Changer (Athanor) (84 page)

“Grab her!” yells Arthur.  “Grab them!”

Chaos ensues as everyone tries to obey.  When it is resolved, two small animals—a silvery mouse and a ground squirrel with mismatched eyes—have been trapped in a corner by two of the cats of Egypt.  Frank MacDonald hastens up with a box.

The third animal, a reddish rat, has made his escape.  Lovern is wrapping a handkerchief about the wound in his leg where Shahrazad bit him when he fell on her.  The coyote puppy hangs growling from her father’s hand.

“Did they do that?” asks Lil Prima, glancing at the Changer, “or did someone else?”

The Changer, his lost eye now restored, shrugs and sets his daughter down, swatting her when she makes a lunge for the remaining animals.

“I don’t know,” he says.  “It’s beyond my knowledge.”

“It could have been a clever ploy to escape,” Swansdown offers.  “In order to make the aversion spell hold, we had to remove the iron manacles.  That means either Louhi or the Head could have worked a spell.”

“Is there any way to test?” Arthur asks.

“Too fast,” Lovern says.  “The signature is gone now.”

“Damn.”

Frank MacDonald clears his throat.  “These two don’t seem to want to go anywhere.  If no one objects, I’ll take them to my ranch.  They can stay there until they resume human form.”

Arthur looks more cheerful.  “We don’t
have
to restore them, do we?  They’re out of the Accord and all that.  If you want them, Frank, you can have them.”

“And Sven?” says Katsuhiro, for once standing shoulder to shoulder with Dakar.  “What about him?”

“He’s yours if you can find him,” Arthur says.  “He’s no longer my responsibility.”

The warriors hurry out, trailed by the assembled Cats of Egypt.  The falcon leaves Frank MacDonald’s shoulder and sails out the window.  Even the jackalopes depart.

“I wouldn’t,” says the Changer, “want to be Sven right now.”

While Chris and Bill stand watch, at the small, private airfield to the north of Albuquerque, tearful farewells are said.  Rebecca wipes her cheek before bending to enfold Demetrios in an embrace that lifts the faun right out of his boots.

“Promise you’ll come visit us,” she pleads.  “Bronson and I are going to be so lonely out in our forests.”

Demetrios sneaks a glance at Bronson, not certain how the big sasquatch is taking his wife’s emotional outburst.  He is relieved to see that Bronson is smiling and nodding agreement.

“Do come,” Bronson rumbles, “you and any of your fellows.  You may find that you could be as happy in our misty forests as in the California sunshine.”

Demetrios looks doubtful. “But our dryads and naiads…”

“They were transplanted once,” Bronson says with the composure of one who has seen many impossible things made possible.  “They could be again.  You don’t need to decide overnight.  Come and visit first.”

“Hey, fuzzy lady,” Georgios says, strutting up in new cowboy boots and a garish fringed jacket, “don’t I get a smooch, too?”

Smiling now, Rebecca gives him a hug that bends his ribs.  “You come and visit, too,” she says.

“Any babes in your woods?” he asks, leering.

“You’ll just have to settle for visiting me and Bronson.”

Georgios grins.  “I can do that.  With this new illusion magic, I’m going to be able to get out on the town a lot more.  The mares are going to get awfully lonely.”

“Loverboy!” Demetrios says, despairing.

“That’s me,” the other replies contently.  “That’s me.”

As Anson A. Kridd sets his suitcases by the front door, the door to Arthur’s office opens and the King himself emerges.

“Are you leaving now, Anson?”

“That’s right, back to interrupted business.  You’ll take care of Eddie, not work him into the ground while his leg heals?”

“I promise.”

The King stands silently for a moment.  Patting down his pockets until he finds a bar of chocolate, Anson watches Arthur, an expression of open amusement on his broad, dark face.

“Yes, Arthur?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“But you want to.”

Arthur looks at one of Vera’s weavings hanging over the fireplace, at the tiled floor that desperately needs mopping, at anything rather than facing that teasing brown gaze.

“Yes, I guess I do.  I want to thank you for everything you’ve done—helping Eddie, going to South America, managing the Changer…”

“Nobody can manage that one unless he wants it,” Anson chuckles.

“That may be, but you are one of those who can influence him.  I am grateful you were here.”

“It was an interesting time, eh?”

“More than.”  Arthur glances at the Spider.  “Anson, I was wondering if you would like to be one of my formal advisors.”

“Me?  The troublemaker?  I thought as you see it, I’m nearly as bad as Sven Trout.”

“Not quite.”  Arthur grins.  “I’ve been thinking about what the Changer said—about stagnation and stasis.  Eddie is a good counselor—one of the best—but he knows me and my feelings on certain matters too well.  Jonathan Wong delights in order as, in a different way, does Vera.  Especially with these new humans on board, I need someone who will tell me when I’m…”

“Getting stodgy?”

Arthur looks affronted, then relaxes.  “In a nutshell, yes.”

Anson considers.  “Do I need to live here?”

“No.  Jonathan doesn’t.  You could check in every day or so by e-mail.  And if you would visit…”

“Visit?”

“So you can look at me and grin that irreverent grin and make me realize that I’m being an ass.”

“Oh!”  Anson rubs his palms together briskly.  “I can do that!”

“I’m sure.  Will you accept my invitation?”

“What’s the pay?”

“We can work out something either in terms of favors accumulated or money.”

Anson grins.  “I like the idea of favors.”

“Somehow, I thought that you would.”

“Okay.  Here’s my first piece of advice.  Work more closely with Duppy Jonah.”

“I have already planned to do so.”

“And second.  Get yourself at least one more woman as a counselor.”

“A woman?  There’s already Vera.”

Anson wags a finger at him.  “Stodgy, Arthur.  You need the distaff perspective.  Trust me.  Women see things differently.  They can’t help it.  Vera has some of that perspective but not enough.  You need women—maybe a human woman.”

“A woman.”

“Right.”

“Very well.  Anything else?”

“Yes.”  Anson watches Arthur stiffen.  “Get at least one of the theriomorphs as a counselor.”

Arthur relaxes.  “I had thought of that.  It will keep them from feeling left out.”

“Wrong reason,” Anson says.  “Like the women, those without human shape see things differently.  You need that, too.”

“Any suggestions as to who I should pick?”

“Maybe the faun Demetrios.  Maybe a yeti or sasquatch.  Not a
kappa
.  They’re too isolated yet.  I can think on it and get back to you if you wish.”

Arthur takes a deep breath.  “Please do.”

Anson takes Arthur’s hand and shakes it vigorously.  “I am honored by your offer, Your Majesty.”

Arthur returns the handclasp and adds a slight bow.  “And I am honored to have you on my staff.”

A horn toots outside.  Eddie swings in on his crutches.

“Your ride’s here, Spider.  Have a good trip.”

Anson hugs him.  “See you soon, Eddie.”  He hefts his bags.  “See you, Arthur.”

Arthur watches him depart, wondering what he has just invited into his life.

When night falls, a reddish brown rat trembles in the
bosque
down near the Rio Grande.  An owl hoots.  Cats yowl.  Heavy feet trample through the growth.

The rat presses closer to the ground.  There is something he should remember.  Something he should do.  An almost memory beats like panic in his tiny brain.  He scurries a few paces across open ground.

An owl hoots.  He hears the near inaudible rush of its wings and freezes.

There is something he should remember.

About the Author

J
ane Lindskold is the award-winning, best-selling, internationally published author of over sixty short stories and twenty-some novels, as well as a considerable amount of non-fiction.

Among her better-known works are the six-volume “Firekeeper Saga” (beginning with
Through Wolf’s Eyes
), the two athanor novels (
Changer
and
Changer’s Daughter
), and the three-volume “Breaking the Wall” series (beginning with
Thirteen Orphans
).

Although creating novels takes the bulk of her writing time, Lindskold has always enjoyed writing short fiction, because it provides fresh opportunities to explore different types characters and themes.

A former English professor, Jane Lindskold has been a full-time writer since 1994. She currently resides in New Mexico with her husband, archeologist Jim Moore, assorted small animals, and a garden that keeps her busy enough that it should qualify as another pet.

Visit Jane's website at
http://janelindskold.com

COMING SOON

from Obsidian Tiger Books

Changer’s Daughter

(originally published as 
Legends Walking
)