She looked up at the healer and smiled. “That was wonderful. And fast. Thank you so much.”
“I’m training to work with the Militia Warriors. They don’t have enough women in the healers division yet, but we’re getting more assigned to the training program every day.”
Grace smiled. Things were changing everywhere. She knew that Horace, who took care of the Warriors of the Blood every night at the Borderland battlegrounds, had mostly men on his teams.
Leto offered her a hand and helped her to her feet. She swatted sawdust off the back of her skirt.
She was about to apologize when a short male ascender, bearing a clipboard and a headset, approached Leto. “Five minutes, Warrior Leto. All is ready for you.”
Leto thanked him then glanced around the group. “Ready for opening ceremonies?”
* * *
When Casimir folded to the gateway to Third Earth, he had half expected to see the park bench from his dreams. But no such thing. He stood in a large room with windows across one wall that had the capacity to see through a dimensional Trough, something he’d never experienced before.
He turned to look at the opposite wall, which held a set of thick-looking steel gates like something borrowed from a Mortal Earth maximum-security prison. Instinctively he knew that no one could fold into the space without prior permission, undoubtedly from the Sixth Earth gatekeeper.
The side walls of the space were paneled in a fine-grained wood but had no other adornments. The wall to his left, however, had a door that led to another room.
He moved back to the windows, which were curved and created part of the flooring. This portion of the windows could actually be walked on.
He moved there now and below, at a great distance, perhaps a mile, was what he knew to be the extensive White Lake Resort Colony that stretched the length of White Lake on both sides of the man-made body of water. Located on the west side of the White Tank Mountains, the lake was lined with over a hundred hotels and public gardens.
As he looked around, however, he caught a scent, something similar to Grace’s scent, yet different. He could smell a meadow now, yet this one seemed richer—as though it had blossomed with a thousand wildflowers all at once.
The trouble was, he liked the scent and the scent liked him so that he began to be aroused. He shook his head. He’d already had one difficult experience with the breh-hedden. He didn’t want another. But beyond that, what was the likelihood that he would be given a second chance at having something so profound as a breh?
He chose therefore to ignore the scent, believing it must be his imagination. As he looked through the window once more, he felt the presence of the Sixth ascender before he saw him.
When the old man materialized, he inclined his head to Casimir. “How do you do? I’m James of Sixth Earth. I’ve been the gatekeeper here for a few millennia.”
Casimir extended his hand, and James shook it.
He’d heard of James. Grace had told him the stories of Alison, who had met him during her rite of ascension. Apparently, this was the same ascender who had persuaded Leto to serve as a spy for the sixth dimension by appearing to defect to Greaves’s camp.
Casimir had several questions, most having to do with the portal to Third, so he launched in. “Were you the one who sealed off the third dimension from all the others?”
James shook his head. “No, that was Luchianne’s call. A bit before my time.” Luchianne was the first vampire ever and had ascended to Second Earth eleven thousand years ago. “When she saw the danger Third Earth presented to the rest of the dimensions, she made sure the portal was sealed.”
“Grace told me that Alison was destined to open the portal,” Casimir said. “Has the danger that Third Earth previously posed to the dimensions diminished?”
“No, the danger remains as grave as ever. However, what will be needed to secure Second Earth from the difficulties of Third is to have the portal fully opened. Your former friend Greaves has been slipping Third Earth death vampires through a breach in the portal that we’ve been unable to locate. If we open the portal, we can seal the breach and thereby ensure that no more of these extremely powerful death vampires can pass through the Trough from this point forward.”
Casimir frowned. “But if Luchianne closed the portal, why doesn’t she open it back up to set it straight?”
“Luchianne is a stickler for the niceties. She wants a Second ascender to open the portal, which sets a precedent that only Second Earth can open or shut the portal. She doesn’t want Upper ascenders to have command over any of the lower dimensional Troughs.”
Casimir thought that made sense. Autonomy from dimension to dimension had always been the law. “When I was in Beatrice’s redemption pool, I saw that I was to become a Guardian of Ascension—but who am I guarding?”
At that, James smiled. “Haven’t you guessed?”
“I haven’t got a clue.”
The smile broadened to a grin. “Leto, of course.”
Casimir’s jaw unhinged and his mouth fell open. “Holy fuck.” How the hell did he end up as a guardian to a man whose woman he’d stolen? He sighed. Sometimes Fate had a twisted sense of humor.
“All right, so I’m Leto’s guardian. How will this work? Am I supposed to rent a house on Second or something?”
“You can use this space if you like. Nothing can touch you here, although I should warn you that there is a female, a Third ascender who has worked for me for the past century, making sure the gate isn’t tampered with. She’ll show up from time to time. She serves as a Militia Warrior here on Third, so she’s very busy helping to keep the peace.”
Casimir thought about the scent he’d smelled earlier. Maybe it was hers. If so, she wore a very strong perfume.
“As for how you manage your guardian job, I presume you have a voyeur window, right?”
“Of course.” What Fourth ascender didn’t? “Are you saying you expect me to spy on Leto?”
“Yes, to a degree. I can see that you’re a changed man, so I hope you’ll show some good sense where both Leto and Grace are concerned. And by good sense, I mean discretion.”
Casimir smiled, though his lips tugged up a little higher on one side of his mouth than the other. In earlier times, he would have kept the window open constantly and savored every naked ass, male or female, he could find, the more action the better.
But now he knew what remorse felt like, and he knew that Grace would be appalled if she even suspected he’d been tagging after her with a voyeur window hoping to catch a glimpse of her locked in a joining with Leto. He couldn’t help repress a sigh. “A few months ago, this would have been a dream assignment.”
“Kind of sucks to be reformed, doesn’t it?” James offered.
Casimir met James’s gaze. He was short for an ascender, and all that gray hair led Caz to believe he wasn’t looking at James in his usual form. “You sound like you know where of you speak.”
James sighed. “I do. But I also know everything will work out just fine as long as I do what I need to do.”
“Are those words for the wise?”
James nodded.
“Fine. I’ll be respectful and stay focused on my mission.” He glanced around once more. “And I’ll make this area my home base.”
“It’s a good space. The door to your left leads to a comfortable suite with a bed, a kitchen, a living area, the usual.”
“Thanks.”
James gripped his arm suddenly. “Guard Leto. This is most important. Use your Fourth Earth hand-blast capability if you need to and don’t let him get killed. He’s critical for the future of Second Earth.”
“Understood.”
“And as soon as you can, present yourself to Madame Endelle as Leto’s guardian. Protocol demands that she accept your services.”
* * *
Leto held Grace’s arm pressed around his own as he led the group to the eastern side of the games where several sets of grandstands had been built. Diallo,
who oversaw all administrative aspects of the colony, had designated a box for Leto’s use throughout the three days. Militia Warriors were posted at each end of the box as well.
As he walked, he kept glancing at Grace. She was so changed. She wore a crown of several small silver stars, and her hair was in a beautiful cloud that floated over her shoulders and down her back. She wore makeup and jewelry but it was her outfit that had his body in an uproar.
The top was sexy as hell and cut low enough to make his tongue tingle. Her cleavage was exquisite. Her skirt rode low on her hips so that more than once, when he reached for her, his hand hit bare flesh. He found himself grateful for a pair of snug briefs and a kilt. Both hid a multitude of sins, big sins.
He leaned forward and looked down to once more catch sight of the blue gem at her navel. His tongue tingled again. The sensation this time sent a vibration streaking down his left leg. He hissed softly, waiting for the mirror sensation to attack his other leg. If it did, he had six minutes to get to his basement; Diallo would have to take over the opening of the warrior games.
Shit.
“What’s wrong?” Grace asked. She leaned close. He released her, but only to slide his arm around her. “Nothing. That is…” He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, then took a deep breath. “I’m okay.”
Your beast? she sent discreetly.
He met her gaze. Yes. I’m susceptible right now because you’re next to me.
She smiled, but in her eye was an unholy glint. I like your beast.
He guided her around a group of children. Your skirt and your blouse have my body desiring things I shouldn’t be thinking about right now.
She smiled again. Good.
Was this Grace?
He let go of her waist, because she felt too damn wonderful right now. He once more took her arm and was grateful to be distracted by all the well-wishers as he guided her toward the grandstands.
Several enormous screens, a PA system, and a number of cameras were set up to cover the events all up and down the valley as well as to send a secure live feed to the rest of the worldwide hidden colonies.
There were, however, no electric lights anywhere. Though Diallo, the creator of the system of hidden colonies, had perfected over hundreds of years the mossy mist that covered and protected all the colonies around the world, electrical usage was kept as low as possible. Dishes were washed by hand and clothes hung on lines to dry. Gas stoves were used instead of electric. Gas generators were the order of the day, and solar was gradually being implemented as the products improved. But mostly it was the light signatures themselves that were avoided. The grounds, therefore, were lit by torchlight.
That the games were filmed and sent overseas had required a team of advanced mist-makers to get the job done. But Diallo knew his stuff and so far, so good.
When he escorted Grace to the top of the grandstands, he led her first to the box on the left in which Diallo and his wife, Mei-Amadi, were seated. Diallo rose and took Grace’s hand. “I remember you well from your visit a few months back, but I don’t think you met my wife.” He placed his hand on Mei-Amadi’s back. The woman bowed slightly. She had lovely Asian eyes that gave her brown skin an exotic look. Overall, she was lighter-skinned than Diallo. Her hair was piled high on top of her head. She looked regal.
“It’s very nice to meet you,” Grace said. “You both must be so pleased with the event tonight.”
“It is wonderful,” Mei-Amadi said, her hands spread wide. “To see competitors from all over the globe, from all the colonies. I never thought to see such a thing happen. But we have Leto to thank for this. He has unified our world here in a way neither Diallo nor I thought possible. Truly magical.”
The assistant with the headset interrupted. “Please forgive me, Warrior Leto, but it’s time.”
“Yes,” Diallo said. “Get the games started or we will have many unhappy warriors shaking fists at us in a minute or two.”
Leto nodded. “You’re right. The competitors’ nerves will be jumping right now.”
Once Grace was settled in his box, he approached the microphone. He took a long, slow breath. The entire fairgrounds had fallen silent. Crying babies were soothed by caregivers and children ordered to hush. Only a breeze set a few flags flapping here and there.
For a long moment, Leto was overcome by the respect he was being paid. Not long ago, he’d been a despised traitor, but all that had changed when Grace had brought him almost magically out of Moscow Two and away from Commander Greaves permanently.
Now he was a resident of the hidden colony and everyone waited to hear what he had to say.
He had taken great pains to prepare a speech with which to open the games, focusing on how proud he was of the contestants and the hidden colony Militia Warriors, on his gratitude for having a place in their lives. All good stuff.
But as he surveyed the crowd, his heart began to expand. He saw the families he had come to know and love over the past five months, all those ascenders who had embraced him and forgiven him, who had helped him build his cabin. He saw, lined up by colony, the hundreds of warriors, both male and female, who had trained hard under his leadership in preparation not only for the games over the next three days but for the ongoing war against Greaves as well.
He felt a strong need to say something different from his practiced praises. Making use of his most powerful voice, he began, “We’re on the brink of war, my fellow ascenders.” He heard a rippling murmur pass through the crowd but most remained silent. “We all know it and we all know that this is the reason our warriors have trained as hard as they have, pushed themselves, male and female alike, gotten hurt in the process then pushed harder still.”
Several small cheers went up and down the narrow valley.
“But at heart, we are all warriors no matter what role we play in our society. Whether we raise our children to be well loved and strong or whether we teach in our schools or labor in the fields to put food on every table, or build a business to serve the community. This is the war we make, to care for those we love day in and day out. This is the true battlefield of life.”
More cheers went up, louder this time. He let his gaze ride the scene from the north where all colorful tents were laid out, all the way south across the event obstacles designed to test the mettle of the assembled competitors.
“Hold fast to the job you were designed for. Do that service to your community and to your world with every ounce of strength the Creator has given you. This is the note you sing in the choir of humanity. Hold that note so that the chorus we create together, backed by the angels of heaven, will prevail against the enemy, wherever evil is found. Tonight, we are all warriors.”
A great cheering rose into the dark night sky. Knowing that his words had hit the mark, he cried out very simply, “Let the games begin!”
Jealousy casts a wide net,
But who gets caught in the web?
—Collected Proverbs, Beatrice of Fourth
CHAPTER 5
Endelle levitated just at the top of the tree line on the western side of the forest. She wore tight black leather pants and a forest-green embroidered bustier but kept herself cloaked in her own private mist. She had intended just to check in for a moment, to see what the colony had put together for this worldwide event.
She wore the same necklace of miniature pinecones, adorned with preserved monarch butterflies. This was her nod to the natural surroundings even if she’d had the insects’ wings dipped in resin to keep them from busting apart.
But it was her stilettos that claimed the prize. She had worked diligently to attach wires to various parts of the shoes; at the end of each wire was a black-and-yellow bumblebee. The wires came to various heights so that it looked as though a cloud of bees buzzed around her. Her design even included shields that kept the bees from getting all tangled up.
Of course the whole ensemble was more frivolous than serious, but given the homespun nature of the event, she thought she fit
right in.
The air rippled beside her. She might have been worried, but she felt the flavor of a Fourth ascender. Maybe Beatrice had come to watch the festivities.
However, as she turned in the direction of the moving air, who should appear but that worthless piece of shit, Casimir. Only he looked really different. “Holy hell, what the fuck happened to you?”
Casimir wore a white robe and was completely bald. She moved in close, still levitating, but scooted up higher in the air and put both her hands on his head. She read the names inked on his skull. “These your kids?”
“My sons, yes.”
“Imagine you having children.”
“I was shocked myself.”
“So, you slumming it or what?”
His gaze took in the the fair-like atmosphere. “I take it these are the warrior games.”
“If you’re looking for Grace, she’s in the stands with Leto, but I suspect he won’t give you much of a welcome. He lost it when Grace left and went through some kind of change none of us has figured out.”
Casimir glanced at her. She couldn’t get used to what he looked like without all his long curly hair. He was still a handsome bastard, though.
“How has Leto changed?”
“Bigger at times, then not.”
“Cryptic.”
“You can see for yourself if you stick around long enough. So, did you come here hoping to bust up my latest power couple?”
He shook his head. “No, but I have a feeling that my being here won’t exactly be welcomed or understood.”
“Now who’s being cryptic? Cut the shit, Caz. What’s going on?”
“I’m here to serve as a Guardian of Ascension to one of your warriors. This particular warrior, it would seem, is ascending to Third Earth.”
“What?” Endelle had always had a good sense of things, especially when a major ascension was in progress. “Who the hell is ascending to Third?”
He swept a hand in the direction of the grandstands. “Why, Leto, of course.”