and their alleged braniac status, and I wondered if she knew about Bahlin’s service to the Niteclif family. She had answered so many of my other questions with insight, but she hadn’t answered what I wanted to know. Did she know who he was to history’s records? I couldn’t work off an assumption that she was aware of Bahlin’s activities.
“Does the whole Council know that he’s provided, um, guidance to the Niteclifs?”
“No, I’m sure they don’t. Most are not as attuned to each other as I am. But the years will do that…” she trailed off, introspective, and I wondered how old she was. When had Atlantis allegedly disappeared? Something like 9600 BC.
Before I could stop myself I asked, “How long have you known Bahlin?”
Sarenia stared at me, her eyes darkening to the color of the deep sea. She seemed to look right through me, and it flat gave me the creeps. Right before I told her to forget it, she said, “If you’d like to know how old he is, you should ask him child.”
I glanced at the elevators quickly before returning my full attention to the Atlantean. Obviously Bahlin wasn’t coming back any time soon. “You’re right. I should be more direct. But he’s avoided any direct conversation regarding his age,” I admitted truthfully.
“Then I suggest you negotiate with him,” she said with a sharp smile.
I grinned, appreciating her innate female darkness. Obviously she assumed that I had something with which to bargain and, in this instance, she was right.
“Oh good idea,” I said, smiling even wider.
She stood, offering me her hand. I took it and followed her up and, without releasing my hand, she led me to the dining area. She smiled at me over her shoulder and looked almost chagrined.
“I know it’s probably dreadfully predictable, but I love sushi and Bahlin’s restaurant has the best in the area.”
I smiled, still following her by the hand. “They have great steak, too, so I’m cool. Eat anything that you want but the guests.”
She gave me a sharp look, tightening her grip on my hand for a brief moment, and I cringed. Maybe that hadn’t been a couth menu suggestion. But her shoulders relaxed, her grip following suit.
“I gave up the murder of humans a very long time ago,” she said softly, her eyes boring directly into mine. I felt the weight of her words as if she’d laid them in my hands like a counterweight on the scales of justice.
“I apologize for my poor attempt at humor,” I said in a quiet voice. “I’m not familiar enough with you to make such personal jokes.”
“As your people say, no foul, no harm,” she said with a small smile.
I smiled in return. “Close enough.” I was relieved to have both feet firmly out of my mouth and on the floor as the waiter led us to a prime corner booth that faced the entire room.
“Leave the privacy curtain open,” I instructed the waiter. He bowed and did as I asked before walking away.
“Smart girl.” Sarenia looked pleased with my directive.
“Not really. It’s only that I don’t want anyone sneaking up on us or listening in to our conversation. So,” I said, adjusting the napkin in my lap and taking a sip of water before continuing, “tell me about the murder of the limnade.”
“A limnade is a water sprite, as I told you, though they are sometimes call nixies. Females are much more common than males. Limnades have the ability to live outside in the fresh air or to build their homes under water and live as true underwater creatures. They are very versatile in this sense though they are few in number. Their prophesies are never wrong, though sometimes they are vague enough to be open to interpretation.” Her voice had taken on sorrow enough I could have carved my name in it with the butter knife. “If you catch a limnade, you can have your future told, and they never lie though they can be obscure, intentionally or otherwise. The dead limnade is the one who foretold of your coming when Hellion caught her on the bank of her lake. Her body was left, though her lungs and her corposis were taken.”
“What’s a corposis?” I felt so out of my element.
“It’s a small organ at the base of a limnade’s brain that is their prophecy center. There is much speculation as to how it works, but no one knows for sure. It’s a biological and astrological interpretation of some