Outside of Chinook, Library of the Manor, Mid October
"Do you have a boyfriend?" Nic blurted out.
Nic waited, completely still, hardly daring to breath. He couldn't believe how important the answer to that question was. Mother in the mist he'd just met Annik. Nic told himself that he cared because he didn't want anyone else to be hurt by the Undying, and up to a point that was true. It just wasn't the whole truth, was it. Nic refused to think about that though.
Why was she affecting him like this, Nic wondered. He'd always kept himself. And more importantly his emotions under strict control. All Nic knew was that he had to find out more about her. He had watched her as she looked around the library. Annik was clearly awed by it. It was nice to see someone who loved books as much as he did. Annik had even told him that Wiket wouldn't damage the books. Not that he'd been worried about that. Nic realized suddenly that he was trying to distract himself from whatever her answer was. He didn't want to think about Annik having a boyfriend or girlfriend whichever it was. Nic didn't want her to have anyone significant in her life. Not that he was proud of that thought. Nonetheless Nic was relieved at her answer.
"No I don't have a boyfriend," Annik's voice sounded a little annoyed.
Which only made sense. She had answered that question before hadn't she. Annik was single. And much to his embarrassment Nic felt a lick of joy in his heart at the news. Not wanting to look to closely at any of that Nic got on with his questions. He had to find out if she was Ingretta's daughter. But come on, how many Anvidai raised as Humans could there be? Sure sometimes members of the race have ended up in the Human world, but not often and not for long. The Anvidai were very good at recovering their own, at least from the Humans. So if she was annoyed now, she was really going to be upset with him soon. Because he couldn't avoid asking her even more personal questions. Not if he wanted to keep her safe at least. And for some reason keeping her safe was very important, more than it should be.
"Do you know anything about your mother's history? About her family?" again Nic waited with bated breath.
He had to ask these questions, but he had no interest in upsetting her or causing her pain. In fact he wanted to take all of her pain and bear it for her. It was bad enough that she felt all alone in the world but she never would be alone again. Even if she didn't know it yet. I will always take care of her Nic vowed to himself. Then he amended the thought to himself. I will make sure you are taken care of, who by doesn't matter. Niculai tried to believe that his words were true but in his heart he knew that was a lie. It did matter to him, very much. And he really wanted to be the one who did it. But that wasn't going to happen was it.
"My mother never told me about her family. Or about my father, or his family for that matter. So no, I don't know anything about my family at all." Annik looked down at her hands that had clenched in her lap. In a quiet voice she continued. "I don't know why I'm telling you any of this," Annik looked up at Nic and there were tears in her eyes.
Those tears tore at Niculai's heart. He wanted to reach out and comfort her but he squashed that thought and stayed where he was. Nic didn't want to crowd her, he had a feeling that Annik would run as far and as fast as she could if he did, she didn't seem comfortable with people. She's like a wild animal that wants to come closer but is ready to bolt at the first sign of contact, Nic thought. So he did the only thing that he could, Nic caught and held her eyes. Putting all of his sympathy and concern into his gaze. Telling Annik without words that she could trust him. He would never hurt her or allow anyone else to hurt her.
After a few minutes of holding her gaze Nic decided to answer the spoken question not the unspoken one that was in her glorious eyes. The one that wanted to know if he was going to hurt her. Nic wanted to tell her that he would never hurt her. Or let anyone else do so either. But he was very afraid that he was going to. That he was going to fail her like he'd failed both her mother and her grandmother.
"Sometimes it's easier to unburden yourself to a stranger." Nic held his hands up stopping her before she spoke. "I won't tell anyone anything you tell me. Not unless it affects the safety of my people."
Nic wanted to continue but stopped there, Annik wasn't yet ready to hear about her coming change or that she wasn't Human. Hopefully they would be able to get to that tonight. This was going to require some trust to say the least and Nic wasn't sure she would trust him enough tonight if ever. If if she didn't then he would wait as long as he could. He had to tell her before her Tempering started. Fortunately he had a few days, maybe up to a week before it was to late. But it was coming and coming fast, so tonight would be better than later.
Annik took a deep breath, clearly steeling herself for a big tell of some sort. Obviously something she was worried about sharing though he wasn't sure about why. Was it something she was afraid or ashamed of? Was she afraid that it would change his opinion of her? Nic didn't know how to reassure her that nothing that she said or did would ever do that.
"My mother was on the run for my whole life," Everything about her, her body, her voice, screamed uncertainty. At Nic's nod to continue she did holding his eyes in her distress. "I think it was from my father but she never actually said so." Annik's eye dropped back to her hands again, plainly not wanting to see the look on his face as she told her truth. "I don't think that she was running from the law. Except for the ID's that were always fake. My mother was very law abiding."
Annik stopped talking as if lost in her memories of her mother. It took a couple of minutes before she could continue. "Her behavior is what led me to think she was abused and running from whoever did it." Still refusing to meet Nic's eyes, Annik held up a finger like she was making a point. "Not that I actually know anything about it. I just read a lot and that was the conclusion I came to. It's what fit all of the evidence." Annik shrugged at that, like her mother was a stranger that she had no connection to. But instead was someone that she had just met or read about in a book.
Nic waited until Annik was looking at him before he spoke. After a couple of minutes when she still hadn't raised her eyes to him. Nic reached out gently and touched her hands. Stilling the clenching, twisting, wringing fingers.
"Look at me Annik, please." Nic didn't continue until her lids flipped back up and she met his eyes. Putting all of the sympathy that he felt into his voice and eyes. "Annik I don't judge you or your mother." Nic waited for that to sink in then added, "I think you are right about why your mother was running." Nic debated with himself again about telling her more about her mother. No, not yet. It would be better to her talk first. "Please tell me about yourself. I really want to know."
Wanted, hell he was dying to know everything that he could about Annik. He was almost starved for information about the female in front of him. Nothing was more important to him than knowing anything and everything that she told him. Sure he could have just taken the memories, the knowledge straight from her mind. but it was important to Nic that she tell him about herself in her own time. It made everything she chose to tell him so much more precious, more valuable than anything he could find out by getting into her mind and having a look see.
Annik nodded to herself as if she had decided something, clearing her throat she continued, "The only thing my mother ever told me were fairy tales from an old book she owned. She never said where she got it from but I know she's had it my whole life. I think she got it in her childhood because I never found anything like it in or any of the stories in any other book. Nor have I ever found any other examples of whatever language it's written in. Not in any of the libraries that I've visited in my life. And trust me I spent a LOT of time in libraries all over the country."
Nic's attention perked at the mention of tales. Had her mother been trying to tell Annik who and what she was with those tales? Was that possible? Nic had to find out more, but how to ask. It wasn't like he could just come out and ask her if her mom was the missing member of the Foress clan. If only because she wouldn't know what he was talking about. And he could well imagine how that would go. Oh, hey, you know those fairy tales your mother told you? Well, there real and you're not Human. Nope, he definitely didn't want to do that. He needed to get her to trust him if only a little before he dropped that bomb on her. So instead Nic decided to act as if he was interested in the tales because he was a scholar. The library they were in would add veracity to that. Maybe she'd just answer the questions without wondering why he was asking them.
"What fairy tales," Nic asked as if her answer wasn't of paramount importance to him. "I have access to books and such that most libraries don't, especially public ones." Nic waved his hand around, encompassing the library they were sitting in. "And if I don't have anything useful here there are other larger, private libraries that I have access to."
Nic watched Annik's gaze travel around the library. She looks almost greedy to read the plethora of books Nic though to himself. Maybe he could use her love of books to get her to stay longer. When she focused back on him, she looked almost afraid to hope. She really wants answers about where she came from and if she has any other family and Nic really wanted to giver her those answers. But even more he needed to get more information about that book. He wondered if it was the old book he'd seen her stick into her backpack when they were getting her things at that apartment.
"I believe that those stories may hold information about your mother's people and where she came from." That was as close as Nic was going to get to the truth until he had more answers. so he tried again to get er to answer him. Catching and holding her gaze Nic asked, "Did your mother say anything at all about where she was born or her early childhood? Do you still have the book?"
Annik just looked at him for a minute. Clearly debating to herself if she should answer the question. Annik broke free from Nic's gaze and stared into the fire for what seemed forever to him. But was probably only a minute or two. Then she looked back at him, her eyes full of uncertainty and hope. Nic decided that while he always wanted her to see him as a rescuer. He never wanted her to look at him with uncertainty again. The uncertainty killed him.
"She told me the tales from that book my whole life. In fact one of my earliest memories is her telling me tales from that old book of hers." Annik shook her head sadly, clearly not wanting to go on but deciding to anyhow. "I don't want you to think insanity runs in my family but my mother would insist sometimes that parts of the stories were real. And made me promise that I would always take the book with me where ever I went if something happened to her."
Nic froze in place while Annik's gaze shifted back to the fire, apparently lost in thought for a time. Shame and sadness poured off of her so much that Nic was tempted to take her into his arms and try to ease it for her. instead he kept his hands to himself. You could comfort someone with your eyes couldn't you? Well Nic was going to try. What he wasn't going to do was speak or move, afraid to break the spell that she was caught in, in case she stopped speaking. After a few minutes longer Annik's gaze jumped back to Nic, sudden fear replacing the shame and sadness that had been there before.
"All of those tales described the bad guys smelling the same way the guy that tried to kidnap me did. How is it possible that my mothers tales had people in it that smelled the way that guy did," said in a quiet almost hesitant voice. Annik shook her head, fear suddenly spiking in her. "Those weren't just stories were they? Tell me, were they!" Annik's voice was strident almost hysterical and for good reason Annik was afraid of what those stories she had assumed were fairy tales said, and what all of it meant to her.
Nic knew he needed more information about that book if only so he could reassure Annik. Time to redirect the conversation just a bit. Get her to talk about the book instead of the tales themselves. Nic still wasn't sure that this was Ingretta's daughter but it was looking more and more likely with everything she told him. Yet again Nic wished that Ingretta had trusted him with all the info but considering how he had let her down, he could say he was surprised. The self-hatred that he was feeling had to be put on the back burner for now. He had to concentrate on the terrified female in front of him.
"Tell me about this book your mother told you stories from. Please Annik"
Nic ignored the whole the stories are real conversation for now. This definitely wasn't the time to go into that. Instead he focused on the book. Could this be what the Undying were looking for? But why did the snatches only start now? According to what Annik said her mother had been reading her tales from the book her whole life. There were far to many facts missing. Too many things he didn't know to make any real deductions. The picture was getting filled in though. And that was a start. Nic didn't let himself even contemplate the possibility that what the Undying were looking for was Annik. It was much easier to tell himself that the book had been their goal.
"I don't know where she got the book from. My mom has had it my whole life," Annik looked both sad and happy. As if she was remembering a beloved memory that now made her sad. "Like I said, one of my earliest memories is of her reading to me from that book."
Annik cleared her throat and wiped at her suddenly shining eyes. Bringing herself back from whatever past she was remembering. Nic waited for her to continue not wanting to interfere or interrupt whatever Annik was seeing or reliving. Sometimes, as painful as it was, the past was also a balm. A way to gather strength to continue whatever task we are doing. Nic sensed that this was one of those times and that Annik was drawing strength from memories of her mother.
"I always assumed that they were just stories from her homeland. I've always known that my mother was born in another country. She had a very slight accent that I've never heard anywhere else." Annik looked sharply at NIc, her eyes narrowing in sudden suspicion. "Except here. My mother had the same accent you guys all do. They aren't just stories are they."
Nic could see the determination to get an answer. Dammit she wasn't going to let him dodge the question a second time. He didn't know enough to be certain but he was fairly sure that Annik was Ingretta's daughter. this time however he wasn't going to just pass her off to the Foress clan. Although if they found out he had her they were going to bellow about it. Even though they hadn't wanted the mother they would sure scream if he kept the daughter away from them. No one was going to take Annik from him, not ever. Nic told himself he didn't want to let her down the way he had her mother. And it was true. Just not the whole truth.
"Are you sure you want to do this right now?" Nic asked wanting to dodge telling her until she trusted him more.
Taking a deep breath Nic tried one more time to delay answering her about how real those stories were. "May I see the book? Did you bring it with you? It will be hard for me to tell you if the stories are real without the book." Nic waited hoping that the logic would redirect her if only for a little while.
After a couple of minutes of staring at Nic like she was trying to discern if she could trust him with her most prized possession, Annik nodded. "Yeah it's in my backpack. I'd never move without it. It was the only thing my mother always took with us when we moved. I left my stuff in the kitchen." Annik said as the started to rise.
Nic put a hand out to stop her, "No don't get up, I'll call Mikal to get it. He would have moved your stuff to a room for you by now anyhow."
The look on Annik's face almost made Niculai smile. She'd obviously never been in a household with staff. That thought reminded Nic of where and how she had grown up. Of course she hadn't you damned fool, Nic told himself. She hadn't even been able to go to school or have friends because her mother was on the run. She'd had zero exposure to any life other than that of a fugitive, had she. Nic's amusement died as quickly as it had bloomed. Leaving Nic with a sour feeling in his guts and, yet again, the desire to strangle that idiot Troov Foress. Those were the thoughts on Niculai's mind as he stood to his desk to call Mikal.
Placing his call quickly, Nic gave his orders to one of the staff that worked with Mikal, the households majordomo and butler supreme. Mikal like most household staff that the DeNeam, the aristocracy of the Anvidai, employed was a Lushidai. The Lushidai were a subspecies of the Anvidai race that could go out in the sunlight but don't live quite as long and didn't have the spiffy tricks. Most Lushidai had and still did work as servants for the DeNeam, A.K.A. the pain in Nic's side.
Even though they Lushidai could and sometimes did take any job that the Anvidai did. Even now they are mostly found working as staff in rich households. As far as Nic was concerned as long as it was by choice he didn't care. After all, both were Anvidai as far as the Mother of the Race, who created them, was concerned and therefore the same was true for him. As soon as the DeNeam tried again, to make being a servant the only job the Lushidai could hold? He'd stomp that thought right out of the head or heads that hold it. After all not all Anvidai wanted to fight and not all Lushidai wanted to serve. Nic just made sure that the tradition of choice was kept.
It was no surprise to Niculai that it only took for the book to appear. And that Mikal was the one to bring the book to the library. The look on the Lushidai's face suggested that he was either touching or smelling something vaguely unpleasant. Probably both Nic decided to himself. If that book is what I think it is. Nic introduced Annik to Mikal absentmindedly because as soon as he had seen the book it captured his attention. Mikal handed the book to Annik after the introduction and then just as quickly took his leave with a bow. Hardly breathing Nic held his hands out for the book, even though his instincts rebelled at the thought of touching it. There was a faintly unpleasant smell coming from the leather bound hardcover tome. The scent reminded Nic of being near one of the Undying but no where near as strongly.
Looking at Nic, Annik told him without words to be careful with her mothers most prized possession. Not that he needed the warning. As soon as his hands had touched it his stomach joined his instincts in filing a protest. Ignoring both Nic looked down at the cover and was stunned by what he saw. The title deeply engraved into the cover was written in the First Tongue. And more importantly it was the first book of the Undying's sacred books. How in the hell had this girl's mother gotten her hands on one of those.
He knew that Annik wasn't one of the Undying because, well they weren't actually alive now were they. Added to it was the fact that their smell was unmistakable. Also though he hadn't know her for long Nic was well aware that Annik was a good person. Something else that the Undying weren't. It was obvious to Nic that Annik had no clue what kind of book her mother had been reading her stories from.
Nic didn't want to tell Annik what the book might be. To be honest he didn't want to think too hard about what the book might be. And if Annik was Ingretta's daughter, something that he was becoming fairly certain of. Then he had a pretty good idea why she hadn't gone through channels to reach him. Her overly conservative clan wouldn't be very understanding about her having a half Human child. Especially if that Human went on to become an Undying killer. That was the only way that Nic could think of that Ingretta might have gotten her hands on a copy of one of those books. Although from the look of it it was an old copy. A couple of hundred years old at the very least.
As a rule the Undying left the pre-temp young alone unless they happened to be home when the raid happened. As far as Nic knew they never attacked a pre-temp when he or she was alone. Only when they were with the adults of their families were they at risk. So what exactly had the Killer been after in trying to capture Annik. For that matter, why were they capturing Anvidai all of a sudden. Up until recently the only time they had taken prisoners is when they needed torture victims to feed from. And generally they used Humans for that, if only because they were easier to find. So as a rule the Undying just killed the Anvidai where they found them. Up until very recently that is and now he had rescued a female that had bee raised Human by a mother who had sent him a letter the very day she had died in a hit and run accident. There was no way any of this was a coincidence.
Nic looked down at the book that sat on his lap. Although calling this ancient tome a book was like calling an Olympic weightlifter strong. It was true but grossly understated the facts. Both sides of the conflict with the Undying had books that they held sacred. When Annik had first told him about the book her mother had told her tales from Nic had thought that her mother had taken one of the history books of the Anvidai when she had fled from her clan. As soon as he had seen the thing he'd known that this tome was from the Undying not an Anvidai. He could also tell without looking that this tome was at least a couple of hundred years old, far older than Annik realized. And without a doubt far more dangerous than a story book would ever be.
Nic must have kept his face calm as his thoughts churned through the facts. As far as he could tell the leather on the book's cover was from an animal not a Human or an Anvidai. Thank the Mother. If he'd had to handle a book covered in either of those Nic was fairly certain that he would be sick. And how the heck would he explain that to Annik. Yet another conversation he didn't want to have and thankfully this time he wouldn't have to.
Either way Nic knew that he was going to have to call Pyetr who was the Ashen War-Kin's Walker. Pyetr was the one who had set the permanent Ahshee spell that kept the manor and grounds hidden from the rest of the world. He also dealt with anything magical that the Ashen got a hold of. Nic made a note to talk to Pyetr either tonight or tomorrow night. When was going to depend on how long it took to explain things to Annik. Great another conversation that I really don't want to have. And how the hell am I going to get Annik to let me hold onto her most prized possession.
At least it wasn't one of the books that contained spells. If it had been he would have needed to call Pyetr immediately so he could hide that damn thing. As far as Nic knew all of those were covered in Human skin. A small blessing but a significant one nonetheless. Ingretta, and Nic was almost certain that she was Annik's mother, must have gotten the book after she ran from the Foress clan. He knew that if they had known about this book being in her possession he would have heard about it. Plus if they'd known about Ingretta having this book the Foress clan head would never have waited twenty plus years to go looking for it. They would have wanted to get their hands on it. Nic had zero doubts about that. Nic was just glad that he could now focus on Annik and what she was saying.
