Jeanne G'Fellers - Sisters Flight by Jeanne G'Fellers

then smiled. "Yesterday!"
    "Yesteryear,"
added Bella, sticking her tongue out at Genevic, who returned the favor.
    "Rapacity,"
I continued, laughing when Genevic groaned a second time.
    She
crinkled her brow again, deeper than before, and I could almost see her mind
racing to find another word of the proper length. "Yellow? No, too short.
Justify? Nope, ends with ya instead of begins with it. Dammit, dammit."
    "Dammit
doesn't cover it," teased Isabella.
    Genevic
stuck out her tongue again. "How about yammering?"
    "Very
good!" Bella squeezed Genevic's hand. "Ga sound for me, huh?"
She gave a businesslike nod then suddenly turned her head toward the door.
"What's that?" The sound of discordant horns pierced the evening air.
    "Someone's
broken through the defensive line!" Genevic was on her feet, fastening her
belt and checking the ammunition in her revolver. "You two stay
here."
    I
pulled my belt knife. "That bell means everyone not tending the infirmed
or young is to come." I unbarred the window and opened one shutter,
looking on the square below Genevic and Bella's housing complex. "How good
a shot are you, Gen?"
    "Fair,
why?" Genevic peered down at the square. Behind her, Bella buried her face
in Genevic's back. Genevic squeezed her hand then turned, stroking her face
with her free hand. "There's just one through, Izzy, and he won't last but
a few more seconds. Sisters already have him surrounded." Genevic placed
Bella's hand in mine, threw open the door, and descended the outside stairs
three at a time. "There's enough down there already. You two stay
put," she called over her shoulder.
    "Gen,
wait!" cried Isabella, but Genevic was already out of earshot.
    The
lone Audach sat nassieback, the spear and sword in his hands coated with sister
blood. The skittish nassie beneath him spun in slow circles under his rein,
dancing to keep balance with the pace demanded of it. The Aut was a large man,
almost Taelach tall, and his movements spoke of his vast battle experience.
    But
not anymore, I thought as I watched
Genevic draw close enough to use her revolver. She bellowed for the other
sisters to stand aside, which they quickly did, clearing a path to the Aut. The
man sneered, spun his mount toward Genevic and charged, spear aimed for her chest.
The interim seconds felt eternal as Bella clutched my hand, but when the gun
sounded once, then again, the man reeled back, off his nassie and to the
ground. Someone caught the nassie and led it away while Genevic went to examine
the man.
    "He's
down," she called and looked up to us with a thumbs up sign. "See,
Izzy?" she yelled. "No cause for alarm, no cause for— Mother's
fury!"
    Before
Genevic could jump back, I saw a flash of metal and the man was on his feet,
engaged with at least a dozen sisters besides Genevic. The man's life came to a
swift end, but Genevic fell in the fray and sat on the ground holding her right
leg.
    "Gen!"
Bella burst from my side and down onto the square. I stayed close until we
reached Genevic who cursed loudly as another sister put pressure on the gash in
her thigh.
    "I'm
all right, Izzy," she said when we got close, then she motioned to a teen
sister who had witnessed the event. "Go tell Harlis that we just brought
down an Aut wearing metal plating." Genevic looked up at me. "Take
care of Izzy until I get back from the infirmary, okay?"
    I
nodded.
    "I'm
going with you," said Isabella as she pushed my guiding hand away.
    "No."
Genevic, aided by two sisters, rose to her feet. "Get as far into Tekk
territory as you can. Longpass's men are bullet-proofing themselves, which
means they'll be even harder to stop."
    Chapter
Eight
    Reconciliation
    Master
to apprentice: You must embrace yourself, all your selves, before you can
become whole.
    Rankil
    If
any of us wasn't familiar with local Autlach mannerisms and common expressions
when the journey began, we all were well acquainted by the time we neared the
crystal mines. Stiles and Evangeline put me in charge of the