Quickly she grabbed the file that was now scattered about the desk and floor and ran out right after him, but he was gone and too quick for her. She didn't see him again until she finally made it to Velori's room. Unlike him, she couldn't use the speed of sound to travel. Which was what filtered through her thoughts as she reached for Velori's door.
As she walked in, she saw Gairett holding Velori's head after placing a small chain around her neck. "Gairett? Help? Help how? I don't think there's anything else I could poss… ibly do." He was leaning down and kissing Velori's forehead. She couldn't stop her eyes from focusing on those lips of his, making her wet all over again. It also sent a whip of wicked jealousy down her spine. Trying to recover, she grasped at words in her mind. Anything that would help her center herself, but all successful trains of thought had run away to hide.
He pulled back and moved a stray hair off of Velori's face. The ache this brought out in Tayen was intense. She was hurting, physically aching, and in pain from the loss of his lips and hands on her own body.
She let her weight fall back against the door jam and dug her nails into her palms. The pain helped her replay the words she had told herself in the mirror in the bathroom. You've got this. The Gods blessed you. They gave you what you asked for and you can ignore it, or you can treat it like a blessing.
Kissing him had made everything fuzzy. It brought out other cravings she had forgotten. Like the slow rhythm of his fingers on her sensitive areas, the feel of his skin under or on top of her. It brought back everything.
"You said she was older than twenty-three? Did you say around a millennium? How?" He stood straight once more and then looked towards Tayen.
"Uhm. Uh. . . Oh! Well, I'm not sure exactly." Shaking the fog away as best she could, she took on the role of a doctor. Exchanging information about a patient was an easy thing to fall into, because this, being a doctor, was second nature to her. Straightening her back, she continued. "But I know she's at least a millennium old. I did a Verrah-Kee on her. It said around that time age. And, it was similar to..." She took a deep breath and let it out. "…to your grandmother's. Their Verrah-Kee's came out almost exact, except for the blunt significances that say they're two different people."
"What? What do you mean? How does the Verrah-Kee work? I've never tried it. What does it do? What does that even mean?" He had started to sound exasperated at the end of his line of questioning.
Her pulse quickened and excitement grew, at the chance to discuss Verrah with someone. "I take their blood and mix it with all the elements. Then the Elements choose whether or not they join or allow that person to use them from birth. More often than not, humans have to gain their respect and the right to use them. As you should know. Water, Air, and Earth, all chose both your grandmother and Velori. Fire and Illusion did not. They wouldn't have anything to do with them at all, in fact."
She paused abruptly as if remembering back and then just as abruptly she continued. "Anyway, I mixed in herbs, and seasonings, which say their age by a browning technique over fire." She brought her hand up and made a small movement, causing fire to dance across her skin like ants. "It says their age, and possibly their death. Then I summon a thick mass of water."
With her other hand, she flicked her wrist and water was dancing around her fingers with a mind of its own. "Then, I dispense it into the bowl of the chosen elements, along with the remaining mixture." She dribbled some water into her palm of fire, and it caused the skin on her hand which had grown brown and shriveled, to float and move. "I pour out the bowl, and the picture left from the mingling can usually tell you something about the person. Normally it's what they feel the strongest about. What they feel... Changes their world."
She opened her hand to show Gairett the burnt dead skin and it was his own face that showed back. Her face was open and vulnerable to him at that moment before she shut it down and continued her explanation. "Sometimes a face shows up, sometimes nothing." She dribbled more water over her hand, and he felt the power in the air as she cleansed her skin with Verrah. "With both Velori and your grandmother it showed a male face that was strong, handsome, but Gairett, it was the same face. Your grandmother's coloring of the picture was gray, meaning she would pass over soon. Velori's color was the brightest white blue I've ever seen."
She had gotten progressively more excited in her explanations. It was rare for her to have a chance to talk about the things she could do. However, a certain truth brought her excitement back down to earth. "I don't know what that means. I haven't been able to find anything regarding that color." She shook her head. "But whatever it is, I think it means, she has the same curse as your family or something similar. Either way, she won't be dying anytime soon, not even close. I think that man's face has something to do with everything regarding you and your family… and your curse."
"That does not make sense. How could Velori be that old? Look at her." He looked back down at Velori.
"Have you seen your face in the mirror lately? Or mine, or Hale's? How old did your mother and father look before they left? Old?"
"She would have told me. She would have come right out and said it. And if not, I would have picked it up. At the very least she wouldn't have fought so hard against believing what I am. There has to be something else. You must be wrong."
Tayen shot off the door and stopped in front of Gairett, slapping him so hard her hand went numb at the tips.
"You can say I'm wrong about medicine, wrong about clothes, wrong about men, but if I ever hear you tell me I'm wrong about my Verrah again, there will be nothing left of you but the faint stench of your odor. Is that clear?"
Gairett stepped back and held his face. He was shocked. Her hit hadn't hurt him physically, but she had never struck him before. NEVER. Though I've never told her she was wrong about anything before. Let alone her magic. Perhaps they had both crossed a line? "I am sorry. I am... It is just." He looked back down at Velori. "God there has to be something. Something in her memories."
Tayen stepped back and was rubbing the palm of her hand which was no longer numb but on fire. It burned more now than it had when an actual flame had danced across it. She expected him to hit her back. A lot of men would have. Well, any man who didn't care, would have at least responded. She couldn't believe she'd struck him. In her opinion, no excuse was good enough for someone to hit someone out of anger. She had been so turned around in her emotions today, she was acting like a spoiled brat. An aggressive one at that. She silently berated herself before noticing that he was staring at her, waiting for a response.
"Memories? What would you find in there that you haven't already seen?"
"I thought so too until I found this." He pointed to the amulet. "Hale gave that to Melisa before she died, and we found it in Velori's drawers."
"Her drawers? You and Hale, were looking through her drawers?" She had an eyebrow up and a look of disbelief on her face.
"It is not like that. Hale bit her, thinking she was trespassing on our treasury. She was down there looking around. When I go back to the estate and saw that she wasn't there waiting on me, the little ingrate, I flew to the treasury and that was where I found Hale, sucking on her." Gairett went on for another ten minutes, explaining everything that had happened, including what was on Velori's balcony.
"So now, you want to dig in her head and look for clues on your grandmother, Melisa, the amulet, and anything else you might come across? Is that right?" Once again, the eyebrow was raised.
"Yes." He said.
"Okay. . ." The word came out in a fast rush of excitement. She took in a deep breath, rubbed her hands together, and said, "What do you want me to do?"
"I need you to loan me your powers." He gave a hopeful look. "I don't want to piss off the elements or anything. So, if it is too much, tell me."
"No, it's fine. I've done it once before. There are a few people around who know some of Verrah. They call it Wicca. Anyway, when we're doing this, don't take advantage of the elements, and be careful not to hurt me or drain me too much or the elements will defend me and hurt you. They'll let you know something's wrong if I don't." When she saw how his face was becoming more and more smug, she followed up with, "Only if they do it, it won't feel good. I don't care how 'powerful' you think you are; you don't want them hurting you. Now let's get to digging." She looked down at Velori and couldn't help but savor the excitement that was building within her. This was the most alive she'd felt in... eons and she was ready to enjoy it.