Immortal (5 page)

“I am grateful for your help, Len.”

“Sure. Glad to. I, uh—I'm sorry your cousin is ill.”

He just smiled. I could have gazed at that forever. His face, so beautifully sculpted—not soft, but just right in all its angles. No heaviness, only classical perfection.

I think, in that moment, I would have done absolutely anything he asked.

Fortunately for me, he was apparently a gentleman. He stood up and shouldered his pack. Hiding my disappointment, I did likewise.

“So, see you tomorrow.” I stuck out my hand.

He took it and raised it to his lips. The brush of that soft warmth on the back of my hand sent a rush straight down to my toes.

“Tomorrow.” Still smiling, he turned and walked away.

I watched him skirt the pond, heading for University and the bus stop, no doubt. With a small groan I sat down again.

I could have offered him a ride. Why did I always think of these things when it was too late?

My fingers touched the back of my hand where he'd kissed me. Still tingled.

I sat there a long while, sipping my tepid latté, thinking back over everything that had happened that afternoon. The healer in Guadalupita was just plain bizarre. How had Caeran been so sure he would find someone there, based on the mention in that book? After probably two hundred years, to find someone with the same name, who was also a curandero … it seemed so weird.

I could rationalize it, sort of. That kind of tradition was often passed down in a family, and small towns in New Mexico didn't change much through the years.

But man. Caeran had been really lucky to find the guy he wanted, just like that.

Of course, it might not have been as easy as it looked. He'd had that whole list from the day before. Maybe he'd found a phone book, or gone to the public library or something, and gone through that list without finding anything. Maybe.

Guessing too hard again.

I got up and walked to my dorm. Spent the night picking away at my homework, with absolutely no enthusiasm. Went to bed and couldn't sleep. I lay there thinking about Caeran until exhaustion finally took me out.

I was late to my physics class. My least favorite course; the professor was awful. He mumbled and meandered in his lectures, and responded to questions with unconcealed impatience. Consequently, I wasn't doing great in the class. I almost decided to ditch, except that that would leave me killing time until I went to meet Caeran.

I had my netbook open, ostensibly taking notes, but I soon drifted to looking over the map I had downloaded and saved the night before. There were two possible routes to Guadalupita, one through Santa Fe and winding through the mountains on state highways, the other on I-25, branching off toward Mora at Las Vegas. I decided to take I-25, though the other way was probably a prettier drive. Better to get Caeran's sick cousin to her curandero as fast as possible.

I was out of my seat the minute class let out. Hustled back to my dorm, grabbed a sweater in case it was cold up north, and jumped in the car. Bought gas, granola bars and a six-pack of bottled water, then indulged in a junk burger and fries on my way down to the Nature Center. Nerves.

Caeran was there, leaning against the fence by the entrance to the bike path, reading a book. I didn't see anyone else. I pulled the car around and stopped by the curb.

He looked up, then turned toward the bike path and called something I couldn't make out. Another guy came out of the path, carrying a girl wrapped in a dusty-green cloak. It took me a second to realize he was Caeran's look-alike, the one I'd met before. Not so surly today; he glanced at me, looking kind of anxious. I went around and opened the door to the Saturn's back seat, then watched him tenderly place the girl in the car. He turned to me.

“Thank you.”

Caeran joined us. “Len, this is Nathrin, and that is our cousin, Mirali.”

Weird names. I'd have to ask what language they were from. Scandinavian, maybe?

I nodded to Nathrin. “We've met, I think.”

“Yes. Forgive my unfriendliness, then. It was my duty to guard our camp.”

I waved a hand in dismissal, then glanced at Mirali. Nathrin had lain her along the back seat. She looked a lot like him and Caeran—the family resemblance was obvious. Same hair, same beautiful features, though her face was a little softer and her chin more pointed. Her eyes were closed; she didn't look obviously sick, but she didn't look happy either.

“She'll have to sit up and fasten her seat belt, I'm afraid. It's the law. I've got a blanket she could use for a pillow.”

Nathrin got Mirali settled while I dug the blanket out of my junk-filled trunk. Good thing they hadn't brought any luggage. The guys each had a pack, that was it. I put my own pack in the trunk and shoved my wallet in the pocket of my jeans. Tucked the blanket behind Mirali's head and buckled her in, then got in the driver's seat. Nathrin sat in the back with her, and Caeran took shotgun.

“Buckle in, everybody. We don't want to get a ticket.”

I fastened my own seat belt, then helped Caeran with his. I watched in the mirror while Nathrin fumbled with his belt for a moment, then got it fastened.

“Anybody need anything before we head out? Food, bathroom?”

“No,” Caeran said. “Thank you.”

“OK, then. Guadalupita, here we come.”

I drove north on Rio Grande, taking the scenic route through the valley to Alameda. Nobody talked. Glancing in the rearview, I saw Nathrin's attention fixed on Mirali. Maybe they were a couple.

Caeran was watching the scenery, golden cottonwoods along most of the way. I realized I had deluded myself—I wasn't going to have any deep conversations with him, not with the other two in the car.

Still, I was with him, side by side, close enough to touch. That was worth it, right? And I was doing him a favor, so maybe he'd be grateful.

Maybe I was nuts.

Well, it was a beautiful day for a drive. Couldn't beat that. We'd gas up in Las Vegas, take a break at the raspberry farm in Mora.

I glanced in the mirror. Breaks would depend on how well Mirali weathered the ride.

I wondered what was wrong with her. Couldn't ask—that would definitely be too nosy. Caeran had assured me she wasn't contagious. Beyond that, it wasn't any of my business.

I pulled onto I-25 and accelerated. Caeran shifted in his seat and I glanced at him. He was staring ahead, looking tense. Not used to freeway driving, maybe. I turned on the CD, which held a disk I liked to listen to in traffic—mellow guitar music, to keep me from getting to angry with idiot drivers—and turned the volume to low.

“That OK?” I glanced in the mirror. Nathrin looked oblivious.

“Yes,” Caeran said after a second.

I tried to think of a question that might start a conversation, but wouldn't offend. Came up with nothing for several long minutes. It was Caeran who spoke first.

“This is very pleasant music.”

“Oh, thanks! It's an Australian guitarist. I really love his stuff.”

“It reminds me of—our music, somewhat.”

“Are you a musician?”

“Merely as a pastime.”

“What do you play?”

“A flute.”

“Classical?”

He glanced at me and I felt a whisper of the tingle his intense look always gave me. “Ancient. It is a style of reed flute created by our people.”

“Oh, cool. I love folk instruments.”

We lapsed into silence. Not wanting to lose the interaction, I blurted the first question I thought of.

“Did you bring your flute with you? I'd love to hear you play.”

“Yes, I have it with me.”

“If I'd known, I would've brought my guitar. I'm not that great, but I can play a few songs.”

Caeran didn't say anything, but I felt his smile. I could guess what he was thinking: that he was glad I hadn't brought the guitar, glad he wouldn't have to listen to me trying to play and then say something polite and kind and completely false.

Caeran didn't like falsehoods, I'd gathered. He wasn't great at lying—it always seemed to make him uncomfortable. Even the little polite lies that most people uttered without thinking, like the customary phrases of greeting and farewell; conversational pit stops, places where everyone could breathe and regroup. The words might have no literal meaning, except that to Caeran they must have, or why would he keep stumbling over them?

The silence stretched. There was enough traffic on a Friday afternoon between Albuquerque and Santa Fe to keep me plenty busy. Though I wanted to talk more, I decided not to stress out about it. Better to get Zen and just enjoy the moment than to be anxious that it was less than perfect.

Caeran was apparently comfortable with not talking. Nathrin hadn't participated at all anyway; he was totally absorbed with Mirali. I kept an eye on them in the mirror, not that things changed much in the back seat. I didn't know if Mirali was asleep, or in pain, or what, but she never opened her eyes.

As we approached Santa Fe I asked again if anyone wanted to stop. Again, Caeran said no, so I stayed on I-25, bypassing the city and striking east through Glorieta Pass. I offered my guests water and granola bars; Caeran and Nathrin both accepted the water and turned down the munchies. Mirali was still out of it.

“Have you spent much time in these mountains?” Caeran asked when we were well into the pass.

“I used to go to summer camp up in the Pecos.” I gestured north, toward the mass of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. “It's beautiful country.”

“Are there many people there?”

“The towns are pretty tiny, but there are a lot of cabins, especially along the river. People like to fish the Pecos in the summer, and there's hiking and hunting. There's a huge wilderness area. I guess you'd say it's sparsely populated, but there are lots more visitors than residents.”

“Ah.”

“Forget about using your cell phone up there, though. Oh—you don't have one. Never mind.”

Caeran smiled again, appreciating the joke, however lame. I liked him a lot in that moment. He was generous.

By the time we got to Las Vegas I needed a pit stop. I pulled into a gas station and hustled in to use the bathroom, then came out to pump gas. To my surprise, Caeran was already filling the tank.

“Hey, you didn't have to do that!”

He shot me an inquiring look. “You suggested we buy the gas.”

“Well, yeah, but you don't have to pump it.”

“I don't mind.”

“Well, thanks. Need anything from the store?”

He shook his head. I looked in the back seat window and saw Nathrin holding Mirali's hand. Her eyes were open, so I opened the door.

“Hi. How are you feeling?”

She gave me a startled deer look. Nathrin answered for her.

“She is somewhat tired.”

“I bet. Traveling's no fun when you're sick. You could use the restroom while we're stopped, if you need to.”

They exchanged a look. I backed out and gently closed the door, leaving them to talk it over. As I straightened I noticed Caeran watching me with the intense look that was becoming familiar. It still made my gut clench, and I couldn't look away from his eyes. He looked like he was about to say something, then Nathrin's door opened and he got out, helping Mirali out of the car.

When I turned back to Caeran, he was putting away the gas pump. Moment lost.

I followed the sweethearts into the store. I was restless and craving salt, so I picked out some chips and a soda. Very naughty, especially after the junk burger for lunch. I'd have to exercise more control over the weekend.

Suddenly it occurred to me that I had no idea where I'd be spending the night. I hadn't brought a change of clothes or a toothbrush or anything. Feeling stupid, I found an overpriced toothbrush and carried it to the counter with my snack. Through the windows I saw Caeran standing by the car, as if he was guarding it. I paid for my stuff, then walked to the back of the store where Nathrin was waiting outside the ladies' room.

“She OK?” I asked.

He nodded. I went away but stayed in the store, just in case Mirali might need help. I looked at the newspapers, then at the maps. When she came out of the restroom I headed back for the car.1

I got in and opened my chips, indulging in a mouthful of salty decadence. Caeran waited for the others before climbing in.

“Want some?” I offered him the chip bag.

He surprised me by reaching in and carefully extracting a potato chip. I watched him examine it before eating it. Sure looked like he'd never tried one before.

Who was this guy? What planet was he from?

And how could I get there?

Nathrin had Mirali settled again. She sank back into the corner of the seat, looking exhausted by her visit to the store. I gave her a smile but she'd already closed her eyes.