“So, Earthling, how did you mess things up today?” His tone relayed the unspoken thought that she messed something up every day.
Betsy, who’d been leaning against the wall, right leg bent with her foot up, pushed out, her anger breaking through her barrier of emotional void.
Viera held out a hand in Betsy’s direction but spoke to the yonat. “I stopped and reversed time at breakfast.”
Flower Prancer paused and narrowed his darkening violet eyes at her. “You did this without aid, or do you have that pocket watch of yours?” His eyes widened. “What in blazes are you holding, Ms. Kor?”
She squeezed the walking stick and refused to wilt under his harsh criticism. “It’s a walking stick, Flower Prancer.”
“It glows with magic. It is more than just a stick. Tell me, were you holding that thing when you did this feat of magic? I want the full story.” His disapproving glare slid to Betsy. “And what are you doing here, Pillar Doeth?”
Betsy smirked. “Well, you’re the master trainer. I’m here to take notes, obviously.” The dry humor that Betsy was known for probably flew right over Flower Prancer’s head.
He snorted and shook his head in a horse-like motion, then returned his regard to Viera.
She nodded. Patting down her pockets, Viera felt the circular impression of the pocket watch. She hadn’t even thought about slipping the artifact into her pocket that morning, it was as much a habit as her phone. Ever since she’d found it in Ghana, the watch hadn’t left her person. It helped focus her magic. Huh, I have two imbued items to help me. I wonder how unusual that is.
She licked her lower lip, realizing it gave away her nerves. “Yes, I have the artifact in my pocket. I always do. This,” she wiggled the walking stick, “was Gandalf’s. It’s …” She sighed, uncertain how to explain. “The thing likes me.”
“What do you mean it ‘likes’ you?” Flower Prancer’s voice was low and gravely.
“Well, Betsy keeps locking it up in her house, and it keeps following me. I didn’t bring it on the ship … yet, here it is.” Viera smiled and shrugged.
“‘Likes’ you.” His voice and emotions were filled with disappointment.
With a huff, Viera pursed her mouth tight. Then she said, “Can we focus on my reversing time? We can spend time on this,” she shook the stick again, “later.”
Flower Prancer snuffled and swished his tail, obviously not willing to move on. His anger sparked from his eyes. He opened his mouth to snap at her. Viera clenched her jaw. Why is he so fucking cantankerous all the time? Why are you mad at me? Can’t we just move past this? Viera breathed out slowly, trying to calm herself.
“Whereas I don’t like you dictating our time, Ms. Kor, in this, I agree. We need to make sure you understand how to control your powers.” Once Flower Prancer realized she wasn’t going to respond, he shifted his focus to Betsy. “Pillar Doeth, please secure a ball. We need to focus on the time issue first.”
Betsy went to the wall. “One blue bouncy ball, ten inches wide.”
The ball appeared and Betsy bounced it to test if it were what she wanted. Satisfied, she turned to Flower Prancer. “What now, Elder?”
He faced Viera. “Pillar Doeth will toss the ball to you. You will freeze it in time. If you can do that, I want you to reverse time to move it back to her. That is our goal for today. I do not expect success; that would be unheard of.” He said that last bit quietly, as if only to himself. “So don’t feel bad when you fail.”
With such motivation, no wonder I’m thriving as his student. Asshole.
Viera smiled and faced Betsy, who rolled her eyes. She tossed the ball and Viera barely had time to catch the ball, much less figure out how to stop time.
She threw the ball back, then leaned the walking stick against the wall. As she did, she thought about what she’d felt in the dining room. Don’t fail, Viera, just don’t fail.
Betsy tossed the ball again and Viera lifted her hands thinking ‘stop.’ The ball didn’t stop, but since her hands were up, she snatched the ball from the air.
It took five tosses for her to stop the ball. The problem was everything in the room stopped—everything except Flower Prancer. He sniffed in disapproval. “Well, at least you can stop time, that’s a start. You just need to learn control, Ms. Kor.”
She turned to him. “Could you stop a single item the first time you tried?”
“This isn’t about me, Ms. Kor, this is about you. It’s your lesson. I’m getting tired of this room and having to repeat myself as if you’re a toddler. Now, take the ball. You can practice on your own by throwing the ball against the wall. If you take a ven or two into the room with you, you’ll know if you’ve stopped only the ball.”
She was surprised at the helpfulness of his suggestion but annoyed at his belittling her. His evasion of her question, however, didn’t surprise her.
It didn’t take her long to start time back up and catch the ball. Flower Prancer had left, so she explained to Betsy the outcome of the lesson.
They decided to have lunch and then Viera wanted to spend time relaxing and studying. She knocked on Scout’s door. “Hi, kiddo. I’m planning on trying out the new app Juniper made for me. I’m going to study in your mom’s room. I think I want ven therapy. Can I take Fezzik with me?”
“Sure, but Mom may not be happy when she sees that. You know her opinion of the ven.”
Viera gave him a conspiratorial grin. “I’ll take my chances.”
Chapter 11 - Clash Of The Titans
Thorn
Exhausted, Thorn trudged to her room. She wanted to go knock on Viera’s door and drag her to her bed to cuddle, but she didn’t have that kind of energy.
When she arrived at her room, she found Viera curled in her bed. The sight would’ve warmed her to her core, if it weren’t for the tawny baby ven, Fezzik, curled up on her hip, small snores coming from both of them. The ven’s black antenna bobbed as he breathed.
Thorn wanted to kick the small creature from her bed. Scout knew the ven weren’t allowed in here, but Viera didn’t. She loved that she could slide into bed and wrap her arms around the other woman. Was it worth allowing the one pet, that Viera obviously loved, to make the woman happy?
How hard have I fallen for this Earthling? Gah! In a year or two, I’m going to head home, and what will happen then? She shook her head. Don’t leave the Pedesterizer before you put on the breaks and enjoy the moment.
With a grunt, Thorn stripped off her uniform, found a clean silk tank top, and tucked herself in behind Viera. The other woman shimmied closer, like the moth Fezzik resembled to a flame, until her body molded to Thorn. Releasing a content sigh, Thorn wrapped her arm around her bedmate, and gave her a small squeeze. It felt like something within her settled from the rightness of the moment. Not even the inclusion of the ven could ruin it
Thorn wrapped her body around Viera’s, the big spoon to Viera’s small. Fezzik stretched, placing a small paw on her hip. Ignoring that, Thorn shut her eyes and imagined what life would be like with this Earthling—her Earthling—living with her on Abritos. She knew she told herself nothing but fantasy stories, but she was winding down for sleep, and envisioning this future gave her happy dreams.
***
