The Rivening

Family Ties

Connie sat up. The baby fluttered her eyes open for a moment but settled back, "Arden? He talked to Arden?"

"No, they shot Brome's leg. Smashed the echo station. Left Brome hurt. We think other stations smashed."

"But you're saying he could have talked to Arden? Rennish said it would take weeks to get in touch with Arden. You mean she could have contacted him right away?"

"Oh my dear. Yes!" Lina shook her head. "You two. Walk out of the Ladore Passage. Know nothing, like the baby you hold. And Crustic trackers in the middle of making big trouble! Before I live my year on Earthside, first I learn for a long, long time - how you live, Earthside history, language, everything."

Peter said, "But Lina, those echo stations. What are they? How many? Surely, they couldn't destroy them all so quickly."

"Not so many. Dahrians like this..." She pointed to Peter's face, to her face, to Connie's, then hers.

"Face-to-face. I've noticed that. And you make it so easy for people to move around. Are Zatch and the others checking out the echo stations?"

Lina nodded, "When the birds come back. Their messages will tell us."

Peter continued, "The echo station where Brome was shot, is that close? I'd like to go see it. Since I was a kid, I've spent a lot of time fiddling with radios and stuff. Who knows, maybe I can figure something out. Though I doubt it, but I feel so useless standing around here. I promise, I won't do anything you don't want me to, Lina."

"I know, Peter. It's dark now. You and Vossey can go tomorrow. Zatch grandparents, Olan and Jeggie, are back there. Olan said since station is broken, bad people are gone. You'll see, she'll like talking to you about her echo station. Vossey can take you on mountain road only Misgy know."

Peter looked over at Connie, "You okay if I go?"

"I'm fine. Now that I know you're fine. And I know you're not going to sit around without helping. And if there's any way to get hold of Arden, I'm all for it."

In the morning, Peter and Vossey left with a few provisions and a bird to message back to Lina.

After hugging them off, Connie sat down with Tessa and Quill in the round room and held out her arms to once again hold the baby.

"How is Brome?"

"He sleep. He okay. You okay?"

"I'm fine, Tessa." Connie couldn't hold back her tears. "I'm so, so sorry about Brome. I should have explained about the guns."

Tessa leaned forward, put her hands on Connie's thighs, and sought her eyes, "You no hurt Brome. Bad people hurt Brome."

Connie nodded slightly. Quill came to her side and rubbed her arm like he had rubbed Brome's. Aldo stood up and poked her nose under one of Tessa's hands to lay her head on Connie's lap which made them all laugh. And the baby woke up.

"See, I'm fine. I just needed a group hug."

The small group at Lina and Tori's place waited anxiously for news from Zatch's group and Peter and Vossey. Early afternoon Connie noticed a bird flying back. She stood, "Wow, whatever Tori did, my ankle's hardly sore. I just saw a bird come back. Do you wanna come with me, Quill?" Connie held out her hand and pointed at the pigeon cote.

Connie, Quill, and Aldo walked toward Lina who was retrieving a message from a bird in the cage.

Lina read out, "More Misgy echo stations broken."

Aldo began growling and turned in a ready to attack pose toward the lane. Four people were coming.

It looked like they were carrying assault rifles.

The person leading the group was a blonde woman. Connie knew her.

She turned to the side and spoke softly to Lina, "Hold Aldo. If she charges, that woman will kill her in an instant."

The blonde woman halted several feet away, "Well, we meet again, stepsister."

It was Ainsley, who had no qualms breaking Connie's arm when she was twelve by pushing her out of a tree.

"I guess I should have known it was you when I heard them describe a blonde woman as the shooter."

"I barely wounded him."

Lina was kneeling down with her arm wrapped around Aldo, talking lowly in the wolf's ear, trying to quiet her down.

Ainsley pulled around the rifle that was slung over her shoulder. "I will shoot that dog if you don't get it calmed down."

Connie moved in front of Aldo. "You'll have to shoot me first and I don't think you want to do that."

"Shoot you?" Ainsley said with a smirk. "Don't tempt me. But I'm guessing you probably know why I'm here."

"You're running low on signalers."

"My irritating brother's machine is a little more temperamental than expected. And that two-tone eye woman is getting worn out. We need to speed things up. Just the three of you here? Who's inside?"

"Why do you care?"

"I think you might need some incentive to keep doing what we need you to do. What about that kid?"

"I'll come with you quietly. But alone. Anything else and my wolf friend and I won't be responsible for our actions. I'll do your bidding. You don't need anyone from here."

"I think we should take the kid."

"He's actually a very annoying little child and will start screaming bloody murder if you take him. Seriously, Ainsley. It's not worth it."

Connie heard Lina speaking softly to Quill who began a terrible whining noise. Despite the precariously dangerous position they were in, Connie wanted to laugh and avoided betraying herself by looking down and shaking her head.

"Okay, leave the brat. Let's go. But first, where's the Glock you stole?"

"I threw in the river. I don't know why I took it. I hate guns."

"Idiot."

Connie limped toward Ainsley.

"What's wrong with you?"

"It's nothing. I just twisted my ankle."

"Even better, then you can't run away. C'mon." She looked down at the three-wheel scooters parked at the bottom of the lane, "God, one of the first things we've got to do is get some decent transportation in this backward place."

Connie got her travel packs from the cabin, stored them under a scooter seat, and climbed on the back.