Laura Jo Phillips Read online

  “I think that we should let them know that Princess Lariah is not doing well, and might benefit from a visit with her nephews,” Olaf said finally.

  “Which is all too true,” Rudy said softly.

  “Yes, it is,” Olaf agreed.

  “I thought she was doing better,” Rand said.

  “She was doing better,” Rudy said. “Val told me that she gets better for a little while, then slips back again. Seeing her new nephews helped her considerably, for a time. Maybe it will help again.”

  “It’s so difficult to see her sadness,” Rand said. “I always feel as though we should do something whenever we see women or children who are unhappy or in need.”

  “Perhaps that is why we are unable to release Aisling from our minds,” Olaf suggested. “Once we see with our own eyes that the Controller is gone, and that she is well, we can forget about her and move on.”

  Rand shrugged noncommittally and Rudy clenched his jaw.

  “Tell me what you are thinking,” Olaf said.

  “I don’t think it’s going to be that easy,” Rand said. “We’ve dreamed of her for centuries, Olaf.”

  “We’ve dreamed of our Arima for centuries,” Olaf corrected.

  “An Arima with red hair and green eyes,” Rudy pointed out.

  “Many women have green eyes and red hair,” Olaf argued. “Princess Lariah, for example.”

  “Her hair is red gold, not dark red, as you well know,” Rand replied. “Nor are her eyes the same green as your own. Aisling’s are.”

  “Yes, but she is not our Arima,” Olaf said again. That was the one irrefutable fact that had all three of them confused. Why did they feel such a strong attraction to this woman? Why was it so impossible for them to stop thinking about her?

  “There is no arguing with that,” Rudy admitted. “Nor is there any arguing with our inability to get her out of our minds.”

  “Maybe the woman we have dreamed of isn’t really our Arima,” Rand suggested as they reached the parking area and headed for their ground car. Rand opened the trunk and they loaded their luggage into it before climbing into the car, Rand at the wheel, Rudy and Olaf in the back. Normally they would have just transformed into their gryphons and flown home, but they had spent an extended period of time in Badia and had luggage, so they needed to use the ground-car or have their luggage returned for them. Since they wanted to visit the Bearens, they decided that they might as well use the ground-car.

  “I have always believed the woman we have dreamed of for so long was our Arima,” Rudy said doubtfully. “Haven’t you?”

  “Yes, I have, but what if we just made an assumption about that?” Rand asked.

  “No,” Olaf said. “I dreamed of her transforming with us many times. If she was not our Arima, she could not do that.”

  “Yes, but those were dreams, Olaf,” Rand argued. “I admit that we have always dreamed of one woman, and that is significant to us all. But, perhaps, the details of those dreams are not so significant.”

  “Perhaps,” Olaf said uncertainly as he leaned back in his seat and gazed out the window. “I honestly don’t know any more. Maybe getting to know her will help us to understand all of this better.”

  Aisling leaned over the railing of the extra large crib and laid Weldan down beside his sleeping brothers. She tucked in a corner of his blanket, then smoothed a wrinkle on Harlan’s before raising the railing and locking it in place.

  She spent a lot of time with the babies, but neither Hope nor the Bearens seemed to mind. She loved the way they felt in her arms, the way they smelled, the sound of their voices as they laughed and giggled and cooed. They were so beautiful and sweet, and she was going to miss them terribly when she left. And she had to leave soon. She had that niggling feeling in the back of her mind that always told her when it was time to start moving again.

  She sighed as she left the nursery, closing the door gently behind her. She limped down the hall, walking close to the wall in case she stumbled. Ever since she’d been awakened a couple of weeks earlier by Saige Lobo and Summer Katre, her limp had been worse than before. Doc had run some tests and discovered that she had been reinjured, probably when she’d been abducted from the compound by the Brethren. The Controller had prevented her from expressing her pain, or even feeling it, so the new injury had healed incorrectly, as had the original injury. Doc had told her that in order to correct the damage she would need extensive surgery and two weeks in a healing tank. She didn’t think she could risk that. Not just yet. Later, when she was more certain of her safety, she would get it fixed. Besides, it helped with her disguise.

  She came to the end of the hall and entered the living room where the Bearens, Hope, Karma and Berta all sat staring at the wall. She followed their gazes, cocking her head to the side for a moment. At first, the image she was looking at didn’t make sense to her. Then she blinked, and frowned.

  “That’s interesting,” she said. “What does that mean exactly? The Book of Knowledge, Level Three?”

  Everyone in the room turned to stare at her. “Excuse me,” she said, ducking her head and pulling her shoulders forward. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

  “You did not interrupt,” Jackson said. “We are only surprised that you are able to read it.”

  Aisling glanced up at the image again, then back to Jackson. She wasn’t sure whether to be confused or insulted. “I can read Standard as well as anyone,” she said.

  “Standard?” Jackson asked in confusion. “That is not Standard.”

  Aisling looked at Jackson with disbelief, then back at the image on the wall. “It looks like Standard to me,” she said.

  “Aisling, whatever that is, it isn’t Standard,” Karma said.

  Aisling turned to Karma, wondering if she were the butt of some joke, but everyone in the room looked serious.

  “I don’t understand,” she said finally. “I promise you, whatever you see, it looks like Standard to me.”

  “Interesting,” Jackson said. “Try this one, please.” He pressed a button and a different image appeared on the wall. “Can you read that?”

  Aisling looked up at the wall, then back to Jackson. “Sure, I can read it. You can’t?”

  “No, we can’t,” Jackson replied. “When we look at it, we see a language unfamiliar to us. What does it say?”

  Aisling glanced back up at the wall. “It says, This book contains the Third Knowledge, and is for instructional purposes only. To reveal the existence of higher levels to those not of the First Knowledge is to cater death by fire.

  “The Third Knowledge?” Jackson repeated. “I wonder what that means.”

  “There are some cultures that have different levels of knowledge for different classes, or levels of people in their society,” Karma said. “Maybe that’s what this means.”

  “I’ve heard of societies like that as well,” Jackson said. “Clark?”

  “We know that the Narrasti were very class oriented,” Clark said. “The sugeas, who had the most magic and transformed into the largest beast, were at the top. The gilea had the least magic and if I remember correctly, many of them weren’t even able to transform, though I would need to speak with Eldar Hamat on that. I think it’s probable that they had different levels of knowledge based on class, yes.”

  “What I find most interesting is the fact that Aisling can read it,” Hope put in. “I thought you didn’t have any psychic abilities, Aisling.”

  “I don’t,” Aisling said. She looked at the raised eyebrows around her, then up to the wall again. “Well, I didn’t know I did,” she amended. “It’s so strange though. To me it looks like ordinary Standard writing.”

  “Would you mind if we tried an experiment?” Jackson asked.

  Aisling hesitated. “What kind of experiment?” she asked.

  “I just want to see if you can understand a language Hope can speak, but that you are not familiar with,” Jackson assured her, noting her wariness.

  “All right,
” Aisling said with obvious relief. Jackson wondered, not for the first time, what it was she was afraid of, then shook his head. Aisling was not his puzzle to solve. The best he could do was let it be known that she was under their protection, and the stars help anyone who brought harm to her.

  “Niha, would you say something to her in Greek?” he asked.

  “Sure,” Hope agreed. She turned to Aisling. “Milás elliniká?”

  “No, I don’t,” Aisling said.

  Hope grinned. “You understood it well enough.”

  “You spoke in Standard,” Aisling said. “Didn’t you?”

  “No, that was Greek,” Jackson said. “Try this, “Ulertzen duzu?”

  “Yes, I understood that,” Aisling said quietly. She wasn’t altogether sure she liked this, and she certainly didn’t understand it.

  “Why did this happen all of a sudden?” she asked. “I’ve never been able to do this before.”

  “Aisling, have you ever heard anyone speak any language other than Standard before?” Hope asked.

  Aisling rapidly calculated the average number of visitors to Earth each year, the number of times she had visited other worlds, the statistical number of people thought to use Standard, and added a guess as to the number of people she’d had contact with in her lifetime who might reasonably have spoken a language other than Standard. It took her about six seconds to come up with a number that indicated there was no realistic probability that she had never heard any language other than Standard.

  “No,” Aisling admitted. “I haven’t.”

  “Aisling, would you be willing to consider helping us with translations?” Jackson asked. “I know it’s a lot to ask, and if you feel you would prefer not to, we will respect that.”

  “What would you want me to do, exactly?” Aisling asked, wary again.

  “The people who kidnapped you, Hope, Karma and Grace are called the Brethren,” Jackson said. Aisling nodded as she stepped over to the sofa and lowered herself carefully into a seat beside Karma. Standing too long made her back hurt.

  “Yes, I remember,” Aisling said.

  “The Brethren are descendents of a race called the Narrasti. They have several items that they refer to as relics. Items which, we believe, were taken to Earth by the Narrasti over three thousand years ago. One of those relics is a book that they call The Book of Knowledge. We have images of the pages of that book, but we cannot read it.”

  “I don’t see how information in a book that’s three thousand years old can be of any use to anyone,” Aisling said.

  Jackson hesitated. They didn’t share the true history of their people with anyone outside of Clan Jasani, and their Arimas. There was a possibility that Aisling was an Arima, but it was by no means certain, and even if it were, was it his place to tell this story to her? On the other hand, if she could translate the book, it would be very helpful.

  “I don’t mind translating it,” Aisling said, interrupting his thoughts. “Though it is a book which proclaims itself to be of a lower rank of knowledge. I would imagine that there is very little truth in that book. Nevertheless, after all that you have done for me, I would be happy to have a way to return the favor.”

  “We would appreciate your help very much, Aisling,” Jackson said. “But you must not feel that you need return a favor to us. You owe nothing. We are only glad that we had the means to remove the Controller without causing you further harm than you had already suffered.”

  “Thank you,” Aisling said. “But I really don’t mind translating.” Suddenly, a hot shiver raced through Aisling’s body, and a strange thought floated through her mind; They’re here.

  The thought distracted her and she frowned as she tried to understand what it meant. And why it seemed familiar.

  “Greetings, Olaf,” Jackson said as he rose from his chair.

  Aisling turned to look at the men who had just entered the room, her heart rate speeding up at the sight of them. They were not so tall as the Bearens, but they were, to her eyes, far more handsome. They were all dressed head to toe in black which, somehow, set off their deep tan complexions and green hair. But it was their eyes that really captured her attention. Nearly hidden beneath their stern brows, they were clear and bright and warm.

  Aisling took in all of this in the quick second before she dropped her eyes and turned her face away, hunching her shoulders and letting her hair fall forward to cover her face. All three of them had been staring straight at her when she’d looked, and she found that more disconcerting than her own reaction to them.

  She listened to the men greet each other with only part of her attention while she struggled to gain control of her emotions. By the time the Gryphon brothers were seated, she was fairly satisfied that she looked no more or less interested in them than the other women in the room.

  “We have just come from the Dracons’ ranch,” Olaf said. “Your new home is complete, and the Dracons are looking forward to your arrival.”

  “That is good news,” Jackson said. “How is Princess Lariah?” Even though the full extent of the Princess’s grief was not common knowledge, those who were closest to the Dracons were aware of it, and very concerned.

  “Your visit to the ranch upon your return to Jasan was extremely beneficial to her,” Olaf replied carefully. “Since then, she has been less well than could be desired.”

  Jackson glanced at Hope, then Clark and Rob. The Dracons had offered to build a home for them on the ranch, such as the Lobos had. It was, without doubt, the safest location on all of Jasan for their Arima, and the babies. The entire ranch was protected by the Dracons’ magic, and enhanced by the Lobos’ magic. Once they relocated, the Bearens would add their magic to the defenses which would make them even more formidable.

  Moving to the ranch had not been an easy decision for them to make. But the sudden and unexplained disappearance of Mara Winicke from her home in Berria had illustrated how easy it was to penetrate Jasani defenses and transport someone off-planet without detection. Jasan was now able to penetrate the Blind Sight camouflage system, but they didn’t know how Mara Winicke had been transported, so they didn’t know how to guard against it.

  Their sons were the first, and only, members of Clan Owlfen, and their safety was of the utmost importance. They would not risk the safety of their Arima or their sons. The fear that they might be transported away from them at any moment was enough to convince them that the Dracons’ ranch was the safest place for their family.

  While they waited for their new home to be built, the Bearens had returned to Berria in order to set things up so that they could perform their duties from the spaceport in Badia rather than from the Council Complex in Berria. With their new, stronger magical abilities, they could now speed travel to the spaceport and back to the ranch in moments. Without that, they would have tried to find another way to secure their home rather than be more than a few moment’s travel from their Arima and their sons.

  “How far along is the Princess now?” Hope asked.

  “Seven months,” Olaf replied. “Doc is especially concerned about her emotional state.”

  “Seeing the boys would be good for her,” Hope said. “It helped her before.”

  Olaf offered her a short bow of thanks for her insight. “It is thought that would be helpful, yes.”

  “Our preparations for relocating to the ranch are complete,” Jackson said. “I think we can leave tomorrow without too much trouble.”

  Jackson looked to Hope who nodded agreement. “That’s fine,” she said. “We only have a few things left to pack.”

  “I will contact the air field and let them know we will need transport tomorrow,” Clark offered.

  “If we can be of any assistance, we would be glad to help,” Olaf said.

  “Your offer is appreciated,” Jackson replied. “Actually, we have just discovered that Aisling has a gift for translating languages. I was about to ask her for help with translating the Book of Knowledge.”

  Olaf t
urned to Aisling, his eyes wide with surprise. “This is so?”

  Aisling knew he was talking to her though she didn’t look up. She kept her eyes on her lap as she nodded her head reluctantly.

  “Would you be willing to assist us?” Olaf asked, gentling his voice as he spoke. Her self-effacing manner tore at his heart. He wanted to assure her that they would keep her safe while at the same time, he wanted to find who had made her fearful, and remove him, or her, from the plane of the living.

  “Yes, of course I will help,” Aisling said. Her voice was soft, but her words were clear and firm.

  Olaf turned back to Jackson. “Perhaps you should inform Prince Garen of this,” he said.

  Jackson frowned, uncertain why Olaf would suggest such a thing, but certain that he had a reason. He looked at Clark and nodded shortly.

  Clark rose and left the room, tapping his vox as he went. He returned a scant two minutes later with Prince Garen at his heels.

  The Bearens and the Gryphons all rose at the unexpected appearance of their High Prince. Garen acknowledged their bows with a polite nod, then spent a moment greeting Hope and the other women.

  “I apologize for my abrupt visit,” he said to Jackson when all of the greetings were complete and everyone was sitting once more. “Clark’s news that Aisling can translate languages is so exciting that I felt it warranted my speed traveling over to see it for myself.”

  “There is no need for apology, my Prince,” Jackson said. “It is exciting, and Aisling has agreed to assist us.”

  Garen nodded, then turned his attention to Aisling. “We would very much appreciate your help with the book, Aisling,” he said. “But there is something else we would like translated even more, if you are able.”

  “Which is?” Aisling asked, looking up at Prince Garen. She had met him a few weeks earlier when they had first arrived on Jasan, and she liked him and his brothers, as well as all of the people she had met on the ranch.