Keepers of the Flame (64 page)

All
her friends spread around her, ready to celebrate with her. Be assimilated? Bri
snorted to herself, looking at the colorful semicircle of Exotiques. The others
weren’t assimilated.

While
she stared at them, flashes came. Marian had her camera. A mirror was propped
on the long altar table.

Sevair
stood in front of it. Sevair.

Sevair.

Her
heart took a shock. Yes. Ayes. She wanted him. The inner child shrieked with
glee. Someone of her own. Someone who’d put her first. Oh, yeah.

Then
as she walked forward, almost seemed to glide, there was no inner child and
Bri. There was just Bri. She wondered if she’d finally grown up.

More
than magic suffused her. Love from her friends and Sevair. She scanned them.
More than the Exotiques and their men were there, too. People from Castleton,
even a Citymaster or two from the other places she’d visited, beamed at her.
More photos.

When
she returned her gaze to Sevair he was smiling at her, with that special look
in his eyes, the one only for her.

All
the residual tension of doubt drained from her.

This
was what she wanted. A love. A home. Friends. Respect.

For
an instant she thought of Zeres and missed his craggy face. She bit her lip.

She
glanced at the mirror and her family waved. Elizabeth and her mom were crying.
Her dad blew her a kiss, then clasped his hands and waved them in a gesture of
triumph.

The
knives came out and she only felt calm, kept her gaze locked with Sevair’s as
they said vows, slowly steadily, strongly.

Then
they were joined and blood and magic and more cycled between them. Not only did
she see and hear Sevair’s love for her, but felt it, real and true.

She
sent the same back to him.

I
t was a full
three days before Bri showed Raine the medica’s house in Castleton.

Bri
kept a wary eye on her. Raine’s melody was full of sweeping highs and lows. Her
aura pulsed erratically.

“What
a pretty house,” Raine said, turning around and looking at the gleaming
furnishings, the delicate murals, running her hand down the banister. Every
detail spoke of the Lladranans, respect for their Exotiques. Respect that
hadn’t been given to Raine. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea.

“A
wonderful house,” Raine whispered.

“It’s
yours,” Bri said. “I have the tower. This place is yours for as long as you
want—or until the Snap.”

Raine’s
Song went ragged. She opened her mouth, but said nothing. Her eyes filled with
tears. A couple of harsh sounds emerged from her. She gathered herself, then
said. “How can you stand it? Stuck here, knowing your real life is going on
back home, knowing people who love you miss you, every day. How can you stand
it!” Raine crumpled.

Bri
caught her, did the air glide thing to the sitting room and a fat, welcoming
chair big enough for both of them. She cradled Raine and let her cry, stroked
her hair. “You’re all right now. You’re here where people will cherish you.
You’re all right,” she soothed. She kept it up until Raine’s shoulders stopped
heaving and her sobs became whimpers. Bri fished in her pocket and came out
with a couple of hankies and gave them to Raine, who’d curled in on herself.

“You’ve
had it
so
hard. Such a horrible time. I’m sorry for that.” Bri kept
patting Raine, cleared her own throat. “But Lladrana is my real life, my real
home. I made that decision.”

“That
cruddy tower—shit, sorry.”

But
Bri only chuckled. “It needs a little more work to be a showplace. Like
Lladrana needs work.”

Raine’s
face set. “Guess I won’t be going home until the last fight.”

Bri
didn’t want her to go home at all. Wanted her to stay and find a place here in
Lladrana. The depth of that feeling surprised her. Perhaps it was because she’d
found Raine so quickly after losing Elizabeth.

“Let
me show you rest of the house,” Bri said, standing.

Raine
blew her nose, smiled and rose with a grace Bri admired. She was the most graceful
of them all. “I’ve heard the stories about you and Elizabeth, and have read the
Lorebooks—”

“Our
cue, ladies,” Marian said from the doorway. Calli stood with her.

“Where’s
Alexa?” asked Bri.

“Getting
chocolate from Elizabeth’s alternate stash in the kitchen.”

Bri
looked around the formal sitting room. “The most comfortable place is the
bedroom.” She smiled at Raine. “Huge feather bed. Big enough to hold a girl
confab.”

“Confab?”
Raine asked.

“It’s
a word my Mom uses. Confabulation. Twin and I use it.”

“Confab.”
Alexa joined them repeating it. “It’s a good Exotique word.” She nodded. “I
like it.” Looking at Calli, she said, “You got the hats?”

Calli
swept out the hand she’d been holding behind her back, with two white cowboy
hats stacked. She separated them. One had a wide red band with medica symbols.
The other had a deep blue band with stylized waves.

Alexa
and Marian took hats that Bri hadn’t noticed from the settle bench. Alexa’s
band was jade green with little flaming batons, Marian’s purple-black with
jagged lightning.

Bri
took the medica hat, placed it on her head and wasn’t surprised when it fit
perfectly. Alexa took Bri’s left wrist and turned it over. Marching up Bri’s
arm after the bonding symbol of Sevair’s stone hammer were the symbols of the
other Exotiques. “Still there.”

“If
they don’t show up before, the planet Amee graces us with these after the
Snap.” Marian showed her own arm with even more tatts than Bri’s.

Raine
stared at her bare arm, let out a relieved sigh, lifted her chin. “I know
Lladrana has troubles, and I know that you all barely escaped with your lives,
so you’ve been hurt here, too. But—”

“But
me no buts. We’ve all heard it before. You’ll stay or you’ll go. Your choice.”
Alexa shrugged. “The hat is yours regardless.” She put it on Raine’s head.

Raine
adjusted it, then smiled and became beautiful. “I always wanted a cowboy hat.”

“Connecticut.”
Alexa shook her head.

“Hey,
it begins with a
c
, like Colorado,” Bri said. “That counts for
something. For a lot.” She linked arms with Raine. “Note the fancy carving on
the side of the stairwell.” Everyone oohed and aahed, though they’d seen it
before. As they toured the house, each of the women pointed out items they’d
proposed. Affection tugged at her heart. From the corner of her eye, she saw
the same emotion curve Raine’s lips.

“The
best part is the private tub downstairs,” Marian said.

“We
all had a part in that,” Calli said, touching Raine’s hand.

A
few minutes later they’d settled on the bed with two pieces of chocolate each.
They’d made a circle on the bed and Calli was on Bri’s left, then Marian, then
Alexa and Raine on Bri’s right.

“This
place is yours,” Bri repeated.

“Thank
you,” Rain said softly. “I accept.” Her chest flattened with a big sigh.

“Ah,
you are all still here,” Sevair said. He walked in, wearing a stupid-looking
hat with a wide brim and carrying a book under his arm. He took in the women,
visibly braced himself, and continued. “I found this book on the marble-topped
cabinet under the magic mirror in our tower.”

Bri
stilled and at her sudden quiet the others fell silent, looked at Sevair.

He
held out the volume, large and bound in red leather tooled in gilt that looked
brand new. “I can’t read it,” he said.

Bri
hopped from the bed, took it, and brushed a kiss on his lips. When he turned to
go, she said, “Stay.”

Reluctantly
he dragged up a chair to the bed as she plopped back down with the other women.
She put the book in the middle of their circle and all gazes fixed on the
title.
The Lorebook of Exotique Medica Elizabeth Brigid Drystan.

Bri
sniffed. She’d been able to hold it together when Raine had broken down, but
this was a whole ’nother matter. She wiped her arm across her eyes, saw the
white square Sevair offered, and took it, dabbed at her face, knew she’d need
it again before she was done. Meeting his kind and steady eyes, she told him
the title.

Then
she drew in a deep breath and opened the book. A title page, with a caduceus at
the bottom.

Marian
reached over and fingered a corner of the page. “Acid-free paper.” Her eyes
narrowed and she touched the fancy lettering. “Bridgenorth font. I’d say
Elizabeth typed this herself and had it bound.”

“Eight-and-a-half-by-eleven
paper,” Alexa said.

“Yes.”
Bri cleared her throat. “Yes.” She opened the book and there was a photo of her
and Elizabeth in the Castle. “Oh, man, I’m gonna lose it.”

Calli
patted her shoulder as Bri wiped her eyes again. She scooted in and leafed
through the book. There were photos, and drawings where Elizabeth spoke of
something that they hadn’t taken a picture of—like a dreeth. Pages of
three-dimensional drawings from all angles.

“Cassidy
did these drawings,” Bri said, swallowing hard. “He’s a good artist.” She
glanced at Sevair.

“I
don’t mind hearing about him—my woman stayed.” His tone was so complacent, she
frowned, then he picked up her hand and kissed her fingers and she melted a
little inside, as always. Elizabeth’s place was in Denver. She knew that in her
head and her heart, but it would take a while to accept the loss and stop
hurting. Same as her family at home.

Exclamations
came as Calli continued to turn the pages. Sevair scooted closer, snorting at a
picture of Zeres drunk—another grief that would eventually heal—then made a
disgusted noise in his throat at the picture of the Lladranan men. “I’m much
more attractive than Faucon or Bastien.”

“Of
course you are,” all the women chorused.

He
made the noise again.

Finally
Calli turned to the last pages and Bri gasped. Cassidy and her father and her
mother had handwritten letters to her. Her eyes blurred and when Calli withdrew
her hand, Bri turned the pages. She didn’t want to read the letters now, so she
went to the last page, all cursive.

We
know that you will fight the Dark and win.

I
love you, Bri, Elizabeth.

You
will win. I love you, Bri, Cassidy.

You
will win. I love you, Bri, Dad.

You
will win. I love you, Bri, Mom.

Tears
rolled down Bri’s face.

Three
hawk feycoocus flew through the window, lit on the bed within the circle of
women. Three magical mind-voices chirped,
We will win
.

Calli
grabbed her left hand, stared into her eyes. “We will win.” Hands clasped
together around the circle. Raine hesitated, then completed the circle between
Bri and Alexa. Bri’s voice rose with the other women’s along with a surge of
incredible Power. “We will win.”

Sevair
sat on the bed, lifted her onto his lap, met her eyes and again she was
connected with others so that they all spoke together.

“We
will win.”

Bri
hoped so, but still saw the window darken as the sun went behind clouds, felt
the chill of an early autumn. She leaned back to look into Sevair’s eyes. “Win
or lose, I’m here forever.”

Cut Scene, Chapter 1

Robin D. Owens                                                                                     Keepers
Of The Flame

THIS SCENE IS A PORTION OF THE
COPY EDITS THAT IS NOT IN THE PUBLISHED BOOK.
All rights reserved;
copyright © Robin D. Owens.The text contained within may not be reproduced in
whole or in part or distributed in any form whatsoever OR SOLD without first obtaining
permission from the author.

Note: This is an
additional portion of Chapter 1 that was cut. It begins in the grocery store.

Keepers Of The Flame

Chapter 1

Denver, April, Early
afternoon

Bri shook the nuggets
so little metallic wrappers rustled as the nuggets tumbled against each other,
glittering. "Our favorites."

"Mom's going to kill us."

"She doesn't have to know about the chocolate."

"She'll guess."

"Yes, but she'll also eat the Mickey potatoes, and Dad will
dig into the treat."

"Oh, yes." Elizabeth glanced at her watch. "Dinner
at the folks at 6:00. We have just enough time to get you settled in, make our
dishes, dress, and go over to the folks."

"Add in a meditation break and it sounds like a plan."

Elizabeth made a moue. "No. Yoga instead."

"Oh, all right."

"Where did you stash your stuff?" Bri always travelled
light.