by Devin Hanson
“Hey, it’s no problem.” I smiled reassuringly at her. Ilyena reminded me of an autistic girl I knew in the foster system. Really a sweet girl, but her social cues were totally scrambled. Maybe where Ilyena came from, prolonged public snuggling with relative strangers was a normal thing. “Look, um, I have no idea what a sybil is. David says you are one, but I don’t understand it. How do you do it? How are we going to get to Elaida?”
Ilyena nodded, the question drawing her out of her embarrassment. “Can we walk?”
“Sure.” I fell into step beside her. We were going the opposite direction from where I was parked, but I didn’t have a rush to get anywhere.
“Have you heard of butterfly effect?” she asked.
“Sure, I think so. The tiny gust of wind caused by a butterfly’s wings can magnify over time to something much larger.”
“Yes. Is wrong. Time and future are not so fiddle.”
“I think you mean fickle?” I corrected her.
“I said that, no? Time is in paths. Small changes make no difference to direction path takes, but when being with free will makes decision, sometimes path forks.”
“Still, there must be an infinite number of forks,” I objected.
“Not as many as you might think. Many ‘decisions’ a person makes would be made same way on all paths. What sybil does is see destination, and path that leads up to it. Or, rather, points of decision that result in destination.”
“So, you look into my eyes and we see how to find Elaida?”
“Is not so simple. Especially for you.”
“How so?” We came to an intersection and the gathering crowd of pedestrians seemed to irritate Ilyena. Rather than waiting for the light to turn, she took a left and walked away from the knot of people waiting at the light.
“Some people have ability to influence events more strongly. Their decisions are more potent in creation of forks. This is you. The more forks in person’s future, the more difficult to find exact destination. What we need is trigger.”
I thought back to the restaurant, and how seeing my selfie had made Ilyena see something in my future. “Like my photo.”
Ilyena blushed but looked sideways at me with a small smile. “Yes.”
“Well, I have a photo of Elaida.”
She shook her head, making her white hair sway. “Is not enough. There needs to be context.”
“So, the future… destination, of me you saw was, um—”
“Is just one path,” Ilyena said hurriedly. “For you, so much forks, chance of happen very small.”
I grinned at Ilyena’s loss of composure. The way her English deteriorated when she was nervous was cute. “What do we need, then?” I thought of the work I had done with mediums. “A personal item of hers? There might be something of Elaida’s at Ethan’s house that we can find.”
Ilyena looked doubtful. “Maybe. Best thing would be something that you and Elaida both came into contact with.”
“I think I broke her nose with my helmet. Would that count?”
She looked scandalized for a moment then shrugged. “I could look at it.”
“Let’s say we find a path that leads to Elaida trusting me. Then what?”
“Then I guide you on your path. Is what sybil does.”
“That’s what David hired you to do?”
She nodded. “Caradoc has paid for me several times.”
“It must be an interesting job, being a sybil.”
Ilyena looked at me blankly. “I hate it.”
That wasn’t the response I expected and the conversation hitched while I switched gears. “That’s… oh. How come?”
“My owner is friends with the rich and powerful,” she spat. “Men do not become so in this world without rising on the backs of those less fortunate. The paths they wish to follow do not benefit others than themselves.”
Only one part of Ilyena’s vitriolic statement really stuck with me. “Sorry, you said your owner?”
“Are you not subject to another’s wishes?”
I grimaced at the thought. “Hell no. The only one who calls the shots is me.”
Ilyena shrugged. “Where I come from, few can say the same. It is my lot in life.”
“Well, screw those guys then. You don’t need to bow to that shit! Tell them you’re done working for them!”
She put her hand on my arm. “It is appreciated, Alex, but I have learned not to fight against it. So long as I remain sybil, I have a debt I cannot be rid of.”
“I can’t believe David would buy the services of a slave,” I growled. Despite Ilyena’s acceptance, it wasn’t something I could just let go.
Ilyena sighed. “Try not to think of it as slavery. When I was very young, my master took extraordinary steps to protect me. Without him, I would have died as an infant. All I do now is attempt to repay that debt. Caradoc knows this, and he makes my time spent in his service as pleasant as possible.”
I scowled at the sidewalk. What would I do for Lei if she asked? My debt to the Sanctuary was similar to Ilyena’s, with the exception that Lei never demanded anything of me. I would go to great lengths to aid her if she but asked it of me.
“Fine. I don’t like it, but I admit that may be because I am American and slavery is anathema to us.”
“I do not know what that means, but I think I understand.”
I cleared my throat and tried to bring the conversation back to more practical matters. “So, you said you would guide me down the right path. How does that work? Do you follow me in a panel van and give me instructions through an earpiece?”
“No, that would not work,” she said seriously. “I must be by your side every waking moment. The fork in the path could come at any time and I must be at hand to observe.”
“That isn’t going to work, Ilyena,” I objected. “You can’t sleep under the same roof as me.”
“I am aware of your heritage,” Ilyena shook her head. “Caradoc has explained what I need to know. Do not worry, the time spent in your company will not cause me permanent harm.”
“I’d rather not cause you any harm at all,” I said, feeling a little alarmed.
“It is the demands of being sybil, Alex. You are far from the most dangerous person I have walked down their path.”
We reached the parking lot where I had my scooter and I led the way over to it. I unlocked my helmet from the seat and handed it over to Ilyena. There was a scuff on the helmet above the visor, but I had wiped the blood off.
“Here it is.”
Ilyena took the helmet and turned it over, running her fingers over the scuff. She sniffed it and held it up to the light before handing it back with a shrug. “I don’t know. I feel nothing from this.”
“I guess we can go to Ethan’s house. There’s bound to be something there.”
“Ethan is Elaida’s ex?”
“Yeah. He’s a good guy despite his poor choice in women.”
“It is worth a trip,” Ilyena agreed.
“I don’t have a helmet for you. Are we going to get pulled over by a cop?”
Ilyena laughed. “I am not a seer, Alex. But there is a motorcycle equipment store three blocks south of here.”
I raised my eyebrows at her.
“It is on the path that I have seen.”
“Well, you’re the sibyl,” I shrugged. “Who am I to argue?”
Chapter Fifteen
I risked the short trip to the store and Ilyena bought herself a helmet and a jacket. She picked a jacket without the built-in armor mine had, claiming it made her feel uncomfortable. Then, geared up, we got back on my scooter and drove to Ethan’s house.
The whole ride over, Ilyena ignored the seat grips. She wrapped her arms about me and made no attempt to keep any separation between us. I could feel her pressed against me from the hip to the top of my back, with her head resting on my shoulder. At some point during the ride, one of her hands shifted up onto my ribs. I didn’t know how to tell her to adjust her grip, so just
dealt with her wrist pressing against the underside of my breast.
Was she flirting with me? If she was, she was being pretty clumsy about it. A man would have taken my lack of protest as an invitation and gone for the grope. Besides, if I was being honest with myself, I don’t think I would have minded her flirting. She was pretty and exotic, and I couldn’t help but feel curious. I couldn’t tell if she was just naïve and it was unintentional, or if she was nervous and didn’t know how to flirt very well.
We reached Ethan’s house without anything progressing beyond vague, possibly unintentional, titillation and I parked at the curb with a sigh. “Here we are!”
Ilyena swung off the back of the bike and fumbled at her helmet strap. I got my own helmet off and saw she was having trouble locating the snap.
“You want a hand with that?”
“Please.”
She tilted her head back and I reached under her chin to find the snap. My fingers were cold from riding without gloves and she gasped a little as I brushed the skin of her neck. Goose bumps jumped up on her skin. I got the snap open and slid her helmet off. Her bushy hair was in wild disarray and I reached up automatically to smooth her hair back.
At my first touch Ilyena leaned into me and I thought she was growling something under her breath. I froze, afraid I had offended her, then realized she was purring. Jesus Christ. Maybe I was reading her all wrong and this was just a hinn thing. At some point I’d have to sit down and just ask her point blank.
She tilted her head back and pressed her face into the hollow of my neck. I could feel her purr trembling against me. Whether she was flirting with me or not was swiftly becoming more than academic. Did sybils have a code of conduct that forbade them from sleeping with their clients? It wasn’t a question I felt comfortable asking David, and I didn’t think an internet search would turn anything up.
I smoothed my hands over her head, enjoying the feel of her hair under my fingers and the rumble of her purr. Then, with a last stroke, I gathered her hair back and patted it into place.
“There. All fixed.”
Ilyena lifted her face away from my neck and smiled up at me, her eyes half closed. “Thank you, Alex.”
I cleared my throat. “Sure, not a problem. Ready to meet Ethan?”
She nodded and I punched in the gate code and led the way up the drive to Ethan’s door. I opened the door and gestured for Ilyena to be quiet.
“He might be sleeping. Just… stay here while I check.”
I found Ethan sacked out on the couch, the TV muted on an Oprah rerun. I leaned over the back of the couch and touched his shoulder. He opened his eyes and looked up at me blearily before coming fully awake and swinging up to a sitting position.
“Alex! I didn’t expect you until… what time is it?”
“Around one. I brought a friend over who might be able to help us find Elaida.” I leaned back until I could see into the entry way and waved for Ilyena to come over. “Ethan, this is Ilyena. Ilyena, Ethan Bishop.”
Ilyena did a little curtsy but stayed in the doorway to the living room. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Bishop.”
“Yeah. Uh. You too.” Ethan rubbed at his face and gave me a sheepish grin. “If I had known you were going to bring a guest, I would have cleaned up.”
“It’s not a bother, Mr. Bishop,” Ilyena said politely. “If you…” Her voice trailed off as she locked gazes with Ethan.
Several seconds passed, then Ethan sagged back against the couch with a gasp. “What?”
“Sorry, Ethan,” I muttered. “We’ll be upstairs.”
I grabbed Ilyena’s hand and pulled her up the stairs to my room. I dragged her inside, then shut the door. “What was that?” I demanded.
“I saw a path,” Ilyena said. “Isn’t that why we came here?”
“We came to find Elaida,” I groaned. “Ethan is a straight! He has no idea any of this stuff exists.”
Ilyena sniffed. “I know what I am doing, Alex. I deal with, as you say, straights, all the time. They never ask what happened.”
I sighed and dropped back onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling. “Shit. I’m sorry. I was just worried about Ethan.”
The bed squeaked and Ilyena’s face swung into view, her white hair making a curtain around us as she crouched above me. “You care for him?”
“He’s a friend. I don’t have many.”
“But… not a boyfriend?”
I couldn’t help but smile. “No. Not a boyfriend.”
Ilyena rolled to the side and landed on the bed next to me, staring up at the ceiling. “I’ve never had a boyfriend. Not really.”
“I find that hard to believe. You’re quite pretty.”
She smiled faintly. “Spaciba. I have had sexual partners,” she flicked her fingers dismissively, “but no one who I cared for.”
“Your owner…” I trailed off, uncertain of how to ask if she had been pimped out without offending her.
“No, just encounters. One-night stands, as Americans call them. I have not found them satisfactory.”
I smiled without amusement. That had been my experience as well. Most young men are only interested in getting off themselves, with no real consideration about their partner’s pleasure. “Men suck.”
“I have not slept with a man,” she clarified.
It was my turn to blush. “Oh. I assumed… never mind. I have to ask, before this goes much further. Were you flirting with me?”
Ilyena got up on an elbow and looked at me with a puzzled frown. “In what way?”
Ah, shit. Now I felt like an idiot. “Sorry, I’m just… I guess… You’re hinn, so I—”
Her face split into a sunny smile and her eyes twinkled as she giggled. “Yes, I was flirting, Alex! You are succubus of lust. I would be dead and buried if I felt nothing around you.”
Ilyena rolled onto her side and threw a leg over my waist, straddling me. Her weight pressed against my hips and I suddenly remembered I still wasn’t wearing underwear. She bit her lip as she looked down at me then leaned in close.
I stiffened a little, not out of revulsion, just from surprise. “Ilyena,” I said, and my voice came out husky.
An abrupt knock on the door made me jump and Ilyena rolled off onto the bed with a muttered, “Blyat.”
“Alex, you in there?”
I scrambled to my feet. “Yeah, one sec.” I got to the door and pulled it open. “Hey, Ethan. What’s up?”
“Was I interrupting something?” Ethan’s eyes went from me, to Ilyena kneeling on the bed, and back to me again.
“No.” It came out with more force than I intended and Ethan’s eyes jumped to my hair, then back to my face.
“Ah. Well, um, I was going to make something to eat. Are you two hungry?”
“We ate before coming here,” Ilyena said. There was a squeak as she got off the bed and she sidled up next to me. I felt her arms slide around my waist and one of her cool hands slid up under my jacket and under my shirt. Her fingertips trailed across my stomach, making me shiver. “But if it smells good, I might want a bite or two.”
Ethan’s eyes widened a little and he cleared his throat. “I’ll, uh. Give a call. In a few minutes.”
“Thank you, Ethan.” Ilyena reached around with her free hand and nudged the door closed in Ethan’s face. “Now, where were we.”
“Uh, discussing how to find Elaida?” I asked weakly. The hand under my shirt was questing higher and brushed the bottom of my bra. “Ilyena…”
“I can smell you,” she said softly.
I turned around to face her and she leaned in, dragging her nails around my ribs to my back and raised her face to breathe on the hollow of my jaw. I was glad I was a solid six inches taller than she was. As it was, I barely had any control of the situation. What had happened to the girl who could barely make eye contact with me without blushing?
Her breath tickled my neck and I raised a hand to tangle in her mane of hair, trying to hold her still but only succeeding in
pressing her closer to me. Did I want this? Right then, I couldn’t see any reason not to enjoy myself with Ilyena.
Ilyena’s lips touched my neck and I let out an involuntary groan. Goose bumps raced down my arms. I could hear her purring, could feel the rumble through her chest pressed tight against mine. I tightened my fist in her hair and pulled her head back. She looked up at me, her eyes half-lidded in hunger, her mouth slightly open.
I bent my head down toward her, feeling my heart thundering in my chest. Her warm breath tickled my lips and I paused, savoring the moment. The light in the room shifted behind Ilyena. It was subtle, like a cloud had passed over the sun, but I knew what it was before I lifted my head up to look.
My mother leaned against the window sill, dressed in a nearly transparent wrap-around. Even all-but naked, there were still the same themes to her clothing. The enormous emerald hung about her neck and the bejeweled dagger hung from the diaphanous belt that held her ensemble together. She gazed at me with the same lidded eyes that Ilyena had and a hungry smile on her lips.
Ilyena made a questioning noise in her throat and her purr stopped. Then abruptly she spun around, snarling wordlessly. Her back arched and the bones in her face elongated. Fur sprouted on her skin as her legs shifted to digitigrade form like the back legs of a dog. Or a fox.
I had never seen a hinn shift. I knew, at least in theory, that they could shift from completely human to their animal form, but also to any point in between. She looked like a B-movie werewolf, but her fur was white as pure snow, as white as her hair in her human form.
It took Ilyena the space of a sigh to shift, but by then my mother was already gone. I pressed back against the door as Ilyena leapt on top of the bed, sniffing the air and snarling. She moved with an aggressive, animal grace, powerful and swift. Gradually her snarl softened to a quizzical chirp and she dropped down off the bed to inspect the window.
Her clothing hadn’t shifted with her, but the oversized man’s flannel she wore was easily big enough to accommodate her shifted bulk and her yoga pants had no problems conforming to her new bone structure. Her fuzzy boots had slipped off her feet when she had shifted, and it occurred to me that her choice of clothing was completely intentional and had nothing to do with fashion.
