Free Keepers of the Flame by Robin D. Owens Page B

appearing disgruntled. “Though none
of us have been able to cure those with the sickness, like you did.”
    “They are the Exotique Medicas,” Calli said. “They will have skills that the
rest of us don’t. Like I can speak with the volarans, or you can handle that
baton.”
    Jaquar
had strolled over to Bri, lifting a small cork from the bottle. Blinking, Bri
could see that the pale lavender liquid inside sparkled a little, even in the
tendrils that rose from the bottle. Really odd.
    Jaquar
waved it under her nose. It smelled wonderful , floral, like all the
spring blossoms of a tree. She wanted another sniff, but since it was more like
a craving, decided against it.
    “Say
something, Sevair,” Jaquar ordered—and it wasn’t in English, but sounded
perfectly clear and not the mangled French Bri had had to concentrate to
untangle.
    “We,”
Sevair gestured to the medica behind him, “have come to discuss matters. Since
there are two Exotique medicas, it is only reasonable one stay here at the
Castle and one come with me to Castleton.” Though he sounded as if he was
reporting a compromise that didn’t please.
    “Split
us up!” Bri said, and realized she was speaking French—sort of.
    The
line between Sevair’s brows dug deeper as if he tried to understand what
she said.
    But
Elizabeth was frowning, too. “What did you say, Bri?” she asked.
    “They
want to split us up. Send one of us away.”
    “Yeah,”
Alexa rolled her eyes. “All the way to Castleton. Two miles downhill.”
    Bri
felt her cheeks pinken. “Oh.”
    “Two
miles downhill from a Castle on a hill means walking two miles up hill
for someone,” Elizabeth said.
    “True,”
said Bri.
    Jaquar
waved the vial near Bri’s nostrils again. Wonderful scent. She clenched her
teeth, then said, “How much would give me language skills for the day?”
    Marian’s
gaze met Jaquar’s. She cleared her throat. “Language skills, ah. You might be
interested to know that during sex there is a definite transfer of the language
with your partner. That is to say, you’ll get Lladranan. They get English too,
but there’s not much chance to practice it.”
    Bri
moved until she was shoulder to shoulder with Elizabeth. “We look like the easy
types to you?”
    Marrec
shook his head. “No Exotique is easy. Not a one.”
    “Pity,”
said Bastien.
    Jaquar
said, “Two drops for today lasting perhaps until tomorrow noon.”
    The
medica stepped farther into the room and said something that escaped Bri. You
understand that? she asked Elizabeth.
    No . “Please
translate,” Elizabeth said. She’d tensed up again.
    The
other Coloradan women shared a glance, grouped together and murmured a bit,
then Marian looked at the twins and said, “She speaks in words and concepts
that we are not sure of, even though we have done Song healing. Something about
wanting to consult you about the rhythmic cycles of each energy point-pulse.”
Marian didn’t look pleased that she didn’t get it.
    Bri
turned a little to Elizabeth. If I try, I can hear each chakra tune. Can
you?
    Elizabeth
squinted, then a corner of her mouth lifted. Not really, but I can “see”
different colors of swirling energy. I definitely see auras now, more than I
ever did on Earth.
    Chakra
auras.
    I
suppose. Elizabeth held out her hand, and Bri clasped it. They looked at Marian. The
sounds Bri heard merged with Elizabeth’s sight. Each chakra had a series of
notes, a color, spun in a different pattern and to a different beat.
    Now
that you help, I CAN hear the notes. Probably what the medica was talking
about, Elizabeth said.
    For
sure. And with our link I can see the chakras better than I ever could on
Earth. The seven main ones and all the way to the thirteen . Bri felt
Elizabeth scrutinizing the medica. We could learn from them, and teach them,
too!
    You
got the parents’ teaching gene, Bri said. I think I’ll take a
chance.
    You
always do, Elizabeth said.
    Dropping
Elizabeth’s hand, Bri went