by Lisa Daniels
“For such a fine looking young woman, you aren’t nearly as feminine in private as you are for the world are you.” It was not a question as he gave her a slightly reproachful look.
Bree laughed again, “There is nothing feminine about my kind and you know it. It would be like asking a frog to be genteel or a human to be sensible.”
The man gave a stern looking before his face broke into a wide grin, “I take it there was another story on the way here. “
“Indeed, but nothing new. Just more of the same. You are such a breath of fresh air, Brandon. Except for your love of eating, you have more sense than nearly anyone else I know.”
“And that includes you.” He gave Bree a knowing look.
“Of course it does. Only a fool would think someone like me is sensible. I spend too much time among humans to maintain rational thought.”
Brandon shook his head and responded in a way that suggested this was not the first time they had this exact conversation. “Humans make you more sensible. Without us, you would be half crazed, dancing naked under the sky.”
Bree stuck her tongue out at him, “Then you and your kind fail because I did that just this morning.”
“Dear gods! I hope no one saw you.”
Bree shrugged, “Just the young man across the way. I’ve no doubt he enjoyed it as much as I did, so I’m sure there is no harm done.”
“Only a beautiful woman could fail to understand exactly what her affect is on a young man. You realize that no woman is going to be able to satisfy him now.”
“Then perhaps he should find a nice man to keep him company,” Bree gave Brandon a smile and wiggled her wine glass.
“So cruel,” he said leaning over and filling up her glass. “I guess that is my sign to be cruel in return.”
Bree gave a short chuckle, her eyes watching Brandon’s face as he sat back. “I have been waiting for your bad news this whole time.”
Though she had known he had something to tell her, Bree had allowed him to distract her for a little while. Brandon knew that meant her mind was preoccupied, but there was no way to know if it was something serious or another man. He was always willing to help her forget for a little while. But that time was over.
“Saskia cancelled. I think she’s gone back to Achaean. Of course her apologies were profuse and-”
Bree blew on her bangs as she held up a hand, “That girl wouldn’t know how to profusely apologize if her horse rampaged in Illyrian’s palace. You can tell that you tried to persuade me, but I already know the details down to the look on her face when she went racing back about a boy.” Setting down the full glass, her eyes met Brandon’s, “It’s disappointing, but not surprising. Well, thank you Brandon. I really appreciate your time and attention. As always, I leave Imalone feeling much better than when I arrived.”
“Well, you know how it is, but this time it wasn’t about a boy.”
Bree had been standing, but stopped now to look at the host waiting for him to finish.
“There was a report about something happening. I didn’t hear the details, but some sort of disaster. Saskia left in a hurry as soon as the news was delivered, and the way she was acting, whatever it was, it wasn’t something that she knew how to handle. I’ve never seen her look so worried before. Unfortunately, I don’t have anything else to tell you.”
Bree paused and looked down at the table. First Annora had gone running off into the night bleeding, now Saskia had hurried back to Achaean because of some disaster. A serious look passed over her face as Bree pinched the bridge of her nose. “Thank you Brandon. I appreciate the wine and the words. I guess it’s time to move on.”
Brandon’s face was sincere as he looked at her, “You aren’t going to go find out about it, are you?” He already knew that the young woman wasn’t.
With a sad smile, Bree shook her head, “No time for that. If Saskia isn’t here, then I have other things I need to do. There was barely time for a detour to Imalone. I’ve absolutely no time to make a trip all the way to Illyrian to find out what this is all about.” She gave a very low bow to the man, “Thank you very much Brandon. I wish you a prosperous and safe year.”
“So you will be gone that long?”
Bree shrugged, “I do not know, but this one is taking me a long way out into the middle of nowhere.”
With a heavy sigh the man gave her a look of pity. Brandon was one of the few people who could get away with feeling bad for the young woman because she hated to be pitied. Bree dismissively waved a hand, “Don’t give me that. You know that I will come out of it with more skills, so it is hardly something to regret.”
Brandon shook his head, “Someday you are going to quit acting like you are ok with all of this. I still remember what you said.”
Bree’s eyes flashed in a warning, but just as quickly she turned her face from him, “If you don’t watch it, I’m going to take that memory.”
Brandon laughed, “You already tried that, and now you just have to accept that there are a few people out there who know a bit more about you than you would like. I really hope you find your peace and finally have a chance to stop running away.”
Bree kept her eyes looking toward the door and her voice was soft as she responded, “Please don’t Brandon. It doesn’t help.”
“Nor does the wine, but I gave that to you. It isn’t always about what you get out of something, but how you use it.”
Bree looked over at her friend, “Sensible to a fault. Alright Brandon, I’m heading out. Take good care of yourself.”
His smile covered his face as he looked at her, “I’ve nothing better to do.” He followed her to the door in a sad silence. Moving a little faster, he got to it and put his hand on the knob before turning to look at her. “It isn’t always about duty. Sometimes, you have to take care of yourself and those you care about. It’s just as selfish to put your work before your loved ones because it is just another excuse to fight your future regrets. Sometimes love does come first.” Brandon opened the door and kept his head lowered, unwilling to look Bree in the face. Either she was angry or she was sad, but he did not want to remember either look after she left.
There was a light pressure on his head as Bree reached out her hand. Patting his thin hair, she left without another word. He remained in that posture like a statue as the sounds of her footsteps faded. Once he heard the door, the man sighed and returned to work.
Whatever she had felt inside, Bree’s face was back to the normal smile and her attitude lighthearted as she moved through the small town. Not quite a half hour passed before she was approached by a man and a woman. The woman was wringing her hands and the man looked distraught as they approached her.
“How can I help you?” she asked the couple as they couldn’t seem to find the words to talk.
They shared a frightened look before the man said, “It’s our children. You see, they have been ill and we don’t know what to do.”
Bree nodded, “Let’s go see what can be done.” She moved her hand indicating that she would follow them.
Without a backward glance, the couple began moving into the woods. Bree raised an eyebrow but followed them. The walk went further and further from the road and all forms of human civilization, but there was no doubt that she was following two humans.
Finally, the women turned to Bree and gestured toward a small cave, “I’m so sorry miss. We’ve had to live in a cave after our home burned down. And now I’m afraid-” the woman burst into tears.
The man put an arm around her shoulders. His eyes were on Bree as he said, “Please, miss. Please save our children.”
Bree looked at the cave, then at the couple. Extending her arms in an exaggerated stretch, she let out a very loud yawn. The couple looked at each other, but Bree ignored them and spoke to the area around her. “You can come out now.” She held her arms out and moved toward the cave, “You got a defenseless little medic here, so what is it you want? Apart from a long, painful death from your
own stupidity.” There was a threat to her voice that reverberated around the area. As if to emphasize her point, there was an unexpected thud that shook the ground. Though it wasn’t anything she had done, Bree did not allow it to distract her.
She heard the hiss of steel behind her as the couple each pulled a weapon. “Yeah, you were far too ugly to be any kind of a woman.” She spun to look at the pair.
They leered at her as nearly two dozen men emerged from the forest. Bree was unfazed as they circled around her. Stifling a yawn, she looked at the fools as they leered at her.
Suddenly, she felt a tingling sensation that put her on edge. Her eyes darted around as she looked for the source of the disturbance. “Alright, which one of you is the shifter.” There were confused looks from the men, “I know one of you is, it’s not like you can hide that kind of power. Which one of you is it? Because I know you can tell that the lot of you are in much bigger trouble than just the Medics’ Association.”
The tallest of the men looked down at her, a wicked grin on his face, “We don’t know what you are talking about, but we sure do love that confidence. I hope you can keep it up because it’s been a long time since I felt any real spirit with a woman.”
Bree gave him a cold look before closing her eyes. She could hear the men approaching, but her attention was outside of the circle. Her brow furrowed as she opened her eyes. “Hey shifter, I know you are hiding in the woods. Why not come out and fight me instead of sending these pathetic things at me? I know you are quite powerful, so why not give me a real challenge?” The men around her were getting angry as she was addressing some strange presence and almost completely ignoring them.
The one who had played the woman growled, “I’ll show you who’s pathetic!” He charged, his sword raised above his head.
The instant that Bree turned to look at him, the man froze. He was just a few inches away, his sword ready for a downward chop. Where his body had been in full motion just a second before, he now could not move a muscle. And all of his muscles were screaming out in pain as they tried to move forward against an unseen force. The pain intensified as the other men stood and watched in horror. Slowly, Bree moved a hand up as if she were asking for money, a look of boredom on her face. “Yes, it is well done. It isn’t anything new as far as pathetic people I’ve seen, but it is a good reminder of just how insect like humans really are. You do realize that you are holding that all wrong, and only a fool opens himself up to easy attacks by doing that with his arms.” There was clear disdain in her voice as she critiqued his fighting stance. Her hand raised up a little more and the man’s feet left the ground. The sound of his whimpers began to echo louder around the area. “Oh, the words you say,” Bree gave him a seductive look before turning her attention back to the unseen shifter. “Fine, I suppose I’ll open up and let you see since I really do not feel like playing this game.” Bree dropped her hand and several things happened at once. The man who had been suspended over the air let out an ear-splitting shriek and collapsed in a heap at her feet. He was bleeding from several wounds and it was clear he was dead. The chest and other luggage appeared out of nowhere and dropped in the spaces around her.
The men stood back for a second confused as to what had happened. Then all as one, they charged at her. Bree sighed and slowed time around herself. She walked through the men quickly dispatching them before they could fully comprehend their position. To them it appeared she was moving at an impossibly fast pace. They were wrong. Creatures like Bree almost never needed to move fast.
Bree had taken care of all but four of the men when time resumed itself. It would be a while before she could use it again, but there was little need to be concerned. Holding out her hands, two swords seemed to materialize out of the air. Moving with less skill than Annora, she sliced through two of the men before they even realized she was armed. The remaining two circled her.
The one who appeared to be the leader leered at her, “A little witch traveling like a medic. Afraid that people won’t be hospitable if they knew what you are?”
Bree released the swords and they disappeared back into the air, “Shifter, I know you are there.”
“I’m talking to you bitch!” The man lunged at her, Bree held a hand up at him as if he were a naughty child, and the man froze. A pain in her side reminded the woman that there as another man still alive. Looking down she watched as the man pulled a dagger out of her side. The man she had been holding, fell to the ground and rose with his weapon at the ready. Bree looked at him with a curious expression as she heard a sickening sound behind her. It was the sound of metal tearing into flesh. Though she didn’t see what happened, Bree did watch the look on the man’s face in front of her. His eyes went wide in astonishment, then a strange metallic weapon seemed to sprout out of his head. He crumpled in front of her.
Bree’s head turned toward the forest. Standing there with his arms folded across his chest was the man who had kept her from falling just outside of the Palace Paradise. His arms bulged under the clothing he wore, and she found that their positioning drew her eyes to scan his entire form. Last time she had gotten a good look at his face, this time, her eyes wanted to drink in the rest of him. He was tall, probably about half a foot taller than her. It looked like he spent most of his days working out. Then again, most young shifters did. It was only with great reserve that Bree had been able to keep herself from taking most of the shifters she encountered to more private quarters. They were truly beautiful creatures, much more so than humans.
His face was unreadable as he spoke, “Why should I come out? I’m not with them.”
Chapter 3
A Painful Reminder
Bree’s heart skipped a beat as she looked at him, “I can see that.” She staggered before she remembered about being stabbed. The man continued to stand there, his expression unchanging. Bree put a hand on her side and muttered a few words. The blood stopped flowing and the skin repaired itself. A couple of seconds later, Bree was tapping the place where the wound had been. “That’s going to leave a mark.”
“I’m sure you will be alright,” the man was moving forward. Bree’s eyes turned to look at him, her heart racing in a way that was unhealthy after all of the magic she had just used, not to mention the serious injury that had just healed. “Well, you have me out here, but you will have to forgive me for not wanting to fight.”
Bree finally remembered herself. Allowing her smile to spread across her face, she looked up at the man, “Afraid you might lose?” Her eyes danced with the possibility of the challenge.
The man looked down at her, “Not particularly.” His eyes took in her face, but he was not looking at the rest of her Bree realized with a hint of disappointment.
“So you’ve taken on someone like me before?” She was able to hide her disappointment with her usual flirtatious approach to dealing with men.
He snorted, “Hardly. I’ve never encountered a sorcerer or sorceress before. I thought they had died out a long time ago. Something about forbidding them or something.”
Bree laughed, “Yes, the old ones did die off, but you know how creatures are, can’t help but see what fresh horrors they can make after enough time has passed. The folly of believing that they know better.”
“That’s a human condition, not a humanoid one.” He looked down her with no emotion.
With a sigh, Bree conceded his point, “Yes, I suppose I have been spending so much time with humans that I forget that it’s really only them.” A line creased her brow, “It appears you don’t exactly avoid them either. That’s not exactly normal for shifters. And you aren’t the first one I’ve encountered in the last couple of days.”
The man opened his mouth to respond, but closed it, “What kind of shifter did you encounter?”
Bree shrugged, “He didn’t say. Or it’s more like,” she paused and looked thoughtfully at the man, “he refused to say. Not that I expected him to say. He was traveling with a second gen Pixie though. Are you trackin
g him?”
The man looked at her, the skepticism very obvious, “You couldn’t tell? You.” He cleared his throat, “I would think that a sorceress would be able to tell without trying.”
Bree scoffed, “Wow, such a high opinion of my kind based on no experience with us.”
The man walked around her a little, his eyes on her face, “It’s not an opinion. It’s the little information that I have on those with immense magical power. Your kind nearly ended the world on five separate occasions before being exiled and then condemned to extinction.”
Bree shrugged, “It’s probably the human in us that keeps us from fulling doing the right thing.” A knowing smile played on her lips.
The man studied her, “You still haven’t told me why you didn’t know what kind of shifter he was.”
“And you still haven’t told me if you are tracking him or not. I believe my question was first.”
The man looked away for a moment and sighed, “I’m not looking for him.”
“Ahh, you know someone who is though.”
His startling reddish eyes trained back on her face, “So you honestly couldn’t tell?”
Bree bit her lip, “I could. But I don’t like to barge in on people’s thoughts like that.” A seductive smile bloomed on her face, “I had already interrupted him and his companion working on making another baby.”
If not for the blush on the man’s face there would have been no way to tell that he registered what she meant. “That must have been rather embarrassing.”
Bree chuckled, “It wasn’t anything I hadn’t seen many times before.”
The man gave his head a very small shake, “I wasn’t talking about for you.”
Bree gasped, then narrowed her eyes as a sly grin replaced her smile, “Oh, you really don’t like me, do you?”
The man moved his eyebrows in a way that indicated that he was indifferent. “I don’t know you and have no intention of getting to know you. I am merely being polite and talking as you had asked me to.”