A Walk in the Dark Chapter 15 by Maggie Finson

I have a quiet day today. We've done all the big family stuff over the two previous days and are just enjoying a quiet holiday for a change. So I decided to post this one. Like Heather with 300 Rains, I have a lot of chapters already written so thought I'd give this one to all of you today. Oh, thank you all who have commented or PM'd me about this story. Believe it or not I actually do take things that some of you say to put in my stories. Merry Christmas, or Happy Holiday to all of you out there.

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“Fanatic Neutrals.” Kevin actually laughed aloud at that one and the other two joined him for a few moments.

“Neutrals, by definition, are not fanatics, dear lady.” Kae’song finally told me as the puzzled and slightly alarmed look I knew was on my face began to fade. I knew it was because Sam’s face showed the same things I was feeling.

“Fanatics believe so strongly in one thing, one direction,” Alis added with a grin, an actual grin (!), “they fail to see other paths that could be just as useful as the one they have chosen.”

“Yes, we brought you and your — husband — to this world for a reason, Lady Dahlia.” Kevin continued this weird three way explanation. “But not to aim you at one specific thing like a weapon.”

“You guys are nuts, insane if you didn’t get the idea the first time.” I glowered at them.

“We watched both of you, backtracking from your ‘deaths’ on your own world to see what kind of beings you really were, because we could feel, taste, the outrage both of you felt over the way you died there. Not outrage that you died, but that anyone would be subjected to such a thing because of mere greed.” Kae’song ignored my comment, not all that unusual for him, and started explaining again. Honestly, at times I think mages of any kind are just hyped up college professors with something extra. Most of them just love explaining things to people who are willing to listen. “We knew you two were the ones we needed, is all. So we arranged to bring you here when the time came for your souls to migrate.”

“Okay,” I glanced to Sam who appeared to be as full of understanding about that as I was, which between the two of us would have been hard pressed to fill a one ounce shot glass so far, “We have the ‘how it was done’ mostly. So now the real kicker comes up. Why?”

“Your race, lady, the new one you’ve joined,” Alis answered softly, “is dying out, being wiped out of existence faster than they can reproduce.”

“Again with the getting pregnant thing.” I grumbled.

“Not at all, lady.” Kevin told me. “That event is entirely up to you and your husband. No we brought you here to save your new race, to give them a new direction that would stop every other race who encounters them from killing them on sight.”

“What?” I think Sam and I said that at the same time.

“You three are insane.” I shook my head. “I know, just from being what I am, what you made me, I KNOW that the Dhro’aaa delight in causing harm to others. And you expect me and Sam to change them into some force for good?”

“Of course not.” Alis snorted and shook her head. “Evil exists for a reason, just as good does. What we hope you might do is to temper some of the excesses that have led to the Dhro’aaa decline.”

“And just HOW in however many Hells this world has?” I almost shouted. “Do you think we could manage to do that?”

“We have suggestions, lady.” Kevin answered once he got over flinching at my show of anger. “But ultimately that would be up to the two of you.”

“More wine, please.” I held out my cup and gestured with my chin for the servant — who had retreated as far as she could at my show of anger — to get me a refill. I gave her a weary look and just waved her over. “Girl, I’m not going to hurt you, unless you don’t get me and my consort some wine soon, I promise you.”

Why was it that every time I got even a little angry, people tried to make themselves scarce, or as invisible as they could? That was something I’d need to give some thought to since it seemed to be more than simple fear of what I could do physically. But that was something I wasn’t going to get into just then.

Once our cups were refilled I gave the still shaking girl what I hoped was a reassuring smile and returned my attention to the three authors of Sam and my present difficulties. “That doesn’t answer my question, Lord Kevin.”

“You have both been given the best training in your skills that we could manage, lady.” Kevin answered slowly. “Though you have resolutely ignored the one thing about yourself that would be the most powerful of the abilities you possess. It may be that you don’t yet realize what that is, or that it is even there. We have hesitated to force that issue with you.”

“Oh?” I definitely wasn’t liking where that one was leading my already gob-smacked thoughts, but typically just couldn’t leave something alone if it was there for me to find.

“It is a very personal thing, lady.” Alis softly answered. “Finding and communing with your god, or goddess.”

God, Goddess? Okay that one did it. I drained my cup waved it in the air for more and tried my befuddled best to digest what she’d just said. “What? Are you trying to tell me I’m some kind of evil priestess or something?”

“Something like that.” Kae’song agreed. “The potential is in you, you have the presence, give off the sense of unseen power, so yes the potential is in you, lady. Your people’s goddess is interested in you even now. But what you become doesn’t have to be entirely evil.”

“Okay, end of interview.” I stood up and stared at the maniacs for a minute. “I may decide to kill all three of you tomorrow, but right now, just arrange for a nice keg of wine for me, ale for Sam, and enough food to keep us going for awhile to be delivered to our rooms. Until we come out, please don’t disturb us. That could get kind of messy, if you know what I mean.”

“Of course, Dahlia.” Kae’song nodded. “Take all the time that you need.”

“What I need is to get shitfaced and forget about all of this insanity.” I threw back with venom in my voice I wasn’t used to hearing or feeling. “But what I’m going to do is go sit with my husband and try to think this mess through.”

As I stormed out, with Sam close behind I heard Alis say, “Well, look at it this way, gentlemen. No one even tried telling us that this was going to be easy.”

I could have sworn I caught a hint of admiration in her voice as she told them that.

I know I scared people in the halls as we headed for our chambers. I didn’t mean to do that, really. But I just couldn’t help glowering and growling at anyone we encountered. Needless to say, the people wasted no time getting out of our way. Part of me was ashamed about that. But another part, the part that really worried me just then, enjoyed it.

Yeah, I really needed some down time to work some things out.

Okay some down time to spend with Sam, too. I wasn’t all that familiar with this girl thing yet, and was kind of hoping getting a little would settle me down regarding other subjects.

Hey! I know I was guy not long ago. But I have needs too, you know.

And they said I had a goddess who was interested in me?

Uh oh.