Heart Fate (45 page)

“Blessings, Tinne,” Lark said.

Tinne could barely find his voice. “Blessings, beloved sister-in-law.” He smiled. “You, too, brother.”

“Sure,” Holm said. “Later.” With a wave, the scry ended.

Tinne put his face in his hands, glad he was sitting down.

His timer dinged, and he straightened. He was due at the Green Knight, and it was time to get on with his life.

“Lady and Lord, no more great changes, please,” he prayed.

Thirty-three

After she and Tinne had hot, crazy sex and he'd left for the day,
Lahsin felt energized. Almost
too
energized.

Her Second Passage was over.

She'd survived.

So much Flair!

For a septhour she practiced teleporting around the estate. From the sacred grove to the summer pavilion, from the summer house to the garden shed, from the garden shed to the stillroom. She overshot, every time, only a step or two, but that could be fatal. She didn't understand why and blamed it on the fact that the sun hadn't totally risen and the shadows were odd.

At breakfast she ate with Strother, who slurped up his food, then sat on her feet and rumbled approval of her Flair.
Feels good. You could Heal me now, if I had tooth wounds or a bad leg.

“I don't think so, I'm not an animal Healer.”

Little Heal spells and ointment and Healing pool and your Flair would be enough after such a fight now
, he insisted.

Lahsin didn't want to remember that time. She shifted in her chair and picked up the newssheet.

“Thank you.” She scanned the news, a rehashing of the Mugwort scandal, a lower Nobleclass Family who were members of the Christian religion, which was generally called Cross Folk. The Lord and the Lady of the Family had been experimenting with pylor. That smoke-drug was now forbidden, since many believed it had contributed to the black magic cult murder spree the previous year.

The next page had Lahsin's own childish face staring up at her under a huge “Reward.” She turned it quickly and noticed a small red-bordered item. Another ad, this one read: “Happy Lapp, I'm back. I've missed you. I'm worried. Please meet me at our old place afore grovestudy, Artyclu.”

The piece of toast she was holding fell from her hand, missed the plate and the table, and landed jam-side up in front of Strother's nose. He licked it.
Berry sweet. Good.

Happy Lapp. She winced. That was her brother's nickname for her. Clute was back in town. He should have been here a week ago, for Yule. Lahsin turned to the weather page. Ah, Ambroz Pass had just been opened, that would have delayed him.

Finally her brother had arrived from Gael City. Excitement fizzed through her. She had so much she wanted to tell him!

Just when she didn't need him anymore. She grinned. She'd found sanctuary, survived Second Passage on her own!

She wasn't as thrilled as she would have been if she'd seen the small note two eightdays ago. Then she'd been a fearful child.

Looking back, she couldn't have imagined the person she was now. She knew how to take care of herself. There wasn't any reason for Clute to worry, like he said in his ad. But he loved her, had never approved of her marriage, though he'd left for Gael City soon after that and hadn't been back.

Of course she hadn't survived Passage without help—the estate, the Residence, Strother, Tinne, even her HeartMate had supported her. How rich she was now.

Glancing at the timer, she saw that if she was going to meet him this morning, she'd have to hurry.

She couldn't teleport to their old meeting place, a park. It had been too many years since Clute walked her to grovestudy. The small teleportation area might have changed, the park might have been spruced up, and her skill was shaky this morning.

Clearing her throat, she said to Strother, “My brother is in town, he's a good man. I'd like to go and meet him.”

Strother's ears lifted a little, he got to his feet, ignoring the damp bread now bare of jam.
I am your Fam. I will go.

“How well do you teleport?”

Good point. “Well enough, then.”

“He wants to meet at Horsetail Park.”

Strother's gray black brows beetled.
That park is on Root Boulevard near CityCenter.

“Yes. Lower Nobleclass. It was close to our grovestudy park and library. We can teleport to the library.” It was a small branch, but those teleportation areas never changed.

“That's true, but I can't linger in the library. I can't afford for anyone to notice me much. Yet.”

She smiled and wished it were true. “The library teleportation pad is near the back entrance.” Hesitating, she said, “Why don't I meet you at the park?”

“Good.” Again she looked at the timer. “I'll grab my hooded cloak and teleport from my bedroom. Don't come into it.”

Strother nodded.
I will hop from my den in the glasshouse.

“Good.” She bent down and rubbed him. “I love you.”

He licked her face.
I love you, too.

Horsetail Park was a long, marshy strip curving at the end. It
was pretty in a severe kind of way, since it had few trees, but during warm weather it was rich with grass and flowers.

Lahsin had 'ported to the very edge of the pad in the library. The fact that libraries kept shields around their pads had stabilized her. She must not have become accustomed to all her new Flair. She'd hurried from the place before anyone besides the librarian had noticed her, and since her hood kept her face in shadow, she thought she was safe. The street was busy, but it was cold, and she kept a weathershield around her with an additional factor to blur her features.

Once in the park, her heart twisted. There were so many memories here of playing with her brothers, of Clute with her hand in his. She'd walked the length of the park before he arrived.

He stepped off the teleportation pad, stared at her, then jogged to her. He wasn't a tall man, and was stocky, but his face was beloved, the green Burdock eyes and heavy jaw. When he was only a pace away from her, he said, “Lahsin, is that you?”

Sighing, she pushed her hood back and let her weathershield clearly show her face, then she flung herself into his arms. So solid and dependable. He felt great and smelled like Clute.

He drew back, holding her hands and scrutinizing her, then he touched her face. “You're thinner.”

Probably just toned more from all her training. “It's so good to see you.” The feelings rushing through her were unexpected . . . good childhood memories. They seemed to weave her life together from then to now. She couldn't speak.

“Oh, Lahsin.” He sounded sorrowful. His eyes were anxious.

She managed a trembling smile. “I'm good.”

He shook his head. “Not my Happy Lapp anymore.”

“No,” she croaked through a tight throat. “But I'm content.” She wished she could take him to FirstGrove, but knew through their link that he enjoyed his life.

The wind whistled around them.

Clute frowned. “So thin, more delicate than I recalled.”

Her turn to shake her head. “No—”

“And Second Passage coming for you.”

“I already—”

His gaze went past her. “I did the right thing,” he said.

Fear clutched her belly. She whirled and saw T'Yew teleport into the area across the park, followed by Taxa. He scanned the landscape with scorn, saw her, smiled the smile that looked nice until you saw his eyes. The depressFlair cuffs attached to his belt glinted. If he got those on her, it didn't matter how much Flair she had or how many personal shields. She was doomed.

“What have you done!” She spun to face Clute.

He still held one hand and with the other, he took her arm. “Lahsin, I'm so worried about you.” His tone rang true. “You're so delicate, gentle. Second Passage must be a nightmare for you. Let us help.”

She tried to jerk her arm away and couldn't. She knew how to hurt him, to put him down and strike, and run, but this was her
brother
, Clute, who loved her.

“Let me go!”

“Oh, Lahsin,” he repeated, shaking his head.

She hesitated too long. T'Yew strode across the yellowed grass.

Opening her mouth, she let out a fighting scream, knew there was too much fear and anger in it.

Clute stumbled back. She reacted as she had been taught and went with him, overbalanced him. They fell.

 
 
Tinne heard Lahsin scream, had a vision of her outside First
Grove, in the city. He'd get her direction from their bond, go to her. “Stop!” he ordered his beginning class.

Everyone froze, as trained.

“What?” demanded Tab.

“HeartMate.
Danger!
'Porting.” He felt her fear now, more than was reasonable. Some unknown factor.

Tab linked arms with him, face granite. “I'll go with you. Class dismissed! Cuz Nitida, mind the salon.”

In a wink they were there, across a length of ground from her. Not quick enough. T'Yew had her.

 
 
She'd jumped to her feet, but as always when he was chasing her,
T'Yew had been too fast. “I will never return to you,
never
,” Lahsin forced a whisper through chill lips.

“Always the dramatic child,” T'Yew sneered. He unsnapped the depressFlair bracelets from his belt with one hand, kept the fingers of his other bruisingly clamped on her arm.

Lahsin screamed in his ear, yanked her arm away, and pivoted.

“Don't turn your back on me,
wife
.” He grabbed her from behind.

Her Flair sizzled through her, putting power into her elbow jab. He gasped and let her go. She didn't run but turned. He lunged for her. She kicked at him, hit his groin. He mewled, grabbed his sex, toppled toward her. She struck out, one hand, not fisted. Hit him in the temple and watched, appalled, as the life fled from his eyes.

His body fell to the ground.

There was the smell of death.

Taxa was screeching. The woman had been sauntering, was still meters from Lahsin. Clute was swearing somewhere near her.

Tinne and Tab Holly had appeared. Tinne was running toward her, stopped.

The whole thing had taken only a couple of minutes. Her hands came to her mouth to stop her own scream—of horror.

More people were teleporting into the park. She watched, unbelieving, as young Vinni T'Vine came along with T'Blackthorn and T'Holly and D'Holly, then T'Ash.

SupremeJudge Ailim Elder appeared.

Lahsin's heartbeat in her ears drowned out all other sound. She had doomed herself.

Tinne walked to her, followed by Tab and all the others.

Tab looked down at the body, shook his head. “Excellent defensive moves. Terrible form in the offense. Terrible.”

“I only taught her defense.” Tinne's voice was strained.

“I killed him.” Her voice was far too high. “How could I kill him?” She stared at her hand. She'd hit T'Yew with the flat of it.

Clute looked pale, eyes wide, mouth open. “Oh, Lahsin, I didn't know he'd attack you. Had those filthy cuffs.” He swallowed, stepped forward. “It was the Flair. Had to be. I saw it crackle around you.” His mouth grimmed. “He shouldn't have laid hands on you.”

Tinne said, “Pity you didn't decide that sooner.”

“I didn't know!” Clute rubbed his hand across his eyes. “The Family always told me she was happy with him.”

“Lahsin endured her last Passage fugue only a few septhours ago,” Tinne said. “Her new Flair has not quite settled.”

Tab snorted, eyed the body, shrugged. “This whole thing was the consequences of his own actions. Destiny.”

Taxa's screams held a new, horrible note. Circling the men, she flung herself at Lahsin, hands curved in claws.

Lahsin summoned a personal spellshield and Taxa's fingers bounced off of it.

“Handy Flair,” Tab said.

“Why didn't you—” Clute started.

“Her body reacted as it was taught to,” Tinne said.

Taxa stood panting before them, expression edging toward madness. “I will make you pay,” Taxa said, fury mottling her face. “The murder of a husband is a despicable thing, bringing down the full punishment of the law. Banishment. Death, even.” Her words were evil and gloating. “You made my life, my father's life a hell, and now you kill him. Oh, you will pay.”

“He wasn't my husband! I repudiated the marriage to three neutral witnesses.” Lahsin forced stuttering words through her lips. She was so cold, even under her shields.

“You lie. You have no witnesses. Who would support
you
?” Taxa slapped at Lahsin, hard. Again her hand bounced off of the shield. She snarled. Lahsin took a pace back. Two men grasped Taxa's arms, one to each side. She struggled then subsided, raising her chin and looking every inch GrandLady D'Yew, a FirstFamily GrandLady, rich in gilt and status and Flair.

“I . . . I repudiated it to T'Yew Residence.” Lahsin shivered, took a breath, tried not to watch as a newly arrived T'Heather examined T'Yew's body, vanished with it to Noble Deathgrove.

Taxa sneered, “T'Yew Residence will not support you.”