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The next morning, she finished unpacking, then took her coffee out onto her balcony and watched the tourists wandering through the park below. Somehow, it’s not as idyllic a scene as it was before I killed Chamberlain.
Something felt different, as if she’d changed and it was upsetting her enough that she decided to go to the Earth Temple and talk it over with Amira. Maybe she can shed some light on this new ability of mine.
She finished her coffee and took a shower. The bathroom mirror was fogged up, but she could see bright green eyes peering through the mist. Having to handle things without gloves brought lots of different images to mind. That was normal enough that she could ignore it, but now she was hearing things as well. She used a brand-new towel and was assailed by the sound of automatic looms and the stressed looking faces of the workers.
Picking up clean clothes brought the sounds and smells of the laundry machines she used as well as a vision of the water sloshing around inside the drum. I don’t normally connect to inanimate objects like this...what is going on?
Kai dressed hurriedly, snatched up her keys and left the loft, running past the lift and taking the stairs so that she wouldn’t meet anyone. Thankfully there was no one in the lobby, so she hailed a red cab as soon as she was outside and told the cabbie where to take her.
“She’s a beauty and that’s no mistake.” She heard him say as he glanced at her via the rear-view mirror, “That hair colour is so stunning, especially with the colour of her eyes.”
What’s going on? Kai frowned, I always thought I looked rather ordinary. She looked out of the cab window as they passed a shop with mirrored windows. The reflection was distorted and went past quickly, but there was no mistaking the colour of the eyes that looked back at her. They’re definitely green and my hair looked redder than normal.
The cabbie kept glancing back at her and she caught comments that if he’d said them out loud would have earned him a slap. Instead, she ignored them, looking out of the window with her eyes half closed as if she were dozing. Her heart pounded hard enough to work its way out of her chest, and she had to take slow, deep breaths to stay calm. Arriving at the temple, Kai dropped a fifty in the cabbie’s lap and rushed away from the car, trying not to hear the comments he made about her.
“I would like to speak to Lady Amira if at all possible.” She told the novice on duty at reception.
“The Lady is in a meeting now, but I will pass a message to her. Is there anyone else you would like to speak to?”
Kai shook her head, “I’ll wait in the Arboretum. I haven’t done any sēnlínyù for a while, and I feel the need to meditate amongst the trees.”
The novice smiled gently and nodded, “I’ll pass that to Lady Amira as well.” He waved toward the covered walkway that led to the Arboretum and bowed.
Kai returned the bow and walked as fast as she could down the walkway. Stepping out onto the smoothly raked earth path that snaked into the trees from the pavilion at the end of the walkway, she felt the panic that had begun to build in the Red Cab ebb away at the scent of the dirt and grass under her feet.
The path meandered through the trees with grass sēnlínyù paths branching off it. Kai took her favourite one, and after a few minutes of quiet walk, the path ended in a tree shaded, grassy clearing with a small, stream-fed pool and a carved rock bench. Sitting down on the bench, Kai took a deep breath and slipped off her gloves. I’ve never had anything to fear from being bare handed here.
Laying her palms flat on the stone, she closed her eyes. As it had so many times before, a presence of calm filled her mind and made her relax. The cool of the stone on her skin felt like she had slid her hands into the pool in front of her.
“Welcome back, Niánqīng nǚzǐ.” The voice that spoke in her mind had an earthy, solid tone to it that reminded Kai of her Grandfather. “You haven’t visited us for a while. What are your problems today?”
Kai’s eyes shot open, and she looked around, “Who’s there?”
“Just I, Niánqīng nǚzǐ. I never move from here and you have sat upon me many times. I have just never been able to speak to you before.” The voice had a smile to it.
She lifted her hands and the presence disappeared. There was no one else around; even had there been someone else in the clearing, Sēnlínyù etiquette forbade speech. She put her hands back down and the presence reappeared.
“Don’t worry, Niánqīng nǚzǐ, you are not imagining my voice. The Priestess is on her way here now and I have no doubt that she will be able to make you feel better.”
Unsettled, Kai stood up and put her gloves back on, before moving to sit on the grass beside the pond. She closed her eyes again. This time she heard only the wind through the tree branches and the ripple of the water as it fell from the tiny stream into the pool. That’s better.
A soft footfall on the grass beside her made her open her eyes again. Amira stood beside her, shock evident in her wide almond shaped eyes and flickering tongue.
“What happened to you, Kai?” She whispered.
Kai stared up at her, “What do you mean?”
Amira gestured to the pool, “See for yourself.”
Kai pushed herself onto her knees and crawled to the water’s edge. Looking into the water, the shadow of the tree above her darkening it enough to act like a mirror, a stranger’s face gazed back out of it.
Bright red-gold hair framed a golden skinned face with bright emerald green eyes framed by red-gold eyelashes. Kai blinked and the face in the pool blinked. That’s me? No wonder that the Cabbie said what he did. But how did it happen?
She looked back up at Amira, “I knew that I felt different, but I didn’t know this had happened.”
“Let’s go have tea in my workshop and discuss it.” Amira put one hand down and helped Kai to her feet.
Kai nodded and glanced at the rock bench as they passed it. Did I imagine that voice? I’m almost certain that it came from the bench.
Amira saw her glance at the rock. “That has stood in that position for over three thousand years. The rock was brought here by my ancestor Dìlóng, when he established the Dìqiú sìmiào.”
“Would it have its own spirit?” she said.
“Oh yes. I often come here and talk to it. The Yáogǔn jīngshén is very wise and was old even before my ancestor resettled it here.” Amira smiled.
So, I wasn’t imagining the voice. Phew.
Once they were back in her workshop, Amira made tea and settled them back into the seats they had occupied the previous day.
“Now tell me what happened up at the Qiūtiān de sìmiào last night.” Amira said.
Kai ran over the events of the evening for what felt like the umpteenth time. Unlike the last few times that she’d done it though, Amira said nothing and asked no questions. By the time she had finished, the Dragon priestess had refilled their cups twice.
“What happened to the Spirit Blade?” Amira asked once Kai fell silent.
“It got taken in as evidence, although I was able to extract a promise that Wei Tian wouldn’t be packed away in a box.” Kai sighed, “I would have preferred to return him to his place on the wall, but I didn’t get a choice.”
“When did your hair and eyes change colour?”
Kai shrugged, “I don’t know. All I know is that I started being able to hear people’s thoughts when they are thinking about me.”
“Can you hear my thoughts?” Amira stared at her.
Kai concentrated, but nothing came through, “No, but maybe it doesn’t work with dragons, maybe it’s just humans.”
“It’s a thought, certainly. Has anything else happened?”
“The Rock in the clearing by the pool talked to me when I laid my bare hands on it.” She said, “Other than that and my being able to hear sounds when I touch objects now as well as visions of whoever touched it last.”
“Hmm.” Amira got up and made more tea, “That sounds like an improvement on your normal abilities rather than a problem.”
“Is there any way to tell the difference?” Kai accepted the fresh cup with shaking hands.
“There’s a ritual that I could do that would reveal any spells that have been laid on you.” “The dragon priestess smiled, “I haven’t done it for nearly a hundred years, so I’d need some time to prepare.”
“When could you do it?”
“How about tomorrow night. I think you need to get some more rest before I try; the ritual will require a part of your energy as well as mine.”
Kai sighed, “I can wait until then. I just wish I could get home without meeting anyone else; I never know what I am going to hear and some of the comments can be rather nasty.”
“I can imagine.” Amira pursed her lips and thought for a moment. Then she crossed to a drawer and took out a mobile phone, “I’ll call one of the Temple Drivers in to take you home. I’ll also arrange for one to pick you up before the ritual.”
Relieved, Kai smiled, “That would be perfect. Thank you.”
“You’re my friend, Kai and this is what friends do.”
––––––––
I’VE NEVER SEEN SO much of the inside of this loft before. Kai thought as she made her breakfast the next morning. She took it out on to the balcony and sat at the small outdoor table with matching chair that she’d bought the afternoon before. This is nice. I wish I could live in the Temple Lands, but only Dragons are allowed to settle there.
She’d had various files delivered to her from both offices, so after breakfast she went through them in the little office that she’d set up at home. Having work to do made her feel a little more like herself and not so isolated. There was also a report from Edward on Sebastian and the viability of Lady Starwind’s Divination.
I like doing the fortune telling. It’s a nice change from the seriousness of the cases that the Hunter’s office brings in. Speaking of which, I need to look at Tabitha’s disappearance. She made a few phone calls to various contacts at the Police Station as well as within the local community. There weren’t many leads, and she eventually realised that she was going to have to use her ability in order to get somewhere.
Writing her notes up on the case, she considered not doing it until after the ritual. I may be too exhausted after that... she looked at the t-shirt in the Ziploc bag. But I don’t know what to expect though. What if my ability is all screwed up and... she pushed the bag back into the box with the files. Her hands were shaking, and she felt like she couldn’t breathe.
“The last time I felt like this, I’d just taken on my first hunter case.” She said to herself, “Get a grip, Kai-Lynn!”
Walking back out onto her balcony, she took a deep breath. I just hope that she’s still alive and I’m not talking to a spirit again... or worse.
Her mobile buzzed in her pocket, making her jump before she pulled it out and answered, “Hello?
“Miss Riordan, The White Tiger would like your personal assistance. Are you available this afternoon?” The voice left Kai with no question that the correct answer was Yes, but she wasn’t in the mood to pander to other people.
“I’m afraid not. I’m participating in a healing ritual at Dìqiú sìmiào.” She kept her voice firm, despite the shaking.
“I see, nothing serious I hope.”
“Nothing is known at this point, and I don’t know what effect it is going to have on my ability to work, so I’m afraid that I shall have to decline the honour of meeting the White Tiger.” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm the panic that refusing was causing.
“I will relay your apologies to the White Tiger. I hope that all goes well for you this afternoon.” The person at the other end cut the connection.
Kai stared at the phone; I just refused a meeting with The White Tiger. People have disappeared for less. Her heart pounded and her hands shook as she shut the phone down.
The landline phone beside her front door rang and kai raced to answer it, “Hello?”
“Miss Riordan, Lucy from Reception here. A Temple Car has arrived and is waiting for you outside the entrance.”
At last.
“Thank you, Lucy. I’ll be right down.” She put the phone down.
She encountered no one on the way down and when she thanked Lucy again, the woman just smiled at her. The driver of the car was just as polite and she heard nothing from him, even though she was relatively certain that he was Human and not a Dragon. What is going on?
At the Temple, a group of tourists were assembling in the front courtyard for a guided tour. As she was getting out of the car, several of the younger men wolf whistled and she caught one of them staring at her.
Kai winked at him. He looked around and she winked again. He broke into a grin and would have wandered over had she not turned away and followed the novice that had opened the car door. I can’t hear anything from him, even though he obviously was thinking about me.
The novice led Kai into the main hall of the Temple where Lady Amira stood with two Journeymen in ceremonial robes. So, we’re to be formal today? Fair enough.
“Kai-Lynn Riordan, you have come to us today for Healing. Are you still willing to participate?” Amira’s golden eyes glowed.
“Yes.” Kai bowed to her.
“This way please.” Amira and the journeymen turned and walked out of the main hall. The novice bowed and gestured for Kai to follow.