by Helen Savore
Jamie leaned over the table. “I figured you wouldn’t like the crowd. And I thought I’d make you a bit comfortable before launching into a conversation.”
Alexandrea raised a brow. “Jamie, worried? What can you possibly say?”
Jamie paused, keeping his eyes wide open and met hers. “Why did you stop talking to me when I left for the university?”
She blinked and pulled back, tilting in her seat. Her lips twitched, but she didn't form any words for a while. “I don’t know, Jamie. It was years ago. Why do you want to know now?”
“And you ask me why I was worried?” Jamie tilted back in his chair, increasing the space between them. “Fine, I’ll go first. I missed you, and you never answered my calls. You made me feel like an ogre. Why, Drea?” He tapped the table. “And you did it again when I was on the mend. Why’d you just cut me off?”
Her eyes quaked.
Jamie stared. He stopped talking, waiting for her, but she said nothing. Jamie had to resist the urge to fill the silence. He knew he was being hard, but he had to know now, before he got too invested again. He crossed his arms. “You can’t just try to link up casually after not talking to me for days like this, Drea, pretending nothing happened.”
She drummed her fingers on the tabletop. “I wasn’t trying to pretend. I’m sorry, Jamie, I became preoccupied. Once you were mending…”
He kept his voice low. “You thought it was okay to go back to nothing?”
She did not look up, her gaze glued to the rough tabletop.
Jamie let the silence stretch. He hadn’t expected this. He really hadn’t known what she'd say, but nothing? If she couldn’t say anything, then how could they… move past it? She was the wordy one, so there must be an explanation, but why was she holding it back?
She eventually lifted her head, half-lidded eyes looking at him over fallen glasses rims. “Okay, I know now it was wrong to say nothing. But after my store… reconstruction will take a while, so I’ve focused more on my historical studies. We’re not too far from some old battlefields. It’s been interesting to dig in and try to deduce what the old tribes and warlords were doing back then.”
Jamie grimaced. How could he forget about the store? Alexandrea had every right to find something else to focus on. Once a bookworm, always a bookworm.
When she didn’t continue, Jamie realized she expected a response. “That’s interesting, Drea. I’d like to hear more about that. But”—he held out a hand—“that still doesn’t explain school.”
He let the silence linger, giving her time. His ears caught bits of the game announcer as the rest of the pub came into focus.
Alexandrea squirmed in her seat and rattled her wrists, her disk bracelet chiming. “I guess I thought we were both growing up. It was time for us to focus on different things.” She blinked. “I figured you had better things to do than listen to me prattle about back home.”
A strange relief filled Jamie. He had prepared to forgive her once he understood. Except something still didn’t feel right. It didn’t explain why she withdrew from everyone else. But did it matter?
“You figured wrong.” He reached for her hand and felt a spark. Dammit, he was just trying to be comforting, but this reappearance, after the second brief absence, was giving him thoughts. “I heard from everyone else, why wouldn’t I want to hear from you? I would have loved to hear about your own studies, and then eventually the store getting started? Besides, maybe I wanted to prattle at someone.”
“If you had everyone else to talk to, then why would you want to talk to me?”
He squeezed her hand. “Drea, don’t be like that. We were more than simple friends.” He didn't know what anymore, but it was something. “You didn’t even talk to me when I came back for the funeral, Drea. That hurt.”
She pulled her hand away. “I was in mourning.”
“So was I!” He groaned. “I missed your dad, and I missed you. Gosh, I don’t want to underplay grief for your parents, but some of us wanted to celebrate you surviving, Drea. You didn’t let us. Besides all that, you didn’t have to go through that alone.”
She gulped, and she flattened her lips. “I didn’t come here for this, Jamie.”
“I know, Drea.” He leaned in. “But if we’re going to…” He paused. He wasn’t ready to finish that sentence. “Why did you want to come out?”
“I wanted to check on your recovery. But no, we agreed I couldn’t say that.” She glanced away. “I wanted to get out. Maybe I’ve been moping about the store too much. I just suddenly couldn’t be… alone. And though your recovery is going well, I hoped you wouldn’t mind spending a bit of time together.” She shook her head. “Don’t mind my nerves, let’s just move past this. You’ve still only scratched the surface of your adventures in medical school.”
Jamie eyed her, considering dropping it. Wasn’t this what he wanted? The friend he missed was right here in front of him, wanting to spend time with him. It was a few years late, but she was here now. He shouldn’t push that away, focusing on the past. Besides, they were closer now, if she tried to bolt again he could hold on a bit tighter this time.
So he started from the beginning, recounting antics from orientation. She listened, not just letting him talk, but laughing at his stories and asking for more details about his first lessons.
In the middle of a lab anecdote someone called out, “Alexandrea?”
Jamie didn’t recognize the voice. They both turned to see the new guy enter. Even from across the room, Jamie needed to tilt his head to meet this man’s too-dark blue eyes. They were part of a pale face and draped by long blond hair.
“Who’s that?”
Alexandrea’s eyes widened. “What? Who?”
“The person who just called out your name.”
She blinked and glanced over her shoulder, but immediately whipped back.
Jamie’s breath hitched. She was scared. Why? Could she be hiding from this guy? Jamie’s heart slowed, and a chill spread through his chest. Was that why she wanted to see him so suddenly? Was she looking for safety? And he’d attacked her with drama from the past?
Jamie leaned in and whispered. “Is everything okay?”
She nodded, but her eyes flickered. “Yes.”
He frowned. “You know, if you needed any help—”
“No, no, really, I’m fine.”
Jamie looked again, making sure he wasn’t seeing things. But this guy, while striking, was human. He leaned against the door frame and looked straight at them.
Jamie put a hand on top of hers, steadying them. “Drea, there’s a tall pale man with dark eyes back there. Are you trying to hide from him?”
Her mouth opened, but her breath hitched. She mumbled an acknowledgment a moment later and spun around fully, waving at the stranger. “Adam? Why are you here?”
The guy cut through the crowd and didn’t bother nabbing a stool, he just leaned into the table between them and faced Alexandrea.
“I am glad I found you. I think you have been forgetting something.”
Drea tapped the table, then pointed to Jamie. “Adam, please don’t be so rude. You’ve interrupted me and my friend. This is Jamie.”
He swiveled his head, and Jamie considered if maybe this was a phantom. Adam’s eyes were too dark, his lank frame so tall. But Drea was interacting with him, so he must be real.
“Oh? My apologies,” he said. “Far be it from me to interrupt your discourse. Adam Argris.”
Jamie tried to release the glare that unconsciously formed. He did not like how close this guy stood by Drea. He stuck out his hand anyway. “James. Penderson.”
When Adam grasped his hand, it froze, a chill shooting up his arm. Had he dunked his fists in ice before coming in? Jamie kept his gaze fixed and pumped it twice.
Adam clapped another hand on top of their shared grasp. “Of course. You are Alexandrea’s childhood companion?”
Jamie eyed him suspiciously. Adam’s expression did not match his words. Some
thing strange about the face. “Sure.”
“You are not what I expected.”
Jamie gritted his teeth, biting a retort.
Alexandrea put a hand between them. “Jamie, I’m sorry I didn't get around to mentioning, Adam is my new research partner.”
Adam bobbed his head and touched Alexandrea's shoulder. “Yes, too true. I am so sorry to be such a bother but Alexandrea, you have neglected our appointment. We were to look into the injuries after the Ram’s Head struggle?"
Jamie stiffened. He wasn’t imagining it; there was something there. He wasn’t sure who to be more mad at. Here she came over being pleasant and friendly, claiming she needed company, then this guy shows up? She didn’t seem so scared now, more annoyed, so she likely didn’t come to Jamie for escape.
Alexandrea hitched her shoulder. “I completely forgot. I’m so sorry. Jamie, I’m really sorry, I did forget about this.” She nodded to Adam. “I’ll be out in five minutes, I promise.”
“You are dismissing me?”
“Wait outside; I want to speak a few more minutes with my friend here.”
Adam straightened up, but grinned. “James, I’m sure I’ll be seeing you again. Be sure to ask Alexandrea here more about our studies.” He bowed and strode out of the room.
Jamie broke the silence first. “Research partner?”
Alexandrea shrugged. “He is a bit of a strange one, but then, I have my own eccentricities.”
Jamie noted her eyes narrowed, but in a glare, more like studying. Was she worried what he thought?
She should be, he was confused. They were fixing things from when they were kids, getting to know each other again, but she hadn’t mentioned this guy at all. What did that mean? When he said nothing, she moved to get up.
Jamie grabbed for her. “Do you really have to go now?”
“I do. I made a promise. I got distracted unfortunately…”
Jamie squeezed her hand. “Okay. I want you to keep that promise, so you’ll keep mine. Don’t disappear again Alexandrea.”
“I promise. We will talk more.” She closed her eyes. “I’m not going anywhere anytime soon.”
Jamie let her go. “Remember that.”
22
A rasp startled Alexandrea, interrupting her reading. She glanced up from her chair. The stones blocking the entrance to the hidden courtyard pulled apart, and Moralynn peeked through.
“Ah, there you are. Took a bit more time than you planned?” Alexandrea asked, putting aside her book.
The delay was both good and bad. She hadn’t figured out what, if anything, she wanted to say about Jamie. It was too wild. He could see Adhomai. It was unreal. She was the only Druid left, and that was through Moralynn’s help and guidance. No one else could see until they summoned the Phoenix, maybe then could they bring that wonder and magic back to the world, and adults would see.
But not before.
In the days since the incident, her mind flicked back to the wrecked store and Gwen. She hadn’t thought she’d helped Gwen that much, but then, maybe that healing came from somewhere else. There was also Jamie’s accident. He seemed to be mending too fast. She thought she’d done something wrong on the field in her haste; maybe this wasn’t her. But that was preposterous.
“It did not feel as such for me.” Once the stones opened a wide enough hole, Moralynn stepped into Alexandrea’s office, interrupting her thoughts. “Are you ready?”
“Can you wait a few moments? I’d like to talk.”
Moralynn took in a breath and gave her a steady gaze. “If this is about Glastonbury and Avalon, no. Otherwise, we can talk on the way.”
She frowned. She didn’t want to discuss this in front of Adhomai, although he perfectly well knew. He mentioned it in sly ways while traipsing about the house and kept begging to join her in town again. Perhaps it was her karma for leaving him behind, but she just needed a bit of space. Something different. The Estate was feeling smaller the longer she was cooped up with Adhomai. Even Phil remarked she was more talkative lately.
Alexandrea flicked her eyes, peering over her glasses. “I would like to speak without our guest.”
“Acceptable, but when he arrives, we answer it.” Moralynn waved a hand to both her entrance and the traditional door. “Though I’m curious why. He is our partner in these endeavors at the moment.”
“Full partners? Boderien was never in all our conversations.” Which wasn’t to say he wasn’t a big part of their life and efforts. There were some words best shared between Druids. She was coming to realize she did not like Adhomai. It was not fair, but it was true. She kept comparing him to Boderien, and he did not measure up; fae were unique people, too. Perhaps in time she would come to appreciate their new ally.
Moralynn cocked her head. “Full? All? Absolutes do not serve us well.”
“You hid Boderien for centuries, and he took care of himself. Adhomai is here a few minutes and you set me to mind him.” Alexandrea rose from her seat. “This isn’t just about Boderien’s passing; there’s something else. How much do you trust Adhomai?”
“Trust is a difficult thing to quantify,” Moralynn said. “In the end, I do and I do not.”
“Then why are we working with him? You know the Grail is out there now; we don’t need him.”
“Alexandrea, you do not understand. He saw it, not just the Grail, but his hands on the Grail.”
“And the glimpses are always true?”
“This is Lady Fate—”
“How many fae lives have you followed after returning them to life?”
Moralynn's eyes narrowed. “You question the power of a goddess, my pupil?”
Alexandrea’s blood rose. She said her next words slowly and carefully. “I have seen what gods can reduce you to, and they can be quite human in that regard.”
“I am many things, but not a god, dear girl.” Moralynn reached out a hand.
She took it, but still spoke. “So why do you trust him, but not?”
The door thumped against the door frame.
“Alexandrea, I believe your Master has arrived. Shall we prepare for the next location?”
Alexandrea lifted her face to catch Moralynn’s gaze.
She may not call herself a god, but her eyes are not human.
Moralynn knelt and spoke softly, “I trust him, because I knew him once. And I do not trust him because he no longer knows himself.”
The door pounded again. “Is my Lady Phoenix Sparked in there as well?”
Alexandrea stared at Moralynn as if the words she said were physically trapped between them. She sighed. Her worries about Adhomai robbed her of a chance to discuss Jamie with Moralynn. But perhaps that was for the best; it would give her more time to think.
Alexandrea made a small movement and stirred the wind to pull open the door.
Adhomai’s smile widened as he bowed first to Alexandrea and then Moralynn. “Gentle ladies, shall we commence our travel to Brocéliande?”
Moralynn broke into a rare smile. “It will be a treat to return to the great forest.”
The trio passed through sparse bronze leaves, clinging to their dozy trees as long as they could. They settled on a somewhat maintained forest path.
Moralynn circled. “This was not what I was expecting.”
“Is it not Brocéliande? It was only a guess. Some modern scholars claim Paimpont Forest is what remains of the original primeval forest.” Alexandrea noted points by touching the fingers on her hand. "‘The forest has many curiosities, stones arranged in pleasing manners, a golden tree, a well dedicated to the Lady of the Lake, and Merlin’s Tomb.’”
Alexandrea’s nose twitched at the scent of an unfamiliar forest’s musk. It wasn’t bad, but a different mixture of fauna from what surrounded her home.
Moralynn’s eyes glazed over. “Merlin did not die here.”
“I know,” she said, nodding, waiting for Moralynn to contradict her. Moralynn was rarely forthcoming about her far past. Too many ghosts a
nd hurt memories. Alexandrea hoped the forest wouldn’t bother her too much. “But perhaps the Grail became associated with his death, and…” She paused. “Moralynn, if we knew where it was, we wouldn’t have to look.”
“Yes…” Moralynn twitched and her eyes cleared. “Adhomai, any sense?”
He frowned and brought his hands together into a bow. “None at all, my Lady Phoenix Sparked, however, I did not expect to have any.”
Moralynn motioned to the path. “Let us observe the place.”
Alexandrea guided them along the paths she studied from the brochure. The other two remained quiet, so she did not speak. It was easier to navigate around the other tourists that way. There were only a few, but it only took one catching her acting strange to cause trouble.
After crossing a clearing, she caught sight of a short wooden palisade. They were alone, so she risked motioning.
“Right round that corner.”
They regained the path, and it opened into a smaller clearing. The outer rim would have been simple dirt if not for the ring of dead leaves.
“It is so…”
“Plain?” Alexandrea tried to fill in her word.
Moralynn circled the fixture. It was a flat area, made up of simple wide stones that created a circular promontory. In the middle was a split rock. Or more accurately, two, but they were close together and appeared to be of similar composition. A holly bush stood beside the gap in the rocks, not between them.
“There is not—”
“There is nothing there,” Adhomai said, staring through a box he formed with his fingers.
Alexandrea stopped the gasp forming in her throat. What did the elders see? Between his fingers was an intense shimmering green light, but she did not want to question Adhomai. He did not need further encouragement, ally or no.
Moralynn trailed a hand along the stone. “When you mentioned a tomb, I thought maybe…”
Alexandrea waited for Moralynn to continue, but she did not speak. She was having a hard time finding words. Alexandrea hoped it was concentration, Moralynn sifting through her memories to help their quest. She feared it was not pleasant.
