His lips curved into a slight smile and he caught her eye “Fear not my love. What is it the humans say? Business before pleasure?” She smiled back slightly as well.
“We will file this as soon as we return to the Outpost. I cannot promise we will recover the book for you but we will make every effort to catch this thief,” Jess said gravely. Allie had no doubt they would make every effort indeed; it would be very bad for community relations to have an elf going around defrauding human businesses. The elves, who were very proud of their high place within Fairy society, would not stand for one of their own acting so dishonorably. It was one of the little idiosyncrasies of Fairy that while it appeared that the lesser Fey were treated more harshly by the elves, the reality was that they were far harder on themselves.
Having gotten that out of the way Allie relaxed slightly. She felt suddenly shy around Jess and unsure of how to act. She had seen him yesterday, but they had parted with so much unresolved that seeing him again so soon left her feeling uncertain. She couldn’t help but think of how they had spent their time together and oddly that made her think of Bleidd as well. Belatedly she realized that she never properly greeted Brynneth and, worried that she had unintentionally offended him, she said “Good afternoon Brynneth, I am glad to see you again.”
The dark haired Guard looked pleased at her words, and if he was bothered by the delayed welcome he did not let it show, “Good day Aliaine. I am sorry that anyone would steal from you. I am certain whoever did this will be found.”
She nodded slightly, accepting the reassurance. It occurred to her that she had promised Jason to ask Brynneth for help and she knew now was the time to do so. Instead she asked, “If I may, was it just luck you stopped in when I needed you, or did you have some other purpose in coming here?”
“Perhaps it was both,” Jessilaen said thoughtfully. “Certainly we are glad that our timely arrival could help you. However we came here today hoping that you might be able to help us.”
Allie felt a momentary surge of panic, which she quickly shoved down. Her expression must have given something away though because both of the Guard looked at her strangely. Swallowing, she asked, “Help you how?”
“We are attempting to track down a missing person, someone of mixed ancestry. We found it…difficult… because so many of her friends are human and we are concerned that they are not telling us the truth,” Jess said, watching her closely.
Allie frowned, but nodded. Yes she could see how that would be a problem for the Guard. All creatures of Fairy were strictly honest in their speech – not that they couldn’t mislead someone entirely just as easily with the truth as a lie. It meant that finding the truth was a matter of asking the right question and carefully paying attention to exactly what was said in the answer. It also meant that when presented with a verbal lie Fey beings tended to assume it was truth, and also to react extremely badly to finding out it wasn’t. This was doubly true of the Elven Guard who tended to take being lied to even worse than the other Fey. “Alright, they probably are actually. Even if they didn’t do anything wrong if they get nervous…Anyway. How can I help though?”
“The human police refused to take this case so we have no assistance. We – I – had hoped you might be willing to work with us, as an intermediary,” Jess said.
Allie blinked several times, unsure what to say, as the elves stood still with a patience that only elves could have. They didn’t even fidget as the seconds dragged into minutes. Her immediate reflex was to refuse, to avoid another chance at getting hurt helping in an investigation. And yet this was an entirely different circumstance, no murders, no gore, just a simple missing person. Finally she hedged, “I can’t afford to close the store during the day and I’m open every day but Sunday. That wouldn’t leave much time to help you interview people.”
It was Brynneth who spoke this time, “We can work around your business hours. Most of the people we need to speak to work during the day as well.”
Again she remembered her promise to Jason, shifting uncomfortably as she tried to think of a way out of it and out of helping the Guard without actually breaking her word. Like a whisper she suddenly heard Syndra speaking, or perhaps remembered from a lifetime ago “You deserve to get paid…”. Syndra had told her that the last time she had helped the Guard but she hadn’t listened then. But maybe this time she should make use of the opportunity. It was pure madness to be in debt to any of the Fey but especially to an elf; Allie had been lucky last time that Brynneth had felt they were even after all the healing work he had done for her because she had helped to catch his niece’s killer.
Maybe there was a reason they had come in today. The elves believed strongly in the concept of synchronicity; that apparently unrelated events that appeared to be connected in some way were. If Allie seized the opportunity she could keep her word to Jason and get the healing from Brynneth without putting herself in his debt, something she would have thought was impossible this morning.
She took a deep breath looking at both the elves standing still and waiting for her answer as if it was perfectly normal for someone to take this long to decide. If they had been human they would try to talk her into doing what they wanted. She was rather glad they weren’t. Gathering her courage and reminding herself that she knew both of them well, she finally said, “I am willing to help on three conditions.”
She didn’t know why she chose three, except that it seemed traditional. As soon as she spoke she felt a faint tingle of magic in the air. Both elves tilted their heads to the side in unison, and she fought a nervous giggle. “Firstly, this has to be official. I’ll need some kind of paperwork saying I’m acting as an, ummm, intermediary. If this ends up involving the human justice system it’s important that everything be done in ways they see as legal.”
Jessilaen nodded immediately, “Certainly. As a Commander in the Guard I have the authority to authorize that and it would be wise to have you with us in an official capacity.”
Allie hesitated slightly scrambling to think of a second condition to have them meet. “I need…I need to be able to decide how to handle myself when we talk to people. I don’t know your procedures and I’m probably going to end up using my intuition anyway in handling people.”
Jess looked unhappy, and she could feel his resistance to this condition. He wanted to keep control of the investigation and not agree to let her act as a free agent. She felt his emotions pushing her and struggled to clarify without giving in, supported by her own common sense. “I don’t need to be the one asking all the questions and I don’t want to be in charge of your investigation, but if I want to ask a question of my own I need to be able to do that, freely.”
Jess considered this for a long time until Allie had to fight the urge to fidget and found herself wondering how the elves made staying still look so easy. Finally he nodded. “Agreed. If you feel you need to ask a question we are not asking you will have that right.”
Brynneth said, “Her empathic gift may serve well in this capacity and lead her to ask what we would be blind to. I think it is wise to give her this leeway.”
That hadn’t even occurred to Allie and she wasn’t sure she liked it, but it was too late to retract the request now. She pushed on, “Thirdly, I need to be compensated for my time,” she started.
“Certainly,” Jess spoke quickly, obviously either anticipating that request or already prepared to offer to pay her.
“I don’t want money,” she said, and then, before he could respond, “I want to trade. My time helping you interview people in exchange for healing work.”
Jessilaen looked at Brynneth and nodded slightly but Allie knew it was up to the elven healer to agree or not. His eyes went to her damaged ankle and he frowned, no doubt assuming she wanted him to try to work on that. She started to tell him that she already knew it could not be healed any further but realized that would force her to explain what exactly she did need healing for. She closed her mouth, unwilling to say anything in fron
t of Jess about her emotional struggles.
Brynneth shook his head slightly, then glanced at Jessilaen. Something passed between them, and sighing he met Allie’s eyes, “I agree to your terms. I will offer you what healing I am able to in exchange for your help to the Guard.”
Allie let out her breath in a sigh, only then realizing she’d been holding it. She felt the magic in the air between them, waiting now for her to seal the bargain she’d made and she felt her stomach drop. It was a mistake to rush so quickly into this; she should have asked for time to consider. Jess may love her but he would not hesitate to make this bargain in his own favor if he could. His willingness to urge Brynneth to agree to her healing request, thinking she was asking for something the elven healer would not need much energy for since little more could be done, showed that. Despite her misgivings she knew it was too late to back out now. Her own insistence on formal conditions had set up the spell as soon as the elves had agreed to bargain, all she could do now was say, “I agree to help you, as an intermediary, when my conditions are met.”
The spell firmed between them, as legally binding to the elves as any written contract. Jess straightened up, “We will return in three days’ time with your official certification as an adjunct to the Elven Guard.”
Allie felt her eyes widening. Wait, what? No – oh crap. I did ask for this to be official. Crap, crap, crap. She wasn’t sure what ”official adjunct” meant, but it sounded far more involved than she had intended. Jess was already continuing, “I give my word, as Commander of an Elven Guard squad, with the authority to do so, that you will have the freedom to ask what questions you will during an investigation”
She felt the magic harden as he met one of the conditions; only by failing in the other two could she be freed from her own promise. And then belatedly she realized he had said ‘during an investigation’ not during the investigation. She felt herself starting to panic, desperately wondering what the Hel she had just gotten herself into. Unless she had misunderstood the Elvish, which was possible. It was a difficult and convoluted language. She kicked herself for not conducting this discussion in English. With a sinking feeling she turned to Brynneth, who seemed almost apologetic as he said, “I give you my word, as medic and healer of an Elven Guard squad, that I will visit you as my schedule allows, at your earliest convenience, to offer you what healing I am able to in payment for your assistance to the Guard.”
At his words, the second condition met by his promise, the spell set even more, almost complete. As soon as they returned with the paperwork authorizing her to work with them in a way that the human police would recognize the third condition would be met and Allie would be spellbound to follow through with what she had offered. No matter what. She was filled with foreboding at the thought.
As the magic resonated around them Jess relaxed, stepping closer to close the space between them. He reached out and pulled her against him, into a loose embrace. “I am glad you have agreed to this my love. We will be able to see each much more often now. And I know you will be able to help us more than anyone else we could have chosen.”
Allie forced herself to relax in his arms, resting her head against his chest and letting his own happiness fill her and wash away her worry, at least for the moment. “I will be glad to see you more Jess. And I hope I really can help you.”
He leaned down and kissed her, making her blush, “I have no doubt of it. We will arrange for you to be issued a cell phone.”
“Oh! I already have one,” she interrupted then bit her lip both because she knew it was rude to interrupt and because she realized she probably should have told Jess sooner about her new phone.
He didn’t seem angry though, just curious. “You had said once that you would not get such a phone because you believed you would lose or break it.”
She blushed again, remembering the phone lying on the ground in two pieces, “Yes, well, Jason bought it for me. After everything that happened he said I really needed to have one, just in case.”
Jess inclined his head in the elven equivalent of a shrug, but Brynneth looked approving, “Jason is very wise for one so young. I would think you would want to have such a thing at your disposal in case of emergencies.”
“Well, I can always call Jess if I need help,” she said earning a startled look from Brynneth.
“So that has not changed then? It has not weakened?”
Actually it seems to be getting stronger, Allie thought trying to keep her face neutral. Before she could think how to reply Jess spoke for her, “The bond Allie created between us with her spell remains in place and has not lessened.”
Brynneth made a thoughtful noise, “Well very little time has passed, it may yet fade. Be that as it may having a technological means to call for help if you need it is still wise. Jessilaen may not always be able to respond or go to your aid should you need it.”
“That was pretty much what Jason said,” Allie agreed.
“We will need to get the number from you then, for your phone. But now we must go, Jenivarien’s mother is to meet us at the Outpost with the girl’s computer.”
“Jenny?” Allie said, truly shocked. “You’re looking for Jenny? She’s missing?”
“You know her?” Brynneth asked, sounding just as surprised as Allie felt.
“Yes. Well sort of. I know her mother. Ashley Silvan is a regular customer of mine; sometimes Jenny comes in with her,” Allie said still trying to process the news. She didn’t know the half-elven girl well, but had always felt a kinship with her because of their shared mixed ancestry. Jenny was a nice, quiet girl. Maybe a little too prone to following the crowd from what her mother said but she’d always been polite and friendly when Allie had talked with her. She honestly couldn’t imagine why anyone would want to hurt the girl; from what Allie knew she was the sort who was very easy going and got along with everyone.
The two elves exchanged a long look. “This must be synchronicity Allie, for us to come seeking your help without realizing you knew the missing girl.”
Allie shook her head slightly, “I don’t know. Ashwood isn’t a big town, not really. But if Jenny’s missing something must be really wrong. She’s not that sort of girl and she and her mother are really close. Poor Ashley! She must be frantic.”
“The girl’s mother is quite upset,” Jess confirmed. Allie felt another wave of foreboding and shuddered slightly. Jess rubbed her back, his touch light.
It wasn’t until he and Brynneth had left, and she was free from his emotional influence, that Allie remembered her misgivings about their agreement. I really hope they can find Jenny, she thought as she walked up to lock the front door and flip the sign to closed but what have I gotten myself into?
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He watched, hidden in the shadows of an alley across the street, as the Elven Guard entered the store. Salarius had not complained much when Ferinyth had bullied him into taking the job of watching the girl, something the older elf found tedious. This was one of the first times he had been allowed out of Fairy and he found the humans and their strange ways utterly intriguing. He enjoyed watching the mixed blood girl and trying to learn these strange ways, so very different from what he had grown up with.
Salarius had so far managed to convince Ferinyth to move slowly by reminding him that they would likely only have one chance to take the girl. This had not pleased the headstrong elf, nor would he ever admit to listening to the advice of an elf barely old enough to be called an adult, but he was too afraid of failing to risk haste. That suited Salarius very well; he hoped he could delay for as long as possible. He was enjoying the experience too much to want to go back to hovering in his father’s shadow at home.
So while Ferinyth scouted around the town and secured them a place to stay – far more boring activities to Sal’s mind – he settled in to observe the girl’s patterns and habits. The key to victory over any enemy, his father always said, was to understand their strengths and weaknesses and
how best to exploit them. Unexpectedly he found himself forgetting sometimes what his ultimate purpose was, caught up in the fascinating comings and goings of all the different people…The subtle pull of magic within the store drew his attention back and he leaned forward slightly. He was too far away to see anything but the three figures standing in the back; if they were doing anything interesting he could not tell. He strained his senses carefully and eventually distinguished the pattern of a geis, a type of binding spell, being woven around the three. Curiosity piqued he tried to edge closer, but didn’t dare break his cover, not with the Elven Guard around. What is going on? he wondered what could they possibly need a geis for? Is she binding them to something? Protecting her perhaps? Or are they binding her?
Mortal earth – or at least this Bordertown which was as close as Sal had ever gotten to mortal earth – was an endlessly interesting place…
***********************************
Dinner with her roommates later that night was surreal. It was the first time since before Syndra’s death that everyone in the house had sat down for a meal together and Allie felt completely off balance seeing Shawn sitting at the table when Syndra wasn’t. When Liz had said she was showing Syndra’s room to someone Allie hadn’t expected her to have the new person moved in within a day. It was dizzyingly fast for Allie who usually didn’t like things changing at all. She already felt as if too much had happened in the last few months without an instantaneous new roommate.
Jason was unusually subdued and kept staring at Shawn uncertainly. Of course, his out of character quietness might have been partially due to the fact that Shawn and Liz monopolized the entire meal with an animated conversation about rehearsal at the theater. No one else could have gotten a word in if they had tried, not that anyone else was trying. Allie and Bleidd ate side by side in silence, focusing on eating with an elven single mindedness. Only once did Allie crack a smile, when it occurred to her that the way she and Bleidd were eating was the height of perfect elven manners, something that had never occurred before. Her amusement was short lived though as that reminded her of how badly she had handled the situation with Jess and Brynneth earlier. She was woefully out of practice when it came to proper manners and she often only remembered the right thing to do after she hadn’t done it. Jess seemed endlessly forgiving of her boorishness and Brynneth was kind enough to overlook her bad manners, but if she wasn’t careful she’d get herself in trouble one of these days. She wasn’t a child anymore who would be forgiven for making a mistake and she didn’t fancy the idea of being challenged to a duel because she sat when she should have stood or didn’t say hello at the right time.
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