Hinn Ch. 28-31

"Certainly sounds good. Should we catch a ride with you and your combat chariot, Jessica, or see about Skepsi's minivans?"

"Wait - what did that Baba Yaga do to you, Ray?"

"We're not entirely sure, but she seemed to have been an Oracle. Surprisingly she also claimed that she could transfer that ability to me, something apparently never even attempted before this point. Oracles are powerful beings, somehow intimately involved in time, and are very scarce. There have never been more than three on the face of the planet at any one time. There are records of their surviving attempts at their lives that should have succeeded, and others of their seemingly willing themselves dead for no apparent reason.

"Whatever she did, she gave me some new sense that is quite active but chaotic. I've yet to get at all comfortable with it. Figuring out more about it is high on my list of priorities, I assure you."

"Tauriz? Does he feel the same to you?"

"There is more to him now, more weight. He feels like an elder Hinn now, not a newly-created one."

Monica cut in, "Was Ray truthful that you've only been awake for two days, Tauriz?"

"Yes, and we'll be addressing it more tomorrow at 10," she replied. "It's not a short tale, as I'm sure you realize from the parts you've been aware of."

"But, your records go back..."

Ray interrupted her, albeit kindly. "Truthfully, she's been with me for forty-one hours thus far. We'll be addressing how we created the records tomorrow, but sleep is calling my name now. Can we go back to figuring out how we'll be getting back to the campus tomorrow?"

"Tomaz?" Jessica asked, "We can take him along if you wish, or if you prefer you could?"

"We'd split you two up; we've enough room for one extra in each minivan right now."

"How about Tauriz rides with Jessica, and I'll ride where you've got the room for me, Tomaz?"

"Works for me, Professor."

"You're not in my class, Tomaz. Please, call me Ray."

Tomaz smiled and said, "Sure thing, Professor Ray."

"Can take the boy out of the school, harder to take the school out of the boy," grumbled Ray before winking at Tomaz.

"It'll be interesting to see what the reaction will be from our escorts."

"I'll whip up some breakfast for whoever's here, plan on eating around seven before going out the door around twenty 'til eight. Tomaz, will your team stay the whole time, or are you expecting replacements?"

"Unless we get some more visitors, we're scheduled to stay the night, Ray."

"Thank you, Tomaz, that didn't hurt much, now did it?" chuckled Ray. "And who of your folks will be staying, Jessica?"

"Pete's still asleep; we'll let him go until we pick up Tauriz at twenty before eight tomorrow morning if that's OK?"

"Perfectly fine. Have a good evening, ladies, gents, for whatever remains of it."

Jessica and her people left. Ray locked the repaired door shut and set tripwires of jawhar around the condo, including the floor and ceiling. "Tomaz, you're welcome to rack out where ever you find you need. If you need anything from the kitchen or the bath, feel free."

"Thanks, Ray - we've got our rations and snivel gear, we should be fine."

"Then, see you in the morning," said Ray as he gathered Tauriz' hand in his and went into the master suite.

"Another evening, my love. If you don't mind, I'd like to sleep tonight? I know we can wash away physical fatigue, but my mind's feeling strained too"

"Ray, we have ages left together. It is not a problem. Of course. I would feel slighted if we can not cuddle as you sleep, however!"

"Well, we can't have you slighted!" chuckled Ray, stripping out of his clothes efficiently. Hanging the suit up for laundering, he threw the rest in the laundry hamper before wishing away the blue ink on the back of his hand. After crawling up the bed, he held his arms open. Tauriz briefly flickered before she stalked nude up the bed on all fours, watching Ray watching her as she did. Kissing him warmly, she curled up and spooned back against his front, pulling his arms around her.

"I think you may be part cat, love," Ray chuckled before kissing the back of her neck gently. "Thank you for putting up with my human sensibilities."

"We have plenty of time to train you in your new life, Ray. It is understandable. Getting through this transition will not be easy, even if we did not have all the outside interests we have run afoul of thus far.

"I do have a question for you, though, love. Are you OK from whatever Baba Yaga did to you?"

"I don't know, Tauriz. I think so, but I have a suspicion there's a lot more going on with that than what I've seen thus far."

"I guess we shall find out together, my lovely Master."

"Always, Tauriz, always."