Page 47 of Wind and Water
Liam’s arm is slung over my waist.
With a resigned sigh, I ease his hand up and over my torso. I get up and walk far enough away from the camp that we won’t wake anyone.
Momma wastes no time. “I knew you two were getting chummy in Scotland, but this looks more serious.”
“Why? We were just sleeping.” I toe the sandy soil and watch the dust carried off by a breeze. It’s nice to have a bit of wind after the unnatural stillness of the lost lands.
“That’s just it. You were sleeping. Once you were safe, you went to him for comfort, and he was more than willing to provide that service without any promise of sex. To me, that means you’re either good friends or there’s deep feelings involved between you. Care to tell me which it is?” Momma watches me, and I know she’s looking for lies or signs.
There’s no point in avoiding a subject with Birdie Martin. If she wants to know something, she will find out. “He’s a good man.”
“No one here will argue with that.” She raises her eyebrows and waits for more.
“Momma, I don’t know the answer. He’s a good man. I’m probably falling in love with him. And we’re from two different worlds. He’s not human, and I’m not an elf. Where can this lead besides heartbreak?” My throat closes, and I swallow down the emotions clogging it. I sit on the ground and cross my legs.
Dropping down beside me, Momma says, “We never really know how anything will end, Wren. Maybe we’ll all die tomorrow. Would you wish you’d never met Liam if you knew that was the outcome?”
Would I? The idea of never having met Liam is too sad to bear. “No. I wouldn’t want to give up knowing him even if that were the inevitable outcome. It might well be, based on the last few days.”
“Saving a world ain’t easy.” She smiles and slaps my knee.
My gut is in knots. “I don’t know what I would have done if I’d lost you, Momma.” I lean into her embrace. “There was a moment when we first arrived and Liam knew that we’d been shifted forward in time, where I thought he’d drag me across the country to his home and leave you to your fate.”
“It would have been the logical thing to do for a soldier following orders.” She keeps one arm wrapped around me and plucks at the grass with the other. “I was resigned to dying inthat horrid tower. I hoped you’d one day find out what became of me. I prayed you would understand that I couldn’t let that witch hurt those children if I had the means to prevent it.”
Nodding, I say, “It was exactly the kind of thing I’d expect you to do. I always know you’ll do what’s right, even if it’s not what I want for you.”
“But Liam is another story?”
“He surprised me when he agreed we had to go after you. He surprised me when he was cordial and diplomatic with the centaurs. He surprised me when he believed in me and my abilities so much that he let me fight the witch queen. I guess I don’t know him at all if everything he does is a shock.” It’s hard to breathe as I admit that the man I might love is a mystery to me.
Momma releases me and lifts my chin to meet my gaze. “You know, baby girl, you’ve not had too many good men in your life, and that’s probably my fault. I won’t apologize, though. If I hadn’t made all the mistakes that drove your grandma crazy, I would never have gotten you.” She grins. “You know what I’ll do in every situation because you’ve known me your entire life. Liam is new and pretty darn shiny. You don’t have to anticipate his responses. He’s here and now, so watch and see what he does. Don’t expect the worst just because other men have been low-down dirty dicks.”
I laugh. Momma does have a way with words. “I can hear his thoughts. Well, I could, and then we decided it might be better if he locked that part up so we don’t get distracted.”
“This magic thing is interesting. You can move water and hear Liam’s thoughts?”
“I can move wind, too. That’s how I blew away the shadow demons. I don’t even really know how I do these things. Though I can feel the energy filling me before it happens.” I wish I could explain it better.
“It’s miraculous,” she whispers, and her eyes are far away.
“Momma? Are you alright? The things you endured, if you need to talk, I’m always here for you.”
Her smile is sad. “I appreciate that, Wren. I may take you up on that offer at some point. It’s just a bit too raw at the moment. Right now, I’d like to push it aside. Maybe when we get where we’re going, I’ll tell you everything.” She chuckles. “Or maybe there’s an elf psychologist who I’ll spend a week or so with.”
I want to help her. I can see there’s pain and more behind her eyes. Momma is the kind of person who is so full of joy that her pain can sometimes be stuffed away for a long time. “Maybe so.”
To the east, the sun crests the horizon.
“Do they have a sun over there, too?” Momma points west across the lost lands.
A ball of red moves toward us, growing larger, and it doesn’t rise into the sky, but pushes fast and with purpose. “Liam!”
The camp wakes at my scream.
Liam rushes to us. He looks in the direction Momma is still pointing. “Kron from Coire! Get ready.”
“What is it?” I squint, trying to figure out what the fiery thing is.
