by S. E. Weir
Phina frowned, ready to dismiss the idea of psychics before remembering that she read minds. It would be hypocritical not to at least be open to the idea. As she came to this conclusion, a message came through from Link. However, Will distracted her by his next words.
“So, is it true that you ran naked down to the Open Courtyard one night?”
Shocked, Phina looked up and blurted, “What? I was not naked!”
He grinned and put his hands in his pockets. “Well, that's disappointing.” When her eyes widened, he winked. “Don’t worry, Seraphina Waters. That's not the kind of relationship we're gonna have.”
Feeling bewildered and wondering how she had entered into an alternate dimension, Phina shook her head. “Let’s go. Greyson is waiting for us.”
He turned immediately for the exit and began walking. “All right. I hear destiny and a beautiful friendship calling.”
Phina sighed as she followed him. “That's your stomach.”
Will turned in a circle and grinned at her, pointing. “Yes! See.., that’s the kind of relationship we're gonna have.”
Phina couldn't help but think her life had taken a weird turn, but strangely she felt a whole lot better than she had this morning. Her tiredness and fatigue were gone.
QBBS Meredith Reynolds, Secret Bar
Will entered the room with his eyes wide. Holy hell in a handbasket, as his mom would say. What was a bar doing here, up a hidden staircase, behind a secret door, in an ordinary office complex? The mind boggled. He loved it.
He followed Phina past the half-full tables in the bar, and they entered the short corridor in the back. She knocked on the last door on the right before opening it. Though the corridor light was dim, the flash of the light inside the room illuminated Phina’s face briefly as she entered. The flash of uncertainty on her face brought out his protective instincts. Will cautiously entered behind her.
The room inside was divided into three parts: A bar, a lounge, and a conference/dining table. All were done in high-end materials with a focus on comfort. In front of one of the chairs in the lounge stood a nondescript man in his fifties with sandy brown hair and brown eyes. His posture indicated the man was conflicted about something.
Noting the stiff way the man appeared to be avoiding Phina’s gaze, all the while being aware of every small movement, it didn't take a genius to figure out that there was an issue between them. Will magnanimously decided he would be a buffer for them and stepped forward to introduce himself.
“Will Jameson.” He stretched his hand out to the man who stared at Will’s hand before finally stirring himself to accept the handshake.
The man’s absent gaze was penetrating and searching. “Greyson Wells.”
Will nodded, watching Greyson every bit as much as the older man watched him. Finally, Will grinned as he stepped back and took a seat next to Phina, who had taken the chair farthest from Greyson. He crossed his ankles and splayed his hands out.
“I've heard a lot about you, Mister Wells. How much of it is true?”
Greyson smiled as he sat in the chair across from him, his darkened eyes lightening. “I would venture to say most of it.”
Will examined the man’s mannerisms and found the similarities and contrasts between Greyson and Phina enlightening. “So, what brings us here?”
Greyson glanced at Phina, who studiously avoided his attention. If Will hadn't been watching him carefully, he would have missed the slight flinch before the man looked away and nodded as he turned his mind to business.
“Right. There's a species of alien called the Qendrok. They are green, four-armed humanoids. Have you ever heard of trolls in fantasy literature? That's the closest I can give you as to what they resemble, although their build is more slight than traditional depictions.” He tilted his head in thought. “However, their second set of arms usually remain close to their body, and that gives them more of a bulky appearance, so I suppose it’s an accurate enough portrayal.”
Greyson cleared his throat, glancing at Phina again. “The Qendrok have a religious ruling authority who can be recognized by a red amulet with a seal they wear. A shadow arm of this group are assassins who wear an amulet with a black ring around this seal.”
Will’s attention was drawn to Phina, who had straightened and was giving Greyson her full attention. He wondered if Phina had run into this group at some point in the past. It seemed likely given both their responses. He listened as Greyson continued.
“A couple of years ago, the Empire helped them resolve an issue regarding some of their people impersonating members of their ruling authority. After some messages back and forth, they have indicated a desire to join the Empire or become allies. Our job is to meet with them and facilitate this discussion, including creating a treaty if one is needed. Any questions?”
Will nodded and leaned forward, his eyes intent on Greyson. “Two of them. First, what time is the meeting?”
Greyson nodded from where he had slouched, his fingers tapping together where his hands were steepled in front of him. “Tomorrow at two station standard time in the secondary receiving hall. And the second question?”
Will glanced between the other two people in the room, realizing they were too much alike not to need a push in the right direction. He hoped this move didn't kill his new friendship with Phina. He wasn't playing around when he said he knew they would be good friends. Will hoped that would be sooner rather than later as he had waited long enough.
“How long has Phina been able to read minds?”
“What?”
Will’s question hit like a bombshell. Link half stood up from his chair, face pale and eyes a strange mix of anger, fear, and confusion. After an initial flinch, Phina sat as still as a statue.
Will looked at her apologetically. When she looked at him with puzzled eyes, he subtly tapped his head.
Oh. Phina reached out mentally just in time to hear Will’s apology.
So sorry I threw you in the deep end. I thought he knew.
“What do you mean?” Link demanded. “What is he talking about, kid?”
Phina’s eyes drifted to the unhappy spy. Link looked more flustered than she had ever seen him. His normally cool, calm, and collected exterior was replaced with a frazzled and anxious demeanor.
She had been avoiding his gaze since she walked in the room and wondered how much of what she was seeing was the result of Will’s question and how much had been there to begin with.
“I'm gonna wait outside.” Will’s whispered words barely penetrated her thoughts as she stared at Link, wondering if he had been miserable like she was. She certainly didn't want to use her abilities to find out. Thankfully, she had gained control since she woke up from her coma.
After the door snicked shut, Link turned from staring at her to pacing the room. He began waving his arms, his voice a mix of frustration and curiosity. “Do you want to explain?”
“No.”
Link frowned at her answer. “Is what he said correct?”
“Yes.”
His brow furrowed deeper as he continued to pace. “Is that why you ran away and have been ignoring me? Because you read something in my mind?”
“Yes, and no.”
He stopped pacing and glowered at her. “Well? Is it yes, or is it no?”
Phina’s gaze frosted over. “Yes, it was why I was upset. No, I haven't been ignoring you.”
Link huffed and thrust his arms in the air. “Then why haven't you spoken to me since you woke up?”
She stared at him for a good long moment before raising her eyebrows. “Communication goes both ways. I haven't been ignoring you. I've been avoiding you. There is a difference. Ignoring implies you have tried to get in touch with me. That isn't the case.”
He wrinkled his brow in disbelief. “The hell I haven't! I've sent you several messages. Once I messaged twice in a day.”
Phina knew without checking that he wasn't lying. She looked down in confusion and pulled out her tablet.
She brought her messages up and checked for any communication from him. Nope. Still nothing. She turned her tablet around and showed Link her inbox. His eyes reflected her confusion once he understood the messages were not there.
Link swallowed, looking uncomfortable, before asking, “And you haven't deleted any of them?”
She looked up, not understanding his tone until it hit her. The only ones who could have interfered with her messages in that way were Reynolds, Meredith, and….ADAM. Her friends.
The ones who had listened to her muttering to herself in the time since she had woken up and run out of the medical room.
The ones who taught her everything she knew about hacking.
The ones who watched her every step and movement from waking to sleeping—and she wouldn't bet against the sleeping, either. They were the most dangerous beings in the Empire, except for the Empress.
Fudge in a bucket.
Chapter Nine
QBBS Meredith Reynolds, Secret Bar
“ADAM?” Phina whispered. “Was it you?”
“Yes.” The AI spoke the word simply through the speakers within the room.
Phina shook her head with a frown. “Why did you do that, ADAM?”
“Because he hurt you, and you needed time to heal from that.”
Floored that ADAM had taken it in his mind to protect her without asking, Phina felt conflicting emotions running through her. She didn’t like that ADAM had taken it upon himself to make this decision without her, but she knew the AI well enough to know that he’d considered the people involved when making his calculations.
As she came to terms with her thoughts, Link began a blistering tirade.
“I hurt her? What did I ever do? I stayed by her side, talking to her half the time she was in her coma. I was there for months, waiting for her to wake up. But sure, yeah, I hurt her.”
Phina shook her head, avoiding his gaze. She spoke over her implant to ADAM. Thank you for protecting me, ADAM. If there is a next time, would you please ask me first?
>>Of course. Are you…upset with me?<<
I was upset, but I was more surprised. You haven’t intercepted any other messages, have you?
>>No, but I did consider it. I didn’t like how long you were in that coma. You looked like you needed time to deal with the changes without more emotional pressure.<<
Phina felt warm inside her heart. I appreciate your concern and protection. Thank you for being my friend, ADAM. I am sorry I worried you.
>>It was difficult waiting for you. Unknowns are uncomfortable, particularly related to my friends. I decided I didn’t like them and want to avoid them as much as possible.<<
You and every other control freak, my friend.
Phina realized silence had permeated the room. She turned curiously to see Link watching her with an unreadable expression on his face. Oops.
“Is it true?”
Can I read minds is what he really wants to know. Phina sighed, then nodded.
“And this has something to do with why you aren't looking at me or talking to me?”
Phina flinched and looked away. From his sigh, she felt certain he knew the answer. Link stepped forward and crouched in front of Phina’s chair, waiting until she finally turned toward him.
His brown eyes were steady but had several emotions showing through. Curiosity, amazement, pride, and pain. He nodded and spoke quietly. “So, what did you read in my mind that hurt you?”
Phina took a deep breath and realized that if she didn't take this step now and speak the truth that something would break between them. Since the pain of that thought hurt more than talking about it, she answered just as quietly, “When I said I didn't know why I was in a coma for so long you didn't believe me.”
Link took a deep breath and nodded. “I wondered why you had started acting funny after that. And later?”
Phina frowned at the man, her eyes narrowing. “You called me a coward.”
Link sighed and sat back on his haunches. “Right.” He rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands then dropped them. His eyes blinked, then firmly focused on her. “Okay, let's clear the air about this. When you listen to people's thoughts, you are going to need to learn to not just dip in and out. When a person thinks one thing about something, that's usually not all they are thinking. Take a minute to consider your thoughts. Do you ever argue with yourself? Try to convince yourself about something? Are you ever uncertain about a thing that happened or what you want to do?”
Phina nodded as he continued while making hand gestures and running his fingers through his hair. The man was going to go bald. “This is what most other people do as well. So while you may hear one part of those thoughts, you won't hear all of them or their conclusions until you listen long enough to know it.”
He stopped and looked at her more closely. “Does that make sense? You are correct that I didn't believe you.” He held up his finger as she opened her mouth to respond. “At first. I didn't want to believe you didn't know because I wanted it to be a simple answer to a question I've waited months to ask you. Then what I know about you kicked in, and I concluded that it had to be true because you aren't in the habit of lying. Does that coincide with what you know of me, and do you believe me?”
Phina thought it over, then nodded. It made sense. Link often reacted before his thoughts caught up, at least when it came to relationships. “And the other one?”
He raised his eyebrows. “Calling you a coward?” She nodded and he sighed. “That was both an overreaction and a miscalculation. You were shutting down because you were overwhelmed. Hearing your aunt had irrevocably changed you was the last thing you needed to know when you were still coming to terms with being in a coma for so long. I could see it in your eyes, and I panicked and channeled my anger and frustration at the situation you were in.”
Link shook his head. “It wasn't fair to you, but I hoped what I said would prod your anger and pride so that you would fight instead of shutting down from being overwhelmed. It worked.” He shrugged and pushed himself up so that he stood looking down at her, quietly holding his hand out. “I’m sorry, Phina. Can you forgive me for speaking rashly?”
Phina looked up at Link, searching his face intently. Finding what she was looking for, she grabbed his hand and pulled herself up with it, then wrapped her arms around him. “Missed you.”
He wrapped his arms around her, leaning his head against hers. “Me too.” His voice sounded gruff.
“Ready to do this meeting now?”
“Oh, good. This hugging thing is still weird for me.”
Phina rolled her eyes and slapped his arm as she stepped back. “Come on, old man. Let's get to what you do best.”
“Hey, there's no old men here!”
“Nope, but only because I'm not a man or old.”
Link gave her a sour look, then shook his head and gestured at the door. “Get Billy the Kid in here so we can get moving on this.”
Phina turned toward the door and smiled to herself. It always felt better when she and Link were getting along than when they were fighting.
QBBS Meredith Reynolds, Secondary Receiving Hall
“This is unacceptable!”
Xoruk stood in the posture of acceptance and devotion, with his four arms wrapped around himself and his head bowed. His red clothing wrap covered his hips and thighs, extending up over one shoulder to tuck into the back. Xoruk stood beside Jokin, who was clothed similarly. Both remained two steps behind their very visible leader, Qartan. Their red amulets were visible on each of their chests.
It was Qartan who blustered in Yollin to the delegates of the Empire, vile language though he viewed it. Never mind that the Qendrok and the Yollins had once been valued allies and friends. No. Qartan would never admit that and go against the teachings he had been spouting for the past twenty-four years.
Xoruk surreptitiously angled his head to see behind him. Sure enough, the two guards, Gunit and Zudin, still stood there, the twitches on thei
r faces showing they found the situation amusing.
Xoruk did not feel amused.
Carefully, Xoruk moved his head to see the delegation of the Empire in front of him. Three people were standing in front of Qartan, as well as another four standing guard near the entrances of the room. Those four seemed to be typical of the soldiers the Empire employed; one two-legged Yollin, one more big, burly human, and two smaller but still capable-looking humans.
The three who made up the delegation of the Empire were human; one elder male, one young male, and one young female. At a glance, the presence of the young female proved to be the source of Qartan’s current tirade.
Not because she was female, though Qartan would like that fact little enough. Not because she was young, though Qartan would like that little better. No. The tirade stemmed from one reason. The female glowed with power, and Qartan hated anyone more powerful than he was. Not that he would admit to that being the reason for his anger. The Qendrok didn’t advertise their ability to see masses of energy as it gave them a small advantage.
Personally, Xoruk merely felt relief that the young female had been present and not the Empress herself. Seeing how this young female glowed, and if the stories were true, Xoruk felt certain that the Empress would blaze with power. Qartan could get away with insulting this female, though it may cause an issue between the Qendrok and the Empire. Xoruk felt certain that insulting the Empress would have been deadly.
Xoruk would like to live, thank you very much.
Qartan’s life? Well, that was optional, in Xoruk’s opinion. Life would be very much easier without the insufferable male mucking things up. Of course, Qartan was so consumed with his power grasping that he might not remember that as part of the Empire’s delegation, insulting the young woman meant he insulted the Empress. If only Xoruk could be so lucky.
“I will not stand for a female barely out of childhood to be a driving part of this treaty!”
