"He's only got one thought on his mind just now," said Vanna, cradling her arms round her son.
"I know. I can feel it."
"You've never been this close to a newborn cub before, have you?"
He shook his head. "Never. I was staying at the Guild by the time both Taizia and Kitra were born. Are they all like this?"
"Hungry?" she laughed.
"No. This small and so determined!"
"Yes, but it doesn't last. You blink and they're grown up. I know that from watching Sashti's cubs."
"How's Garras coping?"
She reached out to ruffle the hair between Kusac's ears. "He's as fascinated by him as you obviously are!"
"Has he any cubs?"
"None. He never met anyone he wanted to share his cubs with."
Kusac sighed gently. "It's a damned shame you and he can't ..."
"That's not necessarily true," she interrupted. "Since the ni'uzu epidemic there are quite a few people with the potential to be compatible with us, and Garras is one of them. We think that with a little help from the labs, it may well be possible for me to have his cub."
He lifted his head to look properly at her. "Really? That would be wonderful if you can."
"The only difference between him and us is that the changes haven't affected his reproductive system. He can't pass them on."
"We've several like that on the estate, haven't we?"
"One or two. Dzaka, his father Kaid, of course, and a couple of the one-time Brothers. If they were telepaths, they'd be prime Leska material. All it would need would be a trigger from a gestalt." She stopped and looked at Kusac. "Kaid."
He was watching Marak again. "Yes. He never did see you about taking that backlash from Mara and Zhyaf's gestalt, did he?"
"No, he didn't," she said slowly. "Dzaka and he fought that night. He was gone by morning."
"So he was. The cub Carrie and I lost, Vanna, did she look like this?"
"Yes. Yes, she did. Kusac," she said, her tone urgent. "I have a blood sample from that night which I never got around to checking."
"Leave it, Vanna. I already know the answer. You know, Marak may be small, but he's perfectly formed, isn't he?"
He'd reached out and was touching one small foot. The pads on the sole were bright pink and as he stroked his finger gently across them, the tiny curved claws were extended briefly then retracted. "He hardly seems to have been affected by the surgery."
"He was lethargic for a day or two, but now he's back to normal. Kusac ..."
He looked up at her again. "There's nothing to talk about, Vanna." His voice, though quiet, was firm.
Vanna looked away. If he didn't want to discuss it, there was no way she could make him. Perhaps it was better left like this. She reached out to untangle Marak's hands from her fur.
"Will you hold him while I turn over?" she asked.
"Of course."
It was easier said than done as Marak, in common with all Sholan infants, was born with a tiny but full set of teeth.
She settled down again, this time at the other side of her bed. As Marak began to feed once more, she winced. "Thank Vartra it's only for a few weeks," she said with heartfelt relief. "I don't know how the Humans do it for months!"
"Their young don't have teeth to start with," said Kusac, standing up. "Shall I get you your drink now?"
"That would be wonderful! I'll be finished in a few minutes."
"Don't hurry him, Vanna," he said, going over to the dispenser. "I'm in no rush. I'm not about to leave yet."
"You're staying till morning?"
"If you have no objections," he said, bringing the drinks over to the bedside and handing one to Vanna.
"None at all."
* * *
He couldn't settle and eventually he admitted to himself that he needed to see Carrie. Carefully he untangled himself from Vanna's limbs and slipped out of bed.
"Send to Noni before you go, Kusac," came the sleepy voice from the depths of the covers.
"I will," he said, slipping his arms through the sleeves of his robe. When he did, to his surprise, Noni answered.
I knew you'd call. Come if you must. She's in the back bedroom with me. There's too many changes these day, she grumbled. You young ones aren't satisfied with the traditional ways any more!
He leaned over Vanna, gently nuzzling her cheek.
She reached up and took hold of his robe to stop him from leaving. "Kusac, it's no different from what we share ..."
"Vanna, I know," he said, trying to release her grip on his clothes. "I'm a fully grown adult male now. I'm life-bonded to a mate I love, and I've fathered two cubs with her. Believe me, I'm well past the adolescent stage!"
"I'm glad that my link to Brynne doesn't involve a love like you and Carrie share," she said. "I couldn't cope with it."
"I think too many people have taken too much notice of how a Human would react, and forgotten I'm Sholan," he said, a hint of displeasure creeping into his voice. "All this concern that I don't become jealous is likely to make me so! Let's leave it, Vanna. I don't have a problem."
"I'm sorry, Kusac. Just give her my love, and travel safely," she said, releasing him.
* * *
A false dawn lit the sky as Kusac nodded to the guards on duty outside Noni's cottage. As he touched the door knob, he stopped long enough to reach for Carrie. It was just as Noni had said. She was in the rear bedroom, and alone.
Closing the door behind him, he looked over to where Kaid lay. The older male was dreaming, and it wasn't a pleasant dream he realized, watching as his movements became more and more restless.
Suddenly Kaid's whole body spasmed and with an involuntary cry of pain, he was awake. Kusac could smell his fear and sense the agony radiating from his injured hand. In moments, he was at his side and before he'd realized what he was doing, he'd placed his hand on his arm and was reaching mentally for him the way he would for a fellow telepath. Too late to stop, he had to continue. Locating the nerves that were transmitting the pain, he carefully deadened their sensitivity until he knew Kaid was no longer in distress.
As he finished, Kaid begin to retreat from him behind sophisticated mental barriers.
"In Vartra's name, Kaid! You've been a telepath all along!" Kusac exclaimed. "How? How did you manage to conceal it— and still be a Brother?"
Kaid's gaze, though feverish, was steady. "I didn't realize I was at first. By the time I did, I'd learned to block it."
As the moment stretched, Kusac realized neither he nor Kaid had broken the physical contact. As he pulled away, Kaid reached for him with his good hand, catching and holding him.
"The Triad's complete, Kusac," he said quietly.
"I know. I felt an echo of it while I was with Vanna. Why did you take so long to approach her? You showed almost as much restraint as me," he said, in an attempt to lighten the moment.
"Fear of revealing my talent, and fear of the emotions she'd wakened in me." Kaid's gaze didn't waver.
Kusac nodded. "I was sure you cared for her. She was afraid you might be indifferent."
His grin was slightly twisted. "Never that. Vartra knows I was far from indifferent to her, no matter how hard I tried."
"You were Carrie's choice," Kusac said. "I don't think you realized those last few weeks before you left quite how often she was aware of your surface thoughts. I saw it happen a couple of times myself, that's what made me suspect you might have some telepathic abilities. She chose you because of what she felt in your mind, and because she trusted you. So did I, Kaid."
"You've nothing to fear from me, Kusac. I won't come between you."
"I know. Vanna's done a lot to help my mental balance and I'm hoping you can do the same for Carrie. You've had a steadying influence on her for some time now."
He stopped, watching Kaid's face, the set of his ears, his scent. "What do you feel for her, Kaid? I need to know, because our Triad has deeper implications than what you shared with her today."
"No," interrupted Kusac. "Make no promises, even to yourself, Kaid. Carrie's free to take a lover if she wishes. If it's you, all to the good. I'd rather she turned to you than anyone else. The old laws are there for a purpose: I've registered the Triad at the temple."
"What!" Kusac felt Kaid pull his mind back under control. "That's hardly necessary," he said, releasing his hold on Kusac and beginning to shift restlessly again.
"Not yet," agreed Kusac, sitting back slightly to watch Kaid's reaction.
He froze, eyes once more focussed on Kusac. "You know?"
"We knew it was possible. I told you, Kaid. Her choice— and mine."
Kaid sighed, looking away again. "We've all come a long way since the spring. Then I was Guildless, making a living doing what little work came my way in Ranz. Now here I am, at the heart of a new era on Shola."
"A long way, as you say," said Kusac. "I'd like to think we became friends on the journey."
Again the strange grin. "If we haven't, it's not through lack of you trying. Gods, Kusac, you've no idea of the chaos you and your Leska have caused in my life! Both of you awakening feelings I'd long ago learned to live without."
"I've some idea," said Kusac, grinning back at him. "You still haven't told me if you love her."
Kaid looked helplessly up at him. "I can't put a name to what I feel, Kusac. I've nothing to compare it with. Your Link to Carrie means you know everything she does. You're more likely to know than me."
"I don't know anything about the time you shared. When Noni has the place damped, nothing gets out, or in. Even now, all I know is Carrie's asleep. Besides, even when she wakes, what you shared will be yours, not for me to know."
"Dammit, Kusac! Yes I care! I care in a way that'll never change, but I can't give that caring a name! Look for yourself, you'll see I'm telling the truth!"
"I don't need to, your word is enough, Kaid, it always has been." He reached out and touched his hand, turning it over to feel the palm. "You're feverish. We shouldn't have talked of this till tomorrow. Shall I get Noni?"
"No. Just some water, please."
Kusac helped Kaid to sit up, then lifted the mug off the nightstand for him.
"Are you sure you don't want Noni?" he asked.
"No. Let me sleep," said Kaid, lying back down. "I'll be fine."
"Very well." He got up and went over to the faucet to refill the mug. Replacing it on the nightstand, he reached out to touch Kaid's hand again, gripping it gently. "Good night, Kaid," he said.
* * *
Kusac padded quietly into the bedroom. Dzaka was sleeping on a mat in front of the window, and Carrie was curled up in the spare bed.
Quietly, so as not to wake the other two occupants, he removed his robe, then eased up the covers and slipped in behind Carrie. In her sleep, she turned to him, reaching out to hold him as he tucked her against his chest. All was now well in his world.
Nicely done. The tone was unmistakably Noni's. You'll make a good Clan Leader yet, when the time comes!
CHAPTER 18
It was some time before Kaid finally managed to drift off to sleep again. When he did, his dreams were once more troubled.
It wasn't Stronghold, that much he knew, but it was similar. Like the lower corridors, this place had been carved from the living rock. Everywhere, people were rushing around, shouting to each other, gathering equipment, papers, disks— just about everything that could be moved. There was a sense of urgency, panic barely controlled as, one bundle at a time, the packages were handed to a living chain and passed out of sight.
Obviously this was an exodus. The inhabitants were leaving, and obviously the need to leave was urgent. He alone seemed to be uninvolved, noticed by none of them. A passive observer to the scene, he watched for any familiar faces but found none.
He tried looking round, and to his surprise, found he could do so. Experimentally, he took a few steps, and again found he was able to move. He was actually able to interact with the scene! He made for the corridor down which all the equipment was being passed. It was just wide enough to accommodate him as well.
It led to another chamber, higher than the last, and full of vehicles. The three largest, nearest the entrance, were being loaded first, and as soon as one was ready, it left. Overseeing the operation was someone he recognized— the male who'd been training Rezac.
Having just sent a vehicle out, he was standing talking to a younger male while he checked items off on the board he was carrying. The younger one suddenly turned and looked straight across the cavern at him. Grasping the other by the arm, he pointed in Kaid's direction.
"There, Goran! By the tunnel!"
Confused, Kaid backed into the shadows. The people in the tunnel didn't seem to be aware of him, so how had the one talking to Goran seen him? He risked a glance into the main chamber again. Goran and the other were arguing.
"You're getting jumpy, Tiernay," he was saying. "You've been jumpy since they arrived. Let's just focus on the work in hand, shall we?"
"I tell you I saw something move!"
Goran looked up again, and taking Tiernay by the arm, led him toward the tunnel entrance where Kaid was concealed.
"You aren't going to be satisfied till we look," he said, stopping in front of the chain of people.
"Anyone passed by here in the last couple of minutes?" he asked, raising his voice.
Heads were shaken all round. "No one," said one.
Goran turned back to him. "Satisfied? Now unless you feel feverish, I suggest you get on with the loading. Ready or not we leave in two hours."
Tiernay nodded reluctantly and headed back to the center of the chamber.
Goran took a few steps into the tunnel, looking round carefully. His eyes slid over and past where Kaid crouched behind an outcrop of rock.
"There's been too many shadows like this lately," Goran muttered to himself. "I'll be glad to reach Stronghold, glad when they leave." With that, he turned and headed back the way he'd come.
As Kaid breathed out in relief, everything began to fade until he was once more spinning in the blackness of limbo. Colored lines shot through the darkness, lighting it up briefly, then were gone. One touched him, sending a jolt through him like a static discharge. Stuck to it now, he was propelled onward at a faster and faster pace till with a sickening familiarity, he felt himself dropped to the floor.
He landed badly, grazing his knees on the gravelly floor of the cavern. It was empty now, save for the tall figure he'd come to associate with Vartra. He stood framed in the entrance to the smaller chamber where the equipment they'd been rushing to remove had been kept.
His vision was blurring. Raising his hand, he rubbed his eyes. He heard footsteps off to his right, and looked round to see Goran and two of his companions heading over to Varta.
"We have to leave now," said Goran. "There's no more time left, Vartra."
"We're coming," the tall one said, glancing over his shoulder. "Are our travelers safe?"
For an instant, his gaze seemed to meet Kaid's, then the scene blurred momentarily.
"Yeah, all loaded up like you said. Have you put the collar in yet?"
"We're doing it now."
Kaid took his hands away from his eyes again, trying to focus on the figures at the opening, but his vision remained blurred. He blinked rapidly, and in a single moment of lucid sight, saw a steel door slide across the opening before he was pitched into blackness once more.
He woke with a yell that brought everyone tumbling into the kitchen.
"What is it?" demanded Kusac, gun clutched in one hand as he looked round the room.
Kaid pushed himself up on one arm, still blinking, trying to clear his vision. "They left it for us to find," he said.
"Who left what?" Carrie stood framed in the bedroom doorway.
"There was a steel door— and Vartra. In a cavern," he said
, pushing himself upright. "It's there! Waiting all this time!"
"Check outside," Kusac ordered Dzaka as he cycled his gun down to standby. Dzaka nodded and crossed the room at a run, pulling the front door open.
Going over to Kaid, he sat down on the edge of his bed, reaching out to feel his hand. "Your fever's broken," he said. "How do you feel?"
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