by Phil Stern
Still, it wouldn’t do to take any chances. With a casual air, the Coven enchantress continued on her way, idly taking a right at the next street corner. Nodding pleasantly at a passing police officer, she maintained an average pace.
A minute later, though, she sensed another Zarth sorceress up ahead, with a third now sweeping in from behind. Clearly, they were on to her. Waiting in line at a metro booth for thirty agonizing seconds, the Haven witch purchased a subway token with a quick smile before darting down into the tunnel below.
Public transit in Varley, she’d already discovered, was dark and dirty. Waiting on the dingy platform with a hundred or so other people, the light garish and uneven, the sorceress listened to a train in the far distance. By now the three enemy witches were gathered at the top of the subway steps, preparing to come down as a group. A fourth woman, she vaguely sensed, had been left waiting on the street up above, across the street. No doubt she was the youngest and greenest of the ruby posse. Perhaps her job was merely to reestablish a tail if the enemy sorceress somehow eluded the others and escaped the subway station.
Forcing herself to remain calm, the single woman clearly felt the three ruby witches come down the steps and out onto the platform itself, spreading out slightly. No doubt they’d grab her when the train actually pulled in. Such an operation would be much easier amid the flow of people entering and exiting the subway cars. With any luck, no one would even notice.
But the Coven operative had other plans. When the next subway train neared, the sound of rumbling wheels and screeching brakes now dominating the entire area, the woman suddenly shoved several people aside. Pushing her way to the very edge of the platform itself, the single bright light on the front of the engine bearing down on her, the sorceress gathered her power. Someone screamed, thinking she was about to throw herself in front of the train.
And in fact, they were correct. But instead of falling down onto the rails and certain death, the Haven witch leapt across not only the approaching train’s path, but three other sets of tracks as well. Impossibly soaring across the decrepit subway rails, she effortlessly landed on the far passenger platform, where several stunned travelers were waiting for a train heading the other way.
The arriving train, which the Haven sorceress had barely missed, now pulled to a stop at the far platform. Thus, the three ruby witches were effectively blocked from immediately pursuing her, even if they were willing to reveal their powers publically. Knowing she now had at least a few minutes to work with, the Coven sorceress raced up another stairway exit to the street above once more, emerging on the far corner from where she’d first entered the subway system.
Sure enough a younger, inexperienced ruby witch, left by herself up on street level, stared at her in shock. Unaware of the drama playing out before them, a mass of pedestrians flowed by to either side.
Advancing quickly on the younger magician, the foreign sorceress gave her a quick burst of green energy. Eyes going wide, the Zarth girl dropped down to the pavement, gingerly holding her head. Reaching down, the Coven witch then roughly grabbed her arm.
“Here!” she snapped, pressing an envelope into the girl’s hand. “Give this to Claire!”
Without waiting for a reply, the woman wearing an earth stone then disappeared down a side alley. An hour later she’d safely exited the dimension entirely, crossing into Earth before making her way back to Haven.
CHAPTER TWO
LAYING ON TOP of the soft comforter, Tiffany stared up at the ceiling, lost in thought.
This was her Haven bedroom, a private refuge at the center of the universal storm. No matter how crazy things became in the outer worlds, she could always come here to regroup and recharge, protected and loved by the Coven. In many ways this was the sanctum where her inner self resided, and was often rediscovered, after a particularly confusing mission.
Unlike many other girls, who adorned their rooms with snazzy artifacts from around the universe, Tiffany tried to keep her personal space clean and simple. There was a tidy four-post bed, with a dresser and desk. A few tasteful paintings decorated the walls, complimented by dainty, understated scarves wrapped around the bedposts. A picture of herself and Blake sat on top of the dresser, among a few other nicknacks. The closet in the corner contained some clothes and shoes, with a small bookcase along one wall displaying her favorite works from both Dytha and Earth.
Eyes drifting closed, she tried to relax. Only now did Tiffany realize how very worried she’d been about the Conclave and its aftermath, having imagined a dozen awful outcomes. Yet as things stood, everything went about as well as could be expected. On the one hand they weren’t rushing headlong toward war, but were indeed standing firm against the expansive Zarth influence. With a little luck, they might even...
A sharp knock on the closed bedroom door brought Tiffany from her idle musings. Frowning, she slowly sat up. It was probably Marissa or Brooke, possibly even Caylee. Though it was generally understood in Haven that bedrooms were private places where people didn’t want to be disturbed, emotions in the Coven were still running high. She probably needed to make herself more available.
Letting out a soft sigh, Tiffany irritably rubbed her neck. “Come in,” she called out.
The door slowly pushed open, revealing none other than Eleanor herself on the other side. Crossing into the room, the Coven Leader politely looked around. “It’s very nice, my dear. Quite tasteful.”
“Eleanor, what a pleasant surprise.” Stunned, Tiffany gave herself a moment to adjust. Never, in a million years, would she have expected the elderly, senior witch to visit her here. “But I thought I was to see you tonight, after dinner, to receive my assignment.”
“Well, yes. However, you and I obviously have other matters to discuss.” Ponderously settling down on the one chair next to the bookcase, Eleanor coolly eyed her. “Don’t we, my dear?”
Though her bedroom was definitely not the place to have this conversation, Tiffany didn’t seem to have any choice. “I suppose we do.”
“I didn’t abandon you two weeks ago,” Eleanor peremptorily began. “Yes, I closed off some of the direct contact points between Earth and Zarth, but only to restrict the ruby coven’s mobility. As it turns out, there were far more inter-dimensional passages than we could have possibly blocked anyway.”
Frowning, Tiffany drew up her legs. “So you weren’t trying to bottle up the Zarth coven, and me with them?”
“Of course not!” Eleanor’s steely gaze never left her own. “How could you even think such a thing?”
“Well, I must have missed the rescue party!” Though trying to keep the conversation pleasant, a hard edge crept into Tiffany’s voice. “Though after all, I was busy fighting a couple of dozen ruby witches and rescuing Hazel. All on my own! Without any help from you.”
“Help was coming, dear. I assure you. But I needed hard intel first.” Sighing, the Coven Leader evenly eyed the younger woman. “Think about it. All we knew for certain was that you’d disappeared near Mobile, chasing your sister into the woods. Of course, we presumed you were being held in Zarth. Hazel as well.”
“But you did nothing to find out for certain.”
“Quite the contrary.” Eleanor forcefully corrected. “I was about to send a few choice scouts in to sweep the dimension, to find exactly where you were being confined. Only then could I launch a proper rescue mission. As it was, you escaped on your own even before the scouts were dispatched.”
Tiffany uncomfortably extended her legs to the floor, remaining perched on the bed. “So you’re saying that you fully intended to come for us?”
“That’s correct.” Pausing, Eleanor shook her head. “But like I said, I wasn’t going to play into Claire’s hands either, impetuously sending rescue teams racing over there to bumble about. Without any plan or intel, they would have been killed and captured piecemeal. That’s what Marissa wanted to do, and it only would have made things far worse.”
Explained after the fact, now t
hat she was out of danger, this seemed eminently reasonable. Yet Tiffany could still recall her fury upon thinking the Coven might have simply abandoned her. Saying nothing, she looked away.
“And I knew you were safe enough for the moment. The Zarth coven wouldn’t hurt you just out of spite.” Now the Coven Leader allowed herself a small smile. “Claire knew your value as a hostage. She also probably hoped to extract information from you about our earth stones, hoping to add them to her own power base.”
“She tried,” Tiffany confirmed. “She also offered me some grand post as her own Deputy Coven Leader.”
“How interesting.” Clearly, this took Eleanor a bit by surprise. “Well, you must be more special than I even imagined.”
“I like to think so.”
The bratty tone wasn’t lost on Eleanor. Thoughtfully, she eyed the younger woman. “Am I to take it, my dear, that you still think I was less than fully committed to securing your release?”
This was just like Coven Leader, bringing things to a head, no matter how uncomfortable that might be. Tiffany made a point of fully gathering herself before replying. “When I was in Zarth,” she slowly began, “it occurred to me that simply writing Tiffany Smith off would serve everyone’s interests.”
“Really?” Now Eleanor almost smiled. “My dear, what are you talking about?”
“Well, I know that I’m not popular among the older crowd,” she haltingly continued. “And no one seems able to accept my being, um, monogamous...”
“By the stone, girl! You’re talking nonsense.” Looking up at the ceiling, Eleanor grimly shook her head. “Though your choice of lifestyle has caused me no end of grief among our Coven-mates, that’s very true.”
Now almost holding her breath, Tiffany waited for Eleanor to continue.
“But as I’ve said, your conclusion is completely off-base.” Now Eleanor’s eyes took on the cold, hard stare she knew so well. “I would never just abandon anyone behind enemy lines. For any reason. Especially you!” Drawing herself up, she looked off. “I’m surprised you don’t know that.”
From somewhere deep inside, Tiffany felt a wellspring of emotion surging to the fore. “Look, you’re right. I just didn’t know...” Biting her lip, she almost helplessly shook her head. “Look, thanks for coming...”
“No. Talk to me.” Almost kindly, the Coven Leader leaned forward. “I had no idea you felt this way.”
How much should she admit? Almost helplessly, Tiffany felt the words just rush forth. “Sometimes, yeah. At times, it seems like you’d all rather just be rid of me. Like, it would be easier if I just wasn’t around.” Unbidden, the raw emotion continued bursting outward. “I mean, everyone just disapproves so much! Of almost everything I do!”
“Disapprove?” Looking down, Eleanor suddenly seemed very, very old. But it was only a moment. Straightening up, her customary vigor instantly returned. “Tiffany, let me set you straight on a few things. I don’t want you to talk. Just listen. Can you do that?”
Mutely, Tiffany nodded.
“First of all, you are one of the most, if not the most, skilled operative I’ve ever known.”
“Really?” Tiffany frowned. “I mean, I know I’m good...”
“Listen!” Pausing a moment, Eleanor continued. “Of the six girls I sent after Lord Gensrow, you were the one who got him. When I desperately needed information on the ruby coven, you were the one who obtained it for me. There have been countless other tough jobs that have needed doing, and you’ve done most of them. Flawlessly, or nearly so. You’re the top girl we have. I’ve told you that before.”
“Not in so many words,” Tiffany mumbled, idly tracing a design on her comforter.
“I don’t care about your sex life. I’ve already told you that as long as it doesn’t harm the Coven, what you do with this Blake is your business,” she sternly admonished. “Sure, some of the old crones squawk and complain, but have you ever wondered why? Have you ever considered that maybe they’re envious?”
Tiffany thought a moment. “No.”
“Here you are, young and beautiful, able to spread as much magic as you like. But instead, you choose to be with one man, who obviously loves you.”
Staring off into space, Tiffany said nothing.
“There’s an amazing confidence in that, my dear. You’re doing something those old, tired women would never dare attempt! Even if they were still your age.” Eleanor rolled her eyes. “Now, of course, they’re too old to even try.”
“But...”
“They’re jealous of you, that’s all.” Touching her earth stone, Eleanor caused a cup of tea to appear in a tidy burst of green fire. “Your beauty, your confidence, your strength and determination. Yet those are the very qualities that make you so popular among the younger crowd.”
“What?” Tiffany almost burst out laughing. “I’m not popular! Far from it.”
“My dear girl.” Despite herself, Eleanor gave a tired smile. “I saw two dozen of our top operatives sitting all around you today in Conclave, like moths drawn to the flame. Two weeks ago, when I didn’t immediately send the entire Coven storming into Zarth after you, there was nearly a mutiny.”
Stunned, Tiffany shook her head. “Popular? But I never...”
“If you don’t like the word popular, substitute liked, or respected, or admired!” Nearly exasperated, Eleanor took a long sip of her tea. “But whatever it is, you clearly have it.”
Almost visibly relaxing, Tiffany stared at the wall. “I’m sorry for doubting you.”
“Why?” The senior witch raised an eyebrow. “Because I’m being so nice to you? Giving you all kinds of compliments?”
“No, because you made the correct decision.” Now looking at Eleanor directly, Tiffany nodded. “Sending a rescue party blindly storming right in after me would have been the wrong move. Without more information, it would have made things worse, not better.”
Several moments went by, Tiffany remaining on the bed, Eleanor calmly sipping her tea.
“I’m glad you see it that way.” Lowering the cup once more onto the saucer, there was a loud rattle, the old woman’s wrist noticeably shaking. “Because we’re not out of the woods yet, my dear. Not by a long shot.”
“I know.” Taking a deep breath, Tiffany gave a decisive nod. “I’ll head back over to Earth first thing in the morning. Tonight, if you want. If we’re going to send reinforcements there, I’ll need to...”
“No.” Slowly, Eleanor shook her head. “You’re not going back to Earth. Not immediately, anyway. I have a far more crucial assignment for you first.”
Caught by surprise, Tiffany frowned. “And what’s that?”
“You’ll be part of Barbara’s bodyguard. I’m sending her to Peth, to secure a formal alliance with the Pyrons. If open warfare does break out with the Zarth coven, we’ll need them on our side.”
“Oh.” Her mind racing, Tiffany briefly wondered if the longtime Elder was going senile. “You know that Barbara and I have had our differences. Even before now.”
“Irrelevant. You’re both professionals.”
“Eleanor! She called me out in front of the entire Coven...”
“All the more reason to send you two on assignment together,” was her prompt reply. “After all, you and Barbara will have plenty of time to work things out.”
“But...”
“And didn’t our Deputy Coven Leader show you the ropes in Peth, back in the day? By the stone, Tiffany! It will almost be like old times.”
“I hope not,” the junior enchantress sullenly mumbled. Indeed, Barbara had first taken her to the openly “natural” dimension many years ago, just after reaching her majority. She’d been very young and careless. Things hadn’t always gone smoothly, to say the least. “And in that vein, I actually have some history in Peth. I wouldn’t want to complicate...”
“Tiffany.” Bringing her up short, Eleanor’s tone brooked no argument. “The wounds from that night healed a long time ago.”
&nbs
p; “Well, that’s true.” Almost, anyway. “Still, perhaps from a social standpoint...”
“My dear girl, I didn’t say you had to sleep with anyone! Though as you’re well aware, the Pyrons clearly regard such things as falling within the scope of good manners.”
“Right,” Tiffany sighed. “Believe me, I know.”
“Just stay by Barbara’s side, keep those wolves off everyone’s back, and help her strike a deal. If successful, you’ll be bringing a few Pyrons back with you. I think they’d be very useful on Earth.”
“What?” Tiffany nearly laughed. “You can’t be serious!”
“Oh, I’ve never been more serious in my life. The Pyrons are very strong physically, and have a high resistance to magic.” Eleanor primly took another sip of tea. “That’s one reason why you girls like them so much.”
Tiffany carefully maintained a neutral expression. “I’ve never thought about it.”
“No, I don’t think you and Marissa did much thinking at all when you were there last year, did you?” Now the Coven Leader gave her a wicked grin. “Though, of course, that was before you became ensconced with this Blake on Earth. Wasn’t it?”
Wow. Eleanor didn’t miss much. Embarrassed, Tiffany looked away. “And what about the local-yokel witches?”
“They should stay out of your way. If they don’t, just give them a nice thrashing and send them along.” Magically dismissing the cup and saucer, Eleanor kept her voice level. “It shouldn’t take more than one night. In fact, I’m counting on you to be back here by the day after next. I want you back on Earth before I meet with Claire.”
“Shouldn’t be a problem.”
“And Tiffany, one other thing.” Suddenly standing, Eleanor looked down at the younger sorceress. “On this mission into Peth, I want you to be my eyes and ears. Be on the lookout for anything unusual. Especially on Barbara’s part.”
