Read Spear Mother: A Tale of the Fourth World Page 17

7

  She found them in a library in the upper levels of the keep. Rayell was reading, utterly absorbed in some dusty tome, while Semorie lounged against one of the aged bookshelves, staring out the glass window into the grayness of the sky with her arms crossed beneath her breasts. Korilia, staring about distrustfully at all the bound volumes, noticed Sandrena enter the library first.

  "Uh, Spear Mother," she said, "would you, ah, like some clothes?" A faint dusting of color rose to Korilia's cheeks.

  Color. Yes, she could see it now; the whiteness of their skin and clothing was fading, the original colors slowly coming back. It was strange that such a thing would look remarkable on these women that Sandrena had come to know.

  Sandrena nodded her appreciation. "Yes, Korilia, I would like that very much. And please. I'm not the Spear Mother anymore. I'm just Sandrena."

  "All we've found that hasn't decayed into dust is men's clothing. Will those do?"

  Sandrena smiled. "Those will be just fine."

  Korilia stalked out the other arched doorway.

  Rayell had ceased her study of the book and Semorie her study of the sky. Both were regarding her with open awe.

  Abashed, Sandrena turned away. "Stop it, you two. It wasn't anything special."

  "Yes, it was," said Rayell breathlessly. "You knew how to tap into Motherspear's power. You figured out how to use it to bridge our worlds."

  "It wasn't really like that—"

  "And," interrupted Semorie, raising a long finger on her newly restored left arm to emphasize the point, "you killed a god of Aberrations." She folded her arms again as if daring Sandrena to dispute that fact.

  Which was something Sandrena couldn't do. Instead, she grinned. "I suppose I did."

  Rayell placed her fists on her hips in mock admonishment. "Now, don't think you can strut around like you're cock of the roost!"

  Sandrena burst out in laughter. Korilia chose that moment to return, glanced at the all the hubbub, and rolled her eyes. "Here they are." She handed the clothes over, muttering and shaking her head.

  As Sandrena dressed in trousers and a shirt far too baggy for her, the moment passed, and her mirth fizzled. She stared at some point on the ground as she spoke. "I couldn't find the Lady where I left her. Where is she?"

  "Down the hall, second door on the left," came Rayell's sober reply. She jerked her chin in the direction from which Korilia had just returned.

  Sandrena nodded and made for the door.

  "Sandrena."

  She stopped and looked at Korilia.

  A smile lit the woman's face. It was the first time Sandrena had ever seen such a thing. Rather than seem unnatural on the perpetually dour woman, it was beautiful.

  Semorie and Rayell moved to Korilia's side. They all seemed to be waiting for something, and it was then that Sandrena knew that they would all be leaving now, to go back to their homes and lives.

  The four of them silently embraced. It was farewell enough, for them and for the sisters they had lost along the way.