The Dragon Eater, page 18
part #1 of The Tharassas Cycle Series
“You just have to be patient.” Sister Daya put a hand on her shoulder. “You have so much talent. Even if you never find that connection, there will always be a place in the Temple for you.” She knelt to whisper in Silya’s ear. “I believe in you.”
Silya shook her head. She was kidding herself. This was her life now, and nothing was ever going to change.
She took a deep breath, exhaled, and went back to copying the boring treatise on second century customs.
I believe in you.
A tiny tongue of flame curled around her finger. Silya stared at it, and then at the dark hencha below. Then, just as fast as it had come, it vanished.
She massaged her temples, closing her eyes for a moment. Do you think I’m worthy?
There was no reply.
Silya bit her lip. She turned back to her desk to finish her task. Tomorrow would be busy, and she was determined to be ready.
She would pay her respects to Daya when she finished her preparations. The rest would have to take care of itself.
13
Spin
Spin’s Memory: Local Year 274, Month Equa, Time 14:47 …
… play recording …
“What is it?” The woman stared at him, her blue eyes fixed on his silver skin.
That gaze disrupted his computational flow, drawing more of his attention than should have been required to record her symmetric visage. She makes me … uncomfortable.
“Jas, this is Spin. He’s what we call an artificial intelligence —”
“Like a computer?”
“Yes. But more like us. He can figure things out like a human —”
“I’m right here.” There. That was annoyance. These new feelings were an annoyance too. They interrupted his normal processes, making him less efficient.
Jas’s eyes went wide. “It talks?”
“He talks. Weren’t you listening, lady?” That one was called rude. Or was that more of an attitude than a feeling? How did these humans even function with all of this going on inside of them?
“Sorry, Spin. He talks. He’s from the ship?”
Sera nodded. “They’re designed to survive even a catastrophic event. He has a complete record of what happened, which they’d use to try to prevent another similar incident.”
“What event?” Spin ran a complete inventory of his memory of the last year, which took about 300 milliseconds. He’d been flying the Spin Diver. Then he’d been in the dirt. Another emotion shuffled his senses … confusion or worry? Maybe both.
Sera was staring at him.
“You should hide him.” Jas looked over her shoulder, but Spin didn’t sense anyone close by. “If they saw … him, they’d try to burn you on the pyre again. Or take him from you.”
“They tried to kill you, Cap?” He shuddered inside, imagining the acrid smoke. Her fear.
“Yes, Spin, but I’m safe now. We’re safe now.” She took Jas’s hand and squeezed it. “I’m going to ask you to do something you won’t like. But I want you to promise. For me.”
Spin stared at her. “Of course, Cap. Just give the order.” She was beautiful, and she’d come to find him when he’d been lost.
“I want you to shut down. I promise, I’ll wake you up to talk with you regularly. But for now, it’s safest if you sleep.”
Spin sunk into yet another emotion … disappointment. And yet, he’d already promised Sera to do what she asked. “Sure, Cap.” He put on a cheery voice. “Next time I want to hear more about this strange world we landed in.” He knew all the basics — orbit, size, gravity, atmospheric composition. But those were dry facts. He wanted more. He tasted the feeling, rolling it around in his plasma circuits. Curiosity. I rather like this one.
“Now, Spin.” Her voice was kind, with a tinge of regret.
“Yes, Cap.” One more emotion. Love.
… end recording.
• • •
Raven closed the door to his room, hoping everyone would leave him alone for the night. At least no one came to lock me in again. Someone had left the electric lamp on though, and the room was warm enough. Thank Ay’Oss for small blessings.
He wondered where Silya had stashed poor Aik.
Spin popped a feeler out of Raven’s pants pocket. “All clear, boss?”
“Yup. Back to the jailhouse.”
Spin whistled, golden light flashing around the walls. “You’ve come up in the world from that gully rat nest you called your —”
“Enough, Spin.” He’d made it back to his room — his cell — easily enough, his place-sense already building a map of the Temple's halls in his head. Everyone seemed to know who he was, even though he only knew a handful of them.
He was glad they were finally going to get out of this orinth nest in the morning. Too many women in too small a space.
His senses were all out of whack too. In Silya’s room, he’d smelled Sister Dor, even though she was no longer there — her cloying perfume one part violet pine flower and two parts trine grass. It was strange how he could now pick out individual scents so easily.
Raven’s hand went to his stomach. What are you up to in there? He shoved aside his growing sense of unease.
On his way back to his cell, various sounds had reached him from the sisters’ rooms, including a series of grunts and carnal moans from one that had left him both impressed and disturbed. The idea of two of the older sisters like Tela and Dor rutting like animals … how did you flush that out of your head?
He set his carry sack down on the end of the bed. It had been repaired while he was out — he lifted the comforter to see a wooden brace that someone had attached to the cracked frame.
Raven opened the sack and pulled out an almost-new pair of boots, setting them down next to the wall. He’d forgotten he had them, and his old ones were sadly out of shape. They’d take a few days to break in.
He’d also collected a couple changes of clothing. He chose one and laid it out on the back of the chair for the morning — a deep green button-down shirt fit for a merchant and some practical black homeweave trousers. He also chose his black vest — one of the ones he’d modified with an inside pocket for Spin.
Satisfied with his wardrobe, he unwrapped one of his other precious possessions — the beautiful knife Aik had given him.
“Oooh, sharp. You steal that too?” Spin’s acerbic tone suggested disapproval.
“No. It was a gift.” Aik had probably forgotten all about it. It had been a birthday present the year before. Raven had never actually used it — he had an everyday knife for his day-to-day needs. But somehow the time seemed right. He would carry it in his boot sheath and keep the old one at his waist. Never know when you might find yourself in a two-knife situation.
Last, he pulled out the leather gloves he’d retrieved from one of his bags and laid them on the nightstand. Along with a long-sleeved shirt, they would do to cover his arms and hide the strange scales, which he was trying mightily hard not to think about. What am I becoming?
“What’s wrong, boss?” For a moment it sounded like Spin was genuinely worried about him. “You look like the arse end of an elephant.”
Raven chuckled. So close. And what in Heaven’s Reach was an ellyfont? “I’m just tired. Don’t you ever get tired?”
“You have no idea.”
That surprised him. Still, it was late — not that that usually bothered him — but it had been a long, weird couple of days, and whatever this verent thing was doing to him was sapping his strength. He didn’t have the energy to pursue it further.
“By the way, Exalted One, it’s a bit … smelly down here, next to your junk. Maybe you can wash up?”
Raven laughed. “You read my mind.” He pulled Spin out of his pants pocket.
The little familiar changed shape, withdrawing his feeler and unflattening himself, reforming into a silver sphere.
Raven set him on the edge of the washbasin, where Spin wobbled a bit and then grew a couple legs to stabilize himself. Amazing creature. His life had changed since they’d found each other.
Raven moved his carry sack over to the chair and stripped. He didn’t care if Spin saw him naked — the little familiar had seen it all before and had already gotten all of his disparaging comments out of his system.
“Looks like you just took a dip in a freezing lake, boss.”
Well, almost all of them. Raven ignored Spin’s snark. He threw his borrowed clothes in a heap on the floor. They weren’t really his — the Temple had loaned them to him. They could clean them when he was gone.
He’d gotten spoiled these last couple of years with a daily bath in the lair, and even more so with the warm running water of the Temple. After tonight, they’d be on the road again, so he took advantage of the opportunity to clean himself with the washcloth and reed soap someone had thoughtfully left for him by the washbasin.
He lathered his hair and then rinsed it out as best he could under the low tap. The water went down the drain filthy, so he did it again until it ran clean. Then he used the cloth to rub off the dead skin on his forearms, watching it spiral down the drain. It felt good to be clean again.
Satisfied, he pulled on his small clothes, grabbed Spin, and sat back on the bed. The frame creaked with his weight but held. He lifted his arms to stare at his strange new skin, tracing the charcoal-gray lines of his left forearm. The scales were smooth and vaguely delta-shaped, overlapping one another from his elbow to his wrist. His stomach churned, and the electric lamp suddenly seemed too bright. What in the holy green hell is happening to me?
Spin peered at his arms too. “That’s weird. Looks like you’re turning into one of those verent things. Maybe it’ll improve your temperament.”
Raven laughed despite himself. “Maybe you ought to give it a try.”
“Lil’ sweet ole’ me?”
Raven snorted. He turned his arm over and was alarmed to see that the skin on the back of his hand was rough and dry now too. He closed his eyes, seeing the painting of the verent again in his head. Am I really becoming one of those?
Sure, it would be the godsall best to be a badass, fire-breathing dragon, like the white one in one of his favorite Earth books. That would show them all — everyone who ever called him a gully weasel or a common thief. Still, the idea scared the hencha berries out of him.
Speaking of hencha berries … He looked down at his crotch. What’s gonna happen to you little guys?
And speaking of balls … Raven held Spin up and looked at him.
“Rude. How’d you like it if I stared at you?”
Raven chuckled. “Fair point.” Spin was a mystery. What other secrets do you hold that you’ve never told me? “What’s really happening to me?” Spin had come from Old Earth with the last run, so he knew little about local things. Still, he was a fast learner.
Spin’s golden light flashed across his forearm. “Scanning, boss.” The shimmer played over him. “It looks like a local infection. I’d normally recommend standard range antibiotics.” The light shut off.
“I don’t know what those are.” He hated it when Spin used big words.
Spin sighed dramatically. “You people here on Tharassas are so backward.” The golden lights spun around Spin’s middle, something Raven had learned to interpret as “Leave me alone. I’m thinking.”
Raven’s hand went involuntarily to his neck. He could still feel the little verent — if that’s what it was — forcing its way down his throat. Remembering made him feel sick all over again. There’s something badly wrong with me. He didn’t scare easily, but this whole thing had shaken him to the core.
The spinning lights stopped. “From my analysis, those marks on your arms closely match the scale patterns of that creature that crawled inside you.” Spin paused. “That must have been unpleasant for you, boss.”
Raven felt the blood drain from his face. “You have no idea. So I’m … becoming one of those things?”
“Unlikely. The evidence suggests DNA reprofiling, but not a complete change.”
“Deen Ay?” Spin loved to speak in riddles.
“It means whatever it’s doing in there is changing you a little bit at a time. You’re becoming a hybrid — part human, part … the other thing.” He flashed once. “It’s really quite fascinating.”
Raven shuddered. “To you, maybe.” He hated the idea of being some kind of human-animal experiment. Though maybe fire-breathing was still on the table …
The door swung open. “I have to tell you something —” Aik stopped and looked at Raven’s underclothes, and then up at the silver sphere. “Hello, Spin.”
“I see the Jolly Green Giant is back,” Spin said to the room in general.
Raven laughed at the look of confusion that crossed Aik’s face. “You get used to it.” At least he used his quiet voice. He’d been so careful hiding the little imp, but now the secret was out — he was lucky it was just Aik. “You didn’t tell anyone about him, did you?”
“Of course not.” Aik checked the hall. “All clear.” He eased the door shut behind him.
“What are you doing here?” Privately he was glad to see Aik, even if they’d had a fight. With all the people it held, it was still lonely in the Temple.
Aik smelled worried, a bitter edge to his normal Aik-scent. “I wanted to say I was sorry I pushed you to move in with me. I didn’t mean to make you angry. I hate it when you’re mad at me.”
“It’s … fine.” Raven struggled with a stew of conflicting emotions. He didn’t like fighting with Aik either. “You were just looking out for me. You always do.” It was true. Aik had been there for him, whatever he needed.
Aik’s shoulders slumped in relief, his gaze shifting back to Spin. “Is it really from Earth?”
“Him. Is he really from Earth.” Spin used his best annoyed-sarcastic voice.
Aik raised an eyebrow.
“He’s picky about his pronouns. Come sit.” He patted the mattress next to him.
“You sure?” Aik smelled strangely hopeful.
“Yes.” He wasn’t, but he sensed Aik needed a little reassuring that things were okay between them.
Aik settled down on the mattress next to him. The frame groaned but held.
Raven reached over to turn off the electric lamp. Really gotta get one of those for the lair … Except the lair was gone. “Spin, please show us Earth.”
“Sure boss.” Spin glowed again, and a second sphere appeared in the air above it, about the size of Raven’s head — a blue and green globe hovering in the darkness. It was filled with astonishing detail — broken coastlines, broad seas, and tiny ice caps at either pole.
Aik’s jaw dropped open. “It’s beautiful.”
“Touch it.” Raven had tried this before, but it was fun to show it to someone new.
Aik reached out to feel the surface, but his hand plunged right through. “How does it do that?”
Spin chuckled. “They fall for it every time.”
Aik glared at the little guy.
“Spin, be nice to our guest.” Raven turned to Aik. “He calls it a ‘holographic projection.’ Watch.” He reached out and brushed it with his fingertips.
The world began to spin, the white clouds shifting around in mesmerizing patterns. Raven stopped it and picked a spot in the northern hemisphere, widening it with his fingers. They plunged toward the surface to hover over a metropolis that made Gullton seem like a tiny provincial backwater.
“What is it?” Aik leaned into peer at it, and Raven got a good whiff of his scent. He smelled … tense?
Raven hoped Aik didn’t see how much his scent excited him. “It’s … London, one of the Earth’s biggest cities.” His hand was shaking. He willed it to be still, but Aik didn’t seem to notice.
“This is amazing.” Aik tore his eyes away from the projection to stare at him. “Where did you get it? Did you steal it? You never did tell me.”
“Him. Where did you get him.” Spin sounded really annoyed now.
“Him. Sorry.” Aik’s gaze bored into Raven.
Raven shook his head. “No, I swear I didn’t. Remember that metal panel you saw in the lair?”
“The one that said 'Spin Diver?” Aik's eyes widened.
“I found it — and Spin — out in what’s left of the old landing field. Where the Last Run arrived.” He didn’t tell Aik the rest — how one of the hencha plants had uprooted itself to bring him the sphere. Aik would never believe him.
“Rave, are you lying to me?” Aik’s eyes searched his. “If you are … someone powerful might be looking for him. Some people would kill for something like this. You could be in real danger.”
“Like I’m not already?” Raven patted his stomach. “You know I don’t lie. Not about anything important.”
“Rav’Orn —”
He met Aik’s gaze. “Godsall truth, Aik. I swear it on my mother’s grave.” He reached up to touch the burn scar on the side of his face.
Aik’s eyebrow raised. “You told me they never found the body.”
Raven growled. “I don’t lie. Not about anything important. Whatever else you may think about me, you know that much.”
Aik narrowed his eyes. “I believe you. Not sure I should. But I do.”
Those beautiful ice-blue eyes. Raven closed his own, wishing things were simpler between them. Wishing Aik wasn’t a guard. Wishing most of all that he’d never stolen that stupid egg.
Aik’s touch on his arm sent a shiver through him. “Does it hurt?”
Raven opened his eyes. Aik was staring at the scales. My scales. “Not really. It’s still itchy.” He’d avoided thinking about it for a full three minutes, but there it was again. “I’m scared, Aik. What if it keeps growing?”
Aik smirked. “I think you’d make a really handsome lizard boy.”
Raven blushed and turned away. Only Aik could get to him like that. “You get enough tail … I guess you’d know.”
Aik stared at him, obviously hurt. “Rave —”
“I know. I’m sorry.” The whole day had been a series of unpleasant surprises, and it was wearing him thin. “I’m just feeling out of sorts. What are we doing tomorrow?” He already knew, but letting Aik tell him might ease the tension a bit.
