Of Gaea Page 21

  She didn’t go into the house when she got home. Ari walked around the back instead and stretched out on her stomach in the grass. She felt complete closer to the earth. It had been the same way in the forest with Nasya.

  “What troubles you?”

  Speak of the devil. When Ari looked up she looked right into Nasya face. She mirrored Ari’s reclined position in the grass.

  “Half truths.” Ari crossed her arms and rested her chin on them.

  Nasya smiled. “It is better than no truth.”

  “It’ll still get me killed.”

  “True.” She closed her eyes and seemed to nap. “What have you done to learn the whole truth?”

  “I spent time with you.”

  “I only teach the gifts and protect. Such is my role.” She responded without moving. “You are doing well too. No uncontrolled weather anomalies or unexplained phenomena. Good job.”

  “That can’t be all it is. A skill and a statement that I can become Gaea. That’s not all of it. It doesn’t tell me why I can do it, or to what purpose or how.”

  “But it’s a start. You can’t run before you walk Ari.”

  “I’m ready to jog at least.”

  One of her eyes cracked open and she studied her. “Why not ask Gaea?”

  “Should I answer cynically and say, I am Gaea.”

  She laughed softly. “You know so much already. And yet so little. I’m sure if you look inside yourself, you’ll find that you’ve always had the answers you needed.” She leaned forward and kissed Ari’s forehead. “Gaea holds you safely.” She stood and walked away.

  Ari laid there a moment longer before she pushed slowly to her feet and went into the kitchen. A box of salt, a bowl of water, a candle, some dirt, and a fan later, she was back in the yard trying to meditate.

  Nasya had said to look within herself. The only way she knew how was to meditate. Maybe she didn’t mean it quite so literally, but there was no harm in trying. If nothing else, meditation would help Ari find the balance she has been sorely missing the last few weeks.

  Ari had briefly dived into the world of meditation sometime during physical therapy. Briefly, because when Ghita found out the physical therapist was using a “less than conventional” method, as well as the muscle stretches Ari couldn’t feel, she had put a stop to it.

  Ari didn’t bothered referencing the book Leonidas had given her. She wanted to see if she could do this on her own without help from anyone. She needed to prove that she could be independent. Even so she had vaguely remembered a page of the book, key term being vague, there had been a circle and four points marked out along it. Ari had roughly, very, very roughly recreated it with the stuff she pilfered from the kitchen.

  Ari sat in the center of the rough circle, legs crossed, and hands on her knees with her eyes closed, breathing evenly and slowly. This was as far as she had gotten with the physical therapist.

  She felt Sasha sit at her back on the porch with Kleisthenes. She felt Nasya nearby. Surprisingly she felt Leonidas close too. Close enough to interfere if he wanted. None of them bothered her, or changed her awareness. If anything, it made her slightly more comfortable that they were so close. She wasn’t sure what was supposed to happen, but it happened automatically.

  Ari still sat in her yard with eyes closed but all the little things; the nuisances of life faded away. They faded away until nothing was left but herself. There was nothing but silence and her.

  “They’re just trappings you know.”

  She wasn’t startled to come face to face with Gaea. She was trying to look within herself and Gaea and all her splendor was a part of her. Ari was relieved that it actually worked.

  Gaea mimicked her like a mirror, right down to the clothes she was wearing. It was a reminder that they were essentially one in the same.

  “What is?” Ari asked her.

  Gaea gestured to the circle. “You don’t need it, but it’s good that you have it. You’re not as safe as you should be.” Her eyes clouded with her words.

  “There’s something you’re not telling me. Something everyone isn’t telling me.” Ari didn’t bother beating around the bush. “Madame Erelah said I can’t make the claim I want without my guardian, but that doesn’t make sense; I have Sasha. And what claim? I claim at nothing, what I am doesn’t change regardless of words.”

  She looked away for a moment. Sorrow clouded her face and she sighed, a sad and pained sound. “I wish he understood it in that way as well.” Her eyes came back to Ari’s. “Sasha has no touch of Gaea.”

  Ari nodded slowly. “I know that.”

  “The Claim as you so put it is done between you and the one touched by Gaea to protect you. Or so that is how it is written. It’s been so long since anyone has made it to the point you are at now.”

  “So all this is futile. I was never assigned a guardian.”

  “You would have been assigned one at birth.” She touched the tattoo on Ari’s hand. “He’s already helped you.”

  Ari nearly lost the peace necessary to maintain the meditative state. “Leonidas?” It was said in a horrid whisper. “He doesn’t even like me. He said he was going to let me die. I thought he wasn’t being serious…”

  “There’s a rule you know, to being a guardian. He must be born with skills of Gaea and on the same day you are. When was Sasha born?”

  Ari sighed; it relieved some of the tension that had built up and had balanced her meditative state. “You know.”

  Gaea smiled. “I do. What you do is not futile. I believe you have what it takes or I would not be here. Or you would not have that.” She touched Ari’s forehead.

  “Leonidas doesn’t believe. He… he thinks I need watching every time I try something. Some faith.” Ari muttered.

  “Usually it is an Envoy attached to a Child of Gaea. So they can learn together and he can balance as well as guard her. He says it, I think, because he waits for you to ask him for help.”

  “He’s a rude, surly man. Why would I voluntarily ask him for help?”

  “In the end, without him, we will not exist.” Gaea touched both Ari’s hands. “It doesn’t matter that he does not love you or what he allegedly gave up. You have Sasha for that and I fully support him. There are places in this world even I cannot go and an Envoy would be at his weakest. Leonidas isn’t ideal, and really, I could care less what his end results are. What matters is you need him. If for no other reason, he is the means to an end. You don’t have to like him; you don’t have to be nice to him. Just ask him to help you and tell him what you’re trying to do. He will be able to help with the rest. Pride, my child, is not just man’s greatest sin.” She kissed Ari’s forehead. “I am with you. Always.”

  Ari sighed, but this time it was from fatigue and worry. When she opened her eyes she was surprised to see another day had gone. The stars shone brightly in the sky and the moon announced her birthday was only one short phase away.

  Her arms cracked and her shoulders popped when she stretched. Before she could push herself off the ground a hand filled her vision. Ari followed the open palm up the arm to Sasha’s neutral face.

  “Let me help you up.”

  She put her hand in his and let him pull her to her feet. Her hip joints, knees, and ankles all cracked on the way up. Painfully. Ari would have fallen if Sasha hadn’t picked that moment to hold her tightly.

  Ari held him back and inhaled his scent. No matter how she said what needed to be said, it was going to hurt him. She drew back slowly and waited for his eyes to meet hers.

  “I spoke to Gaea.”

  He nodded. “Da said not to disturb you. That you were probably in a conversation that shouldn’t be interrupted.”

  “I need Leonidas.”

  He flinched as if she had hit him. His arms dropped from around her.

  “Not like that.” Ari grabbed his hands. “Definitely not like that. You know don’t you? You know that…”

  “He’s the one that was chosen to guard you. Yes
, I know.” Sasha said quietly. “It’s the real bone of distrust between us. I protect you willingly and he has no choice. It’s like a reflex or a compulsion. The power of Gaea in him propels him to act when he’d rather not.”

  “That’s why he’s always so angry.” Ari murmured. “He has no free will and you,” she studied him carefully, “you chose to be what he is trying hard — and failing might I add — not to be. That probably angers him further.”

  Sasha sighed, “That’s not all of it of course. He has this ability… to know where you’re at all times. He ignores it, of course, or blocks it out, but if he wanted to, he could pinpoint your exact location no matter where you are.”

  “Annoying.”

  “Useful, if you were to go missing,” Sasha corrected.

  “I need him, not for who he is, because that’s obviously lacking, but for what he can do. Madame Erelah circled around, a ritual, or something that requires him. And just now with Gaea, she did the same thing. Neither of them said what exactly. But Gaea hinted Leonidas knew.”

  “He probably does. We can go see him in the morning. You’ve been meditating for the larger part of the day. You need food and sleep.”

  “Sasha, Leonidas hates you.” Ari pulled away slightly. “You can’t go. He probably wouldn’t even admit me if you came. I, at least, have a chance of getting in if I’m alone.”

  “You also have a chance of getting killed if you’re alone.” Sasha let go of her hands. “I’m not letting that happen.”

  “I’ll take a cane, and Nasya. I’ll be fine.” Ari turned and walked towards his house knowing he would follow.

  “That’s not good enough. At least let me walk you there.” He fell in step beside her after picking up her bag that still sat on the back porch undisturbed. Ari had nearly forgotten Ghita had set it there.

  “I can’t Sasha. You know I can’t. I would love to have you walk me there. I would, but I have to try and get this information out of him, without him sulking about you.”

  He kicked at a rock. “I hate it that you’re right.”

  “Trust me, I hate it too. He’s so damned insufferable. Why was he chosen?”

  Sasha offered his hand to help her up the stairs, and held the door open. “He wasn’t always like that. When we were younger he was… different. Still a prick, of course, but more like — I am what no one else is — type prick. When Thalia died… well, she was his light.”

  “Who’s Thalia?”

  “Leonidas’s sister.” Kleisthenes answered from the doorway of the kitchen. “Go clean up. I’m about to start cooking.”

  Ari gave Sasha a look as she passed him for the hallway. He shook his head and moved into the kitchen. It left Ari dying of curiosity as she showered and changed.

  Sasha moved into the kitchen to take the plates down as Ari walked away.

  “It’s best for now, if she only has one problem to worry about.” Kleisthenes commented after he heard the water kick on for the shower. “Sparta can survive a bit longer without her.”

  “I think it’s important she knows why Leonidas is so distant.” Sasha replied as he gathered together the silverware.

  “His heart is broken, Sasha. He still mourns and he has every right to. For now, I think it’s best to let him fumble through it himself and let her worry about her.”

  “As you say. But if she should need the information…”

  “Agreed. Let it go for now.”

  They enjoyed a quiet and tensionless dinner, because they didn’t talk of anything Gaea related. Rather to her, it seemed like they were all avoiding it as they talked about everything else. It wasn’t uncomfortable; it left her able to pretend even for a few hours that everything was normal.

  She slept in fits, anxious for the sun to rise and wash the blood red sky of her dreams away.

  Ari greeted the sunrise with a cup of tea. She had given up on sleep around four A.M. There was no point in pretending. She probably would not get a full night of sleep until after her birthday, if she was lucky. If she wasn’t, well, the alternative was death. She’d get all the sleep she needed then.

  Ari finished her tea before preparing for the day. She braided her hair first, tightly, to keep it out of the way, and off her face. She didn’t have much in clothes at Sasha’s house but she had enough to be comfortable. Black tights tucked into calf high dark chocolate, heelless Timberlands. A smocked tunic dress, the same color as her boots completed the outfit.

  Not completed, per say, as Ari added a wide black belt that doubled as a small corset with the optional boning. The belt wasn’t a fashion statement as the pieces that looked like boning were actually pencil sized stabbing instruments. They could be slid out in seconds, if needed.

  When she opened the bedroom door, Sasha stood on the other side poised to knock. He smiled and held up a cane.

  Ari took it from him and studied it. It looked ordinary enough at a glance. It was less than three feet with a shiny, black finish. The unusual part was the script that circled up from the bottom and all the way to the top. It was barely visible though when she rubbed a hand over it, she could feel it clearly.

  “Twist and yank for the blade,” Sasha stated and Ari did as instructed.

  The blade was half the length of the cane and appeared deadly sharp. There was visible script running down the blade. It was extremely light as well.

  “I don’t think I’ve seen this before.”

  “Da had it shipped over from the Pantheon a few days ago. There are more things that came, but this is what you need now. A gift from Miera I’m told. She was thrilled to hear from Da.”

  Ari sheathed the blade and smiled sadly at him. “I wish you could be there.”

  His hand reached out and brushed her cheek. “Take a purse so you can at least have the cell phone if you need help. And you’ll have Nasya.”

  She nodded and stepped back into the room to do as he asked. Ari had to dig around for a bag. She wasn’t in the habit of carrying purses thus she had nearly given up on finding one in her closet when she found it wedged under the shoe rack.

  It was simple olive cotton about half the size of her messenger bag. Ari transferred the necessary contents from the messenger bag then as an afterthought found the bag she carried over from Leonidas. Her book, the ink, and Sasha’s herbs still sat at the bottom.

  She stuffed the book and the ink in her purse. Ari shouldn’t have been without them to begin with. The book was invaluable and the ink irreplaceable.

  Ari tossed the bag of herbs at Sasha. “From Leonidas. Boil one teaspoon, or was it tablespoon? Tablespoon. Yes, one tablespoon and eight ounces… or was it four?” She stopped to think about it. “One tablespoon and eight ounces. It’s going to taste foul he says, but you’ll be at full strength in no time.”

  He crossed his arms. “How do you know I’m not at full strength now?”

  “Because in the two… three days I’ve been home you’ve not spared with Kleisthenes or walked any of the mountain trails. And at the botanical garden, you seemed to wear down faster.” Ari smiled when he frowned. “I do pay attention, I truly do.”

  “Fine.”

  She slung the bag over a shoulder and situated it on her hip before walking over to him. She looked up at him and smiled sweetly. “Promise?”

  His arms uncrossed and his hands rested lightly on either side of her hips. “Promise what?”

  “When I leave you’ll take the first dose. I think he said every eight hours, it might have been four. I’m pretty sure I remember a four in there somewhere.”

  He sighed. Ari knew and he knew she knew that if he promised he would hold to it. Even without her around to see. Sasha would never break a promise to her.

  “Promise?” She asked again.

  “I promise to take the herbs,” he muttered.

  “Thank you.” Ari stretched up on her toes and pecked his cheek. “I’m going to get going. I want to be there and back as soon as possible.”

  “Sounds like a plan.
”

  Sasha walked her out and waited on the porch until Nasya appeared. She hadn’t really intended to call Nasya but with Sasha waiting she didn’t have much of a choice.

  Nasya rose out of the ground like some kind of zombie or mud man. Ari smiled as she dusted off.

  “Can I leave now, Da?” She looked back at Sasha smiling but he wasn’t.

  “Be very careful. And at the first sign of anything fishy you call or come right back.”

  Ari nodded. “I’ll be safe.”

  “Gaea protect you.” He turned and strode into the house. The door slammed behind him.

  “I will.” She murmured softly. It was kind of pointless wasn’t it? To ask her to protect herself. Twice.

  “What’s his problem?” Nasya asked once the slam of the door finished echoing.

  Ari shrugged. “I made him promise and he’s not happy about being left home.”

  “Ah.” She linked arms with Ari. “Shall we go, then? The sooner we get back, the sooner his black mood will withdraw.”

  “Let’s go.”

  Ari had a pleasant surprise when the cane struck the sidewalk. It was like a tuning fork or a lightning rod. She could feel the earth without the muffle that her shoes caused. It was very much like being barefoot. The cane was an amplifier. She wondered if Sasha knew. Kleisthenes probably did.

  They walked in companionable silence. There was no need for words between them. It was weird but at times Ari would swear Nasya could read her mind or at least her body language very well.

  Outside Goddess Ink they both paused. Something felt off. Ari couldn’t place it; the building looked as it always did. But there was something, well, off about it. It was weird to think it, but the place felt silent rather than alive.

  When Nasya stepped forward she grabbed her arm. “It doesn’t feel right.”

  “I know.” Nasya loosened her hand. “There’s a side door, in the glass of the solarium. You go in that way. She gestured to the front door. “I’ll go in this way. Meet in the middle, yes?”

  “Sasha wouldn’t like us splitting up.” Ari countered.

  “No, he would make you wait here, whilst he investigated. I’m giving you something to do. Only a fool would tangle with Leonidas’s plants.”