Chapter 16

I was never a party girl. I mean I loved music; I just couldn’t sing it. No, not couldn’t. Shouldn’t. My singing could make babies cry and dogs howl in fear. And forget dancing. Not only did I have two left feet, but neither of them had any idea what the other was doing. A Grimner had more grace in one tiny toe than I had in my whole body. I accepted that about myself over the years. So watching Starke and Satoga glide along with everyone else, doing some funky fast waltz thing and looking as graceful as two beautiful swans on a lake, stuck under my craw like a burr.

The impromptu celebration proved how much of a miracle worker my grandmother was. Within an hour the whole town had set up the village square as a makeshift party hall. There were tables of food, kegs of wine, and an improvised band with some of the weirdest instruments I’d ever seen. The weird mashup of metal and jazz emanating from the stick-like instruments with tiny lights flashing to the beat, had everyone in a party mood. Everyone wanted to join in on the celebration of our return. Even Zoe was laughing at something Baylor was saying to her. That was a shocker. If I was still in my world, I would have bought a lottery ticket since seeing Zoe laugh was as rare as a blue moon. But if I had known there was going to be dancing, I’d have stayed in my room and caught up on my much-needed sleep “They move well together,” Kara said to me as she watched the dancers like I did, off to the side.

“Hmph, I guess,” I retorted. “If you like that sort of thing. To me they look more like idiots doing the funky chicken.”

I caught her grin out of the corner of my eye.

“I thought for sure you would be Starke’s dance partner tonight. You two have been inseparable since your return. You’ve grown close in your travels, have you not?”

I slanted my eyes at her. “What are you trying to say, girl? Spit it out.”

“Nothing.” She held her hands out, palms up to me. “I just meant you two have grown a certain respect for each other. It is quite obvious to see.”

Really? That surprised me. Not the respect part. That part was true. I totally respected Starke and everything he stood for. If I had any doubts of his intentions, it was put to rest from our mutual experiences. I had never met a more upstanding guy. Everything he did, he did for the good of others. I just didn’t realize others had noticed my admiration for him.

“I know you had your doubts about him, Kara. So did I at first. But he’s proven himself over and over. He’s one of the good guys.”

She watched him with her golden gaze.

“So you trust him?”

“Unconditionally,” I replied with no hesitation. “He can be an idiot at times, totally irritating, and one of the most egotistical guys you could ever meet, but he kind of grows on you. I’d trust him with my life.”

She nodded. “If you trust in the Fae then that is good enough for me, elemental.”

I flashed her a look. “There’s a but in your voice.”

Kara shrugged and grinned at me. “You say you trust him, Jette, but the way you are watching him right now, it looks like you’d rather strangle him then speak to him. I’m not sure if that negates your trust statement. Are you irritated that he is having fun?”

“What?” I blinked at her bold statement. “No. Why would I care if he was having fun?”

“I can’t answer that for you, Jette. I can only tell you what I see. And right now I see one pissed off elemental.”

“Well you’re wrong.” I took a sip of water from the cup in my hand, buying myself time to think of an appropriate answer. “I’m not pissed off. Tired, yes. Worried, absolutely. We should all be. We are jumping to another world again tomorrow. God knows what we will find. Our track record hasn’t been the best. Aliens, cannibals, magic haters, the list goes on and on. But yet, look at him. Like he hasn’t a care in the world. Out there jerking around to the weird ass music and flirting with anything on two legs.”

She tried to hide her grin, but I saw it. It only irritated me more. That plus the fact I knew she was absolutely right. I was annoyed and I had no idea why. Not like I wanted to dance, but it would have been nice to be asked, just so I could refuse. But the minute the music had started, he turned his charm on the ladies. The first partner had been a wild-haired redhead. He then moved on to a curvy little blond, and now Satoga was the lucky one. It had only taken her mere minutes to show what a champ she was at the weird foot choreography that was happening out there.I would have been down on my ass within the first five minutes. Three times over.

I didn’t begrudge him having fun. After the week we just had, Starke deserved to have some fun. He just didn’t need to… well…be having that much fun.

The music slowed, and I watched Satoga sink further into Starke’s embrace. Geez, she was practically clinging to him. Someone ought to tell her there wasn’t enough room inside his shirt for the both of them. It was nauseating the way she was clinging to him, and him smiling all the while. She probably couldn’t help herself. He was more likely than not pouring the Fae charm on way too thick, like the idiot he was. But he’d better pull back else he’d be wiping drool off her chin any second now. His voice echoed mockingly in my head.

It’s a Fae thing.

Ugh. Irritated with myself and my thoughts, I stopped watching the frolicking morons out there dancing like they had no worries in the world. To hell with them all for having the grace and confidence I didn’t. And to hell with him for not even thinking of asking me to dance. I had more important things to worry about. Let Starke dance his ass off if that’s what he wanted to do. Why did I care. Even if it was a fine-looking ass.

Stop it.

I turned to Kara.

“Have you seen Bishop tonight?”

“I have. Last place I saw him was by the blacksmith shop.”

I nodded. “Great. Thanks, Kara. I’ll see you later.”

“Jette,” she called as I started to walk away.

I turned just as she wrapped herself around my neck, spilling some of my water.

“It is good to have you back. I just wanted to say thank you for all you and Starke have done. It is an honor to call you elemental and my sister in magic.”

Stupid tears filled my eyes at Kara’s soft words. I hugged her back awkwardly, trying not to spill more water and sniffing back my own waterworks.

“The honor is mine, Tink,” I replied gruffly. “Sister in magic. I like that. Thank you.”

I dropped a kiss on the top of her golden head before I walked away. Pushing my way through the crowd, I scanned the faces for Bishop. I had some questions that needed to be answered.

I found him at the blacksmith shop like Kara said, watching the celebrations with his usual placid expression. Like he was totally bored but trying his darndest not to fall asleep and miss a thing. He was far enough away from the party so I could actually hear his greeting over the music as I approached.

“Jette girl.”

“Hey Bish.” I raised my drink in greeting as I sat beside him on the wooden bench.

He eyeballed the tin mug in my hand.

“Just water,” I laughed. “Don’t need a hangover to go portal jumping tomorrow. That in itself messes me up just fine.”

“I see.” He rested his folded hands in his lap. “And you have experienced hangover before?”

I snorted. “Duh, yeah. I was a high school student before I was an elemental. I grew up in a parallel world, not under a rock. Geez, you sound more judgmental than my foster parents.”

“Never mistake concern for judgement, Jette girl.”

I nudged his shoulder with mine. “Awww, I love you too, Bish. But I didn’t come over here to get a lecture about the evils of alcohol.”

“Why are you not out enjoying yourself like the others?”

He pointed to Jill and one of the merry men swinging by like they were competing in a hoedown contest.

“Nah, dancing isn’t my thing.”

“As you say, you are young. Maybe new things should be tried to lessen the pressure of being an elemental, yes?”

I stared at him in disbelief.

“Bish, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were trying to tell me, in your own unique way, to loosen up.”

“Take from my words what you will.”

“Well actually what I need from you right now, is answers.”

He turned his serious dark eyes on me. “I will try my best. What can I help you with?”

“I have a couple of questions?” I hesitated; not quite sure how to ask this. “You knew my mom, right? Do you know how she…died?”

“I’m afraid not. No one was there when it happened, Jette girl, only you and her and those that took her life. I cannot tell you that. What I can tell you is that she died protecting you. Keeping you out of Asha’s controlling hands.”

“But you’re sure she died?”

Bish’s face gave nothing away, but I knew I shocked him.

“Why would you ask such a thing?”

“Just answer me, Bish. Please.”

“I saw her aflame on her death pyre as she ascended to the next level.I watched your grandmother and those that knew her grieve. I am positive she is no longer with us.”

“Death pyre? So her body was burned? She doesn’t even have a grave?”

“What is this about, Jette girl?”

“I’m just trying to understand why I’ve been dreaming her. Why she’s come to me in my dreams begging me to find her. Or to find something.”

Bish eyed me warily. “Tell me. What does she say?”

“Invenient mihi. Every time. Why would a dead woman want me to find her?”

“And you are sure that is what she says?”

“Yes,” I leaned back against the bench and sighed. “And that’s not all. The girl who hijacked our jump? The Precognitive. She told me the exact same thing. She said my mom needed me to find her and then she spouted those same words in a spooky-ass voice. I just don’t understand. Starke thinks maybe she needs me to find not her, exactly, but something belonging to her. Something important? But I have no idea where to look or even what I’m looking for.”

Bish was quiet for a moment. He reached out and took my hand.

“I believe you are reading too much into this, Jette girl. Coming to Endova, learning of your birthright, it has all been hard on you. Dreams of your mother are just your mind’s way of dealing with this stress. You have heard stories about her. Your grandmother resembles her tremendously. It’s only natural that you would miss her. Want to see her. To find her. You say the girl is a dream walker. She has most likely experienced seeing your mother from your dreams. Do not worry yourself over it. Finding your mother simply means knowing and understanding who she was. And know that she would be proud of you. As I am.”

And again with the tears. What was it with me being such a crybaby lately? He was probably right. My dreams were just a representation of my heart wanting for something I couldn’t have. My mom was gone. I had to accept that and move on. I knew my whole life that was the case. But there had still been this tiny, holdout part of me that hoped she was still alive.

I pulled my hand from Bishop’s and turned my head so he wouldn’t see my tears.

“Yeah,” I sniffed. “You’re probably right. Just my stupid head doing what it does best. Living in a fantasy world.”

I swallowed my tears and turned back to him.

“Thanks, Bishop. Thanks for always listening. For always being there.” I fake laughed, trying to hide the out of whack emotions I was experiencing right now. “You rock, dude.”

Starke’s deep laughter drew my attention, and I flashed a look of irritation toward the throng of dancers again. He had another partner. The blond village girl again, worshipping him with huge eyes like he was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. I rolled my eyes. Would you give me a break? And the idiot was lapping it up like he was a desert flower after months of drought. He really couldn’t help himself, even with the threat of jumping into another possibly dangerous world tomorrow looming over us. The man really was incorrigible.

Annoyed with him and irritated with myself for even caring, I stood up.

“Later, Bish. All this music and noise is giving me a headache. I’m going for a stroll.”

Bishop’s response got lost in the music as I walked away