Beyond the Garden

by S. Y. Thompson

  Lil’s mind reached out to touch that of the powerful bird. Keeping a snowy owl as a pet was almost inconceivable in Maine, as well as in many states in North America. Pravde, however, was no domesticated animal. As protector, companion and friend, she would carry out Lil’s commands without hesitation. Fortunately for Sophie, Pravde sensed Lil’s amusement and made a low hooting sound in response. Lil smirked as Sophie started.

  “No, ma’am. I understand.”

  The words were hurried and Lil raised the glass of amber fluid to conceal her smile. She finished the drink and placed the crystal on the bar before returning to her previous position behind the desk. Her movements slow and deliberate, Lil didn’t hurry. She took her time to allow Sophie to find peace with her decision to stay.

  “I’m glad to hear it.” Having made her point, Lil allowed a little compassion to shine through. “I trust your instincts or I wouldn’t have chosen you. Return home. Mark the girl yourself, but take care not to be seen. Sometimes the target awakens when they feel the touch.”

  Sophie nodded and closed her eyes. Her brow furrowed as she concentrated. Among the gifts Lil granted was the ability to translocate. Granted to her by Merlin centuries before, Lil freely shared this talent with the women who worked for her. She waited patiently as Sophie summoned the will and natural energies required. After several tense moments, Sophie vanished from sight. Simultaneously, Lil felt a small rush of air as it filled the sudden vacuum created by the disappearance.

  As she grew more practiced, Lil knew Sophie would translocate more easily. Like the rest of her people, Sophie had a maximum distance that varied depending on individual abilities. That limited range was sufficient as long as the women remained upon their assigned continents. An increase in distance required more concentration, such as the one Sophie had just performed. Only Lil possessed the talent to travel anywhere she desired in a wink. Then again, she conceded, she had the benefit of a lot of practice.

  “Come, Pravde. Let us see if Kaya has left us anything in the kitchen.”

  Lil’s feet slapped softly on polished mahogany as she navigated through the manor toward the kitchen. Constructed in an ancient design of all natural materials, Lil was aware that her home remained an oddity for the region, but she didn’t really care. The stone walls, raw wooden planks under her feet and rich greenery of living plants throughout the corridors comforted her soul. Lil drew strength from the natural world. For all that she adored nature, she still appreciated modern technology. Artificial lights chased away the darkness outside, created by heavy storm clouds. Warm air poured from wall vents as the central heat kicked in. Pravde preceded Lil through the modern day castle, flying ahead of her down the long hallways.

  Down long, winding stairs and across a rough-cut marble entranceway, Lil entered a kitchen that could easily accommodate a crew of twenty. Stainless steel appliances winked at her as she flipped on the overhead lights. Pravde entered the room ahead of her, lighting down on a large perch positioned near the island in the center. The island was topped with a large chopping block, a preparation sink and a rack of extremely sharp knives. There was nothing there to consume.

  Lil moved directly to the walk-in cooler located in the rear corner of the room. She removed a small hank of beef that hung from a hook near the door. The cooler kept Pravde’s meat fresh, yet not frozen. She wouldn’t eat icy flesh. Fortunately, Lil employed people to ensure the bird had plenty to consume. For all that her loyalties were bound to Lil, Pravde was still a wild animal. She would often hunt on her own during evening hours, but Lil kept the larder stocked for especially cold nights and just because she enjoyed caring for the owl.

  Lil carried the treat into the kitchen and presented it to the bird, grateful for the specially constructed area beneath the perch. The easy to clean surface would keep the bird’s waste and refuse from contaminating the house. While Pravde resided upon her perch and consumed her meal, Lil took her own food from the refrigerator and ate it standing at the island. Kaya Littlefoot, her woman handling the North American continent, appreciated food preparation. She took care of Lil’s dietary needs in addition to her regular duties. Today, the Native American woman had created a chopped salad. She had thoughtfully grilled slices of medium rare steak to place across the mound of greens.

  Lil’s mouth watered at the sight, but she stopped suddenly with the fork half raised. Paused in mid-bite, not even her eyes moved as she sought the source for the disturbance she felt in the ether all around. Somewhere, a woman-child on the verge of coming of age commanded her personal attention. It happened so rarely in this world of the twenty-first century, overcome by selfishness and mediocrity that Lil’s hearth thumped in anticipation. Pravde looked up from her meal and hooted, forcing Lil to reconnect to the moment at hand.

  “Apologies, my darling. It looks as though we shall be traveling.”

  She glanced at the salad with regret and shook her head. Although Lil wouldn’t perish from starvation, ever, hunger pangs remained distasteful. She would just have to eat it later.

  Lil replaced the container’s lid and put it back into the refrigerator. Normally, she would have finished her dinner without interruption, but she simply didn’t have the time. Istanbul was in a different time zone than Eastern Maine. She had little time to act before daylight broke halfway around the world. Denoting a special being had to take place at a preordained moment in the child’s development, usually during a single night just before the onset of puberty. If she missed that designated juncture, the world wouldn’t stop spinning, but the girl would never reach the full potential with which she was born.

  Leaving Pravde contentedly shredding her meal, Lil strode toward her private chambers in the manor’s lower level. It was cooler down on the basement level, but Lil hardly noticed the difference as she stripped off her cashmere sweater. It landed unheeded on the bed as she took a black tank top from a dresser drawer. Her thick jeans would be fine, but she traded her loafers for a pair of hiking boots. She paused momentarily to put her long, dark hair into a ponytail.

  At eight o’clock on a Friday evening in Maine, Lil knew without having to check that the time at her destination was three in the morning. In addition, she had to contend with a difference in temperature. Maine’s relatively cool sixty-nine degrees was nothing compared to the almost ninety she would face in Turkey. Despite this fact, Lil pulled on a lightweight black jacket. The garment would help conceal her identity in the shadows in which she intended to lurk. She wasn’t going to be there long enough to interact with the locals, but reached for her credentials and cell phone anyway. Things didn’t always go according to plan and she had learned not to take anything for granted. For that same reason, she slid a long, wickedly sharp hunting knife into her boot sheath. The last thing she reached for was the protective brace that covered her left forearm. The material would protect her from Pravde’s powerful grasp.

  After dressing, Lil took a handful of treats from a covered bowl and slipped them into her pocket, then headed for the kitchen. Pravde seemed ready for her, already finished eating and busy preening her feathers. She looked up as Lil entered the room.

  “I need you with me tonight, my sweet. Somehow, I think you’ll be more inconspicuous than an automatic weapon.” Istanbul could be a dangerous place for anyone traveling alone, especially in the dark and in the more economically challenged areas.

  Pravde hooted once before stretching her wings. She launched herself across the room and landed on Lil’s forearm, carefully keeping her talons from puncturing the leather. Lil fed the owl a treat and waited as Pravde consumed it. Once finished, the bird hopped up onto her shoulder. She glanced over and Lil took that as a sign that Pravde was ready to go.

  Sure that she’d prepared for almost any situation, Lil took a single long stride toward the center of the room. Mentally focused on her destination, she vanished from the manor only to reemerge elsewhere. Her pupils dilated, adjusting to the dark alley in an instant. Lil quickly muttere
d the words to an incantation, activating an intangibility spell. She smelled ozone on the air and a breeze ruffled her bangs. A storm brewed overhead.

  “Stay here,” Lil whispered. “I’ll summon you if I need you.”

  Pravde took flight, headed for the nearby rooftops. Lil left the owl to her own devices, confident she would be there upon her return. Lil stalked down the alley, attempting to tune out the cacophony coming from the crowded streets nearby.

  Contrary to what most Americans believed, Istanbul was a modern, sprawling city. Electric lights burned inside the homes and illuminated the nearby streetlamps. From a short distance away, she could hear harsh and jarring traffic noises. The occasional blare of a horn from an angry driver reminded her why she’d chosen the relatively remote location in Maine to make her home, despite painful early memories of New England.

  As she pushed away thoughts of a more inviting climate, Lil neared her target. Sweat beaded on her forehead and ran down into her eyes despite the stiff breeze that blew the smell of garbage and human waste toward her. A particularly pitiful looking gecekondu among a row of the shanty-style homes caught her attention. Here in Eastern Turkey, problems with unemployment and poverty had reduced millions to living in these slums.

  Lil marched toward the weather-beaten structure, keeping her eyes pinned to the paint-bare boards so she wouldn’t see the homeless in the alley. She stepped through the edifice easily in her non-corporeal state and entered a small, crowded front room. Battered furniture filled the space and a small kitchen took up the far corner. Lil’s ability to find special children also allowed her to see the environment surrounding them. She knew that there were two smaller rooms within the dwelling, one of which housed the sleeping parents.

  After turning right, Lil walked through the wall and emerged into a tiny sleeping chamber. Two girls lay upon a lumpy mattress on the floor. Lil bypassed the older child and circumnavigated the pad to approach the much smaller sister. She knelt on the floor, inspecting the girl’s precious features. Long dark hair flowed over the clean but tattered sheet. Her dark eyes were currently closed in slumber, but Lil still had an image of the determined fire in those same eyes far in the future. This girl, Elie Tanari, would be instrumental in ensuring the drive for women’s equality in this part of the world.

  Hands upon her knees, Lil bent low until she was only inches from Elie’s face. She could feel the sweet breath upon her cheeks. Lil closed her eyes, mustering the energy she had learned over time to harness. She placed her lips lightly upon the tiny mouth and felt the transfer begin. There was nothing sexual in the touch. Feelings of tenderness and maternal concern coursed through her. Lil allowed some of the purpose she felt to make the world a better place travel through the link.

  Samael had told her long ago that Lil needed something to keep her going in this life. Passing on her gifts had become that goal. With her kiss, she anointed future women with the determination to wrest the mantle of power from men and bring about a more peaceful and loving world. She transferred that desire to Elie now, or at least a portion of it. What the child chose to do with the gift would be up to her. Free will still held sway and Lil would never attempt to take that largesse from anyone.

  After a moment, Elie stirred. Lil pulled away quickly, but not far enough that she couldn’t see the wonder in the dark eyes. Elie had felt her touch. She looked around as though seeking the source of the contact. Lil smiled, thinking that she had chosen well. This girl had sensitivity and great instincts. With any luck, those gifts would serve her well in her future travels.

  Lil rose and left the humble lodging. She’d focused so intently on Elie that she didn’t notice the sounds of an altercation until she returned to the alley. A scuffle took place at the far end and she glanced in that direction out of simple curiosity. Lil had no interest in becoming involved in such minor squabbles. The humidity caused sweat to roll down her temple and she reached to swipe it away. Hand partway up, Lil froze as she abruptly realized what was taking place.

  A woman stood surrounded by three men who clearly displayed criminal intent. Nearby, the crumpled shape of another person lay unmoving upon the ground. Lil didn’t sense any carnal desires from the men. The thought of mating with this woman was repulsive to them. They merely wanted all of her valuables and weren’t above killing to realize their goal. Judging from the tattered rags they wore, she surmised their impetus to survive any way they could. While she could understand their motivations, she couldn’t condone the methods. The assailant in front held a weapon leveled at the woman. It was a handgun that didn’t look to be in any better condition than these men.

  “I don’t have anything,” the woman practically wailed, her terror clearly audible from the length of the alley. “Someone already stole my purse. Please, just leave us alone.”

  Rage filled Lil’s soul. As much as she disliked humanity, she would never turn her back on a woman in danger. She muttered the words to return her form to solidity and charged down the alley, calling to Pravde as she did. Lil saw the instant when the men looked up, startled by the commotion and her sudden appearance. The leader quickly focused on her and his expression turned to one of disdain. He apparently didn’t see her as a threat.

  His mistake.

  Lil struck at the same instant that Pravde shrieked and dove toward the trio. One of the men attempted to strike at the bird with a long, rusty knife. Pravde avoided the thrust and Lil lost sight of the owl as she engaged the leader. The man was large, tending toward overweight, and on the tall side. To an average woman he would pose a problem, but Lil was not average. She was the first woman created by God, brought to life by his transcendental breath. Over time, humanity had lost the original strength with which they’d been endowed. Not so for her.

  A full yard from her target, Lil launched herself into the air. Her feet connected with the man’s chest and she kicked him into a trash dumpster. When he hit the metal container, the thug dropped the small pistol. He landed upon his hands and knees with his head down. Lil hoped he would stay there. Instead, he shook his head and attempted to push back to his feet. A single strike to the top of his head ended the menace. She heard his neck break even as she turned to engage another attacker.

  Pravde had disabled one of the men. He held his arms up to cover his face and head, but Lil could see the blood streaming down his left cheek. She was uncertain if Pravde had ruined his eye, but she didn’t really care. The third assailant had evidently decided that discretion was the better part of valor. The last Lil saw of him was the flap of his shirttail as he deserted the alley and turned down the street.

  Lil dispatched the remaining criminal with a chop to the side of his neck. Unlike his friend, she didn’t kill him. She considered the matter closed and simply wanted him out of the way. As he dropped unconscious to the ground, Pravde ended her attack and lighted onto Lil’s shoulder. Lil turned to see what had become of the female she’d saved.

  The alley seemed almost unnaturally quiet in the aftermath of the altercation. In the distance she heard thunder rumble and realized the storm wasn’t far away. The woman rested on her knees beside the unmoving body Lil had previously noted. She didn’t seem to care what had become of her attackers. Curious again, Lil walked over to see what she was doing.

  “Francene, can you hear me?” She shook the woman’s shoulders in an attempt to wake her, but to no avail.

  “I’m sorry, but your friend is gone.” Lil kept her voice soft in an effort not to startle the woman.

  “No, you’re wrong! Francene, wake up. Come on, honey. It’s time to go home.”

  Lil frowned as she concentrated on the stranger. Usually, she could get a sense of a person just from focusing on them, even if she couldn’t exactly read their minds. This woman was different. Lil could feel nothing, not even the pain she knew the woman currently experienced. She reached out and touched the stranger on the back, thinking that the contact would help her connect. Nothing happened except that the woman flinche
d away from her.

  As frightened eyes turned up toward her, Lil held out her hands to show that she wasn’t a threat. “I won’t hurt you. What happened?”

  “We were on vacation. Someone stole my purse and picked Frannie’s pocket while we were shopping.” The woman interrupted her story with a breathy sob, but then continued. “We were just trying to walk back to the hotel, but then those guys jumped us.”

  Unable to continue, she turned back to her friend. She tried several more times to rouse Francene until Lil convinced her that it wouldn’t work. “I’m very sorry, but we must vacate this alley. It isn’t safe here.”

  “I can’t just leave her behind.”

  To quell the stranger’s panic, Lil promised to call the authorities once they arrived at the hotel. Somewhere along the way, she had taken on the role of protector. She would see this woman to safety and ensure that her friend wasn’t left unattended by the police. After much cajoling, she coaxed the woman to travel with her.

  The stranger stood and met Lil’s gaze fully for the first time. At the same instant, lightning flared overhead and thunder boomed. The flash of light gave Lil a brief but intense view of pain-filled eyes. Verdant orbs reminded Lil of wild, open fields. Flecks of yellow and, unaccountably, red completed the image and for an instant Lil forgot why she was there. As a tear rolled down a pale cheek, she abruptly remembered and struggled to focus.

  Lil encouraged the woman to follow her as heavy rain began to fall. As they turned onto the well-lit street, the stranger apparently noticed Pravde for the first time. Rather than seeing fear in her eyes, Lil noted interest. At least she had some strength.

  “What is your name?”

  “Dana, Dana Reed. Thanks so much for helping us. I just wish you’d come before…”

  Lil didn’t respond to the comment, silently noting that the woman still referred to her friend in the present tense. Instead, she inquired where Dana was staying and walked with her toward the hotel. Lil would have hailed a cab, but didn’t see any and it wasn’t far to their destination. Along the way, she learned that Dana and Francene were childhood friends that had decided to take a vacation together. The trip had seemed a disaster from the start, first missing their flight from San Diego and then losing their credentials. Lil felt sympathy for Dana, which surprised her considering that she rarely became involved with the lives of mortals.