Keepers of the Flame

by Robin D. Owens

  Come, Elizabeth called to Starflower. She whinnied in delight, trotted from the stable and joined Faucon’s volaran in the short hop from the Landing Field to Temple Ward.

  “Guildhall Inn,” Sevair said.

  Bri blinked. “Of course the best inn would be attached to the place where the townmasters and guild masters congregate.”

  “Of course,” Sevair said. “And the chef has a new dish he is introducing tonight.” He paused. “Called, I’m told, Fries of the Potato. Very simple: potato, hot oil and salt.” His aura pulsed with a lighter, teasing hue. Then what he said sank in and saliva pooled.

  “Fries,” she breathed.

  The word resonated through her mind, through Bri’s mind, then snagged the attention of Marian and Alexa who were talking to Marshalls near the Temple.

  “Fries!” Alexa screamed. Her head swivelled. “Where?”

  “Fries,” Marian whispered reverently, swallowed.

  I like these fries, Tuckerinal said. He pranced in grayhound form to Sevair. With a doggy grin, he assured Sinafinal, who trotted beside him, You will like fries, too.

  Alexa had heard that. She shot from the group and only waved a hand at the protest, ran up to Sevair, skidded to a stop and put her hands on her hips. Looking up at him with narrowed eyes, she said, “Fries. From potatoes?”

  His gaze warmed with amusement. “Indeed. At Guildhall Inn.”

  She licked her lips. “I’m invited, right?”

  He raised his eyebrows. “Of course.” He bowed and raised his voice. “The Guildhall Inn would be honored to have all the Exotiques dine. In fact, they are expecting you.”

  “Fries, already?” Marian snagged her husband’s arm.

  “Some from the proper bag of frying potatoes,” Sevair said, “but the farmers’ guild has found potatoes are prolific.” Now he grinned. “With a little nudge from Power.”

  “I bet they have,” Alexa said.

  “Better watch out,” Marian mounted her volaran, as did Jaquar, whose Song held amusement and curiosity. “We don’t want a kudzu situation here.”

  “Kudzu?” Jaquar asked.

  All the women frowned. “A too-prolific plant that has turned into a menace.”

  “Potatoes are being grown in contained beds,” Sevair said.

  “Too bad that didn’t happen with the frinks,” Marian said.

  Just that easily the optimism of the evening faded. Sevair’s face went blank, but Elizabeth saw the deep blue of disappointment.

  Marian winced. “Sorry.”

  Alexa elbowed Marian. “Not your smoothest lately, kiddo.”

  “Kiddo” translated to Lladranan as “thoughtless youngster.”

  But Alexa beamed at them all, ran and jumped onto her large volaran, obviously using Power for both the spring and landing. “Come on, there’s a plate of fries with my name on it waiting, right?” She stared at Sevair.

  “Right.”

  Then she swore, pointed at two small specks in the distance. “Those sly folks. Calli and Marrec have already left. They’ll beat us all there!”

  Laughter bubbled up in Elizabeth. She knew how to teach the medicas to cure the frink sickness! A victory equal to earning her medical degree. She would help save a land! Around her was the friendship and fellowship from people she valued. She hugged Faucon hard. He looked surprised, grinned, lifted an eyebrow at Sevair. “You can put me in touch with the head of the farmers’ guild. I’ll invest in these ‘potatoes,’ be the first to have them on my land.”

  “Too late,” Sevair said. “I purchased a small estate between Marian’s island and Alexa’s place.” He looked at Faucon. “Near your own home holding. Potatoes are already growing there.”

  Bri’s mouth fell open. Shock flashed through Elizabeth. Sevair was planning ahead, as if he expected Bri to stay. As if he thought Elizabeth would, too, at Faucon’s. Her stomach tightened, and she shared an uneasy glance with Bri. For once she had good advice for her twin. Live in the moment.

  Bri switched her gaze from Sevair and Mud to Elizabeth.

  Elizabeth said, I’m learning that lesson. Enjoy the moment.

  Yesss, hissed a voice. Nuare alit, startling the volarans into the sky until only Elizabeth and Bri were still on the ground. A good idea. Now come, both of you. I, too, would like to try these “fries.” She stuck out a leg for them to mount, but she had no tack, no reins or perch.

  Bri smiled with nearly her usual sunniness. “Good advice, and we’ll not be the last there.” She got onto Nuare, held out her hand. “Hang on tight. It’s going to be a wild ride!”

  An understatement. Laughter tore from Elizabeth at the roc’s speed. They landed before everyone except Calli and Marrec.

  The fries were devoured in minutes, accompanied by burgers. Happy murmurs came from other diners.

  Alexa lifted a glass of iced tea in a toast. “To the Exotique Medica twins, Elizabeth and Bri, heroines of the hour.”

  And so French fries were renamed. Lladrana knew them as “Twin Fries.”

  The next afternoon at the Castleton house, before the regular surgery, Elizabeth opened the door to medicas. They came from within easy flying distance to gather in the dining room. Other representatives were there, all the Exotiques and their men. Every crystal ball in town was in the room with her, organized by Sevair. A televised lecture, how nice.

  She wasn’t really nervous, had performed often enough under pressure. When she coughed, the dining room packed with red and white tunics fell silent. Bri sat near her, grinning with pride, and that was better support than anything she’d had in her career.

  “We have discovered why we Exotique Medicas can heal the frink sickness and you have been unable to. We will teach you this. More, we will teach you to tap into the greatest Power you will ever know.” Good grief, she was beginning to sound like a self-help seminar. She straightened, gave them her best intimidating professional smile. “This is the truth.”

  Zeres coughed.

  “Zeres, of course, has learned this lesson, but has been unable to explain it,” Elizabeth said.

  Bri interrupted, “I haven’t been able to put it into words myself, didn’t figure out the essential aspect needed for such healing.” She beamed again at Elizabeth.

  “Our civilizations are very different in some ways,” Elizabeth said quietly. She scanned the room, making sure everyone was paying attention. “Our particular society has gone into space.” She waved a hand. “Off planet, to our moon. We’ve sent machines into space to see the universe and return images.”

  She took a breath and waited for the awed comments to fade, looked at Zeres. “Tell me, when you link to your great Power flow, do you see the blackness of space? Stars—great globes of fire, and your sun?”

  From the way Bri was wriggling on her seat, Elizabeth already knew the answer.

  Brows knit, Zeres said, “Ayes.” He gazed at her, spread his hands. “A huge darkness, raging balls of fire that would sear me to ashes in an instant.”

  “Space, the sun, the universe,” Elizabeth said. “It is vast, and though the skies here on Amee are filled with many more stars than on Earth, the darkness between the stars is greater than one can imagine comfortably.” Her voice went quiet. “Our people have been to space and are accustomed to the images and ideas. Yours are not. Yet.” She reached to the table and sipped water, took the time to meet each person’s eyes. “Bri and I and Zeres can teach you how to think of space and the universe. How to connect with the Power flow. Using that flow you can burn out the frink sickness in a patient.”

  “Burn out?” asked a medica.

  Elizabeth smiled. “Of the four elements, I am fire.”

  Encouraging nods came. She said, “Bri is water and feels a healing stream.”

  “I feel a cold wind rushing through me.” Zeres shivered.

  “There would be the heaviness of a mass descending through a person, perhaps,” offered another medica.

  “Ayes,” Elizabeth said. “We will tea
ch you today. Then you can go and teach others.” She held out her hand and Bri hopped to her feet and linked fingers, raised their hands over their heads.

  “We will win!” Bri said.

  Applause broke out. Elizabeth felt heat in her cheeks, but inclined her torso a little. Bri did a boogie.

  A moment later, Luthan, representative for the Singer, pushed away from the wall where he’d leaned with arms crossed. “This is a great step indeed.”

  Elizabeth tensed, managed a tight smile. “But?”

  He gathered the gazes of those around them. “It is not enough to teach the medicas how to heal. We need to find something the common people can administer for themselves.”

  Elizabeth’s mind flipped through medicines, antibiotics, herbal remedies. Her link with Bri told her that her twin was thinking along the line of meditation techniques, personal faith healing. They shook their heads together.

  “I’m sorry.” Luthan inclined his head. “That is the Singer’s prophecy. Each person must know the cure. This does not address the Chevaliers’ Sickness, since you have been unable to cure that.”

  Man, that’s twice we’ve been riding high and had a downer, lately, Bri said. “Thank you,” she said stiffly.

  “I am sorry,” he repeated. “This is good progress. I must report to the Singer.” He left.

  There was a snuffle and a sob. Everyone turned to see one of the medicas at the table holding her head in her hands. Elizabeth didn’t know her. She looked up, face puffy with tears. “I am the only medica for three villages,” she said thickly. “I have had to stand by and watch my people die. My relatives die. No matter what I did, drawing on Amee’s Power herself, I could not heal my friends and family. I’ve been helpless.” She stood, walked unsteadily to the twins, threw her arms around them. “This is a great, great boon.”

  “Ayes!”

  “Ayes!” The medicas’ cheerful shouts soothed Elizabeth.

  “Wonderful,” Marian said. “Congratulations.” She wiped her eyes with her handkerchief.

  Bri choked, sniffed, said, “The sooner we teach you, the sooner you can go home and heal.”

  The sessions went well. Elizabeth and Bri first worked with Zeres and three others, stabilizing the man’s vision, teaching him how to accept and control his Power. The other medicas took longer, but by the time evening fell, the weary but enthusiastic medicas were winging away to spread the word.

  Alexa, Marian and Calli linked with Elizabeth and Bri in the last set, the twins nearly staggered by their Power. It was a real experience, trying to control the differing magic. Alexa the warrior, used to being a part of a battlefield healing team; Marian more detached, more interested in the how and why; Calli, eager to learn so she could tell the volarans, her people. The other three Colorado women easily understood the concepts and images. When they were done, they sagged in silence, hugged and left almost silently; they’d shared thoughts and feelings enough.

  “What with what Luthan said, looks like the Snap isn’t coming tonight,” Bri said shakily.

  Elizabeth stared at her twin blankly. She hadn’t considered that. “Guess not.”

  “Mom and Dad will be back home tomorrow.”

  “I know.” Elizabeth frowned. “Didn’t Marian have a hopeful glow to her?”

  “Yeah, maybe.” Then Bri gasped.

  “What is it?” Elizabeth demanded.

  But Bri was giggling a little hysterically and holding out her forearm. On the tender skin underneath her wrist, a line of five colorful tattoos ran up her arm. Starting with a golden caduceus near her wrist bracelet lines, then a red shield with a white cross, a green baton topped with orange flames, a black volaran, a book with a lightning bolt. “We’ve bonded.” She pointed to the caduceus. “I think that’s you.”

  “I didn’t feel anything.” Elizabeth glared at her own arm. A fancy brown patterned hand was under her wrist, then all the others, with the book first, the baton, the volaran. “I don’t have the shield.”

  Bri peered at Elizabeth’s arm, her own, sighed. “I think that’s Zeres.” She touched the brown tracery of a hand. “I like that one for me. Like a henna pattern on a hand. I’ve had mine done like that occasionally.”

  “Bonded.” Elizabeth could barely force the word from suddenly chill lips.

  Bri met her eyes, spoke the shared thought. “This doesn’t mean that we’re staying here, does it?”

  Elizabeth’s teeth clenched. “Not if it means forsaking our parents.”

  Tears welled in Bri’s eyes. “No, not if it means leaving Dad and Mom.”

  Bri went home to her tower after Elizabeth flew to the Castle. The guild masters had been busy when she was gone, finishing up the restoration and furnishings. It now showed a rich, eclectic style. She touched the carved newel post of the stairs, a roc, gazed at the dark jewel-toned carpets that suited her exactly. They’d learned her style.

  She’d bonded with the other women during the healing sessions. She supposed she should be glad she didn’t have a roc and a volaran and other medicas, too. Shoot. Despite everything, she didn’t think she could stay.

  She was on her bed, staring up at the gold-embroidered maroon canopy, when the doorharp sounded. Knew it was Sevair. Didn’t know what to say.

  He came in anyway, trod the stairs with even footfalls, entered her bedroom and sat down next to her.

  She didn’t look at him, mutely held out her arm. From the corner of her eye she saw a flash of surprise and pleasure, then he schooled his expression. In a rare gesture, he lifted her hand to his lips, kissed her palm tenderly. All the sexual tension building in her over the days with this man surged through her. Her body wanted his. Her heart wanted the slow smile he saved for her. Her mind wanted to run away, go home to Denver and her parents.

  “I’d like to show you something,” he said.

  “What?”

  “Not here in the tower. It’s a beautiful evening. The sun is setting.”

  “Everyone’s on the streets, then. I don’t know if I can face them. They’ll all want to talk about today.”

  He kissed her forehead and she liked the sweet press of his lips. Too much. “We’ll go by back streets. You like our narrow passages.” His mouth pressed gently to hers. “Come with me.”

  She could have grabbed him and pulled him down into bed—desire was rising in her. But it wasn’t fair to use him. She wanted neither of them to use each other. His fingers brushed her face. He’d stay and torment her with tender touches and that would lead to other things, lovely things, but something she was unsure whether was good. So she sat up.

  “Come with me,” he repeated and she put her hand in his.

  29

  Sevair took Bri’s hand. Her fingers linked with his. He could hear the melody of her Song, quieter than before. Yet there was an underlying lilt of passion that had him tugging her from the bed. Quick hearty sex wasn’t what he wanted. Not entirely.

  They were out of the bedroom quickly. Good. “Follow me.” He’d planned this carefully, of course, so he had a light wrap for both of them waiting on a bench. But the evening was warm enough that they wouldn’t need them. The weather had been so uncertain, he’d played it safe. As always.

  When he opened the door to the evening glow his heart thumped harder. He wasn’t playing it safe with Bri.

  His emotions had been tangled around her from the beginning, when she and her sister had responded to the Summoning, two shining beings. At the time she’d been afraid, yet she’d used her Power to heal the boy, the rest of his people. Gratitude and relief had filled him, that they’d done right in paying for and participating in the Summoning. He’d had trouble keeping his mind on the welfare of his charges, had only wanted to turn and watch the women. Did one of them have purple streaks in her hair? What did that signify?

  The sight of her the next morning in a flimsy shirt and tights, bedroom attire, had stirred more than his loins. His heart had jumped, too. She’d looked…fresh. He’d held her in his a
rms on the volaran trip to town and had listened to her Song and had never wanted to let her go.

  Events had moved fast since then, and to his surprise, he’d stepped forward to block Faucon’s interest in her, and Koz’s, and any other man’s. Been possessive, even when he knew Bri should not be distracted with…caring.

  Even when she said she wouldn’t stay, would return home. She didn’t consider Lladrana her home. Didn’t think she’d remain and make a home here, like the other Exotiques.

  He was taking the greatest risk of his life trying to tie this independent and mercurial woman to him, to Lladrana. He was leaving himself vulnerable to being abandoned again.

  They’d left the square and had walked through the public gardens full of brilliant summer flowers catching the low rays of the sun, looking more like stained glass than living blooms. They strolled along Guildhall Boulevard. He’d walked this path so often that his feet had carried him the right way. But he certainly hadn’t been charming on the way. Others were out, but were respecting his body language and Song and not approaching.

  “Sevair?” She looked up with raised brows. He’d been silent too long.

  Her hand was tucked into the corner of his arm. When had that happened? He’d been holding her hand. Her fingers had escaped him and were around his elbow where they could fall away so easily.

  She’d distracted him, as usual, so he wasn’t following his plan.

  He put his free hand on hers, stopped and turned toward her. “You were…magnificent…today.”

  She sent him an odd look. “It was Elizabeth’s show. She was the one who figured this out.”

  “Elizabeth was the one who deduced this portion of the problem,” he said.

  Bri’s eyes widened and he saw weight come into them, perhaps even an anticipatory fear. He ground his teeth—he wanted to compliment her, tell her how much he valued her. He was going about this all wrong! Better to have kept his mouth shut.

  She sighed deeply. “There are more tasks.”

  He was guiltily glad all their problems hadn’t been solved, that no Snap would come to whisk Bri away from him too soon.