“As ready as I’ll ever be,” said Becky, for once not smiling.
“Buck up, little camper,” said Finn cheerfully. “Now you get to come shoot some arrows with ole Finn!” He reached out and tweaked her ear.
“I don’t like shooting things,” she said, frowning despite his teasing.
“I’m looking forward to it,” said Spike, “even if those wood arrows do make me a little nervous.”
“What’s with the wood arrows, anyway?” I asked. “I remember that Valentine guy saying something about it when Finn shot him during our test.”
“Yeah, well, incubi have like an allergy to certain types of wood.”
“An allergy?” I asked, “What? Do you, like, break out in hives or something if you get shot? Because I notice it didn’t kill Valentine.”
“No, it’s more serious than hives. You nail us in the heart and that can be the end of the Here and Now for us; then it’s off to the Otherworlds. But if you miss the heart, we can usually recover from it. We’re fast healers – a benefit of the fae blood, I guess. I think most fae are ... fast healers, I mean.”
“What if we nail you in the leg or somethin’?” asked Finn.
“Nothing. It only hurts and pisses us off.”
“What about the neck? What if I shoot you right in the artery in your neck?” Finn nodded as if this should be enough.
“Nope. We’re not big bleeders.”
“What about the eyeball? Can I kill ya with an eyeball shot?”
“Geez, Finn! Bloodthirsty much?” I asked.
He shrugged. “I gotta know what can kill the enemy. You said them Dark Fae got incubusses too. I don’t want none o’ them Dark Fae incubusses to be suckin’ on my neck if I can help it.”
Spike rolled his eyes, “It’s incubi, not incubusses, you goofy redneck.”
“Listen, I’m proud of my heritage. Call me whatever you want. But when them incubi come outta the woodwork durin’ this war, I’m gonna shoot ‘em, dead center in the heart ... or the eyeball if you tell me the eyeball’s a kill shot. If it’s just a ‘piss ‘em off shot’, well then, I’ll just stick with the heart.”
Tony came walking up in time to hear the tail end of the conversation. “You see, this is the stuff I’ve been talking to the gray elves about. We need to have these give-and-take sessions where we discuss race characteristics like weaknesses and strengths. This will help us.”
“Yep, I agree,” said Finn. “Now I know how to shoot to kill.” He smiled evilly at Spike.
“Yeah. And I know whose energy to suck out first,” said Spike, turning his blazing red eyes on Finn.
Finn had the brains to look a little disconcerted. He smiled tremulously at Spike. “Easy now, incubus. You know I was only messin’ with ya.”
Spike just raised an eyebrow at him, saying nothing; the swirling red and black in his eyes said it all. Even I was a little nervous at this point. I’d seen Spike’s blazing speed before, and Finn’s quick draw was no match for it – and I’m pretty sure Finn had already done the calculations in his head too from the look on his face right now.
“Okay, boys, put your weapons away,” said Becky smiling, completely unafraid of Spike’s rising heat. “So Tony, what are we supposed to be doing right now?”
“I have all your schedules, so if you guys want, I can give them to you now.”
“I don’t even know what time it is,” I said. “How much training time do we have left today?”
“Well, we have to eat lunch soon, right?” asked Scrum, his stomach taking that moment to growl loudly, which caused all of us to giggle. He patted his belly. “Down, boy. Don’t worry, I’m going to feed you soon.”
Becky kept giggling and couldn’t stop, her laughter turning to snorts as she gripped her stomach. Finn watched her, shaking his head and patting her shoulder.
I realized that now that all the pressure was off of me, I was hungry too. “Can we get lunch now? I’m starving.”
“Yeah, come on,” said Tony. “Let’s eat and I’ll tell you your schedules at the table.”
We all walked to the dining hall and I let Tim’s yammering away about his list of top ten fruits distract me from all the questions swirling around in my head ...
“ ... I’m not sure which is better, grapes or blackberries. Do you think they’ll have those on the buffet today? On the one hand, blackberries are tangier, but they’re so much messier, especially if we’re comparing them to green grapes. Those are easy. But then again, messy. You really can’t beat the apple though ...” and on and on it went, keeping me occupied with worry-blocking nonsense until I was actually sitting at the table watching Tim wrestle with one of those green grapes he likes so much. I stabbed it for him with my fork to keep it from rolling away, and he sent me a look of gratitude, right before he started grappling with the skin, trying to strip it off so he could get to the pulp beneath.
“ ... are you listening Jayne? This is important, you know.”
“Yeah, sorry, Tony. I’m listening. I have to be where? With who? When?”
He shook his head. “I knew you weren’t listening. You’re going with the green elves first. Your job is to learn their hunting and tracking skills.”
I looked at him, confused. “What? I’m supposed to start carrying around a bow and arrows now?”
“No,” he said, frustrated, “you are supposed to figure out how to avoid the green elves and keep them from hitting you with arrows.”
The light bulb was going on. “Ooooh, I see. And what am I supposed to do for them?”
He smiled. “I’m glad you asked. Your job is to show them any vulnerabilities you may have noticed in ... uh ... others of your kind.”
I looked at him sternly, my eyes narrowed. “You mean Ben, right?”
Tony’s face reddened. “I guess, yeah.”
“So you want me to tell them how to get a kill shot on Ben?” I don’t know why I said it like this – maybe I wanted to see how far Tony would take this strategy when it involved someone he knew.
“Yeah.” His voice caught and he cleared it with a cough. “Show them the kill shot.”
“Wow.” I was impressed and not so much in a good way. “You’ve sure turned into a bloodthirsty bastard, haven’t you?” I should have been happy that Tony had integrated so fully into our new life, but something about it bothered me.
“Listen, don’t make this harder than it has to be.”
“I’m just saying it like it is, Tony. You need to be aware that what you’re telling people to do will end up killing someone down the line. And, I’m sorry, but I’m just a little worried that you’re not going to be okay with that when it happens.”
Tony stood up, visibly shaken. “I know what you think and what you feel, Jayne. I don’t need you to tell me like I’m a little kid.”
I grabbed him by the forearm to keep him from leaving, beseeching him with my eyes. “I’m not doing that. I’m just saying something I think you need to hear because I’m worried, that’s all. Don’t get all pissy with me about it, ‘kay?”
Tony sighed. “Fine.”
“BFFs?” I squeezed his arm.
He rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”
“No. You have to say it or I’m not letting you leave to go plan the evil empire’s downfall.”
“Okay, fine. BFFs. Can I go now?”
“Yes. Go rule the world. Come see me when it’s all over.”
“Just go see the green elves after lunch. I’ll see you at dinner.”
I saluted him. “Yes, Captain! Jayne Sparks, reporting for duty!”
He walked away shaking his head, carrying his plate with him. I watched as he visited several other tables, talking and smiling as he gave out his instructions to the different changelings. He was a natural at this leadership stuff. I guess it was up to me to keep his head on straight and make sure he didn’t forget who he was. And I was happy to do that because who he was, was pretty damn special.
Chapter 32
&nb
sp; Tim and I reported to the green elves training grounds as ordered by Sergeant Bossypants, Tony. Over the next three straight hours, Finn and his group showed us how they do their tracking and hunting. Tim lamented on several occasions about how much he wished he had his wings back, since he was stuck on my shoulder the whole time. The wings were more than nubs now, but still only about a third of the way back.
I learned some of the basics about not breaking off branches or disturbing the underbrush when I was walking, and how to recognize signs that the green elves were in the area. Apparently they used some temporary markings on the trees and along the ground that only they were able to recognize to communicate with one another. I also learned the arrow feather markers for each of the elves – they all had their own unique feather patterns that made their arrows easy to tell apart. Well, easy for them anyway. I think after a one-hour lesson I was just beginning to get a grasp on all of it; and then it was time to change positions. Now it was my turn to talk to them about the vulnerabilities of an elemental.
During lunch, Tim, Finn, and I had tried to concentrate on the couple of times we’d seen Ben in action, to figure out if he had any weak spots. The problem was, the only fae we’d ever seen him fight with, was Tim. And within about a second of Tim’s threat, Ben had lifted a finger, shot out a laser bolt of fire, and blasted Tim’s wing off, sending him into a death spiral.
I knew from standing near Ben that he could get pretty hot – literally – but I wasn’t sure what he could do with that heat, other than channel some of it into a destructive beam of light. Probably throw it in a giant fireball at anyone who pissed him off ... but what else? It seemed kind of unfair really. If I got mad I could throw a big ball of glowing green stuff at someone and send them into a coma-like oblivion. Ben could incinerate them with a focused beam of fire from hell. It reminded me of grade school kickball games – he’d be the first one chosen for the team and I’d be picked dead last.
I looked at the green elves gathered around me and wondered if they were bummed that they’d gotten stuck with me instead of getting Ben on their side. None of them seemed disappointed though, and it made me want to work harder to make them happy. They looked at me in rapt attention, waiting to hear whatever it was I had to say – even Finn who already knew pretty much everything about me. I knew they were expecting me to prepare them for the war that was coming. The idea that Ben could do something to hurt these men and women, who were depending on me to keep them safe and teach them skills, was beyond stressful. I had such a heavy mantle of responsibility hanging over my shoulders right now, it was hard to concentrate. I kept worrying that I was going to screw it up. I could totally picture the sneer on my mother’s husband’s face. I pushed that sickening vision as far away as I could.
“I wish I had more to tell you. I never saw Ben do anything really but power up with fire, zap a pixie, and travel with the wind.”
“What do you mean ‘power up and zap a pixie’?” one of the elves asked. The eyes of all the elves went to Tim, sitting on my shoulder. I didn’t even have to see him to know he was preening over his badass self. Yes folks, he had been zapped, and he had survived. Superhero, anyone?
I explained, “Well, when he got angry at me, he started to build up what looked like an inferno around him. It got very hot and strong and eventually fully covered him. And then Tim was going to attack him, so Ben shot off one of his wings.”
Some of the elves cringed, sending looks of sympathy Tim’s way.
“Didn’t he burn?” asked one of the younger looking elves, earning him a punch in the shoulder from one of his friends. Finn didn’t even look over at him – he just rolled his eyes.
“Who? Tim?” Seemed like a silly question. He hadn’t tried to hide his blackened nub the whole time we’d been back – in fact, it would be more accurate to say he showed it off, like a little black badge of courage.
“No, Ben.”
“No. I could feel the heat, but I wasn’t burned either. Neither was anything near him, other than Tim. I think he can control whether it burns or not – anyone and everything, not just himself.”
“Did he torture you with fire?” asked another elf.
“No.” And he could have, which is something that was also bothering me. I felt like I needed to say something about that, even though it seemed as if I was defending him. “He could have for sure. But he didn’t. He seemed to hold back from doing that. I got the sense that ... he didn’t want to hurt me.”
“I thought he was the one who ordered your torture,” said Robin, the head of the green elves.
“He was ... he did. But I’m not sure that he’s the one in charge over there. I think this silver elf Maléna was calling the shots and he was doing what she told him to do, at least in the cell where I was being kept.”
There was some grumbling about that. I could tell from some of the looks I saw passed around that she wasn’t unknown to at least some of them.
“Who is she anyway?” I asked.
“You do not know?” asked Robin.
“Uh, no. Should I?”
Robin rubbed his chin, thinking about his answer. “I think you should talk to Céline or Anton about Maléna. They are better equipped to give you the information than anyone here.” He cast his eyes out to the group and they all looked down.
I guess that meant I wasn’t going to be getting any intel from these guys. Dammit. I hated talking to Dardennes – but maybe I could track Céline down when she was alone. I would have to talk to Tim later and see if he had any ideas. Or maybe Tony would know who Maléna is and I could avoid the council members entirely.
I shook off that line of thought and continued with my lecture. “Of all the Dark Fae I’ve met, the only one who struck me as really evil was Leck, the wrathe.”
“Why only him?” asked Robin.
“Because he was the only one who seemed to enjoy hurting me. And I’m not sure, but I think he paid me a visit after my official questioning and torture was supposed to be over, to do it some more ... just for fun, or for extra credit or something.”
I saw the young elf lean to his friend and say in a low tone, “What does she mean ‘extra credit’?”
The older elf shoved him, whispering loudly, “Shut up, Falco, listen!”
I looked at Finn and he was trying not to laugh, stretching his face into as serious a shape as he could. It made him look like he had gas pains. I hoped I would remember to tell him that later.
This eager Falco guy reminded me of Scrum, so I took pity on him and answered, “I think he was hoping he could get some sort of information from me that he could take to his bosses and then maybe they’d think he was really great or something. You know, like being an extra good tormentor.”
“Ohhhh, I see,” said the elf, ducking as he saw his friend coming at him again.
I decided to voice my thoughts on this whole torture scenario to the oldest and wisest green elf I know – maybe he’d have an explanation I could be happy with. “Robin, what do you think about this thing with the Dark Fae, how only one of them actually tried to hurt me? All the others could have, but didn’t. What does that mean ... to you?”
Robin shrugged. “The gray elves are wiser than I in the ways of war.”
“I know they’re the brainiacs, but I want to know your opinion.”
Robin raised his eyebrows at me in confusion, as if this was a foreign concept – someone really wanting his opinion. But after a few moments of consideration he replied, “Well, it is curious. But there are many possible answers. One could say they wanted to keep you alive and conscious so as to gather as much information from you as possible. Or that they were going to do more to you, but that you escaped before they could.” He hesitated before giving me his last theory. “Or maybe they did not torture you because they did not see the value in it.”
And that’s what bothered me I guess. Because I had the same theory. “That makes them sound a lot like us.”
Robin shrugged. “T
hey are like us. After all, we are all fae.”
“Yeah, but aren’t they supposed to be the bad guys? All fixated on world domination?”
Robin inhaled and exhaled slowly before answering. “They have different opinions about what our place in the world should be, but I’m not so sure that world domination is a proper description of their goals.”
“Well, I wish someone would spell it out for me then, because I’m just confused.”
“Talk to the gray elves. They can explain it better than I.”
“I plan on it.” Added to my mission of figuring out the Maléna mystery, was now the dilemma of figuring out what exactly these mofos were really after.
Tim started to fake snore really loudly in my ear. Apparently, I was getting too boring. He was probably happy that my next question was interrupted by the eager Falco, once again unable to control himself and act like a proper, reserved green elf.
“When are we going to see your powers and try to work with them?”
“I’m ready whenever you are.” I fixed Robin with a stern look. “But I hope this doesn’t involve being shot with arrows, because I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep from sending all of you to your happy places again.”
Robin cracked a rare smile. “I assure you – I will not be giving any orders to shoot today. I specifically asked the witches to provide us with a safe training ground for our work this afternoon.”
I looked around. “Are they here now?”
“No. But if someone tries to tamper with their spell they will come.”
“Okay then,” I rubbed my hands together. “What do you want me to do?”
“Zap ‘em! Send their sorry elf butts into The Green!” yelled Tim, gleefully.
“Shhh!” I said out of the corner of my mouth, immediately smiling afterwards at the group so they wouldn’t think I was nuts. Even though they knew I could hear Tim, I knew it still looked weird to them – like I was always talking to myself.
Robin was too distracted to notice. He was trying to act all cool, but failing miserably. “Well, we had all been hoping, that you might work with us to find a way to use your power over The Green to enhance the work we do.” His eyes were bright with expectation.