Нора Робертс - Key of Knowledge

Already past their peak, she thought. Time was moving forward, and her four weeks were down to two.

What did she think? What did she know? She ran through everything that came to mind as she drove the last miles and then through the gates.

Rowena was in the front garden, gathering some of the last of the fall blooms. She wore a thick sweater of deep blue speckled with dull gold, and to Danas surprise, well-worn jeans and scuffed boots.

Her hair was tied back and rained in a sleek tail between her shoulder blades.

The country goddess in her garden, Dana thought, and imagined Malory would see it as a painting.

Rowena lifted a hand in a wave, then a smile lit up her face as she spotted Moe.

“Welcome.” She ran to the car as Dana parked, opened the door for the exuberant Moe. “Theres my handsome boy!” Her laugh rang out as Moe leaped up to kiss her face. “I was hoping youd pay me a visit.”

“Me or Moe?”

“Both are a delightful surprise. Why, whats this?” She put her hand behind her back, then brought it out again. She held out a huge Milk Bone that caused Moe to moan with pleasure. “Yes, it certainly is for you. Now if youll sit and shake hands like a gentleman…”

The words were barely out of her mouth when Moe plopped his butt on the ground, lifted his paw. They exchanged a shake, a long look of mutual admiration. He nipped the treat delicately out of her fingers, then sprawled at her feet to chomp it to bits.

“Is it a Dr. Doolittle thing?” Dana wondered, and got a puzzled glance from Rowena.

“Im sorry?”

“You know. Talking to the animals.”

“Ah. Lets say… in a manner of speaking. And what can I offer you?” she asked Dana. “Answers.”

“So sober, so serious. And so attractive this morning. What a wonderful outfit. You have such a smart collection of jackets,” Rowena commented as she ran a finger down the sleeve of the dullgold tapestry fabric. “I covet them.”

“I imagine you can whip one up just as easy as you did that dog biscuit.”

“Ah, but that would take the fun, and the adventure, out of shopping, wouldnt it? Would you like to come in? Well have some tea by the fire.”

“No, thanks. I dont have a lot of time. Were settling on our property early this afternoon, so Im going to have to start back pretty directly. Rowena, there are some things I need to know.”

“Ill tell you what I can. Why dont we walk? Rains coming,” she added, casting a look at the sky. “But not for a bit. I like the heavy, anticipatory feel to the air before a rain.”

Since Moe had made short work of the Milk Bone, Rowena opened her hand and revealed a bright red rubber ball. She threw it over the lawn toward the woods.

“I should warn you, Moe will expect you to keep throwing that for him for the next three or four years.”

“Theres nothing quite so perfect as a dog.” Rowena tucked her arm companionably in Danas and began to walk. “A comfort, a friend, a warrior, an amusement. They only ask that we love them.”

“Why dont you have one?”

“Ah, well.” With a sad smile, Rowena patted Danas hand, then bent down to pick up the ball Moe dropped at her feet. She ruffled his fur, then flung the ball for him to chase.

“You cant.” The realization struck, had Dana tapping her fingers to her temple. “Duh. I dont mean you couldnt, but realistically… A dogs life span is woefully shorter than that of your average mortal.”

“She remembered what Jordan had said about them being alone, about their immortality on this plane being curse rather than gift.

“When you factor in the spectacular longevity of someone like you, and the finite life span of your average mutt, thats a problem.”

“Yes. I had dogs. At home, they were one of my great pleasures.”

She picked up the ball, already covered with teeth marks and dog spit, in her elegant hand and threw it for the tireless Moe.

“When we were turned out, I needed to believe that we would do what needed to be done and return. Soon. I pined for many things of home, and comforted myself with a dog. A wolfhound was my first. Oh, he was so handsome and brave and loyal. Ten years.”

She sighed, and skirted along the edge of the woods. “He was mine for ten years. The snap of a finger. There are things we cant change, that are denied to us while we live here. I cant extend a creatures life beyond its thread. Not even that of a beloved dog.”

She scooped the ball up for Moe, threw it in another direction.

“I had a dog when I was a kid.” Like Rowena, Dana watched Moe streak after the ball as if it were the first time. “Well, it was my dads dog, really. He got her the year before I was born, so I grew up with her. She died when I was eleven. I cried for three days.”

“So you know what it is.” Rowena smiled a little as Moe pranced back, doing a full-body wag with the rubber ball wedged in his mourn like an apple. “I grieved, and I swore I wouldnt indulge myself again. But I did. Many times. Until I had to accept that my heart would simply break if I had to go through the death of another I loved so much, after so short a time. So, Im so pleased…”

She bent down to catch Moes face in her hands. “And so grateful that you brought the handsome Moe to visit me.”

“Its not all its cracked up to be, is it? Power, immortality?”

“Nothing is without pain or loss or price. Is this what you wanted to know?”

“Part of it. There are limitations, at least when youre here. And Kane has limitations when hes here. Limitations when he deals with something from our world. Is that right?”

“Thats a fine deduction. You are creatures of free will. Thats as it must be. He can lure, he can lie, he can deceive. But he cannot force.”

“Can he kill?”

Rowena threw the ball again, farther this time to give Moe a longer chase. “Youre not speaking of war or of defense, of protection of innocents or loved ones. The penalty for taking the life of a mortal is so fierce I cant believe that even he would risk it.”

“The end of existence,” Dana supplied. “Ive done my research. Not death, not the passing through to the next life, but an end.”

“Even gods have fears. That is one. More is the stripping of power, the prison between worlds that allows entry to none. This he would risk.”

“He tried to kill Jordan.”

Rowena whirled, gripped Danas arm. “Tell me. Exactly.”

She related everything that had happened in the middle of the night.

“He took him behind the Curtain?” Rowena asked. “And there shed his blood?”

“Ill say.”

She began to pace, her movements so fretful that Moe sat quietly holding the tooth-pocked ball in his mouth.

“Even now were not permitted to see, to know . They were alone, you say? There was no one else about?”

“Jordan said something about a deer.”

“A deer.” Rowena went very still. “What sort of deer? What did it look like?”

“It looked like a deer.” Dana lifted her hands. “Except I guess it was the sort youd expect to find in places where the flowers look like rubies and so on. He said it was gold and had a silver rack.”

“It was a buck, then.”

“Yes. And, oh, yeah, it had a collar, a jeweled collar.”

“Its possible,” she whispered. “But what does it mean?”

“You tell me.”

“If it was him, why did he allow it?” Agitated, she began to stride up and down the verge, between wood and lawn. “Why did he permit it?”

“Who and what?” Dana demanded and dragged Rowenas attention back to her by shaking her arm.

“If it was the king,” she said. “If it was our king taking the shape of the buck. If this is true, why did he allow Kane to bring a mortal behind the Curtain without consent? And to harm, to spill his blood there? What war is being waged in my world?”

“Im sorry, I dont know. But the only one wounded, as far as I can tell, was Jordan.”

“I will talk toPitte ,” she declared. “I will think. He saw no one else—only these two?” “Just the buck and Kane.”

“I dont have the answers you want. Kane has interfered before, but its never gone this far. The spell was of his making, and the boundaries of it, his own. But he breaks them and is not stopped. I can do more, will do more. But Im no longer certain of the scope of his power or protection. I can no longer be certain that the king rules.”

“If he doesnt?”

“Then there is war,” Rowena said flatly. “And still we are not brought home. This tells me, whatever is or has happened in my world, it remains my fate to finish what I was sent here to do. I have to believe its your fate to help me.”

She took a deep breath, calming herself. “Ill give you a balm for your mans wounds.”

“Were sleeping together. I dont know if that makes him my man.”

With, an absentminded gesture, Rowena brushed this aside. “I must speak withPitte . Strategy is more his area than mine. Come, Ill get you the potion.”

“Just a minute. One thing. Jordan. Hes essential to my key?”

“Why do you ask what you already know?”

“I want confirmation.”

In answer Rowena laid her fingertips on Danas heart. “You already have that as well.”

“Is he part of this because I love him?”

“Hes part of you because you love him. And you are the key.” She took Danas hand. “Come. Ill give you the balm for your warrior, then send you on your way.” She cast another look at the darkening sky. “The rains coming.”

BRAD dumped ice in a galvanized bucket, creating a cold if humble nest for a bottle of Cristal. He covered the exposed neck with a clean paint rag.