Wine of the Gods 26: Embassy Read Online Free PDF Page B

witches. The younger teenagers first, possibly pre-teen. Hard to tell, the way the witches played with them. Betelgeuse and Dagger, if he'd sorted them out correctly, were both Jade's daughters. They galloped into the village first. Then the blonde, brunette, redhead trio, trying to look adult and sophisticated instead of two months pregnant and exhausted. In fact, judging by their sizes, they'd been living in that Fast House and gained a couple of months. Arrow was Teri's daughter . . . and he rather wondered how much time she'd spent in the speed bubble these last months. She could easily pass for eighteen or twenty, now. Hugely pregnant, clutching her belly. Not mine.
    The two little kids, Nimbus and Dusk, looked about six. Sunset and Smokey were their mothers, and they tended to cling. Given the sharp glances the four women were exchanging, any sensible child would have run off and left the witches to settle their dominance battle.
    Rior decided to be sensible, and eased out of the village and down to the beach and the corridor. A long hot shower, a change of clothes, a fancy dinner in his favorite restaurant . . . Yes. That was the best plan.
    But I'll be back. Never fear, my little witches.

Chapter Seven
Summer Solstice 1398
Black Island, Comet Fall
     
     
    At least there were no practices on the three day trip up the island volcano for the Summer Solstice. Just hiking up and up and up until they finally climbed up on a platform, not flat, but with five broad steps up to a small triangular spot.
    Dagger stopped at the base with Nimbus and Dusk.
    Sunset and Smokey walked up two steps and looked wistfully up more. But they barely used the Fast House, so their daughters were only six. Betelgeuse, Arrow, Epee, Falchion and Gauntlet stepped up only to the first tier. Arrow was really, really fat. She must be due to have the baby soon. Then she'll be up a step. The three will be up there pretty soon too, the way they talk about going into the Fast House. And . . . I'll have to admit I can gather power pretty soon.
     
    At sundown they waited until the full moon rose, then started singing all the songs Teri and her mother had been teaching her. Down with the rest of the little children, Dagger sighed wistfully, but didn't touch the power she could see flowing from the World to the Moon.
    She'd just have to keep trying things in private until then. If I can stand to not touch the power flowing up from the Earth to the Moon.
    They sang the Moon up the sky, and then back down, and then they hiked down a little ways, to where they'd left their food and bedrolls, and they munched a quick snack and slept until noon. The hike down found a whole new set of muscles to make ache, but it was still better than the House. As the ground flattened out, Dagger ran ahead, outstripping the others.
    She galloped into their village, and waved to Nanny Mason, Miss Herriette and Becca. They were busy, so she slipped into the Fast House and shut the door. And heaved a sigh of relief. Teri couldn't see what she was doing in here, and Dagger would be able to step right out with practically no time gone at all.
    She put her hands out and grabbed. The flow was a bit odd, in the House. It flowed up and around, circling in again. And she took a handful, made it glow. The first exercises for a Crescent involved shields, and lots of silly little charms, that later could be added together for the big spells.
    She picked up a piece of paper and started writing names on it. "Pretty Boy, Pretty Boy, what do you see? Pretty Boy, Pretty Boy, will you marry me?" Repetitive and silly, it was supposed to twist the mind so the words were magically imbued with the caster's impression of the person.
    Teri hissed and ate away at the paper. Smokey and Sunset were watery and ineffective. The other witches were confused and uncertain. Nanny, Becca and Miss Herriette's names faded away as if they didn't really exist. The five mage's names curled and twisted and turned odd