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Duncan addressed Merl, “Maybe you can explain how the window worked.”
All eyes once again shifted to Merl, but he shrugged. “I have no idea. I don’t have that ability and I don’t know anyone who does. But again it’s one helluva an indication how much power Yolanthe has and why, if she wants Rachel dead, she’s going to keep sending wreckers to chase her down.”
When more questions came up, Duncan, Merl and Endelle took pains to answer each one, fleshing out as many details as each could.
When there were no more questions, Endelle said, “So there’s something else I need to tell you.”
Once again, the room fell silent and every pair of warriors’ eyes shot to Endelle.
She sighed heavily, then said, “I had a vision.”
~ ~ ~
Rachel worked hard to process everything that she’d just heard, especially the horrifying details of Endelle’s vision. She’d never heard of the Supreme High Administrator of Second Earth even having visions. Although, she’d also mentioned that receiving the vision had felt as though it had been pressed on her in a way that didn’t sound very Seer-like.
That the vision had included Duncan in a significant way was one more indication that he would play a prominent role in the coming days, weeks, maybe even months.
And she was his shield.
Great.
As the meeting broke up, the warriors gathered in smaller knots to discuss things like strategy and hurrying up the production of wrecker sawed-off shotguns and accompanying ammo. All engaged in the discussion except Luken, who went to check on the steaks he had grilling. He’d folded more than once during the meeting to do just that.
With Duncan engaged in deep conversation with Santiago, who created all kinds of weapons as a hobby, as well as Zacharius, Rachel pulled away from the gathered warriors and moved slowly into the entry way. The front door was open to allow bees to pollinate the flowers that bloomed all over the living sculpture on the central table. The fresh air felt good.
There was so much beauty in all the dimensions of earth and though she’d only been gone from the Seattle colony for a few hours, she already missed her garden.
But thoughts of the colony brought the memory flooding back of seeing seven extremely powerful warriors, built just like Duncan and the others, firing at her. And the blast must have done some damage to her backyard.
She felt horribly confused. She had only one real goal, to return to her home. Beyond that, she didn’t want to be part of the war, not even to serve as some kind of Third shield for the man of the hour.
Merl drew close. “It’s a magnificent sculpture.”
“Yes, by one of our award-winning horticultural artists. I think she’s called Tazianne.”
After a moment, he asked quietly, “Are you okay? This has been a lot to take in.”
Was she okay? Hell, no. She wanted to lash out, to yell at Merl. Maybe this was his fault. After all, he’d come from Third Earth and had been hiding out on Second for fifty years if she’d understood his history correctly.
Instead, she forced herself to be rational as she responded, “I’m fine. I’ll adjust.” Then she turned toward him. “Actually, you might be exactly what I need right now.”
“Anything you want, ascender.” The grin he offered her made her roll her eyes.
But she’d been around warrior-types most of her life, all very much like her brother Gideon who had become a Militia Warrior shortly after ascending. So, she didn’t take Merl too seriously.
She responded, “Spoken like a man or at least a warrior. The thing is, I have no intention of just lying down for this princess-bitch so I’d like you to teach me how to fire a wrecking gun. Then I want to keep one of those guns in my possession for the next time these Third Earth assholes decide to bust into my garden.”
He took a step closer, apparently unwilling to surrender the field so quickly. “Again, anything you need, I’m you’re man."
She knew he was teasing, but his words and attitude were really unfortunate because she caught sight of Duncan not ten feet away. Duncan’s green eyes had turned dark with rage. She felt the breh-hedden sizzle in the air as he launched at Merl, slamming him against the far wall, adjacent to the open doorway.
He might have had the advantage of surprise, but Merl had been a warrior and his true nature kicked into high gear. As Duncan rose off of him, fists up, Merl shot upright.
Before Duncan could blink, Merl had gotten in an uppercut to his jaw, throwing Duncan’s head back. The momentum of the hit, laced as it was with Merl’s Third Earth ability, threw Duncan over the open front door threshol
d, all the way across the patio, and onto the lawn.
“Fight!” Zacharius shouted.
