Gathering Storm (The Salvation of Tempestria Book 2) - Gary Stringer (read e book TXT) 📗

works right now. Just focus on getting stronger again so we can take you back home.”

Catriona sat up quickly and immediately regretted it when the room started spinning. “Back home? We can’t go back already!”

“We have to. Cat, we’ve just been through this – this world is making you ill.”

“I know, you explained the problem just fine,” she assured her friend. “What I’m interested in now is the solution. Come on, Mandalee. How long have you known me? You can’t honestly believe this is going to stop me from achieving my goals. Besides, now that I know there are other worlds, I want to see them.”

“You haven’t been a fan of this one so far,” the assassin reminded her.

Cat dismissed that, pointing out, “I’m not a fan of anywhere when I’m sick. This place isn’t going to beat me. My body’s limitations aren’t going to beat me.”

“So, what’s your magical solution?” Mandalee asked.

“Essentially, the same thing I figured out years ago: I need our world’s nature to use my druid magic. Now I know I need it just to survive. The problem is the same, so the solution is the same. I need to carry nature with me at all times. Mandalee, I need to talk to Daelen. Where is he, anyway?”

“Taking his frustrations out on his training centre.”

“Well, that’s constructive,” she snarked, rolling her eyes.

“Cut the guy some slack – he brought you to Earth, and it nearly killed you.”

“I’ve nearly killed him twice, but I didn’t start beating up furniture. I focussed on the solution. Go to him, please, Mandalee. Tell him I want to see him, and tell him…” she trailed off, trying to remember the Earth expression she was looking for. “Tell him to ‘get his arse in gear.’”

Mandalee left the room, and a few minutes later, Daelen StormTiger took her place at Catriona’s bedside.

He immediately started to apologise, but Catriona cut him off. “No, Daelen,” she refuted softly, reaching out to caress his arm. “It’s me who needs to apologise. Don’t get me wrong, some of what I said was valid, and we’ll address those things later, but I went too far. I was unkind and unfair, just lashing out without knowing why.”

“It’s already forgotten.”

“Thank you, but there is one thing in particular…of all the things I said I don’t like…just to set the record straight.” She could see what Daelen was waiting for. “The truth is...I do quite like…” She faltered for a moment, as if uncertain how to continue. Then she grinned and finished, “your decor.”

Daelen smiled. He understood what she was saying without saying it.

“As for your training, there is one thing I want you to teach me when I’m on my feet again: your Prismatic Sphere portals.”

She wouldn’t do it the way he did, but if she could study how he made one, up close, she was sure she would be able to create her own version. A smaller, portable one that she could tether to herself at all times when on another world. With a permanent link to Tempestria, she would not only survive but also have access to all the druid magic she had at home.

Daelen agreed that he’d be glad to show her, but for now, she needed to rest.

Catriona was satisfied with that, so she lay back down. Daelen pulled the covers over her and then, on impulse kissed her gently on the forehead.

Rather than merely leaving, as she expected, he took a piece of paper from his pocket, unfolded it and began to sing:

Angels among us, stars in the night,

Watch o’er your sleep, shining so bright,

Safe in their light, as you close your eyes,

Love will surround you, ‘til morning you rise.

Angels among us, shed you no tears,

Bright Angels guard you, quiet your fears,

Nature’s embrace, is gentle and strong,

Love will surround you, all your life long.

Cat smiled. It was such an unexpected, touching thing for him to do. Thinking about it, she decided that, if she was completely honest, contrary to her words earlier in the day, she did like him, too. In fact, she was concerned that she was beginning to like him maybe a little too much.

It also briefly occurred to her to wonder where he’d managed to find that Faery lullaby, considering they were on another world, but sleep overtook her before she could think any more about it.

*****

Later that evening, after a strenuous training session with Daelen, Mandalee found Jessica in the magnificent great hall at the heart of the mansion house complex. Seeing the White Assassin come in, the Chetsuan girl greeted her with her customary, “Heya, love!”

“Jessica,” Mandalee began, “do you mind if I raid your kitchen? I need to do something for Cat.”

“Sure thing, but are you sure it’s not something that I could do for you? Sara and me, we’re here to help, you know.”

Mandalee smiled at the helpful, eager girl. The Cleric of Nature couldn’t imagine she’d be so chipper if she were cut off from her world with no prospect of ever seeing it again without killing everyone she met.

“No, thank you,” she chuckled. “I just want to bake some cookies for my friend. I’m sure the end result would be a lot better if you did it, but—”

“—But that’s not the point, is it?” Jessica finished. “They wouldn’t be from you, then, would they?”

Mandalee smiled and shook her head.

“Aww, that’s so sweet!”

Linking arms, her broad grin wrinkled her nose as she led Mandalee out of the hall. “Just come with me, dearie, and I’ll show you where everything is.”

*****

A couple of hours later, deciding her friend had slept long enough, Mandalee stumbled back into the portal room, her clothes soiled with flour and egg white, with some hot tea and a fresh batch of half-burnt cookies.

Seeing that her friend was indeed awake, she set the tray down on the bedside table.

“Here, Cat,” she croaked, having made herself hoarse while swearing at her inability to cook, “I made you something.”

She banged one of her