Storm of Arranon Fire and Ice (21 page)

She tried the lever.

Not locked
.

Her jaw dropped at the scene before her.

Stone cabins of varying sizes and shapes
dotted the area around a vast deep-blue lake. Massive boulders
poked from the still water and ran in jagged rows up from the
shoreline in several locations around the enormous tarn. They
connected with the dark rock walls, dividing the shore to the
cavern’s edge into sections. Small points of flickering firelight
speckled the periphery to the far side of the lake and beyond.

Erynn glanced to the ceiling of the cavern
and gasped.

“Impressive, isn’t it?” Tine had come from
behind and stood next to her.

“Is this an illusion?” Erynn stole another
peek. Only this time, she couldn’t tear her gaze from the sight.
The ceiling reached at least five hundred meters overhead. A
spherical center no less than a hundred meters in circumference
glowed with a brilliant white light. The radiance reflected off the
lake and cast a midday appearance to the cavern’s interior.
“What…?” She turned her attention to Tine.

He watched her with an amused expression.
“Oh, they’re real. They’re an intelligent plant life. We call them
the Anim Blath.

She jerked her gaze from him and studied the
lake. “Anim Blath?” Heat rose up her neck and into her cheeks. She
wasn’t good at deception.

Several black creatures swooped low over the
lake, skimming the water and darting back up. They gave her a
reason to change the subject. “And what are those?” She pointed as
the small flock disappeared against the dark boulders. Her face
cooled.

“
Aleroms
. They are like the aleuns of
your surface. But aleroms have teeth.”

“Teeth. Of course they do.”

Tine stepped in front of her, tipped his
head, and stared into her eyes. “Are you alright? Drom was
concerned. He’ll want to see you to decide for himself that you’re
well.”

“I’m fine.” She chuckled, dropping her gaze.
“I feel all right. A little thirsty.” She rubbed her stomach. “A
lot hungry.”

“Good. I can see to your needs, Erynn Yager.”
He turned toward the cabin and opened the heavy door. “Come
on.”

She took one last glance at the Anim Blath
and followed Tine inside.

Later. I can investigate later
.

Tine led her through the large room and into
a narrow hall. Sleeping chambers, one on each side, opened off the
short corridor. At the end, polished wood counters and a bulky
table filled most of the space in a large, warm kitchen. A heavy
iron stove and oven were built next to a hearth on the right.

Erynn gazed at the pots steaming on the
cooktop. “I didn’t think you cooked your food.”

“Shifters prefer raw meat. We eat it that way
if that’s what’s available. But we prefer cooked.” Tine smiled and
straightened to his full height. Pride radiated, warming his eyes.
“My
diune
, Syrana, is a good cook.” He gestured to the
sturdy chairs around the table. “Sit. Please.”

Erynn pulled a chair back and sat. “How is it
that you speak the language of the surface?”

And Comhra, and whatever language Drom
uses
?

Tine shrugged and handed a cup of water to
Erynn. “It’s my job. There’s a brew similar to your beoir, if you’d
rather have that.”

She drained the cup. “No. Water is good.” She
wiped droplets from dry, cracked lips with her fingers. She touched
her cheek and winced. Exploring more carefully, she found four deep
scratches arced across her jaw, partially healed. They flared with
a fresh sting.

He brought a pitcher and refilled her cup.
“What’s wrong? Do your wounds hurt?” He rushed to a back door,
pushing it open. “Syrana.”

A female Socar Batah hurried in. She held a
bowl overflowing with what looked like mushrooms and root
vegetables. Syrana set the bowl on the counter next to the door and
stepped around the table. Her wide black eyes glittered in the
light of burning sconces high on the walls. “Are you in pain, Erynn
Yager of the surface?”

Long golden hair fell over Syrana’s shoulders
and against her brown clothing. She pulled a small ornately carved
pot across the table and knelt before Erynn. Syrana removed the top
and reached one finger in, capturing salve on its tip. With gentle
strokes, she applied the ointment to Erynn’s burning cheek.

The pain was gone instantly. “Thanks. That’s
better.” Erynn smiled at Syrana.

Soft giggles came from the hall behind Erynn,
and she turned.

Three small forms melted into the
shadows.

Tine grunted. “Our cubs.” His grin was
awkward. In a loud voice, he called, “They behave as if they have
no manners.” His grin broadened into a smile.

Erynn touched her dry lips again, careful to
avoid the salve Syrana had applied. She stared into the fire.
“Tine, how long have I been here?”

Syrana stepped back.

Tine pulled a chair next to her and sat down.
When his face was level with hers, he nodded. “The equivalent of
eight days on the surface.”

ERYNN JUMPED UP. HER CHAIR tipped backward.
The legs righted with a thump on the stone floor. “Eight days?”

Tine stared at her. “Eight days. Syrana cared
for you, fed you, kept spooning you liquids.” He stood up and
wrapped his arm around Syrana, caressing her shoulder with a gentle
sweep of his fingers.

Erynn swore a blush rose under the downy
blonde fur of Syrana’s cheeks. “Tine, I have to get back to the
surface. Dhoran can’t find me here.” Erynn locked her gaze with
Tine’s. She reached out and touched his bare arm. Soft fur met her
fingertips. She shook her head and gazed around the pleasant
kitchen. “You don’t want war, do you? That’s Dhoran’s plan. A war
between the surface and your world. It doesn’t have to turn out
that way. Our civilizations lived in peace before Dhoran. We can
have peace again.”

“Our civilizations?” Tine spat and jerked
away from her touch. “You come here from another world, Erynn
Yager, not Arranon, and presume to instruct me about my people and
our history?”

Erynn realized that now was the time for some
truth. “Yes, I come from another world. But my ties to Arranon are
strong. I’m of mixed parentage. The blood of Arranon flows in my
veins, as does Korin’s.” She stood tall, proud. “I will not be
ashamed of who and what I am.”

Tine’s eyes widened. “A joined heritage.” Awe
tinged his voice. He nodded and patted Syrana’s shoulder. “That
explains these mysteries.”

“What mysteries?” Erynn’s gaze shifted
between Tine and Syrana.

“Will you get Erynn some food, please?” Tine
nuzzled Syrana’s neck.

Syrana grinned, ducked out of Tine’s embrace,
and turned to the stove.

“Sit, Erynn. Please.” Tine rearranged his
chair and scooted himself to the table. “Well, for one, this
answers how you found and got through the portal.” He folded his
hands on the smooth surface and watched her. “And this explains
what happened at the transition station.”

“You mean how I almost died.” Erynn dropped
into her seat and twisted the chair to face the table. “Didn’t the
possibility occur to you that I, not being of your world, might not
live?” She frowned. “What is a
transition station
anyway?”

“We travel long distances by transition
stations. Without the one we used, the trip from the portal to here
would have taken days. The route is dangerous, difficult, and
nearly impassable in spots.” Tine shook his head. “Erynn, you’re
not the first surface dweller to come to our world. Transition has
never been a problem. Uncomfortable at first, yes, but not deadly.
Had I known the process would affect you the way it did, I would
never have taken you through.”

Syrana set a bowl and spoon before Tine and
Erynn. “Eat. You need the nourishment.” She nudged Erynn’s arm.

“Your reaction inside the transition station
puzzles me, but that was not the incident I meant.” Tine picked up
his spoon. “You called up the wind, Erynn Yager. And not just any
wind. A surface wind.”

Erynn stared into her bowl. Sliced mushrooms
and chunks of white, red, and orange root vegetables floated in a
thick brown broth. A rich, spicy scent drifted from the steaming
bowl to her nostrils. Her stomach growled.

Tine spooned in a mouthful. “Dhoran has been
delayed.” He talked as he chewed. “He wasn’t able to come right
away and is still some days from arriving.”

Erynn scoffed. “What keeps a spirit—a
ghost—from being anywhere he wants?” She brought the spoon to her
lips and sipped. “This
is
good.” She glanced at Syrana and
smiled.

“Nothing would keep a spirit, but Dhoran has
returned to a…physical state. In fact, he has taken the body of a
surface inhabitant. A healer.” Tine frowned and shook his head.
“No, the correct word is byan.”

Erynn’s spoon stopped midway between her open
mouth and the bowl. “Who? What’s the byan’s name?”

Nev
?
No. I would have known. What
would the odds be? But still
…

Tine scraped the last of the stew from his
bowl. “I don’t know. Is the name important?” He studied Erynn as he
chewed.

“I guess not.” Erynn spooned stew into her
mouth.

Tine pushed away from the table. “When you’re
done, I should take you to Drom. He’s worried about you.”

Erynn scooped in another mouthful. “Done,”
she mouthed around the hot vegetables. She wanted to get another
peek at the Anim Blath. “Thank you, Syrana.” Erynn glanced at Tine
and back to Syrana. “You are a good cook.”

Outside the cabin, Tine led her to the
water’s edge. A wooden pier extended several meters into the clear
blue water of the lake. He walked to a boat tied to a piling and
reached for Erynn’s hand. “I’ll help you get in. Drom’s home, his
headquarters, are on the far side of the lake. Crossing the lake is
the fastest way to get there.”

Another boat drifted up to the pier. “You’re
going to the cabrawth?” The Socar Batah in the approaching boat
shook his head and threw a rope of braided leather to Tine. “He’s
hunting with his sons. Won’t be back for two
leantas
.”

Tine grabbed the rope and secured it to a
piling. “Thanks, Bane.” He reached down and helped Bane up to the
deck.

“The otherworld female is not ugly, but her
lack of fur is not appealing.” Bane smiled.

Erynn frowned at him.

I’m standing right here, listening to
you
.

“Did you have good luck today?” Tine glanced
at Bane’s hand.

Bane held up a sack, the contents still
wiggling inside. “The catch was decent. Would Syrana like one? We
can trade. My diune is low on herbs.”

“If you have extra.” Tine nodded. “I’ll tell
Syrana. She’ll be glad to trade with Deesa.”

Tine took Erynn’s arm and guided her off the
pier.

“Does he think I’m deaf?” Erynn shot a glower
over her shoulder at Bane.

“What do you mean?” Tine frowned.

“Talking about me when I’m standing right
there. Not ugly. No fur. What does he know?”

Tine stopped, jerking Erynn with him. “You
understood him?”

“Yes. He spoke as clear as you do. Why
shouldn’t I understand?” She pried at his fingers.

“Sorry.” He released his grip on her arm.
“The transition station seems to have changed you, Erynn. Opened
your mind to my world.” He glanced out over the lake. “Interesting.
I wonder if…”

She frowned. “Wonder what? And what is a
leantas? Drom has sons? What do you hunt?”

Tine laughed, glanced at her, and started
toward his cabin again. “A leantas is a unit of time. Since we
don’t have day and night like the surface, we measure time’s
passage by the Anim Blath’s cycles. They—hmmm, this is hard to
explain.” He tipped his head, staring up at the white, glowing
mass. “Their collective consciousness communicates with us. Anim
Blath are still in touch with and connected to the surface. They
cycle with a period of dormancy or rest, then
wake
to a time
of activity. It’s
like
night and day on the surface. From
the beginning to the end of one phase is a leantas.”

He reached the door, opened it, and gestured
Erynn inside. Tine sat in a heavy chair, sinking into the thick
fur, and waved to the one next to him. “Drom has four sons and
three daughters.”

Erynn folded into the large chair and pulled
her legs under her. Soft hair covering the pelt tickled her arms.
She leaned her head against the tall back, listening to Tine’s low,
soothing voice.

“Drom and his sons hunt
fiane, blache muk,
agurga
.” Tine raised a finger after each. “Sometimes they go to
the surface and hunt
asador
.” He chuckled. “Drom doesn’t go
often. He’s uncomfortable on the surface, even at night.”

Erynn’s thoughts drifted to the time the
asador herd saved her from the alien Birk. She wasn’t familiar with
the other creatures Tine spoke of.

They must be from below
.

Too heavy to stay open, her eyelids drooped.
Her mind began to float. The distant snap and pop of the warm fire
further lulled her.

Jaer walked a dim, cold corridor in her
dream. His sorrow flowed to her, strong enough to crush.

She narrowed her exposure. “Jaer. I’m safe,
for now,” she called to him.

He stopped, his eyes wide, and gazed around.
“Kipa?” he mouthed.

She couldn’t hear his voice. Does he hear
me? Why not—this is my dream. If I want him to, he can. “I love
you, Jaer.”

He spun around, searching the corridor. His
mouth moved, but she couldn’t make out his words.

If this is my dream, why can’t Jaer talk
to me? She squeezed her eyes tight and concentrated, ignoring
whoever was shaking her shoulder
.

“Erynn.”

“
Jaer
.”

A soft hand patted her cheek. “Erynn, wake
up.”