Page 3 of Wind and Water
Mother says, “I don’t think we’ll get much help from her if you force her to come to Domhan, a world she knows nothing about. You’ll have to ask her to come.”
“Why would she do that if, as you say, she knows nothing of our world?” I’ll simply bring her here and convince her by any means to do as we say.
One of the oracle members blinks off the dais and lands in front of me. “The woman you seek has magic, but it lies dormant.She knows nothing of our world, and she will only help us if you can convince her our need is great. I offer you the song of her soul to guide you to Wren Martin. See that no harm comes to her, or all is lost, and we’ll have to wait for another to come forth.” She touches my temple.
The melody that enters my head is soft, sweet, and full of passion. It blends and balances with my soul’s song in an alluring way. I have no idea who Wren Martin is, but her soul sings to mine in a way that is unsettling and appealing at the same time. I push the oracle’s hand away. “I hear it.”
She cocks her head. “The gate we create will stay open for a few minutes. It would be best if you could bring her back through right away, but if you cannot, I believe you have the knowledge of the old gates in the human world.”
“I do.” My brothers and I were all educated in the ways of humans and the history between elves and their magicless race. “I will bring her through.”
The oracle closes their eyes and mutters words in the ancient tongue. A few feet in front of me, a pinpoint of purple light spins.
Turning to my mother, I give her a quick hug. “I will not fail.”
She cups my head and brings my forehead to her lips. “I know.”
The vortex widens and the portal opens. Through the small hole, I see her in a reclining chair with two people hovering over her.
Her song is louder, and she stares at me as she jumps from the reclining chair. The other two are frozen, and I know Wren and I are no longer existing in normal time. I step through the portal. “Wren Martin, by command of Elspeth Riordan, you must come with me.”
“Who or what are you?” Her eyes sparkle the bluest blue, and her figure is petite, lush, and full. It seems impossible that this small human can save my world. Still, I was given a task.
“I am Liam. Come with me now.” I step close and offer my hand to pull her back through the portal.
She is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, but she looks at my hand as if I’m a viper. “No. Get away from me.”
Frustrated and unreasonably hurt, I step closer to her and grip her shoulder. “I don’t have time for this. You will come with me now.”
Her foot connects with my balls faster than I have time to react. And I hit the floor hard enough to smash my kneecap.
Chapter One
Wren
It’s bad luck to go on my dream vacation and break a tooth. My Aunt Dot used to say that if I didn’t have bad luck, I’d have no luck at all. She was a peach, old Dot was.
Still, even with a broken tooth and lying back in the dentist’s chair, I’m in London, and Momma is with me. Life is pretty good.
The polishing tool buzzes. “Just about done here.”
I adore Doctor Emmit’s accent.
“What do you have planned for the rest of the day, Miss Martin?”
He stops polishing long enough for me to respond. “Momma and I are going to tour Westminster Abbey and take one of those double-decker bus tours.”
Both the doctor and his assistant give me a fake smile before focusing on my incisor. After a minute, Doctor Emmit lifts the dental tool and pushes the overhead light back. “There…” He freezes with his arm in an awkward upturned position and his other hand halfway to the console where he’d replace the tool.
Confused, I look to the assistant for some explanation. Maybe the guy has a condition. Hands reaching toward me, a warm smile plastered on her face, and her brown hair no longer falling forward from her ponytail, she has stopped moving as well.
“Is this a joke? Some bit of English humor to unsettle the American?”
No reaction.
A sound that reminds me of a tornado chugging closer begins, and the papers on the tray next to me blow around the room. My hair and the bib I’m wearing fly over my face.
Tearing the bib off, I push my curls out of my eyes and slip from the dentist’s chair. I back up to the closed exam room door. The sheet I filled out with my medical history heads toward my face and I bat it aside.
