“Aw, Mom!” Sybil said, blushing bright red. Teric grinned at her and another bowl of soup appeared in front of him. Strangely to Krea’s eyes, Avice ate nothing.
The bowls refilled until everyone had all they wanted.
Finally, Krea Wymarc leaned back in her chair. She glanced at Hana and caught the other’s drooping eyes.
“The humans need their rest,” Wymarc said to the gathering. She yawned. “And I’m a bit fatigued by the day’s events.” She glanced to Sybil. “If it wouldn’t be too much trouble…?”
Sybil shook her head, waved her hand —
— and they were back in the living room in their apartment.
“Thank you,” Wymarc said in the direction of the dining hall. “That was most gracious.”
You’re welcome, Sybil’s voice echoed through their heads.
Hana gave Krea a startled look but Krea nodded in confirmation — they had heard the goddess of strength in their minds.
“Sleep now,” Wymarc said, gesturing toward the bedrooms. “Wash in the morning. There will be much to do.”
Chapter Two: Whole New Body
“Could you heat me some water?” Hana asked, ducking her head around into Krea’s room the next morning. She held up a jug.
“Best put it in the sink,” Krea said. “Tell me when and I’ll heat it there.”
“Not too hot, please,” Hana said as she made her way back.
“I won’t promise anything,” Krea called. “This is all new to me!”
“Okay,” Hana called back.
Krea closed her eyes. Wymarc?
You did just fine without my help the other day, Wymarc said testily.
I just don’t want to hurt Hana, Krea thought.
Wymarc was silent for a moment, then responded, Very well. Follow along with me so you’ll know next time.
Krea felt Wymarc reach out, find the water in the sink, and think it warm.
“Try it now, dear,” Wymarc said through Krea’s voice.
“Trying!” Hana called. “It’s a bit too hot, I’m afraid.”
“Well, you’ll have to blow on it or wait until it cools,” Wymarc said. “I can’t make things cooler, you know.”
Krea returned to her dressing and threw on a new, but identical white dress and the leather shoes. She heard a gentle sound from the bathroom and suddenly a huge gust splashed the water out of the sink all over the bathroom.
“Ooops,” Hana said in a small voice.
Krea rushed out of her room to find Hana in the bathroom covered from head to toe with water and a rueful expression.
“I think I used too much force,” Hana said.
Krea nodded her head, trying to keep from laughing. She moved into the bathroom, picked a towel from under the others — it was still dry — and started to wipe down her friend.
“Thank you,” Hana said, moving away, “but I think I need to learn this myself.”
“I suppose you’re right,” Krea said, moving out of the bathroom.
It took a good five minutes before Hana was dry, dressed, and ready.
You two may walk, Wymarc said in response to Krea’s unasked question. You need the exercise, it’ll do you good.
“Come on, Hana, let’s get our breakfast,” Krea said, cocking an arm out in invitation. Hana smiled and took it, trailing behind Krea but skipping when Krea skipped and humming when Krea hummed.
Krea paused for a moment as they came to the doors to the hall of the gods but Hana merely motioned her forward, saying, “I’m hungry. Let’s explore later.”
#
Sybil served them with a huge grin and joined them at their table. Terric and Avice arrived moments later and they had a friendly, leisurely meal where everyone ate their fill — except Avice who, once again, ate nothing.
“So what are you doing today, dears?” Avice asked as they finished the last of their pancakes and scrambled eggs.
“The library, I think,” Krea said, seeking Hana’s eyes for approval.
“For a bit, yes,” Avice agreed. “But you can’t stay here forever —”
“Do we need to leave now?” Hana asked in alarm, half-rising from her chair.
“No, no, nothing of the sort!” Terric said, waving her back down. “You’re always welcome, both of you.”
“It’s just that the world doesn’t stop and things will happen,” Avice said.
“And the longer we leave Meiko with Lyric…,” Hana guessed unhappily. She glanced to Krea but looked for Wymarc. “Will she forget me?”
“No,” Wymarc replied firmly with Krea’s voice. She curved Krea’s lips up in a smile. “She could never forget you. You are her first.” Her tone sounded wistful, recalling old memories.
“You’re going to have to learn how to use your powers,” Sybil said. She nodded at them. “I can teach you, both of you.”
“Ahem!” Wymarc grumbled with Krea’s voice.
“And when were you last sixteen, Wymarc?” Sybil asked the wyvern pointedly. “You and Krea are doing well together but how often have you flown?” She raised her eyebrows challengingly. “And how long?”
“You’re right, of course,” Wymarc said after a moment. She nodded an apology to the god. “One forgets these things.”
“Indeed,” Sybil agreed. “It would not do to have to re-learn them at an inappropriate moment.”
“Of course,” Wymarc agreed.
“And Hana needs to learn to ride on you,” Sybil said, nodding toward the . “The kitsune was terrified, something you must learn to overcome.”
Hana frowned fearfully but nodded.
“So the library for the rest of the morning, then lunch, then some training,” Sybil said, rising from her chair.
#
They did as Sybil suggested. Krea found books on Hana’s home country, far around the world and halfway down. She was both fascinated and horrified with what she learned — it was such a completely different world to the one she knew growing up.
“Travel broadens the mind, dear,” Wymarc said out loud. “As no doubt our Hana has already discovered.”
“It’s cold here!” Hana said. She asked Krea, “Is it always cold?”
“We’re very far north, here at the House of Life and Death,” Wymarc said. “And this is the cold season as well. When summer comes it can get much warmer.”
Krea stole her head long enough to nod emphatically at her friend. Hana giggled, saying, “I can always tell when it’s you, Krea!”
“And that’s a good thing,” Wymarc said. “It can get quite tiring having to identify myself every time I open my mouth.”
“There’s no fear of that,” Krea said with the same mouth.
Mostly, though, Wymarc left Krea and Hana to their own devices, merely suggesting a couple of books that might be of interest and making happy noises when they found something that triggered an old memory.
#
After lunch, Sibyl led them to a room off the corridor just beside the front door where they found all sorts of outdoors clothing and gear.
“Wymarc,” Sybil said, “I’m going to need you to take your form as soon as we get outside and let me measure you.”
“Measure me?” Wymarc asked. “Whatever for?”
“Hana,” Sybil said, as if it were obvious. “We’ll need to make a harness so she can fly with you.”
“A harness?” Wymarc said archly. She jerked Krea’s head back in horror. “Why, I’ve never heard of such a thing! Wyvern’s don’t take passengers!”
“Well,” Krea said, grabbing her voice and turning to Hana, “this wyvern does.” More to Wymarc than to anyone else, Krea continued, “We swore to provide justice, Wymarc. And that means we have to bring Hana back to her kitsune.”
Wymarc sighed deeply and nodded slowly. She looked at Sybil. �
�But you know, if I do this, everyone will want all the dragons and wyverns to carry people!” She shook Krea’s head. “Where will that end, I ask you?”
“Ask Hansa,” Sybil said with a shrug. She grinned. “Or just try and see.”
“Very well,” Wymarc said with another deep sigh. To Krea she said, “Don’t wear too much dear, it’ll make it more difficult to change when we get outside.”
“And we’ll have to construct some sort of carrying sack for your clothes,” Sybil said, nodding both to Krea and Hana.
“Food, too, I’ve no doubt,” Wymarc grumbled. She glared at Sybil. “You’ll turn me into a mule, you will.”
“Exercise will do you good,” Sybil said. “You need to build your muscles, too, you know.”
“It’s a whole new body,” Wymarc said in agreement. Vainly, she added, “What do you think?”
“I like the look,” Sybil said. “The white with the gold filigree is very refined.”
Krea could feel Wymarc preen in pleasure.
“But now that you’re all dressed,” Sybil said, gesturing the way, “it’s time to get to work.”
The cold air struck them all the moment they stepped outside. All except Sybil who took in their looks and explained, “This is no colder than my ice box.”
“Admit it,” Wymarc said sourly, “this is your icebox.”
“Well, of course,” Sybil said. She drew a length of string from one of the pockets in her dress and said to Wymarc, “Change, so the poor girl doesn’t freeze.”
Are you ready? Wymarc thought to Krea.
Yes! Krea cried eagerly.
Then follow my thoughts, Wymarc said. Krea felt Wymarc lift her head, look to the far distance, take a quick step, leap —
— and then they were flying.
This is wonderful! Krea shouted to Wymarc as the wyvern’s wings beat steadily in the cold, dense air, pulling them further and further into the sky.
The last time she’d flown, she hadn’t had a chance to look around much before she’d dropped back to the earth with the frightened kitsune.
Now she could look all around —
No! First check your flight path! Wymarc shouted in Krea’s head. Only then can you afford to take in the sights!
Sorry! Krea thought back, looking firmly ahead, glancing just slightly up and down, left and right, until she was certain that it was safe. Then she glanced to her right and felt herself banking in that direction. Krea felt a sudden terror as the ground appeared at an angle to her — they were going to fall!
Nonsense, Wymarc assured her, pulling them into a tighter turn. This is natural. The rules of the air make it so that we won’t fall unless we — and Krea had just a barest hint of Wymarc’s glee before they plummeted straight down to the ground.
Wymarc! Krea cried in terror.
Hang on, child! Wymarc replied, thrusting her wings out and nearly pulling them out of her body as she cupped air and slowed their plunge. One beat, two beat, three beats and then they were back flying once more. That was nothing!
Please, I’m going to be sick! Krea wailed.
Hold on, Wymarc told her, straightening them up and gliding gently upwards, reducing the effort of their wings until it almost seemed to Krea that they were gently rowing their way higher and higher in the air. Annora lost her lunch the first time she let me fly, Wymarc thought, sounding both sad at her loss and pleased with Krea’s response. You’ll learn, my dear. In time, you’ll grow to love this.
Krea thought to her first flight, beating her wings high into the sky, into the sleeting snow, crying in triumph as her new-found wings took her higher and higher and further and further away from the town of her birth. I think I love it already, Wymarc.
I know, Wymarc said. But you’ve only seen the least of it!
Krea had no objection as they circled higher and higher. She noticed that Wymarc led them to a place where warm air boosted them upwards, like a waterfall in the sky — only backwards.
We call it a thermal, Wymarc explained. Hot air is rises and we can rise with it. Wymarc started another slow bank, taking them away from the thermal, allowing Krea a chance to look down at the house below.
It’s a castle! Krea exclaimed. It’s tiny!
Actually, it’s rather big, Wymarc said. She turned them back toward the thermal and glided them further upwards.
While they were rising, Krea spotted the large glass enclosure of Terric’s garden. There were three other gardens arrayed around the outside of the main building which had three stories and five turrets rising high into the sky — but still several hundred feet below them.
We can clear the mountain pass, Wymarc said, turning toward a gap in the snowy peaks.
I’m getting cold, Wymarc, Krea said. And Hana isn’t used to this weather.
Wymarc accepted Krea’s observations without comment, still beating their way toward the pass.
Just one more moment, and we’ll turn back, Wymarc assured her. Look to the horizon, tell me what you see.
Krea looked through the gold-slitted eyes that were her wyvern’s sight. She realized that she could see further than she could on the ground — or were her wyvern eyes sharper?
A bit of both, Wymarc replied with pleasure. I want you to practice using our eyes so that you can help me spot —
It’s the airship! Krea cut across her. She felt Wymarc’s surprise and doubt. See, the colors, there! Those are the balloons!
In an instant they’d turned back and started plunging to the ground.
Wymarc? Krea cried.
We must tell the others, Wymarc said, not halting their plunge.
Chapter Three: The Frozen God
“I reckon we’ll stop in another hour, sir,” Lieutenant Knox reported glumly to Captain Ford on the remains of the royal airship Spite.
“I imagine so,” Ford agreed.
They had been flying for two whole days and nights after their encounter with the frozen god, Arolan. In response to their homage to the god, the god had broken free of his icy prison, and, in gratitude — or spite, Ford was now not quite sure which — had blown them away, further into the bitter north.
For two days they had flown over nothing. Now, just barely visible in the distance, was the smudge of mountains. Mountains that, to Ford’s trained eye, appeared to tower well above Spite’s altitude.
“We’ll either stop soon,” Ford said, passing the telescope to Knox, who took it eagerly and put it to his eye, “or we’ll crash on those mountains.”
“Or — what was that?” Knox said, straining forward to get a better view.
The two of them were at the top of the highest balloon, out of earshot of the rest of the crew, where they could talk in private and look further ahead than anyone below.
“What?” Ford said.
“I thought I saw something,” Knox told him, passing him the glass. “Just between the two peaks, a glint or gleam of something white.”
Ford strained with his good eye on the telescope and pulled it away, frowning. “I see nothing.”
“Could’ve been a cloud,” Knox said with a grimace. “It doesn’t matter, the way things are.”
“Perhaps it doesn’t,” Ford agreed. He passed the telescope back to his first lieutenant. “When we get below, we’ll beat to quarters.”
“Sir?” Knox asked in surprise.
“It’ll give the men something to do, burn off the last of our shot and powder, and it might signal someone out there in the distance,” Ford said with a shrug. “It’s the least we can do.”
“Aye,” Knox said, moving to follow his captain back down to the deck below. “At least it’ll keep the men amused.”
#
On the deck when Knox relayed Ford’s orders, the men all grumbled until Angus spoke up. “If we just use the stern guns it’ll help push us forwa
rd.”
Ford nodded in agreement. “You heard him, men! Let’s get those guns aft and fire them off!”
“And when we’re done?” Sykes asked with a growl.
“When we’re done, we’ll throw the cannon overboard and you can watch them fall to the ground,” Ford told him with a smile. He moved forward amidships, seeking out the purple-robed mage.
“And how are we today, Reedis?” Ford asked as soon as he got close enough to speak privately.
“Freezing, captain,” Reedis told him honestly. He was shivering, his robes wrapped tight against the wind and hidden beneath three different layers of jackets.
“Yes,” Ford agreed with a small nod. “I imagine we’ll all wish we were gods before long.”
“And then we’ll just be dead,” Reedis said, shaking his head sadly.
“But you can’t say we haven’t had a grand adventure,” Crown Prince Nestor said, moving up to join them. Captain Ford gave him a nod and, a moment later, Reedis followed suit. He peered forward. “I don’t suppose there’s any aid forward, is there?”
Ford shook his head. “There’s a mountain range but it’s higher than we are.”
Boom! The first gun fired on Knox’s orders.
“Aim for that mound of snow, over there!” Sykes called to his gunners, the first to haul their heavy six pounder back to the stern. “And keep firing! Don’t let anyone slow you down.” Sykes turned to catch sight of Ford’s eyes and shake his head sourly. Before Ford could react, Sykes’ expression changed and he shouted, “Captain, Captain, look!”
Ford turned toward where Sykes was pointing and back again.
“What is it,” he called back to Sykes but the mate was already racing forward, snagging the telescope out of Knox’s hands and running past Ford. “Come on, you’ve got to see it! It’s the best thing ever!”
“What?” Ford said, rushing after the mate.
Sykes didn’t stop until he was all the way at the end of the bowsprit. He braced himself against the forestay and leaned into the telescope.
“We need to send a signal!” Sykes cried, sprinting down the bowsprit. “There’s someone in the distance!” He was halfway down the ship when he stopped and called to his men, “Belay that! Cease firing, you sods! Unhook that gun and pull it forward, smartly now, we’re going to send a signal!”
Twin Soul Series Omnibus 1: Books 1-5 (Twin Soul Series Book Sets) Page 28
