Caroline Spector - Worlds Without End

"You'd best not go," said Surehand. "I would look unfavorably upon it."

Aithne stopped, then turned again, slowly.

"And what is that supposed to be?" Aithne asked. "A threat?"

"No," replied Surehand. "I don't want you to let old personal matters hinder your judgment of these events. If you leave, you give tacit approval to any- thing we decide."

"Not if I leave under protest."

"The result will be the same. We will make a de- cision, and you will have to live with it."

Aithne glared at Surehand for a long moment.

"Very well. This woman," he said, pointing at me, "is a treacherous bitch and nothing she says can be trusted."

"So much for the impartial hearing," murmured Caimbeul.

"Your taste in companions leaves much to be de- sired," Aithne said to Caimbeul.

"People in glass houses," replied Caimbeul, look- ing pointedly at Alachia. Aithne glanced down and saw she was still attached to his arm. He jerked his arm away and stalked to one of the large arm chairs, where he flung himself down.

"All right," he said. "What's this all about?"

"Aina," said Lugh. "If you please."

Caimbeul gave me a little pat on the back, ther went and took a seat on the couch next to Ehran They began a subtle war of who could sprawl on tht couch most. Aithne refused to look at me, while Jenna and Sean whispered and giggled.

"As you all know," I began, "the magical forces have been on an upsurge for the past fifty or so years. Many of the old ways have returned, though there have been some unforeseen changes due to the technological state of this cycle. But that is neither here nor there.

"In the past, great surges of magic have drawn the Enemy to this place. The Therans solved this by leading the world into the darkness of the kaers for five hundred years. But we all know the prices paid for those choices."

I paused for a moment and glanced around the room. Ehran's expression was carefully blank. Caimbeui gave me a little wink. Alachia yawned and looked bored.

"There have been two serious encounters with the Enemy in past months," I said. "Caimbeui defeated them on the metaplanes. Then, more recently, he told me about the encounter on Maui where the En- emy actually managed to get through a portal opened by kahunas of a tribe there during one of their blood rituals."

"Did he say he actually drove them back?" asked Ehran. "Aina, you know how he likes to take credit for things he had nothing to do with."

"I don't recall you being there," said Caim- beui.

"News travels fast. Harlequin," said Ehran. "You always were a braggart."

"Would you both just stop," I said. I paced a bit.

This was why I avoided them. All this petty bicker- ing. We'd been in and out of each other's lives for so long that everyone knew each other's sore spots. Where to poke and prod. And yet, we still kept com- ing together again.

"Who did what isn't important," I said. "The point is, the Enemy is coming back. And they're coming too soon. This world isn't ready. Its peo- ple don't understand a damn thing about what's happening. And we certainly haven't prepared them."

"What do you think the Tir is?" asked Alachia. "We're creating a place where the strong will sur- vive."

"You mean where the elves will survive and ev- eryone else on the planet can shift for themselves," I said.

"What's wrong with that?" asked Jenna, ever her mother's daughter.

"Well, if you don't mind billions of innocent peo- ple suffering unimaginable deaths," I said.

"Innocent blood has never bothered you before," interjected Aithne.

I looked at him and narrowed my eyes. As though his loss had been greater than mine.

— "Things change," I said at last. "So do people. Most people. But this is all beside the point. This isn't some academic discussion. I believe that one of the Enemy is already here. I don't know how he managed to come across. Perhaps in Maui. Or may- be there is another point of entry. All I know is that he is here."

There was a hush for a moment, then everyone began to ask questions. Lugh called for them to calm down.

"How do you know it's the Enemy?" Lugh asked.

"He has contacted me," I said. "First, there were dreams. Then I received a telecom communication. Two nights ago he attacked us in our hotel room here in Portland."

"What do you know about this. Harlequin?" asked Surehand.

"Just what Aina has told you. You know about the events in Maui," he said. This surprised me. I didn't know he'd told them about Maui. "I was there when the call came to Aina's place in Scotland. And I was there when it attacked us in the hotel room."

"Perhaps it's just one," said Sean. "It would be easy enough to deal with."

"I don't see what the big fuss is about," said Ala- chia. "We've defeated them before. We'll defeat them again."

"Haven't you heard a word I've said?" I asked. "It's too early for them to be coming through. We're not ready. The world isn't ready. You've spent so much time playing at politics and nations that you've neglected the important things. It's as though we've left nuclear weapons for cavemen to play with. These people don't understand what's at stake. And they certainly don't comprehend the nature of the powers they're dealing with."

"Now we get down to it," crowed Alachia. "All this time going on about how much more pure and noble you are than us. You just don't want anyone using the power. What's the matter, Aina, scared someone will tread on your magical toes?"

I glanced over at Caimbeui, but he was busy try- ing to annoy Ehran. "No," I said. "But these magical spikes seem to be attracting the Enemy. As long as people capriciously use blood magic, the risk will grow."

"You would know about blood magic," said Aithne.

"Yes, and you should be smart enough to lay aside your hatred of me to see the larger issue at hand. We must stop this one and prevent the rest from coming through."

"I think you're overestimating the danger," inter- jected Alachia. "Perhaps your experience is tinting / your perspective."

"Besides, we have plans," said Laverty. "Now is not a good time to reveal such secrets."

"Have I been shut up with a bunch of lunatics?" I shouted. "You don't pick when the Enemy comes. They will come when the circumstances are right. The best we can do is slow that event down. Which means we must act now."

I stopped then, realizing they weren't listening to me. They were staring gape-mouthed at something behind me. Slowly, I turned.

A vortex of smoke was whirling up out of the floor in front of the fireplace. A shape uncoiled from inside the smoke and stepped forward. Ysrthgrathe. Hanging limply in his arms was Glasgian Oakforest.

"I do so love to make an entrance," he said as he dropped Glasgian on the floor. "But I know bet- ter than to overstay my welcome. Aina, it is so good to see you again. See, I've brought you a little present. I shall see you soon, my dear. 'Til we meet again."

Then he disappeared.

Lances of arcane fire cut through the space where he'd been a moment before. Aithne rushed to Glasgian's side. Surehand called for his Paladins. Sean and Jenna hovered behind Aithne asking if they could help. Ehran and Caimbeui had that odd, distracted look in their eyes, the faintest traces of energy crackling around them.

I turned away from the sight of Aithne holding Glasgian's limp body. It was then that I saw Alachia's face. She had a small, knowing smirk on her face. And a notion so terrible filled my mind that I immediately pushed it away. I couldn't think such a thing. Not even of her.

I spun away from the sight of her. Now Glasgian seemed to be coming around. When he saw that he, was in his father's arms, his face crumpled and he I began to cry. Aithne cooed and cradled Glasgian in his arms until his sobs diminished into irregular hic- cups. At last, Glasgian seemed to fall into another kind of stupor.