by Raine Thomas
“It does?” Olivia asked. She was holding James’ left hand with her right and wiping her eyes with the other. “How?”
“Well, we know that Grolkinei could, at least in part, read Skye’s thoughts in the dream. He physically manifested and maintained his powers. That tells me that he had some kind of powerful connection with Layla at the time of this attack. As they are certainly not avowed, they may have attempted some other connection. Possibly conducting some kind of blood ritual, or…mating.” She looked a bit discomfited by this. “In fact, this latter connection makes disturbing sense in light of Grolkinei’s provocative behavior in the dream.”
After a long pause in which everyone considered this, she continued, “And the fact that the sensory images were so distinct…Skye could feel everything and even smell things…even her torn tank top carrying into the physical world…it makes me think that they may have pulled her to a location near where they physically were. The easiest way for an Orculesti to introduce sensory images to another Estilorian’s mind, especially that powerfully, is to be experiencing it herself. I suspect Layla was, in reality, in that exact location with Grolkinei at the time she pulled Skye in. We can share this with Uriel and set the Waresti on the hunt for them using Skye’s description as geographic markers.
“And I think Layla has been heightening her dampening skills.” When the sisters gave her puzzled glances, she clarified, “The same power she used after the Becoming ceremony to keep your Gloresti from sensing your danger. It is an ability some Orculesti have. It requires incredible focus, though not quite so much in a dream as in reality. It kept Skye from being able to bring forth her light and it prevented you all from using your wings.” She looked over to the bed, where Amber now sat beside Gabriel. “It even, apparently, managed to subdue Gabriel’s power.”
“But how is that possible?” Skye asked. “Should an average Mercesti be able to dampen an elder’s power like that?”
“It is difficult, but not impossible with the right amount of ability and focus,” Malukali admitted. “And Layla only had to dampen a portion of Gabriel’s power. This was very different from a face-to-face encounter. His power was diluted, you could say. First by being inside of a dream-state, and further, being inside someone else’s dream-state. And if you also consider he was sharing the mental connection with the five of you…yes, I could see how it would be possible.”
“But how did they get to Skye in the first place?” Caleb demanded in frustration.
“We have known since Tabitha’s treachery that such holes exist in our protections,” Knorbis answered. The Wymzesti sounded quite weary. “It has been our intent to try and enhance the protections already in place with the help of you three,” he said, looking at Skye, Olivia and Amber. “I have been particularly concerned that the three of you are more vulnerable because we did not account for the presence of humans, or half-humans, when we implemented the existing protections. The other elders have agreed that action must be taken. But such a display of power takes much time and preparation.”
“Are we ready yet?” Amber asked.
Knorbis glanced around the room. Caleb could have been imagining it, but he thought the elder’s gaze lingered a bit longer on him and Skye before he ended the sweep of the room by catching Gabriel’s eye.
“I think, in light of everything that has occurred, that we have to try,” he said at last.
Chapter Eight
None of them slept again that night.
Though it had been only one in the morning when Skye first uttered the words that drew Caleb from sleep, there was no way any of them could fall back asleep, even after Knorbis and Malukali left to prepare for the ritual they would attempt that day with the rest of the elders.
Instead, they sat around the table in Gabriel and Amber’s bedroom, just the six of them, playing cards. It was an activity that they had all learned to enjoy a number of weeks ago during a couple of rainy days. They played a wide variety of games and they talked about a variety of topics. But none of them discussed what had happened.
When the sun breached the horizon and life began its routine outside their rooms, they stopped their game-play and moved into their individual rooms to get ready for the day. Skye didn’t argue when Caleb left the two doors leading to James and Olivia’s room open as well as the door to his own.
Although she had already showered, she decided she really wanted to shower again. Caleb went into his room to get ready. They both knew that if anything happened, she could communicate with Olivia, who could communicate with James, who could then communicate with Caleb…anyway, she knew she was safe as long as she was awake. So when she was enclosed in the bathroom, she removed the robe that had served as a kind of symbolic barrier against what Grolkinei and Layla had done and then removed the pajamas she wore beneath it. She realized that she didn’t feel nearly as vulnerable now as she had earlier, and decided that sharing her experience with her family had done a lot to help ease the pain of it.
It also helped, in what seemed to her was a somewhat selfish way, that both her sisters had also experienced similar treatment at Grolkinei’s hands. They could now all relate to each other about it. She knew that would go a long way toward helping her get through this.
As hot water cascaded over her shoulders, she deliberated for a brief moment over her scented cleansers and ultimately went with the one that smelled like cherry-almond. She knew Caleb hadn’t yet been able to successfully identify it because the combination of scents hadn’t previously existed on this plane. She had requested it a couple of weeks ago from the Lekwuesti, Pavati, who presently saw to her hospitality needs, and Pavati had crafted it for her.
Caleb’s obvious interest in her scent had always intrigued her. She knew he didn’t realize that he conveyed that interest, but she had picked up on it right away. As to why she wanted to enhance that interest, well, that was easy.
She had been in love with him for some time now.
It was actually a little alarming how quickly and easily her feelings for him had fallen into place. Her instant attraction, of course, was easy enough to understand. The moment she had first become aware on the Estilorian plane and caught his dark blue gaze, attraction had hit her like a powerful jolt to the senses.
Then he had ordered her to get up in about the rudest and most abrupt greeting she had ever received. It had shocked her to pieces. She had generally only ever received the kindest treatment by her human family and friends, and had imagined a much more cordial welcome to the Estilorian plane after eighteen years away.
But as she got to know him, she realized that he truly didn’t know any other way to communicate. Like all other Estilorians, he hadn’t understood a thing about human emotions at the time of her transition, and certainly nothing of the manners humans usually exhibited. His attitude had come across as rude, but it had been intended to be matter-of-fact and authoritative. From that first moment, his protectiveness of her became clear. He took on his guardianship of her with every bit of attention and focus that she imagined royal guards gave a monarch. Somehow, despite his brusque behavior and tendency to be overbearing, he definitely managed to convey Skye’s importance.
At least, her importance to him.
As she finished rinsing, she thought back to the incident that had first brought her feelings for him into clearer focus. She and her sisters had only been on the Estilorian plane a few weeks at that point. Amber had still been in the grip of the curse caused by Angius’ blade. Olivia and Skye hadn’t moved far from her room during the course of that long month, not wanting to be away if they were needed.
Caleb was like her shadow. She couldn’t turn a circle without bumping into him. It had chafed.
“Can’t a girl get a little space?” she had snapped.
He had looked at her with his bland expression. “Your sister is even now suffering the consequences of one moment of our inattention. What do you think?”
She had frowned because she knew he was
right. Still, having him standing outside the bathroom door when she had to pee was just a bit ridiculous. Was a Mercesti going to leap at her from the toilet, for all holy’s sake? And just how demeaning was that for him?
Considering this, she had struggled with an odd combination of emotions. There was irritation over the constant contact, of course, but she also acknowledged that she felt guilty. She didn’t want to seem as though she was treating his position lightly. After all, he was putting his life on the line for her even though he barely knew her. She knew she wasn’t making it easy for him, either. Overwhelmed by her concern for Amber, she had subjected him to a great deal of grouching, not to mention her poor impulse control and inability to focus. And when she had thought about it, she figured he probably felt as though he had become the Estilorian equivalent of a babysitter. And she was the baby.
Sighing, she had finally said, “I’m sorry for griping. I’m sure all of this has turned out to be much more than you bargained for when you signed on to be my Gloresti.”
He had considered her words for a long moment, probably trying to reason out the meaning of the human saying that she had used. Then he had nodded. In the precise way he had of speaking before he and James learned to use contractions, he had replied, “You are correct. It is much better than I ever anticipated.”
Her mouth had opened, but she hadn’t been able to respond. He had completely misunderstood her. And in so doing had given her an entirely unexpected and genuine compliment.
Yes, hearing him say that being her Gloresti was even better than he had thought it would be had lit the fuse of her love for him. That fuse had burned furiously as he supported her through her training, learning to adjust his behavior to incorporate emotions and human manners just as she learned the ways of Estilorians. He did things like taking her out after everyone else had gone to bed to teach her how to better control her flying because she had been so embarrassingly bad at it. He constantly asked her questions about things she said or did that were unfamiliar to him so he could understand her better. And he never, ever made her feel silly or foolish because of her emotions or behavior.
And then he had sealed his place in her heart when he shed his first tear, all because of his deep concern for her just after they arrived at Central. The reaction had been so sincere and so powerful that she had been completely undone by it.
Now, she thought as she turned off the water and stepped out of the shower to dry off, she just had to figure out how to win his love. Not such an easy task.
Her life on the human plane on the small island of Kodiak, Alaska had been rather isolated. Her family and friends had all been near and dear to her, and she truly wouldn’t have changed a thing. But she could admit that her exposure to guys had been rather limited. The few dates she had been on had been decidedly hampered by the close monitoring of her father-figure, Nick, and the other members of her adopted family. No guys had wanted to progress beyond the friendship stage with her for fear of possible repercussions from her family. She was thus woefully inexperienced when it came to such relationships.
It had helped her esteem considerably when she learned that Amber had been in exactly the same situation when she met Gabriel. Of course, Amber had been just twelve human years old when they met. Still, Skye knew her older sister hadn’t so much as looked twice at other guys with any kind of interest before she ultimately kissed Gabriel at the age of seventeen. Her first kiss and it had been with her best friend. Skye thought it was about the most romantic story ever.
She supposed that was what, in large part, made Amber such a strong role model for her. Skye had all but worshipped her eldest sister from the first time they had met. She had instinctively tried to ingratiate herself right away into Amber’s good graces, only to be promptly rebuffed. And only after she had gotten to know both Amber and Gabriel had she come to understand that Amber didn’t immediately trust anyone…that she hadn’t had a stable placement with a loving caregiver until she was twelve and hadn’t understood what it meant to have a friend until she met Gabriel. And only after six years of friendship had Amber opened herself to Gabriel’s love.
Skye considered their relationship the ultimate example. And now she had Olivia’s example to follow, as well. James had fallen in love with her middle sister within a few months, rapidly learning the true depths of human emotion. She took heart from this example, as it meant she wasn’t so crazy for feeling as strongly for Caleb as she did in such a relatively short span of time.
Before her shower, she had selected one of her favorite outfits to wear for the coming ritual and brought it into the bathroom with her. Now dry, she began to get dressed. The cap-sleeved baby doll dress was a swirling combination of silver and bright aqua and fell to her knees in fluttery, flattering lines. She wore matching aqua sandals that strapped up her calves, dangling earrings, a chunky silver necklace and thin bracelets in an assortment of colors on her wrists. Then she selected a silver hair comb and swept her hair up at the temples, securing it at the crown of her head with the comb and leaving the rest of her hair curling down her back.
It never hurt to look your best, she always thought. And perhaps being confident in her appearance would give her the confidence she needed to help today’s ceremony succeed. It certainly couldn’t hurt.
She exited the bathroom holding her discarded clothing and realized that Caleb still wasn’t in the room. Figuring he was meeting with James and Gabriel as he often did in the mornings, she folded her robe and pajamas and placed them back in her bureau.
The strains of Amber’s guitar floated through the open doorways. Skye’s spirits were immediately lifted. Very little affected her as much as music did.
The song was one that Amber and Gabriel had written on the human plane. It was a kind of upbeat, bluesy ballad. Amber’s voice wasn’t quite audible from this distance, but Skye knew it was a bit husky and incredibly gripping.
Just as that thought occurred to her, Olivia’s voice rose from her room to join the guitar. Olivia could bring a tear to the eye of even an unemotional Estilorian with her beautiful voice. She had been in her school’s chorus and was remarkably gifted. Skye greatly admired both her sisters’ vocal abilities.
Alas, singing was a talent that she did not have. But she could dance.
And so she did. As Amber played and Olivia sang, she moved into one of her dance routines. She had choreographed it during the weeks Amber was recovering, using dance as an outlet. The routine blended ballet with more contemporary forms of dance and was meant to be done with a partner, but that never stopped her from practicing it whenever she felt the urge. She had danced both parts of the routine numerous times, and now her movements flowed with hardly any thought.
Amber transitioned into another song with a similar tempo, so Skye didn’t alter her routine. Then, just as she reached the part where her partner was meant to pull her close before extending her into a graceful twirl, Caleb was suddenly there, taking her hand.
She didn’t even hesitate. She simply stepped close, let him pull her against him and then followed through with the routine, twirling to the side with a flare of her skirts while maintaining her grip on his hand. When he pulled her back again for the part of the dance meant to be done in close, synchronous movement, he executed it to perfection, holding her gaze the entire time.
Around the room they danced, moving as though they had done it together for weeks. She understood then that he had been watching her and studying. The knowledge made her heart swell with love. She could actually feel joy spreading across her face as they moved.
He even improvised, making her laugh breathlessly as he introduced side lifts and complex turns. His absolute confidence and innate male grace didn’t surprise her in the least.
As the song came to an end, she again twirled away. Then he pulled her back to him so she was facing him and she lifted her left leg up around his waist. He dipped her low as she extended her right arm over her head toward the floor, his right hand c
radling her left leg behind the knee and his left hand supporting her back.
The sound of applause filled the room. Skye giggled as she realized they had an audience. She turned her head and spotted Olivia, James and Gabriel standing in the doorway leading to James’ old room. They were all smiling.
When Caleb lowered her leg and lifted her back, she threw her arms around him and pressed her cheek to his chest as she caught her breath. His heart raced beneath her ear. “Thank you, Caleb! I’ve always wanted to try that.”
Then Amber joined the others, her guitar in hand. “What’d I miss?”
“Skye and Caleb just put on a little show,” Olivia answered, grinning widely. “They’ve got some serious dance moves. Like Dirty Dancing on steroids!”
Skye pulled slightly away from Caleb and saw his face flushing with color. He shrugged at the curious stares he was getting. And then the corners of his mouth rose when he caught her gaze.
“You really need a partner for that routine,” he said.
Smiling brightly, she just hugged him again. She listened as Olivia described the dance routine to Amber and their husbands inserted some of their own commentary. Caleb held her against him as though it was as natural as their dance had been. The feeling of his arms encircling her was so comfortable. So comforting. And then he leaned down just the slightest bit. She knew he was breathing in her scent and it made her want to laugh.
After a moment, she said loud enough for only him to hear, “Cherry-almond.”
He stiffened, obviously surprised that he had been found out. She pulled back again so she could catch his gaze.
Smiling, she asked in the same quiet voice, “Do you like it?”
Now his smile looked a bit roguish. “Yes. A lot. But I like the jasmine even more.”
If his dancing with her in order to cheer her up wasn’t enough, that simple statement combined with the look in his eyes told her she wouldn’t have as much difficulty as she had thought to win his love.
