Patrol 4: Storm & Calm

Chapter 5

Eluri shrieked as she flew up and landed on Vania's shoulder.

"Oh. Eluri." Vania stopped before entering the Lower Quarter Station. "You let yourself out of the house? What is it?"

Eluri leaned close, nuzzling against Vania's cheek.

Vania suddenly had an image leap into her mind of a crowd of black-robed people outside her door and windows, knocking and pounding, shouting to be let in. She shuddered. "That's what you saw as you left? Did any of them see you or try to hurt you?"

Eluri warbled and twitched her tail, then curled onto Vania's shoulder, content.

"I'll take that as 'no,'" Vania muttered and walked into the enforcer station. "I need to get some paper. You can send a note to Derry for me, can't you?"

Vania sighed as she closed the door to the stable and looked around the empty, wet yard of the enforcer office. "I know it was only a week or so," she muttered as she pulled up her hood against the rain and began walking down the street alone, "but I really got used to Eddin walking with me. I wish—"

A shadow detached itself from the wall ahead of her and stopped at her feet, taking the shape of a dog.

Eluri looked down at it from her perch on Vania's shoulder and crooned.

Vania glanced at Eluri from the corner of her eye, then looked down at the shadow dog. "You're a... shadowling. Right? Did Eddin send you?"

The dog wagged its tail excitedly.

Eluri jumped from Vania's shoulder and glided to the ground beside the shadow. She grew to match its size, then sat beside it and looked up at Vania.

"I... think that means yes?" Vania looked at them both. "Well, let's keep walking, then. We're going to Derry's tonight, and we're taking the long way, so we don't go past my place."

As she walked, each of the animals kept pace beside her, the shadowling at her right and the lucid on her left.

Eluri looked up at Vania and whistled, then touched a wing to her leg. An image of Buccareth House burst into her mind.

Vania looked down at the lucid but didn't stop walking. "No, Eluri. We're not going to Eddin's house. We're going to Derry's."

Eluri tilted her head at Vania and whistled again, her wing once more brushing Vania's leg. The image of the bakery blossomed in Vania's mind.

"Yes, that's right. Derry's house."

Eluri crooned, then bounded forward, frolicking in the puddles, paused, watching Vania and the shadowling keep their steady walk, then rejoined them and walked beside Vania calmly.

"Excited, are you? You think that means you'll get a treat, like one of his mincemeat pies..." Vania glanced down at Eluri, then grinned. "Though, you probably will."

The spell orbs were lit at the bakery as Vania walked up with her two animal escorts. The light from inside forced back the rainy gloom as Derry opened the door and waved them inside.

"Come inside, out of the rain. The oven's still going, so you can hang your things to dry in the kitchen. The kids and Licia are already in bed." Derry swung the door shut and locked it behind them, the heavy wooden beam falling into its brackets with a firm thud. "I see you have one fewer a'marlon escort, but one extra animal."

"Yes," Vania replied, pulling off her cloak and shaking it out. "Eddin's sick today, so he sent the shadowling to accompany me."

"He sensitive to this storm, too? Lots of people with sensitivities to power were feeling rather under the weather today." Derry shepherded the trio into the kitchen, where three chairs had been set near the oven. "Dinner's still warm. Sit and eat."

As Vania took one of the chairs, Eluri stretched out in front of the warm oven, purring quietly.

"That one's not usually that big," Derry noted as he handed Vania a plate of food.

"Thanks." Vania looked at the steaming stew and stirred it slowly. "And, you're right; she's usually smaller. I think she felt compelled to be the same height as the shadowling." She began eating.

Derry tossed a mincemeat pie to Eluri, who quickly pounced on it. After a moment of hesitation, he tossed one to the dog-shaped shadowling, as well. It snapped the pastry up into its shadow jaws in two bites. The baker took up a mug and sat down in one of the chairs with a sigh.

"Sorry for the late notice, Derry. It's... not safe for me to go home right now."

"We're always happy to have you, Vania. I'm glad you reached out for once, instead of trying to manage things on your own." After taking a drink from his mug, he added, "We've got the kids' room set up for you. Kuran and Cianna are sharing the bed with Licia. Grava and Rantin are of course still in their cradle. You're welcome to stay as long as you like."

"Where does that leave you?" Vania asked. "I doubt you'd fit in the bed with Licia and both Kuran and Cianna."

"The family room, of course. That way, when I get up to start the baking, I'll disturb as few people as possible."

"Derry," Vania said quietly. "That's... not necessary. The kids can have their room. I'll sleep on the couch. You shouldn't."

"Don't be silly. You're a grown woman; you should have the privacy of your own room. I get the feeling it'll be some time before this storm blows over."

Vania put her empty plate aside. Looking at her hands, she asked quietly, "Are you... worried about what I might do?"

"No," Derry replied easily. "Your episodes will be few and far between; I'm not worried about it at all."

"No, I'm not talking about... the Mark." She swallowed, hands gripping her knees as she looked at Derry. "Eddin took me to see Ab'bashura today." She took a deep breath and launched into the tale for the second time that day, adding what she'd learned from Aleira and her trip to the temples, as well.

"Hmmm," Derry mumbled as she finished. "So, this storm goddess is on a rampage in the city, and she wants to use you for something?"

"Seems like it," Vania whispered.

"Well, I'm glad your blacking out episodes have finally been explained. Wish there was an easier solution, but we'll figure something out. Since none of the temples here wanted to help, we'll go to Shechem. Maybe their priests aren't as rude."

"I think they were scared," Vania said quietly. "One temple and everyone in it was already destroyed. Some of them were in the process of fleeing when I approached. I don't blame them for turning me away..."

"Well, the only way to get rid of the threat would be to help you," Derry reasoned. "All the priests of the other temples should be lining up to work together to rid you of this bitch."

"I... don't think it'd be that easy..." Vania whispered, hearing the crone's advice again in her mind. "She's powerful. Just untrained."

"And that's why we need to remove her before she has a chance to solidify her hold on you!"

As the woman in her head laughed derisively, Vania shuddered as she whispered, eyes closing, "It might be too late for that."