Chapter Six #3
“Yeah. I didn’t like it, but Ekbert was at stake, so I left a little note in one of the maid’s hands and hoped for the best. Fortunately, she took action, and things were settled before we got home.
I just told my handlers that a minder had found me out.
It was a few weeks, and they let me out of confinement and back to the creche school for the last few months before I graduated. ”
Sorooth asked, “What did you do then?”
“Still in espionage for a few years, then the walls of Uradda fell, and I met Keska and Caska. They found me and some others who were tools of Uradda, and they got us loose. I then helped them sniff out other vents that led to confinement. They saved fifty people that day. No fanfare, nothing on video, just working around the outside of the walls to find those trapped underground.”
Keska smiled. “And you led us to forty-eight of them, including the hidden creche.”
“Smelling diapers does not take a genius. Ekbert was really good at getting through those bars.”
Keska looked at Sorooth and said, “Ekbert found us and said that if we wanted to get out of the hidden labs, we needed his sister.”
Hemma blushed. “Well, we found the labs.”
“When they had been processed at the refugee centre and her brother had postponed his arrival in Hyreno, I was waiting to hire them.”
Hemma smiled. “So, I do my best.”
Keska said, “Did Salat ask you about the float?”
“I don’t think it’s appropriate.”
“Can I order you to do it?”
“Why is it important?”
“Because the average Uraddan is being written off as minimally active and a burden to the Aksallan system. We can’t all be Jeneev.”
Hemma cocked her head. “Can you make me a mask? I don’t want to run into trouble in the neighbourhood or when going for groceries.”
Keska smiled. “I can make you a mask. Will you go all out?”
“I will. I will ask Bixadra to come with me, and she can be the light show.”
“Nice. I will give you both a bonus.”
Hemma snorted. “You don’t need to, but I do need a bodyguard for Bixadra and me so we can get home safely. Ekbert is not appropriate for it.”
Keska nodded. “Right. I might be out of town, so I will ask around.”
Sorooth raised two fingers. “I believe that I can find two to four men who are suitable for bodyguard duty. This is the Uraddan celebration?”
Hemma smiled. “Yes, Keska wants me singing in front of fifteen hundred Uraddans and the Aksallans who show up to watch. Pervs.”
“Well, I did make a really nice set of evocative images for the dreams of freedom float.”
“How nice for you.” Hemma twisted her lips wryly. She opened her com and tapped a message out. “If Bexadra says yes, we are going to need about fifteen hours of practice.”
Keska looked around. “Here?”
“No. We need somewhere where there aren’t others.”
“The big house. I will ask Nigel if he minds the noise and the ladies if they will let you rock out for a few days.”
Hemma nodded. “Good. I don’t want to upset Nigel.”
Kessie said, “He let me ride him around the yard.”
“You are his favourite size and smart enough to carry on a conversation.”
Kessie blinked. “He did talk a lot.”
Keska laughed. “He was in a lab with Avagail. That would get me talking. Her silence is terrifying.”
Kessie giggled.
Keska smiled. “Well, we have had tea and cookies. Do you want a tour of the house?”
Hemma smiled, collected the dishes, and put the tea on a tray. Kessie stared as she put one of the trays on her head and picked up the tray, walking back inside.
Keska got up and walked inside. “Hemma, can you do the tour?”
“Sure. Just let me set the dishes down and get them in the washer.”
Hemma tidied up and wiped the counter, putting the trays away.
She rinsed and dried her hands and walked outside with Keska at her side.
“All right, we are here to see what the yard has to offer. Walk with me, and we will see.”
Kessie ran up and took her hand. “Do we have a pool?”
“You have a pool.” Hemma walked her down the steps that elevated the deck and around a bank of hedges. “You have a very big pool.”
Keska took Sorooth’s hand, and they followed the other two.
Sorooth frowned. “I am going to have to make sure that the warriors I ask weren’t involved in her interference.”
“Go a few degrees back. If someone decides to avenge a relative with Bexadra around, it won’t go well. Hemma doesn’t really want guards for them; they want guards for the crowd. The ladies can hold a tremendous power load, and anyone getting handsy might not be pulling back a hand.”
“Ah. I see.”
“Bexadra is a singer and illusion talent. If pressed, she can manage solid light.”
He looked startled. “Got it.”
His hand went around her back, and his fingers gripped her waist.
“If you want to know who Hemma was exposed to, send her names or pictures, and she can weed them out pretty fast.”
Hemma was standing, and the lights in the pool reflected against her skin. “I absolutely can.”
Sorooth nodded. “Thank you. You are a singer?”
“Yeah, multiple sets of vocal cords, but I can’t swim, so not Hyreno.” She continued explaining the safety features to Kessie and the low end where she could start to swim, but she shouldn’t go in without an adult.
Kessie nodded. “I know that one. And the adult has to be able to swim, so I need to make sure.”
Hemma nodded. “Exactly. I am going to show her the play structure.”
Kessie said, “I am not little. The play structure will probably be too small for me.”
Hemma looked at Keska and winked. “We will see.”
Hemma led her out through the gate, and then there was another squeal.
Keska smiled. “Looks like the structure is big enough, after all. It is also covered with falling fields. No injury from the heights. Plus, it has that nice springy mulch around it.”
Sorooth said, “You set this place up for her.”
“For us. Same as the house on Daycross.” Keska smiled. “I have a horse for her as well.”
“All with patents?”
“Ava’s financial skills did a lot with them. She and money are really good friends.”
“You were planning for your family.”
“I know it isn’t common in the Sethir for this kind of prep, but consider this my nest.”
He laughed. “That is reasonable. Frankly, the chance to be a family for the first time means I am happy to accept anything.” He said softly, “You remembered my call sign.”
“Mind’s Eye? Yeah. Your mother yelled it at me often enough.”
He sighed. “She has really mellowed in the last decade. It helps that Kessie looks like you and is so incredibly smart. My mother has asked Kessie if she wanted siblings, and Kessie has, of course, said yes, as long as you had them.”
“So, you have given her the talk?”
“It is part of Sethir education. As soon as they notice adults getting close, it is time to start introducing the idea of pair bonding.”
“Ah. And you and I are a pair.”
“Something like that. Kessie knows you can’t be at the stronghold. She’s not sure why. Why did you introduce some of Nelith’s information?”
“When they do public gene analysis, and I know they do, she is going to pop positive for relationships to the Blade of Uradda. She will also be positive for Aluhara, so that will make a difference.”
“How long have you known?”
“Formally? A day and a half. Informally? A year. There was a blood call for Aluhara. I felt it, but I was working and silenced it. I probably should have sent a card or something.” She shrugged. “Nelith was obvious.”
He laughed. “Yes, she was. May I contact Aluhara for you?”
“Sure. I can’t go to her, but sure.”
“There are ways to bring her to us. She was a warrior before she became the most beautiful woman in the stronghold. It makes sense that you carry her blood.”
“You have already called her.”
“I have. She’s excited for another grandchild.”
Keska laughed. “She’s coming?”
“Can you expand our reservations for dinner?”
Keska lifted her com and typed in a request. She saw the nearly immediate response. “Yup. I am guessing that her husband is coming as well.”
“Of course. He’s super excited to know that they actually know their granddaughter already.”
Keska chuckled. “Reservations are expanded. We are eating at Klauz’s.”
“Wow. Wait. Is this another business you have a finger in?”
She winced. “Oh, look. Ekbert’s here.”
Sorooth blinked. “He’s seventeen?”
“Yeah. I think he is a Hyreno alpha, but he doesn’t want to leave his sister yet.”
Ekbert greeted his sister, crouched to shake Kessie’s hand, and the girl stared up at him, blinking slowly. She replied, and Hemma laughed. “Yeah, he’s big, but I can still beat him at arm wrestling.”
Keska walked toward him and smiled. “Hey, Ekbert. You only have two weeks before the semester is over. How go the studies?”
He grinned. “Four point oh GPA. Top of my class. Bachelor’s in biochem and plant studies.”
“Excellent. Do you want to have a party?”
He chuckled. “Not particularly. I am the youngest in my class, and legal drinking is a few months away.”
“Ah. Right.” She smiled. “How about five hours at a live range?”
Ekbert’s eyes began to shine. “That, I am interested in. For how many?”
“How many do you want? I can check bookings around the city and make sure that there are plenty of drones there to fight.”
“That would be great.”
“You are the youngest, so everyone else is an adult?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. They will have to sign waivers, and Hemma will have to sign for you. We can do that in advance.”
“Do we get free T-shirts?”
Keska laughed. “Yes, you can get free tees. And a video for your group that you will be able to disperse as you like. No live stream for it.”
He frowned. “Oh.”
“Sorry. You are a minor. We can’t stream it live until we make sure no one is going to pull something sketchy.”
He nodded. “But if everything goes well, it can go up on your site?”
“Yup.”
“Can we use the Agoran Live Range?”
“The one with the water? Sure. Let me check. In two weeks?”
“Yup. The nineteenth.”
“How many?”
“Twelve.”
“Okay. That can change, and if it is just you, your sister and I will get together and kick your ass.”
He nodded. “I am pretty sure they will go for it.” He sent a message and grinned. “Two confirmations already.”
Keska smiled. “Let me guess. Girls?”
“Yeah, how did you know?”
She looked at his six-foot-six, leanly muscled self and smirked. “Just a feeling.”
Sorooth wrapped his hand over her eyes. She laughed and pulled his hand away.
“Ekbert makes the ladies around him feel safe. That’s all. I have seen the study group. The dude is never cold.”
Ekbert was blushing a little, but he nodded. “I have an attraction effect. It takes a few weeks to wear off.”
Hemma smiled. “Thirty days.”
Kessie grinned, climbed the structure, and laughed as she ran around. “Dad! Come up here. You can see everything.”
Sorooth let Keska go, and she grinned as he climbed after Kessie.
Ekbert said quietly, “They don’t know you can fly?”
“Nope. Shush.”
He smiled. “Yes, boss.”
Hemma smiled. “Do you think he can find us some guards?”
“Yeah. He can. We just have to get around the underage spy issue.”
Ekbert frowned. “Is that a problem?”
Hemma nodded. “It can be. I was hauled around most of this continent and several islands. I am sure my face is on a few walls with darts in it.”
“But... they made you do it.”
“Yes, but I did it nonetheless.” Hemma smiled. “Close counts.”
Keska smiled at Ekbert. “They are moving in. I might be with them sometimes, and I might not. Don’t know for sure yet.”
Kessie was swinging from a rope and screamed, “She’s staying with us.”
Keska smiled. “Right. I am staying with them.”
Her gardener and housekeeper grinned and nodded. A family was finally in the house.