“Please, sit,” Saige said, waving toward a chair beside the sofa. When Honey was seated, Saige reached up for the glittering heart shaped pendant she wore around her neck, brushing it lightly with her fingers.
“I don’t want to bore you with long explanations,” Saige said. “Still, I do have to give you some explanation, so please bear with me, and don’t hesitate to ask questions if you want.”
“All right,” Honey said.
“This necklace that I wear allows me to see the true hearts of others,” Saige said. “The first thing I want to tell you, is that you have one of the purest hearts I have seen. After what you did for us, and our sons, I don’t really need the Heart Sight to know that, but I wanted to tell you anyway.”
“Thank you, Saige,” Honey said, her cheeks heating. “I try to be a good person but, sometimes, I think I’m very selfish.”
“We are all selfish in some ways,” Saige said. “We want to be happy, we want the best for those we love. That is, by definition, selfish, but it is a good kind of selfish, if such a thing can be said.”
Honey nodded, understanding completely.
“Some of the clans have guardians,” Saige said. “Clan Lobo has what they call the Eternal Pack. The Eternal Pack chose me to wear the Heart Stone, which gives me the Heart Sight. It was the Eternal Pack that you sensed the other day, what you called spirits, helping with the babies.”
“Yes, I remember,” Honey said. “They helped a great deal.”
“They helped, but it was you who healed them, and drew their injuries onto yourself,” Saige said. “Does that always happen to you?”
“No, never,” Honey said. “It was a shock, but I think it was because the babies had injuries. I’ve never come across that before.”
“I don’t know how you stood the pain of it,” Saige said. “I can only say thank you, and tell you how grateful I am. The Eternal Pack is also grateful, and has bestowed upon you a gift.”
“A gift?” Honey asked in surprise. “What sort of gift?”
“From now on, should you be called upon to heal an injured fetus, you will not be required to draw the injury onto yourself,” Saige said.
“How is it possible for them to do such a thing?” Honey asked, then blushed. “I’m sorry, Saige. First I should say thank you. That’s a truly generous and amazing gift.”
“How the Eternal Pack does what they do, I cannot say,” Saige said. “I only know that they can.”
“Saige, I don’t know how to thank you, or them, for such a gift,” Honey said. “I hope I never have to heal such injuries again, simply because no child should be injured in such a way before or after they’re born. But if I do, I admit it will be nice not to have to draw the injury to myself.”
“You do not need to thank us,” Saige said. “This is their thanks to you. Now, I have something else to tell you if you have a little more time.”
“Of course,” Honey replied.
“A few years ago there was an Alverian Empath Healer named Riata. She was very gifted, and highly regarded by all of the Jasani people. When she passed to the next plane, she became my Spirit Guide, though I’ve come to understand that she is really the Spirit Guide for the Jasani, and just speaks through me.”
“Spirit Guide?” Honey asked. “I’ve never heard that term before.”
“Neither had I,” Saige said. “Basically, she gives me messages and hints about things to come that are important to the Jasani in our quest for victory against the Xanti, and ultimate peace.”
“I see,” Honey said, not sure she did, really. Saige smiled knowingly. “I know it’s difficult to grasp. But please, bear with me.”
Honey nodded, though she was starting to worry about why Saige was telling her this.
“Don’t worry,” Saige said, reading the worry on Honey’s face. “Your secrets are your own. Riata is careful about such things, and even if she weren’t, I would never reveal anything that did not need to be told. But, as you’ve probably guessed, I do have a message from Riata for you.”
“Okay,” Honey said nervously. “What is it?”
“She says that you must tell Michael this exactly, Time is running out. The spectrum puzzle must be solved and the knowledge shared before the fateful path is chosen.”
“Puzzle?” Honey asked. “What puzzle?”
“I’m sorry, Honey,” Saige replied. “I would tell you if I knew. In fact, I asked Riata that same exact question. She didn’t answer me, which is not surprising. All I can tell you is that she gave me that message to give to you for Michael. Her messages are always very important, Honey. Please do not forget to tell him.”
“I won’t, Saige, I promise,” Honey said. “How urgent is it? Should I vox him and tell him, or can it wait till he returns?”
“Returns?” Saige asked. “Where is he?”
“He went to Berria to examine the Xanti bio-suit there,” Honey replied. “He’ll be back tomorrow though.”
“As it’s the middle of the night there now, I think you should wait until he returns,” Saige said. “I got the feeling that the message was important, but not urgent.”
“Okay,” Honey said. “I’ll tell him tomorrow when I see him. I suppose I should go now. I don’t want to keep Doc waiting too long.”
“Please, come back and visit any time,” Saige said, starting to get up.
“Stay there,” Honey said, waving her back. “I can see myself out. And please, don’t hesitate to call me any time if you want me to check on the babies, all right? Promise me.”
“I promise, Honey,” Saige said with a relieved smile. “I confess, I’m a little skittish now, after what happened. I might need you to reassure me now and then.”
“That’s perfectly understandable, and I don’t mind in the least,” Honey said. “You have three beautiful sons there, and I won’t mind visiting them now and then, either.”
***
As soon as Xi-Kung had made up his mind on how to handle the situation of the captured Xanti, he set to work. First, he created a small, but very precise, data bundle. He double and triple checked it to be sure it was perfect. After that, all he had to do was download the data to the Receiver, which would then transmit it to the Messenger, and all of his problems would be solved. Well, the worst of his problems would be solved.
Unfortunately, in order for his plan to work the Receiver had to be out from under the protective bubble that the Jasani kept him surrounded with most of the time. Only then could he download his data bundle. After that, the Receiver needed to return to the vicinity of the Messenger before the data could be transmitted. Too many things depended on luck for Xi-Kung’s peace of mind, but he had no alternatives. He’d struggled to think of another, more fool-proof solution, but there didn’t seem to be one.
The worst part was that the clock was ticking down. He had only a few hours before he had to order the ship out of Jasani space so that he could contact Xaqana-Ti. After months of waiting with nothing to do, he now found himself short on time. It was unfair, he thought, over and over as he once more paced restlessly around his quarters. He froze for a long moment as he considered lying to her.
If the Receiver didn’t return to the Messenger in time, why not tell Xaqana-Ti that the matter was concluded anyway? Then, after his meeting with her, he could return and make it happen without a deadline hanging over his head.
The thought was a good one, and he toyed with it for quite a while as he resumed his pacing and continued to wait for the Receiver’s signal to show up on his screen. But he knew that it was just a thought, a dream, a fantasy. One could not lie to one’s Ruling Female. Not successfully. She would always know, no matter how skilful the liar, no matter how tiny the lie.
He sighed, wondering if it would be possible to order his ship to fly into the sun. Suicide wasn’t possible for a Xanti. Only a Ruling Female, or fate itself, could order the destruction of a life. It wasn’t possible to trick a Ruling Female either, but he thought he might be able
to fool fate, if he was clever enough about it.
He climbed down the far wall, then approached the vid-terminal again, but of course, there was no signal light. He sighed to himself and started to back away when his eyes fell on the small black transmitter box next to the vid-terminal. He leaned forward, studying it closely, knowing something was wrong, but unable to think clearly with all of the stress and worry he’d been under. It was much easier to see things from within the makina, and he was just getting ready to go get into it when, suddenly, it hit him. The tiny light that should be flashing on the box to indicate it was powered up and working, was dark.
Xi-Kung traced the thick black cable that snaked out of the box, across the desk and up behind the vid-terminal with his eyes. He froze for a long moment, unable to breathe as he stared at the cable’s end lying there, in full sight, connected to nothing. He forced himself to breathe in, then out, then in again, telling himself over and over that a tantrum would not help at that moment. How the cable had come disconnected he didn’t know, and at the moment, he didn’t care. He would figure that out later, and someone would pay for it. But right now, it didn’t matter.
He shifted forward, delicately picked up the cable with his two forelegs, and plugged it into the vid-terminal where it belonged. Suddenly, a light appeared on his screen, flashing rhythmically with a soft beeping sound. Xi-Kung’s entire body shuddered with relief and he took a moment to enjoy his sudden and unexpected stroke of luck. How long the signal had been there, he didn’t care to guess. Nor did it matter. He needed only a few moments to send the data. He pressed against the cable once, to be certain it was plugged in tightly. Then he climbed into his makina, and went to work.
Day Six
Honey sat on the Bearens’ back patio with Hope, sipping coffee while they watched the children play in the early morning sunshine. Nica had taken to the Bearens’ three little boys right away, and they to her. She was amazed at how good Nica was with them since she’d never been around babies before. The boys were identical triplets with the exception of their hair color, which matched the three thin braids that Hope wore just over her ear. Harlan, the eldest, had white hair, Mattlan, the middle child, had red hair, and Weldan, the youngest, had deep, walnut brown hair. All of them had large, amber eyes, and their hair was so cute the way it stuck up in little tufts all over their heads. They weren’t big enough to walk yet, but they crawled all over the place and, whenever they got the chance, they pulled themselves up to their feet using the furniture. Then they walked as far as they could until there was nothing else to hold onto, grinning and giggling the whole time. They were strong, sturdy boys with bright, cheery personalities and infectious laughter.
“I really appreciate you keeping an eye on Nica for me again today,” Honey said. “I know I should have asked before promising Doc I’d come and check his patient.”
“It’s not a problem, Honey,” Hope said. “I love having her. She’s a wonderful little girl, and she’s so good with the boys. Besides, Tess and Sila do all the hard work. My guys refuse to let me do more than sit around and watch.”
Honey laughed. She’d been around the Bearens enough lately to know that while they certainly would prefer that Hope do nothing, Hope was not about to obey that directive. She was too energetic for that. She was a hands-on mother if ever there’d been one.
“Since I’m going to be working, I’ll have to make some kind of permanent arrangement for Nica,” Honey said.
“You’ve made up your mind then?” Hope asked.
“I still need to discuss it with Michael,” Honey replied. “But I honestly can’t imagine myself refusing. I want it too much.”
“You don’t want to return to Terien?”
“No, I don’t,” Honey replied. “I never did, actually. But whether or not I have to depends a lot on Michael.”
Hope hesitated. What she wanted to say, and what she should say to this woman that she barely knew, were too far apart to allow her tongue free rein.
Honey sipped her coffee, pretending not to notice Hope’s struggle. She thought about the people she’d met here, on Jasan, both the women and the men. They were nothing like anyone she had ever known, except her mother.
Teriens were withdrawn, secretive, judgmental and very critical of anyone or anything that dared violate their strict ideas of right and wrong. The Jasani were polar opposites of that. They were friendly, accepting, and open minded. And, she thought, trustworthy.
There’d been an idea rattling around in her mind for a couple of days now. She was fairly sure she was right, but she wanted to ask someone else, someone she could trust. Without letting herself reconsider, she set her cup down and looked straight at Hope.
“I’m the Vulpirans’ Arima, aren’t I?” she asked, proud of how steady her voice was when she spoke.
Hope’s turquoise eyes widened in surprise, but she didn’t turn away or hesitate. “Yes, you are,” she replied.
“Does everyone know?” Honey asked.
“I think the people you’ve met here, on the ranch, all know now,” Hope said. “But you should know that it wasn’t the Vulpirans who told.”
“When I healed Saige’s babies something happened that made it obvious to everyone. Is that a good guess?”
“Yes, that’s an excellent guess,” Hope replied. “Honey, no one is going to judge you, or pry into your personal business. We’re happy to have you, and Nica, and Michael too. I understand he’s doing a lot to help further our understanding of the Xanti, and that’s extremely important to all of us.”
“I appreciate that,” Honey said. “Sometimes, though, the truth is not what you see. Unfortunately, the secrets I would now trust you with are not entirely mine to tell.”
Hope thought about that for a moment as she watched Nica teach Harlan how to throw his little red ball. “I’m here for you any time you want to talk, Honey,” she said finally. “And I’ll be your friend, even if you decide to keep your secrets to yourself. I just want you to know that.”
“Same goes for me, too,” Berta said from behind them. Honey turned to see her Aunt step out of the house and onto the patio.
“Good morning, Aunt Berta,” Honey said. “I didn’t expect to see you this morning.”
“Well, I know you’re going to be working down at the infirmary today, so I thought I’d pop over this morning early so I could see you.” Berta took a seat next to Honey and accepted a cup of coffee from Hope.
“Is there anything wrong?” Honey asked.
“No, nothing at all,” Berta said. “I just thought you’d be worrying about how to manage Nica and the infirmary, since I know Michael isn’t here.”
“I told her Nica is more than welcome to stay here while she’s at the infirmary,” Hope said. “Considering that you’ll be there healing unborn children, it’s the least I can do.”
“Nica is also welcome to come spend time with me at Arima House,” Berta said. “The ladies there love her, as do I. So there’s no problem there.”
“Thank you, both of you,” Honey said. “I can’t make my final decision about staying here until I talk to Michael, but I wonder, is there a school around here? It’s past time for Nica to start going to school, but with the move to Earth, and then the trip here, I haven’t had a chance to get her enrolled. If we stay here, she needs to start school.”
“The closest school is in Granite Falls,” Hope said. “That’s a couple of hours away by ground-car. Saige, Lariah and I have talked about the need for a school on the ranch. Between the three of us, we have twelve children and six more on the way. But they’re all much younger than Nica. The Dracon girls are three, and they’re the oldest.”
“I suppose I’ll have to home school her, which is fine,” Honey said. “The real issue with that is she needs to be with other children her own age.”
“We’ll figure it out,” Hope said. “You don’t have to solve everything this morning.”
“Yes, you’re right,” Honey said. She chec
ked her watch and set her cup down. “I’d better get going. I told Doc I’d be there by nine. If you don’t mind, Hope, I’d like to check on your daughters before I go.”
“No, I’d appreciate that,” Hope replied. “Do you need me to lie down?”
“No, that’s only necessary when I want to take a very close look,” Honey said. “Just relax for a few moments, and don’t talk.” Hope nodded and Honey closed her eyes and focused. She smiled as she sensed the three tiny little girls in Hope’s womb, content, warm and safe. She started to withdraw when she sensed a tiny, faint buzzing. She frowned and focused on Hope again, and the buzzing faded. As she withdrew, she sensed it again. She followed the almost invisible sensation for a few moments, then opened her eyes and smiled.
“Hope, your daughters are perfect,” she said. Then she looked at her aunt. “Aunt Berta, your daughters are perfect, too.”
Berta dropped her cup into her lap which, luckily, had only a little bit of cool coffee left in it. Her face paled, then flushed pink. “Are you certain?” she asked Honey in a trembling voice. “Really certain?”
“I’m certain, Aunt Berta,” Honey said. “Are you all right?”
“I’m better than all right,” Berta said, grinning widely. “But you’re sure, Honey? There’s no mistake?”
“No, Aunt Berta, there’s no mistake,” Honey said. “I promise.”
“Make that nine on the way,” Hope said with a laugh. “Six more girls between us, Berta. I almost wish I could see the expressions on the Falcorans’ faces when you tell them.”
“Yes, I was just thinking the same thing,” she said as she set her cup on the table and stood up. “I think I’ll go find out if they look anything at all like I expect.”
Honey and Hope laughed as Berta left with an extra bounce in her step. Then Honey went to give Nica a kiss good-bye and, feeling just a little nervous, got into her ground-car and headed for the infirmary.
The Vulpirans' Honor: The Soul-Linked Saga Page 14
