He did not want to leave her but perhaps it was for the best. He knew she was tired. Despite the passion of their lovemaking, he had woken during the night to the sound of her sobs. All he could do was hold her as she cried, his heart aching with her pain as well as his own.
“Maldost, you will remain. Stay alert.”
“Yes, boss,” Maldost replied, looking at Devoji who was concentrating a little too intently on scrubbing a pot.
“I want you to patrol outside the house,” he said firmly, ignoring Maldost’s muffled protest. “The other men will be arriving for work soon, but I want you to keep an eye out for any Dhalecs.”
Maldost sobered, his ears going back. “I will. I won’t let anything happen.”
“I know you won’t.” Charlie was tugging at his knee, so he swung him up on his shoulder to a squeal of delight. “We won’t be gone long.”
He bent down to kiss Mariah, his heart already protesting their separation. “Do not worry, my miri.”
“I’ll be fine,” she said bravely, although he suspected untruthfully. “Hurry back.”
On board the Wanderer, Charlie was as enthralled by the slonga as they were by him. Lilat’s brothers joined him in racing around the cargo hold while Tajka watched them with motherly patience. Lilat was more concerned about Cestov, exploring his face and neck with her trunk and mewling anxiously.
He asked the rest of the crew to join him on the catwalk overlooking the hold so that he could talk to them and keep his eye on his son at the same time.
“What is the situation, Captain?” Plovac asked quietly.
“It appears that we will be here for some time.” He could not quite bring himself to say forever. “I need to investigate what happened to my brother.”
“Debt of honor.” Servisa nodded approvingly.
“Yes, exactly.” He looked at the other two. Whovian was watching Charlie and the slonga play with an expression of such pain on his face that it made Cestov hurt for him, but now was not the time to ask. “I do not know how long it will take.”
He filled them in on the information he had so far.
“I can stay in town,” Servisa said. “Keep my eyes and ears open.”
“That would be helpful. Thank you.”
“If you need help at this ranch, I think I would like to spend some time planetside,” Plovac said.
“I would welcome the assistance.” He turned to the medic. “What of you?”
Whovian jumped and finally dragged his eyes away from Charlie. “I believe that I should remain on the Wanderer. You would not want to leave it unguarded.”
“Perhaps not. Very well.”
Plovac helped Cestov load the slonga into the wagon. Charlie was almost speechless with excitement at the thought that they would be coming out to the ranch and Cestov had to stop him from diving into the back of the wagon so that he could ride with them.
“You can see them again when we get home,” he promised. Home. The word still felt odd in his mouth.
Back at the ranch, Maldost assured him that all had been quiet and helped set up an area in the big barn for Tajka and her calves. A high arched roof and a soft breeze blowing through the open doors at either end kept the space cool and comfortable against the increasing warmth of the day. Tajka settled into her new home with a contented sigh, but Lilat wrapped her trunk around his leg and refused to enter.
“Very well, little one,” he laughed. “I’m sure Mariah would like to see you anyway.”
He lifted Charlie out of the pen over his protests, and they all headed back into the house.
“Did you see Devorat on your way in?” Maldost asked. “The way he handles a xuth is incredible. It only takes a few of them to manage a whole herd of robedas.”
He could hear the longing in the Afbera’s voice. “Would you like to give it a try?”
“Can I?”
“I don’t see why not. Plovac, do you mind staying here at the house to keep an eye on things this afternoon?”
“Of course not. But are you leaving?” Plovac asked.
“I need to go into town,” he said.
“I wanna go,” Charlie demanded.
“Not this afternoon, little one.” The boy’s lip quivered, and he almost gave in before he remembered that it might not be safe. “Besides, don’t you want to stay and play with the slonga?”
“I guess.”
“I’ll be back before you know it,” he promised.
After a quick lunch, he drove into town. He hated to leave Mariah again, especially when he could see the worry in her eyes, but his honor and his love for his brother demanded that he investigate further.
At first glance, Selo didn’t seem any different than on the previous day, but now that he was aware that there might be trouble, he caught the signs he had not noticed before. More than one person stopped in their tracks at the sight of him, then hastily moved away, averting their eyes. He saw four more of the Dhalecs although again, they weren’t doing anything wrong, despite their threatening appearance.
The marshal’s office had a sign stating that he would return in an hour, so he wandered down the main street. The place seemed prosperous enough in a small-town way. Several small restaurants, a couple of drinking places, and a small clinic were intermixed with several stores, and a few official-looking buildings. The largest store was located in the center of town and he decided to take a look around.
As he entered, the varied scents washed over him and he had a sudden vivid memory of when he was small and he and Bratan had visited their father’s store on Ciresia. It had been much larger and grander of course, but something about this place felt familiar. A large central space held a wide variety of items, while small areas lining the sides were dedicated to specific products.
“How can I help you, sir?”
A stout little Granican with thinning pale blue hair came hurrying out of the back. He stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of Cestov.
“Bratan?” he whispered, his face paling.
“No. He is—was—my brother. Did you know him?”
“Umm, no. No,” he added more firmly. “Just seen him around, that’s all.”
Cestov wasn’t sure he believed him, but he nodded amiably. “Nice place you have here.”
The little man beamed. “I’m sure you don’t think it’s much but it’s one of the finest in this part of Granica.”
“Why would I think that?”
“Oh, because of all the places you’ve been…” He ground to a stop.
“How do you know where I’ve been?”
The shopkeeper cast a wild look around, as if waiting for someone else to appear and answer the question, then finally stepped closer.
“Please, Cestov—”
“I never told you my name.”
“No. Bratan told me,” the male admitted. “But he tried to help us and look what happened.” He lowered his voice with another look around. “You should leave here. Leave now before it’s too late and—”
“Radna. What are you up to today?” A Dhalec strode through the door, showing an impressive array of teeth between his tusks in what apparently passed for a smile. “Has my order come in?”
Radna jumped and left Cestov’s side to hurry over to his new customer, wringing his hands. “No. I’m sorry, Basno. I put a rush on it, but you know how the shipping is from Luka to here. I’m very sorry but there’s only so much I can do—”
Basno waved a hand, his beady eyes fixing on Cestov. “And who is this? A new resident in our town?”
“I’m sure he’s just passing through,” Radna said quickly.
“No. Actually, I’m thinking of staying. My brother has a ranch here.”
Did the Dhalec react? He wasn’t quite sure, but his instincts were shouting at him.
“Granica can be a tough place to build a ranch,” Basno drawled, then bared his teeth in that pointed grin. “Not everyone is cut out for it.”
“I do not give up easily.” He ba
red his own teeth before turning back to the merchant. “Nice to meet you, Radna. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you again.”
The little shopkeeper lost himself in a confused mumble as his gaze darted between him and the Dhalec. Cestov nodded and left, turning the visit over in his mind. Was Radna so uneasy simply because of the Dhalec? Had he been trying to warn him or to warn him away?
His visit to the marshal’s office left him with even more questions. Marshal Zakon was a large Granican with a thick head of navy hair and an oversized stomach that he rubbed complacently as he leaned back in his chair.
“Boy was speeding.”
“My brother was skilled in driving all types of vehicles. And he would never have taken risks with his mate’s safety.”
For the briefest instant, the male’s composure cracked. “Shame about that. She was a nice little thing. And leaving those kids behind.” He shook his head. “Good thing you came to get ‘em and take ‘em away from here.”
“Actually, I’m thinking of staying.”
“Staying?” Zakon sat upright. “Not sure that’s a good idea.”
“Why not?” He arched a brow ridge.
“Well, those kids. Should get them away from all the bad memories.”
“Perhaps. In the meantime, I would like to see the accident report.”
“Umm, it’s already been archived.”
“Then retrieve it.” He leaned down over the marshal and saw sweat appear on his brow.
“Might take some time.”
“As I said, I’m not going anywhere. And I will be back.” With a frustrated growl, he turned and left.
His third visit was to the town bank. Unlike the first two interviews, the bank manager, Macduk, seemed completely unfazed by the sight of him. When Cestov explained who he was, he nodded sympathetically.
“Very sad circumstances. Very sad, indeed. I suppose you’re interested in selling the ranch?”
“Not at all,” he said firmly, anticipating resistance, but Macduk only nodded.
“Your decision, of course. Now I assume you want to take ownership of the ranch accounts?”
The rest of their business was conducted quickly and amicably, Macduk clasping his hand warmly when they were finished.
“If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call on me.”
“I won’t. Thank you.”
As he headed for his wagon, he spotted Servisa sitting outside one of the restaurants but didn’t acknowledge him. They had agreed that it might be better if no one suspected their connection. Frustration gnawed at him as he climbed into his vehicle, but the knowledge that Mariah and the children were waiting for him made him increase his speed. Time to go home.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Mariah heaved a frustrated sigh as she took her attempt at a pie out of the oven. The edges were burnt, and the middle sagged in a suspicious way. Devoji’s pie was a vision of golden perfection.
“Don’t worry, Mariah,” Devoji said. “Mistress Judith had to learn as well.”
“Did she ever make one that looked this bad?”
“Well, no.”
They both laughed and Devoji took the misshapen pie and put it on a shelf next to the sink. “I will have my brother add it to the food for the robedas.”
“I hope they have strong stomachs,” she said doubtfully.
“They will eat anything,” Devoji assured her, then flushed. “I mean…”
“It’s all right. I know what you mean. You know, if you told Maldost that you baked it, I’m sure he wouldn’t hesitate to eat it.”
The girl’s flush deepened. “He is a kind male.”
“Yes, he is.” Abandoning her teasing, she paced restlessly to the kitchen door. “I wonder how much longer it’ll be until Cestov returns. He’s been gone so long.”
“Probably not until late afternoon,” Devoji said calmly, but Mariah could see a reflection of her own worry in the girl’s eyes.
“I need something to do—and cooking is apparently not my strength.”
Claire chose that moment to start fussing and Devoji laughed again. “I think someone wants your attention.”
“Hi, sweetheart. Did you just wake up?”
She picked up the baby and sang to her softly while Devoji prepared her bottle.
“Mistress Judith used to do that,” the girl said as she handed it to her.
“What’s that?”
“Sing to her. To both of them. She told Charlie she used to sing to you when you were little.”
Unexpected tears filled her eyes. How many years had it been since she’d thought about that? But she remembered Judith singing to her, remembered how that had started her own love of music. Would her sister still have done it if she’d known it would set her on such a different path than she had envisioned for her life? Yes, she decided, as she looked down at Claire, studying her intently while she sucked. Judith would still have wanted her to be happy.
When Claire finished, Mariah lifted her to her shoulder as she wandered around the room. “Do you have a carrier for her? I thought maybe I would go sweep the courtyard.”
“I can do that. I’m sorry I haven’t been taking—”
“Devoji, stop. I’m not criticizing you. You’ve done a wonderful job of looking after the children and taking care of the ranch. I can never thank you enough.” She flashed the girl a watery smile. “I just thought the tiles might be safer from my efforts than the food.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, of course. You can even send Charlie out once he wakes up from his nap.”
The last time she had checked, he was sprawled on his bed, one arm stretched over Lilat, who had curled up next to him. The slonga had never had an accident on the ship and she only hoped that meant she was house-trained as well.
A short time later, she had Claire tied securely to her front while she started on the courtyard. The sky overhead was a brilliant blue that shaded into lavender but the way the house was oriented cast enough shade to make the afternoon only pleasantly warm. Today, all of the shutters were open, and the oppressive silence had vanished. It was still a lot more rustic than she was used to, but she was beginning to believe that Judith had been happy here. Maybe she could be as well.
She had made considerable progress before a noise made her look up. Plovac had set up a watchpoint on the flat roof of the house and he called down to her now.
“It’s the captain, Mistress Mariah.”
Thank god. Her heart thudded with relief and she smiled down at Claire. “That’s your daddy. He’s coming home.”
Cestov didn’t go straight to the barn but brought the wagon to a halt right outside the gate. Her pulse increased at the sight of her big warrior striding towards her.
“My miri, I’ve missed you,” he said as he pulled her into his arms and his tail wrapped around her waist. His scent filled her nostrils and she felt the tension leave her body. He was home.
“I missed you too.”
He kissed her until she melted against him and Claire let out a squeak.
“Sorry, little one,” he said apologetically. “May I hold her?”
“Of course.”
She unwrapped the baby and handed her over, showing him how to support her, but his tail had already curved behind her head. Claire’s own miniature version wrapped around his wrist.
“It is so strange to see your eyes in her face,” he murmured.
“My sister’s eyes. Do you see your brother in her?”
“Perhaps. Her features are so small and delicate it’s hard to be sure.” He looked up and smiled at her. “I see you have been getting busy. And dirty.”
She laughed as he flicked a speck of dirt off her nose. “Apparently, I’m no use in the kitchen, but I wield a mean broom. What do you think?”
“It looks much better,” he agreed as he looked around, then frowned at the sundial with the pedestal on its side. “Take Claire for a moment, please.”
Once he handed over the baby,
he stood the pedestal upright and brushed off the dial. “It will have to be calibrated to this place,” he said, his voice odd.
“Cestov, is something wrong?”
“The sundial. They are based on the movement of the sun on a particular planet. Bratan carried one around on the ship for years, but of course, there isn’t a single sun in space. Do you remember what Devoji said? That the children would wake up knowing that they would see the same sky every day? He must have been so happy to be able to place this here. For his family.”
“Our family,” she said softly as she came to stand next to him with Claire in her arms.
His tail wrapped around them both. “Our family.”
After dinner that night, everyone gathered in the big living room. To her delight, Cestov had brought the dobron from the ship. She was a long way from being an expert, but she’d already learned enough to accompany herself on a few songs. Devoji sat to one side of the fireplace and blushed when Maldost asked to sit next to her, but Mariah noticed that she didn’t refuse. Despite the heat of the day, the nights cooled off enough to make the fire enjoyable, although she still wasn’t sure how she felt about the fact that they were burning dung. At least it only had a faint leafy tang when it burned.
Fresh from his bath, Charlie curled up on Cestov’s lap. Cestov cradled Claire carefully in his other arm while the three of them listened to her sing, but the little boy only lasted through a few songs. Devoji accompanied her as she carried him to bed and drew her aside once they left his room.
“While you were outside this afternoon, I made some changes. I hope you will approve.”
“Changes?”
“Yes, come and see.”
The girl led her to the main bedroom and Mariah looked around in amazement. The room no longer bore the stamp of Judith’s personality. Her pillows and curtains were gone, replaced by simple white linens. The furniture had been rearranged so that the bed overlooked the small rear courtyard and a bowl of flowers filled the room with a sweet scent.
“You shouldn’t be sleeping on the floor. I know it was hard for you to be in here, so I wanted to give you a fresh start. I hope I did the right thing.”
A Son for the Alien Warrior (Treasured by the Alien Book 2) Page 14
