “Then I guess that can’t possibly be what I am.”

  Heather blushed.

  Ystella helped clean up and left the new parents alone. She went downstairs and prepared lunch for everyone. A new mom needed to eat.

  Heather came down looking slightly deflated. “Thank you for that.”

  “What?”

  “She was losing blood and energy. I don’t know what you did, but I know you did it.”

  “I took power from nature and used it to heal her. It was a simple energy transfer.” She set out the platter with sandwiches and prepared a tray for the new family.

  “You didn’t take anything. That all came from you. My skill is to track energy patterns. It is what makes me so good at my job. You powered that entire healing from within.”

  Ystella smiled brightly and hefted the tray with food and beverages. “Of course, I didn’t. This was all you. Have a sandwich and some tea. I will be back in a moment.”

  The new couple was glowing with happiness, and their son was looking up at them with swollen eyes. He was still fluffing out.

  “I brought you something. You need to keep your strength up. You have quite a recovery ahead of you.” She set the food on a side table.

  Kenzi smiled. “I feel fine.”

  “I wasn’t talking about you. Roman had three nervous breakdowns during delivery. I am just happy you both made it out okay.”

  The new family laughed softly together, and Kenzi went to feed the new arrival.

  Ystella asked Roman, “You have contacted your family?”

  “They are on their way.”

  “Good. I will contact the council and tell them what I have decided.”

  Roman blinked. “You are leaving?”

  “I am. My parents met and wed at the Crossroads, and being around the baby has made me broody. If I have to start a family of my own to be surrounded by my own blood, there is no time to waste.”

  Kenzi cocked her head. “Is that an actual impulse?”

  “Horse’s don’t live alone. This unicorn isn’t a fan of it either. I want to be surrounded by me and mine, so it is off to the Crossroads to set that plan in motion.”

  Roman smiled. “I wish you the same luck that we have had.”

  “I wish me that, too.” She winked, gave them each a careful hug, stroked the forehead of
the new arrival while he found his first meal, and then, she left.

  Heather was downstairs and having lunch and tea. Ystella cocked her head. “Can you contact a transporter for me?”

  Heather swallowed and nodded. “Sure. Why?”

  “I want to go to the Crossroads.” She nodded and reached for a sandwich of her own. “The finances will be a little tricky, but it is my next move.”

  “I think the shifter council might cover it.”

  “Why would they?”

  “If you are a wild unicorn, the chances are that you could have another one of your kind. The world needs more magic, and you are how it gets here.”

  Ystella smiled. “How do you know that?”

  “I studied mythical shifters and their peculiarities. We are desperate to see more of them in the population. It is part of the reason that the fey have been welcomed so readily. The combination of bloodlines is bound to produce something new.”

  “So, the shifters are counting on mutations?”

  “We are counting on magic.” Heather fished her phone out of her purse. “I am going to make that call.”

  Five minutes later, Ystella had an appointment to go to the Crossroads.

  Chapter Six

  Magnus was sitting in the break room, filling out paperwork for his latest mission, when Transporter Becker came in, smirking.

  “What is it, Becker?”

  “You know that my cousin is a transporter, right?”

  “Sure. It runs in the family.” Magnus waited patiently.

  “Well, she just got a call to transport a wild unicorn to the Crossroads.”

  Magnus pulled his feet off the table and slammed them to the floor. “What?”

  “Well, I am guessing that it is the same unicorn you have been mooning over, so I thought I would let you know.” Becker grinned.

  Magnus finished his paperwork in a blur of writing, and he sprinted out the door to drop the paperwork in the in-basket before he turned and ran down to the admin offices.

  As he passed folks in the hall, they were barely moving. The irony of his animal was that it was the slowest while it gave his human body the ability to pass folks as if they were walking at his beast’s natural speed.