by S. E. Smith
Nia nodded. “I have seen many instances of their devotion to each other.”
Resig had to stop when Topper seized in his arms. He chanted quietly until the pain passed for her. Then he hurried again.
“Here,” Nia said, pausing at an open door near the end of the house.
Resig walked around her and laid Topper gently in the bed. Nia stepped inside. “Come to the food area with me, Resig. I need help to bring my supplies back.”
Resig nodded and followed Nia out. Once they were out of earshot, Nia turned to Resig. “What I really needed was to speak to you privately.”
“I would like to speak with you as well,” Resig said.
Nia shook her head. “Stark is bringing a priestess and an Earth childbirth expert. If he doesn’t get here in time…” She faded off and shook her head again. “I have been praying for their return.”
“Why?” Resig asked. “You’ve delivered babes before.”
“The babe Topper carries is not facing the proper direction. She cannot complete the birth unless the child turns around.”
Resig frowned. “Do you know how to do this?”
Nia crossed her arms. “No, but I have seen it done so I know the process. It is hard on both mother and child. If I am to do it, I will have to do it shortly, or Topper will need a true healer to cut the babe from her. That is something I cannot do.”
Resig nodded. “I am sorry I was not here to save you from Seren. A comrade of his confessed his plan to me and begged for a chance to redeem himself. I came as soon as I could.”
“As you can see, I don’t need saving, Resig. What I need is the courage to do what I must do. Fear consumes me over the thought of Topper losing her life.”
Resig pulled Nia into his arms. “I will stay at your side, do as you instruct, and lend you whatever courage I can. I am devoted to you, Nia. I was a fool not to tell you sooner.”
Nia sighed as she pulled away. “You are saying everything I have waited to hear, Resig, but your words are not reaching my heart. It is hard to trust that you will not abandon me again. For Topper’s sake, I must trust you now. The rest will have to be dealt with another time.”
Resig nodded. Her cool reaction was not what he’d expected from her, but it was what he deserved.
“May the Goddess be with us in our efforts,” he whispered.
“Yes. I am praying for Stark to return. I hope she heard me,” Nia echoed
“Did you hear what Nia said?” Jessica hissed.
Kevin put his hand over her mouth to keep her from giving them away. “I heard, but now is not the time to panic. You didn’t panic when your mother called my name earlier. You tuned in and saw what needed to be done.”
Jessica pushed his claw off her mouth. “Because I knew there was a bad guy. I’m a witch. I can tell those things. Nia said that Mom may die, Kevin.”
“I don’t see that happening and I’m really intuitive about the future. It’s a gift.”
Jessica sunk to the floor of eating area. All she’d wanted was something to drink. Instead, she had discovered a big, big problem. What should she do? What would Dad want her to do?
She reached up and closed her hand around the necklace he’d given her. “Icela,” she called.
Kevin patted her cheek. “You have to do that outside, remember? Your father said it was the ice that would carry your words to her.”
Jessica nodded. “That’s right. I’ve got to go outside.”
Kevin shivered as Jessica stood. “Okay. Let’s do this. I will definitely need my stinky furs again.”
She pulled him up into her arms and quietly returned to her room.
“Will it hurt?”
“No,” Stark and Rime both said.
“But it will be freezing cold in the ice fields. I suggest conjuring a wooly mammoth coat before we leave,” Thor advised.
“You’re not being helpful, Thor,” Stark said to his friend.
Thor grinned at the chastisement. “You always say that but then you insist I come along on your adventures.”
Stark grunted. “I know. It’s very illogical of me.”
“I love adventures,” Rime said, winking at Thor when Stark grunted again.
Thor patted Stark’s shoulder. “It seems like only yesterday that Jessica was born.”
Stark grunted a third time. “In relative terms, it practically was yesterday. This baby is happening too soon. I knew it was too soon. Why couldn’t I control myself? I can keep no control around that woman. It’s been like that since day one.”
“TMI, brother. I do not need to hear about my sister’s phenomenal sex life,” Nonny shouted, cupping her hands over her ears. “When is the portal opening?”
Stark blew out a breath. “It should have already opened.” He tapped his wrist. “It’s coming.”
“Maybe we can sing a song or tell a few jokes while we wait.” Laughing, Thor caught Stark’s hand as it rounded to punch him. “See? I knew you were tense.”
“I’m worried,” Stark said, yanking his fist away.
Rime smiled. “Everything will be fine, Stark. You’ll see.”
Stark glared at his sister. “I think I hate you.”
Rime looked at Thor. “Respond in kind?”
“Yes. That would be the perfect choice of an Earth reply,” Thor said in approval.
“I hate you too, brother. But everything will be fine,” Rime said firmly.
The portal opened before Stark had a chance to yell back at his sister and punch his friend again.
They started inside but Nonny had a last-minute change of heart.
Stark sighed. “Thor. I…”
“You don’t have to even say it. This is what friends are for,” Thor said.
Thor took Nonny’s medicine bag and tossed it to Rime who caught it with a giggle. Then he tossed a protesting Nonny over his shoulder. She kept on protesting as he carried her, but Thor didn’t mind. Portal travel was scary to him too, but Topper needed them all. And all of them is what Topper would get.
“Thank you, Thor.”
“You’re welcome, Stark.”
In less than ten steps forward, they were all standing in the ice fields of Glacier.
Chapter Ten
Jessica pulled the sled across the ice and wished her father was here to do it. Kevin was not light and the sled was heavy too. She thought about going all the way to the shrine, but that was too far.
The house was now out of sight. This area would just have to do.
Kevin looked around. “Why are we stopping here? We have to find ice.”
“Ice is all around us. We just have to figure out how to make it,” Jessica whispered. “I hope I can remember what Mom and Dad did at the ice rink that day. What they created was magical. I think if I created something half that amazing, Icela would have to come see it.”
Kevin’s arm exited his furs long enough to scratch his head. “How are you going to make ice?”
“Science, of course,” Jessica answered.
“Do they have science on Glacier?”
Jessica huffed and gave her familiar a look. “I was joking, Kevin. I’m going to do magic.”
“Oh. That makes a lot more sense to me,” Kevin said.
“Stay here,” Jessica ordered.
She walked to an area of unblemished white. What she walked on was like snow only much harder. It was sort of like the snow ball her father made for Dr. Verglas when he was trying to prove to her he was an alien.
Glacier was an intelligent planet. For creatures like Kevin, walking the ice fields on Glacier would be like trying to walk in water. For Jessica, the white ground remained solid under her feet because the land knew she belonged. Now she hoped the land would accept her magic which was a whole other thing. Her father said that only one Glacieran in a million could command the ice. But she couldn’t let the numbers stop her. She had to save her mother.
Drawing in a deep breath, Jessica held out her arms. She started chanting the ice spel
l her mother had taught her. She started palms down and then slowly rolled them up. Around her the white rose in the air and exploded into tiny ice crystals. When she saw them, some wonderful feeling moved through her. She suddenly felt a deep connection to everything in this harsh land.
No wonder her father missed this place. He probably felt it too.
Jessica lifted her head and laughed with incredible joy. The ice fields were amazing. She would leave a little of her soul here when she left.
I command Glacier ice my ideas to hold,
And I call into existence a Cathedral of Cold.
Weave me by magic the perfect design
Let the essence of the Goddess Icela shine.
The white crystals gathered and made designs. The dome forming over her head became a series of connected snowflakes. And from each center, a tiny icicle dripped down. It was incredible.
Jessica smiled at her creation and then closed her eyes. She wrapped one hand around the charm her father had given her and thought of the most beautiful woman she’d ever seen outside of her mother. Whatever Icela’s reasons were for not showing up yet, she needed her now to come help her mother and brother.
How could the Goddess say no after seeing Jessica’s beautiful gift?
Goddess Icela, I call you to me
As I will on your planet, please let it be.
Jessica opened her eyes and spun in a circle. Outside of her ice dome, Kevin sat on the sled and clapped his claws together. “Brilliant, Little Miss. Just brilliant. It is truly beautiful.”
“Thank you, kind sir,” Jessica said with a bow. But then she sobered. The ice dome was beautiful, but its beauty had not brought Icela to her.
She squeezed out through an opening between the icy snowflakes and headed toward Kevin. “I guess she’s too busy to come. Let’s go back. Maybe I can help another way.”
“Wait,” Kevin said, holding up a claw. “Do you hear that?”
“What? The wind?” Jessica asked, spinning around.
Kevin pointed to into the distance. Jessica turned and watched a mist gathering. She instinctively walked toward it, stopping short when a woman in a beautiful purple dress stepped through.
“Wow,” Jessica said, falling to her knees and staring up. “You’re even more beautiful in person.”
“You are too kind,” Icela said. “Stand up, Child. Let me get a look at you.”
Jessica sprung to her feet and then remembered her goal. “I want to talk to you, but Mom is in big trouble. I heard General Resig and Nia talking about it.”
“Mildred is so lucky to have a daughter like you,” Icela said. She lifted a hand and snapped her fingers.
“Who’s Mildred?” Jessica asked as she looked. “And what just happened? I feel it happened but I can’t see anything.”
“Look at your creature,” Icela whispered.
Jessica turned and saw Kevin still pointing. He appeared frozen. “Wow. Did you hurt him?”
“Goodness, no,” Icela said. “I merely stopped time around him. Now we can have a chat.”
Jessica looked around. “Is Mom okay?”
Icela waved away her concern. “She will be fine. Your father has returned. Rime knows exactly what to do and your Aunt Nonny will help her.”
“Aunt Nonny used the portal?”
“Warrior Thor carried her through it. Her fears aren’t worrisome. The important thing is that she’s here.”
Jessica giggled. “I’m sure that will be a funny story later.”
“Family stories usually are. You have an incredible family.”
Jessica nodded. “I consider you part of my family. When I thought you weren’t coming to see me, it hurt my feelings.”
Icela put a hand on the girl’s arm. “It was very much like your father said. I was busy. But busy didn’t mean I wasn’t listening. I’m sorry if you felt I let you down.”
“No, no,” Jessica said. “I’m happy you came today. This is a way better time. Can you help my mother?”
“I already did. I sent her Nia. And she already had you and your faithful creature. Now Stark and the others are finally here. I’ve helped her all I can, Jessica. The rest is up to her and the Fates.”
Jessica thought about that. “I guess I can see how that all works. By the way, Nia and Kevin took down a bad guy.”
“Yes. Hopefully in his next life Seren will not allow himself to be mislead by someone so full of hate and unhappiness. Seren was not a terrible person. He simply made some terrible decisions. Your creature may have gotten the best that Seren had to give to anyone. General Arctic corrupted him in youth.”
“Kevin attacked him and did the fang thing. I had to look away. It grossed me out when he did that.”
Icela laughed. “Many things in nature are unpleasant to behold. Having children is like that. I can’t say as I feel like I missed something not going through it personally. Yet at the same time, I admire females who continue the species despite great challenges. Giving birth definitely requires a warrior mindset.”
“That’s why I’m going to wait until I’m eighty-seven to have children.”
Icela laughed. “Well, don’t be too much in denial. The universe likes to surprise people who get too adamant. Get… wait—what is that word?” She ducked her head to think. “I was talking to the Fates about this the other day. Zen! That’s it. You need to get Zen about it. That’s an Earth saying, right?”
Jessica giggled. “In this case, yes. Be careful though. My Auntie Fates like to play jokes on people. Mom gets mad and refuses to cook for them.”
“So I’ve heard,” Icela said. “I hate to leave good company, Jessica, but I really must go now. Thank you so much for the beautiful ice dome.”
“You’re welcome. It was nice to meet you.”
“This is not goodbye. It’s more like a ‘see you later’ type of departure. I prefer those, don’t you?”
“Yes,” Jessica answered.
Icela snapped her fingers. Jessica laughed when Kevin lowered his talon and looked at it strangely. “I can’t keep them from remembering I froze them, but it’s usually amusing to watch them try to figure it out. Tell your father and Resig I said hello.”
“I will.” Jessica waved as Icela walked back into the mist. Her mother was right. All goddesses were tricky. She had no idea if Icela had helped anyone or not.
Kevin was still studying his talon when she began dragging him back. “Did you ever get the feeling that you missed something important?” he asked.
“You did miss something. Goddess Icela froze you when she stopped time,” Jessica said flatly.
“The lady in purple? She froze me?”
Jessica nodded.
Kevin huffed. “Good. For a minute there, I thought I was completely off my dial.”
“I don’t know about that, but you’re certainly off your planet,” Jessica said.
“I was speaking Australian. It happens when I get stressed,” Kevin explained.
Jessica grumbled as she pulled the sled. “Well, try being from Earth and speaking English, Kevin. It’s bad enough I can’t understand the Glacierans. I’d at least like to understand my familiar when he talks to me.”
Kevin stared at his talon for a minute more and then used it to scratch his head.
Chapter Eleven
Luckily, her palm print let her back inside. It would have been awful to have had to ring the doorbell. From somewhere deep in the house, she heard her mother groaning in pain.
“Guess I’ll just head to the room and climb a tree or something,” Kevin said.
Jessica nodded as she let him slide to the floor. “I’m going to go check on Mom.” She looked her familiar as he ambled off. “Wait… turn around a second.” She walked to Kevin and bent to inspect his head. “Do koalas grow horns?”
“What? No,” Kevin said in surprise, bringing both claws to his head. He felt two bumps there. “Bloody hell, what are those?”
Jessica shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe yo
u’re becoming an alien. Icela said something about you getting the best of Seren. I think drinking his blood did something to you.”
“Bloody hell,” Kevin said again. “I’m going to go inspect these things growing out of my head. Talk to you later.”
When he walked away this time, Jessica let him go.
Making her way through the house, she found Thor sitting on the couch. “Hi. Is Dad here?”
“Yes. Where have you been?”
“Outside. I was building an ice dome for Goddess Icela,” Jessica said, telling the truth.
“You shouldn’t be running around the ice fields alone, Jessica. This is a harsh place.”
“I think it’s beautiful,” Jessica said. “But I agree with the harsh part.” She studied her hands. “Is Mom all right?”
“Yes. Rime and Nonny got her through the worst of it,” Thor said. “We’re still waiting for the big event to happen.”
A baby’s cry loudly suddenly disrupted the remaining peace in the house.
Jessica sighed. “Sounds like bro-bro is finally here.”
“Bro-bro? Is that what they’re naming him?” Thor asked.
Jessica giggled. “No. It’s just my name for him. I think they’re going to name him after my dead Glacieran grandfather. What is it with naming children after dead people? Sheesh…”
Thor laughed at her complaining as they headed to the bedroom. “Have you gotten taller?” he asked.
Jessica looked down at herself. “Maybe. My leggings seem shorter. I thought I accidentally shrank them while practicing my spells. Did I get older too?”
Thor shrugged. “You’re on Glacier. That would not be unusual here. I grew to twenty in 2 years.”
“So did Dad.”
Thor nodded. “I know. We went through Star Ranger Academy together.”
“Hey, I have a question about that,” Jessica said.
Thor laughed. “You have questions about everything.”
Jessica smiled up at him. Thor was massive. He truly was as tall as her father. “This is an important one. Has anyone from Earth ever been a Star Ranger?”
