Zahra Unveiled

by Trace Komoros

  Lumi’s urchin grin was unrepentant. “Absolutely.” She sobered, although the gleam in her eyes said she was still quite pleased with herself. “We needed this. You, me, Zahra...separately and together, each of us needed what happened.”

  “I can’t argue that.” Sari turned to me. “And you?”

  “You mean other than the fact that we turned your earlier comment about helping me in ‘ways that don’t currently involve sex’ into a lie?” I grinned then sobered. “Honestly, I’m still processing everything. There’s a lot for me to work through, including this level-up I seem to have made. I guess my biggest question right now is what effect it had on any powers other than speed, strength, and agility.”

  “No time like the present to find out,” Sari responded.

  I nodded. “Is there a way to dim the lights?”

  Sari gestured, and the lights went out completely.

  I inhaled and then reached for what I called foxfire. Every other time I'd done this, the bluish-green glow was dim and didn’t extend very far from me. It was enough to act as a nightlight in dark places, so I could see a step or two ahead of myself, but not much more than that. This time, however, the glow was bright enough to read by and extended a good ten feet away from me on all sides. I gasped at the same time that Sari instructed me to hold steady.

  I maintained it, the glow staying constant. Another change! Before, it always faded rapidly.

  “Can you split it into two streams and wrap them around Lumi and me?”

  Sari’s quiet question prompted me to try. I envisioned what I wanted to happen, then used small swirling hand gestures to help me focus as I attempted to wrap them both in the glowing light. I managed to surround Lumi but couldn’t extend it completely around Sari.

  “Retract it, then try for a flash.” Once again, Sari’s quiet voice guided me to try something new.

  I gathered the foxfire back into myself, then focused on creating a flash that would temporarily blind anyone looking at it. Unlike when I tried to create the separate streams, this time there were no hand gestures; just my will for it to happen.

  Before I had time to blink, a flash lit the entire cave. It was bright enough that we saw spots for several minutes afterward, even when Sari brought the lights back up to their previous brightness. I sat there, stunned.

  Lumi moved fluidly through the water as she swam over to hug me while briefly laying her head on my shoulder. “Told you I’d be good for you, girl.” Her cheeky comment broke the moment and made us laugh, as she’d intended. “Next up, making everyone who sees us drool.” She winked at Sari and me before she hopped out of the water and toweled off.

  Sari was chuckling at Lumi’s antics as I peeked at my stats again. They were still holding, even after those efforts. Damn. Looked like life was about to get interesting.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Gavin

  I ARRIVED AT THE FÊTE after it started, although not so late that it would cause a fuss. I managed to slip in without fanfare and headed straight for the bar. If I had to socialize, then I was by damn going to do it with a drink in hand.

  Once fortified with a tumbler of an excellent single-malt Scotch, I turned to assess the crowd as I stepped away from the bar. Ember, a level rho friend of many years, beckoned to me from his spot just inside the edge of the crowd. His head-to-toe shades of red coloring—hair, skin, and eyes—made him easy to keep track of as I worked my way over to him while the crowd ebbed and flowed around us.

  “What gives, old man?”

  I laughed as I clouted him on the shoulder. “Old man, my ass. You’re older than I am.”

  He laughed heartily at our standard exchange and clasped my forearm in what he’d long ago told me was an ancient greeting between warriors on Earth. “I may be older, but right now, even in those expensive threads you’re wearing, you look older. What gives?”

  I sobered. “Rumors in the wind, old friend. That, and some unsettling happenings.”

  “Anything I can help with?”

  “Not yet, but I’ll let you know. Be ready for my call, okay?” It was an oblique warning, but I knew he’d pick up on it.

  Just then, a pair of late arrivals, one a shimmering vision of blonde and gold, the other a redhead with streaks of brunette and—my eyebrow quirked upward as I recognized the color Sari called deep midnight blue—were framed by the grand staircase entrance. Several sets of eyes, mine included, were riveted on them as they gracefully descended the sweeping curve then slipped into the crowd and started to circulate.

  Ember noticed me watching. “Oh man, watch out for the one in blue.” He shook his head. “She’s as likely to flay you verbally as give you the time of day.”

  I looked at him askance, since Ember was generally pretty easygoing unless you got him riled up. Then he reacted much like his moniker. Although he was entirely capable of sudden, direct action, especially in a fight, his reputation for preferring a slow burn in all matters involving his private life was well-founded.

  “What did she do? Had to be something, for you to warn me like this.”

  “She hasn’t done anything to me, but there are a few people around who’ve been on the receiving end of her sharp tongue.” He smirked suddenly, a flashing smile lighting his entire countenance. “She got Pyrras good a month or so ago. Deservedly so, but Pyrras didn’t see it that way.”

  “Pyrras? That—”

  “Conceited ass who thinks he’s the gods’ gift to everyone?” Ember interjected.

  “That works.” I chuckled, appreciating Ember’s quick wit. “What did she say that ruffled his feathers so badly?”

  “I didn’t hear how it started, but I heard him offer to ‘show her the time of her life’ if she’d hook up with him. Next thing I knew, her expression turned to absolute disdain as she informed him—and I quote—'Not in this lifetime or any other. I'd sooner strip the spines from a prickly pear cactus with my teeth than hook up with you.’”

  “Ouch!” I winced at the vivid picture that painted in my mind. “That definitely wouldn’t go over well with him.”

  “Nope. Since then he’s been claiming that she’s a frigid, uptight bitch. Never mind that those of us who were there say it was fully justified since he was acting like even more of an ass than usual that day. She just happened to be the one who cut him down to size.”

  “Nothing wrong with that. He’s had it coming for a long time. Too bad he doesn’t seem to have learned any manners from it.” My acerbic reply was barely complete before Ember shook his head.

  “I agree that Pyrras deserved the set-down for his behavior, and I’m not saying she was wrong to call him on it. But she didn’t make any friends—and probably did make an enemy.”

  “What do you mean? Other than the obvious.”

  “Pyrras has been hanging out with a handful of people aligned with the radical crowd. Between that and him bad-mouthing her...”

  “I see.” My brain immediately began turning the information this way and that, trying to tie it in with everything else I knew about the radicals and the developing situation they were creating.

  “Be careful, Gavin. That’s all I’m saying. I happen to like what I know of her, even though it’s not a lot. She’s pretty self-contained at the best of times although she’s always been pleasant to me.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind, Ember. Thanks.” I nodded at him as we gripped each other’s forearm in farewell and then went our separate ways, each of us focused on the reasons we were here in the first place.

  I MADE MY WAY THROUGH the glittering crowd until I found an open space along the wall where I could stand and watch undisturbed while I took a few minutes to relax and catch my breath. I hated large gatherings like this, especially when I was acutely aware of the many undercurrents threading their way through it. It was a lot like dancing through a minefield—the total concentration needed to maintain focus and avoid a misstep was exhausting.

  I noticed a swirl of gold weaving through the cro
wd, leaving laughter and good spirits in its wake, and recognized Lumi when she stopped next to Zahra. The exuberant blonde tapped Zahra’s forearm and spoke to her briefly before linking arms and drawing her away from her current conversational partners. I watched them walk, their graceful movements and the juxtaposition of light and dark between their outfits and natural coloring a feast for the eyes.

  While observing them, it finally registered that Sari had matched the color of my tie and cummerbund to Zahra’s dress. That sneaky little witch! I fondly resolved to bust her ass the first chance I had.

  As if the thought had conjured her, Sari appeared at my side in a shimmer of silver that resolved itself into a slim-fitting sheath dress that flattered every curve of her body.

  “Are you enjoying the evening, Gavin?” Mocking laughter filled her voice since she knew I hated these events.

  “About as much as you are, Sari,” I jibed. “By the way, you are so busted.” I smirked as I waited to see how she’d play it off.

  “Oh, you finally noticed that, did you?” She gestured at my tie and cummerbund. “Took you long enough, especially since you’ve been all but devouring her with your eyes since you first spotted her.”

  “Touché.” I acknowledged the hit. “The question that comes to mind is, why?” I left it at that since I knew she’d pick up on the many layers it encompassed.

  “I can’t answer that right now, Gavin. Or at least, not beyond saying it was instinct.” A troubled look crossed her face before she smoothed it out, her public image once again intact.

  “Then that’s enough for the moment, although I’d like to know when you figure out the rest of it.”

  At that she laughed outright, equal merriment reflected in her eyes. “Oh, that’s a good one, Gavin. Tell you, when it’s more likely going to be you who figures it out first!” She fell into a fit of giggles, something she rarely did in public, then regained control of herself and drew a few deep breaths to calm the laughter still bubbling beneath her next words.

  “Gavin, my dear friend, you’re a wonderful man and an extremely powerful super...but there are times when I swear you’re clueless.”

  “Hey, now!” I laughingly protested while making a face, “I resemble that remark!”

  She laughed again as I’d intended, then glanced around the room. When she spotted Lumi and Zahra nearby, she discreetly beckoned them over.

  The duo worked their way toward us, chatting with those they passed while never staying still long enough to be drawn into lengthy conversations. Zahra seemed just as proficient in that art as Lumi, who I knew from experience had very few equals when it came to that aspect of social gatherings.

  They finally reached us and paused, precisely as they’d done for every other group they’d passed. My interest piqued when I realized that something was afoot.

  “Sari! Gavin! A pleasure to see both of you here.” Lumi directed her next comment to me. “Have you met Zahra yet?” She took the conversational reins effortlessly, ensuring we all knew each other without making a production of it.

  “I haven’t had the pleasure until now,” I answered smoothly, aware that several sets of eyes intently focused on our interactions. “Zahra, it’s good to meet you. And may I say, that’s a stunning gown. Is it one of Sari’s creations?”

  She nodded as her eyes flicked briefly to my tie, cummerbund, and pocket square then met my gaze again. “Thank you. Yes, Sari created it. She did a truly outstanding job in minimal time.” She smiled appreciatively at Sari before she looked appraisingly at me—or rather, my outfit. “I’d guess Sari also made your suit and its accessories.”

  Her tone said she’d noticed and was subtly commenting on the matching colors.

  “I did, Zahra. Gavin is a longtime client and friend. You must admit, the blue complements his coloring quite nicely.” Sari spoke blandly, but there were undercurrents in her tone that warned us to tread lightly with our replies.

  Zahra picked up on them. “It does, Sari. I meant nothing derogatory, merely that I didn’t expect to see someone in matching colors tonight.” Her light tone carried undercurrents of its own.

  Our conversation was interrupted as the current Speaker for the Tetrarchs, Aerind, tapped a spoon against a crystal bowl. The chiming noise echoed throughout the ballroom, carried by the superb acoustics.

  “I won’t bore everyone with a long-winded speech or theatrical monologue.” He waited for the laughter to die and then continued, “I hope that tonight’s celebration results in new acquaintances made and old ones renewed, in a way that strengthens our ties to one another rather than tearing them apart.” He paused to let that weighted sentence sink in. His subtle hand gesture cued a lighting change as a soft, rippling arpeggio filled the air and accented his next words: “Tomorrow is never promised—make the most of today.”

  With that, he disappeared from view.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Gavin

  ZAHRA SHIVERED AS THE arpeggio died away. I noticed that the fine hairs on the back of her hand stood on end.

  “Is everything all right?”

  “What? Oh.” She saw where my attention lay. “It’s just an aftereffect. The last time I heard that particular arpeggio played by that instrument...” She shivered again as she fell silent.

  She looked around and then called our attention to the many platters and chafing dishes filled with food which were now arranged on the sideboards. “I believe that’s my cue to fortify myself before I’m obliged to deal with having my toes stepped on once the dancing starts. Gavin, I'm sure we'll talk again later this evening. Lumi, Sari, if you’ll excuse me...”

  Lumi decided to accompany her, while Sari indicated that she wanted to speak with me. As Zahra turned away, I thought I caught a glimpse of weary unhappiness on her face. I reached out reflexively and touched her shoulder. She paused.

  “Would you do me the honor of sharing the first dance with me? I promise not to step on your toes,” I added lightly, trying to coax a smile back to her face.

  “You promise, eh? Can you back up that bold claim?” She wore a wicked grin as she teased me, but I sensed the underlying challenge she’d just issued.

  “I can, and I will. Be prepared to dance as you’ve never danced before, milady.” I gave as good as I got, gratified to see the look of acceptance and anticipation in her eyes. “The first dance is mine.”

  She nodded and moved off, hips swaying sensually as she and Lumi walked toward the waiting sideboards.

  SARI WATCHED ME, A speculative look in her eyes. “Had you and Zahra encountered each other before tonight?”

  Her sudden question caught me off guard. “I saw her at a distance yesterday. Why?”

  Sari was reluctant to answer but finally replied, very cryptically, “Pieces of the pattern.”

  In spite of my attempts to learn more she stayed silent on the topic, so I let it be. Several other things occupied my attention just then, including keeping an eye on Zahra, who had been stopped by Obsidian. I tensed, but she showed no signs of distress and even laughed at something he said before she patted him on the arm and continued on her course. I relaxed and let out the breath I’d unconsciously held, relieved that she didn’t seem antagonistic to one of my good friends.

  I stiffened. When the hell did that become so important to me?

  Time and place vanished as I looked back over the limited interactions we’d had. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t pinpoint when I’d started to think that way—I’d slipped into it as naturally as breathing.

  I snapped back to my present surroundings and discovered that Sari was staring at me with a look of concern on her face. “Are you—”

  “I’m fine.” I cut her off abruptly.

  Realizing what I’d done, I drew a deep breath and held it before exhaling. “Sorry, that was rude and uncalled for. What I meant was, I just had a very unsettling realization, but I’ll be fine.”

  Her look was shrewd. “It had to do with Zahra, didn’t it
?”

  I nodded, slowly. “Yes.”

  She slumped then straightened back into her usual elegant stance. “Be a love and get us some food while I get our drinks. What’s your preference tonight?”

  “Scotch,” I answered unthinkingly.

  “Very well. Meet me on the balcony in five minutes.”

  I started to walk off then paused mid-step. “What’s going on?’”

  She waved me onward. “I’ll explain what little I know once we’re eating.”

  AS DIRECTED, I WAS on the balcony with our plates of food in hand five minutes later. Luckily, Sari and I had been friends for so long and worked together often enough that I knew her preferences and could put together an assortment she’d enjoy.

  We were the only two people out here right now, so she’d chosen a small table partway between the railing and the building’s wall. I joined her. She had a glass of Scotch and two shot glasses filled with a clear liquid topped with something that gave their surfaces a look reminiscent of faintly amber-tinted cracked ice. I put our plates on the table then sat in the chair opposite her.

  “What in Dionysus’ name is that?” My nose wrinkled as a pungent whiff from the shots hit it.

  She chuckled a little at the old joke between us. “Not something he invented, although since it’s alcohol, he’d probably approve.”

  I laughed as I recalled the night years ago when that question turned into the standing joke it still was today. “Good times. Does Herata still swear she fucked Dionysus when she fell through a portal into that alternate world?”

  Sari nodded. “She does. I still don’t fully believe everything she claims happened...but I’ve started to wonder.”

  “Huh.” I pondered that for a minute then shook my head. “Whether it did or didn’t, that’s not why you wanted to come out here. What gives?”