Rating: R. Mature themes and violence.
Disclaimer: I am not Anne Bishop, so I in no way own the rights to the Dark Jewels Trilogy, The Invisible Ring, any short stories, or work she may accomplish in the future. Should you choose to sue me, you will receive my lunch money (a dollar fifty) and the court bill.
means thoughts sent to another
AN: I know things have been a little crazy with me taking chapters on and off all the time! I'm computer illiterate and a perfectionist when it comes to my stories. My eternal and undying thanks to DejaVu, for helping me code my work so it's readable. And to Icia, who was willing to!
Enjoy!
*************************** Chapter Two *********************************
Dinner was eaten in silence, broken only a few times by Talia. It wasn't until they were washing dishes that Talia managed to bring information out of her stubbornly closed-mouthed sister.
"What kind of webs were you making?" Talia asked, rinsing and drying a plate absently.
"Several," Tori said, looking down into the soapy water, her hands scrubbing the pot mechanically. "Two Ebon-Gray tangled webs and three blood webs."
Talia's eyes widened. "Blood webs! Why? Have you seen any trouble lately?"
"No," Tori admitted. "But that presence at the park…worries me. In all our time living here, there has only been one other person that possessed enough power and knowledge to do that. Add to that the skill with which they handled it, and even that person couldn't have done it, even if he wasn't dead." Tori shook her head. "My instincts are telling me I am going to need all the weapons I can Craft."
"I'll Craft some tonight," Talia said, her expression grim. "Will there be enough time?"
Tori nodded, drying her hands as she passed the last cup to her sister. "There should be. Whoever it is most likely wont try anything until tomorrow. Just the same…I think you should stay with me tonight."
Talia looked relieved that Tori had offered. "I will, thank you. Are you going now?"
Tori glanced up at the dark sky. "Yes. You can construct your webs in the living room or my room, it makes no difference to me."
"Your room," Talia said instantly. "I'll change and gather my things."
Tori nodded and left the room. Talia dried her hands and vanished, reappearing in her room. Quickly she slipped out of her overalls and stepped into the shower. Five minutes later she was out and in her long, black silken nightgown, walking across the hall into the master bedroom.
The master bedroom was huge, easily twice the size of Talia's. Not that she really minded, Tori needed the space for the large worktable and shelves that held her herbs and books. Glancing over to the giant bed, Talia wasn't too surprised to see that Tori was not in it. Instead, her sister sat in the corner to the right of the bed, where a giant, pulsing web hung, an uncut Ebon-Gray jewel locked in the center. Her hands moved over the delicate strands of the tangled web. Talia knew, even though Tori sat with her back to her, that she had changed. She was no longer the cold, tough, distant woman who loved and protected her. She was a Dream Weaver, trying to find which path they were to follow and what obstructions were in their way.
Knowing she wouldn't be finished for quite some time, Talia sat down at the table and began the intricate, deadly art of weaving attack webs.
When she was finally finished, Tori was still sitting at the web, so Talia crawled into bed alone. As she drifted off to sleep, she thought of how much things had changed in just six months. Six months ago, she wouldn't feel so safe going to sleep with Tori deeply involved in her tangled web. Of course, six months ago, Tori would be spitting up blood on the basement floor, not being absorbed in her power.
Her last thought before slipping into a deep sleep was the same as it was every night, and yet it still hadn't lost its wonder.
We're free.
Sometime much later, Talia half-woke when the mattress shifted and Tori finally came to bed. She smiled sleepily and turned towards her, snuggling and adding her body heat to warm her sister.
Morning came far too soon for Tori, and she glared hatefully at the bright sun that seemed to find ways through the thick black drapes that hung over the windows. She could hear Talia downstairs, already up and making breakfast.
Her gut tightened.
Images from last night, both from the tangled web and her dream, danced through her mind. Neither of them made much sense. Her dream, though, was the clearer of the two, as it usually was.
She remembered that she was standing on the edge of something. From the way she had been standing, Tori was guessing it was a roof of some sort. It was dark, and she could see the moon out of the corner of her eye. There was someone behind her, she could smell him as the wind blew his scent around her, and sense his jewel. The Black. For some reason, the dream version of her didn't seem surprised. If anything, she was grateful for his company. Below her, she could see a type of open courtyard and all the interweaving jewel colors that twisted and coiled around each other. Then the dream faded and she slipped into the darkness of her abyss.
The web, now, was a little bit more difficult to discern. It showed her that changes, huge, monumental changes, were coming for both Tori and her sister. And depending on her reaction, the changes could mean a new start without the pain and constant vigilance, or it could mean destruction. Destruction of whom, she could not see. But either way, the change would happen soon. No later than tonight, if she had read things correctly. But there were shadows in the web that concerned her. Shadows of the past. Shadows that sought to annihilate her and Talia. Shadows that would shatter her Chalice, if she wasn't strong enough.
Tori shook off her thoughts as Talia called up to her for breakfast. She wouldn't tell her sister quite yet, of what she had seen. But they would pack, and ready themselves for what was to come.
Downstairs, they ate quickly, each eager to continue their work. Tori had to repair the hole on the roof where the last storm had blown off the boards she had put up until she got the right supplies. Now that she did, she was planning on fixing the hole, then a pipe that had busted down in the basement. After she finished that, there was still the entire guest bedroom that needed to be emptied of unwanted belongings that she didn't want Talia to go through.
The day passed quickly and Tori decided to use their lunch break to collect their things and take her uncut jewel fro the tangled web. Everything that was needed was packed, and then vanished.
As Tori headed back outside, she was suddenly grateful she did this when she felt the dark, powerful essence from the park roll towards them in a wave. Talia let out a small, frightened squeak before dashing to Tori's side. Bracing herself for an attack, Tori called in her staff and prepared to fight.
But it never came, and the dark psychic wind rushed over them as gently as a soft breeze. Still, Tori remained tensed and waited as it seemed to solidify around them and change into a column of black mist that seemed to lift them. It got suddenly hard to focus, and Tori had to struggle to keep alert. Beside her, Talia was holding her head in her hands looking vaguely sick.
Then, as suddenly as it had begun, it stopped, and Talia felt the magical force of the psychic wind leave them. Wind, real wind, rushed through her hair as Tori fell. Looking down, she noticed that she and Talia were only a few feet above the ground. Reacting quickly, she formed the imaged of secure ground under their feet, pushed power into it, and stopped their rapid descent some three feet off the ground.
Talia looked around as she formed her own invisible platform, swallowing nervously. She stayed close to her sister as they lowered themselves to the ground, both of them gazing around warily.
There was a small group of people standing a little bit in front of them. It was a strange assortment of people. Some had huge, black wings that she remembered from her readings as Eyriens. And a few, not many, with pointy ears and long hunting bows. But it was the elderly looking woman who stood a little bit apart from the others that really caught her eye. She looked… No, Talia thought to herself. It couldn't be. She had to be seeing things, because if this woman really was who she looked like… Talia stole a look over at her sister, and saw that Tori had seen the woman. She swallowed thickly as the first brush of cold rage brushed against her arms.
So it was true, she thought, looking back at the woman. This was Lyra Evasil. Their mother.
By the time they had landed, Tori had withdrawn deeply enough into the cold rage that the grass instantly froze. She kept it tightly controlled, so it gave them no clue that she was upset. But looking upon her mother, the one who had given her over to that monster of a father, it was almost too much to bare.
"Welcome to Kaeleer," a feminine, midnight voice said, breaking the tense silence.
Tori glanced over at the woman walking towards them and shivered, immediately forgetting her pervious anger with her mother. The deep, blue eyes held wisdom of countless generations and power beyond all possibility. Witch, her mind whispered.
"Lady," Tori murmured, nodding slightly.
There was a kind of choked sob before Lyra ran at them, reaching out to embrace hr two children. Tori's anger returned in full force, and this time, she made no move to hide it from them. She watched as it swept over her mother, drying the tears that had started to fall and freezing her in mid-run.
Satisfied when her mother only blinked at her in confusion, Tori turned back to Witch. "You called," she said dryly.
Jaenelle pursed her lips. "Your mother asked that I bring you home now that everything has settled down."
Her unspoken message was clear. She was being rude. Tori chose to ignore the unspoken reprimand. She glanced down to see Talia gazing at her mother curiously, but staying firmly by her side.
*Go on,* Tori sent gently. *She is your mother.*
Talia glanced up at her timidly. *No. I'll still be here, Li.*
Talia didn't need any further encouragement. She walked up to her mother, who was staring at Tori as though she couldn't fathom what had brought on this sudden bought of anger. Her heart racing, Talia looked up at her mother and waited patiently until she looked down.
"Hello mother," Talia said politely.
Lyra knelt down, tears falling down her cheeks. "Oh, my little baby. My little Talia. You've grown up so much!"
With that said, Lyra pulled her daughter into a big huge and cried harder. Talia closed her eyes and breathed deeply, feeling a part of her that she hadn't even known existed calm and become content. This was what she had been needing for so very long. She wanted her mother.
Tori watched impassively as the two embraced. She felt Talia's joy at finding what she hadn't even known she had lost. Looking at her mother, Tori saw a fierce, protective flame dancing in her eyes, magnified by the tears. She wouldn't let her go again.
After a few minutes, they drew apart, wiping away tears and smiling. When Lyra looked back over at Tori, the look she was given was enough to stop her from trying the same thing. Once again, Tori turned her attention to Witch.
"Is this it, or was there something of importance?" She asked, crossing her arms. "Because I need to finish my chores back at the house, and there's still-"
"Seeing your mother after eleven years of being apart isn't of importance?" Jaenelle asked incredulously.
Tori gave no reaction to the outburst. "You should be directing that question to Talia, Lady. I claim no mother."
Lyra gave a sort of muffled cry of pain, as if the words had been a physical blow. Tori felt Talia's mental reproof, and shrugged it off easily. She looked back to find Lyra collapsed on the ground, looking as though she had been mortally wounded. The wave of anger came from an unexpected member. Tori looked up to see a man storming over, looking about ready to kill. She glanced at his hand and saw the Black stone flashing with fire.
"You would not say such things," he growled, kneeling down to scoop Lyra up close to him, "if you knew what she has been through."
Tori's temper exploded. "What she has been through?" She demanded, raking her gaze across the man's body in an obviously degrading way. "Yes. I can see the hardships she's suffered. Who couldn't see the scars!"
*Tori!*
Tori turned wild eyes on her little sister, clamping her lips around the angry words.
*Calm down,* Talia soothed gently. *Ease back, and think rationally. You'll end up giving away things you might not want to if you don't.*
Tori took a deep breath, nodding slightly. Talia was right. Normally she was in perfect control, but seeing Lyra had brought some ugly memories to the surface. Ones she had to keep buried, no matter what.
"What could I have done to deserve this?" Lyra whispered, gazing up at her elder daughter.
Tori looked down at the woman, her face a cold, blank mask, and said nothing. She let her eyes swirl with the darkness that was inside of her, and let her know that it was all…her…fault.
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Okay, this is the next installment. I have two ways I can take this, but I need reviews. Let me know how much it sucks, okay?
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