Salene's Secrets

by Laura Jo Phillips

  Salene picked up her pack and slid her arms through the straps. She’d put the food, and the wooden bowls, cups, and utensils back into it, and Jinjie had shrunk the new, quilted blankets and sleeping bags so she could put them in her pocket. She took a moment to adjust her pack so that it was evenly balanced, then looked around the cave to be sure they hadn’t forgotten anything. Then she turned toward the entryway, Jinjie on her shoulder and the children on Tonka’s back beside her. “Is everybody ready?”

  The Gryphons stood quietly, shoulder to shoulder, each of them wearing a survival suit without the hoods up, preferring to keep their senses of smell, sight, and sound unimpeded. They each carried a pack three or four times larger than hers, and had offered to divide hers up between them so she didn’t have to carry anything, but she’d declined after giving each of them a kiss for thoughtfulness.

  She looked up at them, her mouth stretched in a smile that faded when she had a brief flashback of the last time they’d stood together like that. Three identical faces with three sets of identical blue eyes staring down at her with no discernable expression. The edges of her vision turned dark and she couldn’t seem to draw air into her lungs. She blinked, and her men surrounded her, standing close, each of them touching her while Talus stroked her back in a slow, soothing motion while cupping the back of her head gently.

  “It’s all right, Zerura.”

  Salene sighed and leaned her forehead against his chest for a moment. “I’m sorry,” she began, but Talus stiffened, then looked down at her.

  “No apologies,” he said. “Please.”

  “Okay,” she said, taking a long deep breath just to be sure she could. “Let’s get moving before the day vanishes.”

  They dipped their heads in what was more of a bow than a nod, then stepped aside. Salene looked down, surprised to find Jinjie on Tonka’s neck. “Sorry, Jinjie.”

  “It do be fine,” he said with a smile before he leapt back to her shoulder. She gestured for Tonka to lead, then followed the giant wolf-like Brun out of the cave with her men in a line behind her.

  Chapter 13

  Salene started to step out of the cave behind Tonka when a sharp prickling sensation raced over her skin. She stopped in her tracks, looking around the broad strip of snow covered ground between the cave and the trees, but saw no reason for her sudden fear. Tonka was still walking, and she almost started after him when something warned her to look up just in time for her to see a monstrous creature with leathery wings and wild red gold hair dropping out of the sky in absolute silence, its clawed feet stretched out toward the children on Tonka’s back.

  The Gryphons were still behind her in the cave, and there was no time for them to get past where she stood blocking the entrance. There was no time for them to shift. There was no time for her to draw a weapon. No time for Tonka to run. No time for the children to leap off of his back and into the snow. No time for anything.

  Salene froze for one endless moment, unable to move, unable to breathe, unable to think as she watched the horrifically familiar hybrid with its blue green eyes and wide, toothy grin grab hold of Mali with one bird-like foot. It wrapped around her small body and yanked her effortlessly off of Tonka’s back while its enormous wings pulled it skyward much faster than seemed possible.

  Seeing Mali’s pale little face rapidly shrank in the distance, her arms still wrapped tightly around Tab as she screamed in terror, triggered something inside of Salene. Something big, and strong, and powerful. Something that tore away the shock and horror that clouded her mind, leaving undiluted fury behind that doubled, then tripled as she stared at the disgusting, filthy claws wrapped around her children.

  She drew on the power bond without thought or effort as she glared at the creature, her anger coalescing into twin beams of deadly red lasers that shot from her eyes, slicing the hybrid in two with almost ridiculous ease. Both halves of the creature separated as they fell back to earth, one clawed foot still wrapped around Mali and Tab.

  Salene started running the moment she saw them begin to fall, watching as the weight of the dead hybrid flipped them around so that it was below the children rather than above, putting Mali’s back to the ground. Salene’s feet sank into the knee deep snow with every step she took, slowing her down. But she didn’t stop. Couldn’t stop. She pushed herself harder, using her arms almost as though she were swimming through the snow as she struggled to reach the spot where she thought the children would land.

  The hybrid, with Mali and Tab in tow, hit the snow with a stomach churning thud just as she felt herself lifted up into the air and carried the final few yards. The deep snow had cushioned their landing enough to prevent the fall from killing the children outright, but whether the hybrid’s body below them helped or hindered was impossible to know.

  Salene went to her knees beside the children, both of whom were unconscious and nearly as white as the snow around them. She reached out, then stopped, her hands hovering over their still bodies uncertainly.

  What am I going to do? she asked herself. She wasn’t a doctor, or a healer, or even a med tech. She knew how to put on a bandage and she could run a bone annealer and even seal a wound if it wasn’t too serious, but that was all she knew.

  Talus spread the hybrid’s claws open so that they were no longer wrapped around the children, but that was all he dared do at the moment. It took every ounce of control he possessed to leave them lying on top of the remains of the creature, but he knew that moving them without knowing what their injuries were could kill them. “How are they?” he asked.

  “I don’t know,” Salene said on a harsh sob, but was unable to say more. She started to lower her hands when a quiet voice inside of her urged her to do…something. What was it? She was too panicked to understand it, unable to focus. She controlled her breathing, forcing herself to pay attention to whatever that inner voice was telling her. After a few moments she slid one hand palm down beneath Tab so that it rested on Mali’s tiny abdomen. She laid her other hand on Tab’s chest, then closed her eyes and gave herself up to her inner voice because, somehow, she knew that voice was the only hope the children had.

  After just a few seconds she was startled to realize that she could sense their injuries, then she was horrified by how serious they were. Tab’s body, as small as it was, had slammed into Mali’s abdomen on impact, causing massive internal damage to Mali and lesser, but still life threatening injuries to Tab. Organs inside each of their small, fragile bodies were torn and bleeding. She was unable to identify the organs, and wouldn’t have known what they did even if she could’ve named them. But she did know that the injuries were draining their lives away with each beat of their hearts.

  Salene clenched her jaw against the panic threatening to overwhelm her. She could fix this. She knew it. All she had to do was relax and let it happen. She took a long, slow, deep breath, feeling her lungs expand to their fullest. Then she let it out just as slowly, exhaling until her lungs were completely empty. Then again, and again, until her mind calmed and her fear retreated to the back of her mind.

  Her hands grew warm. In her mind’s eye they seemed to glow, though she didn’t open her eyes to look. She continued to breathe, her confidence rising as she felt the warmth of her hands increase until they became almost, but not quite hot. Then, sensing the moment was right, she gave a little push with her mind, urging the golden warmth of her right hand to seep into Mali’s body, and that of her left hand to seep into Tab’s.

  Without realizing it she began to hum under her breath, the same song she’d sung to the children when she’d found them in the dark pit beneath Oberto’s hut. Had it only been the day before? It felt like so much more time had passed. Like the children had always been a part of her life. Or maybe were always meant to be a part of her life. She wasn’t sure which, or even why, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that she save this precious little girl who’d never tasted chocolate, never had real shoes, never worn a ribbon in her hair, and who knew
more about how to care for a child than to be one herself. And this sweet, beautiful little boy who was so bright, and so aware, but had no way to express the boundless curiosity normal for a child of four. No way to ask questions, no toys to play with, no goodnight kisses, no idea what life for a toddler should be.

  The warm energy Salene had drawn from somewhere deep inside of her own being filled each child. It focused on their injuries, flowing through and around them, repairing the tearing, bruising and swelling, and soothing away the pain until, in just a few short minutes, they were both whole again.

  Salene continued to hum until the warmth in her hands faded and she no longer felt the flow of energy. She opened her eyes at the same moment that Mali opened hers. Golden eyes met gray and both knew that the connection they’d felt before was now so big and so strong that it could never be broken. Then Tab opened his eyes and smiled up at her, and Salene felt the same stronger connection with him.

  She lifted her hands from both of them, then started to reach for Tab, but Talus got there first and lifted him gently off of Mali. Kar reached for Mali, while Jon helped Salene to her feet and guided her a few feet away from the remains of the hybrid. Then Kar slowly and carefully placed Mali in her arms.

  “You have shared your life force with these children,” Talus said, his voice deep and gravely from the strength of his emotions. As he spoke he moved closer to Salene so that she could wrap one arm around Tab while he bore the boy’s weight. “Mali is now your daughter, and Tab is now your son. You are their mother, connected to them as they are connected to you by a bond stronger than blood, bone, and heart. A bond that can never be broken. Not by life, nor by death.”

  Salene held both children close as she listened. She didn’t know what Talus was talking about, had never even heard of such a thing, but she could ask questions later. Her eyes squeezed shut against the tears that threatened when Mali wrapped both arms around her neck and held on as though she never wanted to let go. Tab wrapped one of his little arms around her neck as well, and put the other around Mali while Salene rocked back and forth like she’d done earlier, soothing herself and the children. Talus, Jon, Kar, Tonka, and Jinjie watched in silence, awed by the power of what they’d just witnessed.

  “Is it true?” Mali whispered softly so that only she could hear. “Are you really my Mom now?”

  “Yes honey, it’s true, and I am,” Salene replied just as softly. “Can you feel it?”

  “Yes,” she replied, her arms tightening. Salene felt the warm tears against her neck and smiled even as her own tears wet her cheeks.

  “You’re my daughter now, and you, Tab, are my son. We belong to each other, forever and always.” She felt Mali tense a little, but she knew this child well already, so she remained silent and waited. As usual, she didn’t have to wait long. Mali was too smart and had been through too much to be fearless, but she was the bravest child Salene had ever known.

  “Can we call you Mom?” she asked hesitantly, and Salene felt as though her heart might burst with happiness.

  “Yes, please,” she said hoarsely, holding them both just a bit tighter for a moment. When the lump in her throat relaxed enough for her to speak more clearly she leaned back a little so she could see their faces. “How do you feel?”

  “Good,” Mali said. “Warm.”

  “Do you hurt anywhere?”

  “Not any more.”

  “Tab, do you hurt anywhere?” Tab lifted his head and looked up into her eyes before shaking his head no.

  “Is your stomach sore?” Tab shook his head again. “Mali?”

  “No, I feel good now.”

  “If either of you have any pain anywhere at all I want you to tell me, all right?”

  “We will,” Mali said. Salene kissed Tab on the forehead, then released him into Talus’s arms so that she could wipe the tears from Mali’s cheeks with her fingertips. “Don’t want those to freeze.”

  Mali looked into Salene’s eyes for a long moment, then raised one small hand to touch the area beside her left eye lightly with the tips of her fingers. “Did that hurt you?”

  “No,” Salene assured her, surprised that Mali had seen anything at all in her terror. “Not a bit.”

  “Good,” Mali said with relief. She looked up at the sky, then back to Salene. “Will more come?”

  “If they do, we’ll be ready for them,” Salene replied. “Don’t forget what I told you about Talus, Jon, and Kar.” Mali looked at her blankly for a moment, then her little eyebrows rose in surprise. She turned her head to look at Talus, bit her lip, then decided it was safe to ask her question since he was holding Tab like he really cared about him.

  “Mom said that you can fly,” she said, blushing a little when she used the word mom for the first time in her memory.

  “That’s right,” Talus replied, understanding exactly what Mali wanted to know. “If that thing had taken you away, we would have followed it and gotten you back. I want you to remember that, Mali. I want you to know that no matter what, we will always come for you and Tab. Never think we won’t. That’s a promise.”

  Mali was stunned speechless for a long moment. Then she remembered herself and whispered, “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome,” Talus said. He had to stop himself several times from reaching over and pulling Mali close, and he knew Jon and Kar were struggling as well. They’d promised to go slowly with Mali, and they didn’t want to frighten her. But the fear he’d felt, that all of them had felt at their first sight of that thing flying away with the children made it difficult not to pull them both into the safety of their arms. He never wanted to experience that kind of horror again.

  “Do you want to ride Tonka again, or shall I carry you?” Salene asked Mali.

  Mali hesitated, her little body stiffening just enough to let Salene know she wanted to ask something, but was worried again. She waited patiently, letting Mali take her time. “I’m too big to be carried. Or hugged.”

  Salene’s arms tightened as she pulled her closer. “You will never be too big to be hugged, and so long as I can lift you, you won’t be too big for me to carry, either.”

  Mali searched her eyes for a long moment, then smiled. “We’ll ride Tonka,” she decided. “If another one of those things comes, you might need to do that again.”

  “You don’t have to worry about that happening again, honey,” Salene said. “We didn’t expect it before, but we will from now on. Okay?”

  Mali nodded, then swallowed hard. “Okay.” They both looked up just as Tab gave Talus one of his gentle pats on the cheek. Then he took a deep sighing breath, laid his head on Talus’s shoulder, and closed his eyes. Salene had to blink back still more tears at the expression on Talus’s face as he held the boy close.

  “Tab likes him,” Mali whispered. “You can always trust Tab’s feelings about people.”

  “That’s good to know,” Salene said, watching Talus and Tab.

  “How’d you do that thing with your eyes?”

  “Do you remember Wolef from earlier this morning? The golden dragon over the fire?”

  “Yes,” Mali said, nodding.

  “He loaned me his dragon magic so I could use it against bad things like that creature,” Salene said. “I’m sorry you had to see it.”

  “I’m not,” Mali said. “I’m glad you can do that.”

  “So am I, honey,” Salene said. “So am I.”

  Mali hugged her once more, then indicated she wanted to get down. Salene set her on her feet, watching carefully to be sure she was steady. Then she glanced behind her to the place where the hybrid’s body had landed, surprised to find nothing but snow. “Where’d it go?” she asked Kar.

  “Jinjie moved it away from the cave just in case someone might want to use it again without the stench.”

  She turned to where Tonka stood with Jinjie on his back. “Thanks Jinjie.” He nodded. She had a few questions she wanted to ask him, but they’d have to wait since she didn’t want to discuss it
in front of the children. When Jinjie caught her eye and gave her a slow nod, she knew he was thinking along the same lines.

  Salene hadn’t doubted Tonka when he said there were hybrids that looked like her. But knowing about them hadn’t prepared her for seeing her hair, and a rude parody of her face on a creature that looked as though it had been torn from a nightmare. The thing’s blue green eyes confirmed her suspicion that the genetic material had come from Rayne, but it was a confirmation she would have gladly gone without if she’d been given a choice. She was glad that the children’s backs had been to it the entire time so they’d never gotten a look at its face, but that was a small comfort. She had no doubt at all that if the Doftles had created one such creature, they’d created more.

  “After all that, I’m tempted to stay here for the day, but I don’t think we can spare the time,” she said. She really wanted to talk to her men, but the children had heard and seen enough.

  “I’m not sure it’s safe, either,” Talus said as he lightly rubbed Tab’s back in a soothing motion. “One of us will walk beside Tonka to guard the children at all times, one behind you, Salene, and one of us will break the trail in front of Tonka. We’ll rotate.” Salene reached down to stroke Mali’s hair when she heard her soft sigh of relief at Talus’s words.

  “I can walk beside the children,” Salene said, but Talus was shaking his head before she’d finished speaking.

  “No, Zerura, you can’t,” he said. “The snow is too deep for you to break a trail. You need to stay directly behind Tonka. If there’s no snow when we reach the bottom of this mountain, then you can rotate positions with us. All right?”

  “All right,” Salene agreed, knowing he was right. She started to turn away, then noticed a worried look in Talus’s eyes. “What?”