The duelist 3, p.23
The Duelist 3, page 23
Everyone froze, even the bumblebirds, and then whipped their heads in the direction of the flat note.
Which just so happened to be the one sitting right in front of Zoie.
Three things happened, and each was more entertaining than the last.
First, the cat-woman’s ears flattened against her ebony head, her hand clapped over her mouth, and then she snorted a huge laugh through her nose.
This just made her shake harder until she finally lost the battle and giggled and snorted so endearingly I couldn’t help but start to chuckle along with her.
Shay’s eyes locked with mine, and she blinked those emerald orbs before she too started to giggle.
From there, the humor caught on like wildfire until the whole table was roaring with laughter.
Even the sisters were dabbing at their eyes as they leaned into each other for support through gales of laughter.
“Oh, look!” Zoie gasped as the bumblebirds began to groove in a figure eight pattern like they were laughing, too.
“So, um, it appears as if Zoie accidentally confused her drink with one of these,” I said and held up the one half-drained. “What the darkhell is even in these?”
“Oh!” Shay said and reached for a glass. “I almost forgot! The bumblebirds sprinkle their pollen over the woot brandy and make it less potent and more flavorful. Alone it tastes similar to water, but it is quite strong.”
“It’s a good thing she only had a few sips,” I said as Zoie continued to snicker against me with her head buried in my chest.
“This tastes so wonderful,” Amaya said as she looked down into one of the tall glasses. “It’s like tasting what the sun tastes like.”
At that, everyone grabbed their own glass and took a sip.
The woot brandy went from a pale yellow to a golden-wheat color that even had a frothy head of foam as if the pollen had caused some sort of chemical reaction, and when I took a sip, I was reminded of a nice fruity Hefeweizen.
“How fascinating!” Jenner enthused as he licked the foam from his upper lip. “What was that display you showed us?”
“It’s called a Bumblebird Concerto,” Shay explained. “An apiarist discovered how this little species relates its history. Based on the configuration of the glasses, this concerto is about the battle of the Two Queens.”
“You mean the little bug things have recorded history?” Vel-Rala said as she grasped her own glass. The cockatoo-woman’s normally cynical face had never looked so full of wonder before, and I smiled at the sight of her settled under Bodin’s arm.
“They are quite smart, the little sprites,” Anwaar said as she observed one perched on her finger.
“What a fantastic idea,” Horus said and nudged his sister.
Shay looked down at her hands for a moment before she smiled up at him with an expression that meant she probably forgave him.
“Mm.” Zoie’s head thudded against my shoulder again, and she released a heady sigh that meant she was probably on her way to slumberland.
“Oh, the poor darling,” Shay said when she caught sight of the sleepy cat-girl nuzzling into my chest. “I really should have taken better care.”
“Nah, she’s having a blast, don’t even worry,” I said and hugged her close. “She’s been taking care of everyone lately, and I bet she’s been needing a moment to relax. I’ll just take her to bed, though. Jenner, would you mind?”
“Not at all, Mr. Alex,” the koala-man said and stood up on the cushioned bench seat. “Come here, Zoie, there’s a lass.”
He then helped her uncling from my side so I could stand up from the sunken table.
“Alright, kitten,” I said and pulled her up so I could support her. “Let’s get you to bed.”
“M’kay,” she said again and slumped into me. “Shay, it was a beautiful party.”
“Sweet dreams, dearheart,” the phoenix-woman said with a wave.
Zoie was out like a light the minute I got her upstairs, and her head hit the pillow like a ton of bricks.
“I hope you drank enough water,” I chuckled as I took off her shoes, tucked her in, and kissed her on the forehead.
Then I exited into the corridor and jaunted down the stairs intent on returning to the party, but before I could get back to the dining hall, I was practically knocked flat on my ass when I rounded the next corner.
Chapter 16
“Oh, I’m terribly sorry,” the oryx-woman with the moonlight eyes said as she smiled up at me from her position in my arms. “I didn’t time that correctly, and my hope was to avoid running into you.”
“Were you looking for something in particular?” I raised a suspicious eyebrow and stood her back on her own feet.
“Hm, your aura changed,” Amaya said as she regarded me from head to toe. “Oh, I see, now. You think I might be up to snooping. I apologize for that impression, but I am not interested in anything you have in this manor, even though Ithaca is a wonderful place. She feels happy to have love in her walls once more.”
“She?” I asked.
“Yes,” Amaya said and walked over to place her hand on the wall. “I have known Ithaca the same way I have known you.”
“Hey, now,” I said and gently intercepted her hand when she tried to cup my cheek again. “Maybe you should tell me what you’re doing away from the party if you’re not snooping.”
“I wanted a moment to speak with you,” the pretty oryx-girl said as she plucked a long feather-like reed from a vase and twirled it around her finger like she couldn’t help but need something to fiddle with.
“Well, I am your captive audience, so go for it.” I smiled at her and tried not to chuckle at the vacant look on her pretty face.
“Oh, yes, well, you see, I had hoped you could help me run an errand,” she said in her woodwind voice.
“An… errand?” I puzzled.
“I need your help with something that could mean life or death,” she said, and her face grew dreamy and distant before she snapped herself out of it and rubbed her head.
“Are you okay?” I asked and held out a stabilizing hand just in case she needed it. “Life or death, huh? Kind of dramatic.”
“Isn’t it, though?” The oryx-woman grinned slightly but indicated she was alright. “You can’t imagine how frustrating it is to know something dire but only have a vague impression of what it could mean.”
“But I thought ‘knowing’ things was kind of your job?” I asked.
“I can only know what is knowable unless there is additional knowledge for me to gain through my touch,” she explained.
“That doesn’t sound convenient,” I commented.
“It is not,” she said and then shuddered. “Will you help me, please?”
“What is it you need me to do?” I asked.
“I am not sure yet, but please meet me in the stone garden when the night is at its zenith,” she said, and toward the end of her request, her irises shimmered that chromatic glow.
“Yes, I’ll help,” I said, even though this whole helping-people-without-all-the-info thing wasn’t my favorite.
“Thank you, Asher,” she said with a bow of her white-blonde head.
“Just Alex is fine,” I said and offered my arm to the oryx-woman. “Shall we go back to the dining hall?”
“We must,” she replied and tucked her hand into the crook of my elbow. “I think our presences are required.”
“What makes you say that?” I asked, but before she could answer me, a whole bevy of people streamed past us heading in the opposite direction. I snagged Jenner’s jacket sleeve to pull him aside as Arvid, Vel-Rala, Mel, and Bodin vamoosed on by. “Wait, Jenner, where is everyone going in such a hurry?”
“It seems as if Lady Shay and Mr. Horus need to work out a few of their differences, and we all thought it best to let them occupy the space in order to sort things out, as it were,” the koala-butler relayed as he nervously tweaked his monocle.
“Oh, boy,” I sighed. “I know they are long overdue for a chat, but is the place still standing at least?”
“If it is, it might not be for long,” he chuckled and patted my arm. “You better go and mediate.”
“Is my sister still there?” Amaya asked.
“She indicated she preferred to wait for you before retiring for the evening, my dear,” he said and patted the back of her hand.
“Thank you, Cornelius,” Amaya said with a dip of her head. Then she bobbed down the corridor and slipped inside the dining all.
When the door opened, a very spirited conversation could be heard for a fraction of a second before the door closed once more.
“Yikes,” I said and exchanged an amused looked with my trusty koala-butler. “You’re right, I’d better get in there. Thanks.”
“Good luck, lad,” he sighed as he shook his big-eared head, and then we both went our separate ways.
“I don’t understand why you think it’s a bad idea!” Shay said in a tone of voice that sounded as if she’d been saying this on repeat. “Especially since neither of you will let Amaya speak for herself on the matter.”
“Hey, all,” I said with a wave as I walked into a stand-off. “What’s going on?”
Shay, Horus, and the ibex-woman, Anwaar, were all engaged in a battle of wills with a slightly confused-looking Amaya in the middle.
“Oh, nothing, just the inability of my older brother to let me decide what I can and cannot handle,” Shay huffed as she inspected her nails.
“Shale-Lea, that’s not fair,” Horus said with a hurt frown. “This isn’t about coddling you, or keeping anything from you.”
“Then what is it about?” Shay snapped and rapidly blinked her eyes. “Ever since then, I’ve been tearing myself up inside wondering…”
The phoenix-woman wrapped her arms around herself, and I couldn’t just stand there when she looked like that, so I went over to place an arm around her.
“I hope I’m not intruding, but I would like to know what’s going on here,” I said as Shay tried to discreetly dab the tears from her eyes.
“Oh, it’s silly,” Shay murmured, but the edge of barely healed-over hurt was still there in her voice. “I don’t even know why I still care because now I have you.”
“And I have you, and I’m here no matter what,” I said and squeezed her arms. “Now, tell me what’s going on in that silly brain.”
“I simply wondered if Amaya might be willing to complete the rest of the fortune she started but couldn’t complete before my father put an end to it,” she said, and I gawked at her.
“There’s more?” I asked and shifted my eyes over to the oryx-woman.
Her sister was busy murmuring something in her ear, but it was clear by Amaya’s face that she wasn’t paying attention because the blonde-haired augurwoman ignored her and started walking toward Shay and me.
“Maya!” Anwaar tried to get her sister’s attention again and then huffed when it was clear the other woman wasn’t listening.
The oryx-woman stopped in front of Shay, and I stood just a step back so I wouldn’t interfere with whatever was going on.
“I, too, know how frustrating it can be to have an older sibling who cares more for your well-being than their own,” Amaya said and then glanced over her shoulder at her sister. “They do what they must, do not fault them for wanting to protect your precious heart.”
Shay’s big green eyes were solemn and beading with tears as she absorbed the salient wisdom the oryx-woman just delivered. Then she made eye-contact with Horus and gave him a small watery smile that was returned three-fold by the falcon-man.
Then Amaya raised her palm as if she was going to do her Touch thing, but before she could cup Shay’s face, she placed her hand over the phoenix-woman’s heart instead.
“I know what you are asking of me, but I should have never revealed the Knowledge to you before your time like I did.” She bowed her silver-horned head in contrition. “The Knowledge is meant to help, or heal, or to find closure, but there is some Knowledge that must never be imparted. At the time, I was too young and inexperienced to know the difference, and it has caused me much pain whenever I remember how devastated my folly left you.”
“Oh,” Shay said as her tears flowed freely down her heart-shaped face. “Oh, Amaya…”
“And this is why…” the oryx-woman pushed through her speech as if she was afraid she was going to lose her nerve. “This is why I cannot give you what you seek.”
“Why?” Shay asked in the smallest hurt voice I’d ever heard, and I felt like I was just kicked in the heart.
“Because,” Amaya said and finally made contact with the phoenix-woman’s cheek. “Sometimes Knowing too much can tear you apart.”
Shay cupped the oryx-woman’s hand against her face and breathed out a shaky sigh.
“Is that how it is for you?” she asked in a low voice and raised those heavy eyes. “You are constantly threatened by the Knowledge tearing you apart?”
Amaya sucked in a quiet breath, and her serene expression fractured just enough to where it was clear what the answer to that question was.
Then Shay, because she was the most compassionate soul in the universe, seemed to drop the mantle of her own hurt and lack of closure, and my phoenix-wife enveloped the other woman in a strong hug.
“I had no idea that’s what it felt like for you,” Shay said when she leaned back from the embrace. “And I’m sorry if I overstepped any bounds by asking. I meant no disrespect.”
This last point was said to Anwaar, and the ibex-woman nodded in acceptance and what seemed like gratitude.
“Shaylee?” Horus started walking a few steps before he paused as if unsure. “Are we okay?”
“Yes, of course,” she said through a relieved laugh, and she closed the distance between them so she could throw her arms around the falcon-man. “You’re my brother, and above all, I am so, so glad you are alright.”
“And you’re my sister,” Horus said as if that’s all that mattered, and then he hugged the phoenix-woman back just as tightly.
“Oh, and in case I came off as disingenuous before, I just wanted to reiterate to the both of you just how grateful I am,” she said to the Mec sisters after the heartfelt embrace with her brother ended. “Without your shared testimony, Horus wouldn’t be here, and the fact that he is means… everything.”
“It is our duty and our privilege,” Anwaar said and smiled a small but genuine smile.
For my part, I couldn’t help but grin wide at this admittedly sappy Hallmark stuff, and I briefly wondered if I was becoming soft with all of this domesticity.
If that was the case, then I resigned myself to my fate because these moments I was lucky enough to witness were priceless.
“You guys are great.” I walked over and looped my arms around Shay and Horus. “Just, so great.”
With all metaphorical hatchets seemingly buried, the five of us decided to part ways and retire for the evening.
“Ladies,” the roguish falcon-man said and offered his arms to the augur-mage women, but because he had such pointy elbows, the effect reminded me of a skinny chicken. “If you will be so kind as to follow me, I will show you to your guest rooms.”
“The second floor should be all prepared for you,” Shay said as she looped her arm through mine. “Please, stay as long as you like. Ithaca will always be open to you for what you’ve done for my brother.”
Horus and the Mec sisters then left the dining hall, and I returned the look that Amaya sent me over her shoulder with a nod.
I still remembered the strange “errand” she needed my help with, and after witnessing the compassion she showed my phoenix-wife, I was now even more inclined to help this mysterious and beautiful woman.
So, after Zoie and Shay were long settled and asleep in bed, I untangled myself from their warm limbs, silently dressed back in the clothes I was wearing earlier, grabbed my sword, and headed to the stone garden in the northern courtyard.
The oryx-woman was already there kneeling by one of the pools, but she didn’t touch it or dip her bare feet in, which was good because even these small pools were corrosive unless an Asher was there.
Sure enough, the moment I stepped into the garden, a light mist rose from the pools to indicate the water was safe.
Amaya turned to me when I approached and smiled as she got to her feet.
“Hello,” she said and twirled a finger around one of her curly locks.
“Hi.” I grinned, and I felt a faint flutter from my heart as I took in the sight of the augurwoman.
She was more enchanting under the starlight as if she was actually made of the stuff, and it lined her in a silvery glow like an ethereal goddess who lived off the light of the moon. Her skin was so pale that if it weren’t for the light caramel markings on her snub nose, the backs of her hands, and across her neckline, I would have wondered if she had some sort of albinism. Her breasts were on the smaller side, but they fit her willowy frame similar to a gymnast or a swimmer, and I wondered if that meant she was athletic at all.
If my first impression of her climbing up trees was any indication, then the answer was probably a “Yes,” and I felt myself wanting to get to know more about this strange, enigmatic woman.
“I was not sure if you would come,” she said and walked even closer as if she really didn’t understand personal space.
“I thought you Knew?” I asked, and I tried not to breathe in her alluring violet scent like I was in a Febreze commercial in case that was seen as a little too creepy.
“I know what is Knowable,” she repeated and took up one of my hands so she could examine my palm. “For example, I can see your hands are broad and lightly callused, which tells me you are capable of a great many things. You are a fighter, but the line through the middle of your palm is nearly straight.”
“What does that mean?” I breathed as she leaned closer and traced a thin finger along the crease in the center of my hand.
“It shows me you are fair and just, and when I touch you, I can feel those qualities inside of you,” she explained and pressed her other hand to my stubbled cheek. Then she smiled and closed her eyes with a little hum of pleasure. “I can feel these traits within you almost constantly at work. You fight every waking moment for what is just. But there are shadows behind your eyes sometimes when you think no one is looking.”
Which just so happened to be the one sitting right in front of Zoie.
Three things happened, and each was more entertaining than the last.
First, the cat-woman’s ears flattened against her ebony head, her hand clapped over her mouth, and then she snorted a huge laugh through her nose.
This just made her shake harder until she finally lost the battle and giggled and snorted so endearingly I couldn’t help but start to chuckle along with her.
Shay’s eyes locked with mine, and she blinked those emerald orbs before she too started to giggle.
From there, the humor caught on like wildfire until the whole table was roaring with laughter.
Even the sisters were dabbing at their eyes as they leaned into each other for support through gales of laughter.
“Oh, look!” Zoie gasped as the bumblebirds began to groove in a figure eight pattern like they were laughing, too.
“So, um, it appears as if Zoie accidentally confused her drink with one of these,” I said and held up the one half-drained. “What the darkhell is even in these?”
“Oh!” Shay said and reached for a glass. “I almost forgot! The bumblebirds sprinkle their pollen over the woot brandy and make it less potent and more flavorful. Alone it tastes similar to water, but it is quite strong.”
“It’s a good thing she only had a few sips,” I said as Zoie continued to snicker against me with her head buried in my chest.
“This tastes so wonderful,” Amaya said as she looked down into one of the tall glasses. “It’s like tasting what the sun tastes like.”
At that, everyone grabbed their own glass and took a sip.
The woot brandy went from a pale yellow to a golden-wheat color that even had a frothy head of foam as if the pollen had caused some sort of chemical reaction, and when I took a sip, I was reminded of a nice fruity Hefeweizen.
“How fascinating!” Jenner enthused as he licked the foam from his upper lip. “What was that display you showed us?”
“It’s called a Bumblebird Concerto,” Shay explained. “An apiarist discovered how this little species relates its history. Based on the configuration of the glasses, this concerto is about the battle of the Two Queens.”
“You mean the little bug things have recorded history?” Vel-Rala said as she grasped her own glass. The cockatoo-woman’s normally cynical face had never looked so full of wonder before, and I smiled at the sight of her settled under Bodin’s arm.
“They are quite smart, the little sprites,” Anwaar said as she observed one perched on her finger.
“What a fantastic idea,” Horus said and nudged his sister.
Shay looked down at her hands for a moment before she smiled up at him with an expression that meant she probably forgave him.
“Mm.” Zoie’s head thudded against my shoulder again, and she released a heady sigh that meant she was probably on her way to slumberland.
“Oh, the poor darling,” Shay said when she caught sight of the sleepy cat-girl nuzzling into my chest. “I really should have taken better care.”
“Nah, she’s having a blast, don’t even worry,” I said and hugged her close. “She’s been taking care of everyone lately, and I bet she’s been needing a moment to relax. I’ll just take her to bed, though. Jenner, would you mind?”
“Not at all, Mr. Alex,” the koala-man said and stood up on the cushioned bench seat. “Come here, Zoie, there’s a lass.”
He then helped her uncling from my side so I could stand up from the sunken table.
“Alright, kitten,” I said and pulled her up so I could support her. “Let’s get you to bed.”
“M’kay,” she said again and slumped into me. “Shay, it was a beautiful party.”
“Sweet dreams, dearheart,” the phoenix-woman said with a wave.
Zoie was out like a light the minute I got her upstairs, and her head hit the pillow like a ton of bricks.
“I hope you drank enough water,” I chuckled as I took off her shoes, tucked her in, and kissed her on the forehead.
Then I exited into the corridor and jaunted down the stairs intent on returning to the party, but before I could get back to the dining hall, I was practically knocked flat on my ass when I rounded the next corner.
Chapter 16
“Oh, I’m terribly sorry,” the oryx-woman with the moonlight eyes said as she smiled up at me from her position in my arms. “I didn’t time that correctly, and my hope was to avoid running into you.”
“Were you looking for something in particular?” I raised a suspicious eyebrow and stood her back on her own feet.
“Hm, your aura changed,” Amaya said as she regarded me from head to toe. “Oh, I see, now. You think I might be up to snooping. I apologize for that impression, but I am not interested in anything you have in this manor, even though Ithaca is a wonderful place. She feels happy to have love in her walls once more.”
“She?” I asked.
“Yes,” Amaya said and walked over to place her hand on the wall. “I have known Ithaca the same way I have known you.”
“Hey, now,” I said and gently intercepted her hand when she tried to cup my cheek again. “Maybe you should tell me what you’re doing away from the party if you’re not snooping.”
“I wanted a moment to speak with you,” the pretty oryx-girl said as she plucked a long feather-like reed from a vase and twirled it around her finger like she couldn’t help but need something to fiddle with.
“Well, I am your captive audience, so go for it.” I smiled at her and tried not to chuckle at the vacant look on her pretty face.
“Oh, yes, well, you see, I had hoped you could help me run an errand,” she said in her woodwind voice.
“An… errand?” I puzzled.
“I need your help with something that could mean life or death,” she said, and her face grew dreamy and distant before she snapped herself out of it and rubbed her head.
“Are you okay?” I asked and held out a stabilizing hand just in case she needed it. “Life or death, huh? Kind of dramatic.”
“Isn’t it, though?” The oryx-woman grinned slightly but indicated she was alright. “You can’t imagine how frustrating it is to know something dire but only have a vague impression of what it could mean.”
“But I thought ‘knowing’ things was kind of your job?” I asked.
“I can only know what is knowable unless there is additional knowledge for me to gain through my touch,” she explained.
“That doesn’t sound convenient,” I commented.
“It is not,” she said and then shuddered. “Will you help me, please?”
“What is it you need me to do?” I asked.
“I am not sure yet, but please meet me in the stone garden when the night is at its zenith,” she said, and toward the end of her request, her irises shimmered that chromatic glow.
“Yes, I’ll help,” I said, even though this whole helping-people-without-all-the-info thing wasn’t my favorite.
“Thank you, Asher,” she said with a bow of her white-blonde head.
“Just Alex is fine,” I said and offered my arm to the oryx-woman. “Shall we go back to the dining hall?”
“We must,” she replied and tucked her hand into the crook of my elbow. “I think our presences are required.”
“What makes you say that?” I asked, but before she could answer me, a whole bevy of people streamed past us heading in the opposite direction. I snagged Jenner’s jacket sleeve to pull him aside as Arvid, Vel-Rala, Mel, and Bodin vamoosed on by. “Wait, Jenner, where is everyone going in such a hurry?”
“It seems as if Lady Shay and Mr. Horus need to work out a few of their differences, and we all thought it best to let them occupy the space in order to sort things out, as it were,” the koala-butler relayed as he nervously tweaked his monocle.
“Oh, boy,” I sighed. “I know they are long overdue for a chat, but is the place still standing at least?”
“If it is, it might not be for long,” he chuckled and patted my arm. “You better go and mediate.”
“Is my sister still there?” Amaya asked.
“She indicated she preferred to wait for you before retiring for the evening, my dear,” he said and patted the back of her hand.
“Thank you, Cornelius,” Amaya said with a dip of her head. Then she bobbed down the corridor and slipped inside the dining all.
When the door opened, a very spirited conversation could be heard for a fraction of a second before the door closed once more.
“Yikes,” I said and exchanged an amused looked with my trusty koala-butler. “You’re right, I’d better get in there. Thanks.”
“Good luck, lad,” he sighed as he shook his big-eared head, and then we both went our separate ways.
“I don’t understand why you think it’s a bad idea!” Shay said in a tone of voice that sounded as if she’d been saying this on repeat. “Especially since neither of you will let Amaya speak for herself on the matter.”
“Hey, all,” I said with a wave as I walked into a stand-off. “What’s going on?”
Shay, Horus, and the ibex-woman, Anwaar, were all engaged in a battle of wills with a slightly confused-looking Amaya in the middle.
“Oh, nothing, just the inability of my older brother to let me decide what I can and cannot handle,” Shay huffed as she inspected her nails.
“Shale-Lea, that’s not fair,” Horus said with a hurt frown. “This isn’t about coddling you, or keeping anything from you.”
“Then what is it about?” Shay snapped and rapidly blinked her eyes. “Ever since then, I’ve been tearing myself up inside wondering…”
The phoenix-woman wrapped her arms around herself, and I couldn’t just stand there when she looked like that, so I went over to place an arm around her.
“I hope I’m not intruding, but I would like to know what’s going on here,” I said as Shay tried to discreetly dab the tears from her eyes.
“Oh, it’s silly,” Shay murmured, but the edge of barely healed-over hurt was still there in her voice. “I don’t even know why I still care because now I have you.”
“And I have you, and I’m here no matter what,” I said and squeezed her arms. “Now, tell me what’s going on in that silly brain.”
“I simply wondered if Amaya might be willing to complete the rest of the fortune she started but couldn’t complete before my father put an end to it,” she said, and I gawked at her.
“There’s more?” I asked and shifted my eyes over to the oryx-woman.
Her sister was busy murmuring something in her ear, but it was clear by Amaya’s face that she wasn’t paying attention because the blonde-haired augurwoman ignored her and started walking toward Shay and me.
“Maya!” Anwaar tried to get her sister’s attention again and then huffed when it was clear the other woman wasn’t listening.
The oryx-woman stopped in front of Shay, and I stood just a step back so I wouldn’t interfere with whatever was going on.
“I, too, know how frustrating it can be to have an older sibling who cares more for your well-being than their own,” Amaya said and then glanced over her shoulder at her sister. “They do what they must, do not fault them for wanting to protect your precious heart.”
Shay’s big green eyes were solemn and beading with tears as she absorbed the salient wisdom the oryx-woman just delivered. Then she made eye-contact with Horus and gave him a small watery smile that was returned three-fold by the falcon-man.
Then Amaya raised her palm as if she was going to do her Touch thing, but before she could cup Shay’s face, she placed her hand over the phoenix-woman’s heart instead.
“I know what you are asking of me, but I should have never revealed the Knowledge to you before your time like I did.” She bowed her silver-horned head in contrition. “The Knowledge is meant to help, or heal, or to find closure, but there is some Knowledge that must never be imparted. At the time, I was too young and inexperienced to know the difference, and it has caused me much pain whenever I remember how devastated my folly left you.”
“Oh,” Shay said as her tears flowed freely down her heart-shaped face. “Oh, Amaya…”
“And this is why…” the oryx-woman pushed through her speech as if she was afraid she was going to lose her nerve. “This is why I cannot give you what you seek.”
“Why?” Shay asked in the smallest hurt voice I’d ever heard, and I felt like I was just kicked in the heart.
“Because,” Amaya said and finally made contact with the phoenix-woman’s cheek. “Sometimes Knowing too much can tear you apart.”
Shay cupped the oryx-woman’s hand against her face and breathed out a shaky sigh.
“Is that how it is for you?” she asked in a low voice and raised those heavy eyes. “You are constantly threatened by the Knowledge tearing you apart?”
Amaya sucked in a quiet breath, and her serene expression fractured just enough to where it was clear what the answer to that question was.
Then Shay, because she was the most compassionate soul in the universe, seemed to drop the mantle of her own hurt and lack of closure, and my phoenix-wife enveloped the other woman in a strong hug.
“I had no idea that’s what it felt like for you,” Shay said when she leaned back from the embrace. “And I’m sorry if I overstepped any bounds by asking. I meant no disrespect.”
This last point was said to Anwaar, and the ibex-woman nodded in acceptance and what seemed like gratitude.
“Shaylee?” Horus started walking a few steps before he paused as if unsure. “Are we okay?”
“Yes, of course,” she said through a relieved laugh, and she closed the distance between them so she could throw her arms around the falcon-man. “You’re my brother, and above all, I am so, so glad you are alright.”
“And you’re my sister,” Horus said as if that’s all that mattered, and then he hugged the phoenix-woman back just as tightly.
“Oh, and in case I came off as disingenuous before, I just wanted to reiterate to the both of you just how grateful I am,” she said to the Mec sisters after the heartfelt embrace with her brother ended. “Without your shared testimony, Horus wouldn’t be here, and the fact that he is means… everything.”
“It is our duty and our privilege,” Anwaar said and smiled a small but genuine smile.
For my part, I couldn’t help but grin wide at this admittedly sappy Hallmark stuff, and I briefly wondered if I was becoming soft with all of this domesticity.
If that was the case, then I resigned myself to my fate because these moments I was lucky enough to witness were priceless.
“You guys are great.” I walked over and looped my arms around Shay and Horus. “Just, so great.”
With all metaphorical hatchets seemingly buried, the five of us decided to part ways and retire for the evening.
“Ladies,” the roguish falcon-man said and offered his arms to the augur-mage women, but because he had such pointy elbows, the effect reminded me of a skinny chicken. “If you will be so kind as to follow me, I will show you to your guest rooms.”
“The second floor should be all prepared for you,” Shay said as she looped her arm through mine. “Please, stay as long as you like. Ithaca will always be open to you for what you’ve done for my brother.”
Horus and the Mec sisters then left the dining hall, and I returned the look that Amaya sent me over her shoulder with a nod.
I still remembered the strange “errand” she needed my help with, and after witnessing the compassion she showed my phoenix-wife, I was now even more inclined to help this mysterious and beautiful woman.
So, after Zoie and Shay were long settled and asleep in bed, I untangled myself from their warm limbs, silently dressed back in the clothes I was wearing earlier, grabbed my sword, and headed to the stone garden in the northern courtyard.
The oryx-woman was already there kneeling by one of the pools, but she didn’t touch it or dip her bare feet in, which was good because even these small pools were corrosive unless an Asher was there.
Sure enough, the moment I stepped into the garden, a light mist rose from the pools to indicate the water was safe.
Amaya turned to me when I approached and smiled as she got to her feet.
“Hello,” she said and twirled a finger around one of her curly locks.
“Hi.” I grinned, and I felt a faint flutter from my heart as I took in the sight of the augurwoman.
She was more enchanting under the starlight as if she was actually made of the stuff, and it lined her in a silvery glow like an ethereal goddess who lived off the light of the moon. Her skin was so pale that if it weren’t for the light caramel markings on her snub nose, the backs of her hands, and across her neckline, I would have wondered if she had some sort of albinism. Her breasts were on the smaller side, but they fit her willowy frame similar to a gymnast or a swimmer, and I wondered if that meant she was athletic at all.
If my first impression of her climbing up trees was any indication, then the answer was probably a “Yes,” and I felt myself wanting to get to know more about this strange, enigmatic woman.
“I was not sure if you would come,” she said and walked even closer as if she really didn’t understand personal space.
“I thought you Knew?” I asked, and I tried not to breathe in her alluring violet scent like I was in a Febreze commercial in case that was seen as a little too creepy.
“I know what is Knowable,” she repeated and took up one of my hands so she could examine my palm. “For example, I can see your hands are broad and lightly callused, which tells me you are capable of a great many things. You are a fighter, but the line through the middle of your palm is nearly straight.”
“What does that mean?” I breathed as she leaned closer and traced a thin finger along the crease in the center of my hand.
“It shows me you are fair and just, and when I touch you, I can feel those qualities inside of you,” she explained and pressed her other hand to my stubbled cheek. Then she smiled and closed her eyes with a little hum of pleasure. “I can feel these traits within you almost constantly at work. You fight every waking moment for what is just. But there are shadows behind your eyes sometimes when you think no one is looking.”
