Echoes in the Dark (11 page)

“Ayes.”
Jikata didn’t like being treated like a rude pupil.

“My
Power was understood from when I was a child. I was brought here to the Abbey.”
She lifted a hand and her fingers showed a fine trembling, then she put them
back on her lap. “The old Singer had had prophecies, of course. I would be one
to Summon an Exotique.” She breathed through her nose. “Not once, but twice. I
would be an extraordinary Singer, at the cusp of a great age. Whether I did my
duty would ensure whether many people would live or die, would—” She stopped,
shrugged. “I was told, and given to experience Songs and visions of my own. I
could grow large, as large as my people and have less Power. Or stay small and
have greater Power. I chose to say small.” Her lips curved in a travesty of a
smile. “The decision was made when I was passing from child to woman. Not many
Singers have a consort. Few men or women can match the Power of a Singer, and
most of us want a partner, bondmate. More visions came and I knew if I stayed
small, I would have a chance for a consort, a man from Exotique Terre. He would
find me more attractive if I were small. At the threshold of womanhood, I
longed for the love of a man, dreamed fantasy dreams of a mate.” She shrugged
again. “I Summoned him, my Thomas. He came, taught me English. Left with the
Snap. He did not love me enough to stay.” Her gaze shifted from the distance to
bore into Jikata with a penetrating spear of disapproval that she actually
felt.

Jikata’s
mind whirled at the strange words: Exotique, bondmate, Snap. “What are—”

“We
will discuss other concepts later.” The Singer leaned back and closed her eyes.
“I am tired.” She snapped her fingers and an attendant sidled into the room.
Obviously snapping the fingers was an indication of a bad mood. “Send the
medica to me. I promised that the Exotique would be examined.”

Oh.
Fun.

A
tall, strong woman wearing a red tunic with a white cross over a long red robe
entered and went to the Singer, gently took her hands. The old woman didn’t
open her eyes. The medica began to hum in an excellent voice, head cocked as if
listening to responses only she could hear. Then she placed the Singer’s hands
back on the arms of the chair. “You are doing well, Lady Singer. As we
anticipated, the new Exotique has help—”

“Examine
her for Bri,” the Singer said.

Jikata
wondered what
bri
was.

The
medica dipped a deep curtsy, turned to Jikata. She’d stretched out her legs and
crossed her ankles in a casual pose. She would not act like a scolded puppy.
She’d asked a simple question. But she was sure, now, that all of her simple
questions would have complex answers, and her blood thrummed in her veins at
the thought of duty and prices to be paid.

But
the medica made a curtsy almost as deep to Jikata as she did to the Singer, and
her eyes were curious and kind, not condemnatory. “You will please sit up
straight, feet on the floor.” Her language was simple and accompanied by
gestures. Jikata sat, realized that with her feet flat on the floor, the chair
was too deep to support her back, and stood.

The
medica nodded and moved in front of Jikata, smiling. “I at Marshalls’ Castle
last year. Know Exotiques.” Was what Jikata heard.

The
Singer sniffed.

The
medica let out a little breath and held out her palms, obviously for Jikata to
take them.

Reluctantly,
recalling the nastiness of the ordeal the night before when chords were
painfully plucked inside her, Jikata put her fingers in the other woman’s
larger hands. They were unusually warm. The woman Sang and it was as if pulses
within Jikata warmed and glowed and vibrated almost pleasurably. “You healthy,
more rest and good food,” the woman said. “Potatoes—”

“Potatoes?”

The
medica beamed. “New wonder food.”

Jikata
narrowed her eyes.

A
chiming filled the room and she followed the sound to a round lump in the
medica’s pocket. The sturdy woman took out a crystal, and Jikata stared at
moving wisps of mist within the orb. “Apologies, Lady Singer, third time Bri—”

“You
may report to Bri somewhere else,” the Singer said.

The
medica left hurriedly. So Bri was a person.

“‘Jikata’
is how you are called,” the old woman said.

“Ayes,”
Jikata said. The Singer still had her eyes closed. Not vulnerable, showing that
nothing and no one could assail her defenses. Ishi had been like that, had
refused to let anything bother her.

“We
will have lessons. Stretching for the body, our instrument. Then voice lessons
both in range and in Power. Then, training in prophecy. We are done for the
day. You may go.”

Jikata’s
mouth dropped open.
Training in prophecy!

She
had a hunch that all the previous hunches in her life had been true.

And
her life had taken another unexpected twist.

Castleton/Marshalls’ Castle

R
aine had
tinkered with the latest design of the ship at her pretty house in Castleton,
then left her drawing board. Before she made a model, she liked it to simmer in
her head.

Restlessness
claimed her and she found herself walking the two miles up to the Marshalls’
Castle. It was good exercise and she never did it alone. There was always a
guard or two, or some Chevaliers who’d been in town for one reason or another,
or even Bri and Sevair, who’d accompany her if she didn’t fly on Blossom. Today
she walked with some Chevaliers who let her brood.

She
hadn’t gotten much sleep, she’d been so churned up about the Summoning and
Faucon that she couldn’t settle.

Then
one of the recurring nightmares had come. She’d awakened in a cold sweat,
thinking for long, confused moments that she was back to being a despised
potgirl at the rough tavern, The Open Mouthed Fish.

She’d
dragged herself out of bed late when the daily housekeeper had come in to leave
food and tidy up. Not that there was ever much out of order. Having slept in a
corner for six months and not had any place to call her own, Raine now prized
the exquisite furnishings of the lovely house. She certainly took nothing for
granted anymore.

Enerin,
her companion, the baby feycoocu, was with her parents, being schooled in
magical shape-shifter business.

Raine
was at the front gate of the Castle when the alarm sounded and everyone tensed.
The monster invasions of the north had diminished in frequency if not in
ferocity. But the siren blared a pattern requesting folk gather in Temple Ward.

An
announcement about the Summoning last night. Of course Alexa would do something
publicly and to anyone who wanted to hear—merchant folk at the Castle, guards,
Chevaliers, not just the Marshalls. Raine didn’t know a lot about how the
Castle had run before Alexa became Lady Knight Swordmarshall, but knew things
had changed.

Since
the great round white stone Temple continued to tug at her, Raine shuffled
along with a crowd through Lower Ward to Temple Ward to listen.

Alexa
beamed at Raine, giving her mixed emotions. The other Exotiques were good with
their support and not putting pressure on her, but their unspoken expectations
were weighty. Raine spotted Calli, the Volaran Exotique, first, the sun
glinting off her blond hair. Raine blinked. Most of the summer days had been
cloudy and cool. Sunshine today would please the Coloradan Exotiques since they
were all used to more sun than she. Then Marian and Jaquar, the Circlets,
joined Calli. They’d just flown in from Luthan’s southern estate, Raine
realized. Calli held the hand of her adopted son. Marrec had their toddler,
also adopted, sitting on his shoulders. Raine felt a wave of dread as she
walked toward them with a false smile that wouldn’t fool anyone.

No
wonder she was dragging her feet about the ship. Once she was done, everyone,
including Calli and Marrec, would be committed to destroying the Dark that had
sent monsters from the north for ages. Raine had little hope that they’d kill
it, or any of them would survive.

Calli,
the nurturer, wrapped her free arm around Raine, and they listened to Alexa,
who fully believed that leaving the new Exotique with the Singer was important
and right, and that relieved Raine. No one should go through what she had.

When
Alexa was done, the crowd stayed, discussing the news. They all approved of
Alexa’s actions, of course. Reluctantly, Raine went with the other Exotiques to
hash over everything again. The guys had made themselves scarce. Before they
entered the keep, she scanned the crowd one more time.

Faucon
was there, ignoring her. Though her gaze lingered because he was so darn
handsome, she looked for someone else.

“Where’s
Koz?” she asked Marian, his sister.

“Around,
he’ll see us shortly,” Marian said.

Raine
sucked in a deep breath, “Really?”

Marian
linked her arm with hers. “Ayes, we’ll talk of the mirrors for your family.”

Swallowing
hard, Raine said, “Thank you.”

“Welcome,”
Marian replied absently. Then they were climbing the stairs to Alexa and
Bastien’s suite.

To
keep anticipation from eating her alive, Raine, too, thought of the newly
Summoned one. She’d heard of Jikata, though she hadn’t listened much to her
music or bought her albums. Raine had liked industrial. Past tense here in
Lladrana. They did have some of Marian’s and Bri’s music. But Marian preferred
longhair and Bri had strange things like atonal chants by Tibetan monks or
African women clapping and singing. Not a jammin’ track in the bunch.

“Jikata.”
Alexa rubbed her hands with glee as she paced the sitting-dining room. Raine
hoped the munchies would arrive soon, eating usually kept Alexa still for a few
minutes.

“It
was obvious that we all knew of her,” Marian said. “That made it easier for
everyone to accept her being in the hands of the Singer.”

“How
on Earth did she get here?” Raine asked.

Alexa
stopped and put her hands on her hips. “One name, or maybe two. The common
thread among us, I think.” She studied Raine. “I don’t know that we asked you
about them.” She cleared her throat. “Trenton Philbert the third, U.S. District
Court Judge in Denver.” Alexa waggled a thumb at herself. “I was acquainted
with him during my very brief legal career. Brief, ha!”

Marian
winced. “Really, Alexa.” The Circlet rose when the doorharp sounded and took a
loaded tray from Alexa’s maid. The scent of French fries—“twin fries” as they
were called here for the two women who introduced potatoes—filled the air,
making Raine’s mouth water.

“Marian
had a significant encounter with them,” Alexa said.

Marian
put the tray down on a large round dining room table and they all took chairs.
“Yes, I did. Juliet Philbert is the owner of a Denver new age shop called Queen
of Cups. She gave me the Lladranan weapon knot book.”

Calli
added, “The Philberts have had a ranch next to our spread for generations.” She
took a ham and cheese sandwich on a croissant. “And you, Bri?”

“Dad’s
roomie in college,” Bri said around a fry. “Elizabeth’s and my godfather. Only
met his wife once, though.”

They
all looked at Raine. She nodded. “Yes, they commissioned a seagoing yacht from
my family last year after buying some oceanfront property. Big gossip in Best
Haven.”

“So
anyone know how they got Jikata?” Alexa asked.

“Think
so.” Bri wolfed down another fry. “When I last talked to my folks in the magic
mirror they said something about planning to attend the grand opening of a
rehab project Uncle Trent funded.” She raised a fry dramatically. “The Ghost
Hill Theater. The jewel of the opening gala was a performance by one Jikata,
local girl made good.”

“Little
did we know that Jikata would be our new Exotique,” Marian said, cutting her
sandwich into smaller rectangles. “The opening would have been last night, I
presume.”

“Probably.
By the way, the Singer’s medica has reported that she’s in good health,” Bri
said.

Calli
frowned. “Bert, I mean Trent, is sure throwing a lot of money around.” She
shrugged. “But he has it.”

This
whole talk of Summoning was too much. Raine pushed her plate away. It had
smelled good and she’d eaten some fries and a bit of sandwich, but the
conversation had dried her taste buds. “When do you think Koz—”

Her
impatience was stopped by the strum of the doorharp.

“Bet
he hasn’t had lunch.” Alexa drew her plate close. “He’ll want our fries.”

“He
can have mine,” Raine said.

“I’ll
cut half your sandwich for him,” Calli said, “but you should try to eat the
rest.”

Alexa
swallowed a fry then called,
“Entre.”

Koz
strode in, a big man with big bones. He was roughly handsome but nothing to
compare with Luthan or Faucon. His face was animated, showing a lively mind
behind the dark brown eyes. An Earth mind. The Lladranan body carried an Earth
soul.

He
greeted them, pulled up a chair and looked at Raine.