Keepers of the Flame (41 page)

But
the romantic mood he was trying to create was in danger. She’d turned north to
the towering mountains with the everlasting snow gleaming on their peaks,
appearing pristine.

Putting
an arm around her waist, he moved her more to the west, to the brilliant sunset
streaming golds and reds and oranges, a touch of light purple. “Watch the sun
set over the city.” He pointed. “Your tower.” Her body lost the droop of
depression and set with her usual optimism and vitality. Her Song lilted.

“My
tower,” she said, satisfaction and pride in her tone.

He’d
done a good job on repointing the stones in the days before their trip. The
concrete made the small building look whiter, now creamy in the light. A beat
of affection for the tower made him blink, as if he’d become attached to the
structure as well as his love who lived within. He stilled. Something had
changed within him beyond falling in love with his lady. He’d finally let the
last of his grief for his lost family go because he was focused more on the
future than the past. He’d forgiven them for leaving him. Now he could move
away from their house and find his own place. The tower?

As
they watched, the roc rose from her nest and streaked into the sky, more
brilliant than the sunset as rays flashed on her gleaming rainbow hues, a myth,
a legend. She Sang and the wondrous sound wafted to them. The people walking
below stopped to listen.

Sevair’s
arm tightened around Bri’s waist. “You have given a blessing to our city. Thank
you.”

Bri chuckled.
“She was here before I came.”

“She
was here because she knew you were coming,” he said. He kissed her temple.
“Thank you. She reminds us of all the lovely things in our lives, adds a touch
of wonder and magic.” He held Bri as they watched the day fade and the colors
of the sunset mute into soft blue and heather. Then darkness fell and the
brilliance of the night was upon them with the rich velvet of blue-black sky
and shining abundance of stars.

He
whispered a kiss on her head. She sighed, leaned into him, as if appreciating
how solid and steady he was. He knew those traits exasperated her when she
wanted to fly high and wild like the roc. But those characteristics would lure
her back to the nest that he’d craft for her, the life he’d craft for them that
they’d share. He could give her these quiet moments of pleasure, and an
infinite tenderness along with his love. He could give her wild passion.

When
they left the guildhall, she took him to her bed. Joining with her went beyond
his imaginings. Through her he felt that touch of the universe she’d shown
others. Even better than the touch of the stars were her soft moans, her quick
and nibbling kisses that fired his blood until all he desired was to show her
ecstacy. When she cried out and clutched at him, said his name, he thought no
other moment of his life had been so good.

He’d
do anything to keep her.

30

T
he sex had been
too damn good. Bri had never made love with such a detailed and methodical man
before, and he’d applied those qualities to their lovemaking. Simply driven her
out of her mind. He proved tough and full of endurance, too. She was a bit sore
and used a splash of the healing starstream to ease discomfort.

It
had
been lovemaking. They’d gone beyond sex into emotional closeness, caring. He’d
whispered his secret name to her, urged her to use it,
Vere.
She
couldn’t wait to share loving with him again, even though she wondered whether
she could block feelings for him. She should. Definitely. Because she still
intended to go home and make a new life, surrounded by family, encouraged by
the support of her parents.

She
checked her arm and was glad there was no symbol of his, nor had Elizabeth had
one from Faucon. Bri didn’t speak of the matter to Elizabeth and though her
twin was aware of what happened, she didn’t ask Bri about Sevair. Elizabeth
wasn’t one to often hide from a problem, but she was doing a good job of it
now. As was Bri.

Bri
understood Lladranan much better, people’s Songs were clearer, the healing went
better, faster.

Their
parents had returned home and no word had come from Bossgond about a successful
message being sent. Worse, the lull between battles had ended, with three
incursions between that day and the next. When the battles were done a Chevalier
would sicken and die in hours, painfully. No cure had been found for that
disease, and everyone feared that it would spread. Morale was low, the
Exotiques showing the most strain.

The
next several days wound Bri’s and Elizabeth’s nerves tight. No word about their
parents. The alarm claxon rang daily. Much to the disapproval of Zeres, Nuare,
and Sevair, Bri felt the need to be close to Elizabeth and moved back to the
Castle and shared the tower room with her. Elizabeth herself spent most nights
with Faucon. Elizabeth’s features became tight and drawn. She looked worse than
when she’d been an intern.

Bri
went through the days like a zombie, false smile twitching on her lips when
someone smiled at her. Polite but withdrawn. Only when she snatched an hour of
sex with Sevair or flew with Nuare could she forget that her parents were
desperate. She and Elizabeth became closer. With that came the echoing Song of
their grieving parents that they could sense across dimensions.

They
kept the afternoon office hours, and Bri lingered to sit with Zeres and listen
to his tales of times past. He’d moved into a tavern close to the inn, Bri’s
stipend paying for his room and board. He seemed to be drinking less. Unlike
everyone else, he didn’t expect her to socialize with him, talk or pretend to
be happy.

Finally,
finally, Marian requested Bri and Elizabeth come to Bossgond’s island. Faucon
and Sevair insisted on coming, too.

Soon
they were confronting the old stick of a man who was the most Powerful Sorcerer
in Lladrana. He let Marian do the talking. “Paper hasn’t worked. When messages
were inserted into the Dimensional Corridor, they were just blown away. Who
knows where they went?” She met their gazes in turn. “You must understand that
we just can’t lob objects in there. Who knows what will happen!” She glanced at
her husband. “Neither Jaquar nor myself can control the winds in the
Dimensional Corridor from here.” She added stiffly, “We don’t have the time or
the means to enter the corridor ourselves without calling on a full circle of
the Tower Community. Resources are at a premium.”

“Have
you seen them!” Bri demanded, glared at the scrawny old geezer. He glanced
away.

Elizabeth
gripped Bri’s hand hard.

“They…are
not doing well.” Marian swallowed, met Bri’s eyes, then turned to Elizabeth.
“They seem to think you’ve been kidnapped and they’ll receive a ransom note.”

“We
aren’t rich, but we’re well connected,” Elizabeth said. “Most notably to Judge
Trenton Philbert III. You’ve met him.”

Marian
winced. “After Alexa went missing.”

“He
won’t be pleased we’re gone.” Bri showed her teeth. “He’s our father’s best
friend, an honorary uncle.”

Bossgond
uncrossed his arms, spoke for the first time. “Hostile.”

“Ayes.
Yes!”
Bri said. She pulled her hand from Elizabeth’s to slap it onto her
chest. “You see what the loss of us is doing to them. Well, we
feel
it.
Our parents. Daddy…Mommy….”

Sevair
stepped up behind her, drew her into his arms. She couldn’t deny him, liked his
support and touch, was torn.

Faucon
slipped an arm around Elizabeth’s waist. She’d gone pale. No one spoke for a
full minute. Then Marian said, “We know this is hard.”

“Should
have considered that before you Summoned us.”

Marian
send a glance to Jaquar. He said smoothly, “The Song reaches those who are best
for the task, and who might stay. We did not specifically know who you were.”

Bri
just snorted.

Marian
inhaled, let her breath out slowly. “We
are
working on a solution.
Trying our best.” She hesitated.

“What?”
Bri demanded.

“If
you’re still emotionally connected—”

“Oh,
we are,” Elizabeth said as Bri laughed harshly.

“Then
perhaps you can be hypnotized to send them a message emotionally…”

Elizabeth
opened her mouth, ready to reject. Bri squeezed her twin’s hand. “We’ll try
anything.”

“Yes,”
Elizabeth agreed.

So
they were settled into the softly carpeted and pillowed conversation pit.
Faucon and Sevair were banished from the room so the twins could concentrate.
Marian, Jaquar and Bossgond sat at equidistant points around them. The twins
half reclined, half sat on the pillows. Excellent feather pillows, Bri thought
hazily as the Circlets Sang.

To
her amazement, and Elizabeth’s equal surprise, a foot-long hamster was
positioned so they could easily see him. Tuckerinal.
Look into my eyes
,
he said.

Bri
did. They swirled with colors, not as rich and sparkling as Nuare’s, but fully
as Powerful. That was the last thing Bri was aware of until she found a portion
of herself in the Dimensional Corridor, with Elizabeth floating beside her. Her
parents were sitting on the couch in the living room holding hands.

Bri
bit her lip at the sight of them, exhausted, with lined faces. They cuddled in
each other’s arms, turning to each other for comfort. Her eyes stung. Facing
adversity together, as always.

Oh,
look at them,
Elizabeth choked.

Nodding,
Bri said,
Let’s do it. We only have to convince them that we are safe in an
unusual place
.

Huh
, Elizabeth
said.

So
they did. Bri knew she’d never projected an idea so hard in her life.

Her
father shifted, tilted his head. “Did you hear that?”

“No,”
their mother said too quickly.

Concentrate
on Dad
,
Bri said, again sending a stream of thought, of
feeling
toward him, knew
Elizabeth did the same.

After
a moment or two, their father whispered, “I have the strangest feeling that
they are safe.”

“No!”
their mother said. “Don’t do this to me, Perce.”

“They’re
safe.” He held her tight. “They’re not here, but they’re safe.”

“How
can you say that?”

His
expression turned stubborn. “I just know. We won’t be receiving any ransom
notes.”

“I
don’t believe you.”

“And
I believe in God and miracles.”

That
shut her up.

But
it wouldn’t for long, Bri knew. Her mother’s intellect always overbore her
father’s vague feelings.

Then
mist whirled in front of the portal and she felt a tug and a clunk as she fell
back into her body.

Elizabeth
sat up first, shoved hair from her face. She looked around and her gaze
fastened on Faucon. When she held out her hand, he came and pulled her up and
into his arms.

Sevair
stared at Bri. She wriggled her fingers to him in a wave. He took that as an
invitation to follow Faucon’s example. Bri let herself lean against him.

“Did
it work?” Bossgond demanded.

“
Ttho
.”
Tuckerinal answered. “Not good enough.”

“Not
enough to banish doubt,” Elizabeth said thickly.

Marian
sighed, gazed at Jaquar, then Bossgond.

The
old Circlet paced the circumference of the room, rubbing his chin. Stopped in
front of Bri and Elizabeth. “We have one last alternative.”

“We’ll
do anything,” Elizabeth said again. Bri was glad her twin had taken over the
speaking for them.

“It
may be that you must be in the corridor itself to communicate with someone on
Earth. Since the Snap hasn’t come and you are not fully of Lladrana yet, we can
try to insert you into the space between dimensions, for a message only. Would
you be willing to do that?”

Bri
hadn’t realized until then that her cold hands had twined once more with
Elizabeth’s chill fingers. They spoke as one. “Yes.”

“It
will take a while for me to set this up,” Bossgond said. He seemed less ornery
and more interested.

“How
long?” asked Elizabeth.

“A
week. The procedure will demand drugs and a ritual.”

Bri
said, “We’ll do it.”

Bossgond
nodded.

Marian
said, “Very well.” A faint smile curved her lips as she looked past them to
Sevair and Faucon. “Requirements for the ritual are no solid food, no sex for
the next week.”

Sevair
said, “I’m perfectly capable of sleeping with Bri and not making love with
her.”

Bri
stared up at him. His jaw was set.

“You’re
moving back into your tower in Castleton where Nuare and I can take care of
you.”

She
didn’t have the energy to argue, and he felt so good against her that she
agreed.