by Kay L. Ling
Chapter 23
Everyone assembled in the wine cellar. It was an ideal spot for the party, roomy enough to hold everyone, with kegs of wine, fialazza, and beer close at hand. The servers had cleverly used beer kegs to hold up a makeshift buffet table. Partygoers helped themselves to whatever foods they liked.
Lana, Elias, Jules, and Franklin stayed until everyone had finished, and then moved to the formal dining room to discuss the events of the day. Jules was the last to arrive, having stopped somewhere along the way. He sat down across from Lana at the long wooden table, and she couldn’t help thinking he looked none the worse for his adventure with the moat monsters.
Lana held up her goblet for a refill. “The breghlin were surprised we invited them.”
Elias topped off her fialazza and then refilled his own.
“It must feel strange to be treated as equals,” she said. “Well, not exactly equals but—”
“But not despised,” Jules finished for her. “Eating together seemed to do wonders for their self-esteem. And did you notice? Ben and Oliver got a lot of attention, even from the gnomes.”
“Yes, Ben with his bandaged leg looked quite the hero,” Elias said, the corners of his mouth twitching with amusement. “After I used my healing gems the wound barely showed, but he wanted a bandage anyway. I didn’t understand why until I saw female breghlin tripping over one another to bring him food and drinks.”
Jules and Franklin grinned.
“My night in the dorm was an eye-opener,” Lana said. “You have no idea the romantic intrigues that go on under our noses.”
“Is that so?” Elias said, chuckling. “Well, they’ll have lots of opportunities to flirt with one another since they’ll be working together for the rest of the day. The males are butchering the brontskellers, and the females will process the meat.”
“A few gnomes offered to help.” Franklin’s expression said he found that surprising.
“You’re really making turtle soup?” Lana asked.
“Yes, but there’s too much for just soup,” Elias said. “The best way to preserve the meat is to add salt and spices and make jerky.”
Lana grimaced. “It sounds creepy, eating monsters.”
“I never eat them. Purely on principle,” Elias said, “but there’s no harm in it.”
Franklin leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “Now that we have everything under control, what about Tyla’s family? Are we still sending the cart for them?”
“Yes, and I hope that’s not a mistake,” Elias said, frowning. “Tyla’s first day got off to a rocky start, and I’m sure she’d like to be with her family, but what kind of first impression will we make with gnomes and breghlin outside butchering brontskellers?
“They’ll see we’re a team,” Franklin said, “and if you ask me, that’s a pretty good first impression. Gnomes and breghlin barely tolerated each other a few weeks ago, and now they’re working together.”
“You make a good point,” Elias said, looking somewhat relieved. “I hope you’re right. I’ll send the cart as soon as we finish here.”
“Tyla fell apart this morning,” Jules said, and Lana supposed he meant it as a cautionary remark. She and Jules had seen Tyla’s reaction to the brontskeller scare, whereas Franklin hadn’t been around. “Tina Ann calmed her down. Even when there’s no additional excitement, living here will be a difficult adjustment.”
Franklin didn’t look concerned. “I’ll assign a couple gnomes to help the family set up housekeeping, and I’ll make sure they have everything they need. Don’t worry; they’ll be too busy getting settled to think about brontskellers.”
“I appreciate your help.” Elias sighed. “As much as I hate to leave you with the brontskeller mess, I should return to Strathweed this afternoon. The longer the rain continues, the more new problems come up—like the crocodillos, as Lana calls them—and now the brontskellers. The gems I’ll need to stop the rain are in my cave, so I’ll work from there.”
“And if we don’t go soon, the trails may become impassable,” Jules added. He drained his fialazza and set down his goblet. “Lana, if you don’t mind, I think Elias and I should drop you off at the portal on our way to Strathweed. It’s bad enough watching for crocodillos in the daytime. I’d rather get you home before dark.”
She nodded, trying not to look disappointed. “I’d love to be around when Elias breaks the rain spell, but I understand.” She had resigned herself to the fact that dividing her time between two worlds meant missing some of the excitement, but she hated to miss the most historic moments.
“I’m glad we have Franklin,” Elias said. “I know Shadowglade is in good hands while I’m gone.”
“I’m a poor substitute for you and Jules,” Franklin said, looking uncomfortable. “I’m useless in an emergency. No gem powers.”
“Right,” Lana said, hoping it wasn’t rude to agree with him. “What happens if Franklin needs something? You guys can’t pick up the phone and call each other. Come to think of it, what happens if there’s some new disaster and it isn’t safe for me to come back?”
Jules said, “Communication is a problem, especially between worlds, but there’s nothing we can do about it. I came to meet you early, knowing the mud would slow me down, but you were even earlier and came through alone.”
“I used to think it would be nice living without phones and computers, but technology solves a lot of problems,” she said, idly twisting one of her rings.
“We see the benefits, but we don’t miss what we’ve never had,” Jules said.
Lana’s first trip to Shadow had given her a taste of life without modern conveniences, and it had been disconcerting, but she was getting used to it now. “I’ve been meaning to ask, why don’t batteries work in Shadow? The first time I came here I brought a flashlight and it didn’t work, and my cellphone wouldn’t turn on.”
Elias said, “A key difference between Shadow and the Fair Lands is that Shadow has weak magnetic poles and few rocks with magnetic properties. Small grains of magnetite occur in almost all igneous and metamorphic rocks in your world, but that isn’t true here.”
“And Shadow has minerals that dampen magnetic fields,” Jules added. “Without magnetism, you can’t have batteries or electricity.”
“So, you’ll never have electricity?” She hadn’t given the matter much thought, but she had assumed Shadow would eventually become more like the Fair Lands now that S was gone. The lack of electricity would rule out many Fair Lands technologies, unless Shadow found a different energy source.
Elias said, “Gems and minerals are different here, and that’s one of the consequences. But it’s not all bad. One of the most common stones mined in Shadow is corrustone, better known as ‘glowing stones.’ A tremendously useful substance, and there’s nothing like it in the Fair Lands.”
She had never known the technical name. Everyone just called them glowing stones.
“When they’re underground, they’re inert, but once they’re exposed to air, they oxidize and give off heat,” Jules explained. “One piece won’t do much, but heap them together and they produce a lot of heat.”
Franklin jumped in. “You’ve noticed there aren’t any fireplaces at Shadowglade. We use braziers when we need intense heat, but corrustone is good for most everything else. It’s perfect for slow cooking.”
Lana said, “Too bad we don’t have rocks like that at home.”
Elias pushed himself up from the table. “It’s getting late. I should send the cart for Tyla’s family now. Lana and Jules, we’ll leave shortly. As for your concerns about communications, Lana, when Franklin was a bird we used communication gems that worked over short distances. We could do that again between Shadowglade and Strathweed, but there’s no way to communicate between Shadow and the Fair Lands. Once the rain stops, it won’t be so dangerous here. We’ll see what we can do about the crocodillos.”
“After seeing the breghlin in action today, I think we should organize t
hem into hunting parties,” Franklin said, grinning.
“We don’t have enough weapons,” Jules reminded him as they left the dining room.
Jules and Franklin walked ahead, and Lana fell into step with Elias.
“The breghlin clans probably have knives and makeshift weapons,” she said. “You could offer a bounty for dead crocodillos, pythanium, and the rest of S’s unnatural creatures.”
“How would we advertise it?” Elias asked.
“Simple. The Ministry of Breghlin Affairs could spread the word.”
Elias looked amused. “When did you recruit workers?”
“I haven’t. But I think Xenon knows where to find Wally, Grace, Ferdinand, and the rest I have in mind. If they sign on, this can be their first job.”
“I’ll have Jules speak to Xenon when we return from Strathweed.”
“Thanks. Sorry for coming up with ideas and then making you and Jules take care of everything.”
“It can’t be helped. You have the jewelry store and other commitments.” Elias dropped his voice so Jules and Franklin couldn’t hear. “Jules would like to spend far more time with you, but he understands it isn’t possible.”
“We talked this morning. He told me more about his background. He’s had a really hard life.”
Elias sighed. “I wish he would put his own happiness first, but there’s no reasoning with him. Once the gnomes start governing themselves, perhaps you can persuade him to return to the Fair Lands.”
There was nothing she wanted more, but she cared enough about Jules to want what was best for him. “Starting a new life isn’t easy, as Franklin found out the hard way. I wouldn’t feel right pressuring Jules if he’d be happier here.”
“I’m a foolish old man, so forgive my meddling, but I’ve had it in my head for a long time that you and Jules are well suited. Jules is like a son to me, and nothing would make me happier than to see you together.”
“If it’s meant to be, I guess it will work out. We’re from different centuries and we have totally different lifestyles. Those are major obstacles.”
“But not insurmountable.”
She looked at Elias and smiled. “No. Falling in love with a wolfhound—that’s insurmountable. At least he’s human now.”
Chapter 24
Somehow, the Fair Lands seemed a little less fair these days, Lana thought glumly as she unlocked her apartment door. She dropped her backpack in the hallway, hung up her coat, then headed for the kitchen. It was only six o’clock. She was home early, safe from torrential rain and crocodillos, and she ought to feel relieved, but she had a crazy desire to be back in the middle of things.
On the whole, her life was uneventful. Shadow’s very otherness made her feel more alive. At this moment, Elias and Jules were at Strathweed, gathering the gems that would break the anti-drought spell.
As if to remind her of her mundane existence and its demands, the answering machine was flashing—five messages. She was in no mood to see who had called, but the incessant flashing was like a nagging voice that she couldn’t ignore. Leaning against the counter, she touched the playback control.
“Hi, you’re never around on weekends anymore.” Laughter. “Who is he? I bet he’s hot! I tried your cellphone, but it went to voicemail. Call me!”
Emily, of course. They hadn’t gotten together in nearly a month. Little did Emily know there really was a man! Lana smiled at the idea of introducing Emily and Jules. It would be a minefield of potential disasters, but she might do it anyway. Her wandering mind snapped to attention when she heard the next voice.
“Hi, Lana. Your mom hasn’t been feeling well. It’s nothing serious, but I wonder if you could stop by in the next day or two.”
Dad. Needing her to do housework. Mom was somewhat of a perfectionist, and when she was laid up, Dad was in a bind. Due to his heart condition, he wasn’t supposed to lift things or exert himself. Jules was right; it was time to have a talk with Ed and Alex about her nieces and nephews pitching in.
“Lana. Arlene. I’ll be running late tomorrow. I have an eye appointment. Make sure you’re on time to open. I’ll be in by noon.”
All business. Not even a “Hello” or “thanks.” Mondays were usually slow, and Arlene was famous for finding some excuse to come in late.
“Hi, Lana. There’s a plate of brownies for you on the table in the front entryway. Oh . . . and when you stop in for coffee this week, remind me I have a couple books you may like. If you don’t want them, they’re going to the thrift store.”
Lana perked up. Lillian. The best landlady in the world. They both loved to read gothic mysteries and historical romances, and they often swapped books. Lana’s mood improved at the thought of brownies.
The last message sounded like a hang-up because there was a long pause, but then she heard muffled laughter and whispers. “Lana, it’s the SSS checking in.” More muffled laughter. “How’s S doing? What’s going on? See ya!”
Greg and Jordy. Official members of the Shadow Secret Society. Now that S was a beetle, and Elias and the gnomes were in charge, the boys were dying to go back for a visit. Imagine how left out they felt, she reminded herself, grinning. They were missing more adventures than she was, and she was sort of happy about that, which probably said something about her as a person.
Oh well. Time to go get the brownies.
Monday morning, Lana turned on the store lights and made coffee. She had just returned to the sales counter when the bells on the front door jangled. The first customer, braving the two-inch snowfall, walked in.
The attractive young woman wore a camel-colored coat, and a plaid scarf around her neck. She looked vaguely familiar, but Lana couldn’t place her. It was only when the woman walked up to the counter, smiling as if delighted to see her, that Lana realized who it was.
“The aventurine lady! You look great! How have you been?”
The change was remarkable. The woman had put on a few much-needed pounds. Her face had lost its hollow look and taken on a healthy glow, and she no longer needed heavy eye make-up to mask dark circles under her eyes. She looked pleased that Lana remembered her.
“Susan McGregor,” the woman said, introducing herself. “You know, a couple of my friends actually call me ‘the aventurine lady’ because I wear it all the time.” Susan looked down at her hand. “I tell everyone it’s my lucky talisman.”
Lana’s eyes dropped to the woman’s bracelet, which had green gemstones in a vine and leaf setting, and then her eyes moved to the aventurine ring.
The woman said, “The last time I was in, when you made my ring, my life was a mess. I wanted to believe your comment that aventurine would bring me prosperity, creativity, and confidence.” She paused, laughing self-consciously. “Well, whether it’s because of the gems, I don’t know, but things are a lot better now. In fact, I’m starting a new full-time job today—dental hygienist at Dr. Kimmel’s office.”
“That’s great! Aventurine may have given you confidence, but I think you did the rest on your own.”
“I’d like to think so. I worked part time at a dental office in Buffalo, but it was a long commute and not enough hours, so I’m really excited about this job.” She lowered her voice and said with a wry smile, “I’m rewarding myself with a pair of earrings—aventurine, of course.”
“Of course,” Lana said, smiling. “You can pick out your gemstones like you did before.”
“I’ll need small oval ones to match the bracelet.”
Lana brought out the settings and then the gems.
“I’m not fussy about the setting, just the stones. These are perfect,” Susan said, indicating a group of 3x5mm stones.”
Lana picked one up with tweezers and tilted it under the overhead lights.
“Could I—would it be all right if I touched it?”
“Sure,” Lana said, a bit surprised.
After studying the gem Lana had placed on her palm, Susan placed a finger on it, and a strange look crossed her face. �
��This will sound kind of weird,” she said, looking up at Lana, “but lately, when I touch gems, they feel warm.”
Lana’s gaped at her, speechless.
“When I touch the gems in my bracelet, they feel hot after a few seconds and I get—I don’t know—feelings. I figured if anyone would believe me, you would.”
“Umm, some people get that reaction from gems.”
The woman brightened. “So, I’m not crazy?”
“Not at all,” Lana said, wondering how much she should say about her own abilities. “I can feel their energy, too. I remember your bracelet has really powerful gems.”
Susan sagged with relief. “You don’t know how much better I feel, hearing you say that.” She tucked a lock of short brown hair behind her ear. “I’ve asked my friends if they feel anything when they touch my bracelet, and they have no idea what I’m talking about.”
“When did you first notice your gems felt warm?”
“Shortly after I bought the ring. I was wearing the ring and bracelet all the time, thinking about what you said the gems could do, and I found myself absently rubbing them. Sometimes my fingers felt warm and tingly. Lately, I get that feeling all the time and it’s a lot stronger.” She held Lana’s eyes. “What was it like for you in the beginning?”
“At first, the sensations were so subtle I thought I was imagining it. But that changed with practice. Here, try this.” She gave Susan two more aventurines. “Tell me if you can feel any difference between the three of them.”
“Oh! Let me see!” Susan placed her finger on each in turn. “This one feels the warmest,” she said, pointing to the stone on the right.
Lana touched them. “I agree. The third has the strongest energy.”
“This is so exciting! But you’re better at it than I am.” She handed Lana the gems. “Pick out the best ones for my earrings. I have to get going now, but I’ll stop back at the end of the day.”
Lana smiled at Susan’s enthusiasm; she was so unlike the woman Lana had met a few months ago. “Do you want me to give you the price now?”
