Chapter Ten #4
She narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. “Quiet you.”
“Sorry, I am a speaker, after all. It’s in the title.”
Emily chuckled. “Call me if you want to get started on the bodysuit Tam-or designed. You are going to be able to channel magic out of your navel if you want by the time I am done.”
“Weird art goals.”
Emily laughed. “Orcs get inked. Well, you and goblins. Your skin takes it well, and if Tam-or hadn’t warned me about you bleeding silver, I would have crapped myself.”
“Oh, am I still doing that?” She shrugged. “Silly me.”
Emily chuckled. “Well, your marks will glow silver when you activate them, but you will be able to pull what you need from the people you are pledged to.”
“She will need the marks of a shaman on her forehead.” Tam-or stroked her hairline.
“She has what she needs to get out of hospital. I gave you my address. Call me, and I will continue turning her into the shaman she was always meant to be.” Emily stood and picked up her kit, grinning as she left. “See you soon.”
They smiled, and a nurse came in, and then a doctor checked her out when she came back as normal as an orc, with her hand being held by her fixated male. So, her pulse was a little fast, and her colour was high.
The doctor was a troll, and he grinned. “So, our new shaman is a female. Excellent. It’s a pity you couldn’t have fallen for one of us. We are much more stable than flighty orcs.”
She chuckled while Tam-or sighed. “Can you sign her out of here?”
The doctor chuckled. “Of course. She needs to get a checkup in about a week to make sure that all traces of this effect are gone.”
Never eased herself to sitting. “Right. Great. Love a task list.” She looked at her hospital gown and sighed. “What are the odds of my leathers surviving?”
Elida chuckled. “They are being repaired. Your sister has brought a change of clothes.”
“Of course she has. Where is it?”
A bag was brought up from the floor at the base of the bed. She laughed and reached for the bag. The power coursing through her made her dizzy, and she tipped, but Tam-or caught her. “Power drunk?”
“Little bit. What did she send me?”
He grinned and pulled out leather and more leather. “She managed to get some shaman gear. I didn’t know we had a store for that in town. Oh. A note.”
He handed it to her. She read it silently and smiled. “They are from Matthias. He had this made for me when I came back in town during my thirties. He knew I would manage this eventually.”
She reached for the back tie, but it was open.
Right, the tattoo. She slid the gown down, and when her arms were free, she pinned it to her while she figured out the top.
It was a daring cut, lots of cleavage, and the upper expanse of her breasts was showing.
The closure in the back was a simple tie, but the tattoos were exposed.
Elida smiled. “I will leave you to it. He’s going to have to help you balance.”
Elida walked out of the room, and Never grabbed the skirt, eased off the bed, and Tam-or kept hold of her.
They got her skirt on, and he knelt to put on her soft leather boots. He grabbed the bag of personal effects and offered his arm. Never nodded and took his arm, letting him support her on the way out, as speakers were supposed to support their shamans. Well, slightly differently.
They stopped in and looked at the terribly thin Aida. She was asleep, and Coriven was next to her, holding her hand. Never asked softly, “How is she?”
The unicorn looked at her and smiled slightly. “Genuine rest. In the eight hours since you collapsed, she managed to eat a little. Twice. I can feel her getting stronger, but it will take a while.”
Never asked, “Do you need anything?”
“I am good. Elida said she and the girls will return with a change of clothing for me and bring me back to their place once I am ejected from this place. She’s also footing the bill.”
Cor frowned. “I will pay.”
Aida whispered, “No. They are probably watching your finances. They find you, they find me, and I am in no shape to fight right now.”
Cor said, “I will fight for you.”
“No. I am a liability until I recover, and that is going to take a while. I can keep them from putting another charm on you.”
“How did they the first time?”
“They used my blood to make it. It confused him, and with him subdued, you went under.” She whispered with a broken heart, “You looked through me. You didn’t see me.”
“I am sorry. So very sorry.” Tears coursed from his eyes, and Aida lifted a hand to his cheek, caught some tears, and brought them to her mouth.
She closed her eyes and smiled. “The tears of a unicorn. That’s helping.”
He smiled weakly. “I want to destroy them for what they did to you.”
She nodded. “I feel the same. Being hunted is not fun.”
Never spoke softly, “If you need me, call on me. I will be there. For now, I need to wobble home and commune with my given lands.”
“Elida said she would help me with clothes, funds, and a place to live.”
“She is good that way.” Never smiled. “I just met her, but she seems in tune with the wants of others.”
Aida nodded. “She is. I am also confident I am not giving her financial hardship. That helps me a lot.”
Never walked to her side and took the hand that Cor wasn’t clutching. “Get strong. Regain body condition, and I can teach you to fight.”
Aida smiled. “Really?”
“Really. My name is Never, by the way.”
“Thank you, Never. You kept me alive.”
“And now Cor’s heart beats for you, so I can get a break.” Never smiled.
Tam-or walked over and extended his hand. “It’s time to leave, Never.”
She squeezed Aida’s hand. “Tell Elida to put my number in your new phone.”
“I will, Shaman.”
Never flexed her hand, and her guide got going. He walked her out of the hospital and to the SUV with Cora and Abel-ur in it. They were getting a ride home.
Cora came out, hugged her, and said, “Stop giving too much.”
“I will try, but she’s alive, and I am alive, and I got some neat tattoos.”
Cora chuckled and stroked her cheek. “Get in the car, dumbass. You have to meet your clans.”
“Seriously?”
Abel-ur nodded. “Seriously. We all felt you tie to us, so now we will greet you. Cora has instructed me to tell you that there will be snacks.”
Cora nodded seriously. “I have been baking all day.”
“Uh. Do I still have to go?”
Never caught Cora’s hand before she could catch an ear flick. “No, no ear spankings. I have to save my calm. I am about to be touched by a whole bunch of people.”
Tam-or pulled her away and tucked her into the SUV. “Ear spankings?” His grin was irrepressible.
“What would you call it? She can’t really hurt me, so this is my vulnerable spot. Matthias thought it was hilarious.” She grimaced. “I don’t like it.”
He laughed and kissed her before closing the door.
They were on their way a few moments later.
She knew what she would be facing, but she was still surprised when they pulled up to a large house she hadn’t been to before.
Tam-or came around, helped her out, and held her hand in a dignified manner as they walked through the crowd of orcs, goblins, and trolls. They were excited, and the power flowed through her.
She let their power show through her skin, and she changed to have the slate grey of the trolls and the black of the goblins in her hair, along with the dark pine green that was shades darker than her skin. She suspected that Cora had unravelled her hair.
They walked through the charged atmosphere of excited extranaturals. She was walked to the trees, and Tam-or smiled. “Join the land and greet your people.”
She nodded and stood up.
“Don’t you need to kneel?”
She looked at him and saw him back up a step. “No one kneels for nature.”
Never extended her arms and let the flow of power through her loop back and into the soil and trees around her.
* * * *
Cora watched her sister cast her magic into the trees, the soil, and then.
.. her people. Her body made connections between her and all of those who would come to her in need.
Cora felt the light tag of power on her chest and another on her belly.
Abel-ur had one as well. Seconds after the contact, they felt the rush of being part of every living thing in the area. “Oh, wow.”
Through the wild energy, there was a thick and comforting wave, and that was Never. Cora grinned. “Yeah, there she is.”
Endless calm, endless compassion, and no sense of self-interest was the warm furnace of affection that was Never in all her glory.
Abel-ur said, “I thought she was a hunter.”
“She is. She hunts to protect, to find the lost, and to make sure that any violent interference stops when she is on the threshold. She works on helping folks pick their best future so they can be better people. She can do that here as well as out and about.”
Abel-ur chuckled. “I think our clan just got a huge boost.”
“Yah think?” She chuckled. “You might want to apply for a conservatorship of the forest and river beyond. It will give the clan a tax bonus and give me a place to stretch my horns.”
Abel-ur smiled. “You think?”
“Yes. I also have to make a bower for when the baby makes its arrival.”
“You are really...”
“Yes. Never knew before I did. Our senses overlap a lot.”
“Why is that?”
“We were pulled through together. I believe we are outworlders. We are too muddled to really determine it. Matthias tried to get folks to look into us, but wherever we are from, there is no going back. They tried, but no one could pinpoint our origin.” She smiled. “We are good here now.”
She took Abel-ur’s hand and walked him toward Never. She put on her horns in energy form only. “Thank you, Shaman. I thank you for your embrace and will relish your wisdom.”
Never smiled. “I will guard you and yours, within my clan.”
Abel-ur did the same and got the same response. They walked and stood to one side as the visitors came and repeated the words.
Never’s village was growing in leaps and bounds.
Iscorabella grinned. “This has been quite the eventful few days.”
“Regrets?”
She laughed. “Just not coming home and seducing an orc years ago. It was just the right thing.”
“Best timing was right now. I am the chief, and since you are a duo, Tam-or is single. He was locked in the moment he saw her. I confess to the same. You are a lovely dancer.”
Cora smiled. “We loved dancing as kids, and I went one way, and she went another. Both different but powerful.”
“So, what do you want to name our little half-orc?”
“I don’t know. We have to wait until we know if it’s male or female.”
“Can Never tell us?”
“She can, but she’s busy right now. Oh, I should get her a glass of water. She’s going to get thirsty. Hah. The trees are holding her up.”
Vines had wrapped around Never’s hips and legs, and they were holding her comfortably as she touched each one of those who had come to greet her. Tam-or walked back to her side and gave her a glass of water.
It took over an hour, but the touches and hugs were complete.
Locals had started a barbecue, and food began to arrive.
A variety of tables were set up on the flat stone patio, and four women closed around Never.
Tam-or made the introductions, and the ladies enthusiastically hugged Never, one by one.
“Tam-or’s family.”
“Oh. Oh, wow. Do you have family?”
He grinned. “I do. They are waiting for my signal. He has all sisters. I have all brothers.”
She laughed and then blinked. “Oh, you aren’t kidding.”
“Nope. Four brothers and sisters-in-law, and six nieces and nephews. I was considered to be well-anchored in our community when I fought for chief.”
“Yeah. Wait. Is that cloud of people yours?”
“Yup, and that is my father and mother and aunties. Buckle up. They are coming in.”
Three orcs surrounded Cora, shook hands, and then hugged her a lot.
The rest of the thirty relatives she had just acquired by virtue of the man next to her came in easy stages, and by the time they were done, folks were bringing her food and finding lawn chairs, and she picked her chair up and scooted toward Never.
She looked to her sibling and smiled. One more link to bind them, not that they had ever really been apart.
The Daring Claw Clan was about to get a boost they wouldn’t forget.