Alterni

by Sunshine Somerville

  There wasn’t much else to say, so they sat in silence. Esme’s eyelids were so heavy. She sat watching the flaming tree, but her eyelids closed for longer and longer periods.

  A twig snapped.

  Owen turned to look behind them. Esme was wide awake now. She too scanned for danger.

  Bear? Wolves? Bring it on!

  King and alterni jumped to their feet. Esme held out her castorca. The firelight behind her cast long shadows over the ground. At the edge of the woods they’d stumbled out of, dark figures moved amongst the trees. Esme was about to fire off a spell when one of the figures emerged into the light.

  “Hello?” called a man’s voice.

  Esme looked closer. The man wore the black uniform of the cavali, and the other men emerging from the forest behind him also were cavali. As for the man in the lead, his voice sounded familiar, and Esme guessed she had a fifty-fifty shot.

  “Dax?” she shouted.

  The big man stopped in the moonlight, and his white teeth smiled back at her. Dax called, “What the hell happened to you two?”

  Owen let out a sigh of relief and started walking toward the group. “Cat’s balls, am I glad to see you!”

  Dax waved to the men with him. “Someone radio the bunker! Tell them to report to the Capiti! We found them!”

  Before she got too far, Esme remembered and turned back to the flaming tree. Using her castorca, she wiggled her fingers to throw a torrent of rain that extinguished the fire, and the landscape returned to moonlit darkness. Exhausted and freezing, Esme still managed a smile.

  Ha. No forest fires here. Only I can prevent…

  Esme’s smile faded, and she shivered as she joined Owen.

  The cavali met them in the open. Dax was the only one Esme recognized. She stood by and hugged her freezing arms while the king greeted his men.

  Owen shook Dax’s hand. “How’d you find us?”

  Dax grinned and tapped his nose. “Tracked you myself, my lord. Mixed blood inferiority, my hairy ass!”

  The king laughed, then asked seriously, “The rest of our team?”

  “Max and Tank are fine. Benja took a hell of a hit, but she’s at the Capiti with the healers. Everyone else we pulled off that field alive… Well, they’re shook up but okay. I left Max and the others to watch the city and headed here when scouts reported they’d seen the bentaforx flying in this direction. What happened to-”

  Esme sneezed.

  Dax looked down at her and dropped his questions. “Let’s get you to the bunker, alterni.” He turned to the team. “We’re heading back!”

  The cavali by now had noted the state of the pair, so they hurried to guide them to their bunker. Everything became a blur of moonlight, snow, and cavali black. Esme thought her feet might fall off.

  “Not far,” said a cavali woman walking between Esme and Owen. “We’ll get you warm and have our healer examine your wounds.” She turned her helmeted head to the king. “You’re welcome to stay the night in our spare rooms, my lord. I’m sure someone will come in the morning to take you home.”

  “Thank you,” said Owen.

  As they rounded a bend in the hill, Esme saw a security light ahead. A few jeeps and trucks were parked to one side of a clearing. The team hurried toward a half-buried concrete structure in the hill, and Esme saw them open a wide, hatch-like door.

  Exhausted and relieved, Esme looked with chattering teeth at Owen. “Well, your royal lordship, I guess you knew where you were going after all.”

  He smiled and gave her a wink. “King, remember?”

  After a long, hot shower in a private room’s bath, Esme lay on the bed and couldn’t sleep. It was too quiet. She was still chilled to the bone. The bunker’s vampire healer had insisted Esme take a generous shot of his blood, so at least her wounds didn’t ache anymore. However, her bare hand required a thick bandage while the vamp blood in her system finished healing her skin. While physically she’d recover, Esme was still rattled, more from Owen’s confessions than their bentaforx attack.

  I don’t want to be alone. Owen’s probably thinking himself in circles too…

  As she rose from the stiff bed, Esme remembered she had no clothes. Hakim had radioed to say he’d bring their things when he and Thaddeus came in the morning. But for now, she had only spoiled cavali clothes.

  They’re covered in blood and bentaforx. I’m not putting those back on. But I won’t stay in this room alone either. It’s like a tomb.

  With a shiver, Esme pulled the sheet off the bed and wrapped herself in a makeshift robe. This done, she shuffled to the metal door and opened it.

  The corridor was empty, devoid of wandering cavali. Esme had no wish to be seen sneaking around in a bed sheet, so she hurried to close her door and tiptoe over the chilled cement. She’d seen the room where Owen had retired for the night, so she quickly scampered there. At the door, Esme paused to take a breath before slipping inside. Once the door closed behind her, the pitch blackness of the room left her with nowhere to go.

  Owen yelped in the darkness and ordered the room, “Lights on!”

  Esme squinted as the overhead light activated, and she clung to her bed sheet robe. “Sorry! It’s just me. –Oh.”

  Owen had also been stuck sleeping naked. He apparently wasn’t bothered by the cold, though, and the blankets only covered his feet. Sprawled on his back, he propped himself on elbows to see her.

  Blushing, Esme looked at the floor.

  Stupid! What was I thinking? He’s the king! I can’t just barge in here! What if someone saw-

  “Wrong room?” Owen sounded like he was grinning.

  She stared at her bare toes. “Sorry. I can go if-”

  “Stay. As funny as your walk of shame in sheets would be, I’m not kicking you out.” He rose from the bed to stand in front of her.

  This forced Esme to look up to be respectful, and she met his eyes.

  Owen’s expression showed concern. “You okay? I keep yelling at myself for how blunt I was when telling you…”

  “No, it’s okay. It’s all a bit much, but it’s been a bit much since I got here.” She shrugged under the sheet. “I just… I didn’t want to be alone.”

  He smiled, still studying her face. “And you want to be here?”

  Esme tried to relax. She didn’t think she needed to say anything further, so she nodded.

  Owen’s eyes drifted to her robe-like sheet. “Quite the cover. From what Hakim tells me, you’re not this shy.”

  Her pulse quickened, and she smiled up at him. “Could we leave Hakim out of this?”

  “Deal.”

  Owen reached out and gently pulled the sheet from one shoulder, then the other. She let it drop to the floor around her feet. Owen’s gaze drifted down her body with calm, slow appreciation, which was almost more unnerving than lust.

  I’m not the first Esme he’s seen naked, she thought suddenly.

  She let out a breath. “Owen, I promise this is the last time I’ll bring it up, but you need to tell me now if I’m competing with-”

  “You know you aren’t.” Owen put his arms around her, pulling her close, and rested his chin on the top of her head.

  That’s becoming a habit… I like it.

  The closeness to him was wonderful, and her nerves unclenched. At the same time, standing naked and barefoot in the concrete room made her shiver.

  Owen took a step back. “Come on. Let’s get you warm.”

  She blushed at this possible meaning but followed him to the bed. Together they climbed under the covers, and Owen pulled her close with her back against him. She snuggled against his warmth, and one of his arms lay over her. Esme couldn’t help touching scratches on his arm, but she didn’t let her mind fixate on how they got there. Instead she focused on the warmth of his body, and after a few minutes her chill faded under the blankets.

  I needed this. Just being close to him… It’s more comforting than sex.

  Owen chuckled, his breath blowing in her ha
ir. “I’m trying really hard not to make a joke about spooning.”

  Esme tilted her head on the pillow, trying to glare at him but failing. “You’re never going to drop the whole spoon thing, are you?”

  “Uh-uh.”

  She shook her head with a smile. “Why do I like you? You’re such a terrible person.”

  “Well,” Owen whispered in her ear, “it’s because deep down…you’re a terrible person too.”

  She laughed but rolled to punch his chest. “Ow!” She’d forgotten she still wore her castorca, and the rings crushed into her fingers.

  “Serves you right, daring to strike your king.”

  Esme rolled her eyes. “Very well, your royal lor-”

  Owen kissed her, effectively shutting her up, and Esme happily went with it. As their kiss deepened in intensity, Owen shifted on top of her. Esme couldn’t have stopped her legs from spreading if she’d tried.

  After a long drive with Thaddeus, Hakim greeted the cavali at the bunker. It was early yet, and Hakim was told that Owen and Esme were still sleeping. Thaddeus carried Esme’s bag to her room, and Hakim took Owen’s. This meant a short walk through the bunker’s corridors, and Hakim soon arrived at Owen’s door and knocked. He heard a thud, scuffling, then silence.

  “Come in,” called Owen.

  Hakim opened the door and entered with the duffel bag. “Everything okay?”

  The room looked fine. Owen had piled his ruined cavali uniform in a chair. The bathroom door was closed. The king himself sat up in bed, his chest bare, with blankets pulled up over his waist.

  Hakim smirked at his friend. “Thanks for covering your lady bits.”

  Owen threw a pillow at him. “What’s the news?”

  “Thirteen more rifts opened around the U.S. last night.”

  Owen’s eyes widened. “Thirteen?”

  “Yes, but cavali were in place to put down the malevolenci. Dax made it back to the Capiti late last night and took your team to the nearest rift, so they’ve got Kansas City covered until you get Esme back. Oh, and conjuri around the country put up illuso spells until Esme can get to those rifts.”

  “Any more bentaforx?”

  “No, thank the gods.” Hakim noticed a castorca sitting on the bedside table. He forced himself to hold back a grin. “Anyway, we can transport you home whenever you’re ready. Much work to do. I’ve brought files to go over during the ride.”

  “Alright. I’ll get changed, thank these cavali, and meet you at the car.”

  “See you then.” Hakim now allowed a smirk and called to the bathroom, “Good morning, Esme!”

  A muffled, “Shit,” came from behind the bathroom door.

  Hakim looked back at Owen, who made a guilty face but also couldn’t stop a grin.

  Hakim set down the duffel. “I’ll have Thaddeus bring Esme’s bag here, then?”

  Owen faked preoccupation with a crack in the ceiling. “That’d be great, thanks.”

  Without another word, Hakim smiled at his friend and left the room, closing the door behind him. Out in the empty corridor, he did a quick fist pump, then composed himself and straightened his tie.

  “Stop playing Cupid, eh?” Hakim scoffed. “Kiss my shiny jinn ass.”

  A grin on his face, he headed off to find Thaddeus.

  Several hours later, Esme, Owen, Hakim, and Roman stood in the summono chamber above the staged bar. Roman had just finished spreading sand across the last alt-world’s symbol on the floor. Only the symbol for Esme’s world was left unfilled. She and her two friends waited and watched while the Master Conjuri worked.

  Esme tried to prepare for the worst. In her heart, she already believed she was the last of her kind. But she needed to be sure, to see it with her own eyes. The men with her wanted evidence too.

  I have to know. Once we have proof I’m the alterni endi, we can focus on what to do about it. This war will get harder. The malevolenci know they’re winning. If we fail, it’s all over…for every world.

  She looked down at her castorca.

  But this world’s given me strength to fight back. Roman and Ada can train me to harness it. I’m not a helpless sitting duck. I’m not going to die. And I won’t let Owen die either. We’ll find another way.

  Roman positioned himself in the circle’s center and scowled at the king. “You’re sure about this, my lord?”

  Owen looked to Esme and squeezed her hand. “Yes, Roman. Perform the summono.”

  Roman hadn’t been happy with Owen for telling Esme the full truth about alterni, but he nodded in obedience. Pushing back his sleeve, he stretched out his hand to the golden circle of symbols. Owen and Hakim had been present for the summono spell before, but Esme held her breath as she waited for whatever Roman was about to do.

  The Master Conjuri tapped his fingers in a peculiar rhythm, first aimed at one symbol, then the next, then the next. He rotated in a full circle. When he came back to the symbol where he’d started, he lifted his arm and made a wide, sweeping motion overhead. Then he lowered his arm and looked around.

  Nothing happened. No one appeared in the room under their feet. The sand in the symbols had no reaction whatsoever. Every single symbol remained as it had been, dormant.

  Roman turned to the king. “I’m sorry, my lord. Your alterni have been eliminated.”

  Owen frowned but nodded to the old man. “Thank you, Roman. You may go. We’ll meet you in the library.”

  Roman glanced at Esme. “You’re sure about that too, my lord?”

  “Yes.” Owen clearly was trying not to get frustrated. “We’re showing her the Chronicle of Alterni Endi.”

  “Very well.” Roman wiped sand from his hands, folded them beneath his robes, and waddled to the exit.

  Esme looked down at the empty bar, then up at Owen. “Thank you. I had to be sure.”

  “Me too.” Owen gave her a weak smile and included Hakim as he said, “I don’t have to order you both to keep this secret, do I? Roman is right to uphold the tradition of silence. Only those in our small circle should know about this.”

  Esme agreed for now. “The Order’s already fighting the malevolenci with everything they’ve got. If they knew they only had me to rely on…” She shook her head and looked again at the empty room below. “I don’t want the rest of the Order to panic.”

  Owen raised an eyebrow at his old friend. “What about you? Can you keep your mouth shut? We both know how you get.”

  “Oh, please. I’m completely trustworthy.”

  Esme smirked at Hakim. “That’s debatable. You didn’t bother telling me the truth, you little jinn shit.”

  “Ha! Anyone ever tell you, you swear like a pilot?”

  “Uh, no. In my world, we say someone swears like a sailor.”

  “Sailor?” Hakim made a face. “Sailors are wonderful people.”

  Esme rolled her eyes.

  “And anyway, not telling you wasn’t my fault. I was under orders.” Hakim pointed at Owen. “He made me not tell you.”

  Owen sighed. “This is how you keep secrets?”

  Hakim grinned at the king, then looked Esme in the eye and made the Scouts honor gesture of this world. “I swear to you, from now on, I’ll tell you everything.” He glanced at Owen. “Unless his royal lordship orders me not to.”

  Esme smiled at them both. Then she took a deep breath and led them to the exit. “Okay. Let’s go to the library. My crazy brain has a new book to memorize.”

  “We made a mistake,” said Roman.

  Ada looked up from the book on her side of the library table. They were alone, and Roman knew it was time for a conversation.

  “What mistake?” she asked.

  “We should’ve told Esme sooner about the alterni running out. Hakim was right.” He scowled into his book. “As much as it pains me to admit.”

  With a look of agreement, Ada returned to her book and flipped a page. “Alterni endi were a theory until now. If she’d known our suspicions, the poor woman would’ve felt eve
n more hopeless during her training. She might’ve chosen to go home. Then where would we be?”

  Roman hesitated, of course knowing the truth was far from theory. However, Ada didn’t know she hadn’t seen all the books. A few in this library were spelled so only he could find them.

  But Owen gave me new orders, thought the old man. Esme’s now read the Chronicle of Alterni Endi. I have to agree that was a wise move. And if we’re telling the alterni, I should tell the conjuri responsible for training her. But how to tell Ada? This is something the Master Conjuri and kings have kept secret for centuries.

  Still debating, he only said, “Well, now we know for certain. Esme is the last alterni of this generation.”

  “You’re sure? When you performed the summono earlier today, none came through? Not even that ghastly vampire?”

  “Correct. I put sand in every alt-world’s symbol, cast the spell, but it did nothing. No Esmes appeared. They’ve all been killed.”

  Ada sat back from the table in thought.

  “It’s also fact,” said Roman, “that this world’s alterni magic is tuned only to her. After what she did to that bentaforx, there’s no denying she’s more powerful than any alterni you or I have ever seen.”

  “Yes. We should intensify her training. Even if she has strength as an alterni endi, she still has to learn to use it. She needs teaching, guidance, practice.”

  Roman squirmed. “We’ve underestimated her. This Esme doesn’t need us as much as those before her.”

  It was an unsettling feeling for the old man. Alterni endi were so rare that Roman had never expected to see one in his lifetime. He’d hoped never to see one because of what it meant. For months since Esme’s first display of power, he’d scoured the secret Chronicle of Alterni Endi for guidance. It was a bit overwhelming.

  Ada shook her head with an anxious frown. “Even with Esme, do we have any prayer of stopping the malevolenci? We’ve never been this close to defeat. We’re in uncharted territory.”

  Roman decided to come out with it. “Not entirely. There’ve been alterni endi before. They’ve been this powerful too. It’s not just magic theory, Ada.”