James Galloway - The Tower of Sorcery

"It was you," Tomas said suddenly. "You scared off the bandit."

Tarrin nodded. "I used Sorcery, totally by reflex, because I'd been in cat form so long that I couldn't remember quickly how to change back," he told him. "That's why the knife was hot. I burned him with fire, and he ran back out the door." He looked down at Janette. "That was when I realized that I couldn't stay here anymore," he added. "Because I was afraid that I'd accidentally hurt you, or my little mother. That's something that I'd never forgive myself for, if it happened."

"While he was gone, I understood what he had been going through," Allia continued. "They paid me so much attention that I felt very uncomfortable. Members of the Council would ask about my progress, and they began to watch me at all times. I do not see how Tarrin endured it. They were about to drive me mad."

"Well, at least now you're pretty sure that they want something from you," Eron said.

"I've known that for a while, father," Tarrin told him. "But now it's getting serious. After the fight, and the accident-" he winced and closed his eyes. The memory of that pain was still fresh in his mind, and he couldn't think about it without shuddering. "Now that I may not be any use to them, they may decide that I'm not worth the effort."

"They wouldn't do that!" Janine said in shock. "This is the Tower we're talking about! The katzh-dashi ! They've never lifted a hand against anyone!"

"The Sorcerers aren't what everyone thinks they are, Janine," Tarrin told her. "They're just as ruthless as any other organization with power, and they'll use that power. If I'm no use to them, they'll get rid of me. If only to keep me out of the hands of their enemies. I'm too dangerous to be allowed to run loose."

"I think you're jumping the bow, son," Elke said. "This is all just the Wikuni's conjecture."

"Yes, but if there's one thing I know about Kerri, it's that her conjecture usually ends up being true. That's one very smart little Wikuni." He shoved the tip of his tail into Janette's face, which made her giggle and try to keep the attacking appendage away. "We're going to be trying to find out what's going on, but it may not be easy."

"The Wikuni is setting up spies and information gathering," Allia said. "She seems very adept at it."

"It's how she survived," Tarrin told her.

"Hopefully, the actions will pan out for us," Allia continued. "Without us knowing what is going on, it puts us at a serious disadvantage."

"Have you heard any rumor about the light?" Tarrin asked Tomas.

"Some, but it's been mostly just rehashing of how it looked. I only heard one rumor that it was a bad omen, but there wasn't any real support for it, and they didn't go into detail."

"Well, something's going on. It's obvious now," Tarrin said. "We're doing our best to find out what it is, without letting them know that we know."

"What can I do to help, Tarrin?" Tomas asked.

Tarrin felt tremendous warmth and trust in the willowy man now. "At the moment, nothing," he said. "But it wouldn't hurt if you always kept a copy of your shipping schedule around. Just in case."

Tomas nodded. "I have six ships now, Tarrin. They're coming in and out all the time. I'm sure that any of them could handle a bit of extra passage."

Tomas understood perfectly. That was a tremendous load off his mind. Tomas would get them out of Suld, if it came to having to run. "You have no idea how comforting that is to me," Tarrin told him.

"It's always good to keep friends comfortable," Tomas said with a smile.

"How did you manage to get time to come here, Tarrin?" Eron asked.

Allia gave Tarrin a smile, and Tarrin laughed. "They didn't," he replied. "I gave myself the time off."

"They'll throw a fit if they find out," Eron laughed.

"Let them. Right now, they need me more than I need them. That lets me really push things."

"No doubt," Janine agreed. "Well, if you're playing hookey to be here, let's not waste your time with serious conversation that depresses you. Why don't we play some King's Castle? Your mother says you're very good at it, and I'm tired of Tomas losing all our games."

"I do not !" Tomas challenged.

"Then you be partners with Elke," she replied in a sweet voice.

"I'd rather have a chance at winning, Janine," Elke said, which made Tomas snort.

"I'll show both of you. Eron, do you hear this slander?"

"Oh, no, I'm not getting into this one," Eron said. "I'd have a very hard time trying to prove you don't lose by keeping us from losing."

That made both women laugh, and Tomas gave Eron a blistering look. "Then let's play Tarok," he offered.

"I hate Tarok," Janine objected.

"Precisely."

"You're very close to sleeping in the guest room, dear," Janine said in a dangerous tone.

"Put your money where your ego is, dear," Tomas said. "King's Castle. If me and Tarrin lose, I'll sleep on the floor tonight."

"You better make sure you find enough blankets," Janine said with a competitive grin. "Let's give my husband a backache, Elke."

"I think I can enjoy a bit in Tomas' suffering," Elke said with a nasty grin.

"That's mean, Elke."

"I'm Ungardt, Tomas," she told him. "We like being mean."

"I'll play, but I have other people to visit tonight," he said, giving Janette a telling squeeze. "Before it's her bedtime."

"Then I'll play for you, Tarrin," Eron said. "You visit with Janette. I'll put Tomas on the floor for you."

"He wouldn't do that!" Tomas challenged.

"Tarrin is half Ungardt, and my son, Tomas," Elke smirked. "He likes being mean too."

"You ruined it, mother. He'd have never known I would throw the game if you wouldn't have opened your mouth."

"Traitor," Tomas said sourly at him.

Tarrin just gave him a fanged grin, and that made the ladies laugh.

"This is cheating," Tomas growled. "I'm surrounded by people who want me on the floor tonight."

"You expected sympathy from this group?" Janine asked in feigned shock. "You need to wake up, dear."

"I would like to watch," Allia said. "I have never seen this game played before."

"I'll teach you the rules, Allia," Elke told her. "It's an easy enough game, if you're paying attention to what you're doing."

"Are not all games so?" Allia said, getting up as the adults started towards the card table in the far corner of the room.

"You come too, Jenna, so you can continue the tradition of female superiority in cards," Elke said, slapping Tomas on the shoulder with enough force to send him staggering forward. Sometimes his mother didn't know her own strength.

"Well now, it seems that I've got a certain little mother to catch up with," Tarrin told Janette, tapping her on the nose with the tip of his tail and making her giggle. "I've missed hearing all about your dolls, Janette."

"You don't care about my dolls," she challenged.

"I care about everything about you, little mother," he told her, pushing her off of his lap. "Now then, there's only one way that I can really visit with you."

"How is that?"

Tarrin reached under his shirt, and withdrew the small wooden toy that had been the main plaything in their many games. He dangled it from the end of its string, giving her a gentle smile, and then handed it to her.

"Oh, Shadow wants to play," Janette said with a beaming smile.

"Shadow does indeed," he told her with a gentle, loving smile, then he hunkered down and shapeshifted into his cat form.

Laughing, Janette dropped the scratched, battered wooden figure on the floor, and Tarrin pounced on it, feeling all his cares and worries melt away in lieu the pure simple joy of the game.

To: Title EoF

Tarrin and Allia returned to their room just before dawn. They had slept over at the house, Allia in the extra guest room, Tarrin at the foot of Janette's bed, and Tomas on the floor in the parlor. The sense of peace and calm of the house was still with him as they crept into their own rooms just before the other Initiates began to stir to prepare for the coming day. It had been very good for him, a night without any worries or cares, surrounded by the people that he truly trusted. He met Socks, his replacement, and had a long talk with the black cat with white paws about what was correct and proper, and what was not. Because Tarrin was Were, the cat listened to him, and would obey. Tarrin couldn't force obediance, but housecats held Were-cats in very high regard. Socks would behave now. He also got to see his family and Allia interact, and he was surprised. Allia fit in with them perfectly, and it was as if she filled the only missing piece. She was Tarrin's older sister, Jenna's confidante, and his parents saw her as the one child they had lost. Tarrin had had an older sister, named Alexa, but she had died in infancy, two years before Tarrin was born. Allia became that lost daughter, filling the only true hole in the hearts of his parents. And what suprised Tarrin was how totally comfortable Allia was with being adopted into Tarrin's rather unique family. Elke was a very strong woman, powerful, willful, and wise, and Allia respected her tremendously. Eron was a bit more laid back than his wife, easygoing and with a wit, a bit quiet and always speaking to the point, but he had a quiet calm strength that seemed almost unshakable. Eron was the rock from which the family built its foundation, and Allia had immediately understood that. Jenna was mystified by the ethereally beautiful Selani, and Allia had began to teach her the forms of her people more suitable for her small frame.