Storm of Arranon Fire and Ice (34 page)

Jaer tugged off his helmet and helped Erynn
with hers. “Come on. I need to get you inside.”

“What about the speeder?” The words came out
muffled as she shuddered, her jaw clamped tight so her teeth
wouldn’t clack. Snow was already filling in crevices and layering
on the vacated seat.

“You first,” Jaer said, whisking her up the
stairs and through the doors. “The vehicle is not freezing. And if
it were I would not care.” He pushed through a second set of heavy
double doors into a large room. Luxurious dark-brown and green
chairs surrounded a blazing fire in a great stone hearth, the
centerpiece of the opulent space. A faint scent of wood smoke
permeated the air.

Erynn pulled off thick gloves and pushed her
hood back with shaking hands. Heat blasted her icy face and
fingers. “Wow,” she whispered through chattering teeth. Full
windows allowed an unobstructed view of the escalating storm beyond
the four-meter-wide porch that ringed the building. Inside, along
the perimeter, more plush furniture sat in cozy groupings under
hanging lights that bathed each section in a soft golden
radiance.

People in quiet conversation from many of
these seats watched the storm. Beyond the hearth, dark hallways ran
from both sides of a long, polished wooden counter set in deep
shadows.

Out of the gloom from the left-hand hall, a
woman emerged, hurrying toward them. “I believe you made it just in
time, Jaer.”

As if in punctuation to her statement, a
blast of wind shook the windows, sending snow to hug the
structure’s edge. Deep drifts would soon form.

The woman shivered despite the heavy
gray-green sweater she wore and the warmth of the room. “This storm
is going to be a bad one.” She turned to Erynn. “Hi. I’m Wilo.”

Wilo had a petite build with short
light-brown hair and gray-blue eyes. She appeared to be only a few
years older than Erynn. “Your room is ready. Would you prefer a
chance to clean up and get into dry clothes before I send up a
meal?”

Erynn was sure the heady scent of maejen
still clung to her. She took a small step back from Wilo. “Don’t
make extra work for yourself. Whatever is easiest.” Erynn glanced
around at the others in the great room. Some watched openly. Others
chanced quick peeks. Curiosity fluttered like soft centinent wings
around Erynn.

Wilo reached out and touched Erynn’s arm.
“Don’t mind them. They’re just nosey. Locals come here when the big
storms hit.” She glanced out at snow tapping the windows and
shrugged. “For safety, but mostly it’s an excuse to get together
and stay at the lodge.”

Jaer’s expression was serious, his eyes dark.
“Everyone is here? No one has been overlooked?”

Wilo took in a shuddering breath. “We didn’t
have to ask twice. They all came when the warning was issued.” She
stared out the windows again. “This is only the beginning.” She
turned to the left and motioned for Erynn and Jaer to follow.
“We’ll be using the stairs. When the power goes, and it will, the
generator isn’t enough to run the lights and the lift.” Wilo
chuckled. “If we normally had guests during late fall and winter,
we’d have to upgrade the generator.” She glanced back at Erynn and
smiled as they started up the first set of stairs. “Jaer said you
were about my size. He was correct. I raided the boutique’s storage
room and picked out some clothes for you.” They reached the landing
and began to climb the next flight. “When you’ve rested, I’ll take
you down, and you can choose some for yourself.”

Erynn started to say that her dad would repay
this expense and stopped. Her dad was dead. There were still times
when she forgot this horrible truth. She bit her lip. “I’ll see to
it that you’re reimbursed for all this.”

Wilo didn’t glance back as she rounded yet
another landing. “No need. General Athru has covered everything
quite generously.”

Erynn frowned. “Cale? He knows we’re here?”
She glanced to Jaer, and he smiled.

Wilo chuckled again and nodded. “Your coming
here was his idea. From where you were found, this was closer than
trying to return to the base. You may not know this, but Cale owns
this place—the lodge and all the surrounding land.”

Erynn’s mouth dropped open. She closed it
quickly.

Cale owns this incredible lodge
?

At the top-most landing, Wilo stopped and
opened the access to a long hallway. She walked to the first door
and swiped the lock with a key card. Pushing the door aside, she
swept her arm, indicating the space. “The best room in the lodge.”
She beamed.

Erynn took two steps in and stopped, gazing
around. A huge wall of windows before her looked out on and over
the property. Snow skittered, boughs waved, and tree tops swayed.
The wind whistled and moaned along the eaves. Comfortable
furniture, a tan-colored couch, and two matching chairs faced the
view. The paneled wall on the left held a stone fireplace complete
with a roaring fire. The hearth opened through to an adjoining
bedroom. A raised area to the right of the main room held a dining
nook of polished wood in front of a small kitchen.

“Do you like it?” Wilo stood just inside the
lavish room.

“It’s beautiful.” Erynn tried to maintain a
smile. Fatigue, cold, and hunger were taking their toll.

“If you feel like it, come down tomorrow and
I’ll give you a tour. I’ll have your meal sent up. About sixty
timnents?” With that, Wilo stepped back into the hall and closed
the door.

Jaer strode deeper into the space. “I told
her it was too much. But she insisted.”

Erynn stepped forward, staring out at the
storm, her hands on the back of the couch. The material under her
fingertips was soft. “Right now, I really don’t care.”

“Stay here a moment. I will be right back.”
Jaer disappeared into the bedroom, stripping out of his heavy coat
as he went.

Erynn unfastened her jacket and slowly peeled
off the thick sleeves. She stared down at the couch.

I could just lie here. Take a quick
nap
.

A sum of sensory input had a hypnotizing
effect. Fire popped and snapped in the hearth. The blaze radiated
gentle warmth and a pale glow. Wind sighed outside. Ice ticked
against the glass with an irregular tempo. Blowing flakes flitted
and swooped in a cloud-gray sky of late afternoon.

Erynn jumped when Jaer tugged the jacket from
her grasp.

He smiled and took her hand. “Come in here. I
have a hot bath ready for you.”

Bath
?

She followed Jaer through an extravagant
bedroom paneled with the same polished red-gold wood into a
spacious bathroom tiled in greens and browns. Muted lighting gave
the space a calming atmosphere. Extending across the right wall was
a large oval tub filled with steaming water and topped with rich
scented foam.

Erynn grinned up at Jaer. It had been a long
time since she’d experienced the luxury of a bath. Living at the
academy and in a dorm room for the past few months hadn’t given her
this opportunity or the occasion.

“Take all the time you want.” Jaer smiled and
backed out of the room, closing the door.

She stripped out of the jumpsuit, her
t-shirt, and underwear. She stepped into the tub. The water was
warm, nearly hot. It took her a moment to settle in to the heat.
Erynn sank to her chin and closed her eyes. The flowery scented
foam filled in around her. She gathered the bubbles with her palms
and scooped them across the surface, breathing in the sweet
fragrance.

When the ache of cold began to leave her
bones, Erynn submerged her head, wetting her hair. She stayed
beneath in the warmth until her lungs screamed for air. She sat up
and wiped water from her eyes. A body wash and shampoo sat in a
corner of the tiled ledge around the tub. Erynn scrubbed her hair
twice before washing the rest of her and dropping back into the
water to her chin.

Her stomach growled. She frowned and tried to
ignore the protests of hunger.

I’m finally warm
.

Now that she was no longer freezing, her
stomach demanded attention. Erynn pushed out of the tub, releasing
the water. A large thick towel waited on a warming rack. She
wrapped it around her from head to toe. On a counter next to a
double sink lay a pile of neatly folded clothes. Erynn towel-dried
her hair and dressed in a plush long-sleeved shirt and baggy pants.
She pulled on a pair of slipper-socks and turned toward the
mirror.

The four thin scars were an angry red across
the fair skin of her face. They ran from just above her left ear to
the tip of her chin. Syrana’s salve was gone, lost with the
transport.

Maybe Wilo has something here I can
use
.

She would ask. Tomorrow.

Erynn let her hair fall. The curls covered
most of the damage. She opened the door. The bedroom was empty. She
moved through the open door and into the main room. The aroma of
food caused her stomach to growl again.

Jaer had changed into his black tunic and
quilted pants. He stood in profile, staring out the window,
watching the storm. His long dark hair was pulled back in a silver
clasp at his neck. His beard and mustache appeared recently
trimmed. He turned when she entered. “Do you feel like eating
something? I requested your favorite.” He grinned. “
Cearach
,
with the red berries and sliced nuts.”

She patted her stomach and smiled back. “Yes.
The achcear. That sounds perfect.” This play of words—“cearach”
from Korin and “achcear” from Arranon, both with the same meaning—
further broke any lingering barrier.

He motioned to the dining nook, seating her
so she could see the main room and look out the windows. Afternoon
had shifted to evening. Jaer went to the small kitchen and removed
two plates from the oven, setting one down in front of her. He
returned to the tiny refrigerator and brought a glass of kree with
lots of ice for Erynn. He carried a bottle of beoir for himself to
the table. He tipped his head. “Is there something you would rather
have to drink?”

Erynn couldn’t stop grinning. “No. Thank you.
This is great.”

Dinner was quiet. Jaer didn’t ask questions.
Erynn knew him well enough. He would wait for her to talk. This
silence between them was comfortable, not awkward.

“Tam is anxious to see you. She is a good
friend.” He took a large bite, chewed, and swallowed. “Sean is
fine.” He was quiet again, focusing on his meal. “Tiar spends most
of his free time in Tamaagra with Roni. They say Roni can be
transferred to the base and put under
Nev’s
care soon.”

Erynn discerned an undertone of contempt when
Jaer said
Nev
. She dropped her fork. It clattered on her
empty plate. “No!” Her breath shuddered in. “I mean, she should
stay where she is. You know—because of the storm.”

Jaer’s eyes darkened. His forehead creased.
“That is not what you mean.”

Erynn sighed and bit at her lower lip. “I
ignored my gut when it came to Mikal. That was a mistake.”

Mikal, Tam, and Sean had been her only
friends at academy. She hadn’t liked Mikal. His mannerisms, his
personality, everything about him affected her on a deep visceral
level. Worse, she had ignored these warnings. Mikal turned out to
be an alien agent. One of many sent to Korin to infiltrate both
governments in an attempt to take over her worlds. He had
befriended Erynn, hoping to get close to her politically powerful
father. Ultimately, Mikal betrayed her.

She watched Jaer, knowing that what she was
about to say wouldn’t be easy. “Nev was nice.” She grimaced. “Kind
to me and gentle. I sensed nothing to warn me away from him…at
first.”

Jaer’s fingers fisted on the table.

Erynn reached out and laid her hand over his.
“He was a friend. I never felt anything more toward him. I
understood his intentions were not the same.” She took in a breath
and released it slowly through parted lips. “Nev changed. He
started pushing me subtly to make a choice. There was never a
choice to make.” She squeezed Jaer’s hand, now relaxed under her
fingers. “I learned from Tine that Dhoran had assumed the
identity—taken the body—of a byan. That was when I realized once
again that I had ignored my gut feeling.”

Erynn glanced around the room, her gaze
fixing on the fire in the hearth. “Is Dhoran inhabiting Nev’s
body?” She shook her head. “I don’t know for sure. I didn’t get a
clear view of him in the transition station before I jumped in and
landed at the chamber to the portal of fire.” Erynn tipped her
head, frowning. “But it feels like a possibility. There is
something off about Nev.”

Jaer remained quiet, listening. He was
holding his breath. His hand trembled under hers.

He has no idea what I’m talking
about
.

She turned her attention to Jaer. His eyes
were closed, his jaw set with tense muscles bunching and releasing.
“Hey.” Erynn shook his hand. “Breathe. I can explain. But not right
now. I’m tired. I need to work this out before I try to tell you,
so it doesn’t sound so impossible. Besides, I had help from very
unlikely sources—some you may not believe.”

Jaer nodded and opened his eyes. “You should
get some sleep. We will have time to talk later.” He turned his
hand, grasping hers, and stood up. He led her down into the main
room past the couch. A pillow and blankets were stacked at one
end.

I didn’t see those there earlier. But I
was focused on Jaer
.

“What are those for?” Erynn stopped and
stared down at the pile of bedding.

“I did not know…” Jaer frowned, shuffling his
feet. “If you want the bed to

yourself—”

“I want you with me. Like that night in the
forest. Like that time in your quarters. Just to hold you close
while we sleep.” She stepped forward and reached her arms around
the solid essence of him. With her head against his powerful chest,
she breathed in his spicy scent.