Lost in Mist and Shadow: A Between the Worlds Novel (12 page)

“Sorry. You want to meet me at the house later and we can hang out and do something mindless to get our minds off the day? And you can fill me in on how the rest of the afternoon goes?”

“Sure,” she agreed. “Sounds like a plan.”

He hesitated but she waved him away, “Go on Jason. Jess and Brynneth will be here soon anyway and you probably should go talk to Tony. If you keep spending so much time with me he’s going to get jealous.”

“Never. He knows what’s been going on and he understands that you need a little more support right now.”

Allie hated feeling weak and needy but she didn’t want to hurt Jason’s feelings. “Well then how about you go pick up some ice cream at the store and a good movie – something stupid and funny – and let me get some work done around here.”

He gave her a long look, “Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

“I should be asking you that – are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m okay. Sorry I kind of lost it there,” he sounded subdued.

“Don’t apologize, but you’re definitely not acting like yourself today Jason. You think I’m non-confrontational, well okay you’re right, but we could start a club together for that. You’re usually the quiet one. I’ve never seen you get mad before, never mind threaten to hurt someone,” Allie said, watching him carefully.

He sighed. “Well, to be totally honest Allie, I used to have a really nasty problem with my temper. I worked really hard not to be that person any more. Maybe that’s why now I always try to be the mellow one. I ask myself is this really worth a fight? And you know what it usually isn’t.”

“So you used to be a bouncer, huh?” Allie said trying to lighten the mood.

His lips twitched into an almost smile. “I could tell you stories that would curl your hair. Why do you think Liz trusts me to handle physical security stuff around the house?”

“I never asked, I trust her judgment.”

“You are way too trusting,” he said, smiling to take the sting out of his words.

She rolled her eyes, “Whatever. If you’re okay, then really go back home and get some rest, take a nap, and I’ll see you later tonight.”

He hesitated, his eyes moving around the store, “I don’t know if I should leave you alone with everything that’s been going on.”

“Nothing’s going to happen in the next couple hours,” she said with more confidence than she felt. He still hesitated but she shooed him out, “Go on, go buy me some decadent ice cream that’ll make me forget my name.”

He laughed a little at that and attempted a weak joke in return, “Isn’t that what you have Jess for?”

She snorted, “He’s on duty, the ice cream isn’t. Now get out. Seriously you’ve been up all night you need some sleep.”

He nodded reluctantly. “Okay but if you need anything call.”

“I will.”

*********************************

As if the powers that be wanted to apologize for her terrible morning Allie actually had several good sales after Jason left, including one that by itself would nearly pay her bills for the next month. The book had been in the store since her grandmother had been alive and was an original edition alchemical text from the 16
th
century. Allie had long ago decided the book would never sell and had set it up in a locked plexiglass display case. That way it was safe from being torn or dropped by everyone who came in but people could still ooh and ahh over it. Much to her shock someone had seen it in one of the pictures on the store’s website and had driven to Ashwood just to buy the book. They even brought the cash to pay for it. Feeling only slightly foolish she’d double checked the cash, but the thick stack of hundreds was perfectly normal, legal money.

After that sale she’d closed early and run to the bank to make her night deposit early, too worried to risk keeping that much money on herself for any length of time. She hurried back but then worried that she’d missed the Elven Guard. Hindsight being what it was she realized she could have put up a sign up on the door or left them a note. She was standing in the doorway fretting about it when the distinctive Guard car pulled up, its dark green paint and tinted windows doing nothing to help it blend in.

Allie relaxed momentarily and then tensed again, remembering that this wasn’t a social call. Jess and another Guard who Allie didn’t recognize got out of the car and walked up to the store. Struggling to remember her manners, Allie inclined her head politely and welcomed them inside.

Jess seemed unusually standoffish and the strange Guard was aloof in the way that elves normally were with humans. It reminded Allie forcibly that barely two months ago the Elven Guard was a frightening and powerful force that she would have done almost anything to avoid.

Both the Guard followed her into the store, and she closed the door behind them, wiping her hands nervously on her jeans. Besides basic pleasantries no one had spoken and Allie fought the urge to reach out to Jess and speak into his mind; she could read his emotions easily enough without trying and knew he was as uncertain as she was.

She turned to face them, so that they stood forming a rough triangle in the center of the store. Jess gestured at his companion, a female elf with dark blond hair, and spoke formally in Elvish, “Aliaine this is Mariniessa, she is a mage of the fourth circle. She has been assigned to our squad for this investigation, along with Brynneth and Natarien, who you already know.”

He turned slightly to address Mariniessa, who was clearly not happy to have been introduced first. Allie remembered then that while in group introductions people were introduced from highest to lowest rank, in one-on-one introductions the highest ranking person was always introduced last. It was one of those annoying idiosyncrasies of elven etiquette that made her eyes cross. “Mariniessa, this is Aliaine, she is an empath who is gifted at both reading the emotions of others and at tracing emotions back to their source.”

Mariniessa’s expression changed instantly at the words, from slightly offended condescension to begrudging respect. To the elves empathy was a rare and unusual gift which challenged their practice of avoiding deep emotions. Allie hoped that the elves weren’t expecting too much of her. She nodded politely to the other woman, offering a formal hello and a compliment. “Greetings Mariniessa. Your skills as a mage are no doubt indispensable in this investigation.”

“Greetings Aliaine. Are you comfortable speaking the language?” the elven mage asked, earning an offended look from Jess. She should have offered a compliment in return for the one given; not doing so was a huge breach of etiquette. Mariniessa was clearly going to be a difficult one.

“Certainly,” Allie replied, keeping her face and tone polite. “I am fluent in the language.”

“I only ask because you speak as if you were an elf,” Mariniessa said pointedly, managing to convey disapproval, snobbery, and self-righteous indignation wrapped up together. Allie felt a surge of inappropriate amusement at the other woman’s passive aggressive bitchiness. Elvish was a complex language that went with a complex culture; the lesser Fey also spoke it but by long-standing class segregation they used a different dialect. In effect Mariniessa had said-without-saying that Allie was putting on airs – at best – by speaking as if she were elven. Obviously the elven woman was making some assumptions about Allie instead of directly asking, and the fact that she was wrong made Allie want to giggle.

Before Allie could frame a suitable reply Jessilaen spoke, his voice tight, “Aliaine’s mother is elven.”

Mariniessa immediately looked embarrassed at her faux pas. Taking a lesser Fey or one of mixed lesser blood to task for speaking a higher dialect than they should was one thing; implying someone who had a right to the language didn’t was quite different. Allie would have been entirely within her rights to call insult and issue a challenge, except that Allie had no interest in fighting anyone.

As strange as it often seemed to humans, because elves were matrilineal and it was Allie’s mother who was an elf she was, from an elven viewpoint, her mother’s heir and fully entitled to elven society. Allie was never sure if that was a good thing or some sort of cosmic joke. Jess, however, was clearly working up to being extremely offended for her sake, and it suddenly occurred to her to wonder if he could call insult for her; her mind scrambled to remember the proper protocol, but she came up blank. Better to diffuse things quickly. “Indeed, my background makes me ideally suited for what the Elven Guard currently needs assistance with. I am fluent in Elvish and English and extremely familiar with human customs. I should inform you though that my ability with the elvish language far exceeds my knowledge of the social graces.”

Jess gave her an inscrutable look, either because she had let the insult go or because she had freely admitted her ignorance of the etiquette. Both could be seen as weaknesses and might give the other woman ammunition if she really wanted it, but on the other hand immediately acknowledging her own lack of manners would mean that the mage could not claim insult against Allie as easily if Allie didn’t realize she was being rude. That blade cut both ways.

For the first time Mariniessa looked unsure, and when she spoke her tone was cautious, “I’m certain your skills will find some use.”

“Aliaine has already proven herself an asset,” Jess said sharply, and Mariniessa bowed her head slightly, rebuked. Allie’s head was starting to ache and she wished they’d just get to the point. Perhaps sensing as much, or maybe just tiring of it himself, Jess turned fully to Allie and reached into one of the many pockets of his uniform pants. He withdraw several folded papers and a small pouch.

Allie eyed the pouch suspiciously. Jess met her eyes, his expression unreadable and before Allie could stop herself she reached out to him through their bond; she found a blend of anticipation, anxiety, and longing. When he spoke he was still in official Guard Commander mode, “Aliaine, here is the paperwork as you requested, instating you as an intermediary for the Elven Guard at Crannuiane Outpost, in service to Queen Naesseryia’s Holding, when dealing with the surrounding human communities.”

He handed her the paperwork, which she took with numb fingers. Her mind scrambled to try to process what he was saying. As soon as she touched the paper she felt the magic of the partially set geis filling the air around her, but it did not set as she expected it to.
Oh no
she thought suddenly tired
this can’t be good
.

As soon as she switched the paperwork to her left hand, giving it only a cursory glance, he opened the small pouch and dumped its contents into his palm, extending his hand towards her, “Here is the symbol of your position and rank. May all who see it know that you serve with honor.”

The last had the sound of a line from ritual, recited by rote. Reflexively she reached out and took what he offered, her fingers finding smooth cool metal. As soon as she touched it the magic of the binding she had set on herself settled with an almost physical weight around everyone. Even Mariniessa flinched slightly under it. Allie barely noticed, her eyes riveted on what she held.

In her hand lay a badge. It was gold. Real gold, solid and heavy, enchanted to keep it from being easily bent or damaged. It bore the coat of arms of Queen Naesseryia: a field of three chevrons with a single charge, a stag rampant gaurdant bearing an oak sprig in his mouth. Above this were the words ‘Crannuaine Elven Guard’ in elven runes and below the words ‘swift hounds, swift blades’. The last, Allie knew was the motto of the Elven Guard, a reference to how they found and punished the guilty with great speed. It was a phrase that was known to terrify the lesser Fey, most of whom appreciated neither the speed nor harshness of the Guard.
What the Hel have I gotten myself into?
Allie thought, unable to look away from the dull gleam of gold in her palm.

Mariniessa shifted impatiently and Allie realized they were both expecting some kind of response from her. She had no idea what she was supposed to say. Desperately she reached out to Jess. “
What’s the correct response? What am I supposed to say?
” she couldn’t keep the worry out of her voice, and she felt his surprise and then suddenly a wave of comfort and support with the words “
repeat after me…”

Aloud Allie repeated what Jess told her to say, “May I always serve with honor, for as long as I serve.” And then remembering the geis she added, “You have met my conditions, I will do as I have promised.”

As soon as she said the words the tension drained from the room. She could see and feel Jess relaxing. The elven mage nodded stiffly to Allie, grudging respect in her eyes. Allie wondered if the other woman had expected her to try to back out, but Allie was well aware that she was far past the point of extricating herself from the situation. As unreal as it seemed – and she was sure that eventually the reality would sink in – she had somehow managed to agree to join the Elven Guard itself, if in a limited capacity. She knew she should be worried about that, but her mind refused to process anything else today.

Jess turned to Mariniessa, “If you would go start the car, I will help Allie secure her store.”

Mariniessa inclined her head slightly in a shrug and with a thoughtful look on her face she headed out the door. Jess and Allie stood awkwardly, unmoving, Allie still holding the badge in her hand.

“Allie,” he broke the silence finally, his voice unsure. “Are you unhappy with me?”