Part 11 (2/2)

”And merry part,” Danith and T'Ash replied in unison. Straif's brows lowered. Drina made a happy sound.

”And merry meet again,” Mitch.e.l.la said.

”I'll escort you home,” Straif said.

”No. It's after working hours, GrandLord. Please allow me the choice of my own company.” She smiled not too sweetly.

Danith frowned and T'Ash growled, ”T'Blackthorn.” There was no future for a FirstFamily GrandLord who needed to reestablish his Family bloodline and a sterile woman. Mitch.e.l.la was surprised T'Ash was concerned for her, but he'd do anything to spare Danith worry, especially now she was pregnant, including protecting her friend. Mitch.e.l.la dipped her head in thanks, and his gaze softened. Perhaps they'd come to a common understanding after all. They both loved Danith.

”I'll see you tomorrow morning, then, at Work bell,” Straif said, looking thwarted.

”Yes,” Mitch.e.l.la said. She'd just opened the door when a mental shriek and stabbing pain flung her against the wall.

Fire!

Ten.

Fire! The word, the image of flame and smoke, panic, burst into Mitch.e.l.la's head and sent her reeling back into the wall.

”Fire!” she cried, echoing Trif's mental shriek. ”My home. Antenn, Trif!”

Straif was there, his hands gripping her shoulders. ”Visualize so we can 'port.”

Danith wrapped her arms around Mitch.e.l.la as she swayed, a telepathic link snapped between them. Danith grasped Straif's wrist and sent images of Mitch.e.l.la's rented house and street.

T'Ash connected with them through Danith, grim. Fire, he whispered mentally. Before Mitch.e.l.la could stave off his memories, she saw his Residence burn. She screamed again.

”I've got the coordinates. We go on the count of three,” Straif said. ”One. Two. Three.”

An instant later the cold rush of spring night air wrapped around them as they materialized outside Mitch.e.l.la's home. It burned, flames flickering behind shattered windows, reaching upward from the second story to the roof. Neighbors crowded the street. Smoke rasped her eyes and throat.

”Mitch.e.l.la, we've scryed the AirMages!” A neighbor shouted, mixed horror and excitement in her voice.

T'Ash and Danith stepped away from Mitch.e.l.la and Straif.

”Antenn, my Antenn, Trif!” she screamed, flinging herself forward. Straif's steely grip held her back.

”I can't lose them!” She struggled with all her might, but he held her fast.

”I'll 'port inside. Mitch.e.l.la, think, give me coordinates,” Straif panted.

Her mind gibbered so she concentrated on the strength in his fingers.

”Where would they be, Mitch.e.l.la?” asked Danith.

”Can you link with your cuz Trif?” demanded T'Ash. ”I Tested her. She has more than ordinary Flair.”

Mitch.e.l.la reached with all her senses. Inhaled smoke and coughed. ”Mains.p.a.ce. Far left corner. Trif around Antenn around Pinky.” She knew that room intimately, had tinted every wall, refinished the floor and baseboards, furnished it. Knew the exact dimensions. She visualized a holo of the chamber with a measurement grid. Sent the image to Straif.

He jerked a nod. ”T'Ash?” snapped Straif, holding out his hand.

T'Ash settled into himself. ”Right.” He grasped Straif's hand. ”On three. One. Two. Three.”

They were gone.

Mitch.e.l.la cried out and lunged after them, but Danith held her back with slim fingers on her arm and a twist of heavy Flair. ”Let the men get them. They're FirstFamily Lords, with great Flair. We can't match them in that. We'll handle the cleanup.”

There would be no cleanup. Not of the house. It couldn't be saved. Mitch.e.l.la prayed the child of her heart and cuz were safe. Tears welled and leaked from her eyes. Her breath came in ragged sobs of fear. Though the fire raged, the only warmth Mitch.e.l.la felt was Danith's fingers.

”The men have them!” Danith's face shone with triumph. ”They're all 'porting to Primary Healing Hall. Let's go. I must care for Pinky. Does anyone in this neighborhood have a glider?”

Mitch.e.l.la stared. Her throat had closed with terror, and she tried twice before she could speak. ”We're not so affluent.”

At that moment the AirMages showed up, six of them, each partnered with a Persun who stored Flair. They ran to surround the house. With trained efficiency as they raised their arms, a net of white light wove between them, multiplying from six strands to a full s.h.i.+ning cloth of energy.

”I've scanned inside, no one's there,” the SecondLevel AirMage in charge said. She stood close to Mitch.e.l.la and Danith. The AirMage's Persun, a huge man, circled her waist to link with her. Unable to look away, Mitch.e.l.la watched her belongings burn.

”Let's bring it down and smother the fire!” the AirMage said.

Slowly, steadily, the energy-cloth descended through the house. The Persun sucked in a loud breath as the energy from the fire being snuffed pulsed through the AirMage to be stored by him and later released constructively, to Heal or mend buildings or farm. His skin glowed.

Finally, the fire was out and the AirMages carefully equalized the air pressure of the vacuum inside the house with the atmosphere outside.

Even so, the house collapsed upon itself.

Mitch.e.l.la bit her lip and swallowed hard. ”I always knew the house was poorly made, but it didn't matter.”

Danith hugged her. ”It had charm.”

”Charm is not always the best priority in purchasing a house,” the AirMage said, pulling out a note flexistrip. She stated the time of the ”incident” and aimed the device at Mitch.e.l.la. ”I take it you are the owner of the property.”

The AirMage's tough tone stiffened Mitch.e.l.la's backbone. ”I'm the renter. The owner is GraceLord Jalap, and the insurance company is Saffron and Hops.”

The AirMage said, ”You weren't in the house? Do you have any idea how the fire might have started? It burned too rapidly.”

At that moment a glider-for-hire swept down the street, Aunt Pratty hanging out the window and screaming, ”Mitch.e.l.la, where's my Trif?”

In a trembling voice, Mitch.e.l.la addressed the AirMage. ”I was at dinner with friends. I don't know how the fire started. My ward and my cuz were in the house. They're at Primary Healing Hall now. That's my aunt, I must speak with her.” Mitch.e.l.la ran over to join Danith who was trying to calm Aunt Pratty, who'd exited the glider and leaned against it.

”T'Ash told me that Trif and Antenn have already been seen by the Healers and can be discharged.” Danith hugged the tear-streaked woman, stroked her hair.

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