by Bonnie Lamer
Holding his arm out to me, he says, “Come here, my love.”
I walk to him and sit on the spot he indicates. Moving my hair aside, he massages my tense shoulders. “You are carrying all of your stress in these knots of muscle,” he informs me. “Perhaps a long soak in the tub will help ease them.”
The thought is wonderful but it leads me to another thought. “How often are you supposed to bathe babies do you think?”
His massaging fingers stop while he considers my question. I should have kept my mouth shut. I wiggle my shoulders a bit until he begins massaging again. “I suppose they need to be bathed at least several times a week,” he guesses.
“Then I suppose we should bathe her. Any idea how to bathe a baby?” His hands are doing wonderful things to my shoulders and I moan softly.
“Not a clue,” he confesses.
“She’s too little for our bathtub.” It is roughly the same size as an Olympic swimming pool. “Maybe the shower?”
He chuckles. “I doubt babies prefer showers to baths.”
“What about the sink? It should be big enough.” The sink in our shower room has a large basin. Lielle would easily fit in it.
“Okay.” He leans forward and nibbles at my neck. “Must we do it now?”
Wow. Lielle would make an excellent pitcher someday. She has a great arm. “Lielle, no,” I say while rubbing my cheek where the rattle just hit. I do not give it back to her.
Kallen’s hands disappear from my shoulders. “I guess now it is, then.”
“I have decided I am way too selfish to have a child,” I tell him. “I’m already starting to resent putting her needs first.”
He quirks a brow. “Which of your needs do you want to put ahead of hers?”
I toss a pillow at him. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
He smirks and plucks Lielle from the bed. “Come on, little one. Time for a bath.”
I follow them and pull the lever to stopper the sink. I begin to fill it with lukewarm water. I don’t want to scald her. “What soap should we use?”
“The soap Tabitha makes should be mild enough.”
It also smells nice. She puts honeysuckle blossoms in it. “Okay, I think the water is ready.”
Kallen makes the dress Tabitha made for Lielle disappear along with her diaper and sets her in the sink. She is surprised but it only takes her a moment to adjust. She begins to slap happily at the water while I scoop handfuls of it over her torso and hair. When she is ready for soap, Kallen holds her while I wash her fine ginger hair. I don’t scrub too hard. I don’t know how fragile a baby’s hair is. I don’t want to rub it all off and make her bald. Next, I wash her body. The only tricky part is the rinsing. There are a few tears when we try to rinse her hair. She slips out of my grasp and her face goes underwater for a second before Kallen scoops her back up. I had no idea babies could glare.
Wrapping her in a thick towel, I carry her back to our bed. I dry her hair and body. Kallen makes a diaper and pins and I put it on her. “How about a blue dress this time?” Kallen will be making her clothes, as well. In an instant, Lielle is wearing a pretty blue dress with yellow flowers on it. I smile up at my gorgeous husband. “You’re good with baby clothes.”
He shrugs. “I am a talented Fairy.”
“Modest, too,” I tease.
Alita pokes her head around the door. “Isla would like the two of you downstairs.”
Kallen frowns. “Is something wrong?” We have a house full of Elf warriors. What could possibly go wrong? A lot.
Fortunately, it is not the warriors causing trouble. “Garren has returned from the palace archives.”
“Did he find anything?” I ask.
Alita shrugs. “He is waiting for the two of you to join him and Isla.”
“Then we should not keep them waiting,” Kallen says with a sweeping motion toward the door. I stand up and hand Lielle to him. I have not yet graduated to carrying her down the stairs.
It is no surprise to find everyone in the kitchen. It has become our standard meeting place. “What did you find?” Kallen asks as soon as he sits down with Lielle.
“Several very interesting things,” Garren informs us.
“Such as…,” I prompt which earns me a sour look from Isla.
Garren takes the hint, though. In front of him are several dusty old tomes. He opens the top one. “This book contains every known prophecy.” The book is so big. Apparently, there has been a lot of prophesizing going on through the millennia. I wonder who collected them all.
“Did you find anything about the one the Elves are using as an excuse to murder Lielle?” I blurt out. I glance in horror at Lielle. Her eyes are fixed on me like she understood what I said. Now I feel really bad.
Shaking his head, Garren says, “It does not exist.”
“So, the warriors were right to be suspicious of it,” I muse aloud.
“But,” Garren begins. There’s always a but. Why is there always a but? The only place butts should be is on the top of peoples’ legs. “There is a pretty interesting passage regarding an Elf Queen.”
“Adelaide or Addylyn?” Kallen asks.
Garren scratches his head. “I am not certain.”
“What does it say?” I press. The suspense is killing me. Yeah, I think this is my year for the ‘Least Patient Person in the Universe’ award.
Garren flips the pages to one he has bookmarked. He reads the passage. “In the land of ancient rites, the firebrand will be the guiding light. Deep within the past the motion set, the appetite of the future whet. When fire meets black, only then can change be born. The future will grow on the backs of the forlorn. A new alliance from ashes torn, Oaths of loyalty will be sworn.”
My first words are, “Um, how do you know that is about the Elf Queen?” I ask. It’s vague enough to fit into a lot of situations.
Garren gives me a crooked grin. “Because it is under the Elf section of the text.”
I didn’t expect that answer. “Ah, I didn’t realize the book was divided by race.”
“When fire meets black,” Kallen murmurs as he mulls the idea over in his mind. He puts the pieces together right away. “Addylyn must be the firebrand,” he says. “And Xandra is the black.”
I do have black hair like all the other Fairies. So, I am forced to question his logic. “Dagda has black hair. Isla has black hair.” Mostly. “Anyone in this realm could be ‘black’.”
Kallen shakes his head, not ready to give up this line of thought. “Addylyn has met Dagda and Grandmother on several occasions. She has only met you once.”
I’m still not convinced. “Taz and Felix have black hair.”
“For argument’s sake, let us assume the word black represents Xandra,” Isla says dryly. “Let us also assume the firebrand is Addylyn.”
“Why Addylyn?” Alita asks.
“Because Adelaide has shown no indication she desires Xandra as an ally,” Kallen explains.
“But, the point is moot,” I say. “Addylyn is no longer Queen. She can’t form alliances with anyone.”
Isla inclines her head. “You are correct. Perhaps others in her realm took it upon themselves to defy the prophecy.”
Oh. My sleep denied brain finally understands. “You think this has nothing to do with Lielle. It is all about Addylyn?”
Isla glances at the red-haired baby. “Prophecies have a tendency to be vague. If one is trying to prevent one from occurring, it would be wise to remove all possibilities.”
“Hence, the new Queen wants to take out both Addylyn and Lielle.”
“It is certainly a possibility,” Isla agrees.
I continue my thought. “It would also mean they would have to eliminate the one who represents black.” Namely, me. “Lielle is the reason they give for wanting war but what they really want is me dead.” Damn. I thought for once I wasn’t on anyone’s death list. It was nice, if unrealistic, while it lasted.
“The Elves do not stand a chanc
e against you, my love,” Kallen assures me.
I sigh loudly. “But how many Fairies are going to die while they try?”
“Hopefully none,” Isla says. “There is still a chance the new Queen will give up her claim to the child if she believes you are able to trap her in her own realm forever.”
“I’m not sure whose story you’re thinking of, but it can’t be mine,” I grumble. “Things never turn out that simple when I’m involved. Plus, it says an alliance is torn from ashes. That does not sound like a peaceful process.” Hoping to get off this depressing subject at least for a minute, I ask Garren, “Did you find out anything about baby Elf powers?”
He nods and moves the prophecy book from the pile in front of him. He then places three texts in front of Kallen, Isla and me. “This one,” he points to the grimy one if front of me, “is the oldest record of Elf magic in the archives. There is no mention of a baby being able to do what that child can do. Nor was there anything in the prophecy book.” He glances at Lielle before moving on to the book in front of Kallen. It’s dusty but not filthy like mine. How long has the thing been down in the archives? “That one is the most current information on Elf abilities. Again, nothing. This last one is an index of sorts for what various races are capable of with their magic. There is nothing in there about a baby being able to wield that much glamour.”
“What?!” I exclaim. “Why didn’t anyone tell me there was a book like that? It would have come in handy, oh say, every time I’ve had to fight another magical being.”
Sheepish expressions abound. Kallen is the first to speak. “Honestly, I did not know it existed.”
I shift my eyes to Isla who shakes her head. “Neither did I.”
“To be fair,” Garren says, “the scribe did say she found it amongst several books which were hidden in the walls of the archives. She believes the previous scribe had control issues and sometimes kept relevant information to himself to secure his position.”
“That rotten old bastard,” I grumble. To no one in particular, I say, “I am keeping this one.” I reach over and slide the book closer to me.
“Of course,” Isla agrees. “It will be an excellent resource for you.”
I remember the other thing I wanted to ask Garren. “Did you find any information about Elf stasis?”
He reaches into his pile of books and pulls one close to the bottom out. He thumbs through it looking for the information. He lays the book down in front of me when he finds the passage. “There is very little about it. The Elves have been quite closed lipped about it over the centuries. This is all I found.”
I read the few sentences. A trait which is rare amongst Elves is the ability to go into stasis. The process renders the Elf unconscious and no stimulus has been found to awaken an Elf in this state. I scan farther down the page. It goes on to talk about herbs the Elves use for healing. Dumbfounded, I ask, “That’s it? In all of the archives, all you found was those two sentences?”
Garren shrugs. “As I said, the Elves are quite tight lipped about it.”
“From that reference, it sounds as if the Elf in stasis rendered him or herself into such a state,” Kallen notes.
“That’s strange. The King Consort implied he or the Queen did it,” I say.
Cocking her head to the side, Isla says, “If it is the case that Addylyn rendered herself into stasis and the new Queen is unable to rouse her, she would certainly not want to admit it.”
“Why would Addylyn do that?” I ask. I’m not really versed in anti-coup strategies.
“Is it possible an Elf in stasis cannot be killed?” Kallen asks his grandmother.
After a moment of contemplation, Isla finally says, “I suppose it is possible, but I have no idea how it would work. It seems the body would be more vulnerable, not less.”
“Maybe she’s surrounded by a protective layer of magic,” I suggest.
Kallen nods. “That must be the case.”
“I wonder how long they can stay like that,” I muse. “If no outside stimulus can wake her, does that mean we might get Addylyn’s body but she will stay in stasis forever because she doesn’t know she’s safe?” Which means we keep Lielle forever. Unless the Elves win the war. I refuse to think of that outcome. I have not lost a battle yet and I will not lose this one.
“The scribe is still scouring the shelves of the archives for more information,” Garren tells us. “It is possible she may find more information about stasis.”
“She should narrow her search to that one topic,” Isla says. “We will gain more from that than more research regarding baby Elves and glamour.”
Garren nods. “I will let her know.”
Isla smiles at her husband. “Thank you.”
Leaning across the counter, Garren whispers, “Anything for you.” He kisses her.
“So, about that research,” I say. Yes, I’m a hypocrite. Kallen and I kiss all the time in front of other people. It’s just weird when Isla and Garren do it. To be fair, though, I hope Kallen and I are still kissing when we’re their age. I wonder how old that is. I’ve never worked up the courage to ask Isla how old she is.
Reading my mind, Garren grins at me. “Love is not reserved for the young,” he chides.
“Public displays of affection are annoying at any age,” Taz grumps.
I glance down at him. “You need a girlfriend.”
“I do not believe there is a female Tasmanian devil alive who would choose him for a mate,” Felix says. I don’t think he’s kidding. Taz responds with a grunt and goes to sit near Tabitha.
Ticking off on my fingers, I say, “So, to recap, we still know nothing about why Lielle has super powers, why Addylyn would trust her child to a human who hates Elves, why Whysper passed out at the palace, who put Addylyn in stasis or how to get her out of it, how to prevent war if Adelaide calls me on my bluff, where the prophecy about Lielle came from or how to raise an Elf baby without one of us getting killed.”
Kallen nods. “That sums it up.”
Crestfallen, Garren says, “I wish I could have found more.”
Isla touches his arm. “You found everything you could.”
“I didn’t mean to sound like any of that is your fault,” I hurry to say. “The information you did find is helpful.” I am such a liar, I have ants in my pants. At least, it feels that way. I try not to squirm.
I get a halfhearted smile from Garren. “That is sweet of you to say.”
Changing the subject, I say, “Thinking of Whysper, where is she?”
“In her room,” Isla says. “With a guard outside her door.”
“You lot will not be able to do anything if you do not eat,” Tabitha scolds. “Dinner got cold long ago so I made sandwiches from it.” She puts a plate stacked high with sandwiches in the middle of the counter. My stomach growls loudly as soon as I see them. “I suggest you eat and then get some rest. Whatever happens, tomorrow is certain to take a toll on all of us.”
She’s right, of course. I reach for a sandwich when I remember Lielle. “We should feed her first,” I say to Kallen.
“You go ahead and eat. I will feed the babe,” Tabitha assures me with determination in her eyes. I try not to smile. She will not stop until Lielle likes her.
Lielle does let Tabitha feed her. She only sends a few glares toward me and Kallen during the process. When we are finished, Kallen asks me, “First shift or second?”
“First,” I say. “I found some books in the library I’d like to read. That will keep me awake.” Damn ants in my pants. Reading always makes me sleepy. Not tonight, I tell myself.
Doubt evident in his expression, Kallen says, “Perhaps I should take the first shift.”
I wave him off. “No. I’ll bring Lielle into the library with me and hold her while I read. We’ll be fine for a few hours while you get some rest.”
After a moment, Kallen relents. “Fine, but wake me if anything happens. Anything,” he stresses.
“Don’t worry. You’ll proba
bly wake up on your own if something bad is happening.”
“We will stay up with her,” Isla says. “It has been a while since I sat in the library with a good book. It will be a relaxing way to pass a few hours.”
I don’t miss the relief in Kallen’s eyes. If Isla and Garren are with me, that means they are not sleeping in our room. One beacon of light in the darkness we are currently living in.
Kallen leans down and kisses me before heading out of the kitchen. I watch him with longing. I would give almost anything to be joining him. I glance down at Lielle. Almost anything.
22 CHAPTER
“I’m going to teleport to the library,” I tell Garren and Isla. “I don’t want to carry Lielle up the stairs.” I feel foolish saying this aloud, but I don’t want them to think I’m just too lazy to walk.
Isla smiles. “When you have your own babe, you will be more confident.”
“Sure I will,” I mutter, not believing her for a second.
Before she can reply, I teleport Lielle and myself to the library. I grab a couple of books from the kids’ section. Tabitha must have put them back for me. I sit down in the too soft chair and begin to read to a sleepy Lielle. She is out before I finish the first book. Cradling her in my arms, I go back to the shelves and scan for a book for myself. I was only half lying when I said there were books I wanted to read. I have no idea which ones, but I know there are some very interesting books in here.
As I peruse the shelves, Lielle sleeps peacefully. The room fills with the scent of wildflowers. There must be flowers near her home in the Elf realm. It seems to be her happy scent. I pull a couple of books from the shelves just as Garren and Isla come in. Quietly, they each find a book which interests them and they sit together on a love seat near one of the windows. The window is open and fresh, cool air fills the room.
I am about to sit down again when a book seems to call to me. Considering this has only happened to me in the dark magic section of the archives, I grow concerned. I study the shelves trying to determine where the book is. Finally, on the very top row of books, which can only be accessed by a rolling ladder, I see it. A red, leather bound book which is sticking out farther than the others.
