Diana Dueyn - The Big Meow

“So this list of dates,” Hwaith said. “If this is somebody’s appointment calendar we’re looking at – “

“I suspect it is,” Helen said, “though thinking about the kind of appointments that may be involved frankly gives me the creeps.” She pulled her phone out, put it on silent, and pocketed it again. “We need to decipher the dates and see what they point to. The Dark Lady seemed to be hinting at something that was supposed to happen soon, and my money says the dates on those pages are going to be germane.”

“’Ruah will work on it,” Rhiow said. “He’s best at working with ehhif symbology.”

“The Whisperer will be able to guide you in regards to how the Mayan and Azteca calendars were structured,” Helen said. “But just so you know: one way they organized dates was to group them in thirteen-day segments called trecena, and Tepeyollotl ruled one of those in particular. It was mazatl, the time of hunting one’s prey. If you see any references to that — ”

“Noted,” Urruah said. “I’ll see what I find.”

“You know a lot about this,” Siffha’h said.

Helen smiled. “I came late to my heritage,” she said, “but I made up for lost time when I got there. Meanwhile…” She stretched. “I’d better go get my meetings dealt with, and see what I can find out about Mr. Dagenham along the way. Where shall we meet later?”

“Back here makes most sense,” Rhiow said.

Off to one side a door opened, and a moment later Sheba and the Silent Man came through it. Sheba waved her tail in greeting at everyone and headed for the food dishes, but the Silent Man paused in the doorway, looking around at everybody a little oddly.

Did I hear music out here? Someone singing? It wasn’t the radio, either.

“I’m sorry,” Rhiow said, “yes, you did. That was Helen’s phone.”

Her phone. He looked at Helen. You have a telephone that you carry around?

She smiled and held it out to him. The Silent Man took it, turned it over in his hands, shook his head.“It’s fairly common where we come from,” she said.

And they can all play music like that?

“They can do all kinds of sounds,” Helen said.

The Silent Man raised his eyebrows. Amazing, he said, handing Helen back the phone. Merman just premiered in that show on Broadway. I thought it might have some staying power —

“You’d be right,” Urruah said. “That song pretty much became the national anthem of Hollywood.”

The Silent Man nodded, then turned toward Rhiow and gave her a strange look. I had some weird dreams last night, he said, looking from her to Hwaith.

“I can understand that you might have,” Rhiow said. “How are you feeling?”

He looked thoughtful. Better than usual. You had something to do with that, did you?

“I did,” Rhiow said. “I’m sorry to have interfered.”

The Silent Man stretched experimentally, then grinned – a most unusual expression to see on him, for there was no emotion associated with it besides pure pleasure. Blackie, he said, you interfere as much as you want.

Rhiow bowed her head to him, while wondering when and how she would be able to tell him what she’d found and what she had not been able to do. Meanwhile, he said, what’s our order of business for today?

‘Our,’ Urruah said silently to Rhiow. I like this ehhif more and more. Though I also keep getting more scared for him…

“I’ll fill you in, cousin,” Hwaith said.

“But in short, we’ll be going back to Dagenham’s this evening,” Urruah said. “There’s dirty work going on up there, and we’re going to get to the bottom of it.”

The Silent Man nodded. I have some business to take care of today. In the meantime, my house is your house… and when you’re ready to move, let me know how I can help.

He headed back toward the kitchen, probably to start the first of the endless pots of coffee, and Hwaith went with him. “Cousins, I’m away,” Helen said. “Call me if you need me. I’ll be back after lunch with whatever news I can find.”

“Dai,” the People in the room said to her. Helen vanished.

“Let’s finish eating and be about our business,” Rhiow said. “Aufwi, I was going to ask you about the gate – “

“It’s acting up again,” he said, sounding almost resigned. “It jumped a quarter mile from its last location… and maybe with reason. Did you feel the little earthquake this morning?”

Rhiow shivered. “No. And maybe that troubles me more than feeling it would have. The thought that I might actually get used to such a thing — !” She licked her nose. “No matter – you and Hwaith and I should go look at it, since ‘Ruah is going to be busy with the data Arhu brought back.”

“What about us?” Siffha’h and Arhu said in ragged unison.

Rhiow spent a few moments considering her options before she answered… but they were limited. “Back to Dagenham’s,” she said. “But not both of you. Sif, your power levels make you stand out too much, and I’m starting to feel paranoid about our comings and goings there attracting too much attention…especially when we have to return tonight. And besides, I have something for which I’ll need you here. Arhu, go back to that room, get in touch with those documents and find out where they originated – then come straight back. And while you’re there, do me a favor. Refrain from the Eye at all costs.”

He stared at her. “Why? Why shouldn’t I – “

“I don’t know,” Rhiow said. “No one whispered it to me, if that’s what you’re asking. I simply have a feeling that it’d be wise for you to avoid using it any further today.”

Arhu looked at her oddly, and Rhiow prayed briefly that he wasn’t going to start up another of his trademark power struggles. But, “All right,” he said after a moment, and without any further ado he strolled out through the French doors and vanished.

“You’re thinking that if an overshadowed wizard is somehow involved with these ehhif who’re meeting secretly at Dagenham’s,” Urruah said, “that he or she might pick up on Arhu – “

Rhiow flicked an ear and wandered over to the French doors, looking out into the back yard. “Best to be safe,” she said. “There was no wizard there last night, I’m certain. A mind that uses the Speech regularly leaves an impress on its surroundings that lasts a little while: we didn’t note anything of the kind. And we’d have picked up on any use of wizardry around us at the party that wasn’t to do with our own group. But if that person plans to be there tonight – who knows, they might be ready to stop in early to prepare something for the evening.” Rhiow glanced up at the sky, rapidly lightening into dawn. “The earlier Arhu gets in there and out again with the information we need, the happier I’ll be.”

She turned away from the window. “Now,” she said. “Siffha’h.”

Sif sat down, her ears erect. She looked a little unnerved, for Rhiow didn’t often call her by her whole name.

Rhiow sat down with her. “There’s likely to be trouble tonight, but not just at Dagenham’s or wherever. After we finish our business, whether in that house or elsewhere, we may have to escape in a hurry: and the spot we escape to will undoubtedly be noticed. Aufwi’s gone off to check on the gate again, but in a while I’m going to consult with him and Hwaith about where else we might securely and secretly den up for a short time. But for the time being, we have to protect the Silent Man and Sheba and the other People who come here. We need to set in a barrier that won’t need further attention, that won’t be immediately obvious even to a wizard looking for it, and that will hold even if we’re under attack or have to escape uptime. You know what powering that kind of spell is going to take.”