The Journey Home: The Ingenairii Series: Beyond the Twenty Cities (46 page)

He engaged his energy, and they were suddenly transported to the spring of healing water on the Giffey River, far up the river from Goldenfields.  “Gracious!” Roslyn exclaimed.  “Is that what it feels like on a restorer?” she asked.

“Who are you?” a guard immediately challenged their presence.

“Here we go again,” Alec murmured, and he trans-located them to the bridge at Riverside, where sunset was beginning to take place.  Shadows from the mountains blocked the sun’s rays from reaching them.

“Where are we now?” Roslyn asked.  “And where was the last spot?”

The place we just came from is in Goldenfields.  It’s the spring where the healing water issues forth,” he answered.  “And this,” he paused, “is in the Pale Mountains, between the Dominion and the lands of the lacertii.”

“Are you like the restorers?  Do you have to be at a place to know it before you can fly to it like this?” she asked.  “Why would you have ever been in this god-forsaken spot?”

“There was a town here once,” Alec replied, “a long time ago. I learned something about life here,” he told her, thinking about the horror of seeing death and war for the first time. 

He tightened his hold on her, and they transported to a dim alleyway in Chanradala.  Alec could feel his powers beginning to strain from the multiple jumps they had taken, including his jumps into and out of the cave.  Making the journey from the Dominion all the way back to the Twenty Cities and even to his intended destination, Valer, far beyond the Twenty Cities, would be a full day’s use of his energy, he realized.  Depending on how many Ajacii he could carry back with him to Michian, he might have to spend several days ferrying Ajacii with him back to Michian.

A lacerta passed the entrance to the alley and Alec felt Roslyn’s body stiffen.  The lacerta walked past without looking down the alley at them, and Roslyn relaxed.  “Where are we now?” she asked in a whisper.

“This is Chanradala, the capital city of the lacertii nation.  The next jump will be a long one, as we cross the rest of the lacertii lands to go to Boundary Lake.  Then we’ll go to Moriadoc, the westernmost of the Twenty Cities.  And then, we’ll go to Exbury,” he told her.

“We’re that close, really?  Just three more jumps to reach Exbury?  Oh stars!  Who will I go see first?  I can’t even imagine how to be reintroduced to the society?” Roslyn seemed to panic at the sudden approach of her destination.

“I’ll introduce you to the Old Ones I know,” Alec tried to calm her.  Another lacerta walked past, but this time happened to look down the alley and saw the two humans standing there.

At the sound of the lacerta’s scream, Alec engaged his powers and they translocated again, this time to the alley on the side of the Red Horse Inn, located on the great square in the center of Boundary Lake.  It was full night time in the city, but there appeared to be numerous lights that helped to illuminate the square, and Alec heard the sound of people and lively conversation within the building next to them.  He was pleased to know that the city held enough life  that people could laugh and socialize, and he hoped that conditions were secure and greatly improved since his departure.

They stood silently, as Alec took a deep breath, then engaged his powers again, and translocated them to a dark, empty doorway on a lonely empty street in Moriadoc.  “Welcome back to the Twenty Cities,” Alec told Roslyn.  He felt worn out by the multiple jumps, the demand on his energies multiplied by carrying his passenger with him.  Using Traveler energy remained the least comfortable of the abilities he held, and he looked forward to making just one more jump for the day.

He leaned back against the wall to rest, when he heard the latch on the door click, and then a dim light appeared as the door behind them opened.

“You two get out of here.  This is a home, not a bawdy joint!” a heavyset, balding man shouted at the two people he mistook for furtive lovers.

Alec paused, as he mentally adjusted to the different language again, the eastern language of the Twenty Cities and Avonellene.  Regardless of the translation though, he understood the unhappy connotation of the man’s tone and gestures.  He closed his eyes, and they made the last jump, leaving the man to goggle in astonishment at the emptiness that was all he suddenly had on his porch.

They landed in Exbury, and Alec sagged against Roslyn as a result of the final jump.  She looked at his face, his eyes closed and his jaw clenched, and saw the stress he was in from the exertion; she continued to hold him in the hug that had been their traveling mode, except now she did it to support him.

A sound distracted her, and she turned her head to take in their surroundings.  They were in a garden of a large home, clearly the home of a family in the Old One culture of Exbury.  Luxuriant flowers blossomed at every location she examined, while music and laughter and conversation emanated from the lit windows and doorways of the house before them.

Alec’s eye’s opened, and he straightened up.  “Welcome home, Lady Roslyn.  You’re back in Exbury now, where I suspect you’ll never have to worry about tending to mules for the rest of your life, unless you decide that you really like mules,” he smiled at her.  “This is the home of the family Andi and I stayed with in Exbury.    The parents are named Lord Shaln and Lady Rooney and the children are Amane, Tarry and Casse.”

“I knew Shaln and Rooney, I think,” Roslyn replied.  She attempted to steel herself for the shock that was about to be administered.  “Please lead the way.”

She followed Alec to the door, where he opened it and walked boldly into the house, with Roslyn directly behind him.

They had walked into a party, it was evident.  In every direction people filled the rooms they could see, and music wafted from an unseen band nearby.  Their entrance attracted little attention, so that they were able to stand together by the door for several seconds, undisturbed by anyone – hosts, guests, or staff.

Alec searched the crowd, trying to find a familiar face, someone he could approach, when a sudden screech sounded from the next room over.  Alec felt a pleasant
chill run up
h
is spine, and then
a warmth in his spirit.  His face broke into a grin, seconds before he heard Aja’s voice shout.   “Alec!  Alec is here!  I can feel him.”

“Aja!” he called loudly in response, and he grabbed Roslyn’s hand to lead her with him as he forcefully entered the crowd and began to press forward, only to stop after a few yards and step abruptly backwards as a slender girl’s body hurtled itself against him.  Alec released his hand from Roslyn and wrapped his arms around Aja, then kissed her soundly on the lips and looked at her with a grin.

“Aja!  I didn’t expect to see you!  How marvelous,” Alec spoke loudly, staring at the girl’s face as she rapturously stared back.

“Alec, how could you not expect to see me here at my own engagement party?” she asked.  “Oh, it is so wonderful to see you here tonight!”

Just then Amane came walking up to the pair of them, a strange expression on his face.  “Alec, Amane has asked me to marry him!” Aja said brightly.  “And I’ve said yes.”

“That’s wonderful,” Alec told her, keeping her in a hug that pressed her tightly against him, both because of his fondness for her and because he suspected it irritated her fiancé.  “You will make him a happy man,” he told her.

“And if he doesn’t make you a happy woman, I’ll come back to Exbury and cut his head off,” he added, then laughed.

He released Aja from his embrace at last and reached towards Roslyn to bring her forward.  “This is my traveling companion, Lady Roslyn.  I want to reintroduce her to your parents, Amane,” Alec said.  “She is an Old One who left Exbury many years ago, and has now returned to her city.”

At length a number of introductions were made, and the presence of numerous Old Ones in the house for the engagement celebration made the event an immediate re-introduction party for Roslyn as well, an extraordinary turn of events that redoubled the celebration for the evening.  Not too many hours later, exhausted as he was, Alec was glad to quietly slip upstairs and back to the room he had occupied during his previous stay at the home.

He lay on the bed and thought of Andi.  She had been unhappy while at the house, because of his lost memories and distant relationship with her.  He wished he had been able to understand and share the unity of spirit with her during that time, instead of maintaining the distance that he had, crippled as he was by the brain injury he had suffered.  And now, conversely, she was unable to share with him, crippled even more grievously by the horrific possession of her body, while Hellmann used it as his vehicle to seek dominion over the world.  It had to be terrible for his beloved, he knew, and he longed to carry out the actions that would win the battle to set her free.

But those actions would take time, if they were to be done right, and he knew that the challenge of fighting Hellmann was so great that he had to have the patience to do everything possible, and to do everything right, so that he would have whatever odds possible in his favor.  Andi would not have to worry about her body perishing while she lacked control of it, at least, he tried to comfort himself.  He thought of the time he had first utilized ingenaire powers, without any training or preparation, while healing Captain Lewis so long ago, and how his own spirit had sank under the energy.  He had been unable to control his own body, just as Andi could not control hers now.  But he had not faced a hostile entity occupying his body at that time, just as she had not faced the prospect of a body that might have perished from lack of nourishment.

He sat up at the thought, sensing that there was something there, some idea he needed to focus on for Andi’s sake.  But even as he tried to find the logical thread, he felt a presence outside his door, and then a gentle knock.  “May I come in, my lord?” Aja called.

Come in, my friend,
he sent the silent message, and lay back on the mattress, the thoughts of Andi’s problem driven from his mind.

You are troubled,
she said as she lay down on the bed next to him. 
Your heart is breaking for your beloved.  What is the problem?

She has been possessed by an ancient enemy, one who is more powerful than m
e, and it pains m
e.  I am on my way to try to find allies to help me defeat Hellmann so that Andi can be free,
he told her. 
We found a problem I did not expect when we followed the ingenairii to the Dominion, and now
I know
the entire world faces a problem.

That doesn’t seem possible; you are the strongest man I know, and now y
ou are stronger than you were when we were together before.  I feel greater depth, and potential, and love within you.  Who could be stronger than you?
Aja asked.

Do not ask, my friend, you do not want to know
, Alec said gently.

Let us talk of happier things. 
Tell me what has happened to you,
he tried to change the course of the conversation.
  I awoke in Boundary Lake…

…and I was gone,
Aja gently finished for him. 
I wept when we left because I did not want to leave without telling you farewell.  But Amane and the hostage girls were all ready to go, and the guardians of the city had an escort ready to bring us back, so there was no waiting.  Plus I knew that no one would look after you more closely than Andi, despite everything that was between the two of you at the time.  When I was around her I felt your presence.

I am glad that the two of you were able to know one another again.  I sense the wholeness in you in that regard as well,
Aja told him.

They continued to talk for several more minutes, as Aja told Alec about the uneventful journey and the love Amane professed for her. 
He is unsteady, I know,
Aja admitted to Alec,
but with these powers your blood has given me, plus the daylight hours that your water gives me, as well as something he seems to find delightful within me, I think he will grow calmer and
more
mature
; there is much good in him, and much potential for more
.  If not, I’ll threaten to call you back to discipline him!

“Go to sleep now, great one,” Aja said at last, rising from the bed and stepping away.  “Get your sleep and I’ll see you in the morning.  I’ll go down and sing to the crowd to entertain them,” and with that she opened the door and left the room.

Chapter 25
– Alliances in the East

Alec said farewells to everyone the next morning, including to Roslyn, who professed her delight to be back among her people, and thanked Alec with great sincerity.  He then followed Aja as she led him to the home where Kriste was staying in Exbury, before continuing her journey eastward.  The two former residents of Ridgeclimb held a warm reunion, then Alec took her with him as he translocated to Woven.

Before he left, he assured Aja that he would be back and told her that he hoped to bring several Ajacii with him to travel back to the Dominion with him within a few days.

“All those years in Ridgeclimb you had extraordinary powers, and nobody knew?” Kriste asked him as they prepared to depart.  There was the brief translocation, then they stood in the tower bedchamber where Alec had slain Trayma, the usurper.  The room was empty, but cleaned up and presentable, different from the prior time Alec had seen it, when it had been a shambles of death and destruction.