Echoes in the Dark

Jikata’s own tea was cold, and the woman had not warmed the teapot that they both used, only her own cup. The lesson smacked Jikata in her gut. She, herself, had begun to get used to stardom, to flatterers, to people around her wanting to please her. That was heady and lovely. But to be so very Powerful that her own wishes were preeminent—that notion caused Jikata deep unease.

She didn’t want to be like that. She’d have to beware of becoming so selfish, so arrogant. This woman might remind her in some ways of her great-grandmother, but Ishi would have been shocked at the Singer’s hubris.

So not only was Jikata at the Singer’s mercy, but all the lovely things the Singer tempted Jikata with were also part of a sharp, double-edged sword. Talent was like that. To follow her heart, her destiny, she’d had to be more public than her great-grandmother had wanted, had to forsake tradition. Had broken with her great-grandmother. Her child-self still hurt from that, from disappointing her great-grandmother, and perhaps always would.

“You might have questions,” the Singer said, and Jikata wondered how long she’d been musing. She thought she caught a flash of satisfaction in those long, dark eyes, that Jikata was not and never could be the Singer’s match.

Thin eyebrows raised, the Singer repeated, “Questions?”

Jikata did, but with the Singer’s complacent half smile, Jikata decided she should surprise the woman. Since that lady hadn’t hesitated to make rude comments, a personal question wasn’t out of order. “Why are you so small?” Everyone else she’d seen was larger than Jikata herself.

The Singer looked startled, then her face became expressionless. Her brown eyes darkened and burned coal-black. When she audibly inhaled, the quaver was back. “There is a price for everything. You understand?” Her accent was so strong that Jikata was finally able to place it—Bostonian.

“Ayes.” Jikata didn’t like being treated like a rude pupil.

“My Power was understood from when I was a child. I was brought here to the Abbey.” She lifted a hand and her fingers showed a fine trembling, then she put them back on her lap. “The old Singer had had prophecies, of course. I would be one to Summon an Exotique.” She breathed through her nose. “Not once, but twice. I would be an extraordinary Singer, at the cusp of a great age. Whether I did my duty would ensure whether many people would live or die, would—” She stopped, shrugged. “I was told, and given to experience Songs and visions of my own. I could grow large, as large as my people and have less Power. Or stay small and have greater Power. I chose to say small.” Her lips curved in a travesty of a smile. “The decision was made when I was passing from child to woman. Not many Singers have a consort. Few men or women can match the Power of a Singer, and most of us want a partner, bondmate. More visions came and I knew if I stayed small, I would have a chance for a consort, a man from Exotique Terre. He would find me more attractive if I were small. At the threshold of womanhood, I longed for the love of a man, dreamed fantasy dreams of a mate.” She shrugged again. “I Summoned him, my Thomas. He came, taught me English. Left with the Snap. He did not love me enough to stay.” Her gaze shifted from the distance to bore into Jikata with a penetrating spear of disapproval that she actually felt.

Jikata’s mind whirled at the strange words: Exotique, bondmate, Snap. “What are—”

“We will discuss other concepts later.” The Singer leaned back and closed her eyes. “I am tired.” She snapped her fingers and an attendant sidled into the room. Obviously snapping the fingers was an indication of a bad mood. “Send the medica to me. I promised that the Exotique would be examined.”

Oh. Fun.

A tall, strong woman wearing a red tunic with a white cross over a long red robe entered and went to the Singer, gently took her hands. The old woman didn’t open her eyes. The medica began to hum in an excellent voice, head cocked as if listening to responses only she could hear. Then she placed the Singer’s hands back on the arms of the chair. “You are doing well, Lady Singer. As we anticipated, the new Exotique has help—”

“Examine her for Bri,” the Singer said.

Jikata wondered what bri was.

The medica dipped a deep curtsy, turned to Jikata. She’d stretched out her legs and crossed her ankles in a casual pose. She would not act like a scolded puppy. She’d asked a simple question. But she was sure, now, that all of her simple questions would have complex answers, and her blood thrummed in her veins at the thought of duty and prices to be paid.

But the medica made a curtsy almost as deep to Jikata as she did to the Singer, and her eyes were curious and kind, not condemnatory. “You will please sit up straight, feet on the floor.” Her language was simple and accompanied by gestures. Jikata sat, realized that with her feet flat on the floor, the chair was too deep to support her back, and stood.

The medica nodded and moved in front of Jikata, smiling. “I at Marshalls’ Castle last year. Know Exotiques.” Was what Jikata heard.

The Singer sniffed.

The medica let out a little breath and held out her palms, obviously for Jikata to take them.

Reluctantly, recalling the nastiness of the ordeal the night before when chords were painfully plucked inside her, Jikata put her fingers in the other woman’s larger hands. They were unusually warm. The woman Sang and it was as if pulses within Jikata warmed and glowed and vibrated almost pleasurably. “You healthy, more rest and good food,” the woman said. “Potatoes—”

“Potatoes?”

The medica beamed. “New wonder food.”

Jikata narrowed her eyes.

A chiming filled the room and she followed the sound to a round lump in the medica’s pocket. The sturdy woman took out a crystal, and Jikata stared at moving wisps of mist within the orb. “Apologies, Lady Singer, third time Bri—”

“You may report to Bri somewhere else,” the Singer said.

The medica left hurriedly. So Bri was a person.

“‘Jikata’ is how you are called,” the old woman said.

“Ayes,” Jikata said. The Singer still had her eyes closed. Not vulnerable, showing that nothing and no one could assail her defenses. Ishi had been like that, had refused to let anything bother her.

“We will have lessons. Stretching for the body, our instrument. Then voice lessons both in range and in Power. Then, training in prophecy. We are done for the day. You may go.”

Jikata’s mouth dropped open. Training in prophecy!

She had a hunch that all the previous hunches in her life had been true.

And her life had taken another unexpected twist.

Castleton/Marshalls’ Castle

Raine had tinkered with the latest design of the ship at her pretty house in Castleton, then left her drawing board. Before she made a model, she liked it to simmer in her head.

Restlessness claimed her and she found herself walking the two miles up to the Marshalls’ Castle. It was good exercise and she never did it alone. There was always a guard or two, or some Chevaliers who’d been in town for one reason or another, or even Bri and Sevair, who’d accompany her if she didn’t fly on Blossom. Today she walked with some Chevaliers who let her brood.

She hadn’t gotten much sleep, she’d been so churned up about the Summoning and Faucon that she couldn’t settle.

Then one of the recurring nightmares had come. She’d awakened in a cold sweat, thinking for long, confused moments that she was back to being a despised potgirl at the rough tavern, The Open Mouthed Fish.

She’d dragged herself out of bed late when the daily housekeeper had come in to leave food and tidy up. Not that there was ever much out of order. Having slept in a corner for six months and not had any place to call her own, Raine now prized the exquisite furnishings of the lovely house. She certainly took nothing for granted anymore.

Enerin, her companion, the baby feycoocu, was with her parents, being schooled in magical shape-shifter business.

Raine was at the front gate of the Castle when the alarm sounded and everyone tensed. The monster invasions of the north had diminished in frequency if not in ferocity. But the siren blared a pattern requesting folk gather in Temple Ward.

An announcement about the Summoning last night. Of course Alexa would do something publicly and to anyone who wanted to hear—merchant folk at the Castle, guards, Chevaliers, not just the Marshalls. Raine didn’t know a lot about how the Castle had run before Alexa became Lady Knight Swordmarshall, but knew things had changed.

Since the great round white stone Temple continued to tug at her, Raine shuffled along with a crowd through Lower Ward to Temple Ward to listen.

Alexa beamed at Raine, giving her mixed emotions. The other Exotiques were good with their support and not putting pressure on her, but their unspoken expectations were weighty. Raine spotted Calli, the Volaran Exotique, first, the sun glinting off her blond hair. Raine blinked. Most of the summer days had been cloudy and cool. Sunshine today would please the Coloradan Exotiques since they were all used to more sun than she. Then Marian and Jaquar, the Circlets, joined Calli. They’d just flown in from Luthan’s southern estate, Raine realized. Calli held the hand of her adopted son. Marrec had their toddler, also adopted, sitting on his shoulders. Raine felt a wave of dread as she walked toward them with a false smile that wouldn’t fool anyone.

No wonder she was dragging her feet about the ship. Once she was done, everyone, including Calli and Marrec, would be committed to destroying the Dark that had sent monsters from the north for ages. Raine had little hope that they’d kill it, or any of them would survive.

Calli, the nurturer, wrapped her free arm around Raine, and they listened to Alexa, who fully believed that leaving the new Exotique with the Singer was important and right, and that relieved Raine. No one should go through what she had.

When Alexa was done, the crowd stayed, discussing the news. They all approved of Alexa’s actions, of course. Reluctantly, Raine went with the other Exotiques to hash over everything again. The guys had made themselves scarce. Before they entered the keep, she scanned the crowd one more time.

Faucon was there, ignoring her. Though her gaze lingered because he was so darn handsome, she looked for someone else.

“Where’s Koz?” she asked Marian, his sister.

“Around, he’ll see us shortly,” Marian said.

Raine sucked in a deep breath, “Really?”

Marian linked her arm with hers. “Ayes, we’ll talk of the mirrors for your family.”

Swallowing hard, Raine said, “Thank you.”

“Welcome,” Marian replied absently. Then they were climbing the stairs to Alexa and Bastien’s suite.

To keep anticipation from eating her alive, Raine, too, thought of the newly Summoned one. She’d heard of Jikata, though she hadn’t listened much to her music or bought her albums. Raine had liked industrial. Past tense here in Lladrana. They did have some of Marian’s and Bri’s music. But Marian preferred longhair and Bri had strange things like atonal chants by Tibetan monks or African women clapping and singing. Not a jammin’ track in the bunch.

“Jikata.” Alexa rubbed her hands with glee as she paced the sitting-dining room. Raine hoped the munchies would arrive soon, eating usually kept Alexa still for a few minutes.

“It was obvious that we all knew of her,” Marian said. “That made it easier for everyone to accept her being in the hands of the Singer.”

“How on Earth did she get here?” Raine asked.

Alexa stopped and put her hands on her hips. “One name, or maybe two. The common thread among us, I think.” She studied Raine. “I don’t know that we asked you about them.” She cleared her throat. “Trenton Philbert the third, U.S. District Court Judge in Denver.” Alexa waggled a thumb at herself. “I was acquainted with him during my very brief legal career. Brief, ha!”

Marian winced. “Really, Alexa.” The Circlet rose when the doorharp sounded and took a loaded tray from Alexa’s maid. The scent of French fries—“twin fries” as they were called here for the two women who introduced potatoes—filled the air, making Raine’s mouth water.

“Marian had a significant encounter with them,” Alexa said.

Marian put the tray down on a large round dining room table and they all took chairs. “Yes, I did. Juliet Philbert is the owner of a Denver new age shop called Queen of Cups. She gave me the Lladranan weapon knot book.”

Calli added, “The Philberts have had a ranch next to our spread for generations.” She took a ham and cheese sandwich on a croissant. “And you, Bri?”

“Dad’s roomie in college,” Bri said around a fry. “Elizabeth’s and my godfather. Only met his wife once, though.”

They all looked at Raine. She nodded. “Yes, they commissioned a seagoing yacht from my family last year after buying some oceanfront property. Big gossip in Best Haven.”

“So anyone know how they got Jikata?” Alexa asked.

“Think so.” Bri wolfed down another fry. “When I last talked to my folks in the magic mirror they said something about planning to attend the grand opening of a rehab project Uncle Trent funded.” She raised a fry dramatically. “The Ghost Hill Theater. The jewel of the opening gala was a performance by one Jikata, local girl made good.”

“Little did we know that Jikata would be our new Exotique,” Marian said, cutting her sandwich into smaller rectangles. “The opening would have been last night, I presume.”

“Probably. By the way, the Singer’s medica has reported that she’s in good health,” Bri said.

Calli frowned. “Bert, I mean Trent, is sure throwing a lot of money around.” She shrugged. “But he has it.”

This whole talk of Summoning was too much. Raine pushed her plate away. It had smelled good and she’d eaten some fries and a bit of sandwich, but the conversation had dried her taste buds. “When do you think Koz—”

Her impatience was stopped by the strum of the doorharp.

“Bet he hasn’t had lunch.” Alexa drew her plate close. “He’ll want our fries.”

“He can have mine,” Raine said.

“I’ll cut half your sandwich for him,” Calli said, “but you should try to eat the rest.”

Alexa swallowed a fry then called, “Entre.”

Koz strode in, a big man with big bones. He was roughly handsome but nothing to compare with Luthan or Faucon. His face was animated, showing a lively mind behind the dark brown eyes. An Earth mind. The Lladranan body carried an Earth soul.

He greeted them, pulled up a chair and looked at Raine.

“Salutations, Koz,” she said belatedly.

Nodding, he said, “Hey.”

She found her fingers had twined together tightly. “Mirrors for my family?” was all she could force out.

He hadn’t brought anything with him.

8

Koz said, “Yes, I can establish connections with Earth through my mirrors. Links I think will even survive when the Dimensional Corridor shifts and Earth is no longer accessible from here.”

A mirror set in her father’s house! Or one of her brothers’, or even all of her brothers’! She hadn’t really hoped for so much. She gasped. Calli came and rubbed her shoulders.

Reality cleared her mind. “There is no way my father or brothers will believe in mirrors that suddenly appear in their houses, in talking mirrors, in any of this.”

“Doesn’t mean we can’t get something there, and you can’t check up on them once and a while,” Koz said. He lifted his forefinger. “However…”

Raine tensed.

“I can’t place the mirror or mirrors myself. Bossgond must do that.”

Raine’s spirits sank.

She’d had a few sessions with the most brilliant Sorcerer in Lladrana—the cranky old man. She didn’t think the CIA could debrief better.

“Sorry.” Koz gave her a half smile.

Marian coughed. “Maybe he’ll be reasonable….”

Everyone stared at her.

She shrugged. “All right, he won’t, but we should try, and right now.” Pulling out a small crystal sphere from her pocket she called Bossgond.

The ball hummed for about a minute, then came a voice but no image. “What! I’m working!”

“Koz and Raine have a project for you.”

A heaved sigh, then wisps in the ball solidified into the image of the skinny, wrinkled Sorcerer. He sat with arms crossed and listened as Koz explained what he needed.

Bossgond sniffed. “It will cost you.”

Raine had anticipated this, but anger spurted through her anyway. She jumped to her feet. “Cost me!” Glaring at him, she said, “Am I or am I not the one who spoke to you for hours about every little detail of my Summoning here and my life? Haven’t I given you masses of information about…stuff. My grandmother’s mirror that originally came from Lladrana. The Summoning. Living here on my own. Travys who had the innate repulsion.” She waved her hands. “Whatever. You should owe me!”

“She’s got a point.” Koz rocked on his heels, grinning.

“Excellent strategy,” Alexa said.

Another big sigh from Bossgond, though Raine thought she saw the eternal curiosity that marked a Sorcerer in his eyes. “You can locate your father’s home?”

“My father and four brothers.” Raine stuck out her chin. It didn’t matter that none of them would believe in talking mirrors or interdimensional communication. She wanted a connection to them all.

Bossgond let out an undignified squeak. “Five!”

“Yeah, tough,” Raine muttered. “I love them all, and they love me.” Even if there hadn’t been much understanding among them. She’d wanted to take the family shipbuilding company into the second millennium with double hulls and metallic alloys. The guys had insisted on staying with wooden sailing ships. She probably would have left the company by now, but that was all in the past. Her future, for the moment, was on Lladrana.

“I want to get a message to them that I’m okay, too.”

Koz gave a little cough, gazed at Raine, then switched to Bossgond. “I have an idea.”

“Ayes?” asked Bossgond.

Koz looked Raine in the eyes. “Are your father and brothers honorable men?”

Raine had rarely given that phrase much thought on Earth. Here in Lladrana it was important. “They’re known for always keeping their word.”

“Right.” Koz nodded. Again he swept a look from Raine to Bossgond. “What say we send the mirrors to their attorney. You know their attorney?”

“Yeah, I know him well.”

“You could locate his office,” Koz said. A gleam came into Bossgond’s eyes. He loved discovering new places of “Exotique Terre.”

Raine shrugged. “No problem. They’re a family firm, too. A family firm run by men doesn’t often change drastically. They’ve been in that building for twelve generations. The Lindleys were upstarts in Best Haven at four generations.”

She looked around and Marian anticipated her, whisking a piece of paper and pencil in front of Raine. With a few quick strokes Raine laid out the plan of the office.

Koz took the layout with a low whistle. “You are one good draftsman. Draftsperson.” He studied the map for a couple of seconds. “What if we deliver five mirrors to this attorney, along with money, saying it’s an inheritance from your great-grandfather’s lover’s estate…”

“That would be the Singer here on Lladrana,” Raine said. She still marveled that her great-grandfather had been an Exotique, the last one Summoned before Alexa.

“Yes. A mirror for each of your brothers and your father. To be hung in their living rooms for…say…three generations. With the mirrors will be some sort of payment. We’ll think of that later.” He waved a hand like a man who’s never known poverty. “Like helping convince my sister that I should be on the invasion force.”

“I can’t—” Raine started.

“How soon do you wish this project to be done?” asked Bossgond from the crystal ball.

“I have a stock of mirrors ready,” Koz said.

The older man raised golden brows. “Ayes? You don’t want to consult the Singer on her mirror, one that can be tuned to the Dimensional Corridor, too?”

Marian said, “You old fox. You just want Koz to do some research for you.”

Bossgond pursed his lips, said, “The Singer does not answer my calls to her crystal.”

“What of her Friends?” Koz asked.

Silence from the old man.

Koz rubbed his chin. “Okay, I’m hooked. I’d like to visit the Singer, in case she’ll give me more and better info.” He glanced at Raine. “That all right?”

“Whatever’s best,” she said.

Nodding, Koz said. “I’ll fly to the Singer’s Abbey first, shouldn’t take more than a day or so if she’s cooperative.”

Marian snorted, and Alexa said, “Not likely,” then stared into the crystal ball. “These old, Powerful folks don’t do anything they don’t want to. Pity they’re so stuck in their ruts.”

Bossgond huffed, said, “I will be on the invasion force.”

Koz turned to Raine. “After that, you and I can go to Bossgond’s island and the dimensional telescope. You can leave a note with the mirrors, say you ended up in France with your great-grandfather’s lover’s family or something.”

Raine tottered. She’d never considered what she could say to her family to reassure them, explain without explaining, and not sound like a selfish, insensitive bitch or raving lunatic.

But she did know something. She swept her gaze around the room, meeting everyone’s eyes. “I don’t want to go. It would be faster if you went alone.” She met Bossgond’s gaze in the sphere. “You have my notes and a good enough map of Best Haven. Pearson and Pearson is located in their own three-story building on the southwest corner of Main Street and Seadrive Boulevard. Koz can find it.”

Koz raised his brows, then grinned, rubbing his hands. “Fun.” Then he winked at Bossgond. “More time to look around the town, than if Raine came with us. You know Marian likes us to limit our time, but without Raine…”

Marian frowned, turned to Raine and asked, “Are you sure you don’t want to go yourself, see your home?”

Raine didn’t think she could bear it since there was no way she was going home before the ship was built…but if she had strong moral support…“Would you be coming with me?” Raine trusted Marian.

“I can’t, I have—”

“I have responsibilities, too—the ship,” Raine said. “My task for Lladrana, Amee. My turn, now.”

Koz said to the crystal, “I’ll be there no later than tomorrow unless the Singer cooperates. I’ll let everyone know if that happens. See ya,” he said to Bossgond, then waved the crystal ball dark, leaving a grumpy sound coming from it.

He paused with his hand on the doorknob, looked at Raine and again sympathy was in his eyes. “I’ll give you time to think of a story, write a note.”

Raine raised helpless hands. “What can I tell them that they might believe?”

Shrugging, Koz said, “I dunno.” His grin was fast and charming as he scanned them all. “Bunch of very creative women, you’ll think of something.” He sketched a bow and left, whistling “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.”

Babble erupted as the women began to brainstorm. Alexa and Bri concocted the most outrageous stories. Marian frowned and tapped her lips with her finger, Calli just shook her head.

A few seconds later Koz popped his head back in. “Oh, hey, down payment could be a hat like Bastien’s. Thought it was ugly at first, but every Chevalier who is a Chevalier has one.”

“Guys wear those hats,” muttered Alexa. She sniffed. “We have cowboy hats. The Exotique Gang.”

Koz winked again, this time at Raine. “’Kay, I’ll take one of those, too.” He shut the door.

It was going to happen! She would be able to see her father and brothers after nearly a year. The emotions swamping her were too huge. “I have to go.” Raine bolted to the door. “Arrange stuff with the master tailor in Castleton.” That lady would have Koz’s measurements.

The talk stopped, the other Exotiques shared a glance.

Calli said, “Honey…”

Raine didn’t listen but heard Marian’s voice in her head as she hurried down the flights of stairs. We’ll figure out some story. A soft sigh. But I think Alexa and Bri are right. It may have to be a sailing accident, amnesia, a wealthy foreigner with pressing business and a private jet. A love affair in Europe. We’re thinking Sweden. Your memory has just returned.