Whisper

by Christine Grey

  Darius thought he must have misunderstood. Surely Carly didn’t mean the deranged behemoth in the back. He didn’t think he had ever seen a larger horse in his life, and the animal was obviously dangerous. He sidestepped, throwing his head and pawing at the ground with lethal hooves. Even the rest of the herd shied away from him. “Carly? You mean the one over there with the star on its forehead?” Darius pointed away from the frightening animal in the back.

  “No, I mean that one there, by the trough. Scoggins, bring him over please.”

  “Not vat one me lady. Ee’s crazy ‘e is. Even the mistress be wantin’ no part of vat one. Ee’s all set to be made into meat tomorrow. Best pick anuver one, miss.”

  Carly only looked at Scoggins without saying a word, patiently waiting for him to comply with her request.

  “Now, Carly,” Daniel said walking over to her, “be reasonable. The animal’s not well. He looks like he would just as soon have you for lunch as let you ride him. Please, Carly. I worry for you. I couldn’t stand it if anything happened to you.”

  Carly reached a dainty hand up and rested it on Daniel’s cheek. “Daniel, that is just about the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

  “Thank you, sweet. Now, please, choose another horse.”

  “I want that one,” Carly said, pointing to the same beast as before.

  “Carly, I should put you over my knee and give you a good spanking!” Daniel said, his face turning red with frustration.

  Carly’s voice remained completely calm and in control as she said, “Well, that sounds fun. Maybe we could try the spanking thing later, but right now, would someone please get me my horse?”

  Dearra slapped a hand over her mouth to contain her laughter, seeing as the look on Daniel’s face showed plainly, that he was in no mood to be laughed at.

  Darius stepped forward to try to diffuse the situation. “Let me try. I can see if I can get into the animal’s head so I can find out if the beast would be safe for Carly but only if she promises to abide by my findings. Agreed?”

  “All right, Darius,” she said eagerly.

  Darius approached the horse with confidence, but he noticed Scoggins had moved further away to a safer distance. Darius sent the animal calming thoughts, and he tried to pick up a vibe from the horse, but its thoughts were a jumble of raw emotion and anger. It was a good thing Darius was so agile, for as he got within a few feet of the horse, it reared high above him and lashed out with its razor sharp hooves. Darius was able to scamper away from the unstable creature without harm.

  He shook his head as he approached Carly. “I’m sorry, but that horse is insane. Pick another mount, Carly.”

  “I want that one,” she said again, pointing to the same horse.

  “You promised to abide by Darius’s decision!” Daniel raged.

  “I lied.”

  “Now listen here!”

  Darius didn’t know whether to be angry or amused at the situation. “Just let her go, Daniel. She won’t be happy until she has her chance, and that monster won’t let her get within ten feet of him. Anything so we can finish up and get out of here.”

  “Fine with me,” Carly said. She walked through the throng of horses who seemed to part to make way as the tiny woman passed. As she approached the wild-eyed animal, she began to quietly coo nonsense words. The horse turned its head slightly and pricked its ears forward to better hear her hushed song. She continued to chant a string of mumbled words that flowed in eerie cadence as she reached her hand up and rested it against the horse’s side. A little shiver went through the animal and he seemed to grow still beneath her gentle touch. “Shhhhh, hush now, prince among horses. Rest now. Shhhhh.” The horse’s head hung lower and lower and it gave a small knicker before resting his chin on Carly’s shoulder. More nonsense words tumbled from her mouth, sounds that seemed to soothe the animal. “Now then, Prince Horse, how am I ever going to ride you?” Seemingly in answer to her question, the horse lowered itself until it was down on one knee, its mighty head just touching the ground. Carly swung a leg up and over the horse’s back, and he stood again, proudly bearing Carly aloft.

  Darius, Daniel, and Dearra could only stare open-mouthed at the spectacle before them, none of them knowing what to say.

  A voice came from behind them, pulling their attention away from Carly for a moment. It sounded like the ringing of bells, every word seeming to hold the hint of a secret. Dearra stared wide eyed at the beautiful woman before her. She wore a cloak of pure white, but she had thrown the hood back to expose her face to the unforgiving Parsaian sun. She stood no more than four and a half feet tall, and had a crown of red and gold hair that cascaded down her back in perfect curls. Her eyes were shockingly green with black, cat-like irises, and her skin was so pale it almost seemed translucent. She spoke again, this time more clearly so that all could hear, though it was evident that her words were meant for Carly, as she never looked away from her. “Greetings, and welcome, my sister.”

  Carly looked down from atop her perch and smiled at the tiny lady before her. “Hello, are you the mistress here?”

  “I am, indeed, and I am delighted to meet you. Please come inside so we may speak in comfort out of the glaring sun.”

  At a word from Carly, the horse lowered itself to one knee so she could slide gracefully from his back. “Wait here for me, Prince Horse. I’ll be back.” The horse tossed his head high in the air giving a loud whinny, causing Carly to giggle.

  “I am Aesri, and you are?”

  “Carly of Maj, and I am pleased to meet you as well, but tell me, why did you call me sister?”

  “It is how one female Etrafarian always greets another of her kind, for we are all children of the Great Tree, are we not?”

  Carly stood open-mouthed, unable to say a word in response to Aesri’s shocking statement.

  “Come,” Aesri said. “I can see you have many questions, my sister.”

  Aesri took Carly by the arm and gently led her into a large, ornate tent; Daniel following closely behind.

  Darius held Dearra back a moment before they entered the tent and said, “And that, Dearra, is a fairy.”

  Chapter 15

  Darius, Dearra, Daniel, and Carly joined Aesri inside of the tent, surrounded by the soft smoke of incense, smelling of rich earth and wood violets, of green grass and pine—reminiscent of a forest glade. In one corner, a small fountain bubbled and flowed over smooth stones. The sound was like that of a brook sparkling and tripping merrily on its way. It seemed unusual, given the confined space of the tent, but it was not unpleasant; if one closed one’s eyes, she could almost imagine herself alone in a quiet forest.

  “Sit down, please,” Aesri said kindly, motioning to the floor, strewn with pillows covered in silks with the rich, jewel tones of fall leaves. Golden yellow, burnt orange, and rich reds seemed to dominate, as did varying shades of green.

  “Aesri,” Carly said, “why in Cyrus’s name would you call me sister? I am Maj. I don’t understand.”

  “Neither do I,” Daniel said, somewhat gruffly. “I’ve known Carly since she was born; she’s no fairy.”

  Carly put her hand to Daniel’s sleeve. “It’s all right, Daniel. She doesn’t mean any harm, I’m sure. Let’s just listen to what she has to say.”

  “No, Weapons Master, I am no danger to her, though she is, indeed, Etrafarian. I do not really care for the term fairy myself. Many of my kin find it sweet, and they will even refer to themselves in such a way, but I am more of a traditionalist, I suppose.”

  “No offense, lady, but it’s that sort of thing right there that makes me nervous. How do you know that I am weapons master?”

  “You told me, of course.” Seeing the look of protest on his face, she held up a slender hand. “I do not mean to say that you told me with words, but it was in your carriage, the way you walk, the way you are alert to everything. Also, it is in the way the girl-warrior looks to you for guidance, even when trying to seem as though she is complete
ly independent.”

  “You picked all of that up in just the few minutes you have known us?” Carly asked.

  “Oh, that and much more, but it is rude to notice too much, so we refrain from mentioning it as much as possible.”

  “You still haven’t answered my question: why would you think me an Etrafarian?”

  “I do not ‘think’ you are a sister; I know it. I admit I was not sure at first, after all, you are so very tall, but after I saw you with Khan, I knew.”

  “Me? Tall? You’re joking, right? And who’s Khan?”

  Aesri laughed. It was a beautiful, ringing sound that was not unlike the flutter of bells. “Carly, for an Etrafarian, you are downright lofty. And Khan is the stallion you were speaking with. Khan means ‘prince’ in the local speech. He has been a most difficult charge. My sisters and I have never had to deal with anything like him. I am afraid we were going to have him destroyed. He has been proud since the day of his birth and will not deign to let us handle him, let alone ride him. We knew he was waiting, but honestly, he was a burden on the other horses, always making everyone else uneasy. It just was not fair to go on like that. Then, at last, you came. Some horses are that way. They know who they belong to from the day they are foaled, and they wait for that person to arrive.

  “Khan waited five years for you, but he seems content now. That is how I knew you were a sister. When you started to chant the spell to calm him, it was so clear, even your height could not fool me. Somewhere in your past there is an Etrafarian ancestor.”

  “Aesri, you must be mistaken. I don’t know any spells. There would be no one around to teach me such a thing, anyway. What you call a spell are just made up songs I sing to myself. The words aren’t even real. I just chant whatever comes to mind, as I’ve done since I was a child. Besides, none of my family is little but me.”

  “Breken,” Aesri said sharply. “You have known her for some time. Why did you not tell her?”

  Darius spoke quietly and with respect. “I was not sure. I didn’t want to frighten or confuse her only to find out later that I was wrong. Besides, on Maj there is really no reason she needed to know. Her life went on as it always had. She was happy and content; I saw no reason to interfere with that.”

  Aesri sat silently, weighing his words before nodding to herself, and then she turned her attention back to Carly. “It is not unusual that only you have the traits of Etrafa. It is likely the ancestor is far back in your line, and the magic has grown dim through the generations. As for the spells, no one needs to be taught, they are just…known. You, my sister, are Etrafarian.”

  “I don’t know, Aesri. It all seems too fantastic to be true.”

  “Well, there is one sure way to know—float.”

  “What?” Carly said with a stammer.

  “I said, float. You know, make yourself light.”

  “I don’t understand. I can’t fly.”

  “Oh, no. You are much too inexperienced to fly. Just float for now; fly later. One step at a time, sister.”

  “But how—”

  “Do not try, just do.”

  Carly grew very still. Everyone in the tent seemed to hold their breath as she closed her eyes. Only Aesri remained unaffected, watching patiently. Carly imagined herself light and airy, as she pictured a feather floating on a warm breeze. She opened her eyes slowly, thinking herself ready to try, and was stunned to find herself three inches above the pillow she’d been sitting on only a moment before.

  Carly gasped. “Oh, my!” she said, and came thudding back to the floor.

  Aesri heaved a heavy sigh and shook her head almost sadly. “You are trying too hard instead of just doing, but I suppose it is a start, my sister.”

  They spent several hours with Aesri, all promising to return soon for another visit. Darius was beyond pleased, as they were now allowed to rent the horses rather than buy them. Khan was presented as a gift to Carly, since he was always meant for her, anyway. He did seem much calmer than when they first met him, but it was clear he would tolerate no one’s attention but Carly’s. Darius worried what would happen when Carly had to leave him behind, but that was a problem for another day.

  The horses, in the meantime, would be delivered to the stables at the inn where they were staying. Scoggins fretted that Khan would be impossible to control, but Aesri told him that Carly would see to it, and after a few gentle pats and a soft song chanted in his attentive ear, the horse allowed himself to be led away.

  Darius guided them in a wide circle back to the inn, rather than take the same, straight route they had taken to get to the horses. They stopped often, as one thing or another grabbed the attention of the girls, and occasionally, the attention of Daniel.

  As it got closer to evening, Daniel glanced over his shoulder at the sinking sun. He was wise enough to know they needed to be indoors before it got too dark. It didn’t take a genius to know that Bandar was not the kind of place in which one took leisurely evening strolls, at least, not without an armed guard. “Darius,” he said, “it’s getting late. It’s time to get back. Hugh and William will be worried.”

  Darius checked the position of the sun but continued on his original course. “I know, Daniel. I just want to check something out. Put the girls between us, and keep watch.”

  “Are we really going to start that again?” Dearra snapped, her temper rising a bit.

  Darius huffed and turned to face Dearra. “I need to lead because I know where we are going. You need to watch Carly’s back, and Daniel needs to watch yours. Does everything have to be a battle with you, Dearra? Can’t you just trust me?”

  “I do trust you. I just think you try to protect me too much. There’s no reason Daniel can’t protect Carly and I can watch his back.”

  “Wait just a minute!” Carly said, finally speaking up. “Why do I need anyone to watch me? I do have my knife; I’m not totally defenseless, you know.”

  Oh, how exciting! Brin said suddenly. Is the fairy going to get involved? I’ve been bored out of my mind, but this might be interesting. Maybe if you make her mad enough she’ll bring a fairy storm. That would be marvelous. I’ve only ever heard of them. I’ve never actually seen one before. Brin laughed, obviously enjoying his own sense of humor.

  Darius ignored the dragon, but Dearra silently scolded him: Brin, why is it you only seem to chime in when it’s to cause trouble lately?

  Me? Dearra, I’m hurt. Brin’s voice was thick with sarcasm. I only ever have your best interests at heart, you know that.

  Darius gave a snort of disgust before speaking. “Carly, one little knife isn’t going to help much. We can’t constantly worry about you getting hurt. Now, just be a good little girl, and stay with Dearra.”

  Oh, Darius, Brin said sadly. Just when I was growing fond of you. You’re in for it now.

  Darius looked at his traveling companions. The normally sedate Carly was red-faced and almost shaking as she struggled to control herself. Dearra’s mouth opened and closed as she seemingly started to speak and then had to stop and begin again, searching for words strong enough. Daniel shrugged and took a half step backwards. Friendship was one thing, but there was no way he wanted any part of this.

  Brin laughed. You’d better think quickly, boy.

  Just as Dearra was gathering herself to begin screaming at the arrogant Breken before her, he took her in his arms. Shocked, she swatted at him in an effort to push him away, but as his lips met hers, the fight went slowly out of her.

  Darius pulled back cautiously. She looked up at him and quirked an annoyed brow, but she seemed much less likely to kill him where he stood than she had only a moment before. Carly, however, seemed, if anything, even angrier than before. Most likely she was simmering over Dearra’s defection.

  “Daniel?” Darius said softly, his gaze returning to Dearra.

  “Yes, Darius?” Daniel responded with a note of humor in his voice.

  “You could help a fellow out, you know. Unless you want me to take care o
f that one, too,” he said. He laughed and Dearra swatted at him again, though this time more playfully than before.

  “No, I think I can handle this one myself,” Daniel said. His voice had grown a bit more serious.

  Carly glared at Daniel as he stepped forward. “Try it, and you’ll be sorry,” she said.

  “Now, sweet, be fair. It wasn’t me who said those rude things. Besides, you haven’t kissed me in ages. What does a fellow have to do for a little attention around here? Run on four legs and whinny?”

  Carly’s anger melted away, and she stood on tiptoe to receive her kiss.

  “I am sorry, ladies,” Darius said, sincerely. I just know this city well, and I worry. It’s a dangerous place to be, and we need to be on our guard.”

  “I’m sorry, too, Darius. We’ll go on, as you said, with Carly and I in the middle.”

  “No, Dearra. You walk with me, and Carly can walk with Daniel, and we can watch each other.”

  Darius stroked the side of her face gently and his thumb traced over her lower lip, and Dearra smiled glowingly. A small tremble swept through her at the intimate touch, and she was glad to know that even though Darius was much more careful around her now, he was still willing to show affection for her, even if it was in small doses. Darius took Dearra’s hand tenderly in his, and they continued on.

  You’re such a pushover, Fuzzy. I wouldn’t have let him off the hook that easily. Then again, I have never understood why anyone would want to mash their faces together like that in the first place, I mean, what if they had bad breath? No, if I wanted to impress a female, I would send my blood to my wings so that they turned purple, and spread them wide. It really is a remarkable sight to see; I’m quite stunning, you know.

  “Has it occurred to you that I am not a dragon and I don’t have wings?” Darius asked.

  Well, yes, that is a drawback. But really, boy, is face-mashing the best you can do? Certainly you have other ways to impress a female? I’ve seen you bathing—what about that, that—whatever you call it? Maybe you could wave that around a bit.