Echoes in the Dark (53 page)

Raine’s
stomach clenched. Killing a fire-breathing dreeth, some practice.

He
led the Seamasters to some rope lines that weren’t quite familiar to sailors of
Lladrana and they were diverted from the thought of invading monsters that
they’d never faced, to something they dealt with most days. Raine explained the
sail setup, and they hummed in approval. A couple actually took notes.

Whether
the invasion was a success or not, she was yanking Lladranan sailing closer to
nineteenth-century Earth.

That
night at dinner a morsel fell off her fork as the siren erupted again. Silence
filled the room, then an older Marshall told a funny story and chatter and
eating resumed. After dinner Jikata Sang a medley of Earth folk tunes and Raine
was impressed at the woman’s polish and showmanship.

“We
couldn’t have a better Singer,” Faucon murmured.

“Ttho,”
Raine answered. But she felt a little ruffled by Jikata’s continued coolness to
Luthan, the first Lladranan man Raine had trusted.

By
the time Jikata was done, the siren had played the “all clear, invasion
rebuffed, no casualties” pattern and there was a collective sigh.

That
night Raine unfolded her mirrors on Faucon’s desk in their suite and checked on
her family. All her brothers were gathered watching baseball at her Dad’s,
yelling and shouting and cursing. Drinking beer and ribbing each other. The
sheer normality of it had her crying until Faucon swept her to bed.

Deep
in the night, Raine was jolted awake by the third shriek of the siren. She
popped from bed, heart racing, and grabbed a robe. Evading Faucon’s grasp, she
ran from their suite up the stairs and into the common room, where everyone had
gathered.

Since
Faucon followed her and Alexa was pacing, Raine reckoned that no fire-breathing
dreeth was in this bunch of monsters, either.

Hanks
of Alexa’s hair stood on end. “The Master and the Dark are up to something, so
many alarms together, all at once.”

Jaquar,
the Sorcerer Circlet, said, “I told you last month that we had reports that the
Master had set up a breeding ground for horrors in the northeast.”

Tugging
at her hair, Alexa said, “But that was last month. How could there be monsters
grown and coming for battle already?”

“Magic,”
Bastien said, picked her up and took her to sit on his lap. “Dark magic.”

“They’re
up to something,” Alexa repeated.

“Maybe
because
we’re
up to something,” Calli said.

“Perhaps,”
said Marian.

Jikata,
perfectly groomed and in a heavy silk robe, glided into the room. She glanced
to the corner, where the manor’s animated map had been placed, but didn’t go
over to it. Luthan followed her but didn’t come from the direction of Jikata’s
room, so they were still apart. Pity.

“The
klaxon and the waiting is getting on my nerves,” Jikata said in a melodious
voice, appearing perfectly serene. Raine envied her that composure. Everyone
knew
she
was scared. Weenie.

Folding
gracefully onto the couch, Jikata said, “Since I don’t know what to listen for,
I can’t tell whether I should be preparing for battle or not.” Her voice was
still smooth, nearly careless. How did she do it? “Could one of you demonstrate
the pattern I should listen for?”

They
stared at her. Such a reasonable request and something they should have thought
of earlier. Then Bastien leaned around Alexa to the wooden coffee table and
rapped out a series. Thump-thump, pause, thump-thump-thump, pause, thump-thump.
“That’s the fire-breathing dreeth alert.”

“Thank
you,” Jikata said.

Alexa
hopped up and strode to a nearby kitchenette. “Who wants some jasmine tea while
we wait for the battle outcome? The tea leaves are straight from Krache.”

“I’d
like some,” Jikata said. She aimed a smile at Jaquar. “I’ve read Marian’s
Lorebook. You lived in Krache, tell me of it.”

Everyone
seemed to be settling in for a vigil. Raine couldn’t take it. Her blood seemed
to pulse in that rhythm Bastien had sounded with his knuckles. Thump-thump,
pause, thump-thump-thump, pause, thump-thump. Her breathing kept beat.

She
stood. “The sailors’ trials start at dawn. See you later.” She marched away,
her steps following the series she’d recall for the rest of her days.

Faucon
rose, too. “I’ll distract her.”

Bastien
grunted. “Good job if you can get it,” he muttered one of the Exotique phrases
that was entering the Lladranan language. “I have to sit here and drink jasmine
tea.”

J
ikata had
another dream of Ishi urging her to return to the Abbey, woke again with tears
on her face. Why couldn’t she let the woman go? She’d thought she’d made peace
with the fact they’d wanted very different things in life.

From
the Lorebooks, Jikata knew she could speak with Marian or Calli. Both those
Exotiques had difficult parents, too. But Jikata had had a mixture, loving
parents and distant Ishi. She shouldn’t forget that. More and more memories
were coming of her parents now that her career didn’t blind her—good memories
and she welcomed them.

She
thought of Luthan, wanted him, for more than sex, for the companionship they’d
shared, the friendship they’d built. She was moving beyond hurt and that was
good. He was giving her the time she needed, and she wondered if, despite his
words, he needed it, too.

But
this very minute she wanted another cup of jasmine tea.

She
was filling the pot with hot water when Raine appeared at the top of the
stairs. “I missed out earlier and the scent of it stayed in my head. Can I have
some?”

“Sure.”
Jikata poured two cups, put them on a tray and carried them to the low table in
front of the loveseat where Raine sat. Jikata took hers and sat next to Raine,
who reached down and cradled her cup in her hands.

“Ready
for the battle?” Raine asked.

“No.
I will never be ready.”

Raine
seemed to ease at that. “Neither will I.” She looked to the darkened doorway to
the bedrooms. “Sleeping alone?”

“Ayes.”

“So,
when are you going to forgive Luthan for something he has no control over, say,
like skin color?”

Talking
about this only made Jikata weary and sad, but she didn’t want to go back to
her bedroom and didn’t think Raine would drop the subject. “I’m working through
it at my own rhythm. I would have expected you, of all people, to understand.”

Raine
blinked. “Why? Luthan’s always been honest and honorable and good to me.
He
never stalked me.
He
never hurt me.
He
never tried to kill me.
Did he do that to you?”

“No,
he only made love to me.
Before
he showed how repulsive I was to him,
thought of hitting me, tore our bond. That hurt, and takes some time to heal,
too.”

Tilting
her head, Raine said, “Okay, tough blow. But a tough blow to him, too. He’s had
to fight this innate disgust from the moment Alexa arrived, experienced it with
the aftereffects and consequences.” She frowned. “You know, I—we—have always
accepted that what Luthan and the people like him do is unnatural and wrong.”

“Perhaps
because the first one Alexa met tried to kill her, and one like that attempted
your murder, too,” Jikata said.

“True.
But
why?
What really happens to them?” Raine touched her heart. “What do
they feel that makes them act that way? The guy who stalked me was a lowlife
bully, but Alexa was attacked by a Marshall, and they’re well-respected.
There’s no one more honorable than Luthan. Maybe we should have asked that
question before. If we know what it’s like, then maybe we can change or prevent
it.”

“I’m
the last Exotique,” Jikata said, though her thoughts and speculations were
following Raine’s.

“For
now, and from Earth. Who’s to say there won’t be more from somewhere else?
Those who might affect more than a small minority with the revulsion?” Raine
paused. “It seems that a woman so in touch with Songs like you could understand
how they’re affected and tell us about it. Marian, as a knowledge keeper, and
Bri, as a healer, could take it from there.”

Jikata
sighed. No, she hadn’t wanted to talk about this, but it was one more good thing
to think about. She finished her tea and rose. “Good point, and good night.”

“Sweet
dreams,” Raine said.

“I
hope so,” Jikata replied.

“Raine?”
Faucon called in a sleepy voice from the bottom of the staircase.

“Coming,”
Raine said, and took the dishes to the sink.

Jikata
went back to her lonely bedroom, ignoring her envy.

R
aine, Faucon,
Corbeau and Madam Lucienne Deauville were aboard for the first sailing
trial—when a full crew took
The Echo
out. Their mental link was the only
thing that prevented disaster. But many of the Seamasters and the sailors
learned quickly—especially Jean and Ella, so a core group was chosen including
them and Madam Deauville for the rest of the trials.

So
Raine was stuck sitting in another grandstand while people fumbled at sailing
her Ship.

Thump-thump,
pause, thump-thump-thump, pause, thump-thump.

It
took a moment for Raine to realize that the siren was echoing the pattern that
had shadowed her dreams, circled in her brain when awake, stayed in the back of
her mind as the first, then second, then third hour of the sailors’ trials
passed.

But
on her left, Jikata was rising from her seat, face impassive. Alexa had already
leapt from the Exotique spectator box, followed by Bastien, both running toward
the stables. Calli’s volaran waited for her, caparisoned for battle, hovering
beside the stands.

Blood
drained from Raine’s head and her knees felt weak when Faucon took her hand and
drew her up.

Jikata
passed them and her telepathic whisper came in Raine’s mind.
Showtime. I’m
petrified.
The Singer didn’t look petrified. Raine figured she did. Then
Faucon was moving fast and she was running, mind completely blank.

They
sped to the manor house and up the stairs to Faucon’s suite. Three squires, one
male and two female, were already there, and the moment Raine stopped, one of
the women started undressing her. As the light silk blouse was drawn over her
head she realized she should have already been wearing leathers, like Faucon,
but his were dreeth leathers. He hadn’t said a word to her about that when
they’d dressed this morning.

“The
teams?” asked Faucon, drawing on his gauntlets.

“They
are standing by, prepared to fly with you and the Seamistress Exotique. She
will be protected at all times. We have our orders to bring down one of the
fire-breathing dreeths so that the new Exotiques can deal the killing blows.”

“Dreeths?
Plural?” Raine squeaked, then sucked in her breath as the buckles around her
waist were pulled tight.

“Three,”
one of the women said, handing Raine her helmet, turning to tighten a fellow
squire’s tunic.

“Three.”
Raine panted, tried to envision three fire-breathing flying dinosaurs raking
the sky with their talons, spewing flame. She thought her eyes would roll back
in her head. So stiffened her knees. “Let’s go,” she said, making her voice
normal.

Faucon
glanced at her, gave her a sweet smile.
You will be wonderful.

Yeah.
Sure.

They
stepped out of the suite and Koz was waiting. He held a tiny box and earbuds.
“Here.”

Raine’s
eyes widened. “What?”

Tucking
it into a small pocket in her tunic over her chain mail, Koz grinned. “My
backup music player.”

“What?”

“Okay,
it’s my second backup. I brought three, and I charge them with Bri’s
solar-powered pack.”

“We
need to go.” Faucon was impatient.

“Battle
music for Raine,” Koz said.

Jikata
and Luthan, together but not touching, stopped on the staircase, came over.

“Better
not be ‘Ride of the Valkyries,’” Raine muttered.

“Nah,
that’s strictly Marian’s cup of tea,” Koz said. “I heard you like heavy metal.”
He jerked his chin. “That has it. Industrial, power metal.”

Raine
put a hand over the pocket. “Those aren’t the same.”

“Yeah,
yeah,” Koz said. He fit the earbuds in her ears. Raine heard rippling strings.
She snorted, reached for the plastic buds. Koz brushed her hands away.
“Traveling music first, calculated to last ’til you get to the battlefield.
Starts soothing, then goes to energetic. Works good with Distance Magic.
Subliminals.” Koz was talking faster as Faucon frowned. “Once you get to the battle,
the heavy rock’ll kick in.” He grinned. “Help you kick ass.”

“Thanks.”
She left the new age sound humming in her ears, thought if she listened closely
she might sense the subliminals…confidence? All to the good.