Anne Bishop - Bridge of Dreams

“So the enemy is among us, wearing the face of a friend.”

“The most dangerous enemies usually do,” Glorianna said softly. “That’s why I’m not going to establish other borders or boundaries between Tryadnea and my other landscapes. If there are wizards hiding among those who govern the Tryad, I can’t risk them reaching my pieces of the world—especially Sanctuary. I can’t risk them finding Caitlin when she’s tending her landscapes. We won’t even know a wizard is there until…” She clamped a hand over her nose and stepped back from the flower bed as a stinkweed poked out of the ground. “All right, we will know now that there is a plant that will warn us. Ephemera, get that out of my mother’s garden and shift the wind so the smell blows away from the house.”

Medusah stared at the flower bed. “Could that plant grow in Tryadnea?”

“At this point, I think it will grow anywhere.” Glorianna lowered her hand and sniffed. The plant hadn’t been there long enough to stink up the area too much. “If no one else understands the significance of it suddenly appearing, you’ll have your warning that a wizard is nearby.”

Medusah hesitated, then submerged as Zephyra came into view. “Is there nothing you can do for Zhahar and her sisters?”

“Their life, their journey, their choice.” Glorianna lightly touched Zephyra’s arm. “It may take them a while, but they’ll find the place their hearts recognize as home.”

“Then we will return to Tryadnea to consider all we have learned. And we’ll hope that someday we will have news of Sholeh Zeela a Zhahar.”

“Travel lightly, Morragen Medusah a Zephyra.”

“And you, Glorianna Belladonna.”

Glorianna wasn’t sure if the Tryad wanted to say more or just didn’t know how to leave after everything that had happened in the past couple of days. She did notice how Yoshani and Teaser were suddenly available to escort Zephyra back to the border between the Den and Tryadnea. And she noticed that her mother didn’t come out of the house until Zephyra was gone.

“What do you think?” Glorianna asked, linking her arm with Nadia’s.

“Are you asking a fellow Landscaper or your mother?”

“My mother.”

“She’s hurting for her children. As a leader, I think she recognizes that her people might be harboring a deadly enemy—and that must be a terrible and frightening realization. And as a woman, I think she’s hoping that, by being cut free of their people, Zhahar and her sisters will find the heart magic that has been eluding the Tryad for so many years.”

“If Zhahar does find it, the Tryad who were merged or forced to sacrifice siblings because of some archaic law will be bitter, maybe even destructive.” Especially if some part of them answered to the Dark.

“Yes. I don’t envy the a Zephyra Tryad.”

“Nor do I.” Glorianna hesitated, struggling to say the words. “Do you mind that I have two aspects?”

“Aspects.” Nadia smiled. “We have a way to describe it now, don’t we? No, I don’t mind, and even if I did…” She shrugged. “Your life, your journey, your choice.”

She felt the currents of Light become a little stronger, so she laughed and said, “How long are you going to wait before you give Lee one of the young keets as a housewarming present?”

“He doesn’t want a keet.”

“He didn’t want a keet. Now I think having one would be good for him.”

Nadia said nothing. Then, “The youngsters I have now will be leaving for their new homes in a few days, but Jeb is building a couple of cages that might suit Lee’s new residence.”

“So he should be settled in well enough by the time you’re looking for homes for the next brood?”

“Exactly.”

Laughing, the two women walked back to the house.

They didn’t sleep that night. They simply stared at the big traveling bag that would hold everything they could take with them.

Twice Zhahar pulled out the Three Faces and the Third Eye, the spiritual symbols of her people, intending to leave them behind. But it wasn’t the spirit of her people that had failed her; it was the people themselves. So she tucked the Three Faces carefully into the bag, then studied the three-eyed goddess. One eye to see intentions, one to witness actions, and one to see the heart.

“Watch over us,” she whispered as she tucked that into the bag too.

=It’s almost time,= Zeela whispered.

*Where is Sholeh?* Zhahar asked. *She needs to be with us when this happens.*

=Let her rest a little while longer.=

*She won’t have much of a life in a dark place.*

=Probably not. But we’ll do what we can for all of us.=

A tapping on the guest room door. When Zhahar answered it, Nadia stood on the other side.

“Ready?” Nadia asked kindly.

No. “Yes, we’re ready.” Zhahar hefted the bag, grunting a little at its weight. *I hope we don’t have to lug this very far.*

Zeela didn’t answer.

“You already have plenty to carry, but I made up a pack that has water and enough food to last you for a day or two.” Nadia handed her the pack and briefly touched Zhahar’s cheek. “Travel lightly.”

=She says that and then weighs us down a little more,= Zeela grumbled.

Or maybe it was an attempt at humor, since Zhahar could feel Sholeh’s presence now.

“The others are waiting outside to say good-bye,” Nadia said.

She didn’t want to see them, but it occurred to her that people fated to receive Heart’s Justice usually didn’t get a send-off. So she thanked Nadia for the food and walked outside.

Michael and Yoshani were waiting just outside the door. Michael held up another pack. This one was big enough to hold the food pack and more. When he slipped the food pack into it, she heard the clink of coins.

“Yoshani and I were doing a little weeding last night and unearthed this stash of coins. We thought having a bit of gold would smooth the way once you get to where you’re going.”

“Be well, Sholeh Zeela a Zhahar,” Yoshani said. “I hope we meet again.”

She blinked back tears and walked over to where Lynnea and Sebastian waited.

“Here,” Lynnea said, holding out a book. “I know you can’t carry much, but this is my favorite book of stories. I thought Sholeh would enjoy them.”

“Glorianna is waiting for you at the edge of the road,” Sebastian said. “I’ll walk you up there.”

He took her elbow before she could decline the offer. As soon as they rounded the corner of the house and were out of sight of the others, he stopped and slipped a small cloth bag into the pack.

“One-shot bridge to the Den,” he said. “Heart’s Justice is supposed to take you where you’re meant to be, so you’re supposed to handle whatever hardships come your way. But if you’re in danger, Zhahar, if your lives are at risk, Sholeh or Zeela can use the bridge to cross over, and we’ll deal with the consequences.”

“Thank you,” she whispered. “All of you.”

He kissed her cheek, then led her halfway to where Glorianna waited.

She walked the rest of the way alone—and not alone. One who was three. Three who were one.

There were a lot of things she wanted to say to Lee’s sister, but none of them were appropriate—and probably didn’t matter now.

Our life, our journey, our choice.

“Let your heart travel lightly,” Glorianna Belladonna said. “Because what you bring with you becomes part of the landscape.”

*What do we want to bring with us?* Zhahar asked her sisters.

::Hope,:: Sholeh whispered.

=Courage,= Zeela said.

*Heart,* Zhahar added. Then she said to the Guide of the Heart, “We’re ready.”