by S. E. Smith
“Not to my knowledge,” Thor answered. “Earthling physiology tends to be… uh… how can I put this out there?”
“Inferior?” Jessica suggested. “I understand, but don’t let Mom hear you say that.”
“Oh, I won’t,” Thor promised. “Besides, it’s just what’s happened up to now. I’m certain Earth will require its own Star Rangers one day. Perhaps that’s why our planets have chosen this time to come together.”
Jessica nodded. And maybe those Star Rangers would be half Glacieran. “Thank you for answering my questions, Thor. What you said makes so much sense to me.”
“Where were you, Jessica? Hiding out and waiting for the worst to be over?” Topper asked.
Jessica smiled when her mother held out a hand to her. She ignored all the others as she walked to her mother’s side. “I think I was waiting until I’d grown up a little more. Thor said I looked taller to him.”
Topper tiredly inspected her firstborn. “Yes, I’d say you’ve grown up another two years. How do you feel?”
“Strange, but stronger—more alive,” Jessica said, easing down on the edge of the bed. “You look better than I thought you would, Mom. You yelled a lot. Just how many different names do you have for Dad? I lost count around eleven or so.”
Topper laughed at the question. Nonny and Rime both covered their mouths and giggled.
“So? Where’s my brother?” Jessica demanded.
Topper waved a tired hand. “Your father went off with him to have a man moment with Thor and Resig. He did the same thing when you were born.”
“He did?” Jessica repeated with a laugh.
Topper nodded. “Yes, he was like a proud peacock putting him in Thor’s arms. Want to know what I did?” she asked in a whisper.
Jessica’s head went up and down as she studied the sparkle in her mother’s eyes. Her mother held out an arm and chanted. Her cute baby brother instantly appeared in the crook of her mother’s elbow.
“Wow. He’s incredible,” Jessica said as she stared down at him.
“Topper! Stop stealing my son,” she heard her father yell.
“Hold him while you can,” her mother said, passing her brother to her.
Jessica arranged her brother in the crook of her arm and then rose to walk around with him. He was so tiny and perfect. The seamless communication she’d once had with him was now gone like someone had a cut an energy cord between them. It must be the density in the atmosphere that forced a spirit into using physical things like speech and touch to communicate instead of more natural forms.
Jessica lifted one of his tiny clenched fists and smiled when her brother wrapped his tiny fingers around her larger one. “Boy, are you a lot of trouble,” Jessica whispered. “Good thing you’re so cute.”
“Now you know why I say that to your father,” Topper whispered, sending the room full of women into laughter again.
Jessica’s giggling increased as her angry father stormed into the room.
“It makes me want to kill things every time you steal Berg. Can you please just send someone to tell me you want him back? I’ve suffered enough today.”
Topper smiled serenely. “He’s my son too, you know.”
“I know,” Stark said, walking over and dropping a kiss on her lips. “But you’re supposed to be resting. Berg’s birth was much harder on you than Jessica’s.”
“Agreed,” Topper said. “But I wanted your daughter to see him.”
“Dad?”
Stark turned and blinked. “You’re taller—and older. Did that happen today?”
“Yes. I think she’s aged about two years worth,” Topper said.
Nodding, Stark sighed. “It’s becoming a blur. I don’t know how my parents ever did it. I can understand why they stopped after having Rime and me. We must have exhausted them with our changes.”
Topper laughed. “I bet you were a terror and Rime was the perfect child.”
Stark ducked his head and nodded. “You have guessed correctly.”
“He wasn’t that bad,” Rime said from a corner. “Stark was just super curious. He tended to do what he wanted no matter what anyone said. Stark always had plans—big plans. He followed through on them as well. He is the same now as when he was born.”
“You are being very kind, sister.”
“I speak only the truth, brother. You became a good man. I understand why our Goddess favors you,” Rime answered.
Her Auntie Rime’s comment reminded Jessica that she needed to confess before she got found out. She handed her brother back to her father to keep her male parent occupied.
She had plans too. She had plans to keep from being in trouble.
She bent and kissed her mother’s forehead and then moved to kiss her father’s cheek. “My brother is the luckiest baby in the galaxy. He got born to the best parents on any planet.”
She slipped off the necklace her father had loaned her and put it back on over his head. “Thank you for the loan, Dad.”
“I’m sorry you didn’t get to see Goddess Icela,” Stark said.
“Well…. actually… I did get to see her,” Jessica said, easing into the subject.
“When?” Topper demanded, snapping out of her tiredness. “Was she here? What did she say? I told you to tell us if she showed up unexpectedly. You know how sneaky goddesses can be.”
Jessica held up her hands. “Mom, chill. She’s not like that and she didn’t just show up. I thought you might die and Dad wasn’t here. I called the goddess to ask for help. We talked for a while and she froze time for me.”
Jessica paused and giggled nervously. “And I kind of sort of built her an ice dome. It was very cool—and that’s not a pun. Oh, and I found out I can talk to the ice fields. It was like the normally weird stuff that happens to me on Earth.”
“Jessica…” Topper said through gritted teeth because Stark was obviously speechless. He was staring at his daughter as if he never seen her before.
Jessica winced at her mother’s tone. Redirect, she decided. “Guess what else happened? Kevin’s growing antenna. Icey La La—I mean, Goddess Icela—said they were a gift from Seren. She said she hoped Seren’s spirit did better in his next life.”
“Antenna? What’s Kevin going to use antenna for?” Stark asked.
Topper smacked his arm. “Your daughter summoned your goddess and THAT’s all you can ask?”
Jessica chuckled. “Antenna. Horns. They’re nubbins at the moment. Kevin ate some leaves and said he was going to sleep until I carried him home.” Jessica drew in a breath. “And I have another question. Who’s Mildred?”
“WHAT!??” her mother yelled while her Aunt Nonny doubled over in hysterics.
It was precisely what she suspected would happen.
Jessica looked innocently at her father. “Is Mildred someone I know?”
Stark swung around on the bed when Nonny laughed even harder.
“Shut up, Nonny, or I swear I will turn you into a toad,” Topper ordered.
Understanding dawned on Stark as Nonny laughed harder every time she looked at Topper’s angry face. He turned to face the witch he adored. “Mildred? Your real name is Mildred?”
“The Fates had to be the ones that told. I’m not cooking for them for a whole year,” Topper vowed. “I knew they were getting too chummy with the Ice Queen. Gaia is the only person allowed to call me that. I expressly asked Icela to call me Topper. She agreed. You’d think the word of a goddess would mean something.”
Jessica chewed her lip. “Since I didn’t even know who she meant, Mom, technically Goddess Icela didn’t tell your secret. You revealed it when you got so mad at my question. You could have just made something up.”
Topper lifted a hand in surrender and shook her head. “I can’t win this one. Now everyone in Magic will know.”
“Not if we don’t tell them,” Jessica said. “I won’t tell. Dad won’t tell.” She narrowed her gaze on her smirking father. “Nor will he use it as leverage in an arg
ument—right, Dad?”
Stark warred with the evil side of his nature. He smiled. “I won’t tell, but I can’t promise not to use it. You’ve kept it secret from me far too long.”
Jessica smacked her father’s arm as hard as she could.
“Jessica! You struck me.”
“Yes, I did, Dad. What kind of example are you setting for your children? You can’t have revenge today. Mom hates her real name and it’s pretty obvious why. Who would want to be called Witch Mildred? Promise her, Dad. Mom almost died giving birth to my brother.” Jessica fought not to laugh. “You owe it to her.”
Stark sighed and relented. “Fine. I will take your mother’s real name to my icy grave on one condition.” He turned to his mate. “Explain your hatred of it to me. We chose Jessica’s name carefully. We did the same for Berg’s. I can only imagine that your parents chose Mildred with the same careful consideration.”
Nonny stood and jumped right into the discussion because she knew her sister wouldn’t. “They most certainly did, Stark. Mildred—I mean, Topper—is the oldest child in our family but we all know the story. Mom and Dad tried for years to convince her it was a good name. She flatly refused to use it.”
Topper leaned back against the pillows and crossed her arms. “Because it’s an awful name.”
Nonny fisted her hands on her ample hips. “Mildred was the name of the first witch in our lineage. Gaia gave her a gift every year she lived. When the original Mildred died, she passed all those gifts to the next witch born who inherited her name. You should be honored to follow so many generations of Mildreds. You’re still discovering all the gifts you inherited from them.”
“But it’s that name…” Topper groaned. “Even the sound of it hurts my ears. It hurts when Gaia says it.”
Jessica walked around the bed and perched across from her father. She turned to her mother. “Didn’t you tell me that I had to find a way to deal with being special in a way that didn’t harm others in my life?”
Topper nodded. “This is not a great time to throw my words back at me. I’m in a toad making mood.”
Jessica grinned. “I’m not being a teenager. I’m just trying to point out that in some ways you’re being one. You still haven’t come to terms with who you completely are. It’s like we’re growing up together in a way.”
Topper lifted an eyebrow and turned to Stark. “I blame this on you. She’s too damn smart.”
“Don’t blame me, Mildred,” Stark whispered before stealing a kiss from his mate’s laughing lips.
Jessica stood and sighed. Trouble averted once more. “Okay. My work is done.”
Topper stared at her daughter. “One day you’ll have to name a grand-child or great-grand-child or a great-great-great-grandchild Mildred.”
“Never happening,” Jessica said, inching toward the door. “I am never doing what you did today. No way, Hosay. I’m going to become a Star Ranger and be the first Earth one. Bye.”
She closed the door on her mother’s sputtering and her father telling her mother it was never going to happen. Jessica laughed as she went back to her room.
After communicating with the ice fields today, nothing felt impossible.
Chapter Twelve
It was late and Nia was still in the food area cleaning up. While others had helped with delivering the babe and taking care of its mother, Thor had helped her prepare a meal. She’d nearly used the last of the provisions feeding the larger group.
Star Ranger Thor had been charming and thoughtful. A warrior like him might actually be able to make her forget the male who owned her heart. Too bad the rugged Thor was completely smitten with Priestess Rime. Ice no doubt danced on Rime’s arms for him even though the priestess refused to call him her mate.
“Nia, it’s time to rest. Everyone else is already asleep, including the babe.”
Nia turned to the male standing in the doorway. The sight of him always made her feel like things were fine. “Tomorrow they return to Earth, Resig. I did not want to delay their departure with chores that still needed to be done. It took all of General Stark’s eating utensils to serve food to everyone. I’m almost finished here.”
“Let me help. Rest will come that much faster.” Resig walked to where she was standing and took the drying cloth from her hands. “I’m guessing being so self-sufficient, Stark didn’t bother to install an auto wash.”
Nia laughed. “No. He said he prefers the discipline and meditation the chore brings. I’ve had a lot of contemplation time this week. I can’t say as I agree with him. I can think of much better uses for my time.”
Resig smiled at her logic. “Are you still planning to go to Earth with them?”
Nia nodded as she handed the next wet dish to Resig to dry. “Witch Topper invited me to visit. I thought I would take her up on the invitation. She said I could sleep in Stark’s He-Shed. I went through all of Stark’s reports and saw no mention of such a thing, but I suppose I will find out what it is when we get there.”
“You’ll have an adventure,” Resig said softly.
“One that will begin early tomorrow,” Nia said. “We go to town to transport there. Stark wants to see Polar and apologize before he leaves.”
Resig shook his head. “Apologize for what? It’s only one visit. Stark and his family will surely return to Glacier again when life settles down at bit. A new babe is only a short disruption in routine.”
Nia snorted. “That’s a surprising comment from you since you want no disruptions at all in your life.”
Resig lifted a shoulder. “Stark waited until he’d retired to start a family. I always thought that was wise.”
Nia shook her head. “He didn’t choose to wait, Resig. Stark waited until he found Topper. She is his true one. He would have fought to be in her life no matter when they met. There is a divine spark between them.”
Though he didn’t do it often, Resig found himself pondering the past. “I had a mate once. It was long before you were born. She died in an accident.”
Nia pushed the last dish into the washing liquid. With someone as old as Resig, other females were a fact of his long life. But a mate? That she hadn’t known. Her heart broke a little more. She would never be his first in anything and that was disappointing.
“I’m sorry for your loss, Resig. I have no knowledge of such grieving but I have seen people going through it. The deepness of their pain hurts my heart.”
Resig took the last dish when Nia handed it to him. “I cared for her and I missed her after she was gone. But she was not my true one and I was not hers. Our relationship was mostly something which kept loneliness away.”
“It is understandable that you would have at some point in your life sought daily solace with a female,” Nia said, finishing her tasks.
The food area now gleamed once more. A quick first meal for the next day was prepped and packed. They would eat it on their journey. She hung up her cloths and nodded in satisfaction before turning to Resig once more.
“Thank you for clearing away Seren’s remains, Resig. I meant to do it, but the sight of it reminded me that I brought about his death. No amount of justification lifted the heavy burden of taking a life from my heart.”
“Time will lift it, Nia. I filed the report already. After I see you all safely off tomorrow, I’ll visit Seren’s family. It is not necessary for you to face them. I will tell them only that Seren lost his life to General Stark’s protector. I will not spare them from why. There will be no questions afterward.”
Nia nodded. “I thank you for that as well. I know I was justified in taking his life. Seren fully intended to kill all of us. Arctic’s poison still flows through some of your warriors.”
Resig shrugged. “One by one, they are being revealed. Perhaps Seren’s death will be an example of the dire consequences of such actions. The one who warned me has offered to bear witness to Seren’s family. I am going to let him do it. Perhaps he can still be saved from Arctic’s teachings.”
&
nbsp; Nia leaned against a counter as she nodded. “That sounds very wise of you, Resig. You are a good general. The planet is safer in your hands.”
“I wish you still felt safe in my hands,” Resig said softly.
“Let us not talk of the past. I prefer to think only of the future,” Nia said.
Resig hung his drying cloth on a bar and stepped closer to her. “All I can do is think of the past. I wish I could go back to that morning after our intimacy and say to you what I wanted to say. I felt I had no right to do so at the time. I still feel like that, but if you feel the need to put an entire galaxy between us, I have already damaged what is between us.”
“Speak your truth, Resig. Do not cloak it in meaningless words. Let us part with honesty,” Nia whispered.
Resig put his hands on her shoulders and slid them down her arms. Nia was young but her spirit was old. He’d been a fool to treat her so shamefully. Now she leaving. It was what he deserved.
“No female—not even my previous mate—ever satisfied me in bed the way you do. Even as a novice, you were more wonderful than I ever imagined a female could be. When I found you cooking for me the next morning, my heart was filled with a contentment I’ve never known. I wanted it every day. It was the most perfect moment I ever experienced but the timing was all wrong.”
Nia searched his eyes and found only sincerity in his gaze. “Explain this to me, Resig. How could what we have ever be wrong?”
“Being a General means bearing the weight of deaths like Seren’s every day. You must become harder in nature in order to handle it. You develop an immunity to joy because your being sees only the suffering in the world. Fighting evil is a job that does not teach a man to find solace in his family. Instead, it teaches him to draw away from those he cares about to protect them. The moment I realized how I felt about you, I felt the instinctive need to keep you from sharing my life.”
Nia lowered her gaze as she took in his words. “So, this is not about me at all. You care for me, but you do not trust me to share your life. You do not consider me worthy enough or strong enough to stand at your side.”
