Sams
or another. Pity was an unacceptable response. It made her angry. She wanted to spend the last of her time being treated as a normal person and to hell with what happened. No pity and no regrets.
"Angus, just tell me and quit treating me like an invalid.
I'm not at that point, yet, and I don't like being treated as if I am. You and I both know how ill I am, so babying me isn't going to make things better. It'll just piss me off. Now tell me everything," she demanded.
How brave she is . In that moment, he knew he had never met anyone more spirited or courageous. His heart broke a little. "All right, Karen. I'll tell you what I remember." He didn't tell her that he didn't, for a moment, believe the present Sorceress would have changed the old rules which allowed an outsider to come among them. Not without a price. But the invitation had been issued. That much he had read in the crop circle's design.
Angus told her of the different creatures he could remember. He tried to relay the Order's hierarchy so that she would understand the Sorceress and her absolute position of power. Still, he realized that things within the Order itself may have changed. They could not have survived in this world of new wonders without having done so.
Karen appeared to take the information in stride. She displayed no fear, or any outward sign of reluctance. As far as he was concerned, this was to her credit. He realized that true strength was not a quality which came from force.
Rather, it was a virtue born of a heart full of kind and gentle courage. Karen had a great deal of this. She seemed unafraid 98
Stone Heart
by Candace Sams
of anything, and Angus greatly admired her spirit. He would try to instill this characteristic in his own personality.
* * * *
When they stopped for the night again, Karen and Angus were laughing and joking as if they'd known each other for years. When Karen approached the registration desk at the small hotel, the clerk looked up, did a double-take at Angus, and quickly proceeded with getting their information.
Angus started to lift Karen's luggage containing some of his new things, and a bag of what Karen referred to as ' take out' food.
"No need for you to carry all that, sir," the registration clerk informed him. "I'll have someone take it up to your room." He motioned toward several porters in the lobby, and an attendant came forward.
Angus nodded and turned to find a young girl ready to take their things. "Ach, I canna' let a bonny lass like this carry m'things when I am perfectly capable of doing so." He picked up the baggage to keep the girl from lifting them.
The girl blinked at him, then looked at the registration clerk.
He, in turn, looked at Karen and she burst into laughter.
She realized she had never laughed quite so much in her life.
Metaphorically, that was a very good thing for her heart. "It's okay. He'll take our things for us." Karen watched the girl porter look at Angus. There was a mixture of confusion and admiration in her gaze.
99
Stone Heart
by Candace Sams
"Well, sir, uh ... What ... Whatever you say, then," the registration clerk stammered, cleared his throat then loudly snapped his fingers at the girl. "Lead them to their room, Julie. And don't be as lazy about it, as you usually are."
Angus put the luggage back on the ground, approached the desk and looked straight into the man's eyes. He tried to remember things were very different in this new world. Still, time and his punishment had taught him that human beings should be treated with more care. " Please , sir. Do no' snap your fingers at the lass as if she were nothing. Do you no' pay her a wage?"
"Well, certainly ... that is, the hotel does. But I'm the manager..." the man began.
"Then she is in your employ," Angus interrupted, "and you should show that respect which you would want given to yourself. Where I come from, snapping fingers at another is reserved for the lowliest dog. And calling someone lazy in front
or another. Pity was an unacceptable response. It made her angry. She wanted to spend the last of her time being treated as a normal person and to hell with what happened. No pity and no regrets.
"Angus, just tell me and quit treating me like an invalid.
I'm not at that point, yet, and I don't like being treated as if I am. You and I both know how ill I am, so babying me isn't going to make things better. It'll just piss me off. Now tell me everything," she demanded.
How brave she is . In that moment, he knew he had never met anyone more spirited or courageous. His heart broke a little. "All right, Karen. I'll tell you what I remember." He didn't tell her that he didn't, for a moment, believe the present Sorceress would have changed the old rules which allowed an outsider to come among them. Not without a price. But the invitation had been issued. That much he had read in the crop circle's design.
Angus told her of the different creatures he could remember. He tried to relay the Order's hierarchy so that she would understand the Sorceress and her absolute position of power. Still, he realized that things within the Order itself may have changed. They could not have survived in this world of new wonders without having done so.
Karen appeared to take the information in stride. She displayed no fear, or any outward sign of reluctance. As far as he was concerned, this was to her credit. He realized that true strength was not a quality which came from force.
Rather, it was a virtue born of a heart full of kind and gentle courage. Karen had a great deal of this. She seemed unafraid 98
Stone Heart
by Candace Sams
of anything, and Angus greatly admired her spirit. He would try to instill this characteristic in his own personality.
* * * *
When they stopped for the night again, Karen and Angus were laughing and joking as if they'd known each other for years. When Karen approached the registration desk at the small hotel, the clerk looked up, did a double-take at Angus, and quickly proceeded with getting their information.
Angus started to lift Karen's luggage containing some of his new things, and a bag of what Karen referred to as ' take out' food.
"No need for you to carry all that, sir," the registration clerk informed him. "I'll have someone take it up to your room." He motioned toward several porters in the lobby, and an attendant came forward.
Angus nodded and turned to find a young girl ready to take their things. "Ach, I canna' let a bonny lass like this carry m'things when I am perfectly capable of doing so." He picked up the baggage to keep the girl from lifting them.
The girl blinked at him, then looked at the registration clerk.
He, in turn, looked at Karen and she burst into laughter.
She realized she had never laughed quite so much in her life.
Metaphorically, that was a very good thing for her heart. "It's okay. He'll take our things for us." Karen watched the girl porter look at Angus. There was a mixture of confusion and admiration in her gaze.
99
Stone Heart
by Candace Sams
"Well, sir, uh ... What ... Whatever you say, then," the registration clerk stammered, cleared his throat then loudly snapped his fingers at the girl. "Lead them to their room, Julie. And don't be as lazy about it, as you usually are."
Angus put the luggage back on the ground, approached the desk and looked straight into the man's eyes. He tried to remember things were very different in this new world. Still, time and his punishment had taught him that human beings should be treated with more care. " Please , sir. Do no' snap your fingers at the lass as if she were nothing. Do you no' pay her a wage?"
"Well, certainly ... that is, the hotel does. But I'm the manager..." the man began.
"Then she is in your employ," Angus interrupted, "and you should show that respect which you would want given to yourself. Where I come from, snapping fingers at another is reserved for the lowliest dog. And calling someone lazy in front
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