The Gathering (29 page)

Everyone but Sam was looking at her strangely.
 
Sam was smiling.
 
Alisha leaned towards him.

"What have you done with my sister?"

Sara smiled and looked at Sam.

“This is your doing, isn’t it?”

Sam kept smiling and shrugged.
 
Coeli made a stupid face at the end of the table and everyone laughed.
 
Sam looked at Coeli and at that moment he knew he wasn't leaving Lia Fail anytime soon.

35

Sean and Alia had spent breakfast going over their plans for the day.
 
Sean had detailed the events of the morning and that he was still waiting for Todd and Quinn to return with an update about Rona.

"I don't like that you let her stay on with the healers, Al.
 
She's manipulative.
 
I don't trust her."

"You never have."

"True.
 
You know, I used to make it my life's work to know the difference between an ally and an adversary and she's not an ally, that's for sure."

"You think I'm naïve, don't you?"

"No, I think you have an amazing heart.
 
I think you want to see the best in people and that's admirable, but some people just aren't good… no matter how good you are to them."

Alia reached over and took Sean's hand, which made his stomach leap.
 
He took hers in turn.

"And some are.
 
I trust you, my closest friends and a few advisors.
 
I also trust that you and your soldiers are here to protect me."

Sean nodded as she continued.

"I'm not sure what to make of all of this, but for now, she's out of power.
 
We have no proof of anything other than negligence, besides, the first rule of war, keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

Sean raised his eyebrows and smiled, and then he looked at her hand, so long and slender.
 
He noticed she now wore her wedding ring on her right hand.
 
He put his thumb and index finger to it and turned it around as he looked at it.
 
Then he looked at Alia, who smiled and shrugged.

"I did it a few months ago.
 
It was time.
 
I’m not married anymore, you know."

Sean nodded and smiled.

"Yeah, I know."

"Look, right now I'm more concerned with all these strange things that are going on.
 
There have been times in my past I thought I had seen magic, but in the last few weeks, I know I've seen it."

"Yeah, last night was the first time I can unequivocally say that I've seen magic happen.
 
What other things are you talking about?"

"A few weeks ago I was casting.
 
Nothing big, just a meditation spell, but as I was chanting, the flowers on the balcony of my room, which were on the verge of dead by the way, those flowers were coming back to life, full bloom, straight up and beautiful, straight out of E.T.
 
They're still alive and bigger.
 
And then a few days ago..."

Sean raised his brow.

"What?"

"Well, I'm not sure about this, but I think there's something in the woods."

"Like what?"

"Something that looks like a horse, but I don't think it is a horse."

"What like a zebra from the old zoo?"

Alia laughed and took her hand back as she started to pick up the dishes.

"No, I don't know.
 
I just thought I saw something that's all.
 
I'm sure whatever it is isn't dangerous."

Sean leaned back in the chair and watched her with a puzzled look on his face, then stood up.

"All the same, I think I should take some men out there and check it out."

Alia shook her head and turned around.

"No, you don't need to do that."

Sean crossed his arms and stood in front of her before she could leave.
 
She stopped and looked at him.

"What?"

"You're telling me you saw something strange in the trees outside this village and in spite of what happened last night, you expect me to believe whatever it is isn't dangerous?"

"Yes, I do.
 
Please don't go out to the woods, not yet.
 
Promise me, Sean, promise me."

Sean sighed and put his hands on his hips, looking down at the floor.
 
He knew he should go, but then he felt her fingers on his chin, lifting his gaze to her own.
 
Her gold eyes shined as he found himself nodding.

"Thank you."

"I'm gonna regret this, I know it."

"No, you won't.
 
Besides, we'll be busy enough making sure that everyone here is protected from whatever those things are.
 
Elena thinks we should make talismans for everyone here, but I'm not sure everyone would wear them."

"I wear mine."

Sean pulled a pendant from inside his shirt.
 
Alia smiled and took it in her hands.

"I made this for you right after you pulled the girls out of the river.
 
I didn't know you still wore it."

"Almost never take it off actually, but now I do have to soak it salt water, Miss Touchy Feely."

Alia laughed as Sean got up and put water in a cup and poured salt into it.
 
Sean then laid the pendant in the cup and sat down.
 
Alia sat down with him.

"Sorry, I depleted your energy."

"That's ok, I'm recharging as we speak."

"I guess we'll have to address what happened to Scott last night with the dignitaries."

"I've already had my men deliver requests to meet with them this afternoon."

"Good, I have to get ready for my petitioners and then I want to see Janeen and Vivian.
 
Oh yeah, have we heard from Salt Lake II?"

“Yeah, they radioed last night to tell us that the group had left and they were expected at St. Viviana’s this morning and they should get here tomorrow.
 
We tried the KMC, but no answer.
 
Might be some kind of weather interference or something.
 
We’ll try again later.”

Alia nodded and stood up.
 
Sean got up as Alia turned to leave, but after a few steps she came back and kissed Sean on the cheek.

"Thanks for breakfast."

"I didn't make it."

Alia smiled.

"Whatever," she said.
 
"See you later."

Alia left the room and started up the stairs.
 
Gloria, the head cook, started to wash the dishes, but Sean stepped up and took the washrag from her.
 

Gloria shrugged and moved to the kitchen door, lit a cigarette and watched Sean wash.
 
He looked over at her and she smiled and inhaled.

"I want one of those when I'm done," he said.

Gloria nodded and patted her breast pocket.

Amanda Stark was sitting on the steps of the main castle entrance watching the petitioners line up to seek an audience with her mother.
 
Sean had finished the dishes and was taking a last drag on his cigarette when he walked out the door and looked over at the mass of people gathering and then down at the little girl.
 

Every morning, anyone who had a dispute would line up outside the throne room and petition for an audience with the queen by telling their story to one of Vivian's assistants.
 
They would determine which issues were of the most importance and give them numbers.
 
They would then go before Alia and she would render judgment.
 
The whole event lasted about an hour to two hours every morning.

Amanda had her knees pulled up to her chin and was resting her head on her hands.
 
He flicked the butt away, walked down several steps and then sat down next to Amanda.

"What are you doin', Little Girl?"

Amanda turned her face towards him and squinted up at him.

"Being bored."

She then turned back to watch the people, as Sean smiled.

"Why are you bored?"

"They all left me here and mom says I can't go off by myself."

"‘They’ being your brothers and sisters?"

"Yup."

"Even Lisa and Brandon?"

“They went to the library, I think.”

Sean nodded and looked over at the people.
 
He turned his head when he heard the door open behind them and saw Helen in the doorway.
 
He lifted his hand and motioned to her to wait a moment, so she waited in the doorway.

"Well, did you want to come and hang out with me for a while?"

Amanda sat up and turned to look at Sean.

"You feel sorry for me, don’t you?”

Sean smiled and shook his head.

"No, Ma'am.
 
Just thought I might get to spend some time with you, but if you'd rather stay here…"

Sean started to get up, but Amanda jumped at him and smiled.

"No, I don't want to stay, I was just checking."

Sean laughed and swept her into his arms as he walked down the steps.

“You wanna help check the barracks?”

Amanda nodded and smiled.

“Yeah, can I blow the whistle?”

“We’ll see.”

Helen smiled as she watched them walk off, and then closed the door.
 

36

The desert morning was warm and dry as a slight wind blew through the valley.
 
Normally a breeze was a welcome relief in this hot, arid region, but this draft brought an air of foreboding.
 
It smelled of smoke and something sickly sweet.
 
Bill Nyland tried not to sneeze.
 
He rubbed his nose as he looked towards the west, then pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket and wiped his forehead where sweat had started to glisten.
 
He had stopped to water his horse and had become separated from the rest of the party that was traveling to the Gathering.