CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The witches stood around the red sand circle, each on the apex of a spoke, facing inward.
"Come," Lacey said urgently. "The eclipse is beginning, and we must chant. And once we reach totality, we must be ready."
But Reva’s conscience wouldn’t let her step into the circle. She stopped, and tugged at Van’s arm when he would have pulled her in with him. She shook her head at him.
"Van," she managed, even though her voice broke, and she had to blink away the tears that flooded her eyes. "I... I think you should go without me. This mission—it’s your dream come true. You’ll receive many accolades. And your team will be waiting for you. If you're successful... another woman will be waiting too, one who can help you on your way." His ambitions hadn’t changed so quickly, surely.
“What?” Far from looking grateful for her supreme sacrifice, Van shook his head at her, as if she’d gone rezzed. "Reva, what the hells? I told you—I don't give a quark about T'Bele. She can marry the base janitor, for all I care. I want you, and I'm not going to Altaria without you."
Her heart swelled. "You're—you're certain, Van?" He’d truly meant the things he’d said?
His powerful arms wrapped around her, and he pulled her close. "Absolutely certain. But I'd really, really like to go to Altaria. So will you please come with me? Be not only our new quarter-master, but the most crucial member of our team—Team A'Ralle?"
She felt herself smiling helplessly up at him. "Are you asking me to be yours, Van A'Ralle?"
He nodded, and she flung her arms about his neck. "Then, yes! Yes, I'll go with you. I'll go anywhere. We'll have such an adventure."
"Yes, we will," he said, and kissed her.
"Oh, for Hecate's sake," one of the witches snapped. "Are they going, or not?"
"They're going." Lacey gave them both a shove into the circle, and only Van's excellent reflexes saved them from landing on their asses.
Reva pulled away from Van's kiss just enough to meet Lacey's gaze. The witch stood in the New Mexico sun, smiling at them. “Now keep going to the center, and don’t step on any of the sand markings.”
Reva stiffened. “Will your magic not work if we do?”
“No, we just made them look really nice, and we want to enjoy them.”
Reva giggled, and Van shook his head. “Okay, we’re going. Reva, give me your duffel.”
Lacey shook her head. "No, Van. You have the greater strength, so you must hang onto Reva. And no matter what, do not let go."
Van looked into Reva's eyes. "I will hold her. No matter what happens, I will protect her."
Reva nearly melted under that intense look. She let him draw her close, her head under his chin, his arms wrapped around her. She wrapped her arms around him too. "And I will look after you, Van," she promised. "No matter what."
He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, and held on.
The witches began to chant, strange words that Reva didn't understand. Her translator remained silent. She felt power prickle around them. The sky began to go dark, a shadow passing over the hilltop and its occupants.
"The eclipse," Van murmured. "It's happening."
Reva watched from the shelter of his arms as the sky darkened steadily. Soon she could see little except Lacey, who stood facing them from this side. The pretty witch had her arms outstretched, one toward them, the other up toward the sky.
The witches chanted louder, and the power quivering around Reva and Van grew stronger. "It's happening."
Van's grip tightened. "I have you."
Above them, a strange green light began to shimmer, pulsing outward and then back in. Her heart pounding, Reva tipped her head back as did Van. They gazed up at a narrow rift in the green, a dark emerald hue in the midst of chartreuse.
The center of the rift grew steadily, until Reva could see up into it. It was like a long tunnel winding away into the heavens to one side of the sun, which was now only a faint halo, hidden behind the moon.
The opening lowered and hung, a meter above their heads.
Wind rushed around them, sending the color sand whirling into the air, glittering in the greenish light.
Reva's hair lifted from her shoulders and her duffel seemed to grow lighter on her shoulders. She dug her fingers into Van's shirt under his duffel, hanging on with a death grip as she waited to be sucked into the tunnel of light and slammed into space.
The wind lifted them off their feet, and Van's arms tightened convulsively.
But then one of the large boulders that ringed the clearing rose from the ground, and sailed over the clearing, landing with a jarring thud inside the outer circle. Dust flew, and one of the witches yelped.
The Aurelians landed on their feet again with a thump. "What the hells?" Van demanded. "Who's tossing rocks?"
The dog barked, a sharp sound muffled by the whirlwind in the circle.
Another, smaller boulder sailed past the Aurelians, this one closer. "Duck!" Van ordered, and yanked Reva closer. "I think the assassin is back."
Reva squinted toward Lacey, and gasped in horror. The witch was reeling as if ill or injured. Even in the dusk as the sunlight waned, Reva sensed that the witch was in great distress. But still Lacey held her arms up and chanted, even as she staggered, and dropped to her knees.
"Has she been hit?" Reva asked. "Oh, no—look, another rock!"
An even bigger boulder was rising from the ground, this time at an angle that when it flew, it might well take out Van, Reva and Lacey.
"Let me go!" Reva cried. "We have to help Lacey."
"No," Van said. "Hang on! They'll get us out of here." They lifted again, a few centimeters off the ground. Slowly, slowly, they rose a few more.
The boulder wavered in mid-air, jerking back and forth as if battling an unseen force.
Frost appeared behind Lacey, leaning into the whirlwind, fighting against it to reach his wife, who was pale as the moon. The dog barked again, the sound frantic this time. It appeared beside Frost, leash trailing behind it.
The boulder lurched again, toward Van’s back.
"Stop!" Reva croaked. She tried again, and this time found her voice. "Stop!" she screamed. "Lacey, stop!"
"She can't," Van shouted. "They must hold the rift—just a little while longer."
"No," Reva insisted. "No—she's trying to lift us, and control the rock. She can’t do both."
The boulder sailed toward them, gathering speed—and this time, there was no way it could miss.
“Van!” Reva screamed.
“Reva!” Van pulled her to one side with him. They fell out of the circle, and landed, Van rolling so Reva landed on him, his duffel taking the force of their landing. The boulder thudded to earth a short distance away, the plateau shaking under the mighty blow.
Reva rolled off of Van and gazed upward, tears blurring her vision. The rift hung in the air above them, tantalizing them before it slowly dissipated, back from whence it came.
Around them, the other witches ran to Lacey, who was now in Frost's arms. The wind died, the last of the colored sand settling.
Another rock sailed through the air, narrowly missing one of the witches.
"Drat these boulders!" she shouted. "Who in the name of Hecate is doing that?"
"Don't worry," one of the older witches called, her voice like steel. "With me, now! We'll stop it."
Reva looked over at Van. "I'm so sorry," she said, her voice cracking. Her tears ran down her dusty face. "Your one chance to get to Altaria. And I—I ruined it."
He shook his head, and found her hand with his, squeezing it. "No, Reva, you did the right thing.You may not be a warrior, but you have a true heart. We Aurelians do not injure our allies to gain our own ends."
As if signifying heavenly approval, a thin shaft of sunlight slipped past the edge of the moon, and lit them in its glow. Then, with a happy whine, the Starks' dog darted between them and dropped to her belly, licking first Reva's dusty cheek, then Van's.
"Euww," Reva protested. "Your tongue is very wet, dog."
"So is your face, Aurelian," the dog said in a raspy voice. "And salty." Her liquid brown eyes met Reva's.
Reva gaped at the animal, and struggled to sit up. Van pulled her up with him, staring at the dog with his brow furrowed. "Did the animal just speak?" he demanded.
"I think so." Her wet face forgotten, Reva stared at the beautiful animal. "Dog?" she asked hesitantly.
"Don't cry," the animal said. "All will be well."
"Sorry!" Grayson Stark skidded to a stop beside them. "She got away from us."
Behind him, Brynne was leaning over Lacey, the witches grouped around them.
"The animal spoke to me," Reva said.
Stark sighed. "Oh, boy. Here we go." He bent to peer into the dog's liquid eyes. "E'ea, you waking up in there?"
"I thought you said the dog's name was Copper," Van muttered. "Also, am I seeing things, or...?"
"No, her eyes really are glowing," Reva said. "What is happening?"
Grayson Stark shook his head wryly. "Well, in case this day isn't weird enough, what with total eclipses, flying boulders, and witch ceremonies—"
"Come now, Grayson," Lacey called. "Magic is always weird, you know that."
The three of them turned to see Lacey on her feet, in the circle of Frost's arm. She was still pale, but smiling.
"You’re all right!" Reva surged to her feet, duffel discarded beside her. "I am so sorry you were made ill trying to help us."
"I'm sorry too," Lacey said. "I tried—we all did—but we're just not strong enough."
She and Reva shared a look of profound grief. Reva’s eyes filled with tears again.
"We?" said the green-haired young witch. "You were the one doing the heavy lifting with that rift, Lacey. We were just helping out."
"True that," said another witch. The others nodded. "Although we did manage to stop the rock flinger."
"Oh," Reva gasped. "Wait—where is it?"
The witches pointed a pile of rocks in the center of the circle. "Under there. We trapped it, whatever it is."
"A malevolent spirit of some kind," said one, shaking her head. "We're going to need to have a burial ceremony, or something."
"Topper will be home tomorrow," said another. "She and Lacey can lead us to deal with it the right way."
The sun's rays brightened, highlighting the rock pile.
"The sun's coming back," Grayson Stark said. "The eclipse is over. Sorry, I guess that means no travel for you Aurelians. That rift was really something."
Brynne looked ready to weep along with Reva, who ducked her head to hide her tears, swiping her face with her sleeve. Van's arm wrapped around her, and he pulled her to him, letting her hide against his chest. "It will be okay, sweet," he muttered to her. "We'll... we'll find a way. Somehow."
"Anyway, as I was saying," Grayson motioned to the dog. "I think you're about to meet our friend E'ea."
"She's in a pet?" Van demanded incredulously. "What kind of being wants to vegetate in the limited consciousness of a pet?"
"Not just any pet, a golden retriever. Copper is young, full grown but still quite playful." Lacey said sternly. "But since you do not understand the appeal of relaxing in that way, commander, perhaps you'd like a demonstration."
"Do not send him into one of our dog's minds," Frost said, placing his hand on her arm. "Lacey, he didn't mean to insult your goldens."
"Don’t worry, dear," the witch said. “I would never upset one of our dogs in that way."
Reva could care less. Her heart was breaking. She and Van were stuck here now. And yes, they were together, but his mission was ruined. His team had no leader, and Prince D'Arek might perish without their help.
"Uh, Reva," Van said, patting her back. "Head up, sweet. I think you want to see this."
Reva managed to swallow the sob in her throat. She swiped her face again, then turned to peer along Van's arm as he pointed.
She froze, sheer awe holding her there. A column of golden light was forming above the silky head of Copper, the golden retriever. The dog sat very still, happy face turned upward as above her, the vague shape of a female took form.
The dog woofed happily, and wagged her tail.
The being beamed at them all. Reva couldn't say how she knew the being was smiling, but she did know it. She felt reassurance spreading like a warm hand on her chest.
"Aurelians, meet E'ea," Grayson Stark said
"Is she—are you an angel?" Reva asked hesitantly.
"I have been called such," E'ea said. "You may call me a galactic guardian."
"You're leaving, aren't you, E'ea?" Brynne Stark asked her, leaning in the circle of her husband's arm. She looked wistful.
"Yes, my young friends, I must go," E'ea said. "My leave is over. I am rested, and ready to take on my duties once again."
Lacey grinned. "Goldens have that effect on a being."
Reva wanted to hide her face against Van and weep again. The guardian got to travel, but Van could not.
"Maybe she could at least pass on a message for us," she mumbled. "Let everyone know you're all right."
"And you," Van said, giving her a chiding look. "You are every bit as important as me, Reva."
He looked to the being. "Could you? I mean, would you?"
"Why do you not tell your team yourself?" E'ea asked.
Van stiffened, his eyes widening. "You—you mean...?"
E'ea laughed, a strange, snorting sound. "Yes. It was most entertaining watching the Earth witches attempt to control the rift, but I must tell you, they would have been unable to aim it between space and time with any accuracy. You might have ended up in a black hole, or on Mars in the time of the Visi-trolls. I, on the other hand, can convey you with perfect safety."
"Okay, now you're just bragging," the green-haired witch muttered, hand on her hip.
E'ea ignored her. "Say your goodbyes, young Aurelians. I will take you both where you need to be."
"What about whoever was trying to kill us?" Van asked, gesturing at the rock cairn. "We cannot just leave it for the Earthlings to deal with."
"Do not worry. I have much experience in transporting prisoners." The being held out one arm toward the rock cairn, and a slim canister appeared. It glowed silver, like old glass. The rock pile shivered, then rocked apart. A black shape shot into the canister with a muffled shriek, quickly silenced. The canister disappeared. "There. All taken care of."
"But who was it?" Lacey asked. "Who sent it?"
E'ea sighed. "There are those who truly can twist time. Those who do not wish your mission to succeed, Commander A'Ralle. They seem to have decided that killing you before you even arrived there would be the best way to ruin it."
Van stared. "Our mission is considered this important?"
"So it would seem. Now, come. It is time."
Van bent and scooped up their duffels, hanging them over his shoulders. "Frost, Lacey, ladies, thank you. Your kindness will not be forgotten."
"Yes, thank you," Reva said, smiling mistily at all of them. "We will always remember your kindness."
"And our good looks, right?" Grayson asked.
"Grayson!" Brynne smacked his arm.
He grinned down at her. "I meant you, baby."
E'ea beckoned. "Come."
Van and Reva walked into her light, which grew and enclosed them in a cocoon of safety and warmth.
"Goodbye," E'ea's voice echoed down as they rose above the plateau, this time effortlessly. "See you next time, Earthlings!"
"Well," one of the older witches said, her voice strangely audible from down on the Earth's surface. "That was not how I thought this would go."
"No," Frost said, calm as always. "But then, nothing in Magic ever does, right?"
"True!" several voices chorused.
Laughter followed the E’ea and her passengers up into the sky.
Until they entered that dimension of space and time which only a galactic guardian may traverse with ease, and they were truly on their way to their future.
The End ... sort of.
* * *
Dear Reader,
Thanks so much for joining me in Magic, NM for another slightly whacked adventure!
BONUS CHAPTER: Want to read all about Van and Reva's arrival at their intended destination?
Just visit http://www.cjcade.com/ReachingReva and look for the BONUS CHAPTER Easy-peasy!
CJ Cade
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Stark Pleasure; the Space Magnate's Mistress
Can she survive the perils of the galaxy on her wits … or will she have to use her body?
Kiri te Nawa will do anything to escape the perilous streets of New Seattle, Earth II and find the treasure for which she searches the galaxy, even become the mistress of space magnate Logan Stark. But is he her savior, or simply the man who wants to own her, body and soul?
Just when she is ready to submit more than her body to this powerful, charismatic man, she's kidnapped and thrown into her worst nightmare. Will he search for her, or believe she's betrayed him with an old lover?
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