the best tracker in the family other than her father and Kipling, her oldest brother. Her sisters and her mother were gatherers, but she was a huntress. When he failed to come out of the Durglad, they knew what had happened. Father, Kipling, Tega, they knew. When he didn’t show up to talk to Father as he had said, she knew something was wrong. She was Silva of the Azure Havens, and she would follow the tracks. Wherever they went, wherever they led, she would follow as if her heart depended on it for as long as it took, and she would find him.
They had split into teams of two, Kip and Tega, and her and her father, Kenyan. Father knew where he had seen Nathaniel last, and between the two of them they followed the signs; a bent blade of grass, turned needles on a pine limb, a pebble pushed into the soft ground. They followed the sign to a place where the trail changed. It was still visible, but it was just different. Kenyan looked at his daughter, awaiting her decision.
“I shall go on, Father.” Kenyan nodded. “I must go on.”
“I know, Silva. Farewell, my beloved daughter. May you find what you are seeking. Hopefully, I will see you in another tomorrow.” He embraced and kissed her, holding her tight, and then released her to her future. She held his hand until the last possible second, and then she passed through the rift in time, and was gone.
“Lianeth, a moment?” Talia Nichanova reached out to her assistant. The Caer Aerie healer mind-spoke as good as any elf, and better than quite a few. Lianeth O’Donaughal, on the other hand, was originally from Ireland, a human and barely able to mind-speak from one room of the clinic to another. She poked her head into Talia’s office.
“Yes, my Lady?” Despite seven years of working with and training as a healer under Talia and her husband Taeral, Lianeth still considered her debt to Talia for saving her life from the Irish witch Tlachtga, as unpaid and treated her as the Princess of Gewellyn that she was, although Talia rarely exercised the title or its authority.
“Come in, please. Do you have a few minutes? There’s something I would like to discuss with you.”
“Is anything wrong, my Lady?”
Talia sighed and smiled. “Other than you’re still calling me your Ladyship, no, there’s nothing wrong. There is something I would like to propose to you; an opportunity that has come up that I believe you would be perfect for.”
A worried look planted itself on Lianeth’s face. “Are you sending me away, Lady Talia?”
“Not sending, Lia. Offering you a chance to go beyond these walls, to see some of the Nine Worlds outside of Ireland and the Aerielands. You can say no, but I sincerely hope that you will consider what I’m about to ask you. First of all, how do you feel you have done with the training you’ve received?”
Lianeth shrugged. “I am still less than adequate in therapeutic magic, but my skills as an herbalist and holistic healer seem to have progressed quite well. Lord Tae feels that my surgical skills are very good. However, I believe that I consider myself more of a nurse than a healer, my Lady.”
Talia nodded. “Do you think that you could operate, scratch that, manage in an environment without myself or Taeral directing you?” As she spoke, she noticed Ciliren Aguilera, the physician from 21st century First Earth standing in the office doorway, listening. Ciliren and her husband Philipe, doctors with Borderless Doctors, had come back to the Aerielands with Talia, Tessa, Skye McDonagh and Joseph Spotted Eagle, after Talia had gone back in time to her home world in to get vaccine in order to fight the Yellow Plague that Weggar the Horrible had released on southern Gewellyn.
“My Lady, I lack the education that you, Lord Taeral, or Doctors Ciliren and Philipe possess. I am grateful for the opportunities that you have given to me, and I am anxious to continue to learn. However, I am not sure of my ability to,” she paused searching for the right word, “die-ag-nose conditions, much of the time. What is it that you would like me to do?”
“You know that Talindra and Tror have been granted a leave of absence from the Borderland Rangers to man the Aeronaut, Talindra’s father’s airship with Tessa Chart?” Lianeth nodded. “Talindra has asked me to recommend a healer from the casualty hospital in Sailinto, where Taeral and I did our internship. I would like to recommend you to the Aeronaut as the crew’s healer, instead. I think you’ve done extremely well, and I would like to see you accept this appointment, maybe for a half year, longer if you would like, as they travel.”
“In all honesty, my Lady, I’m not sure that I’m ready for that. I mean, I know Lindy and her husband, and of course that marvelous Tessa, but as I said I am not sure that I am the right choice.”
“Talia,” Ciliren spoke from the doorway, “and Lianeth, if I might make a suggestion?” Talia smiled and nodded. “It appears that Philipe and I are going to be here for a time. He is still working with Sean Windmera down in Clonifer, trying to eradicate the plague. Even so, since our contract with Borderless Doctors is over, we have been talking about remaining here, maybe not at Caer Aerie, but somewhere in the Nine Worlds other than Terra.” Philipe was a human, but Ciliren was a rare Terran elf. “How would you and Talindra Aradove feel if I were to accompany Lianeth, continue her training particularly in the area of diagnostics, and at the same time it would give me a chance to see more of the worlds of elves, my people?”
“I think that’s an excellent idea,” she looked at Lianeth. “What do you think, Lia?”
“You would really do that, Doctor Ciliren?”
“Lia, I like working with you, and I believe you are very capable. I think that we can train you to the level of what we call a Nurse Practitioner back on Terra. Basically, you can do anything that a doctor, a healer, can do, just under the direction of someone like Talia, Taeral, or myself.”
“My Lady, if Doctor Ciliren is willing to do this, yes, I believe I would be interested in the position. How many others might be applying?”
“You have my recommendation, Lianeth. You’ve got the job. Now, how do the two of you feel about flying to Gewellyn Port on the backs of Great Eagles?” Lianeth paled at the thought.
“Lona?” The Princess turned and broke into a huge smile.
“Sinead!” She reached out and embraced her older sister, Sinead Brice. “Did you come to Gewellyn City from the Aerielands with Adda and Amil to see me off on my big adventure? I’m so excited, Sinead! I’m using all of the things you taught me about painting.”
“And so much more, from what Amil and your other two mothers brag to me about. Creator truly has blessed you, Lona Brice. I agree with them, but that’s not exactly why I’m here,” she said more slowly.
“Are you and Arel engaged? Am I going to have to come home for a wedding?” Sinead and her boyfriend, Arel Valmaer, had been a couple for almost two years, and everyone expected them to eventually wed.
Sinead held up her hands. “Yes, we are engaged. Arel spoke with Adda several months ago, but we are in no rush, so to answer your question, no we will not,” she stopped as if realizing the slip she had made. “Lona, Melin er, there is something I would like to ask you, High Princess.”
Lona looked up at her sister from under her eyebrows. “Yes?” feeling that the cat was already out of the bag.
Sinead took a deep breath. “I understand from Queen Kai Lee that the Aeronaut is looking for a cook. Do you know if they filled that position yet?”
Lona smiled. “To the best of my knowledge, Tessa and Talindra were going to wait until we got to Sailinto in South Gewellyn to look for a healer and possibly a cook. Why?” she asked innocently.
“Baby sister, I am not asking for you to use your influence, but I am very interested in the position. You know that I know how to cook and prepare all manner of foods. There are many other tasks I could perform on an airship, I think.”
“Before I answer, Sinead, did my mothers put you up to this, to keep an eye on me?”
Sinead shook her head. “No, Lona, they absolutely did not. This is my idea, and Adda and Amil have approved it. Menta Kai said that I should talk to you and you would bring it up to Captain Aradove, Talindra.”
“Do you remember the talk that Adda Connor gave to me before they allowed me to go to Eldaria with them that first time?” Sinead nodded. “What he said to me then, the same thing applies to you now. I know, I’m not even forty years old yet, but Amil Kai has trusted me to be her Emissary. I have to be able to make decisions based on my knowledge and experience.” Her sister nodded again.
“You are also the Crown Princess of All the Elves now. I realize that, Lona, but you are still my baby sister. Would you put in a good word for me at least?”
Lona smiled. “I’ll do more than that, Sinead. I just mind-spoke with Lindy and she says they have not chosen a cook yet. The job is yours.” Both sisters grinned at each other and embraced. Lona looked at her timepiece. “We leave for Gewellyn Port in about two hours. We will be traveling with Prince Anders Wynfarin and Adda Sage, Amil Kai’s fiancé. Can you be ready to go by then?”
“Lona, I’m ready to go now. Amil and Adda are with Queen Kailee, and they’ve come to see you off. Let’s go tell them they’ll be seeing us off.”
After leaving Gewellyn City, the Aeronaut’s next destination was the Gewellyn Port aerodrome, on the South Sea coastline. Tessa, Talindra, and Nathaniel exited the ship to meet with Commodore Sparo, Over-Colonel Snee, and Colonel Darian. They were surprised when the tall, white-haired Drow woman waiting for them was not Desara Sparo, but rather her sister, Deidre Dur, her sister-friend Skye McDonagh, and their partner in espionage and sabotage, Mira Del Tor.
“What brings you to Gewellyn Port, Deidre?” Talindra asked. “We were expecting Commodore Sparo, your sister.”
Deidre smiled a pleasant but wary smile. “Lady Fiona, well, let’s say it’s not that she doesn’t trust my sister, but she doesn’t trust my sister. More specifically, I think, she doesn’t trust my nephew. Her Highness has tasked us with verifying Deidre and Snee’s choices for the crew of the Aeronaut.”
“Fi also has some reservations about Darian that go way back,” Skye mentioned.
“I understand that Lady Talia has found a healer for your journeys,” Mira commented. “Does that mean that you will not be stopping in Sailinto? Her Highness has directed us to go with you if you are.”
Talindra shrugged her shoulders. “You’re correct. It took some convincing to get Lianeth on the back of a Great Eagle, and it sounds like she’s clinging on for dear life, but she and Ciliren of Terra are on their way here now. Princess Lona has let me know that we now have a ship’s cook; her older sister, Sinead, from the Westlands, unless one of you was thinking of volunteering?”
All three of the spies started laughing at that. “The only thing we know how to cook,” Skye clarified, “is putting poison into the meals of people we are supposed to off.” Skye, previously known as Olivia Skye, had been a master assassin prior to becoming a spy, and had trained Fiona and her half-brother Ian McDonagh, who had also been Skye’s lover. The two had been engaged when Ian was killed in the battle of Hevanok saving the lives of Fiona’s family, and now she proudly bore his name since, moving to Caer Aerie from England.
“Dee, what are you doing here?” The ever-imperious Commodore Sparo, her son, and her consort, came up to the airship. Deidre was one of the very few people that Desara didn’t intimidate.
“Just trying to help out in any way we can, little sister.” She looked at the other two. “Snee, Darian.” Darian at least nodded. Deidre had been one of the few to accept her sister’s relationship with the former High Sheriff of Gewellyn. Snee did not care for his aunt and made no bones about it. He failed to acknowledge the greeting.
“Let us go into the aerodrome headquarters, and discuss our possible crewmembers, if we may?” Talindra queried. “We are here until our physician and her assistant arrive, and Princess Lona gets done with the Gewellyn Council meeting. I doubt we’ll be leaving before tomorrow evening, if then.”
“Excellent suggestion,” Desara agreed. “We are waiting for your father, in any event. He said that he is bringing a surprise for you. I’m sure it will be.”
They went into the small building and sat around a briefing table for the crews of the StarFire, Starlight, StarBlazer, and StarGazer, the four airworthy airships in the StarFire fleet. Snee laid out a series of resumes of the personnel they were recommending for crewmembers, and Darian included profiles of several possible choices of Naval Rangers. The three officers and Tror, the first mate, were going through the list when a loud buzzing came from outside.
“What in the worlds?” Nathaniel asked. “Whatever that is, it’s really irritating.”
Desara smiled. “That would be the surprise that Alden is bringing for your group. Why don’t we go back outside for a few minutes?”
When they were all out on the airfield, they located the source of the noise as an object in the sky kept coming closer and louder. It consisted of some sort of whirling propeller overhead, and one behind, and a motor making the most obnoxious noise. As it came closer to the ground, they could see the smiling Alden Wicker, goggles over his eyes and an aviator’s helmet on his head. He set the device down, creating a wild wind until he shut the rotors off. He looked at his daughter with a grin.
“What do you think, Captain? Do you think that you and the Mapmaker could use something like this?”
“That depends. What is it, Pa?”
“It’s called a Gyrocopter. I’ve prepared two of them to go with you because not all of you are shapeshifters.” He turned to Skye, because he knew that she, like Lona, Abilynn, and Fiona, was a shapeshifter. “Will you be accompanying them, Miss McDonagh?”
Skye shook her head. “No farther than Sailinto, if we even go that far. Lona will be the only one who can shift, other than her Eagle Guardian.”
“Exactly! Exactly my point,” Alden waved at the gyrocopter excitedly. “Yes, they’re a bit noisy.”
“With all due respect,” Natty pointed out, “it’s a bit more than a bit.”
“Yes, well, look at the advantage it gives you! It goes faster than a Great Eagle, and once you learn to control it, it can actually hover over things that Miss Chart needs to put on her maps. I envision having ships and airships just full of these gyrocopters. And you’d be able to land an airship on one, too. We could call them airship carriers or gyrocopter carriers.”
“Why not just call them what they are?” Skye, who was from twentieth century First Earth, pointed out. “Aircraft carriers.”
“Aircraft carriers! I like that!” He was about to make another point and stopped, and all of the elves present except Nathaniel looked up.
“Natty, did you hear that?” Enesneth, who had come out of the Aeronaut when the gyrocopter was approaching, asked.
“Hear what?” Nathaniel responded. “Remember, my mind-speaking capability is only a touch better than my sister Shannon’s.”
“It’s your mother, Queen Iolena. She said they just got back to the Juncture of the Nine Worlds, and you need to get there, now. She’s mind-speaking so all of us can hear it. They need you there,” she turned to Kip, “and you need to go with him.”
“No explanation?” Natty asked.
“She says she’ll explain it when you get there. They are sending Great Eagles to get the two of you.”
“Never mind that,” Doctor Wicker asserted. “Natty, Nathaniel, you and your friend, get in the gyrocopter. No time like the present for a flying lesson. Here, put these on. It will protect your hearing and these goggles will protect your eyes.” The two elves squeezed into the seats next to the inventor.
“You all keep working on the crew. We’ll be back as soon as we can.” Nathaniel advised Talindra and Tessa. He waved, and the gyrocopter rolled forward gathering speed, leapt into the air and headed toward the Juncture.