Of Gaea Read online

  Ari spotted the tent a few feet away. She knew why they weren’t sleeping in it when she inhaled the clean, cool air. It felt good to be outside again.

  The fire was banked low and the cooking stuff stacked neatly next to it. Nothing was smoking over the low flame, and granted, nothing should be without attention. There were all sorts of predators that loved free meals.

  Ari peeked into the tent and found her pack was sealed in an air tight bear bag; her bow and quiver sat against it. She didn’t want to risk the wrath of bears over trail mix, so she left the pack alone and grabbed her bow and a single arrow.

  From next to the fire she picked up the Swiss army knife then looked around. They were camped among the trees, the fire in the little clearing and the tent and sleeping bags were in the arms of the tree roots. Ari could hear water lapping quietly at a shore nearby.

  She turned in that direction and walked. She felt different. More aware. Ari could hear the squirrels in the trees. She could hear the steady beating of an owl’s wings. There was an occasional rustle from the bushes made by rabbits, foxes and the like.

  Ari warily stepped over a snake that didn’t even glance at her. It was as if she was just another part of the forest to him. Perhaps she was. Possibly he could sense she was different in the same way she could sense Tainted and Pure.

  Ari found the source of water. A lake rested on the edge of the trees. A lake so vast she couldn’t see the other shore. The sandy shore was a new experience to her as she crossed it to the water. Ari knew they weren’t in West Virginia or Virginia with a sandy beached lake.

  Ari waded out into the water until it was knee deep. It wasn’t cold, for which she was both surprised and thankful. From where she stood the wind was blowing at her. Nothing would smell her as they approached the water.

  Ari studied her surroundings as she waited. Her eyes were sharper than she remembered them being. It wasn’t just her eye sight that was completely clear.

  She felt completely at peace. She stood knee deep, bare foot in an unknown lake, waiting patiently for a meal and she was completely and totally at peace. If nothing else had convinced her that she belonged to the earth, that moment would have.

  She still stood statue still in the water as the sun slowly came up over the mountain. She smiled as the light hit the surface of the water and turned it into a diamond. It was warm light, warmer that it should have been for late March.

  A cracked twig snapped her attention back to the shore. She saw the wild turkey, still in the trees before he saw her.

  “Thank Gaea for her bounty.” Ari murmured before drawing and releasing the arrow. She didn’t miss.

  Nasya found her later, on the shore with a gutted and roasting bird over a new fire. Ari had also done some scouting and had some edible roots and some wild greens and wheat stuffed into the bird.

  “We’re a few months early for Thanksgiving I think.” Nasya commented as she sat beside her.

  “Never too early to give thanks.” Ari rotated the bird. “Should be done soon.”

  “No time like the present to get started then.”

  Ari looked at her and smiled. “Yes. I’d like that.”

  ARI LOST TRACK OF THE days. Truthfully, she didn’t even bother counting them. She could have stayed forever in those mountains with Nasya and have been okay with it. There was so much to learn - so much that had been denied her - she felt as if she’d never learn it all.

  They hunted and fished. Nasya didn’t just teach about Gaea but about everything connected to her. Not completely everything, there was only so much one could learn in the time they took.

  Ari learned control, which was very important. Being emotional could destroy a lot of things. Not that she had been emotional of late. But it was definitely something for Ari to keep in mind for the future.

  It was also important to understand every action had a reaction and most, could not be undone. Ari learned to think faster and calculate pros and cons on the fly. It made every action important and made it very clear why Gaea didn’t interfere unless necessary.

  Ari could, on a whim, bring down the mountains and turn them to wasteland if she wanted to. Which enforced another lesson - responsibility. And because of that responsibility, she knew when the moon turned full again over their heads it was time to go home. She didn’t want to, exactly. But she felt a pull, a need to be home.

  When she began to pack up camp Nasya didn’t say anything but followed suit.

  “I feel like it’s time. Like I need to be home.” Ari explained quietly studying the area one last time. “You told me it was important to listen to those. That my connection to the cycle could be the difference between catastrophe and triumph.”

  Nasya nodded and smiled. “I am always here. And you are able now to protect yourself from outside influences. If you weren’t, I’d caution against leaving.”

  “I can’t hide forever.”

  “In reality, Ari, you never were. Pure and Tainted can find you anywhere but don’t generally manifest unless they have the conduits to do so. They know you’re here, but we’re so deep in the mountains they have nothing to feed their power to manifest.” She gestured around. “It’s just Gaea out here. Remember that whenever you need an escape. Find Gaea and you’ll find your out.”

  THE FAMILIAR TREES WEREN’T AS welcoming as Ari had hoped. They felt tired. They had been trampled through and taken a beating. It was disheartening in a way to know the forests had been combed through for her.

  Nasya didn’t come with her. Or she didn’t visibly come with her. Now that Ari knew what Nasya was, the Kirin saw no reason her to maintain human appearance unless necessary. Not surprisingly, Ari understood her desire to not hide behind a façade.

  Ari stepped into Sasha’s backyard as she had done a hundred times before. She walked over to the shed and opened it up to put the camping gear away. Everything was put away and situated and still no Kleisthenes on the porch.

  Puzzled, Ari let herself into the house and down to Sasha’s room. She knocked on the closed door, and jumped back surprised as it swung open. Kleisthenes filled the doorway.

  “You’re alright. You’re home.” He wrapped her into a bear hug that she returned.

  “I’m sorry to worry you. I needed…”

  “Never mind that.” He pulled Ari into the room and gestured to the bed. “You made it in time.”

  Ari blinked in surprise and felt the rapid pulse of fear beating in her ears. She could smell something acrid as she stepped passed Kleisthenes. What she saw nearly broke her heart in half.

  Sasha lay in the bed. His eyes were closed and his breathing very faint. His skin was pasty and white. The healthy, golden boy she had known was gone. This was a frail, dying form.

  “Sasha.” Ari sank down on the bed next to him. “Sasha, why didn’t you tell me?”

  He didn’t even acknowledge that she was there. He didn’t move; his breathing didn’t change. It was as if he was already gone.

  Ari laid her head lightly on his chest and cried. “You promised. You can’t do this. You promised.”

  She reached out to touch him and flinched back. Ari sat up and looked at him carefully. Her fingertips had just barely brushed it, but it had been enough to burn like hellfire. And, it identified the smell.

  Thanks to Nasya she could see the webs of power. Ari had the ability to see what the Wiccans did, and the Druids. She could see what the Pure did and the Tainted. Not all the time, of course, seeing the webs all the time would drive her mad. But when it was important enough to look she knew how.

  Sasha was wrapped in a pitch black web. It was obvious from its design he had been the one bound to her, not Leonidas. Unless Leonidas and he had made some kind of agreement Ari didn’t know about. Sasha was going to die because she could walk again or at least he would have if she had not known what she knew now.

  Ari rested her forehead against his and pushed against the Tainted web. “You won’t die today Sasha. I promise.”

/>   “Ari…” Kleisthenes began.

  She looked up at him for a second. “Gaea protects the Faithful, and Sasha has been, forever faithful.” Ari looked down into Sasha’s face. “Haven’t you? You’ve protected me. You’re dying for me. Without asking for anything in return. You’ve sacrificed beyond what you really needed to do, all this time. Someone has to die, I can’t prevent that, but I can stop it from being you.” Softly Ari brushed his lips with hers and flooded him with her gift. “You are mine, Sasha. Forever and always.” Only Sasha’s ears were close enough to hear the words.

  “Ari…”

  She looked up at Kleisthenes. “Watch. Wait.”

  She watched the power of Gaea, her power, glow inside of Sasha. It helped that he had a little bit of Gaea already. From the inside out Ari watched the spidery threads shrivel like worms on a hot sidewalk. They tangled with and then shattered under the cleansing of Gaea.

  Sasha gasped and jerked. He convulsed into coughs and curled to his side. Black liquid spewed from his mouth to the floor. He heaved continuously until dry racking shook his body.

  Ari pulled him gently back and he seemed to slowly relax under her touch. As the coughing receded, he wheezed a bit then glanced around slowly.

  His eyes were unfocused, but as close as she was Ari knew the instant he recognized her. He smiled weakly. “Welcome home.”

  Ari reached up and stroked his hair away from his face. “Rest now. You’ll be fine.”

  “Ari, to interfere like that… do you know…” Kleisthenes stepped forward.

  “What goes out comes back times three.” Ari shrugged. “I can’t prevent death. Whoever created it wanted me to die. So I sent it back to the source. Let them deal with it.” Ari turned back to Sasha’s sleeping face. “Sleep, real sleep and food should do him some good. If you don’t mind I need a shower and some clean clothes.”

  “Your things are still in the guest room.” Kleisthenes sat down in the spot Ari vacated. “Feel free. Ghita is, well, you know where she’s at.”

  “Of course. Did she miss me at all?”

  “I think she gave up on you coming back.”

  “Thankfully, I have Sasha and you to come back to. I would never abandon you.” Ari glanced over her shoulder. “I promise.”

  Kleisthenes waited until the door was firmly shut before he gathered his sleeping son in his arms and wept.

  The shower was glorious. There was nothing like a continuous stream of hot water and real shampoo after a month of roughing it. She hadn’t really noticed the lack until she stood under the generous spray.

  She felt more human in her clean jeans and knee high tanned leather boots. She probably looked more human as well, since she finally got a brush through her hair and her skin was no longer stained by nature’s bounty. Since it was there, one of Sasha’s tee shirts completed her outfit and brought her comfort at the same time.

  Ari was yanking her hair up when someone knocked softly on the door.

  “I’m decent.” She called out as she wrestled with the hair band.

  Kleisthenes stepped in. There were lines on his face Ari hadn’t notice before and what looked like tear streaks down his cheekbones. “What are you about to do?”

  “I need to talk to Leonidas. Then I’ve got to talk to Ghita. I’ve got to figure out if I can still get my diploma after being gone all this time.”

  “Back to normal then?”

  Ari met his eyes through the mirror. “Who I am hasn’t changed. I’m still Ariadne. I’m just,” she shrugged. “More complete now. I don’t feel so broken or lost anymore.”

  “Sasha is sleeping. I’ve got some soup cooking. Figured it would be best if we start with that.”

  Ari finished the ponytail and turned. “I’ll be home in time for dinner.”

  He nodded and held out something in his hand. Ari took the wallet and cell phone. “Your IDs are in there, and that,” he pointed to the cell phone, is to call if you’re going to be late.”

  Ari smiled. “Yes, Da. My room is clean and my homework is done. Can I go out to play now?”

  He laughed softly. “Smart aleck. Go.”

  Ari couldn’t resist peeking in on Sasha before leaving the house. He was breathing evenly and cleanly. His color was returning slowly as well. She watched for a moment before shutting the door quietly and continuing down the hall.

  “Ariadne.”

  She turned. Kleisthenes stood in the doorway to the guest room.

  “Thank you.”

  Ari gave a short curtsy and resumed walking. Her action was a sign of great respect to him. It was her saying without words - thank you would never be needed between them. There was no question in her mind that he deserved the respect. They had given her everything; it was only fitting that she gave a little back.

  MANIC SCREAMING RENTED THE TINY space. Damia twisted and turned unnaturally as she was overtaken with darkness. Her eyes glazed over and what she had cast out was visibly returning. The visible veins and the not so visible ones turned black, starting from her head and going down her body.

  “Quiet girl.” Erelah touched the girl’s forehead and Damia dropped to the ground.

  She still sobbed but it was muted in comparison to the screaming. “I will kill her. She will die.”

  “You best pray it be so.” Erelah muttered. “You do not have long before it overcomes you. A day, maybe two at the most.”

  “You can stop it.” She whirled on Erelah. “You can change it.”

  Erelah shook her head. “Gaea, herself cast it back. I don’t play in the Gods’ pool. A lesson you should have heeded.”

  “There has to be something.” Damia insisted. “Anything.”

  Erelah pursed her lips before smiling wickedly. “Anything?”

  Damia clutched the woman’s arm. “Anything.”

  Erelah patted Damia’s hand. “I will do a summoning. Perhaps one of them would be willing to help you. No promises though.”

  “Do it.” Damia release Erelah’s arm. From a nearby table she picked up a knife with harsh, angular carvings on its blade. “I have a Goddess to kill.”

  PEOPLE STARED AT HER AS she walked through town. To be expected. The last time any of these people saw her Ari had been in a wheelchair with Sasha by her side. Well, and she hadn’t had tattoos on her arms and backs of her hands.

  The door jingled as she walked in. Steady footsteps came up the hall and Leonidas did not look happy to see her.

  Ari was surprised to see him. His hair was no longer mostly gray but a healthy auburn with a sheen of red in the strong overhead light. His eyes were the same jeweled aquamarines that held her attention before. What had once looked like an old man was now a young one in his prime.

  “What do you want?”

  Ari raised a brow at his hostility. “I came to say thank you, and I have no memory of what happened between here,” she pointed to the covered tattoo on her arm, “and waking up.”

  “You passed out, I couldn’t wake you so I called Sasha.” He pointed to his face where a yellowing bruise was fading along his jaw and around his eye. “Got my ass kicked, and then you were taken. After that I couldn’t say. Your thanks is received. You can leave now.”

  He turned away.

  “Why didn’t you tell me? Where have you been all this time?” Ari took a few steps forward. “You owe me an explanation.”

  He froze.

  “I’ve just saved Sasha’s life. Something I wouldn’t have had to do if you had mentioned it. Something that wouldn’t have had to be done if you had done something, anything, in the beginning.”

  “I wasn’t here. In the beginning. I came afterwards and did do what I could to stop it from killing you. That’s all I had the power to do.” He turned slowly and smiled bitterly.

  “Healing a Goddess can only be done by a Goddess. I didn’t heal you. You healed yourself.” He gestured to the marked. “The tattoos are simply amplifiers for what you already are, though it may take you some time to learn to use t
hem.”

  He shrugged. “Sasha was willing to make the sacrifice so prolong the disease from spreading. Who was I to stop him? What I didn’t anticipate was the backwash, since he wasn’t really your guardian. You don’t technically have a guardian so unfortunately, since I’m the closest one to that rank, I got the backwash. I was crippled for you. He was not, but his burden was much heavier.”

  “You could have told me. I could have calculated that in.”

  “A sacrifice had to be made. You can’t ask for something without offering something. We offered Sasha. Whoop-dee-doo. At least it gave some meaning to his meaningless life.”

  Ari didn’t realize she had done it until Leonidas was on the floor and her boot was crushing his windpipe. She had went out and in within the space of a heartbeat, and kicked him to the floor.

  Thunder rumbled dangerously outside. Lightning flashed in the cloudless sky.

  The fear on his face broke through her anger and she took a deep calming breath. “I warned you once already about trash talking Sasha. You’re nothing but a coward. At least he fights for what he believes in.”

  “It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t make him any greater. He will always be a lowly scholar.”

  Ari sighed and stepped back. “He is greater than you will ever be. Not because of rank. It’s not a man’s rank that makes him a man. It’s how he treats others. You will never be remembered.”

  He climbed to his feet as Ari turned and walked to the door. “Wait.”

  Ari turned back and lifted her chin slightly in challenge.

  “Maybe you’re right, and maybe you’re not. I really don’t care. We’re not in Sparta anymore so it doesn’t really matter, does it? I’m still going to die as prophesized. And you are more than anyone there would have ever imagined possible.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cylinder no bigger than her pinkie. “Here. Left over ink and needles. Carry it with you, just in case.”

  “Just in case what?” Ari stepped forward and took it anyway.

  “Gaea didn’t tell me. She said I would know when to use it, and you would have it.” He shrugged. “Doubtful, since I’m not staying, however I know better than to go against the wishes of a Goddess. She wanted you to have it so now you do.”