by TR Cameron
This argument, too, was one she’d fought in her head before. “With respect, teacher, there is room for all, and I have to serve those in immediate need. I’d like to choose a different path, one that addresses problems before they become emergencies, certainly. I give Mist Elf and magical issues equal weight with human issues as much as I can. I have a responsibility to everyone in Ely, regardless of their ancestry.”
Her teacher nodded. “Whether you are right or wrong, your conviction is clear.” She gave a nod that looked almost like respect and vanished.
The next voice caused her to turn again. It was timid and frightened. Her human high school frenemy Jennifer stepped forward, peering all around her in obvious fear. She was bloody like Morrigan, and Ruby immediately ascribed the damage to the explosion that had started her on her current path. The other woman said, “You lied to me, Ruby, about who you were. I didn’t know you had this much power, that you were a magical.” She hesitated but started speaking again as Ruby was about to explain. “Why didn’t you save them?”
Ruby frowned. “Save who?”
Jennifer screeched, “Everyone. You were there, in the bar. You have power. You should’ve sensed the explosives, should’ve known that something was going down. You could’ve thrown whatever that force bubble thing was over all the explosives and saved everyone. Why didn’t you? Do you secretly hate humans? Or do you only care about yourself?” She folded her arms and stared at Ruby with eyes that stabbed deep into her soul.
The accusations cut to the core of her self-criticism. She’d asked herself the same questions on several occasions, minus the baseless accusation of not wanting to save humans. Fortunately, that painful self-examination had prepared her for this moment. She replied, “I wish I could’ve done more. I wish my powers were the kind that might’ve sensed the danger. They aren’t, and I didn’t. I’m only one person with limited resources. I can only do what I can do. I’m confident I’m giving all I can. Sometimes, things will happen I can’t control. That’s something I, and you, have to live with.”
Admitting it out loud crystallized her focus, and she realized that all the questions and answers had added to her certainty about what she was doing. Maybe there’s a dual purpose to all this—both a test and the gift of knowing I’m true to myself.
The self-doubt that had lurked within her had been burned away through the trials, leaving her feeling certain about her choices, goals, and her identity in a way she couldn’t remember experiencing before.
Jennifer stomped her foot as if she’d argue, then the illusion faded and Ruby was back in the cube. Kaeni materialized in front of her, and Ruby asked, “Have I failed you, somehow, too?”
Kaeni shook her head, and her soft smile conveyed an understanding of what Ruby had been through. “You haven’t, not in the least. Now that you have delved into your deepest worries and dealt with that psychological pain, you must do the same in the physical realm.”
She vanished as Ruby snapped, “What?” A shadow mist flowed out of all sides of the cube and filled it in moments. Ruby’s world was reduced to agony as it blistered her skin and burned into her lungs. After several seconds that felt like years occupied with nothing but screaming, her consciousness switched off, and she knew no more.
Chapter Six
Ruby staggered out of the golden-tiled tunnel into moonlit darkness. She had no idea how she’d gotten there, no idea how much time had passed, and feared that this was the promised loss of memory if she failed her tests. A concerned voice from her right asked, “Ruby, are you okay?”
She looked over and focused until the blur resolved into two people: Keshalla, who had spoken, and Idryll, who was moving forward to take her arm. Her teacher grabbed the other one as Ruby stumbled. They led her to a small campfire set near the opening and lowered her to the ground, then took seats nearby. She mumbled something that was supposed to be thanks, and a minute later, one of them pushed a warm ceramic cup into her hands. Idryll ordered, “Drink up. You’ll feel better.”
Ruby sniffed, and the aroma of rich chocolate made complying easy. She sipped it, careful not to burn herself. Her body and mind remembered pain, and she was as sore as if she’d spent the day training without respite. On the plus side, no specific injuries announced themselves. She asked, “Did I pass?”
Keshalla chuckled darkly. “I was about to ask you that question. We have no more knowledge about the ritual than you, only that when you would return was unclear.”
Idryll nodded. “We wanted to make sure someone was here waiting for you when you did.”
“How long was I gone?”
Her mentor answered, “A full day and most of a second, based on what your partner told me.”
“Apparently, time works pretty weirdly inside the mountain.”
Idryll replied, “Everything works kind of weird inside the mountain, as near as I can tell. So, can you tell us what you experienced?”
Ruby took another sip of her drink. “I remember it involved two different tests. One was into my nature, maybe? The other, I think, was about wisdom. Or endurance. Maybe both.”
Keshalla leaned forward. “Nothing more than that?”
Ruby shifted her weight and pulled a rock out from under her leg where it had been poking her. “No, that’s all I’ve got. Could be the mystics know more.”
A deep voice from a dozen feet away replied, “I’m afraid they don’t.” Nadar stepped into view from the darkness, looking serene and slightly amused as always, and sat down at a gesture of invitation from Keshalla. “The only knowledge we have is the existence of the trials, and the names and dates of those who have passed them.” He extended the book and a pen to her, and she signed where he told her to. To see her name among the others in such an old object was exceedingly strange.
She asked, “Do you know what I’m supposed to do next?”
He closed the cover and slipped the book back into his bag. “Beyond this point, the mystics have no knowledge. Do you have any insight? Do you feel pulled in any direction or toward any goal?”
Ruby shook her head. “Other than a deep desire to climb into bed, I do not.”
The others laughed, and Keshalla asked, “What will you do from here, then?”
She heaved a tired sigh. “Back to Earth, I guess. Since the venamisha called me before, maybe I need to wait until it does it again. I certainly don’t have any better idea. Shenai, maybe you could look around, talk to people, see if you can discover something?”
Her mentor nodded. “Of course.”
Ruby tipped up her cup, finishing the delicious drink to the last drop. “I guess it’s time Idryll and I headed back. Heaven only knows what craziness has gone on while we’ve been away.”
The first order of business after returning to her family’s home in the kemana had been a deep sleep. Twelve hours after climbing into bed, she woke up ravenous. Fortunately, the clock indicated only forty-five minutes before the usual dinner hour. That was enough time to take a ridiculously long shower, pamper herself a little from the stash of lotions and oils she didn’t use nearly as often as she should, and get dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. She patted Idryll on the shoulder as she departed, and the tiger-woman murmured sleepily at her.
Ruby arrived in the dining room as the staff served the first course, a hearty squash soup she particularly liked. She plopped down in her customary seat, punched her brother affectionately on the arm, and stuck her tongue out at her sister across the table. Rayar, at the head of the table, laughed at her antics. “Good to see you, Ruby. We figured you might sleep until tomorrow.”
Dralen slurped soup and swallowed, then added, “Slacker. Some of us have to work for a living.”
She punched him again, and he grabbed his shoulder with a laugh. “Okay, okay, I’m done.”
Morrigan asked, “Have you heard about the diamond exhibit?”
Ruby frowned and shook her head, the switch from playful banter to serious discussion jarring. “I don’t think I hav
e, but it sure sounds like something I should know about. Say more.” She dug into her soup while her sister spoke.
“Well, it’s international jewelry week or some such thing.” She waved a hand as if that detail didn’t matter. “All the casinos in town are hosting exhibits of rare jewelry. It ends with a big single-day event at Spirits, where we’re going to have the biggest piece on display.”
Ruby patted her lips with a napkin. “Given the current state of affairs in the city, seems like a risky move.”
Sinnia replied, “This has been in the works for more than a year. So many partnerships were created to get the things here that it would be a shame not to see it through.”
Her father nodded. “Plus, the Council is all for persevering with the project. We need to show we’re not worried.”
Ruby asked, “Who’s providing protection?”
Morrigan replied, with a concerned note in her voice, “Shieldbearer Security, out of Reno.”
Ruby set down her spoon and stared at her parents. “Out-of-towners? How did that go over?”
Her father sighed. “Not all that well, as you might expect. Still, our local security companies have shown that they’re unreliable at best, and the Council decided to look outward.” Ruby flashed a concerned glance at Morrigan, and her sister nodded. The conversation turned to other matters, most of them pleasant, and some of the stress of having faced fictional versions of her family members during the trial released itself from where she’d carried it unknowing.
When the meal ended, Morrigan drew her aside and asked, “Can we talk? Maybe up in your room?”
Ruby nodded. “Exactly my thought. Let’s go.”
Idryll was awake and sitting cross-legged on the bed when they entered. Morrigan shook her head. “I can’t believe you’re the cat I was petting.”
Idryll offered a toothy grin. “Regardless of what form I’m in, I always appreciate a good show of affection.”
Morrigan laughed, climbed up beside her, and hugged the tiger-woman. Ruby rolled her eyes. “Okay, reunions aside, we have a problem.”
Her sister nodded. “The diamond exhibit is sure to draw an attack. I can’t imagine whoever it is will be satisfied with the small fish. They’ll want to hit the big showing at Spirits, too.”
Ruby sat on the bed and sighed. “It’s more likely than you know. One of the things I haven’t shared with you is that the people behind at least some of these attacks are from Aces Security.”
Her eyes widened, and her mouth fell slightly open. “Are you sure?”
Ruby lifted her hand and waggled it. “We know the company itself was involved in some of the moves and that the dwarf, Grentham, has things going on too. Either one or the other is sure to make a move, even if it’s through a proxy.”
Morrigan asked, “Do you think they were behind that guy at the Kraken?”
Ruby sensed a note of regret in her sister’s voice, as if she wished she could have been part of that fight rather than escorting people to safety. “Maybe. Maybe not. It’s convoluted, with no way to tell where one thing ends, and the next begins. We need more information about all of them. That means since I can’t stop you from ‘helping,’ we need to start working together for real.”
Both Idryll and Morrigan looked surprised. Ruby growled, “What? I may not always catch on right away, but I am capable of comprehending the glaringly obvious.”
The tiger-woman laughed, and her sister shook her head. “Not in my experience. I think this might be a first.”
She sighed. “Shut it. Are you sure you want to be a part of this? There’s no doubt it’s going to be dangerous.”
Her sister nodded. “Absolutely, without question.”
“Okay, then. First step, all of us need some better gear. Tomorrow, we’ll start making that happen.”
Chapter Seven
The next day, Ruby, Idryll, and Morrigan took the short walk to where Diana had last met her. At the appointed moment, a portal opened, and two people stepped through. One she recognized, the purple-haired troll Rath. She held out a fist, and he leapt in the air and bumped it with a grin. The other person, a trim, brunette woman with a decidedly military bearing that she hadn’t met before, smiled broadly at his antics. “Well, it’s obvious you know the happiest member of our bunch. I’m Cara.”
Ruby nodded. “I’ve heard your name before.”
“In a good context?”
She laughed. “Yes, in a very good context. I’m Ruby, this is my sister Morrigan, and this is my partner Idryll.”
Cara shook hands with each of them, then gestured back at the portal. “Shall we?” They stepped through into the same receiving chamber Ruby and Idryll had used before with Diana, but the agent took them in a different direction when they exited. After a short walk, they entered a medium-sized rectangular room with several round tables. On the left side was a counter area with a coffee maker and trays of snacks. Cara led them to it, hit the buttons to summon a latte, and grabbed a couple of cookies. “Take what you like. We’ll chat for a bit.”
Idryll opted for warm milk, and Morrigan and Ruby both copied Cara’s selections. When they were all seated, their host said, “Okay. I’m briefed on what you’re up to, so no need to rehash it, although I’d expected one person rather than three.”
Ruby nodded. “I literally was unable to talk about Idryll until recently because of some magic that it’s not worth getting into. My sister is a new addition to the cause.”
“Excellent. So, what do you need?”
“Something that will deflect or at least resist bullets, for one. Someone shot me through my shield, and I have to say, it truly sucked.”
Cara laughed. “Your first encounter with anti-magic bullets?”
Ruby winced at the memory. “I knew they existed, of course, from my studies. I certainly didn’t expect anyone in Magic City to have them.”
The agent shrugged. “They’re still rare but becoming less so. There’s more than one supplier now, although the key components remain difficult to come by. Anyway, armor plates that work against normal bullets also block them, so I’m sure we can hook you up. What else?”
Ruby shifted uncomfortably. “I’d hoped to avoid this, but I think I need a gun. I have daggers that can penetrate magic, but it seems like it would be better to have something with more hitting power.”
The other woman frowned. “Have you used one before?”
Ruby nodded. “Pistols and rifles, only for target practice, though. I’m decent but far from expert.”
Cara finished her latte and rose, folding her cookies into a couple of napkins she pulled from the dispenser on the table's center. “I’ll be the judge of that. Let’s go back to the playground.”
She led them to a part of the building Ruby hadn’t visited before. A gun range with four shooting lanes and full-body human targets occupied most of a large room, with a small area reserved for storage and a workbench with cleaning supplies on top of it. Cara placed her palm on a sensor, and a set of lockers opened with staccato clicks. She withdrew a semiautomatic pistol, ejected the magazine, and checked to be sure it was full. Then she handed both to Ruby. She pointed at the front of the workbench where a bunch of bulky headphones hung and ordered, “Ear protection for all of you.”
When she failed to join them, Ruby asked, “Don’t you need some?”
The other woman shook her head and pushed her short, dark hair out of the way. She tapped her earlobe. “Our custom comms also act as sound dampeners.”
Morrigan replied, “Nice,” in the sort of tone that suggested she desperately wanted a pair of her own. Ruby felt the same.
The agent escorted her to one of the middle lanes and had her load the pistol, then fire it until the magazine was empty. All seventeen of her shots hit the target’s body, most of them center mass with a couple higher and lower. Cara nodded. “Not bad. I think we can trust you with the gun. You have to get licensed to carry it if that’s something you want to do.”
&n
bsp; Ruby snorted. “If I get caught with it on me, lacking a license is going to be the least of my problems.”
Cara addressed Morrigan. “Your turn.”
It was slightly disheartening to discover her sister was equally proficient, but Ruby figured her use of the bow and arrow had probably improved her ranged targeting skills. The agent turned to offer Idryll a chance, but the tiger-woman shook her head. “I have all the weapons I need, thank you.”
She didn’t argue, just returned the weapon to a different cabinet and locked all of them again. “Okay. Let’s go see Kayleigh.” They walked through the dimly lit corridors toward the tech’s lab.
Morrigan asked, “What is this place?”
Cara said, “Entirely classified, but I can at least give you its name. It’s called a vimana.”
“Like a kemana?”
“I presume so. The government hooked us up with it when our former base, uh, detonated.”
Ruby lifted an eyebrow. “That sounds like a story.”
Cara laughed. “I could tell you tales that would boggle your mind. Let’s just say that the world is a much wilder and more magical place than most people think and leave it at that.”
They entered the lab and Kayleigh stood from her position behind a worktable. “Ruby, good to see you.” Rath scampered up and sat on the table, and the tech exchanged a complicated handshake involving slaps, fists, and elbows with the troll. “Cara told me some of what you need, and I think I can make it all happen.”
Ruby frowned and looked at Cara, who chuckled. “No, it’s not telepathy or anything. Only the comms. While you were shooting, I also informed her about your companions.”
