Salusan, there was no guarantee of finding it. Still, it was the closest she’d ever come. “It might have taken years to set it up. Damn! If I get my timing wrong, I put Keir’s life at risk. I can’t interfere with anything that might prevent his ancestor’s creation.” She shook her head. “Unfortunately that includes doing anything terminal to Rulk.”
“Paradox?”
“Yes. I’ll get stuck in a permanent loop.”
Surei tilted her head. “So what will you do?”
“Try to get it right?” Quin groaned. “Hades, I’m tired. I really need to sleep.”
“Then do. I’ll look up some more references, see if I can pin down a better date.”
Surei left the room and Quin relaxed into the molded mattress, taking one last look at Keir to reassure herself as she settled down to sleep.
* * * *
Something threaded its way through his hair and crept across his skull. Several somethings that poked and prodded as they moved, before they focused with increasing pressure on the area that ached the most.
Rats .
He shuddered, but even as it crossed his mind he knew the assumption was wrong. The movement was purposeful, not the scratchy skittering of small creatures. Nothing crawled across his face or dragged a cold tail over his skin. Someone was touching him with gentle fingers. Cool hands.
Keir opened his eyes, and a woman stared down at him. Her eyes widened and she backed away. Despite that, she did not seem anxious or alarmed, judging by the bright smile that revealed tiny fangs. “I’m sorry,” she lisped. “I was just checking on your injuries. Welcome to Lyagnius. I’m Taler, junior medic here.”
Keir glanced swiftly around the rest of the room, but Quin had gone. Without her guidance, he had no hope of following the customs or protocols of her world. He wished he could ignore the fanged woman–at least until Quin returned–but Taler gave him the impression she would stay put, waiting patiently for a reply, watching the entire time.
“I am Keir,” he ventured. “Where is Quin?”
“Around. She wants to see you as soon as you’re fit. I just need to finish my examination, if you don’t mind?”
Around? Keir’s stomach twisted into a painful knot. What did that mean?
He grasped a handful of the blanket covering his body. “You need to touch me for this examination?”
“I’m afraid so. I’ll do it as quickly as I can, I promise.”
After a brief pause, he nodded and she probed his scalp with gentle fingers. He flinched, but submitted meekly to her touch, despite feeling disturbed by her closeness. His old bravado, the ready threats of violence, rose into his mind but made it no farther. The need for them had been stripped from him as completely as his tattered robes.
“You heal quickly,” she commented as she worked. “There isn’t even a mark where you were hurt. How are you feeling?”
“Better.” He found himself staring hard at the girl, and her smile widened at his reaction, baring her fanged canines in a disarming fashion. She was mid-height and slim, her skin white as frost and her eyes nearly so. The purple hair formed a spiked crest over her face and she wore a simple tunic and trousers in pale blue.
Embarrassed that his fascination might be offensive, he looked away.
“I don’t mind you staring,” she assured him. “All the newcomers do it. You’ll find we’re a real mixture of races here.”
Keir shot her a look, wondering if she had read his mind. “Is there anyone here like me?”
Taler shook her head, her expression sympathetic. “No, but then there’s only me and Sky from my people, and Quin is the only human. It doesn’t matter though. We’re all strays here.”
“Strays,” he murmured, thinking how appropriate that was.
“Ah, don’t start feeling sorry for yourself. This is a good place. A good community. Most of us choose to stay here.”
Keir gazed at her, as intrigued by her words as her appearance. Were all the inhabitants here like her?
“Paradox?”
“Yes. I’ll get stuck in a permanent loop.”
Surei tilted her head. “So what will you do?”
“Try to get it right?” Quin groaned. “Hades, I’m tired. I really need to sleep.”
“Then do. I’ll look up some more references, see if I can pin down a better date.”
Surei left the room and Quin relaxed into the molded mattress, taking one last look at Keir to reassure herself as she settled down to sleep.
* * * *
Something threaded its way through his hair and crept across his skull. Several somethings that poked and prodded as they moved, before they focused with increasing pressure on the area that ached the most.
Rats .
He shuddered, but even as it crossed his mind he knew the assumption was wrong. The movement was purposeful, not the scratchy skittering of small creatures. Nothing crawled across his face or dragged a cold tail over his skin. Someone was touching him with gentle fingers. Cool hands.
Keir opened his eyes, and a woman stared down at him. Her eyes widened and she backed away. Despite that, she did not seem anxious or alarmed, judging by the bright smile that revealed tiny fangs. “I’m sorry,” she lisped. “I was just checking on your injuries. Welcome to Lyagnius. I’m Taler, junior medic here.”
Keir glanced swiftly around the rest of the room, but Quin had gone. Without her guidance, he had no hope of following the customs or protocols of her world. He wished he could ignore the fanged woman–at least until Quin returned–but Taler gave him the impression she would stay put, waiting patiently for a reply, watching the entire time.
“I am Keir,” he ventured. “Where is Quin?”
“Around. She wants to see you as soon as you’re fit. I just need to finish my examination, if you don’t mind?”
Around? Keir’s stomach twisted into a painful knot. What did that mean?
He grasped a handful of the blanket covering his body. “You need to touch me for this examination?”
“I’m afraid so. I’ll do it as quickly as I can, I promise.”
After a brief pause, he nodded and she probed his scalp with gentle fingers. He flinched, but submitted meekly to her touch, despite feeling disturbed by her closeness. His old bravado, the ready threats of violence, rose into his mind but made it no farther. The need for them had been stripped from him as completely as his tattered robes.
“You heal quickly,” she commented as she worked. “There isn’t even a mark where you were hurt. How are you feeling?”
“Better.” He found himself staring hard at the girl, and her smile widened at his reaction, baring her fanged canines in a disarming fashion. She was mid-height and slim, her skin white as frost and her eyes nearly so. The purple hair formed a spiked crest over her face and she wore a simple tunic and trousers in pale blue.
Embarrassed that his fascination might be offensive, he looked away.
“I don’t mind you staring,” she assured him. “All the newcomers do it. You’ll find we’re a real mixture of races here.”
Keir shot her a look, wondering if she had read his mind. “Is there anyone here like me?”
Taler shook her head, her expression sympathetic. “No, but then there’s only me and Sky from my people, and Quin is the only human. It doesn’t matter though. We’re all strays here.”
“Strays,” he murmured, thinking how appropriate that was.
“Ah, don’t start feeling sorry for yourself. This is a good place. A good community. Most of us choose to stay here.”
Keir gazed at her, as intrigued by her words as her appearance. Were all the inhabitants here like her?
Similar Books
