by Karen Kelley
“Yes and no. It seems even more beautiful, calmer than I remember. I’ve missed my home, but even now, I would return to Earth. I fear for Lyraka’s safety. I think I’ve been overly protective of my daughter, and she doesn’t know Earth as I do.”
“Kia and Nick will see that she doesn’t come to harm while you are away.”
“I know they will. Kia is a warrior and will protect her. And…I suppose if Kia says Nick is a good man, then I will have to accept her judgment. I should’ve taught Lyraka more, though. Her skills are not completely under control.”
“I think you did teach her a lot. Maybe you don’t realize it.”
The nearer they came to Torcara’s dwelling, the more she sensed Aasera’s nervousness. What must she feel, meeting the Elders after so many years? It would be hard for her if they exiled her again, but even harder if she never saw Lyraka. It would be a choice Lara wouldn’t want to make, but then she already had when she chose to leave Sam.
But her loyalty was with the Elders. Wasn’t it?
They stopped in front of Torcara’s dwelling and pushed a button, then waited to be admitted.
A few minutes passed before Torcara’s companion unit opened the door and stepped back to allow them entrance into the massive chambers of the High Royal.
They entered with bowed heads as was the custom, but Lara could see that the other three Elders were in the room by the hems of the white robes, which it was their custom to wear.
Only one Elder would speak.
“Welcome home, Healer,” a soft voice said.
She breathed a sigh of relief. Rabare was next in line to rule, but Lara thought she had more of a dreamer’s DNA in her. She didn’t think Rabare with her gentle soul, would be able to wage a war if the need should arise.
Not that she thought that time would ever come. After all, they were a peaceful nation.
Lara raised her head and looked into Rabare’s soft yellow eyes. She could almost feel the warmth flowing from her.
“Who have you brought with you?” Rabare asked. “Raise your head so that I might look upon your face.”
“I’m Aasera,” she said as she stepped forward without waiting for Lara’s introduction.
“Yes. I remember you. You were exiled for the safety of Nerak, yet you have returned.” Her soft voice was more powerful, could cut deeper than if she had been harsh and scolding.
“It was an accident,” Lara said. “She was working on the tube craft so that I might bring the remedy back for Torcara.” She didn’t want the grandmother or Sam to get into trouble because they’d been helping her.
“Apparently, you are still gifted at making things work. I must admit, I’ve missed your talents…and you.”
“As I have missed my home and the royals.”
“You know that we had no choice.” Rabare clasped her hands in front of her.
“I accepted my fate.”
“And the child, it is well?”
“Lyraka is quite special.”
“Then you made the right choice.”
“Yes, I would make the same one if I had to do it over again.”
“Torcara will want to see you before you return to Earth.”
Lara felt pity for the former interplanetary traveler. Rabare was letting her know that she couldn’t stay on Nerak. It was as she had expected.
A companion unit entered the room carrying a tray. Rabare addressed Lara, “Shaedra let us know you were on your way, so we made sure we had your things assembled. She didn’t mention Aasera. The princess has a rather odd sense of humor.”
She did seem to like the dramatic, and she’d left Sam in her care. Not good. The quicker she returned, the better off he’d be.
She brought the remedy out of her satchel and placed it on the tray, then set her satchel on the floor before donning the protective gear. She nodded when she was ready to enter Torcara’s chamber.
When she went inside, the Elder was lying on the bed, looking out the window.
“I never realized just how boring it could be when one is all alone”—she turned toward Lara—“nor thought about how lonely a healer must be since they have very little contact with others.”
“You sound better, Torcara.”
“It would seem the disease is running its course. I’m told the Earthling who infected me has recuperated.”
“I brought a remedy that should hasten your recovery.”
“And what else have you brought?”
Lara’s eyes widened. Had she already heard about Aasera and Sam?
“Yes, I know about the ones who traveled with you. Did you think that I would not discover their presence?”
“No, Elder.”
“Then tell me about them.”
“It is Aasera and a…a man called Sam.”
“Aasera…” Torcara closed her eyes, her features softening. “The hardest thing I ever did was to exile her. I was closer to her than to anyone. I loved to hear about her stories of distant worlds. I suppose I lived my life vicariously through her. I knew that I would never be able to leave Nerak. Not as the High Royal.”
“She has missed her home, her people.”
“But not enough that she would fight being exiled. She gave everything up for what? To have a child. I was afraid…I thought she might have died giving birth. Did her child survive?”
“Lyraka is a beautiful young woman with many gifts.”
“Lyraka?” She sat up in bed. “That’s what she calls her?”
“Yes.” Lara wondered at the emotion showing on the Elder’s face.
Torcara apparently realized she’d let her guard down and quickly sobered. “Lyraka was the name of my grandmother. We were also very close. At least, as close as we could be in our society.” She drew in a deep breath. “And you brought a man back.”
“His name is Sam, and I care deeply for him. Please do not hurt him.”
Torcara frowned. “Tell me you don’t think I’m going to have him disintegrated or anything.”
When Lara didn’t say anything, Torcara spoke again.
“Really, Lara, I do believe healers are left to their own devices more than necessary. You have too much time to think. It’s not as if we’ve disintegrated the humans who came back in Mala’s craft, although why we haven’t I don’t know. They’re quite trying.”
“Are you going to send them back?”
“Yes, soon, I would imagine, but we’ll erase their memories of the time since they’ve been on Nerak. I suppose we’ll have to do that with the male you brought back with you.”
“But he’ll still remember me.”
“No, I’ll make sure he has no memory left of you. It’s best that way.”
Sam wouldn’t remember the time they’d spent together? A sharp pain stabbed her in the center of her chest. The Elder was right, of course. He wouldn’t miss her if he had no memory of her. It was the best solution.
Then why did it hurt so much to know he wouldn’t remember what they’d shared?
Chapter 28
S am didn’t like the way Shaedra was looking at him—as if he were a chocolate bar, and she wanted to eat him up. There was definitel
y a predatory gleam in her eyes.
When would Lara return? It better be a damned fast trip.
“You look worried, Earthman.” She removed a chocolate bar from the bag and slowly unwrapped it, but her gaze never left him.
“Yeah, well, if our positions were reversed, you’d be worried, too. It’s not like I travel to a different planet every day and get zapped.”
She laughed. “You amuse me. Sit. Tell me more about this place you come from. I want to know everything.” She bit into the chocolate, a dreamy expression on her face as she savored the bite.
Great, now he was a boy toy to a princess. Well, she’d better think again. He wasn’t about to become her concubine.
But if it would keep her from zapping him again, then he’d be more than happy to talk her head off. Man, being zapped was weird. It was like floating around in a dark place, actually living an episode of The Twilight Zone. It creeped him out, and he’d rather not go there again. So whatever made the princess happy, short of stripping.
She’d told him to sit, so he’d sit. He started toward a chair only a few feet away.
“Not that one,” she said. “The one in the far corner.” Her attention returned to the chocolate.
“What difference does it make?” But as he walked toward it, he heard her sigh. The chocolate? When he turned, her gaze was riveted on him.
Great, she wanted to look at his butt. Get an eyeful, lady. That’s all he was going to give her. Damn, he sounded like a virginal librarian or something. No, it was more than that, and he knew it.
He dragged the chair nearer to her but far enough away so she couldn’t bite or anything. He studied her, not so sure she wouldn’t.
She looked pretty hot when he got past the royal treatment. Her reddish brown hair was short, and her eyes were a deep, deep green, but he wasn’t about to be deceived by her looks. Besides, he was partial to longhaired blondes.
“I enjoy watching you move,” she said after he’d settled himself in the chair. “Your muscles ripple quite nicely. Are you sure you wouldn’t be more comfortable without that bulky cloth draping across your hips?”
“Yeah, I’m sure. I don’t suppose you know when or if my clothes will return?” Not that they had when Kia zapped him. He’d had to wear Nick’s clothes home. Damned uncomfortable, too.
“I don’t know. I’ve never made someone go away.” She brought her feet under her and leaned forward, her half-lidded gaze telling him exactly where her thoughts were. “You cause a reaction inside me that has never happened. My body tingles.” She licked her lips.
Oh, Lord, he was in deep shit.
“I want to copulate with you.”
He pushed with his heels, and his chair slid across the floor a good two feet farther away from her. Ah, damn, he had been afraid she was going to say something like that. Where the hell was Lara? Probably shooting the breeze while he was being fed to the lioness. He had to stall.
“Sorry, Princess, I’m a one-woman man, and right now, Lara and I have a relationship.”
She sat back with a frown. “That’s not possible—she’s a healer. They can’t bond with anyone. It would upset the harmony within them.” She shook her head. “No, it’s quite impossible.”
“She’s not dead.” Damn, healers didn’t have much of a life. He felt sorry for what Lara had had to put up with all these years, the enforced loneliness. He damn sure didn’t like the idea of her returning to her former life. No, he’d do something to get off Nerak, and when he did, he’d be taking her with him.
“Of course she’s not dead.” Shaedra frowned. “If I commanded you to copulate, then you would be forced to comply,” she changed the subject back to her own gratification.
He laughed. She sounded a lot like Lara did when she first came to earth.
“You laugh at me?” She drew her legs from beneath her and narrowed her eyes.
Uh-oh. He’d opened his mouth this time and stuck his size ten and a half foot in. “Not at you, just the way you think.”
“And that’s funny?” She quirked an eyebrow and didn’t look a bit mollified by his explanation.
“Not at all,” he quickly interjected. “But wouldn’t you want to have your own man rather than one that belongs to a healer? One that she’s been with?” He could tell she was pondering his words.
“Yes, you’re right,” she said. “You would be a used model, quite unworthy of a princess.”
Thanks for nothing. Now he was being compared to a companion unit.
“But how will I ever get a man if there are none on Nerak?” She frowned. “Or more chocolate?”
Sam wasn’t sure which meant more to her—men or chocolate. He had a feeling it would be a close race between the two even with women from Earth. A very disheartening comparison. Now if it was an ice-cold beer, he could understand that.
The door slid open. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Lara. He’d already started missing her. Her head was bowed as she waited for permission to enter.
Man, he’d get tired of this royal crap in a heartbeat. Too rigid for his way of life. Yeah, he had to find a way off Nerak and a way to take her with him.
He wondered if the government would give her sanctuary or diplomatic immunity, something to protect her. Maybe, if a bunch of warrior aliens didn’t show up and zap a bunch of government officials—which might not be as bad as it sounded, come to think about it.
“Enter,” the princess said. “You’ve returned rather quickly.”
Lara stepped inside the room, raising her head. Was that pity he saw in her eyes? Damn, what was going to happen? Maybe they did disintegrate people on Nerak.
“The Elder has requested Sam’s presence.”
She didn’t look at him when she spoke. This was bad. He closed his eyes. What’s going on ?
Stay strong.
He looked at Lara, knowing she hadn’t spoken aloud, but he heard her words as clearly as if she had.
Shaedra came to her feet. “It’s not fair. I wanted to question him further. We haven’t spoken about Earth or their customs.” She pursed her lips. “You may leave.” She waved her arm, turning her back on them.
Lara judged the distance from where she stood to the bag of chocolate. She’d never make it, and then the princess would be furious that she’d tried to steal them back.
She motioned for Sam to follow her out of the room.
“What’s going on, Lara?” he asked as soon as they were a good distance from the princess’s dwelling. “And how come I can hear your thoughts more often?”
“It’s the connection between us. The more you concentrate, the easier they come through.” She nibbled her bottom lip. “But if the emotion is too strong, thoughts can be blocked.”
He could feel how upset she was, but he had a feeling she had the ability to shut him out when she needed to. “What are they going to do to me?”
Lara knew Sam was trying to break into her thoughts, but she was stronger and she didn’t want him to feel her anxiety any more than he already could.
“I’d rather hear it from you,” he said, taking her hand in his and stopping her.
Her heart broke into tiny pieces as she looked at him. No, she had to be strong. “We can’t keep the Elders waiting.”
“What, Lara?”
“The
y will send you back to Earth.” She didn’t look at him as they continued down the private walkway of the royals. By going this route, no one would see Sam.
“Go with me,” he pleaded. “You’re not meant for a life this rigid.”
She shook her head. “This is the life I was born to.” She could feel him studying her as they walked.
“I think there’s more to it.”
“To what?”
“To me going home.”
She hesitated but knew she had to tell him. Keeping the truth from him would only delay things. “They’re going to erase your memory of me, of Nerak.” When he didn’t say anything, she looked up at him.
“They can’t do that,” he said.
“Yes, I’m afraid they can.”
“But what about Nick? Are they going to erase his memory? Kia’s?”
“No, they can’t do that, but when Nick and Kia talk about me, you won’t have any idea of whom they speak.”
“What difference does it make if I remember you?” His words were laced with anger.
“It’s not so much your memory of me; they don’t want you to remember Nerak. It’s to protect our planet.”
“You think I’ll give someone directions?”
“No, it’s more than that.” She hesitated, knowing some would think she betrayed her home, but she trusted Sam. “You’ve seen just how vulnerable we are. There are no wars here. We would not be prepared if we were invaded.”
“And what’s to stop them now?”
“We’ve fooled everyone. Our artists have created fierce holograms of mighty warriors. If dignitaries arrive to talk with the Elders, we drag out the holograms. They think we are many and that we’re well trained.”
“Why weren’t they in place when we arrived? If you ask me, everyone looked ill-prepared to fight anyone.”
“They knew the craft, and they knew I would be on board,” she said.
