A Walk in the Dark Chapter 14 by Maggie Finson

Author’s Note:Some days it just seems like too much trouble for someone to do much but go with the flow. Dahlia may be comfortable with her new self now, but she still isn’t completely comfortable with how she got there, or with the motives of the three who seem to be responsible for her and Sam being where and what they are.
 

Again to all of you following, speculating and commenting on this story. Thank you. I won’t say it’s as good as money, but it does help keep me writing. Also,I've been pretty regular with posting chapters to this story and that won't stop. I'm having way too much fun with the story. But I may not have another one up till after Christmas.

Thanks.

Maggie

I looked at the three then at Sam, let out a sigh and leaned back in the chair, I still thought the furniture in this place was almost sinfully comfortable. “All right, first off, I don’t trust any of you three as far as I could throw you. You took us from our home, our lives, and even if we have been treated well overall, the fact remains that you basically kidnapped us. We had businesses, we were successful, I was getting married in few months and I know Sam had a few romantic interests of his own going back there. So that leads to my first question. Again, and none of that crap about the resonance of our souls or spirits. I want the truth this time around, all of it. Why us?”

“That would involve a very long explanation, lady.” Kae’song told me and winced at my own expression.

“We have all day here.” I reminded him.

“True enough.” He nodded and shrugged. Very well it all begins with the portal that brought the two of you here…”

It was a long explanation. The gist of that part was that portals between worlds (and yes there are more than one or two worlds.) are very difficult to create, hold together, and use. The really unbelievable part was the things didn’t actually transport anyone to anywhere. What they do is ‘read’ the person(s) body, mind, and soul, then create a duplicate of that on the world of the portal's origin.

“So what you’re telling me is Sam and I here are copies?” I questioned to give myself time to get my already bruised and abused mind around the concept. “That we, the so called originals, are still going about our business back home?”

“Not quite.” Alis interjected and I gave her one of those warning looks I seemed to getting a knack for so well. She shook her head and smiled, if a bit sadly. “A portal will only ‘transport’ someone who is going to die soon where they are. Soulless bodies are quite dangerous to allow out and about without a lot of supervision, so it did actually bring your souls over to inhabit the bodies it made for you here.”

“What does that ‘not quite’ mean, exactly?” I asked even though I was sure I wasn’t going to like or want to believe the answer I was going to get. Are you trying to tell me that Sam and I are dead back on our home world? Please don’t tell us that.”

“I’m sorry, Lady Dahlia, I truly am.” She answered softly and the little lie meter I seemed to possess, didn’t ding in warning. (Okay it doesn’t really ding, but I need some way to describe how I can tell if someone is telling the truth or not.)

“There was a gang of thugs in that strange stable you left your conveyance in.” Kevin took over and spoke softly, almost soothingly. “I believe they are called ‘Gang Bangs’?

“Gang Bangers, I absently corrected him. “Gang Bang is a little different.”

“Thank you.” He nodded and went on. “These ‘Gang Bangers’ wanted your conveyance, the jewelry you were both wearing, and your money. I’m afraid they weren’t at all gentle or subtle about getting those. Both your old bodies were dead minutes after the portal took you. But did give a good account of themselves, if that’s any help.”

“Not really.” I looked towards Sam and could see he was feeling much the same things I was. “Why should we believe that?”

“Because of this.” Kevin tapped a gemstone mounted in a simple copper base. “It is a Truthstone, no one is able to lie effectively when it is activated and I assure you it is working right now.”

“Sure, pull the other one.” I grumbled and Alis rose from her seat and took my hand. “Come with me a moment and I will prove that much to you.”

I allowed myself to be pulled to a spot about twenty feet away from the table, mainly because my mind was sending alarms out to all points regarding overload, I think. “So what is this supposed to prove?

“We are outside the radius of the stone.” She told me then directed me to look at the table. “You are magically capable, Dahlia. Look at the table, and the stone, then tell me what you see.”

“A glow?” I questioned. “Kind of a silvery gold glow?”

“The Aura of Truth.” She confirmed and went on. “Now I will tell you something that is a blatant lie out here then tell the same lie within that aura. You’ll be able to tell the difference.”

She did, I did. This magic stuff was kind of cool and all, but it bordered on being freaky enough to have the old me running for the nearest psych help had I seen anything like it before that portal had grabbed us.

“I believe you.” I told Kevin with a flatness in my voice that clearly showed that I didn’t really wish to do that.

So we were dead back home. Somehow that tied in so neatly with my sudden acceptance of being what I was that I couldn’t help but remain suspicious. I mean sure, the thing betrayed lies, but that still didn’t compel anyone to give all the truth, I was sure of that.

“Your souls were ready to move on.” Kae’song continued quietly. “And they fit our requirements perfectly. You were both decent sorts who always tried to do the right thing for the sake of those around you even if it wasn’t always the easiest thing to do.”

“So you’re telling us that you saved our lives?” Sam questioned with a skeptical look.

“Not at all, Sam.” Alis shrugged. “We simply redirected your souls to new lives instead of letting them simply drift into another as would have happened. Your souls would have moved on to something else regardless.”

“So you ‘redirected us into lives that would benefit you.” I stated.

“Honestly, yes we did.” Kevin answered that one. “We won’t and never have lied to either of you about that. It is a truly rare being who could refuse a gift from the gods that your situation presented us, and as you’ve already deduced, Lady Dahlia, none of us here are in line for sainthood.”

“No shit.” I grimaced then very carefully pushed my anger, and yes, grief back down to where they could fuss and fume all they liked without disturbing the present conversations. Very carefully, I looked at each of the three then asked the question that had been bugging me since Sam and I had gotten to this insane place. “All right, so just who and what are you three and what do you want us for?”

“A fair question.” Kae’song responded while directing the servant to refill my goblet and place a platter of fruits and nuts in front of me. “Obviously, we aren’t completely good, but we aren’t evil, Dahlia.”

“Look, your treatment of me and Sam has shown that you aren’t totally evil.” I told him. “Then you did take pains to make sure we got training in our natural skills even if those could prove detrimental or even dangerous for you. Okay, you aren’t evil. But if you aren’t good either, what does that leave?”

“A lot of ‘wiggle room’ as people where you come from often say.” He chuckled then turned serious. “Lady Dahlia, Lord Kevin, Lady Alis, and myself are part of a group dedicated to maintaining the balance.”

“Why do I think that last one should have been capitalized and in bold print?” I questioned.

“Because, my lady,” Kevin added his own chuckle into things, “you are not even close to being a fool.”

“When people CAPITALIZE words it usually means trouble for someone else.” I countered.

“Of course it does, dear.” Alis nodded at me in approval. “You have a fine understanding of politics and how emphasis on otherwise innocent things can influence an entire world and more importantly how the people in that world think of something and perceive it.”

“Dammit Sam.” I grumbled. “We fell in with propaganda freaks.”

“Oh, not quite.” Kevin was laughing and he really thought it was funny. “You have such an interesting way with words, m’lady. And your expressions and body language say so much more than your words do. It is refreshing to finally find someone of power who has no use for all the prevarications, machinations, and excuses most of the powerful rely on. It will be interesting to see if you can maintain that in the times to come.”

“Powerful? Me?” I shook my head and worked really hard not to grind my teeth. “I’m a pawn right now. How can that be powerful?”

“Even a pawn, under the right circumstances, can become a queen, dear lady.” He answered quite seriously. “And yes, we have chess here so I understand your reference. The question here is whether or not you are prepared to be that queen when the time comes, and if you can put up with being a pawn until then.”

“Damned if I know.”

“Honesty is a good start.” He told me and seemed to be pleased with my response.

“You’re dodging the original question here.” I told them, trying to deflect the speculative looks and other things I was getting from those three. “Just what the Hell are you guys, then?”

“We hold the balance, lady.” Alis answered. “If one side, evil/good, light/dark, law/chaos, achieves ascendency and remains there the world will suffer greatly. We and others with us are dedicated to seeing that such an imbalance doesn’t occur, or if it does we make sure it will not last long enough to damage the world.”

“Oh, crap.” I turned to Sam. “We’ve landed in a bunch of fanatical neutrals.”

“Exactly Lady Dahlia.” Kevin smiled as if he was congratulating me for getting an A on a difficult algebra test.

Sam ignored that, looked at me and said, “Oh shit.”