Shared Mercy Book 5 of the Guardians Saga

CH 18.3 Pool Party!

Kress, Trac, and Lok cheered. Razz trotted into the bathing chamber. Lok ordered more food and drink.

"Drake, follow the boys into the changing room," she said. "They'll give you something to wear."

"No thanks!" he said cheerfully and stripped off his clothes right there.

Alex chuckled at him, but looked away and asked, "Gabe, Cale, are you coming?"

Gabe scowled at her but Cale said, "I'll check out this medicinal bath."

"We'll sing party pooper to you until you come in," Alex warned Gabe.

Gabe drew himself up but Cale poked him with a claw. "Strategy time, Clan Head."

With a last dark look at Alex, Gabe entered the changing room. Alex shooed Rile in and waited, finishing her drink.

"We're waiting for you," Rile said at length.

Alex changed into her bathing suit and then stepped into the steaming pool. Everyone else was already in the water. The bath was filled with amber colored water and the scent of herbs and flowers hung heavy in the air. The pool was a natural hot spring. Crystal clear water steamed into the air, its surface frothing in places with bubbling hot water.

Drake was looking around, amazement written on his features. The water lapped gently against the sides, and Razz splashed against the walls, making bubbles.

The food and drink arrived just before Zilik. It was a feast of succulent fruits, vegetables, and meats with pitchers of red and white wine. His guards, a Komodo dragon, a green Iguana, and a Chameleon sniffed the foot and drink.

"Victory bath?" Zilik asked.

"Not so much," Alex said. "Medicinal bath. Come in. We have to strategize. Two full strike forces were able to ambush me and Drake after we had recon'd the area for miles. I want to know how." She winked and waved at the Chameleon, who took the hint and stripped.

Zilik was quick shed his clothes and slip into the water. He sank down into the water, letting it cover his body up to his chest. His guard followed suit. "We don't have any intelligence on new camouflage methods, do we?" His guard sipped from a mug of wine and then handed it to Zilik, who looked at Razz and Lok. Both shook their heads.

"I'll fly us back and we'll see if they left anything behind," Alex said.

"You will take me, Cale, and Rile," Gabe said. His eyes were fixed on hers and she could see the determination in them.

Alex handed him a mug of wine and waited for him to drink until she asked, "Shouldn't we take a native as well?"

Gabe looked at her over the rim of the mug for a moment, and then nodded. "Who would be best?"

"Razz, who do you think?" Alex asked. Her eyes were alight with excitement and her voice was pitched high with anticipation.

Razz regarded her with fondness before he answered. "Lok and myself. Chameleons have a vested interest in all things camouflage and I have an interest in all things Anolis.

Zilik raised his mug. "I concur."

Alex glanced around the room before asking in a low voice, "Zilik, is it okay for you to be here? Politically and all that?"

"Absolutely," he said. "These strike forces have everyone on the Council unnerved. With your appearance, I'm expected to know everything that's going on. Please don't keep me out of anything."

Alex and Razz exchanged worried glances. Zilik was a good friend, but Alex knew that he was walking a tightrope. If the wrong being found out that he was here, it could mean trouble for him.

Lok glided like a torpedo toward them, his tail sculling through the water like a shark's. "As your aide, I will keep you informed. Any lapse of information will of course, be my fault."'

"More brownie points for you, Lok," Alex said.

He took her hand and kissed it. His lips were soft and gentle on her skin. "I do so love them."

Alex blushed and said quickly, "Gabe, I want you to know that Drake kept me alive out there. May he come as well?"

Gabe swirled his drink and stared intently into his mug. His eyes were dark and unreadable. "Yes," he said at length.

"Thank you."

**

The sun had set by the time they finished, so they decided to leave the next morning. Once the sun was flaming orange in the bright blue sky as it rose over the horizon, the air was still and the only sounds were of nature's creatures; the birds sang their songs to the rising sun.

Alex flew a carriage containing the brothers, Drake, Razz, and Lok to the red serrated cliffs. The group combed the battle site, searching behind the red rocks and bushes. The ground was trampled and muddy, evidence of the chaos that had ensued. Although buzzards cawed above them, the fallen Anolis females were gone and their blood still stained the ground. Their bodies had been taken by their compatriots, or perhaps by scavengers. Either way, they were gone.

"There goes any chance of evidence," Gabe said in frustration. "They've cleaned up their mess."

Cale laid his hand on Gabe's forearm to calm him and gazed steadily into his eyes until his brother exhaled and his posture relaxed.

"No one is perfect. If they made a mistake, we'll find it," Cale said. His hand was firm on Gabe's arm, and his eyes were full of confidence and reassurance.

"Fan out in pairs," Gabe said. "Alex, aerial recon, please."

Alex flew low, lazy circles in the sky while the group tramped around the slope. Drake stooped and picked something off a purple oleander bush.

"What's this, Razz?" He showed him the small ragged piece of cloth. One side of the cloth was a lustrous silver, but the other side was nearly invisible against any background. It reflected a matching green when held against a green bush, but blended in perfectly with the red, rocky soil when held next to that.

"I have never seen anything like it. Perhaps one of the Guardians has seen it."

Alerted by their talk and behavior, Rile walked over to them. Drake held out the cloth.

"Watch this." Drake demonstrated the abilities of the cloth. "Nothing like this on Olam."

Rile took it and turned it over and over. "It seems a little high tech for this world."

"What does 'high tek' mean?" Razz asked.

"Trouble. Big trouble. Gabe better see this." Rile called over his brothers and they examined it.

"Let's go home," Gabe ordered. He signaled to Alex for pick up and then they were on their way.

***

A/N

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