by Taki Drake
<< This man knows what he’s talking about, Zhanna. I can hear it in his voice, and I can taste it in the air around him. >>
<< I hear it too, Dascha. The strength of his belief and the pain I can hear under his tone is both reassuring and frightening. It’s as if I’m looking at a future picture of myself. How will I be able to stand up to that much pain? >>
<< You have me to help with both joy and pain. After all, isn’t that part of what a Familiar does? Share? >>
The feeling that came across the mental bond from the Witch to her Familiar was a braided thread of joy and thankfulness, wrapped tightly with uncertainty, hope, and fear. The answering pulse was full of faith and love. Existing together, the threads twined to build an ever-stronger connection. Both Witch and Familiar were comforted in the knowledge that, come what may, they were not alone.
<< <> >>
The stop for gasoline had been planned to provide them with a break in their journey, as well as a place to buy provisions that they needed without having to shop in Brasilov. The men had all been very impressed with their new vehicle, exclaiming about the large fuel tank which gave them long-range capability and ascending new peaks of ecstasy about the powerful engine. The young Witch really didn’t understand the enthusiasm that bounced like a ping-pong ball among the men in her party. It even extended to some of the male Hidden Folk, with Noma excitedly chiming in.
They had stopped in a fair-sized village. Deciding it was time to take a break, some of their party went off to do shopping while the rest organized a much-needed meal. Zhanna felt a little disoriented. Once again, she had been left at a place that served food and was sitting at a table with three backpacks clustered around her legs.
<< If the next thing we hear is a voice from the pack, and then some blonde approaches, I’m going to vote for leaving immediately. No more battles in restaurants. It just gets too messy. >>
Before Zhanna could respond to Dascha, Tisha’s voice piped up from inside the flap of the pack, “As tempting as it is, I don’t do spooky voices well.”
The young Witch was unable to prevent a giggle from erupting out of her throat just as the waitress stopped by the table. Taking the laugh as a welcome, the tired-looking woman smiled and said, “Now that is a great way to be greeted. Usually, people are annoyed I haven’t gotten here fast enough.”
“I realize how busy you are. That’s why the rest of my party stuck me here so that I could get things moving along and not drag too much of your timeout.”
“What a thoughtful thing you are. How about if you tell me what you want and while you’re waiting for your group and the order to be filled, I’ll get you a little something to tide you over.”
“That would be wonderful!”
Chapter 21 – Warm Bites
Zhanna ordered food for her party, figuring that selecting a variety of things would provide the men with enough choice that everything would be eaten. Promising to return quickly with something for Zhanna, the waitress bustled off to get their order in before anyone else could interrupt her.
Pavel had been keeping watch by the door and chose that moment to join Zhanna at the table. The young woman noticed that Tolya had taken up the watcher position and realized that the rest of their team was starting to return. Smiling at the subcommander, Zhanna said, “The waitress will be back in just a little while. I’m sure she would be happy to bring whatever you want, but I went ahead and ordered food for everyone. That way, we won’t have to wait so long.”
“A good idea. Right now, we are ahead of the crush of evening activity, and we would all like to get out of town before that starts to happen.”
“Any special reason? Or just general procedure?”
Pavel frowned in consideration and thought for a moment before responding, “Partially intuition and the rest a response to the concerns of the old man and his bodyguards. I would think that if Maxim can, he will go after Vadim as the most lucrative target. However, he may decide to come after us as the easier one.”
<< Easier? Easier, my furry black tush! >>
<< Easier is relative, so don’t get all wound up, Dascha. >>
Ignorant of the communication between Witch and Familiar, Pavel continued to talk. “We will all be happier if we can find a more defendable place to stay this evening. The inns in this village are too small and would split our team up. Tolya knows of a village a bit farther on, and he says it has a bigger inn. We will plan on driving there before stopping for the night, even if it means another few hours of travel.”
Just then the waitress came bustling back to the table. She smiled at Pavel, but addressed her remarks to Zhanna, saying, “Here you go, honey. A nice glass of wine for you and a bowl of milk for your well-behaved cat. I also managed to grab you a basket of bread and a plate of cheese to keep you from starving to death while the rest of your guys get back.” Turning to the subcommander, the woman continued, “Would you like something also? We have good beer and whiskey.”
Pavel requested a glass of beer and watched as the woman hurried away. The young Witch saw that his eyes were unfocused, curtained with the fabric of memory. Lost for a moment in something of the past, the mercenary said in a low voice, “It is a hard life, one that demands much and offers little.”
Shaking off his thoughts, Pavel donned once more his mask of professionalism and addressed Zhanna, “The others will be here shortly. We have provisions packed in the vehicle, and it is parked inside the garage building to keep it from overheating. The owner was quite pleased to rent the space for a few hours.”
From up underneath the flap of Zhanna’s pack Noma’s voice rose, “Smart tactics. My claws are itching, and that tells me that we need to take care.”
Pavel agreed, saying, “Great care. We offer much for a bandit.”
A flurry of activity and noise from the doorway announced the arrival of the rest of the team. Tripping over to where Zhanna and Pavel sat, the mercenaries arranged themselves around the table quickly. Just as they all pulled their chairs up to the table, the waitress was back. Encumbered by two large trays of food, the woman had a focused look on her face and was headed towards one end of the table when Pavel stood up and smoothly took one of the trays from her.
It was evident from her startled look that she was not used to that courtesy. With a quick muttered “thank you” that contained elements of shock and pleased surprise, she set the other heavily-laden tray down with a sigh of relief. Everyone helped to distribute the food. Zhanna and Stefan made sure that small portions were unobtrusively passed down to the Hidden Folks in the pack.
A rapid round of drink orders and the hurried woman was off. The entire team concentrated on eating. Zhanna was intensely hungry also and set herself to thoroughly enjoy the meal. She knew that the Hidden Folk were also appreciative by the soft sound of happy commentary that whispered from their hiding place, their conversation buried under the background noise of a busy inn. Only after most of the food was gone did anyone speak.
“Oh, I needed that! I didn’t know how hungry I was until the food got here,” said Mikhail.
Stefan responded saying, “It might have had something to do with the fact that this morning we started out in the village, rode a bus, had a battle in a café, negotiated a mind-blowing deal with a total stranger, had a bloody street battle, and then drove for several hours. You think that might’ve made an impact?” Rueful agreement in the form of chuckles and smiles were his answer.
Zhanna felt better, more relaxed and more positive about what faced them and their ability to cope. An encouraging hug came over her bond with Dascha, helping to bolster her spirits even more.
“One comes with a warning! Do not react or flinch, please. It is very dangerous for her, but she wants to help!” Noma’s voice sparked up from within Zhanna’s pack, pitched at a level that only those at the table heard.
It was apparent to Zhanna’s eyes that everyone at the table had heard. No one jerked or stared around, but an intensification
of their posture and watchfulness was evident to her more knowing eye. Placing her hands over her mouth to conceal what she was saying, the young Witch asked, “What do you want us to do?”
“Iskar is one of the Flamechildren, the deti plameni. If she stays too long without something to burn, she will die. Her time here will be short. Do not hinder her, please!”
Noma’s voice was even softer, and Zhanna was afraid that no one else had heard him. A sharply-drawn breath from Stefan and a nod from Pavel told her that at least two more of their team knew what was coming. First one and then the other of the senior mercenaries leaned toward their subordinates to pass the information on. It was an elegant exercise in covert communication with no one that might be watching knowing precisely what had gone on.
Their attentive waitress chose that moment to come to the table. With a smile for Zhanna and Pavel, she asked, “Is there anything that I can get…” Her question ended prematurely into a gasp as a small streak of flame zipped past her face and into Zhanna’s hands. The woman froze for just a moment before her eyes flew from the curled flame to Zhanna’s face. Without another word, the woman turned and hurried back toward the bar.
Immobile in shock and rapidly running through options in her brain, Zhanna’s attention was drawn to the small spark in her hand. In the shifting colors of the flames, she could see a tiny female shape, clothed in blades of fire hanging from a small perfect form.
A voice that flickered in and out of the young Witch’s hearing like fire in a fireplace said, “Bound ones are getting closer. They ask about you in all the villages and are trying to find you. The metal box that carries them, the one with the slaved flames, smells of explosions and blood. They are very close.”
Zhanna could see that the flames that clothed the form in her hands were getting smaller. The voice of the little Hidden one was becoming softer. Helplessly, the young Witch watched as the strength of the Flamechild began to wane.
Suddenly, a work-worn hand thrust itself in front of Zhanna’s face, startling her so much that she reared back. In an overly bright voice, the waitress said, “Here you go, dear. I totally understand the need for a candle and possibly some incense when it comes to getting rid of the stink of a room full of sweaty men and smoking pipes.”
Quickly picking up her cue, the young Witch responded, “Thank you! I am just not used to so many strong smells in the same place.” Zhanna accepted the candle with the two sticks of incense stuck into the base with her left hand while still holding Iskar in her right. Tipping her right hand into the glass containing the candle, the young woman gently slid the flickering form of the tiny Hidden Folk onto the wick of the candle.
<< Look! The wick is lighting, and you can see her gaining strength! >> Dascha’s mental voice reflected Zhanna’s profound relief.
Iskar’s form became more distinct, the brightness of her garments blending into an exquisite blend of movement and light. Zhanna’s tensed muscles relaxed only to snap into adrenaline-fused tension again as Stefan motioned the group to get moving. Tucking the candle against her body, the young Witch reached down toward her pack. Planning to pull some money out of it to pay the bill, she was surprised to feel the brush of currency against her fingers as the Hidden Folk in her pack handed off the funds that she needed.
<< Thank goodness for teamwork! Zhanna, I am not sure how we got so lucky, but it’s so nice having other people that help. >>
<< Yes, Dascha. Everyone contributes. I know I couldn’t do it by myself and I don’t think that even you and I could manage half as well. >>
<< You’re probably right, but never underestimate cat power! >>
Responding to a gesture from Pavel, the waitress came over to the table. Glancing questioningly at Zhanna, the woman’s eyes dropped down to the candle that the young woman continued to cradle against herself. The young Witch allowed a smile of gratitude to show across her face as she briefly glanced from the woman down to the candle and back, saying, “Thank you so much for the candle. It really helps me keep control of my stomach with all the strange smells colliding. I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve included some extra in the payment to cover the candle and to thank you for all of your help.”
The woman’s professional mask slipped, and a warm smile shone through as she said, “You are very welcome. I am just glad that I could help you out. As another woman, I know how it feels to be confronted with things that don’t sit right. There’s no need for the extra money, but thank you all the same.”
Pavel reached over and added some more bills to the payment on the table. A strange note in his voice, the subcommander added, “This is from the rest of the team. We all appreciate warmth and honest emotion when we encounter it. It is a rare thing in our world, and we wanted to find some tangible way of saying thank you.”
A blush rising in her face, the woman suddenly looked 20 years younger as she said, “Sometimes, kindness is the only thing that we have to offer.”
Face wiped clear of all expression, Pavel looked at the woman and nodded his head with a jerk.
“I hate to interrupt this, but we really need to get going. Zhanna, the vehicle is out front. Please go get inside of it. Pavel, make sure that we have all of our items since it is doubtful that we will come back this way again. Waitress, thank you very much for making our stop here very pleasant.”
Zhanna found herself obediently heading toward the door. Turning back to the helpful waitress, the young Witch asked, “But what is your name?”
Smiling, the older woman responded, “Helene, my name is Helene Abramovich.”
Chapter 22 – On the Road Again
The mood in the vehicle was solemn, and there was little conversation. All of the mercenaries were tense, and their roving eyes never stopped. Zhanna felt like there was little for her to do. She and Dascha concentrated on watching the surrounding landscape and did not talk aloud for fear of distracting the other team members.
They had driven about an hour before Mikhail almost stood on the brakes to bring the car to a sliding halt. Standing directly in the center of the road was a Leshi, one of the larger Hidden Folk, looking like an animated tree.
Kasha gasped in stunned wonder at seeing one of the most elusive of the legendary Forest Lords in plain view. Before any of the mercenaries could react, Noma exploded out of the pack and headed for the door, slamming once into the handle hard enough to fling his body backward across Zhanna’s lap. Before the small brown-furred creature could attempt a second assault on the door, Stefan had opened it. The diminutive Hidden Folk male darted out of the SUV and raced over to the waiting creature.
After only a short discussion, Noma raced back to the vehicle and jumped onto the seat next to Zhanna. “Quickly! Drive forward a short distance and watch for one of the great horned deer. He will show us the way into the woods that is safe for the vehicle. Others of ours will conceal our passage. Once hidden, we can send scouts back to watch the road and see our pursuers. The hunters are close behind. Those who watch are reporting their progress, and we must hurry.”
Mikhail immediately put the vehicle into gear and drove slowly until he saw a massive dear on the right side of the road. Zhanna could feel the tension in the passenger compartment increase until the air almost hummed with tension. Stefan was methodically checking his weapons. His eyes never ceased roving. Pavel was uttering low-toned commands to Kasha and simultaneously touching where his guns were concealed on his body.
<< Blast it! I feel like I ought to be doing something important, but I’m filled with an overwhelming urge to groom my back leg! >>
Dascha’s irreverent comment broke the tension for Zhanna, and she relaxed enough to realize that she was already prepared for whatever came next. The young Witch concentrated on observing her surroundings and making note of the path that they drove into the woods.
Looking back, she saw a veritable army of small creatures smoothing out their passage. In just a few moments, it was as if nothing had come this way since the begin
ning of time. Beside her, Zhanna heard Pavel say in a quiet voice, “What I wouldn’t give to have them as part of my scouting group…”
The deer led them to a clearing that contained a lovely small pond and a protected campsite. There was even a place for their vehicle to be set, clear of overhanging branches and nestled amongst the mast and brush of the forest floor. Mikhail skillfully navigated their SUV into that area, methodically putting the vehicle into park and turning it off.
The next few moments were a blur in Zhanna’s mind when she looked back later. Team members exploded out of every door, quickly unpacking the SUV and stowing it, setting up defensive positioning and freeing the Hidden Folk from the packs to roam.
Even before the camp area was secured entirely, Pavel tagged Tolya to accompany him and asked Zhanna if she would go also. A quickly muttered conference with Stefan and the three took off back toward the road. Leading them at an angle from their original path, Pavel returned them to the roadway at a location short of their turnoff. Quickly showing Zhanna how to conceal herself, Pavel told her in a soft voice that they were going to watch but not do anything.
“Why? If we had a way of attacking them now why wouldn’t we do that?”
“What if they have a second vehicle, one that is following them at a distance? If we engage them and there is a trail car, we could be surprised in turn and defeated.”
The young Witch thought about it for a moment and asked for clarification, saying, “Then we will watch them drive past and passively gather as much information on the first round. Will the same restrictions apply if they turn around and come back this way again?”
Looking pleased, Pavel answered, “It depends on how many people are in the vehicle. We don’t want to take a chance at this point, and we don’t want to give them a reason for suspicion.”
“That makes sense to me. What do you want me to do?”
