Page 60 of Sky Song
“You’re being silly, missy, and it sounds grand. Your friend understands.” He smiled kindly at Cricket and stood up. “Drink your fill. As a token of appreciation for my new customers, I’ll have a rider brought around to take you homewhen you’re done. No thanks necessary.” Sticking a toothpick in his mouth, he wandered away and engaged other patrons.
“I’m in the mood for another drink. Without yeast,” Paloma announced. “You want anything?”
After Cricket and Lyle declined, Paloma also left them, heading for the bar.
Cricket looked at Lyle, who appeared to be looking at the stage in a pensive regard. “What did he want with you?”
“Zaron?”
“Yes, Zaron. Your feigned ignorance won’t work on me.”
Lyle smiled and flexed his arms. “My hearts, when have I ever deceived you?”
“Only aways,” she muttered.
He laughed. “Not true.”
Of course, he avoided answering her question. They fell silent, listening to another song the girl on the stage sang so masterfully. It was in a language Cricket didn’t know, but there was no doubt about the suffering it projected.
“She is singing a story of Xeleya,” Lyle surprised her by saying.
“You understand her?”
“Yes. She is singing in Ardo language. When I was young, one of my caretakers was an Ardo woman. She taught me some of her language, and told me this legend.”
“What is it about?”
“Xeleya was a bride to a mighty warrior who saved her from slavery. He got injured in a battle. She rescued him from the battlefield and nursed his wounds, but they had to run to safety through the woods, and as they ran, great beasts of Ardo forest came after them. Xeleya fell behind, pretending to be weakened, and let the beasts catch her. The beasts stopped their pursuit of her beloved and began to eat her body while she was still alive. Xeleya’s dying plea to the Forest Mother was to saveher beloved from harm, and her only regret was that their time together was so short. So fleeting…”
Shivers ran down Cricket’s back. Lyle’s dark eyes shone with an untold feeling. His stirring, pulsing energy settled over her, so warm. So… fleeting.
“How terrible. And why is it always the woods and the beasts?” She shook her head, looking around.
The place was even more packed now than when they’d first walked in, and filled with high-testosterone individuals similar to Gus and that Mark bouncer. Some were eyeing Lyle with speculation.
“Lyle, when do you think we can go home?”
As usual, Lyle didn’t turn in her direction - his large eyes allowed him to see her without the need to rotate his head. “You don’t like the club?”
“It’s a great club. I’m glad we went. Now, let’s get out of here - it’s too claustrophobic, don’t you think?”
Lyle chuckled. “Claustrophobic.”
She expected him to argue but he simply nodded. “I’m good with going home.”
They pushed through a thickened crowd of humans mixed liberally with aliens. At the bar, Cricket searched for Paloma and found her seated there, one foot hooked at a barstool, the other leg swinging like a child’s. The hoodie was half-unzipped and bunching around her shoulders, baring one. She laughed at something the bartender said, and under the light orbs suspended above her head, her face appeared young and relaxed, and so very pretty.
Cricket touched her arm. “Hey. We’re ready to go.”
It was discouraging to see tension seep back into Paloma’s features and know that she, or rather, Lyle and she, were the reason.
“Alright. In Zaron’s rider, no less. He’s a real fairy godmother tonight.” Her eyes flickered to Lyle briefly. “I’ll see you later,” she threw that last one at the bartender who picked up her glass and nodded.
Once again, Cricket thought he looked familiar.
Only after they left the club by way of Mark and his dark door, and found the rider Zaron chartered for them, did it click.
The bartender was the alien she’d chased around their neighborhood.
