He sighed. “Well, to be totally honest Allie, I used to have a really nasty problem with my temper. I worked really hard not to be that person any more. Maybe that’s why now I always try to be the mellow one. I ask myself is this really worth a fight? And you know what it usually isn’t.”
“So you used to be a bouncer, huh?” Allie said trying to lighten the mood.
His lips twitched into an almost smile. “I could tell you stories that would curl your hair. Why do you think Liz trusts me to handle physical security stuff around the house?”
“I never asked, I trust her judgment.”
“You are way too trusting,” he said, smiling to take the sting out of his words.
She rolled her eyes, “Whatever. If you’re okay, then really go back home and get some rest, take a nap, and I’ll see you later tonight.”
He hesitated, his eyes moving around the store, “I don’t know if I should leave you alone with everything that’s been going on.”
“Nothing’s going to happen in the next couple hours,” she said with more confidence than she felt. He still hesitated but she shooed him out, “Go on, go buy me some decadent ice cream that’ll make me forget my name.”
He laughed a little at that and attempted a weak joke in return, “Isn’t that what you have Jess for?”
She snorted, “He’s on duty, the ice cream isn’t. Now get out. Seriously you’ve been up all night you need some sleep.”
He nodded reluctantly. “Okay but if you need anything call.”
“I will.”
*********************************
As if the powers that be wanted to apologize for her terrible morning Allie actually had several good sales after Jason left, including one that by itself would nearly pay her bills for the next month. The book had been in the store since her grandmother had been alive and was an original edition alchemical text from the 16th century. Allie had long ago decided the book would never sell and had set it up in a locked plexiglass display case. That way it was safe from being torn or dropped by everyone who came in but people could still ooh and ahh over it. Much to her shock someone had seen it in one of the pictures on the store’s website and had driven to Ashwood just to buy the book. They even brought the cash to pay for it. Feeling only slightly foolish she’d double checked the cash, but the thick stack of hundreds was perfectly normal, legal money.
After that sale she’d closed early and run to the bank to make her night deposit early, too worried to risk keeping that much money on herself for any length of time. She hurried back but then worried that she’d missed the Elven Guard. Hindsight being what it was she realized she could have put up a sign up on the door or left them a note. She was standing in the doorway fretting about it when the distinctive Guard car pulled up, its dark green paint and tinted windows doing nothing to help it blend in.
Allie relaxed momentarily and then tensed again, remembering that this wasn’t a social call. Jess and another Guard who Allie didn’t recognize got out of the car and walked up to the store. Struggling to remember her manners, Allie inclined her head politely and welcomed them inside.
Jess seemed unusually standoffish and the strange Guard was aloof in the way that elves normally were with humans. It reminded Allie forcibly that barely two months ago the Elven Guard was a frightening and powerful force that she would have done almost anything to avoid.
Both the Guard followed her into the store, and she closed the door behind them, wiping her hands nervously on her jeans. Besides basic pleasantries no one had spoken and Allie fought the urge to reach out to Jess and speak into his mind; she could read his emotions easily enough without trying and knew he was as uncertain as she was.
She turned to face them, so that they stood forming a rough triangle in the center of the store. Jess gestured at his companion, a female elf with dark blond hair, and spoke formally in Elvish, “Aliaine this is Mariniessa, she is a mage of the fourth circle. She has been assigned to our squad for this investigation, along with Brynneth and Natarien, who you already know.”
He turned slightly to address Mariniessa, who was clearly not happy to have been introduced first. Allie remembered then that while in group introductions people were introduced from highest to lowest rank, in one-on-one introductions the highest ranking person was always introduced last. It was one of those annoying idiosyncrasies of elven etiquette that made her eyes cross. “Mariniessa, this is Aliaine, she is an empath who is gifted at both reading the emotions of others and at tracing emotions back to their source.”
Mariniessa’s expression changed instantly at the words, from slightly offended condescension to begrudging respect. To the elves empathy was a rare and unusual gift which challenged their practice of avoiding deep emotions. Allie hoped that the elves weren’t expecting too much of her. She nodded politely to the other woman, offering a formal hello and a compliment. “Greetings Mariniessa. Your skills as a mage are no doubt indispensable in this investigation.”
“Greetings Aliaine. Are you comfortable speaking the language?” the elven mage asked, earning an offended look from Jess. She should have offered a compliment in return for the one given; not doing so was a huge breach of etiquette. Mariniessa was clearly going to be a difficult one.
“Certainly,” Allie replied, keeping her face and tone polite. “I am fluent in the language.”
“I only ask because you speak as if you were an elf,” Mariniessa said pointedly, managing to convey disapproval, snobbery, and self-righteous indignation wrapped up together. Allie felt a surge of inappropriate amusement at the other woman’s passive aggressive bitchiness. Elvish was a complex language that went with a complex culture; the lesser Fey also spoke it but by long-standing class segregation they used a different dialect. In effect Mariniessa had said-without-saying that Allie was putting on airs – at best – by speaking as if she were elven. Obviously the elven woman was making some assumptions about Allie instead of directly asking, and the fact that she was wrong made Allie want to giggle.
Before Allie could frame a suitable reply Jessilaen spoke, his voice tight, “Aliaine’s mother is elven.”
Mariniessa immediately looked embarrassed at her faux pas. Taking a lesser Fey or one of mixed lesser blood to task for speaking a higher dialect than they should was one thing; implying someone who had a right to the language didn’t was quite different. Allie would have been entirely within her rights to call insult and issue a challenge, except that Allie had no interest in fighting anyone.
As strange as it often seemed to humans, because elves were matrilineal and it was Allie’s mother who was an elf she was, from an elven viewpoint, her mother’s heir and fully entitled to elven society. Allie was never sure if that was a good thing or some sort of cosmic joke. Jess, however, was clearly working up to being extremely offended for her sake, and it suddenly occurred to her to wonder if he could call insult for her; her mind scrambled to remember the proper protocol, but she came up blank. Better to diffuse things quickly. “Indeed, my background makes me ideally suited for what the Elven Guard currently needs assistance with. I am fluent in Elvish and English and extremely familiar with human customs. I should inform you though that my ability with the elvish language far exceeds my knowledge of the social graces.”
Jess gave her an inscrutable look, either because she had let the insult go or because she had freely admitted her ignorance of the etiquette. Both could be seen as weaknesses and might give the other woman ammunition if she really wanted it, but on the other hand immediately acknowledging her own lack of manners would mean that the mage could not claim insult against Allie as easily if Allie didn’t realize she was being rude. That blade cut both ways.
For the first time Mariniessa looked unsure, and when she spoke her tone was cautious, “I’m certain your skills will find some use.”
“Aliaine has already proven herself an asset,” Jess said sharply, and Mariniessa bowed her head slightly, rebuked. Allie’s head was starting to ache and
she wished they’d just get to the point. Perhaps sensing as much, or maybe just tiring of it himself, Jess turned fully to Allie and reached into one of the many pockets of his uniform pants. He withdraw several folded papers and a small pouch.
Allie eyed the pouch suspiciously. Jess met her eyes, his expression unreadable and before Allie could stop herself she reached out to him through their bond; she found a blend of anticipation, anxiety, and longing. When he spoke he was still in official Guard Commander mode, “Aliaine, here is the paperwork as you requested, instating you as an intermediary for the Elven Guard at Crannuiane Outpost, in service to Queen Naesseryia’s Holding, when dealing with the surrounding human communities.”
He handed her the paperwork, which she took with numb fingers. Her mind scrambled to try to process what he was saying. As soon as she touched the paper she felt the magic of the partially set geis filling the air around her, but it did not set as she expected it to. Oh no she thought suddenly tired this can’t be good.
As soon as she switched the paperwork to her left hand, giving it only a cursory glance, he opened the small pouch and dumped its contents into his palm, extending his hand towards her, “Here is the symbol of your position and rank. May all who see it know that you serve with honor.”
The last had the sound of a line from ritual, recited by rote. Reflexively she reached out and took what he offered, her fingers finding smooth cool metal. As soon as she touched it the magic of the binding she had set on herself settled with an almost physical weight around everyone. Even Mariniessa flinched slightly under it. Allie barely noticed, her eyes riveted on what she held.
In her hand lay a badge. It was gold. Real gold, solid and heavy, enchanted to keep it from being easily bent or damaged. It bore the coat of arms of Queen Naesseryia: a field of three chevrons with a single charge, a stag rampant gaurdant bearing an oak sprig in his mouth. Above this were the words ‘Crannuaine Elven Guard’ in elven runes and below the words ‘swift hounds, swift blades’. The last, Allie knew was the motto of the Elven Guard, a reference to how they found and punished the guilty with great speed. It was a phrase that was known to terrify the lesser Fey, most of whom appreciated neither the speed nor harshness of the Guard. What the Hel have I gotten myself into? Allie thought, unable to look away from the dull gleam of gold in her palm.
Mariniessa shifted impatiently and Allie realized they were both expecting some kind of response from her. She had no idea what she was supposed to say. Desperately she reached out to Jess. “What’s the correct response? What am I supposed to say?” she couldn’t keep the worry out of her voice, and she felt his surprise and then suddenly a wave of comfort and support with the words “repeat after me…”
Aloud Allie repeated what Jess told her to say, “May I always serve with honor, for as long as I serve.” And then remembering the geis she added, “You have met my conditions, I will do as I have promised.”
As soon as she said the words the tension drained from the room. She could see and feel Jess relaxing. The elven mage nodded stiffly to Allie, grudging respect in her eyes. Allie wondered if the other woman had expected her to try to back out, but Allie was well aware that she was far past the point of extricating herself from the situation. As unreal as it seemed – and she was sure that eventually the reality would sink in – she had somehow managed to agree to join the Elven Guard itself, if in a limited capacity. She knew she should be worried about that, but her mind refused to process anything else today.
Jess turned to Mariniessa, “If you would go start the car, I will help Allie secure her store.”
Mariniessa inclined her head slightly in a shrug and with a thoughtful look on her face she headed out the door. Jess and Allie stood awkwardly, unmoving, Allie still holding the badge in her hand.
“Allie,” he broke the silence finally, his voice unsure. “Are you unhappy with me?”
That’s such a complicated question for such simple words Allie thought, genuinely not sure what he meant. Was she unhappy that he’d tricked her into joining the Guard when she thought she was just agreeing to help find one person? Was she unhappy that he never called her? Was she unhappy with him in general? She sighed, “This isn’t what I expected but I don’t suppose that’s your fault. I should have known better. Now what?”
“That isn’t exactly…”he trailed off, looking away. “We need to go out to the place where the girl was last seen. Although your primary purpose in working with us is to act as an intermediary when we question witnesses in this case I hope your gift may help more directly. We are hoping perhaps you can get some connection to her emotions there, at least to know if she left willingly or was taken against her will.”
He started to step away and she grabbed his wrist stopping him. His despair overwhelmed her senses, bringing her almost to tears. Something was very wrong here but she had no idea what. Despite that little voice telling her she should be upset with him over so many different things right now she pulled him forward, into her, until she could rest her head against his chest. She wrapped her arms around his torso, feeling him fighting some inner battle she didn’t understand. After an agonizingly long time, just when she was sure she had done the wrong thing his arms came up around her pulling her against him so tightly it was almost painful. He leaned over, resting his head on the top of her head and breathed deeply, smelling her hair.
She focused on her feelings for him, carefully pushing everything else down until she was filled with nothing but love and safety and that easy completion of being with him. And then she opened her link to him and let him feel it too, drowning his despair in her own good feelings. He gasped, his body responding in a way she was starting to understand better. “Jess, how late do you work, ahh, are you on duty tonight?”
He didn’t answer right away, his hand stroking her back. “Until we are done examining the scene.”
“And tomorrow?”
“I’m expected at a meeting at 9,” he said his voice soft. His feelings were all smoothed out now, like sea glass, and reflected her own emotions back to her but with complex layers and depth she couldn’t entirely comprehend.
“Will you stay with me tonight?” Allie asked, her voice shy and uncertain. She didn’t know if he could get permission to do such a thing, and she did know that it would upset both Bleidd and Liz. But she wanted him with her, and she had to at least ask. “I can bring you to the Outpost in the morning if you need me to.”
“I would like that very much, if it would please you,” his voice was just as uncertain as hers.
We both sound like we don’t know what the other person is going to say, as if we don’t trust each other, Allie thought, perplexed. Out loud she said “Yes, I would like that.”
He sighed deeply, then pulled away from her. “Then I will make it happen for you my love.”
“I don’t want you to get into any trouble…Oh! Am I…do I need to report in or…how does this work with me exactly?” Allie bit her lip, worried about how she would juggle this and keep the store going.
“No my heart,” he said stroking her face, as if he couldn’t stop himself from touching her now that he’d started. “When you read your paperwork you will see that you are a special adjunct officer. You answer to me directly and I will work out a schedule with you for when we will need your particular expertise. We also have Mariniessa, Natarien, and Brynneth on our squad; when you do work with us you will go with either a pair or full squad to help question people.”
“Oh, okay,” she switched to English suddenly, tired of the stiff formality of Elvish and the way she kept feeling like she was understanding the words but missing some deeper meaning to everything. “Let’s go check out the scene then and see what I can feel.”
This time when he stepped back it was with great reluctance and she fought the urge to cling to him.
They had work to do.
**********************************
Mariniessa had done a complete turnaround by the time Allie
and Jess had reached the car – and what she thought of their long delay Allie didn’t want to know – and had gone out of her way to be nice to Allie for the rest of the afternoon. She didn’t even seem put out when Jess explained that Allie would be driving her own car and that Mariniessa would be returning to the Outpost alone. Then again, it probably didn’t seem at all odd to the elven woman that he had arranged such a thing, if he had the freedom to do so.
The crime scene proved to be a non-descript suburban street at the edge of the residential district, neither part of downtown nor quite in the unsettled outskirts. Allie wandered aimlessly through the yard and along the road until she got an emotional ‘hit’ on a section of sidewalk. This spot, she was certain, was where Jenny had been kidnapped, and she had no doubt the girl had been terrified. She found herself shaking and dizzy as she tried to relate the impression to the two elves.
“This gives us a place to start,” Mariniessa said grimly. “We can return later and I can try a spell that may allow me to see a brief replay of a past event. For now though Aliaine you should probably go home and rest. I did not realize that using your gift was such an ordeal for you.”
If Allie didn’t know better she might think the other woman was genuinely concerned, but she could feel only a fierce determination from her that belied any real worry over Allie. Jess was already starting to walk back towards the cars but when Allie went to follow she found herself being pulled by a strange thread of intense emotion in a different direction. She was through the bushes and slowly staggering down along a parallel course to the road before either elf realized she wasn’t going with them.
She heard Jess calling her name but the pull of the emotional trail was too strong, so full of rage and lust and fear that it was making her nauseous. She couldn’t stop. She had to follow the feelings back, back, as they grew thicker and thicker like oil in water. She was almost there, swallowing hard and half blind when Jess grabbed her from behind and physically picked her up. It snapped the connection she had and she took a huge gasping breath, feeling only Jess and his worry.
Lost in Mist and Shadow: A Between the Worlds Novel Page 11
