The Magic Pact

Chapter 3-1

Chapter 3

French braiding Rada’s hair proved a soothing mid-afternoon activity for both of them. He took his time, careful to get all the little strands around her face. It wasn’t at all as complex or time-consuming as doing Ken’s hair, but Dakota thought his shaky hands would have trouble accomplishing that task, were his other daughter available to do it. The simplicity allowed him the luxury of bonding with his subject, just as he’d done with Kenna for years.

Rada sat quietly for the majority of the session, until he was nearly finished. “I have a problem.”

His fingers stopped for a moment. Resuming, “With Mahkah?”

“No, uh, we’re fine.”

“Then what? You know you can talk to me, hon.”

“I’m not feeling well,” she confessed. “My stomach hurts and I—I’m bleeding.” Rada shifted her weight out of discomfort.

He quickly finished the braid. “That’s part of being a young woman.”

“I know. It’s just…I guess I never thought it would happen to me. I spent ten minutes this morning crying because I got it all over my sheets.”

Dakota clipped her hair in place, moved in front of her, and gave her a big hug. “We’ll clean them or get you new ones. It’s not a big deal. It’s not even gross. It’s just something that happens. You’re getting the full experience, thanks to that crystal. I know it sucks, but it should only last about a week each time.” Raising Ken had completely desensitized him to menstruation. He was almost an expert on it now. “Did you get the proper supplies?”

She nodded. “The nurse had some.”

“Good.” He stood up, walked into the kitchen, and searched the medicine cabinet. After a little looking, he returned to the den and handed Rada a bottle of over-the-counter painkillers. “This should help, too. No reason you should suffer through it.”

She accepted the offer with a slight smile. “Thanks.” After taking the medicine, “I’m happy with the change, you know,” she said in a gentle voice. “I don’t want anyone to think I’m not grateful. There are so many people like me who would kill for the chance to use this stone. I kinda feel guilty that I’m the one who gets to.”

He smoothed down some stray hair on the right side of her head. “I don’t know about anyone else, but in my mind, there’s no one more deserving of it than you.”

“I’m not special.”

“I disagree. You’ve been through a lot, and you’re so strong. You’re every bit as important as anyone here.”

“What about Kennie? She saved all of us. I haven’t done anything like that.”

“Ken doesn’t need the talisman. You do. And anyway, you’re just as important to me as she is.” A bold claim, considering how much time and history he had with his elder daughter. But it was true. He adored Rada. He wanted to be a great father to her. He wanted to watch her grow up and protect her along the way.

Her eyes welled. “Really?”

“Really.” They shared another big hug. He got back to her hair and finished the braid. Lifting a mirror, he held it for her to see herself. “So, how’d I do?”

She beamed. “It’s perfect.”

* * * *

Terrell, Rada, and Dakota went on a trading mission together. It was a rare occurrence that both men left the town. They wanted to get out, if only for a day. And it meant spending quality time with Rada, who was overjoyed at sharing the journey with them. For most of the ride to the trading post, conversation remained light.

But eventually, Rada broached a serious subject. “There’s something different about you, right, Terrell?” She gulped. “I saw your arm the other day. I know you usually hide it, but I think you forgot.”

Dakota’s heart skipped a beat. They hadn’t discussed Terrell’s mutations with Rada. They didn’t think she would have a problem with it, considering how much she loved her dirt dog Mato, but the two men simply never found the right time to bring it up. Ever perceptive, it came as no surprise that she figured it out on her own.

Sighing, Terrell rolled up his sleeve and showed off the calloused holes in his skin. He flexed, and the spines came out. Rada breathed in sharply. “What are those?!”

“A long time ago, I met Moíra, and she altered me. I got the spines and some extra-long teeth.” He motioned toward the spaces in his mouth. “But I got rid of those.”

Dakota cringed as he remembered pulling them out with a dirty wrench.

Rada nodded, as though it all made perfect sense. “Do they hurt?”

Smiling, Terrell shook his head. “No.”

“That’s good.” She grew quiet for a moment. Then, her face lit up. “You know, there’s a dentist where we’re going. Maybe they can do something about your teeth. I mean, if you want them to.”

“I’ll check it out.”

* * * *

The suggestion added an hour to their trip. The dentist took a mold of Terrell’s mouth and promised to make him a retainer on which two false teeth would be located. Though his love acted nonchalant about the whole thing, Dakota could tell that he was excited about the prospect of looking more normal.

Unfortunately, the dentist would need time to make it for him. They would have to come back at a later date.

When they did, about two weeks later, Terrell was fitted for the retainer. The dentist told him that he would have to take it out to eat and brush his teeth, but otherwise he could have it in whenever he wanted. Terrell smiled brilliantly. “How do I look?” he asked.

“Gorgeous,” Dakota said.

Rada liked it, too.

* * * *

Kenna

It took a few more days, thankfully peaceful, for them to reach Kansas City. Fifteen, total, since leaving home. They made camp in an abandoned warehouse, where they could take the horses out of the cold. Since the ceiling was easily three stories up, they made a fire on the concrete. The wood was a combination of damp twigs and office furniture. When her fire starter didn’t work, Ken used her talisman to light it. Eventually, the flames dried out an armful of logs they collected, and the two could have a proper arrangement.

For extra warmth, they set up the tent and crawled into their sleeping bags.

A freezing rain blanketed them on the last hour or so of their trip. Once inside, they unceremoniously switched into dry clothes before doing anything else. The horses were brought as close to the fire as was safe and tied to a heavy piece of machinery. Some kind of giant engine or manufacturing apparatus. It was rusted out and hadn’t been touched in years.

They ate shoulder-to-shoulder. Under the guise of keeping warm, the two got intimate. Still feeling guilty about lying, Ken made absolutely certain that Yuuki had a fantastic orgasm. She deserved it.

When they settled into bed, Kenna once again found she couldn’t sleep. Like most of the nights on the trip, the voices wouldn’t shut up, and even when they quieted somewhat, her own thoughts got in the way. She groaned. “I would really like some rest.”

“You’re not talking to me, are you?” came from Yuuki, who Ken assumed was asleep.

She shook her head. “No.”

“The voices?”

“Yeah.”

Yuuki turned toward her and wrapped her arm around Ken’s stomach. “I take it they don’t shut up if you ask them to.”

“No.”

She kissed the back of her head. “I’m sorry.”

By the time Ken could think of something to reply to that, Yuuki had fallen into slumber. She sighed. In a whisper, “I just want to sleep next to her. Is that too much to ask?”

“You should be happy you escaped with your life,” said the Martyr. “You knew this would require sacrifice.”

“When do I get to see a positive outcome from this? Everything is still militias and gangs. My girlfriend is afraid. I need to be able to protect her.”

“No one promised you an easy solution, just the beginnings of a difficult one.”

The Augur intervened. “Even soldiers need rest.”

In agreement, the Healer added in a quiet voice: “It’s essential to human function.”

“Then please just let me sleep,” she practically begged. Across the entire trip, she’d had maybe thirty hours of sleep, averaging two per night. And her decreased eating also hurt her energy levels. She accomplished tasks lethargically, and she had trouble focusing on the mission. She even nodded off for a few seconds on top of her horse. She felt terrible.

Suddenly, the voices grew quiet, with just a little rumbling from the Martyr, her least favorite of the six. It took less than a minute for her to finally fall asleep.