by Viola Grace
She took it and used her grip to steer him through the common area and to the lifts. She was guiding and he was supporting. It was a fair exchange of strengths at the moment.
“Are you considering taking the position at Lowel?”
They stood and swayed as the lift came to a halt on her floor. As the doors eased open, they stepped out and she directed him toward her quarters.
“I am indeed considering the position, but my brain is a little muddled. I need to decide in the morning.”
They paused outside her door and she palmed the lock. The door slid back and the scent of her rooms came to her. Citrus and honey were her favourite scents. It reminded her of her room in the palace on Saroo. Her time there as bondservant to King Learith had been a learning experience, and she had enjoyed the opportunity to let her mind roam free through the books.
That was what came to her as she closed the door behind them and staggered inside. “You can have the bed.”
She shucked off her outer robe and loosened her suit at the neckline. With a groan of relief, she hit the couch and settled in on her side.
She heard him ask her a question, but she let herself fade in a healing sleep.
Chapter Six
Waking fully clothed in her own bed was a little odd because she didn’t remember how she got there.
Iara sat up, looked at the rumpled pillow on the other side of her bed and shrugged, stomping up to the dressing table. With a groan, she unravelled her hair and brushed it before removing her suit and hanging it in the cleaner.
Naked, she walked to the lav and stopped short when Lock emerged looking clean and refreshed.
He froze in place, his gaze roaming over her from foot to the long waves of her hair. “Good morning, Iara.”
She squeaked, pushed past him and closed the door to the lav.
Her heart was pounding, and she stepped into the shower. She felt marginally more alert after her one indulgence washed over her. An honest-to-goodness wet shower was her sole request of the Citadel. The water ran over her and woke her in a way that no sonic or gel could manage. Her life on the Kozue warship had not included such luxuries, and on Saroo, she had enjoyed them for their difference from what she had grown up with. Now, the shower not only roused her but it also was a reminder of a time when she had first found her soul and revelled in it.
It was a lot to ask of a shower, but it had never disappointed her.
She let her hand glide over the hidden panel, and it swung open to display her collection of body gels and shampoos. She went to work on her hair and then followed up with a brisk scrubbing of the rest of her body.
Iara turned off the taps with a sigh and wrapped her hair in one towel and her body in another. It was time to face Lock, she had no choice, he was next to her clean clothing after all.
She tucked her towel around her tightly and left the safety of the lav. She blinked in surprise to see him fluffing her pillows and draping them precisely on her bed. Iara headed for her closet and slid the door open, picking out one of her standard ivory suits.
“Why is there nothing but white in that closet?”
She gave him an arch look over her shoulder. “Because it is my closet and not yours.”
Iara stepped behind a screen and tossed her towel over the top. She slipped into the bodysuit and smoothed the closures with a practiced hand. When she was dressed, she stepped out and took the towel to the cleaner, whipping her long-stay suit out of the unit, and when she had exchanged the two items, she returned the thicker suit to her go-bag.
He sat on her couch and looked at her. “Seriously, I have never seen another Kozue wearing white.”
She heard a knock on her door and opened it, smiling at Tether and taking the tray of food from him. “Thanks for this, Tether.”
He winked with his third eye and bowed. “Enjoy your morning. Master Lovey is waiting for her answer.”
He disappeared without another word. It was uncharacteristic but then so was Iara having a man in her room. She turned with the tray and Lock came to take it from her.
“How did he know you were awake?”
“Tether is his name but it is also what he does. He latches onto people, and he can monitor them across space. Here, he watches over me.”
She followed Lock to her small table and sat across from him. She took one plate and he took the other.
“Where did you two meet?” He tucked into his breakfast with a smile.
Iara looked at him while her mind considered her options. “I don’t know if he would want me to tell you.”
Lock nodded. “Well, then, how did you come to be here?”
She sighed in relief. “That, I can tell you. I came here after serving twelve years as a bondservant on Saroo.”
He blinked in surprise. “You were captured?”
“No. My family sold me so that I could cease disrupting their attacks, so at the age of nine, they arranged for me to be the bondservant to King Learith of Saroo. The king paid and my family handed me over.”
He sat back and stared. “You are joking.”
“Of course not. A child who brings peace has no place on a Kozue battleship.” It had the ring of something said a thousand times, because she had not only heard it, she had repeated it in the long nights after she had been banished from her home.
“You don’t use your clan name.”
“I was removed from them by their own hands. They didn’t want me, so I do not wear their name. You have a good relationship with your family?”
He nodded. “I do. My talent was considered unsporting but an asset in battle. It was only when the Sector Guard became an option that I left the ship for Udell.”
She nodded, “So your name is Rion?”
“Yes. I am named after my mother’s grandfather.”
It was common enough practice. She was named after her great grandmother as well.
“How did your parents take the necessity of parting from you?”
It was a telling question. “My mother dressed in mourning and followed behind me like a spectre. My father took on the shame of accepting the money for me. Once I was handed over, I was dressed for the court and I began my duties. The white dress that I was in made sure that folk could see me. I sat on a small chair with my feet dangling and I broadcasted calm throughout the room. When the court proceedings were over, they showed me to my room.”
She smiled brightly. “They had preserved my Kozue dress as I asked, and the next morning, a dressmaker came in to take my measurements for a new wardrobe, all in white. A tutor arrived next and he began my studies. I was given a chance I never would have had on the battleship. They let me learn all I could.”
She picked up her teacup and cradled it in her palms, enjoying the warmth. “It wasn’t a bad stint as a bondservant. He treated me more like a daughter than my own father did. There was nothing untoward aside from his son taking an interest in me as I developed.”
Rion froze. “What did he do?”
“Nothing. Learith knew his child. He gave me a lady’s maid, and he was under orders to never leave me alone with the crown prince. Having a burly male as a lady’s maid took some getting used to, but he was excellent. He was my pilot upon leaving Saroo, and he went his own way so that the new king could not wreak revenge on him.”
She leaned back, her mind taken with the memory of that final flight and her landing on Zakaru.
“Your maid was a man?”
“Yup. A big strapping fellow named Vos Nar. He was the one who taught me how to braid my hair to keep it out of the way for long periods of time. He created my normal hairstyle.” Iara grinned.
“I am still coming to grips with your hairstylist being a strapping fellow. Did you have feelings for him?”
She was amazed as she realised that he was jealous. “Vos is living happily on Cadoiz with his husband. They have adopted three little girls, and he gets all the braiding practice that he can manage.”
“He…”
Rion leaned forward. “Zakaru Protocol?”
She put her cup down and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “The king knew he was dying. He had run to the end of his life and he wanted me somewhere that I would have freedom. If I had remained on Saroo, the new king would have stripped my rights and locked me into a position as his peacekeeper and his whore. I would have been dead by now.”
To hide her emotion, she removed the towel around her hair and began to work the moisture out of her waist-length locks.
“The Zakaru Protocol went as follows. I was to return to my room, get my bag and leave my purchase price next to a note declaring my bond paid in full. From there, I was to get my pilot and he would take me to Zakaru Citadel before the new king could take power. He had to fly straight as he could, but an armed courier ship still arrived before we had touched down.”
Rion was watching her with interest. “What happened next?”
“Well, Vos had called ahead, so Master Lovey was waiting for us. There was a Citadel contract and a podium. I read the contract, made changes that involved me never landing on Saroo or working with the Kozue.” She gave him a significant look.
“I see that particular condition has been bent.”
“Just for you. I still get an extra stipend for every assignment we go on together, and if I come to injury, you are penalized.”
She rose and crossed to her dressing table, getting her brush. She returned to the small dining table and began to work on her hair.
“Anyway, I signed, she signed and then she grabbed me because the Saroo ship was incoming. I calmed the crew during their run, and when they disembarked, the Citadel guards took care of them. Master Lovey let me out of her embrace the moment that the men were bound and she welcomed me to the Citadel. I became a specialist in a few weeks and was on my initial assignment off world within two months.”
“Impressive.”
“I also put in fashion control. By that point, I had grown used to the white uniform of the court gowns, so I arranged something similar out of the bodysuit and outer robes.”
Understanding dawned. “So, you dress that way to make yourself comfortable.”
“Yes. I used to only use my talent while dressed for court. So, I thought I might as well start off in a costume I knew I could work in.”
“Sensible.” He smiled. “My entry into the Sector Guard is far more mundane. My clan leader sent them a message and they came to get me.”
“Sounds like it was full of high drama.”
“Oh, very much so. I got a going-away party and everything.”
Iara smiled, “It sounds nice. I envy you your family.”
“Envy? From the princess of calm? Should I be flattered?”
She made a face. “I prize honesty and try to use it when I can. Knowing that you grew up a talent Kozue and they didn’t get rid of you like my clan did was a hard pill to swallow when I first learned of it.”
He blinked. “I hadn’t thought of it that way. Have you spoken to your family since they sold you?”
She gave him a look through the veil of hair she had just brushed over her eyes. “I don’t have a family, remember? There is a reason I cut my clan name away. No Kozue sells a child they want to claim.”
He didn’t have an answer to that, so he changed the subject.
“Did you sleep on the great question?”
She flipped her hair back over her shoulders. “I did. I am going to do it. Master Iara has a nice ring to it.”
Rion smiled at her and leaned forward, his arms on the table. “It certainly does.”
Chapter Seven
Citadel Lowel was beautiful and new. It was designed for teaching and lectures, and Iara could not imagine her talent being needed.
Starborn and Comet were delighted to hand the reins over to her. The leadership of Citadel Lowel had been a call to duty that everyone had tried to answer but a true leader of the facility was needed.
Iara was a perfect fit. She had skills at dealing with people and her talent allowed her to calm folk down.
Lock’s transfer from Udell to Lowel was a bit of a surprise, but Iara should have known better. He never could resist a chance to talk to her and being only a short hop away was too much for him.
Wiali grinned at her over dinner. “Guessing by your expression, it is a good thing that he requested transfer here before you took over. You would have bounced him over to Teklan.”
It was her second day and second dinner with Wiali and Braenar.
Iara scowled, “He seems to love to chase me around. No matter where I go, which assignment I have been on, he turns up.”
Braenar chuckled. “Your kind have strange mating practices.”
She spluttered. “Mating? You have to be mistaken.”
Wiali narrowed her eyes behind her genetically bestowed mask. “He is engaging in a clumsy courtship. What would a Kozue warrior do to win his female?”
Iara thought back and scowled, “He would pursue her, he would gain her family’s approval and then he would pick fights with…oh my stars he is courting me.”
The sudden awareness brought the entire room a round of laughter.
Tether howled as Iara came to the knowledge that he had probably had all along.
He was thriving here, making schedules and getting in touch with speakers and audiences that would be interested in the new facilities at Lowel. Other Citadels were lining up to use the central location for symposiums, and Tether was making new friends.
Tether finished his laughing and he looked at her, “Lock said the strangest thing to me the other day. He asked if I would give you permission to share my story.”
“What did you tell him?” Iara sat back as the bots began to clear the dishes.
“I told him that it was your story as well so of course you could tell it. Nittha wants you to consider coming in for a Land Festival party this year.” He switched the topic with all the subtlety she expected from him.
“I will try, but it will depend on whether I can get leave from the Citadel, which—as I am in charge—will be awkward.” She wrinkled her nose at him.
“Well, I would offer to take over for the vacation, but as you would need to be with me for the visit, that wouldn’t work. Maybe Lock would do it?”
Iara grinned. “Now, there is an idea. If he wants to wedge himself into Lowel, he’s going to work.”
Wiali grinned. “That’s the spirit. We are depending on you to populate this facility.”
Iara blinked. “On my own? I don’t reproduce like that.”
This time, she was able to join in the general round of laughter as the gathering rippled with amusement.
Iara looked at the friendly faces from half a dozen races and she smiled. She was going to like it here.
The gardens were underway and that is where Lock found her. She was sitting on a bench, waiting for his arrival.
He took the seat next to her. “So, princess, how am I to address you?”
“Master Iara. Starborn has taken to calling me Harmony, but Master Iara is fine.”
“Master Iara then. It is good to see you again.” He took her hand in his.
She didn’t pull away.
“Why me, Rion? Why not someone from your own clan or another one for that matter? Why are you pursuing me?”
He stroked her fingers with his. “Because you didn’t notice. I courted you with every sly compliment and offer I could think of and you didn’t notice one of them. So, I turned to insulting and getting on your nerves. When I attacked there, I got a reaction so that is what I made my home.”
“That is really twisted.”
He shrugged. “I found a sore spot and I attacked it. It is the Kozue way.�
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She made a face. “It might be but it is still annoying.”
“I will take any emotion I can shake out of your ever-present calm, even annoyance.”
“I am not always calm; I just don’t let you see it. Don’t let anyone see it, actually.”
“Tether sees it.”
She moved closer to him so that their arms brushed against each other. “Tether sees a lot of things. You said you wanted me to tell you his story. Did you still want to hear it?”
“Of course.” He shifted closer to her, and now, their thighs were in contact.
She turned her head and opened her mouth to speak, but his mouth was so close that her thoughts left her mind. The light kiss he brushed across her lips sent shivers through her.
He had her full attention, and she leaned in to continue the contact.
His hand caressed her cheek, and she opened her eyes, unaware that she had closed them.
“Tether’s story?”
She blushed and settled back. “Right. Well, I was assigned to work on Huran and I met his sister, Nittha. She was working as a clerk in the capital and she showed me the best places to eat while I wasn’t keeping the negotiations calm. We became friends and when she introduced me to her brother, Tether, I knew what she was asking me for.”
He frowned. “I am not familiar with the Hurans.”
“You wouldn’t be the first. They don’t get out much. The Hurans are taking their first steps into the Alliance. This was a first-contact meeting and my forays into the local restaurants were greeted with much interest. I was the first two-eyed creature that they had ever seen.”
“What was Nittha asking you for?”
“She wanted me to take Tether when I left. He has a few inclinations that are not in line with the doctrine of his home. Tether is a dreamer and he knows too much for his own good. His links to the living go against everything that his people believe. They do not encourage the thought of being able to contact another living soul without direct contact.”
“What would have happened to him?”
She made a small face. “The penalty for his talent was death. I smuggled him off world in my luggage. He is dramatically flexible.”
