“My cousin,” Trebor kythed to Danner’s unasked question. “He’s the one I talked to, and he spread the word and gathered people here. He’s the reason they’re here at all. Gerard scored more of a victory than he knew by putting Brican in his place so quickly. He’s not quite so bad as this seems, but he has little enough love for humans.”
Danner nodded to himself, then abruptly shifted his attention back to Gerard as the Red paladin swung back astride his dakkan.
“If there are no more disputes, we’ll spend the rest of the day organizing units and remaking this place into something resembling a military camp instead of a God-awful mess.”
Chapter 11
Life is not fair. People should be.
- Denarae Proverb
- 1 -
In an amazingly short period of time, the loose arrangement of denarae tents became a war encampment that closely resembled a semi-permanent settlement. Tents were organized according to interim platoons and squads, space was cleared for unit formations, company buildings were constructed, and trenches were dug and a palisade constructed around the perimeter. The denarae worked faster and with more surety than most human workers Danner had seen because they had no need of constant supervision. Not only because they were dedicated to the training, but they all worked with the exact same plan in mind ─ literally, for they had only to kythe into the mind of whoever had planned a building or entrenchment to see exactly what was required to complete it. When Gerard or one of the officers gave an order, the denarae could read the thoughts between his words and ascertain exactly what it was they were supposed to do. If one of them completed a task, there was no standing around idly waiting for orders to be passed. Instead, they sent a mental message and went to where they were needed.
At times Danner felt strange surrounded by men who alternated their conversations between spoken words and mental thoughts. He always had the feeling he was missing at least half of what was being said, and it subconsciously put him on his guard. After the second day in the camp, Trebor pulled Danner aside.
“Danner, you’re making them nervous and suspicious,” Trebor said quietly.
“How so?”
“It’s your ability to block our kything,” Trebor explained. “You’re a bit nervous and edgy, and that’s activating that mental shield of yours. They may not be actively kything with you, but enough of them have sensed that you’re occasionally unreadable, which not only makes them uneasy, because it’s all but unheard of, it’s also making some of them wonder exactly how you have such an ability and what you have to hide. That I know of, no one’s deeply kythed of any of us and found the truth. So far.”
“I remember when you first told me about your ability, you said it was considered rude to kythe people without their permission,” Danner said.
“That’s true, and it’s about the only thing protecting you so far. But it’s only a matter of time. San, you know they were actively kything Gerard the moment we got to camp, propriety be damned,” Trebor said, his voice slightly exasperated. “Eventually someone will get curious enough to take a look in one of us, and probably soon after that everyone will know.”
“Can’t you tell when it becomes common knowledge? Can’t you hear other people kything like you overhear a voice?”
Trebor sighed. “To some extent, yes. But if it’s a directed thought, I’d have to be specifically concentrating on the people involved to hear any of it. Eventually enough people would find out that they couldn’t keep that knowledge a secret, but I’d be concerned about what might go on in the time from when it’s first discovered until I hear about it.
“Not that I’m saying they’ll do anything or that you’re in any sort of danger from them,” Trebor hastily assured him. “I’m just trying to warn you that your secret is in danger of getting out. You once gave me advice on how to deal with our friends and the secret of my lineage, I’m just returning the favor.”
“Well, it’ll have to get out sometime,” Danner said, forcing a shrug. “I’ll take your advice to heart, though, and I’ll try to relax. Maybe we should run it by Gerard.”
Trebor nodded.
By the week’s end the temperature had steadily dropped, but the camp was in proper order and even Gerard could find no fault in the construction or layout of the denarae work. Danner and the others each had command of a platoon, and they had appointed provisory squad leaders until they had a better idea of the individual strengths and weaknesses of their new soldiers. Platoons not actively engaged in camp construction projects were put through their paces with endurance training, obstacle courses, gear maintenance, and any number of other tasks that needed doing. Combat assessment and training began almost immediately, as Gerard immediately pushed to get a clear idea of the skills the denarae brought with them and what he’d have to work to improve.
Sentry schedules based on squads had already been established, and officers not on duty were given leave to visit the city. The denarae were technically given leave as well, but given the current feelings of the city toward their race, none of the demi-humans opted to leave the camp. The first weekend Danner, Trebor, and Flasch were given two days leave for Sabbatha, and the next weekend they would remain on duty while Michael, Marc, and Garnet were given leave. The three friends took the buggy back into Nocka, accompanied by Gerard on his dakkan. The Red paladin had business in the Prism arranging for supplies and training equipment he wanted.
“Meet me at the Prism tonight two hours before midnight to help me, then I’ll release you for the rest of your leave,” he told them as they passed through the city gates. Sabor glared balefully at them as though reinforcing his rider’s warning.
“Yes, sir.”
The sun was still high in the sky, but in the fading light Danner could see heavy clouds moving closer to cut off its light. A bitterly cold wind sprang up from nowhere and slashed across his unprotected arms.
“Marc said it’s going to snow soon,” Flasch said from the back seat. “Probably this weekend if he was reading the weather signs right. Winter’s almost here.”
“Lovely,” Trebor moaned. “Just what we need to work with. Snow.”
“You’ll live,” Danner said, smiling.
“Yes, but snow means cold, and I’m rather attached to the thought of staying warm and not worrying about my blood turning to ice,” Trebor griped. “I grew up near Fest, which isn’t exactly known for its cold winters.”
“Look at it this way,” Flasch said, “if your fingers get frostbitten and fall off, you can just heal yourself and reattach them.”
“Funny. Very funny.”
- 2 -
Danner parked the buggy in front of Faldergash’s house with a queasy tickling sensation in his stomach. It wasn’t uncomfortable, it just felt strange. It wasn’t until Flasch spoke that Danner realized the source of his unease.
“I wonder if Alicia’s here this weekend,” he said. “Marc said she finally got a job at a bar somewhere around here.”
Danner’s stomach gave a little lurch, and he frowned. Thinking about Alicia hadn’t given him butterflies in his stomach for a little while now, and he’d sort of been enjoying his freedom from that particular sensation. He’d been doing a lot of thinking during the nights after working with the denarae, and he was fast coming to the conclusion that he was falling in love with the olive-skinned barmaid. He readily admitted he’d been infatuated with her from their first meeting, but this was something different.
“But I’ve never been in love before,” he muttered to himself. “How should I know if I am now and it’s not just something else?”
“What, Danner?” Trebor asked.
“Nothing. Really.”
Clearing his thoughts lest something leap out at Trebor, Danner clutched his blue cloak more tightly around him and walked up the steps into Faldergash’s house.
“Danno!”
The hefty halfling’s high-pitched voice gurgled loudly, filling the house with his exclamation.
>
“You should have told me you boys were coming in this weekend,” Faldergash said, stumping quickly across the room and roughly embracing Danner’s lower half. He gave quick pats to the other two, then stepped back to stare up at them.
“It was short notice for us, too, Fal,” Danner said by way of apology. He couldn’t keep his eyes from darting around the room, but he saw no sign of Alicia.
“Gabby’s at the market picking up some more scrap metal for us,” the gnome said. “She made a big pot of stew just in case, so if you’re hungry, eat up. Alicia’s at work, but she’ll be off and back in a little over an hour, I should say.”
Danner’s stomach grumbled at the mere mention of food, and they all quickly seated themselves around the table with steaming bowls before them. Faldergash poured a cup of lukewarm cahve for each of them, and soon the coming winter outside was forgotten as their bodies filled with warm food. Neither Gabruella nor Alicia had returned when they were finished, so they did the dishes themselves and split up to amuse themselves for the night.
Flasch sat down and began perusing a book Marc had given him on the known history of demons and angels, and Trebor went upstairs to take a nap before their late meeting with Gerard. Danner and Faldergash lounged on the couches in the living room. Or rather, Faldergash lounged and Danner sat slightly hunched over, his head in his hands, absorbed in his thoughts. After a few minutes of silence, Faldergash snorted.
“Alright, Danner, out with it, boy,” he said.
“What?”
“You’ve been moping like a puppy since you walked in the door. Out with it.”
“Fal,” Danner said, then hesitated. “Have you ever been, um, had a girl… well, I mean a… Have you ever had a girlfriend?” he finished at last.
The gnome stared at him without surprise.
“Danno, I’m not exactly a freshly coiled spring, you know,” he said. “I’m well into my middle years, but I used to be young. Thin, too. Of course I have.”
“Have you ever been in love?”
“Ah, now that’s a different question entirely,” Faldergash said, a twinkle in his eyes. He stared past his bulbous nose with a bemused expression, his lips twitching slightly. “Yes, Danner, I have.”
Danner was silent.
“When I was much younger and still had all my fingers, I lived among my own people, and there was a beautiful young gnome who lived a few houses down,” Faldergash said, no longer looking at Danner. His eyes were focused in the past. “Her father was a mediocre inventor, but a genius at manufacturing, so they were quite well off, and her parents were good friends with mine. In the same sort of scenario you read in bad romance stories, our parents decided to cement their friendship by having the two of us marry. This decision, of course, was made when we were still waist-high and barely old enough for our first wrench set.
“We grew up without knowing about these plans, and we were good friends, even if she could be a bit infuriating at times. She didn’t care a thing for fire or engines!” Faldergash said with a touch of asperity in his voice. “She worked with frames for flying devices and with water tools, but I liked her anyway. Oh, that girl knew how to turn a wrench, and she had a good, steady hand.”
Danner choked back a laugh, not wanting to offend his friend. Faldergash noticed some of his reaction, and the gnome coughed back in his throat.
“Ahem, yes, well. Anyway, some ways into our friendship I realized I was in love with her, but because we were so close, I knew she had her eyes on another gnome, one of the lads who’d studied flying frames with her. They’d been seeing each other in secret, because her father wasn’t fond of the other lad. Then our parents announced their plans for our engagement, and things came to a head.” Faldergash’s voice roughened, and he sounded a bit more gruff than usual. “I think she knew how I felt, but we both knew she didn’t return it, so I went to my father and asked that they call it all off. I swore blind that I didn’t feel that way about her, and eventually I persuaded both our families that it was for the best. A year later, she eloped with her lover, and I’ve not seen her since.”
Danner stared at the gnome, stunned.
“I can’t decide if that’s a touching or a horrifying story, Fal,” Danner said.
“A little of both, I suppose, but it probably sounds more melodramatic than it really was.” The gnome cleared his throat loudly. “Now then, what brings this on?”
Rather than answering, Danner instead asked, “How did you know you were in love? How would anyone know?”
Faldergash eyed him suspiciously. The gnome had long since determined the source of Danner’s questions, but he was trying to get his friend to talk plainly. He decided to answer his questions and hoped he could help Danner somehow.
“Gnomish scientists have been working on just this problem for decades,” Faldergash said after a moment, “and they think they’ve finally figured out the why and wherefore. You see, everything in this world is made up of little tiny pieces called atoms. They’re too small for you to see, but there’s different types for everything. Plants are made of plant atoms, rocks are made from rock atoms, and animals are made from different types of animal atoms. Even in your body, your skin is made of skin atoms, and your hair from hair atoms, and so on.”
Danner stared at him blankly, clearly not understanding what this had to do with his question. Faldergash noticed his incomprehension and rushed on.
“Well, anyway, we all have these little atoms in us,” he continued. “Now, somewhere in there are our love atoms, and they’re pretty active. Anytime you meet someone, you exchange love atoms, and they see if they fit together. If they fit well, then you’re attracted to the other person. If they don’t fit at all, then you’re not. It’s theorized that there’s only one person in the world whose love atoms will perfectly fit with yours and vice versa, and that’s the person you’re supposed to be with. Occasionally, you’ll find someone where your love atoms fit really well, and that will lead to a good relationship, maybe even marriage, but it’s not that perfect fit.”
“Fal, I really have no idea what in the Hell you’re talking about,” Danner confessed. “That doesn’t even make sense on its face. How in San’s name do you jump from tiny pieces of rocks and plants and skin to tiny pieces of an emotion like love?” He’d understood some of what the gnome was talking about – the physical part at least made some sense to him – but emotions weren’t made of solid things. By feigning complete ignorance, Faldergash hopefully would give a completely different explanation that was more likely to make sense.
“Well, then think of it like wrenches,” Faldergash said, slightly miffed that Danner hadn’t understood it all at once. “What happens if you’ve got a bolt and you don’t have the exactly right-sized wrench?”
“You borrow it from someone else?” Danner replied, teasing slightly.
“No,” Faldergash said, glowering. “You make do with something else. There’s only one wrench that will perfectly fit a bolt of a particular size, but if you’re creative, you can use wrenches too large or too small, to a certain extent, or even another tool entirely, and you can still get the job done. But there’s only one size and one tool that works perfectly. One perfect fit, one perfect love. That’s like your love atoms.”
“I get that part,” Danner said dubiously, “but how do you know how these love atom things work? If we can’t see them, I mean.” At the moment, he thought it better to humor the gnome’s explanation in hopes of some gleam of insight.
“It’s not my field so I can’t give you more details than that, Danno,” Faldergash said with a slight shrug of his stocky shoulders. “I think the atoms are exchanged via the eyes, which is supposedly why people in love seem so blind to the other person’s faults.”
“If you say so, Fal,” Danner said with a sigh. “I think ale would do the same thing, though.” The gnome’s attempted explanation left him frustrated and confused, rather than just frustrated.
“Alright, let’s t
ry something then,” Faldergash said with narrowed eyes. “Sit back and relax. Now close your eyes and picture this scene in your head. You’re upstairs in the room where you sleep. It’s early morning, then sun is seeping in through your window, and you’ve just woken from a pleasant dream.” Faldergash paused to give Danner time to engross himself in the scene. “Now, you’re lying down, completely relaxed because it’s the weekend and you have nothing to do. Remember, you’ve just woken up. Then you hear light footsteps, and there’s a knock at your door. Who is it?”
“Alicia?” Danner asked.
“Hah!” Faldergash exclaimed.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Danner demanded.
“That’s the first straight answer you’ve given me tonight,” Faldergash said, ignoring Danner’s question. “If you can be that honest with her intentionally, I think you’ve got a shot.”
“What in San’s name are you talking about?”
“Hopefully you’ll find out soon enough,” Faldergash said, beaming at Danner.
Before Danner could again demand answers from the gnome, Trebor came downstairs, yawning hugely.
“I think it’s time we left to meet with Gerard,” he said, his voice distorted by the yawn. “Flasch?”
“I’m here,” he said, walking in from the next room. He laid Marc’s book down on a side table, his bookmark considerably further along than it had been earlier in the evening.
Danner stared at all three of them in frustration, then threw his hands in the air with a sigh. “Alright, let’s go then.”
- 3 -
Some of the equipment Gerard wanted was obvious in its purpose. Four hundred bowkurs and padded suits for training, various weaves and lengths of rope, and a regular supply of food and necessary provisions were just a few of the things Gerard requested from the Prism stores. Other items, such as clothing, armor, and actual weapons, he was told he would have to procure from the city guard itself. These were normal items Danner could understand.
What he couldn’t figure out was what Gerard wanted with five thousand blunted arrows, several yards of thick, black canvas, even more white material, and the requested aid of the only two elven paladins currently living in Nocka. These were part of a short list of things Gerard requested less officially, pulling in favors from friends and comrades to get everything he needed. While he was arranging for these, Danner, Flasch, and Trebor were sneaking into a storage room and pilfering several dozen training cloaks. They realized just as Gerard had that the Prism would probably never lend the cloaks to him, no matter how much aid they had promised him. But Gerard was not about to let such trifling matters bar him from running the training program he wanted, at least not while he had the ready skills of two former thieves and Trebor, who was the perfect spotter because he could hear the thoughts of anyone coming and warn the two thieving paladins.
The Devil's Deuce (The Barrier War) Page 15
