Aerenden: The Child Returns (Ærenden) (35 page)

Reality
pushed in around her and every time she felt claustrophobic from it, she
focused on Nick’s face. His joy grew as each person greeted them. While they
bowed to her or shook her hand to show their respect, they offered him hugs. He
knew them all and they loved him well. Many even had tears in their eyes when
they saw him, their worry lifted in knowing he had arrived home safely.

Home,
she thought. His home, his life. He had grown up in this place and it showed in
his relaxed posture, in the laughter bubbling through his lips, in the stories
he shared with old friends, and in his smile as he taught her the steps to a
dance he had no doubt learned in childhood. She had seen him as responsible and
reserved, only occasionally relaxing his guard. She had never seen him this
free. And though she could not sense his joy, she could feel it when she looked
up at him.

The
song stopped and another, slower tune followed. Nick led her off the dance
floor. “You weren’t too bad,” he said.

“I’m
not sure your toes agree,” she responded with a grin.

He
laughed, squeezed her hand, and then released it as a couple approached. The
man stood at Nick’s height. His blond hair fell in waves to his shoulders. His
blue eyes sparkled in what appeared to be permanent amusement. And when he smiled,
he exuded charisma and Meaghan responded with a smile of her own. The willowy
woman holding his hand held a smile more bashful. Big tawny eyes and long
blonde hair graced a porcelain face highlighted by full lips and rosy cheeks.
Nick engulfed them both in a hug.

“I’m
sure you’ve come to meet Meaghan,” he said once he had let them go.

A
sly grin spread across the man’s face. “Of course. Did you think we wanted to
see your ugly face again? I thought we’d finally gotten rid of you.”

Nick
chuckled. “It’s nice to be loved.”

“Don’t
listen to him,” the woman said and slapped the man on the stomach. “He’s
jealous you got to explore a new world and he got stuck here training the
ten-year-olds in combat maneuvers.” She extended a hand to Meaghan. “I’m
Cissiline. Please call me Cissy.”

Meaghan
took her hand and shook it. Cissy pointed to the man next to her. “This is
Maxillion—”

“Who
definitely does not go by that,” the man said. “I’m Max.” He took Meaghan’s
hand in a firm grip. His gaze felt almost as firm as he cocked his head to the
side to study her. “I’m afraid you don’t live up to your legend.”

“Oh?”
Meaghan raised an eyebrow. “I have a legend?”

Max
let go of her hand. “You bet. According to the stories, you’re ten feet tall.
You wield a sword of iron, which is capable of decapitating legions of Mardróch
at a time. And you breathe fire.” He stepped closer and lowered his voice. “If
the last part is true, I have a neighbor who complains nonstop. Apparently, I
even sneeze too loud. I’d love it if you could teach him a lesson.”

Meaghan
laughed and liked him instantly. “I’m afraid not,” she said. “The most I can do
is tell him what his emotions are.”

“That’s
no good,” he replied. “He’s always grouchy and everybody already knows that.” He
flicked his eyes from Meaghan to Nick and then back to her again. “Now that
you’ve stolen Nick from us for over a year, do you plan on giving him back? Or
have you already wed him?”

Meaghan
felt her heart leap, but Nick chuckled. “I’m a catch,” he responded. “But I’m
afraid it’s against the rules.”

“Since
when do you pay attention to rules? I seem to recall you breaking them a time
or two when we were younger.”

Nick
raised an eyebrow. “I did nothing worth mentioning.”

“Oh
no? Then what do you call skipping training? Or how about the time you stole
pies from the baker every week until he set a trap for you that had you
dangling in the air by your feet? Or better yet, do you really consider
sneaking off with his daughter not worth mentioning?” Max grinned. “Of course,
that
crime was well worth being hung up in the air.”

Nick
scowled, though Meaghan did not miss the levity in his voice when he responded.
“I was eleven. It was a lot more innocent than you make it sound.”

“I’m
only pointing out your track record in case you’re trying to hide it,” Max
said. “Our new Queen should know what sort of ill repute she has as her guard.”

Nick
rolled his eyes, and brushed off the ribbing with a shrug of his shoulders.
Hooking his thumbs into his pockets, he nodded toward Cissy and Max’s linked
hands. “Speaking of hiding things, how long has this been going on?”

“Since
before you left,” Cissy told him and drew a hand up to Max’s bicep. “We kept it
a secret for a while, but it’s been long enough.”

“Long
enough for,” Nick started and then grinned. “A wedding,” he realized. He
clapped Max on the shoulder. “Congratulations. I always thought you’d make a
good match.”

“So
did I,” Max confessed and nodded toward Cissy. “She took a bit more convincing
though. Along those lines, are you seriously trying to tell me there’s nothing
between you two? I saw you dancing out there. Maybe no one else would notice
the way you looked at each other, but you can’t slip it by me. I’m your oldest
friend after all.”

Nick
frowned. “There’s nothing between us, and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t talk
like that. All it takes is one person overhearing for rumors to get started.
I’m under review at the moment and that could be enough to jeopardize
everything.”

The
grin died on Max’s face. “I didn’t know,” he said. “I was joking. What
happened?”

“It’s
a long story.”

“I
have time,” Max said. “Cissy can watch out for Meaghan and maybe if you tell
me, I can help. Just like old times,” he added when Nick hesitated.

Nick
nodded, conceding, and turned to Meaghan. “Is it okay? I won’t go far.”

“I’ll
be fine,” she assured him. The two men walked away and Meaghan kept her eyes
glued on Nick and her power focused on his. The further away he moved, the
weaker his power got. She swallowed her panic, ignored the emotions seeping
through his power, and drew her eyes to the woman who stood beside her.

“Are
you okay?” Cissy asked. “You look like you’re about to be sick.”

“Yes.”
Meaghan tightened a smile across her face. “How long have you been wed?”

“Two
months,” Cissy responded. Her face glowed with a light Meaghan had seen on many
of her newlywed friends in school. Some things remained constant no matter what
world they happened on. “It was wonderful. The night was clear like this one.
The stars and the moon basked everything in a soft glow. Max had packed a
picnic and we snuck into the field to enjoy it together. When he leaned in to
kiss me, the colors, they,” she shrugged. “It’s hard to explain. When it
happens to you, you’ll understand.”

“I’m
sure I will,” Meaghan said, her smile turning genuine. “It sounds lovely.”

“It
was perfect. Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”

The
emotions had grown stronger, battering at Meaghan’s resolve. Hundreds of them
swirled within her, gripping her stomach, pounding within her head. She ached,
but she clutched her hands together in front of her and nodded. “How long have
you and Nick been friends?”

“Since
the village was built,” Cissy said. “Max knew him from the last village, but my
family came from another one. I guess we were about eight at the time. I knew
him shortly before his father died.” She frowned and placed a hand on Meaghan’s
arm. “You look green.”

“I’m
fine,” Meaghan insisted, and then felt the ache in her head swell. Squeezing
her eyes shut, she pressed her fingers to her temples. Cissy’s hand tightened
on her arm, pulling her away from the crowd, and from Nick. The emotions broke
through the remainder of her hold on his power, flooding her senses. Her mind
screamed. Her stomach rolled. Her eyes flew open. And then she pulled from
Cissy’s grip and ran.

She
did not know where she was going. She only hoped no one saw her. The Queen
fleeing in panic would not help the spirits of the people. But vomiting in
front of them and then curling up into a fetal ball certainly would not help either.
She ran down one street and then another. When the emotions still chased her,
she dashed down an alley, turned a corner, and then met a dead end. A building
blocked her from advancing. The emotions behind her kept her from going back the
way she had come. She turned, pressed her body against the wall, and sank down
to the ground. Burying her face in her hands, she prayed for the pain to stop.

Her
breathing came in quick, uneven bursts as she tried to fight off the assault.
She focused on the warmth by her heart. She tried to pull on it, to move or
dull it, but no efforts to control her power helped. Several minutes passed and
then she felt hands grip her arms.

“I’m
here,” Nick’s voice broke through the swell of emotions. “Focus on me, Meg. I’m
here.”

She
did as he instructed. Her breathing slowed. “Good,” he said. She heard other
voices, though they came across as muffled through the pain still throbbing
within her head. “She’ll be okay,” Nick said and she realized he had responded
to whoever had spoken. “Go back to the party and tell everyone she was tired so
I took her home. And please don’t tell anyone about this. It’s best if no one
knows she can’t control her power yet.”

“We
understand,” Cissy’s voice finally broke through the pain. “Do you need us to
send your mother?”

“No.
I have this under control.”

“All
right,” a man said and Meaghan recognized him as Max. “Good luck. Let us know
if you need anything.”

Footsteps
retreated from the alley. Nick drew his hands down Meaghan’s arms and linked
his fingers with hers. “How do you feel?” he asked.

“Sick,”
she responded. Resting her head against the wall, she opened her eyes. “That
was almost as bad as the battle. There were too many emotions. I had to get
away.”

“I
know.” Releasing his grip on one of her hands, Nick raised his fingers to her
face, and stroked his thumb across her cheekbone. “I don’t sense your pain any
longer. Is it gone?” She nodded. “What happened?”

“I
don’t know. You weren’t far away, but I couldn’t hold on to your power. I
panicked.” She sighed and closed her eyes again. “Did anyone see me?”

“I
don’t think so. Cissy thought you were sick so she brought you to an area out
of view.” He leaned in to press his lips to her forehead. “It’s been a long
day. I should have realized.”

“Realized
what?”

“How
tired you are. I’m sure that’s why you couldn’t maintain focus on my power from
a distance. I’m sorry I left you.”

“It’s
not your fault,” she said and struggled to her feet. He stood with her. “I need
to be able to control this on my own. You can’t stay next to me forever.”

“No,”
he agreed, “but control will come soon enough. The Elders have decided to put
you through training. They feel the same techniques Guardians use to control
their sensing powers will help you.”

“Training?”
she asked. “Like school?”

“More
like boot camp, but with pre-teens.”

She
grimaced and he laughed, drawing her in for a hug. “Are you okay to head back
to my mom’s place? You’re staying in the guesthouse next to it. I can stay with
you until you fall asleep.”

“That
would be nice,” she said, smiling when he drew his hands up her back. He pulled
her in for a kiss, then slipped an arm around her waist and led her down the
alley. They had only managed a few steps before he stiffened. Meaghan stopped
to look up at him. “What’s wrong?”

Nick’s
eyes remained fixed on the shadows lining the street in front of the alley. He
frowned. “I thought I saw something move.”

“What?”

He
shook his head. “I’m not sure, but I don’t sense any danger. It’s probably my
imagination. Let’s go.”

Urging
her forward again, he quickened their pace back to the guest cottage.

M
EAGHAN AWOKE
to anger. The emotion screamed at her from outside the guest cottage,
pounding its way into her dreams and disrupting her rest. When her heart
doubled its pace in response, despite her efforts to calm it, she gave up on
sleeping and threw off her blankets. The emotion felt strong, yet she could
tell it came from only two people. The rest of the village remained quiet. She
focused on the anger and then on the mix of other emotions hidden beneath it.
Confusion, hurt, and frustration swirled with the anger in a familiar way, and
she realized the people were arguing. She also realized it might be some time
before they finished. She dragged her tired body out of bed, and then exchanged
her nightgown for her dress. She did not feel like waking Nick to use his
power. He needed his rest as much as she did. Instead, she decided to take a
walk for an hour. She hoped it would be enough time for the argument to reach a
conclusion, and then she could return to sleep.

Finding
her shoes by the door, she put them on, and exited the cottage. The emotions
came from her left, so she turned right to avoid them, but halted when the
breeze carried part of the argument her way.