CHANGELING: Book Two in the Weaver Series Read online

  Kal stood and gave us both that look that said ‘I’m an adult and you need to quit playing around’ before he motioned at us with crooked fingers. When we were close enough, Kal pulled us into his chest for a quick hug then pushed us back by cupping our ears with his hands.

  “Your Leoght Cor will explain. Be patient and kind. I have missed having you near and I am sorry that I must go.” His eyes were sad but his smile was sweet.

  Dry lips brushed against our forehead and then he was gone in a puff of ozone that left behind an under-scent so refreshing it cleared my thoughts.

  Cass said, “We could make a killing on Earth if we bottled that. Who needs Prozac?”

  Mez held the chair back as if it were keeping him upright when we turned.

  “Would you sit with me, Leoght Cor?”

  I leaned our hip against the table and crossed our arms. “Why so formal now, Mez? Should I ask Cassandra to give us a minute?” My words were delivered in a crisp, perfectly even, pissed off tone.

  Cass snarled at him, “I don’t know if I should trust him, Sister.”

  He growled and slammed the chair legs against the floor. “I am trying to make this right, Silver. Please, please, please just sit and be silent for a moment. If my Sustor Cor would take my word I would appreciate her absence, please.”

  My sister warned out loud, “I’ll leave. If I feel a twitch of alarm from Silver I’m coming back and if you’ve lost control again we’re gonna kick you harder than Kal did.”

  Mez scratched the side of his head, wrinkling his nose. “Agreed.”

  Cass was about to shoot back that we didn’t need his damn agreement but I shushed her. She left so slowly I thought she might be impersonating a snail. I could feel her mental finger keeping a pulse on my emotions and it was reassuring. Mez waved an arm at the seat Kal had vacated and I shook our head.

  His grip on the chair back got so tight it cracked like it might break.

  “Are you going to throw the chair, too?”

  He realized what he was doing and straightened. “No, I am not. First things first, I need you to put your hair away and change your clothes if you are going to persist in being difficult.”

  I would’ve made some other smartass remark but Kal had said to be patient and kind to get answers so I ‘ported into our warren. The bed was neat as a pin, obviously made by Kal because we never folded the blankets under the sides of the mattress. A new rack of clothing was snug against the place the granite had swallowed Pez whole. Jaz had been true to her word and replaced every item that had been lost. Well, almost every item—the hastily tailored taupe robe Zik had made for us was still missing. I ran our fingertips over supple beaten gray leather before eagerly stripping out of the yellow and blue robes of the Aniy and tossing them on the bed. After I was fully dressed I dug around in the basket near the head of our bed and found a length of cord to secure the sloppy ponytail at the base of our skull.

  I felt Cass dodge in to get a feel for how things were going. “We haven’t even started talking yet, Miss Impatient.”

  She stayed serious. “He’s bigger but if we cheat we’re stronger and faster. If he acts up you don’t hesitate to take him out, Silver. Bindao or no—I’m not havin’ it.”

  I threw Mez’s earlier word back. “Agreed,” and she faded out.

  I chose to walk the short distance back to Mez but he was already standing in the tunnel waiting. He relaxed when he saw our clothes but frowned at our hair.

  “You’re being creepy.”

  He took a step forward then squeezed his eyes shut and ‘ported back to the chair he’d tortured earlier. The edge of the tunnel arch was smooth and rounded so I parked a shoulder on it, crossed one calf over the other and folded our arms. I’d had enough suspense.

  Mez blinked as if the clear his head and mumbled, “Sorry.”

  “Don’t be sorry. Just tell me what the hell your major malfunction is.”

  He spoke with closed eyes like it provided him some sort of relief. “When Aniy couple they do so with multiple partners to allay certain natural instincts that cause trouble. The Bindao changes the rules for us. Not only do we have no outlet with other partners, we have our species differences to account for. Physical cues make my body produce chemicals that tell me to copulate and when I resist them there are consequences. You have been giving my body every reason to quest for release for too long. If I seem territorial or creepy, that is why.”

  I started to feel pressured and my mind kicked into overdrive thinking of all the human male excuses throughout time to convince females they would die or suffer without sex. I stopped. Mez wasn’t human and I couldn’t treat him that way. He’d gotten in this mess trying to be something he wasn’t to make me feel better. I had a thought. “So go jump some willing Aniy bones and relieve the stress. I won’t be mad, Mez. It’s just a bodily function.”

  He ran a hand through his hair and pulled on a fistful of strands before he opened his eyes. “I already tried. My body will not respond to another. She was most unhappy with me.”

  Jealousy and hurt hit. I couldn’t get mad. This problem was real and he’d tried to take care of it without telling me what was going on, which was stupid but I might have done the same thing. “So what are you suggesting?”

  He dropped his hair and grabbed the chair back again. “Abstinence—my body needs to reset, which it may do if we stop confusing it. No more skin contact. No kissing. Keep your hair up. Wash your body in water with scented soap every day. Your scent is something that cannot be changed, only muted, but perhaps your body’s signals will stop firing, too, given time.”

  I blew a raspberry. “My signals aren’t firing. I don’t have signals. What are you talking about, Mez?”

  He looked down his nose. “Oh yes, Min Leoght Cor, you do. I noticed a few months ago that your scent changed. Your head may not be ready for us but your body is. Perhaps it is because you are a Singularity? A mutation would not be unexpected, especially if it made us more compatible.”

  I didn’t want to argue. The first chance we got we were going to do a full systems analysis of our body. Maybe that would explain why Cass and James had become so wily in the Web. My eyes found Mez’s dark glittering pools. “We start now.”

  He ground his teeth together, making a painful gritty sound. “Yes we do.”

  Chapter Twenty Three: Best Behavior

  Cass was not amused at the thought of my ‘signals’ for Mez being directly related to her get down make love sessions with James.

  At Mez’s insistence we went straight for the baths. Lil would just have to understand why we had to leave her out. Mez had stayed at the entrance with us until more bathers came into the coliseum and insisted we not get in a pool alone. He was taking the whole protection detail thing seriously. If not for the hormone issues we were having he probably would have insisted we bathe together with light fields engaged if it was allowed. We slipped into a pool with a group of older Imini who smiled in welcome but kept to their own side.

  My twin grumbled, “He’s being ridiculous.”

  The warm water lapped at our skin as Cass shampooed our hair with something that smelled like sandalwood and citrus combined. We exited the top pool with our group of charming little old ladies and accepted a towel from a waiting attendant.

  “Let him be, Sister. I think the whole ‘signals’ thing is messing him up but I also think Kal was wrong about it being the only problem. He’s got mommy issues out the wazoo.”

  I thought about the way Mez had frowned at our hair and said we looked like ‘them’ with our braids. If we were supposed to keep our hair ‘put away’ the only other alternative was to wrap it and we had no idea how to do that. In the changing room we bent over, letting the wet tangle of our hair drip on our feet and Cass made an attempt at a makeshift turban that fell over sideways as soon as we stood up.

  Reluctantly she thought. “We’re gonna have to ask Jaz, Silver.”

  Bummed I said, “Damn, that means
no more hair twirling.”

  Clothes claimed, fully dressed and gloves re-donned we met Mez at the entrance. He seemed more relaxed and his nostrils flared as we got closer, as if testing the air.

  Cass smarted off, “So do we still stink, Butthead?”

  He smiled, started to reach out to shove our shoulder then stopped mid-motion, “Only a little, Sustor Cor. It helps that your hair is wet.”

  Our face felt tight as we returned his smile.

  Cass threw out, “I forgot to tell you guys I spoke with Vel and he invited us over to eat. Do you want to head there now?”

  Mez carefully looped an arm through ours so we were linked without touching skin and immediately steered us in the direction of Jaz and Vel’s abode. Bending directly into someone else’s home was considered rude so we’d walk. Our much taller companion was making us almost run to keep up with his longer stride.

  I huffed, getting out of breath as our heart rate increased. “Are you that hungry, Mez? We just ate breakfast not that long ago.”

  He almost tugged us off our feet in his rush. “Mine was not fulfilling. Vel is a better cook than Elder Nyt’s finest chef any day.”

  My mind got quiet at the thought of him being forced to eat last this morning and we buckled down to keep up. The entry arch was smoothly sealed shut and we walked right past it by mistake. If they were expecting us, why was their home closed off? Every other aperture in the tunnel was open and we could hear the myriad puttering, murmuring white noise of other Imini living their lives.

  Cass asked, “Do we knock?”

  I pushed off into the Web and went in search of Jaz. Blackness and twinkling soft light tried to bewitch us to wander and I could feel random clouds of memories begging for exploration. I bulled through the temptation and redirected my thoughts to finding Kal’s Imini sister. Her pebbled gunmetal gray, dull mercury essence was vibrating like a subwoofer at a rap concert. Hesitant, knowing I was interrupting something; I tugged at her for attention.

  Jaz stilled then thought back, “Now is not a good time, Neces.”

  I persisted. “Vel invited us over to eat. Are we still doing that? Mez is starving.”

  If this was just a mother daughter spat I needed to break it up before it got too serious. I was hoping Jaz’s strict adherence to good manners would win out over whatever drama was being concealed by the granite.

  I added more bait. “We need you to show us how to wrap our hair properly, too.”

  Jaz’s dead planet sprang to life. “Give us a moment.”

  I burst back into the now reluctantly. It had been too long since I’d gone on a meander alone. My mind needed a good stretch without company. Cass caught my thought strand and tossed it around like a kitten with a string of yarn. I yanked it back to myself, irritated.

  Out loud, for Mez’s benefit I said, “They’ll open up in a minute.”

  An Imini couple went by us and gave long stares at the non-existent portal to Vel and Jaz’s household. It was unusual for it to be sealed off during the day. As a leader of the community Vel generally made himself available to anyone who came with a need. Gossip was being born in their eyes as we watched. I scuffed one of our feet on the ground.

  A tiny period of light about the size of a dime formed and then bloomed into a nine foot long oval in the time it took us to inhale once. Jaz motioned us impatiently inside. We hurried in. I looked around and all seemed well. Vel was in the kitchen nook tapping the pith but Lil was missing. I could feel eyes on us.

  Jaz closed their home against listening ears and prying eyes with a whisper of granulated malleable rock. She took in our damp hair and clicked her teeth.

  “So you finally have consequences for ignoring our ways I see. Today must be the day for consequences.” Her mouth turned down at the corners. “We have enough of our own trouble, do you bring more or a solution?”

  Cass flexed our lips and blinked in confusion. “Jaz, we don’t even know what you’re talking about. Vel invited us to eat and we’ve all missed his cooking so we hurried over. Where’s Lil?”

  Jaz grabbed a chunk of our wet hair from our shoulder. “You will ruin the skin and make it stiff.” She pointed a dark nail at Mez. “Stay here and no sneaking or spying while I make your Leoght Cor presentable—finally.”

  We’d never been in the warren Jaz shared with Vel. Lil’s room was no strange place to us but she was our friend so that made sense. We followed behind Jaz down the tunnel that shot off the open eating and living area. Her tunic had a blue gray tint from the glowing walls and her head wrap was an indigo that was almost black in the muted light. Watching Jaz walk was a lesson in strength. Each step was a decision with full commitment on her part, even with her missing pinky toe. Her hips swayed side to side and only one arm swung, the other stayed motionless by her other side. The muscles in her neck were well defined and the skin folded firmly when she looked back at us.

  Their warren was a surprise. Veins of gold, silver, and copper swirled like lazy suspended rivers across the high arched ceiling and the floor was covered in geometric designs of every imaginable color. Cass ran a toe over the patterns to see if they were painted on but we couldn’t detect any bumps or ridges that aligned with the shapes. The bed was covered by a thin gazebo cap of lacey design and it sparkled like diamonds. For all we knew it could be.

  Jaz went to a corner filled with slots completely stuffed with carefully folded head scarves and myriad supplies for sewing. A brown chair like the one in our own room was piled high with rolled wog skins waiting to be made into tunics and pants. Baskets with the tools of a tailor’s trade rested on the cushions.

  A muscled arm reached high to pull a deep purple square from a slot. She patted the pile straight before unfurling the rich plum with a flick of her wrists. We came closer when she beckoned. Cass couldn’t keep her eyes from straying everywhere, trying to drink in the quiet beauty that they must take for granted.

  Jaz instructed, “Bend at your waist and keep your chin tucked. I need to see all of your neck to cover your hairline.”

  Our vision became impaired as she draped the long rectangle of finely woven cloth over the back of our head to let the ends trail on the floor. Her fingers slid painstakingly along the edges, around our ears gently in an almost caress, and then on to our forehead. One hand stayed to pin the edges of the purple length in place and the other rearranged the still loose remains. It was relaxing. A feeling of calm reflection came over us and Cass released a small sigh of pleasure.

  We let go to concentrate purely on the moment. Jaz hummed under her breath, some haunting soft song, and we were drifting in a meditative state with a warm connected feeling in our gut. She took her time, moving her body in precise careful steps until her hands on our shoulders pulled us upright. Cass kept our eyes closed and we pretended for a fleeting moment that we were Lil and Jaz was our mother. It felt sad and foolish. The memory of our own mother was more than good enough. I raised our lids to dispel the shame of wishing for a different life. Jaz was double checking her work at the back of our head, still humming.

  I decided to press. “So, where’s Lil and what’d you mean about today being the day for consequences?”

  Jaz swallowed her music and came around to stand in front of us.

  Top lip curled she said, “My daughter is living dangerously with the Aniy. She thinks to play along with their games and become something more—a bridge between our people. Lil does not yet understand how little the Aniy think of the Imini. Her gemaetan will crush her.”

  Gemaetan meant dreams. I remembered Nyt’s comment from this morning and agreed wholeheartedly with Jaz but bit my tongue. I hazarded, “So you and Lil are fighting? Let me guess, you told her she looked ridiculous in her Aniy clothes with her hair braided then tried to force her to dress ‘properly’.” Cass made little quotation marks in the air and Jaz’s brow wrinkled in confusion at our mannerism.

  Jaz jerked back and sniffed. “Of course I did. You smell much better, Neces. Mez
should be able to stay in your presence longer now. I am sorry ones so young must deal with the Bindao. I do not understand Annis in this but one does not argue with life, one adjusts and makes do.”

  Cass shrugged, gave a poor imitation of a neck weave then wiggled our head to get a feel for the extra weight. “How do we look?”

  Jaz actually smiled. “Beautiful—for a short, small-eyed, pale Ellorgaest. This color is good for you, the brown in your eyes looks lighter, almost topaz. When you are back with Nyt just remember to ask Lil to help you until you can learn to do it yourself. It is important to keep your scent as contained as possible even when you are away from Mez.”

  I asked, “Is Lil in her room?”

  The other woman’s forehead wrinkled into full, evenly spaced rows. “She is. I am out of patience. Tell her I will refrain from speaking of the Aniy if she will come eat.”

  We followed Jaz out into the connecting tunnel and walked toward the wall that used to be Lil’s entry arch. I knocked on the hard porous surface to no effect.

  Cass volunteered, “Let me talk to her in the Web and you go keep Mez company.”

  I turned on a dime and headed toward the sound of Mez’s voice, “Can do, Sister.”

  Mez was speaking to a silent, nodding Vel with big animated sweeps of his arms to accompany his words. I leaned a shoulder on the tunnel wall to peek around the arch and watch him for a moment. There was a frenetic energy to his words as if by talking and being jovial he could avoid whatever was bothering him on the inside. I made up my mind to ambush him in the Web the next chance I got. He wouldn’t know what hit him. Just as I was about to join everyone else hovering around the pith, Cass exploded into our brain.

  “Silver, we’ve got a problem. I need you in here. Bend in now.”

  She sent an image of Lil’s room with exactly where we needed to go. Strangely, Lil was missing from that picture and then I realized without our body to pilot, Cass had to have fleshed with Lil to get an idea of where we should teleport. “Alright, hold your horses, Sister.” I focused and we ended up standing at the foot of Lil’s bed. The covers were depressed, an invisible someone was laying on them and then the depression moved.