Wintermore (Aeon of Light Book 1) (17 page)

With a goofy grin on his face, Yaz stands on the right side of the aisle. He nods at Dix pointing at two pretty brunette girls sitting in front of him.

Lurrus’s oldest brother, blond, tall, black suit and rail thin, stands opposite Yaz. Her mother and father hold hands and sit in the front row across from Preta.

The music transitions to a soft lovely tune and the commotion in the pavilion ceases.

The guests, uneasy, rustle through the chorus of breathing.

A bald holy man, not a strand of hair on his shiny head and wearing a pure white robe stutter steps up the aisle and comes to a stop next to Yaz and Lurrus’s brother. He points to the back of the pavilion, and everyone shifts in their seats.

Arms interlocked, Deet and Lurrus stroll down the aisle.

Lurrus cries as she looks from her mother to her father and then back to her mother again.

Deet smiles at Preta for the entire walk.

Preta’s insides warm; tears form in her eyes. Curling her lips into a frown, she looks at Grandpa.

Grandpa gently places his hand on top of hers.

At the front of the pavilion, Deet and Lurrus stop in front of the holy man then step apart.

With hands clasped in front of him, the holy man straightens his back. He clears his throat. “
Ahem
—we gather here to join these two in love and life. The circle of unity binding these two will form their strength and purpose. They will love long and without regret, giving themselves to the other, in sickness and in health, together for eternity. The bond is strong, never wavering. In times of doubt, look to the other. In times of happiness, look to the other. You will form one: one body, one love, one soul, one life.”

The uneasy crowd shifts in their seats and breathes in erratic snorts.

“Do you, Deet Penter, take this woman?”

Deet smiles. “Yes, I take this woman, to be my body, my love, my soul, and my life.” He holds out his hand and Yaz sets a silver ring in Deet’s palm.

Lurrus extends her hand.

Deet caresses Lurrus’s wrist and slips the ring onto her finger.

The holy man smiles. “Do you, Lurrus Fallow, take this man?”

Lurrus sighs. “Yes, I take this man, to be my body, my love, my soul, and my life.” Lurrus’s brother hands her a silver ring which she slips onto Deet’s finger.

The holy man unclasps his hands and opens his arms wide. “I now pronounce you one body, one love, one soul, and one life. You may now kiss, Deet and Lurrus Penter.”

Their lips lock and Deet lifts her off the ground. After a minute of spinning and kissing, he sets her down, and they stare at each other in a deep, silent, loving conversation with their eyes.

The holy man addresses the guests as he extends his hand toward the back of the pavilion. “If you please, head out the back, and form the walk of life.”

Yaz taps Preta on her shoulder. “Sis, we need to get to the end before they start.” He leads her out the side of the pavilion to avoid the people walking down the center aisle.

Yaz points at a flower bucket. “Grab a handful of those petals.”

Preta fills her hands with bright, colorful flowers. Nervous, she fidgets standing behind the people forming the living walkway.

Along the square’s far brick wall, a squat, hairy man stands by a large cage; doves hop and flap inside the wooden barred box.

She gets to her spot next to Yaz, and the living walkway completes.

Preta hops up and down trying to see over a tall man standing in front of her, his bushy black hair like a nest perched on a tree branch. “I can’t see.”

Yaz pushes forward through the crowd and nudges the tall man to the side.

Hand in hand, Deet and Lurrus step forward onto the walk of life. They stroll down the aisle, bent over as the red and white flower petals rain down on them.

Preta glances back at the cage, and the man releases the doves over the crowd. She watches the birds escape to freedom, flying above her in chaotic circles.

Preta’s heart flutters with excitement.
Beautiful, I wish I could fly like that
.

A few doves hover over Preta, crisscrossing back and forth. The others break free and fly off into the horizon.

Preta’s eyes wide, a grin frozen on her face, she admires the grace. Preta’s gaze fixes on a bird breaking free from the others. The dove flutters back, rejoining the others circling above.

A surge of warm energy wells up deep in Preta’s chest. A flash of aqua-blue light ripples over Preta’s hazel eyes. She exhales, and her breathing quickens.
What’s this feeling? Am I dying?
Preta’s eyes twitch and two blue lightning arrows shoot out of Preta’s shoes and flash under the crowd.

The light merges into a single beam and then dances along the brick, tracking the dove’s chaotic flight above, then the light shoots straight up into the sky, striking the bird in a puff of smoke and exploding feathers.

The light dissipates, and the dove falls until it hits the ground with a thud and two bounces. Feathers rain down, floating in the breeze.

Yaz jerks Preta back. “Dang, Preta,
the dove, really
?”

“Shoot—I didn’t mean it.”

Yaz scowls at her. “Control that light thing before you kill someone, there are too many people around.”

Preta frantically looks over the crowd to see if anyone saw.

The people continue cheering and tossing flowers on her brother and Lurrus.

An old hunched over couple standing across from Preta, concern etched on their faces, they point at the dead bird lying on the ground.

Two burly men wearing grey suits point to the sky as if searching for something.

Agna catches Preta’s eye, and she shakes her head
no
.

Preta peeks behind her.

Clist, leaning against a three-story apartment building brick wall, legs and arms crossed, brow arched, is scowling at her.

Preta spins back toward the walk of life. “Shoot, he saw.”

Yaz lowers his head, eying her. “What did you say?”

Preta shrugs him off. “Nothing,” and she glances back toward Clist, who is no longer in the same spot.
Shit
.
Where’d he go? He saw me. He knows. I have to find out where he went.

Preta steps away from Yaz.

Yaz reaches back to grab her. “Stay close to me.”

“I just need some fresh air,” Preta says, taking another step away from her brother. “It’s all right, I’m right here.” She scans the wall.

Clist runs and turns into the alley leading to the main road.

Preta touches Yaz on the side, letting him know she’s still there.

Yaz gives her a tender smile and then turns back toward the crowd.

Deet and Lurrus approach the end of the walkway, and the congregation continues showering them with love and cheers and flowers.

Preta creeps away from Yaz. She lifts the bottom of her yellow dress off the ground and runs after Clist.

At the main road, Preta stops and searches both directions.

Clist ducks into a dark alley across the street, and Preta follows him.

At the entrance, she spins against the wall, takes a few quick breaths, and peeks around the corner.

Clist is near the other end of the alley, talking to a hooded man.

Barrels and stacked crates filled with straw line the wall, impeding Preta’s view. She crouches and creeps forward.

The tight shaded alley masks Preta’s movements. She peeks over the barrel top, and the hooded man comes into view.
The whistler. I need to get closer
. Preta crawls on all fours over the chipped brick and moist, rocky ground. Approaching the crates, Preta’s left knee sinks into a wet, muddy hole, soiling her new yellow dress. Behind the stack of crates, Preta peers through a crack along the wall and listens.

The whistler jams his finger into Clist’s chest, poking him with light, quick jabs. “You did good, my boy, you’ll get what you’re owed soon enough.”

“Thank you, sir, thank you so much. Whatever you need, I’d be glad to help, damn those Penters.”

The whistler nods down the alley. “Now back to the party, and watch them closely. You know what to do next. Remember, if you can’t get the one, get the other one.”

The whistler disappears, and Clist turns back toward Preta.

Preta ducks between the wall and the crate, wedging herself deep into the crack.

Clist giggles racing by her. “Preta Preta Penter, you’re the one that will get what you’re owed.”

Preta sucks in a breath and scoots to the opposite side of the crates. Her back bumps into a small scrap of wood tilted against the wall and it bounces and scrapes against the stone.

Clist stops at the noise and turns back and stares. He skips backward as he smiles, pivots, and laughs until he disappears, exiting the alley.

NOT ALL LOVE AVAILS

Preta huddles behind the crates as she counts to a hundred. She tries to put together Clist’s and the whistler’s conversation and their meaning.
What did he mean one or the other
? She peeks around the edge, looking for any movement.
Her and who else
?

Preta pushes off a crate and hugs the wall in shadow until she reaches the main road. She scans both directions and sprints to the alley leading back to the wedding.

With open arms and head tilted to the side, Yaz strolls toward Preta. “Where the heck have you been?”

“Sorry, I went to the privy, I couldn’t hold it any longer. I had to go right away.”

Yaz sneers at her. “And you couldn’t tell me? What are you trying to do, get me killed?”

Preta talks with her hands. “It’s not like that, it’s just… I didn’t want you to have to leave the wedding.”

“Dang.” Yaz points at Preta’s yellow dress. “You roll in crap at the privy too? Look at you, you’re a total mess.” He wipes his eyes in frustration and shakes his head. “Nala’s going to kill you—then she’s going to kill me.”

Preta inspects the wet, muddy stains caked on the yellow fabric. “Right, I fell. My foot got caught on the bottom of my dress when I was running to the privy because I was in a hurry to get back.”

“Nala’s so going to kill us.” Yaz rubs his hair and messes it up. He grunts and turns away from Preta.

Preta pats Yaz’s arm. “It won’t happen again, I promise. But I saw him, the whistler. He was talking to a boy in my class. I overheard him say ‘if he can’t get one then get the other.’”

Yaz quickly spins back toward Preta. “
What did you say
?”

“He said ‘if he can’t get one get the other.’”

Yaz squints, focusing on her every word. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I think they may grab me or someone else at the party.”

With a tinge of anxiety in his touch, Yaz places his hand on Preta’s back and guides her back to the wedding. “Stick close to me and keep your eyes open. No need to tell anyone yet. Though no more running off.”

The musicians thump away, and the courtyard is alive with ale and feast and frivolity.

Deet and Lurrus dance slow in a tight embrace while others jig and jive around them.

Camped out by the pig, Grandpa and Lurrus’s father knock tin pints together in cheers.

With a pretty brunette girl in each arm, Dix smugly nods at Yaz.

One girl raises a pint to Dix’s mouth, and he drinks.

The other girl raises a piece of pig dangling from a knife and feeds him.

Dix rips off half the meat, chewing it with a grin and half-open mouth. “You’ve got work cut out for you if you’re gonna catch up to me, Penter.”

Yaz curls his lip. “Just giving you a head start, Ix, you need it.”

The girls giggle, and again one of them raises the pint to Dix’s mouth.

“As you can see, I’m far from just getting started.”

Yaz sneers at him, scanning him from head to waist. “I’d say you’re still far from finishing.”

“I’m not
that
far from the finish,
right
, ladies?”

The girls giggle and look at each other, seeking the other’s approval.

Yaz smirks at the girls and then winks at them. “So, ladies, how much did he pay you to feed him?”

Offended, Dix bobs his head. “
Pay
? Dix doesn’t need to pay for the company of lovely women.”

“I guess there’s a first time for everything.” Yaz eyes Preta. “Come with me, Sis, back to the party.”

Dix pushes away the girls and opens his arms. “Come on now, Yaz, let’s have some fun.”

“Can’t, Dix, family first. Seriously, just take the girls and get out of here. Maybe I’ll catch up with you later.” He nods at Preta. “Stay close.”

Preta sticks to her brother’s hip as they approach the feast table.

Yaz loads Preta’s plate with pork, bread, and cheese. “No more running off,” he says, glaring at her and handing her the plate. “And I mean it this time. I promised Deet I’d look out for you and keep you safe.”

“I won’t go anywhere without you, I promise.” She takes a bite of meat then gulps ale from a tin pint.

“
What
?” Yaz says, standing up straight taken aback. “You drink ale?”

“And why not?” Preta doesn’t look at him, instead she scans the walls for any sign of Clist.

“Just saying. But only one though, I don’t need a drunk sister while there’s a plot to capture you in motion.”

Preta swigs the pint’s entire contents then sets the cup on the table. She smacks her lips, sways to the side, then burps.

Nala, near the pavilion, waves at someone near the far alley which leads out of town and to the fruit orchards.

Lurrus stands one step behind Clist. She waves for Nala to come to her.

Nala sets a red bouquet on a bench and strolls across the square.

“Lurrus and Nala, Yaz.” Preta tugs Yaz’s shirt. “Lurrus and Nala, they got them.”

“
What
?” Yaz frantically scans the party. “
Where
?”

Preta points toward the alley. “Over there, the boy in my class led Lurrus and Nala toward the orchards.”

“You absolutely sure this time? I can’t be attacking people on one of your hunches if you’re wrong, especially at Deet’s wedding.”

“Yes! We need to go after them; we’re wasting time.”

Yaz lets go of Preta’s arm. “Stay here.”

Grandpa leans forward toward Yaz. “What’s the rush?”