Remedy Maker (29 page)

Farther down the hall, double doors opened inward. Voices spilled out, adding to the hum from the first floor, which remained out of view.

A huge centaur in his black equine form strode out. Thick legs with feathered fetlocks of a draft horse stepped onto the center grass tread running the length of the hall. A long ebony cloak flowed from his wide shoulders to his sweeping tail. Deep red satin with hand-stitched embroidery edged the garment’s hem. A dark beard flowed to his chest. On his head he wore a black skullcap, leaving thick dark hair, streaked gray with age, to hang down his back.

The man spoke, gestured with a regal bejeweled hand to someone behind him, and then caught sight of their threesome approaching. His scowl, darker than those of the unfriendly guards, deepened to a pulsating scathe. Angry waves of hostility surged off him, his dagger eyes staring
at her
.

Patience felt her steps falter under the condemning glare, her courage leaching out.

“Who’s that?” she whispered.

Instead of answering her, Alek greeted the ominous man with a dip of his head. “Templar Khristos.” He whispered to them, “Keep walking.”

Queen Savella, trailed closely by Hippy, drifted out of the meeting room behind Khristos. Her eyes brightened and she smiled at Patience.

In polite response, Patience smiled back, but the Centaur High Priest mistakenly thought her smile for him. His malevolence worsened like the sky before a tornado touched down.

No way did she want to be around when things came unglued.

Aleksander paused when their group came abreast of the others, but he gave Patience a subtle push when she otherwise would have stopped.

“See you later, Rhycious. We’ll catch up.” Alek played the farce out. “Hope you’re feeling better, Patience.”

 I’ll feel better once we’re on the leafy side of freedom.
Rhy slipped a possessive arm around her waist and she gratefully accepted his confident strength.

Passing the assembly of notables, Rhycious nodded once to the dark Centaur. “Good day, Khristos.” Without breaking stride, he formally dipped his head toward Savella. “Your Majesty.”

Khristos lowered his chin to his chest, his beard resting upon a neck chain where a jewel encrusted medallion hung. The High Priest said nothing. His brooding eyes watched them pass.

Old insecurities bubbled up from her past.
Get me out of the palace from hell, Rhy. Now!   

Queen Savella remained quiet, but her knowing eyes took everything in. Her Majesty caught Patience’s eye as she and Rhy continued past. Savella made a strange motion to Hippolyte with her thumb and fingers, out of sight from the priest, and then flashed a quick smile again.

Hippy stared at Rhycious, the two of them having some sort of five-second silent discussion. She nodded imperceptibly once, and flicked her eyes toward Khristos.

Patience did her best to keep up with Rhy’s longer strides and hurried down the stairs he took two at a time. When they reached the main floor, she inhaled deeply to catch her breath.

“I don’t think your priest digs on me.” She ponytailed her hair back but didn’t have anything to tie it with, so she let the mass drop again. “We totally
dissed
Queen Savella and Hippy.”

“Hippy’s not stupid, she knows something’s up. After Alek tells them what’s going on, they’ll understand.” Rhy looped his arm through the hanging pack strap and settled the bag comfortably on his back. Pulling the length of his hair free, he said, “And you’re in good company. Khristos doesn’t approve of me either.”

They crossed the grass atrium and went straight into the exit tunnel. She barely had time to register Rhycious’s remark, before the sight of a lone Centaur near the fountain caught her eye. He strummed a guitar with a modern beat. His body was huge, larger than Rhy’s, the reddish hair worn windblown style. Focused on his music, head bent toward the instrument, the musician didn’t notice their rush to leave.

Rhy’s warm hand wrapped her elbow, and then slid down to twine with her fingers. “Let’s get out of here.”

“That
boom ting
is the best you’ve had all day.”

Not long after entering the dim passageway, they stood outside in the weak sun. For whatever reason, the first trek through the tunnel had seemed to take forever. Surprised, but relieved, Patience breathed in the essence of Boronda. The fresh scents of pine and wildflowers lifted her depressed spirits, setting free her disheartened
conditionitis
.

Across the meadow at the tree line, Patience stopped for a breather next to Rhycious. Her legs wanted to fold up; resting would have been supreme. Since it would only add to Rhy’s pile of stress, she settled for hugging his waist instead, and pressing her cheek to his chest.

His pec muscles jumped beneath her touch, and a low chuckle rumbled. “Happy now?” He wrapped his arms around her and hugged tight.

Warmth curled inside her, chasing the palace gloom away. “I’m totally
kev’ed up
, thanks to you.”

“Let’s head home and plan what we’ll do next.”

Where will we crash? Your place or mine?
“That sounds
majestik
to me. I’m all for
shakin’
the royal pad.”
Can I get take-out along the way?

Shadows lengthened and they said little while backtracking their way through the forest. Little acrobatic squirrels followed along, leaping from branch to branch. Colorful birds swooped after insects, singing mating calls, eager for the Festival of the Trees.

Arriving at the aspen grove, Rhycious leaned on a log and handed her an energy bar from his pack.

“Sorry, it’s all I have.”

“I wouldn’t give a rip if it were honey covered in dirt at this point.” She tore the wrapper open and bit into the chewy bar. Hunger made a delicious seasoning—granola never tasted so good. “Where to from here, stud muffin?”

Her butt settled next to his, and he passed a flask of water. Smiling her appreciation, she took a sip. Cool water slid down her throat, chilling her.

“I know you need to rest inside your tree, so I’ll take you there before I head to my cabin.”

Her heart bottomed out at his words. Patience passed back the canteen, watching the muscles work in his neck as he drank. She stomped the dizzy current racing through her, forcing herself to remember she lived on borrowed time.

“I need to check on a few patients and refill the herbs in my pack.” He twisted the lid on the flask and dropped it in his bag.

Sadness crept into her thoughts and dimmed the warmth of the late afternoon sun. She wanted to spend more time with him. In a way, she identified with that water bottle of his—screwed down and packed away, retrieved only when needed.

Reality check. She pushed off the log to put distance between them.

Damnit.
She should have guarded her heart. Rhycious hadn’t lied to her, or offered promises of a future together. That dream had been hers alone.

Patience’s heart ached, cracking like spring ice in the Boronda Mountains. Mixed feelings surged, and the sudden need to be alone propelled her into action.

“You know, I’m cool in this sector of Boronda, so you don’t need to cruise me home, true?” She scraped the hair off her forehead, taking a few steps backward. “I’ll catch you in a few days.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait a minute. What’s going on?”

After taking several strides in the direction she hoped led home, Patience hesitated and turned back, pushing more hair out of her eyes.
As if he didn’t know.
She knew a ditch effort when she saw one, and his effort was exemplary. She ignored the lines of confusion that deepened along his brows and under his eyes.

“I feel you, Rhycious. We’re tossed up. Life 101 is hangin’ for a comeback attack.” She spun back around. “Don’t let me keep you from it.”

Intent to split the scene, she didn’t care if her taproot tree grew to the east or west of where she headed.

A rush of movement, and Rhy’s arms came around and hugged her from behind. Breath left her body in a rush. She thrashed in his hold, kicking her heels to connect with his shins. He held tight.

Hurt met anger and together they coalesced into attitude.

“Let go of me.” Patience would have elbowed him in the ribs if he hadn’t trapped her arms. Had he not lifted her off the ground, she could have resisted better. As it was, Rhy wrapped her up in his arms and carried her back to the log, sitting her down in his lap.

She hated being a pissed-off
angrietta
, it always made her nose stuff up. Hot tears pooled and eventually overflowed. Rhy’s rock solid arms held her immobile and she couldn’t wipe her nose.
One look and he’ll wish I’d cut and run
. She turned her face away from him.

“Patience, you misunderstood me. I want you with me.”

She sniffed loudly.
Yeah, well you haven’t seen my face yet.
“I’m listening.”

“Your tree will energize and heal you. That’s why I thought you’d want to go home.” She noted he said want, not should. His arm unwrapped from her waist, and tender fingers tucked her hair behind an ear. “I don’t know enough about you as a Nymph to offer treatment.”

The tail of her shirt came in handy to wipe her face before she lifted her eyes to his. Shoulders slumped, she leaned into his chest and rested her head in the crook of his neck. “I’m sorry. The adrenaline is taking a hike out of me.”

“You’re still tired. Let’s rest here until sunset.” He glanced at his watch. “Another fifteen minutes, and if you feel up to it, come home with me.”

“You sure?” One side of her mouth turned up. “An uninvited guest with issues, what every healer must want in their home.” Her huffed laugh came out on a sigh. They’d come full circle.

“
Polytima
, I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want you there. And I . . . . ” He cleared his throat, hugged her tighter. “I want you with me.”

Gods, he felt good. Warm and safe. The man smelled like clovers.

“Thanks. I didn’t want to have a
conversate-a-bate
with my lonesome.”

Encompassed by his arms, his chin resting on top of her head, he rocked her slowly. Together, they watched the sun drift lower through the trees until only a small portion blazed above the mountains.

Rhy kissed her forehead, cheek, and lips before setting her from him. He moved to sit apart a few feet and shed his boots and pants, folding them away in his backpack.

Patience held her breath as his transformation began. Spellbound, she watched his back lengthen and grow the additional hind legs. When his black tail sprouted, he twirled it like a spiral ribbon and winked at her.

“What does it feel like?” Unable to pull her gaze away, she stared, transfixed.

“Like a pressure, I guess. Then my lower body gets heavy. But mainly—” He scratched his sides where the hide flashed a gold buckskin. “The whole thing just itches.”

“I’ve never seen anything as
magnifiscrumptious
as you tweaking into your true self.”

“You look at something much better every day,
agape mou
. If you’d see yourself, the way I see you.”

His front legs braced hard on the ground, and he pushed with his hind end to stand. Swiping his pack from the ground, she zipped it closed and handed it to him. The sexy gleam in his eyes, the one that made
the girls
perk up and take notice, followed his every movement.

Rhycious hefted the bag over a shoulder and wrapped his other arm around her, pulling her close. “Let’s go home, babe.”

Either his or hers, she didn’t care. She was so tired, her legs nearly buckled beneath her. It didn’t help that his deep, scratchy voice made her mouth water, more than the thought of food ever would.

“Maybe I’ll even give you a lift.” He chuckled and gave a smile that made her pulse race.

Patience drew his lips down to hers and kissed him, desire in every stroke of her tongue. “I promise I won’t kick you with my heels this time.”

And by the way . . . I love you.

Twenty-Three

Pennelope’s full gauze skirt snagged the thorn of a low-lying berry bush. Her viciously spouted curse contradicted the pains taken in preparing her appearance for the meeting. The elegant upsweep she’d worked so meticulously on accentuated the graceful lines of her three-hundred year old neck.
And
I don’t look a troll day over seventy-five.

Delicate silk ripped when she wrenched the material off the barb to continue down the path, her bracelets jangling in time to her steps. Rotted leaves and animal piss squished and oozed between her toes, and she pulled her bare foot quickly back.
This isn’t starting well.

She collected her lightweight skirt and held the sheer folds close. The night, reminiscent of a similar evening a century earlier, spun her thoughts to Aleksander
.

Pennelope had eventually gotten over yearning for his energetic romps. A good thing since the warrior had changed from the inexperienced lad she had once known.

Gone from Aleksander’s dark chocolate eyes was the youthful innocence and naivety that turned her on. War-hardened cynicism and life-smarts molded the new man.

Life truly marches on.

Pennelope swung her arms faster and picked up the pace, bracelets clinking manically together. She and Aleksander had buried their past over a stew dinner last night, and it made her realize their time together was truly over.

Where another chapter of her life closed, another one opened. “Hell, I have an appointment to keep.”

Night creatures moved with unseen swiftness. Wings swooshed as owls sped through the silhouetted trees, light footsteps carried nocturnal mammals away in fright. And Pennelope’s travels brought her closer to the male.

In the dark shadows of an overhang, he leaned against the rocks. Climbing vines snaked around the opening, reaching with ivy tentacles. If it weren’t for the sweet scent of the burner he smoked, Pennelope would have thought she’d beaten him there.