Heart Quest

by Robin D. Owens

  “Proper? Have you gone all formal on me?” Trif asked.

  “No. It’s not—elegant.”

  Trif put her cup down with a clink. “I think it shows self confidence and initiative.”

  “Your mother worries—no, I won’t use manipulative guilt on you.”

  Making a face, Trif said, “Then you’re the only one. If I lived at home in the Clover Compound, they’d lock me in my room.”

  “No, they wouldn’t.”

  “Maybe not, but one of the uncles would insist on going with me.”

  Mitchella wrinkled her nose. “Not good.”

  “No.”

  “But maybe one of the cuzes…”

  “No! I don’t need anyone tagging around with me.”

  Greyku opened one blue eye. I will go with my FamWoman, she sent loudly.

  “I heard that!” Mitchella exclaimed. “My Flair has increased slightly since marrying Straif and living in a GrandHouse.” She tickled Greyku on her stomach. “But you aren’t much protection for Trif.”

  Greyku sat up and lifted her nose. I can scream very loud.

  “She can too. I’ve already had complaints from the neighbors. Speaking of which, one of them is going to help me with teleporting.”

  “Who?” asked Mitchella sharply.

  “Ilex Winterberry.”

  Mitchella relaxed. “I like Winterberry. I’d forgotten he was living in MidClass Lodge now.” She nibbled on her lip. “I think he’s the younger son of a GrandLady. Estranged. Though I don’t know how powerful Winterberry’s Flair is. Very, I think. He could probably Test and become a GrandLord in his own right—just as you could Test and rise to GraceLady status.”

  “Why would I want to?”

  “A title has its uses. My shop is so busy I have employees running it now, and I’m booked all next year for decorating projects.”

  Trif set Greyku on the floor, stood, and kissed her cuz on the cheek. “Your career is skyrocketing because you’re a good decorator.” She looked around the room, which Mitchella had recently refurbished, pale seafoam green walls, comfortable chairs, pretty carpet bespelled against traffic and stains, a small dining table of the Clovers’ new line. The lounge was now a place where people liked to eat and gather.

  Trif said, “This room is lovely and your house is gorgeous. Everyone wants the designer who renovated T’Blackthorn Residence and restored its glory.”

  Mitchella hugged Trif hard. “Thank you.” She held Trif at arm’s length and looked at her. “You know I love you and just want you to be safe.”

  “Yes.”

  “So go see T’Willow. I asked him if anyone’s done what you are doing. He didn’t know of any instances, and he sounded intrigued. He said that he’d speak with you for a favor from you.”

  “A favor! What kind of favor?”

  “I don’t know. You can deliver the fountain and ask him. I’ve set the appointment for tomorrow afternoon, a septhour after WorkEnd Bell. Come by my place first, and I’ll give you the fountain. The T’Blackthorn glider will transport you and wait to pick you up.”

  “The clunky old glider or one of those new models Straif commissioned?”

  Mitchella chuckled. “One of the new ones, but not Straif ’s two-seater. It was just delivered and he hasn’t driven it yet.” She crossed to the window and smoothed a curtain.

  “Have you heard when he’ll be returning?”

  “No.” A shadow passed over her face. She shifted her shoulder. “Our bond is strong, so I know he’s not hurt or worse. But that assignment from the Noble Council to track the lost last-of-the-Family Lord Ginseng took him to the eastern wilderness. Straif ’s weary and tired.”

  Trif curled Greyku on her shoulder and went over and kissed her cuz on the cheek. “You’ll be fine.”

  After a watery swallow, Mitchella said, “Of course I will. This is just the longest he’s been away and the farthest he’s gone.” In a lighter tone, she added, “Though that snotty Fam of his might drive me crazy in the meantime.”

  With a chuckle, Trif said, “You took the man, you had to take his Fam.”

  “If only he’d met me first,” Mitchella murmured, then shrugged, calling attention to the drape of the stylish gown she wore.

  Trif stepped back. “Oooh, what a robe!” She reached out and touched the material, silkeen, then shook her head. “Admit it. You like living as a FirstFamilies GrandLady.”

  “I love it. Most of all, I love Straif.” Mitchella glowed.

  “Then you should understand why I want to find my Heart-Mate.”

  Huffing a breath, Mitchella said, “Touché.”

  Ilex slowly pulled his Flair from deep-examination of the Fam’s sensory impressions of the dawn before. He found himself rocking the cat. He’d been using Flair to calm the young tom and gently massaged him. Blinking, Ilex realized that touch was the best technique when “interrogating” FamCats. He slid his fingers down one of Rhyz’s forepaw pads, and the cat hissed and yanked it away, but not before new images flooded Ilex, more detailed than before.

  FamMan gone. Dead. Abandoned Me here in this bad place. Dead! Feel full, full, full. So big with Flair—a giant Cat, ten times bigger than Zanth, than hunting Cats. Bigger than the biggest human.

  Dimness around Me except for bright spots of flickering light held in human hands. They dip and move and make seeing hard. Lying on a rough cloth that smells like musky-nasty-bad-humans-death. Hair rising, but only a low growl in the throat instead of the loud warning yowl. Light slips down silver coming toward Me. Heart jump! A blade. Bad, bad, bad. The blade stabs forward, slices paw. Whimper in pain. Emptying.

  Fear at sound of howling like vicious dogs. Dipping and swaying of the bobbing lights. Horrible man-woman scent. Sweat. Triumph. Bad happiness throbbing from humans. Mean humans laughing not-real-laughter.

  Heavy cloth drops over head. Terror! Can’t see. Too much smell. Smoke. Spices. Dark comes.

  Danith calls, holds out hands, commands. Go to her. Yes. She will care. Yes. Danith. Human-mother. She cradles, sings, comforts. Bad things gone. Bond with Gib gone. Sad.

  With a light stroking between Rhyz’s ears, Ilex said, “Forget, it is over. Live through the moment and find past memories to cherish. Your loved one circles on the Wheel of Stars, awaiting rebirth.” A standard guardsman patter for those who have lost, but almost wasted on the Fam, since cats were the best creatures at living in the moment that Ilex had ever known. He’d already learned that much from little Greyku. He touched the cat’s pad again, and Rhyz hissed and swatted his hand, claws slightly extended.

  “That was well done,” Danith D’Ash said, and Ilex looked up to see her watching him from the threshold of the door. “You’ve effected some emotional Healing for Rhyz. My thanks.”

  Ilex lifted and dropped a shoulder. “It was nothing.”

  “But you look as if you do it often.”

  Raising an eyebrow, Ilex said, “When I first met your Heart-Mate, he was in a killing rage at having his HeartGift stolen. I assure you, being able to summon calming Flair is necessary in my work.”

  D’Ash nodded.

  “Did you notice this cut on his paw?”

  Frowning, D’Ash came over and crouched down, taking Rhyz’s foreleg and extending it so she could examine the paw. Rhyz purred. With fear in her eyes, she said, “I Healed this slice. Yesterday after I got him back, and again last night, when I thought I’d been mistaken that I’d taken care of it.” Her fingers brushed the paw and blue light flowed into it, mending the slash.

  “Third time’s a charm,” Ilex offered, hoping it was true.

  D’Ash scowled and took Rhyz. “You can examine the housefluff and puppy now.”

  As Ilex rose, he nodded. “Now that I know what I’m looking for, it should be easier on the other Fams. Did they have knife wounds too?”

  “Knife wounds!” She looked horrified.

  “T’Ash didn’t see the Fam’s injury, did he?” That man would have recognized knifewo
rk when he saw it.

  “No.” She swallowed, petted Rhyz. “The housefluff had a long scratch in her ear. I only Healed it once. The puppy had a puncture in one of his paws. I Healed that one twice.” She shook her head. “Punctures often pick up infection.”

  “May I see the housefluff and pup?”

  She brought them in and he soothed the Fams, then examined them under D’Ash’s watchful eyes. Again, he scented the heavy incense that had lingered on the murder victims. He received impressions of darkness and fear and bad-laughing-howling, nothing more. But he had discovered additional information. There was more than one murderer, not just a killer and accessories, and the incense was unusual. He’d never smelled the combination before, and though he could identify frankincense and myrrh, there was a third elusive scent that could be key to finding the murderers.

  When he looked for the knife scars on the puppy and housefluff, he saw no trace. He grunted. “You do good work.”

  “Thank you.”

  Clearing his throat, he said, “You know I have a fox Fam—”

  Her eyes lit, but before she could speak, the door opened and one adult and two children walked in.

  GreatLady D’Hazel, the adult, wore a closed expression and stood a little away from GreatLord Vinni T’Vine, who held her youngest child’s hand—Avellana, who was five years old. D’Hazel made a half bow, one GreatLady to another. “Please forgive us the inexcusable breach of your privacy. He”—she exhaled audibly, gestured to the eleven-year-old Vinni—“insisted we enter.”

  Vinni grinned audaciously. “And hardly anyone ever disagrees with me when I insist.”

  Of course not. He was a prophet. Uncanny.

  He looked down at the small Hazel, and his eyes, which Ilex would have sworn to be green-brown, appeared deep blue. They were an odd trio.

  “Time to choose your Fam, Avellana,” Vinni said.

  Danith squatted and held out the housefluff. “Would you like this soft lady housefluff Fam?”

  The housefluff ’s pink nose wrinkled, her long ears twitched.

  “Pretty,” Avellana declared. She giggled as the puppy raced over and gamboled around her; then her gaze focused on the young tomcat and her eyes lit up. She hurried over to where he’d curled onto a chair, watching them. He rotated his ears. “Mine!” she squealed, stroking him gently.

  Vinni T’Vine frowned.

  “My FamCat,” Avellana said, grabbing him and letting him dangle down her body. Vinni joined her and put his palms under the Fam’s back paws, supporting them. “You hold him like this.” Vinni cupped her hands under Rhyz’s paws.

  “Are you sure you want Rhyz?” Danith said, nibbling her lip, casting a glance at Ilex.

  Rhyz butted his head under Avellana’s chin, his purr loud.

  D’Hazel joined the children. “Avellana is sure.”

  The little girl turned. “Vinni can have the housefluff.”

  Vinni’s eyes widened. “N—”

  “A good idea.” Danith chuckled.

  Ilex got the impression that the boy hadn’t anticipated Avellana’s action—interesting. Hesitantly, Vinni took the housefluff from Danith, grinning when the Fam snuggled into his arms. “Her name is Flora.”

  Ilex eyed Vinni. A prophet. It wasn’t often Ilex was in a prophet’s company. His own occasional foreseeing gift was minuscule compared to this lad’s.

  Cuddling his new Fam, Vinni stared at Ilex as Danith spoke with the Hazels. “I can guess what you’re thinking,” Vinni said. “Yes, we can talk, but I’ll demand a price. Personal, from you.”

  Raising a brow, Ilex said, “I don’t think—”

  Vinni jerked his head. “We’ll talk.” Glancing back at the group of females, he said, “I’ll be right outside.” He walked into the corridor and down to the reception area. Ilex followed. “I won’t give you a reading about your case.” He sounded more serious than any young boy should.

  “Why not?”

  His fingers trembled as he stroked the housefluff ’s fur and he shook his head. “I can’t see it well. It’s ever shifting, as if there are too many variables in the future, too many options.” This time, his smile was unamused. “And there’s a darkness around the crimes.” He looked up at Ilex with fear in his eyes. “I don’t want to look into the darkness.”

  Ilex curved his fingers around the boy’s shoulder. “Then don’t. No one would ask you to, especially since the future is in flux.”

  The shoulder under Ilex’s hand relaxed. “Thank you.” With a sidelong look: “Now, my price for that information. You listen to my advice.”

  “And that is?”

  Vinni’s lips curved; his green-brown eyes once again met Ilex’s steadily. “Don’t believe everything you see.”

  Ilex spent the rest of that and the next day visiting the best incense makers and shops, but didn’t get a whiff of the unknown herb he’d scented while interviewing the Fams. He reported to his Chief and handed off the investigation to his night-shift colleague who’d been equally unsuccessful. His sense of smell was ruined for the day.

  He entered MidClass Lodge, anticipation at giving Trif a teleportation lesson fizzing in his blood. He heard her piercing scream and felt her pulse of horror all the way down the corridor. He sped down the hallway and was at her threshold, blazer drawn, just in time to hear her gasp.

  “What’s wrong?” he demanded.

  Huge tears rolled from her eyes. Her breath choked and she only pointed.

  His FamFox, Vertic, sat at the threshold of her bedroom, a tiny limp kitten in his mouth, his eyes dancing with satisfaction.

  Ilex’s blood ran cold. He didn’t know whether to holster his blazer or kill his own Fam.

  The kitten twitched.

  “Lady and Lord!” Trif screeched, then rushed into her apartment and dropped to her knees, shaking hands outstretched for her kitten.

  Greyku hissed.

  Vertic dropped the little cat into Trif ’s hands and panted, tongue lolling. Bad kit. I caught her running around the garden, about to slip under the gate to the road.

  Trif held Greyku up by the scruff of her neck. “Is that true?”

  Slowly blinking huge, innocent eyes, Greyku said, Garden bo-ring.

  Ilex holstered his blazer and propped a shoulder against the doorjamb, crossing his arms. Vertic loped over and Ilex bent down to rub his head.

  “What about the apartment?” asked Trif. “You were the one who wanted to stay here.”

  Home bo-ring.

  Trif ’s lips quivered, but she continued to scold the kitten. “You promised to stay inside.”

  The window looked good, then the garden looked good, then the road beyond the gate looked good, and the beach beyond the road. With her thought, Greyku projected overwhelming temptation.

  Trif sighed and rubbed the kitten against her face. “I know what you mean.” She glanced at Vertic. “Thank you, Master Fox.”

  Vertic dipped his head at her. Blessings. He glanced at the late afternoon light filtering through the window. Time for me to nap. Then I will hunt and eat and visit my old den.

  Ilex pushed off the door jamb. “I thank you for not hunting and eating the kitten.”

  She Family. The fox shook his head. Too adventurous by herself. He lifted a forepaw in good-bye, then trotted back into the bedroom. There was a slight thump as he jumped to the windowsill, then silence.

  “I guess she is too bold,” said Trif, stroking her little cat.

  The garden looked good, Greyku repeated.

  Ilex shook his head too. Both Greyku and Trif were young enough to succumb to overwhelming temptation.

  Good thing he wasn’t. “Well, as long as the current crises is over, I’ll—”

  “We had an appointment for teleportation lessons.”

  “Yes. I thought you might reconsider.” He had. He was torn; he wanted to be with her, knew he shouldn’t.

  Her mouth set. “I want to learn how to teleport well. It will allay my family’s fears when I s
earch for a HeartMate.”

  It would allay his fears too. “Did you commission a protective amulet from T’Ash?”

  Her mouth turned down. “He’ll make the jewelry at cost, but then I need a retrieval spell from D’Alder to automatically teleport me to a HealingHall. I can’t afford it, not even if I worked twice my normal hours for the next three months.”

  Ilex knew where he could get a good spell to return her. His gut tightened. He’d have to see his mother.

  Five

  Two hopeful faces lifted to Ilex. He gave in. “Shall we practice your teleporting?”

  Her face lit. “Yes!”

  Me too! I will help.

  Ilex studied the kitten. “Perhaps you’re right, for now. But Trif will need to know how to teleport without you—”

  The kitten sniffed in disdain.

  “—in case you want a treat from somewhere across town, say D’Ash’s, and don’t want to face Zanth when you go beg it.”

  Frowning, Trif said, “Thank you for letting the kitten think she can make a servant of me.”

  “All cats think people are servants.”

  I am not afraid of Zanth. And I don’t beg. Greyku extended a forepaw and flexed her claws.

  He’d offended both of them. “My apologies, ladies. But the point stands. Eventually, Trif must practice alone, to know in her bones that she’s capable of mastering teleporting by herself.”

  But I get to ’port now. Where are we ’porting to? asked Greyku.

  “You must teleport from somewhere very familiar to somewhere very familiar,” Ilex said.

  Let’s go to the Ship, Nuada’s Sword. The Ship can be seen everywhere in Druida. I can show off my new FamWoman to Ship’s Cat Samba.

  “A major consideration,” Ilex murmured.

  Trif smiled. “But it’s impossible to teleport into the Ship because it dampens Flair. And I don’t know the coordinates of Landing Park very well. So not the Ship.” She waved to a yellowed, cracked learning sphere on her dining room table. Ilex recognized it as T’Bean’s Teleportation Teacher. Trif made a face. “It said the same thing, practice with well-known places I can easily visualize. That means the teleportation pad in Clover Compound and here.”