Thin Air

I was about to meet the family, and I was pretty sure I wasn’t ready.

“Joa

At least half of them looked irritated, and I wondered why. Maybe they hadn’t wanted me to be found at all, or if so, maybe they’d expected me to be up to full strength and ready to dive right in to pull my share of the load. Hard to tell.

The Dji

Marion, in the wheelchair, was easier to read. She looked worried. And contemplative. And from the unfocused way she was examining me, she was doing that aetheric vision thing.

“Joa

It was, at the very least, a public endorsement. Probably more than I could reasonably ask for. “Thanks,” I said. I had the feeling that I might not have been a friend, but at least there was respect between us. Respect, I could return. The others standing around were regarding me with varying expressions of wariness or hope, neither of which made me feel any too secure.

Marion’s attention slid past me to focus on Kevin, and her expression changed to concern. “My God, Lewis, what happened to the boy? No, never mind. Not here. Let’s get him to the clinic.” Her eyes passed over Cherise, then came back, and she frowned, puzzled. She looked sharply at Lewis, an open question on her face, and he shook his head.

“Later,” he said.

She pressed controls and wheeled the chair in a tight circle, leading the way to a small parked caravan of plain black sedans and vans. I started to follow.

The guy Lewis had pointed out as Paul caught my arm in a big, square hand and dragged me to a stop. “Not so fast, babe,” he rumbled. He had an East Coast accent, maybe Jersey, if I had to guess. Olive-toned skin, dark hair with flecks of gray, dark stubble showing even though I was sure he’d freshly shaved. “No welcome for me?”

“Paul,” I said, and he hugged me. Full-body. “Um, hi.” I resisted an urge to struggle, because he seemed to want to hold on a little too long for comfort.

“Kid, I thought you were gone,” he murmured, lips close to my ear. “Don’t do that again, all right? You’ve given me plenty enough heart attacks already.” And then he pecked me on the cheek and backed away. The way he looked at me, I wondered…No, surely not. Surely I hadn’t slept with every guy I knew.

“I-I’ll try to be more careful,” I said. Awkward. I didn’t know where I stood with this guy-kissing-close, obviously, but not much else. He was a little intimidating up close, which was fu

“Yeah,” he said quietly. “I was hoping…Yeah. You probably should get yourself looked at, too. Call when you’re done, okay? We got to talk. Things to work out.”

I nodded, kept the smile going, and walked quickly after Lewis, who was helping Kevin and Cherise into the black cargo van, the one with the Handi-Lift on the back that was already lowering for Marion’s wheelchair.

I didn’t make it to join them. Another person stepped into my way, and I felt whatever nerves hadn’t already been alarmed wake up and start screaming.

“A moment,” Rahel said softly, holding up one graceful, long-taloned hand between us. She looked at me, close range, and yes, Dji

The use of his name got me at least willing to listen. She kept hold of my shoulder, but loosened her grip so I wasn’t in danger of deep-tissue bruising.

“I don’t remember you,” I said. Seemed best to get it out of the way. “I’m sorry. It’s…this problem I have.”

“I’m well aware,” she said. No smile at all, and her tone was dry and cool. “You shouldn’t be here, Snow White. Not as you are, neither here nor there, living nor dead, human nor Warden. They think to bring you back. I think it is a foolish concept. It opens doors that are dangerous for us all.”

“Gee, thanks,” I said with no sincerity. “That’s the news?”

She snorted. “Opinion. At least you haven’t lost your sense of the absurd. David wishes me to tell you that he is on Ashan’s trail, and for you to stay with Lewis.” Rahel smiled. She had pointed teeth. I mean, seriously. Pointed. “You know what happens to little lambs who wander from their herd.”

I yanked myself free this time. “Hey, Creep Show, save it for the cheap seats. Aren’t you supposed to be on my side or something?”

She blinked, and I had the satisfaction of seeing a Dji

“Imara,” I said. “You’re talking about Imara, right?”

Her expression composed itself to instant formality, and she tilted her head. Beads clicked as the braids slithered over her shoulders with a sound like dry paper shifting. “Ashan was fortunate the Oracle took him before we could reach him. Had he been in my hands, he’d still be screaming.”

Which was supposed to be comforting or something.

“Great,” I said faintly.

That made Rahel look up again, sharply. “You don’t remember the child, either,” she said. “Do you?”

I started to lie about it, then shook my head. To my surprise, Rahel put her hand to my cheek in a gesture that was almost human. Almost affectionate.

“I can pity you for that. You will remember, though,” she said. “Such emptiness must be filled.”

And in a weird sort of way I suppose she did comfort me. A little. “Thanks,” I said. “I…Will you tell David I’ll be with Lewis?”

“I will.” She stepped back. “Ashan is lucky once again. David would have hunted him and ripped him into nothing by now, had he not been distracted by concern for you. It appears he needs Ashan alive and functioning to try to fix what was done to you.” A slow, cool smile revealed even, white teeth. Nonpointed. “After his usefulness comes to an end, well, maybe David will organize an entertainment. We haven’t had one of those for ages.” I was sure she meant it literally. The ages part, anyway. I shuddered to think what entertainment might mean.

“So David’s okay, then,” I said.

She shrugged. “David’s obsession with you puts his leadership of us in some doubt. But he remains the conduit to the Mother, and so may not be easily challenged. Still, he is not secure. His insistence on repairing what was done to you has been taken badly in some quarters.”