Chapter Six #3
She nodded, paused, and held up her hands. Spray cream and chocolate syrup smacked into them, and she set them on the table. The first set of waffles was assembled, and she passed the tray over to Ithal. After that, it was Alody, and then the male actives took the huge stack down to almost nothing.
Her coffee was poured, and Alody added cream and sugar before sliding it toward her. They ate in near silence until Ithal said, “I’m full. Can I go talk to Vaken on the com?”
“Use the one in the media room, love.” Alody smiled.
When the very astute child was gone, Diena asked, “So, Silver Storm, what is your normal name?”
He paused and smiled. “Gaireth Eskin, miss.”
Alody looked at Diena. “What did Ithal tell you?”
She shrugged. “Nothing major. So, Eskin, if you pursue Alody, you are aware she has passed her sixth decade and has two stunningly talented children?”
He coughed, and Jenaki smiled. “I believe that escaped his awareness, not his notice.”
Eskin smiled. “She was very much an adult when I locked onto her as a partner.”
Alody muttered, “And he very much wasn’t. He was on his way, but he wasn’t there yet.”
Eskin chuckled. “I made it; it just took a while. Apparently, I am a slow learner.”
Torun grinned. “I swear I thought you were going to say something else.”
Alody winced. “If I remember his medical visits correctly, that is true, too.”
Diena blinked. “Oh, TMI.”
Torun chortled. “So, little Alody junior, how is it that you are looking like you were not in labour twelve hours ago?”
She sipped at her coffee with a loud, satisfied sigh. “Good genes.”
Jenaki held the hand that was resting next to her plate. Diena looked around at the table, and everything levitated and then neatly stacked itself in the dishwasher.
Alody blinked. “I didn’t know you could do that.”
Diena smiled. “I needed a tidy kitchen before I went to take a shower. I am spending today recovering. While I wouldn’t mind doing it again one day, it is tiring, and bracing for lunatics to come through the door doesn’t give restful sleep.”
Jenaki stroked her hair.
Torun smirked. “Zera was slamming her head against the wall. You two could have made a lot of money for the BDC.”
Alody snorted. “I have an eight-year-old son. There isn’t anything in the charter about childcare.”
Torun tilted his head. “How is that? What happened when you left?”
Alody nodded and told the tale of the Lorn emperor. The exchange of her for exotic minerals had probably benefited Kritz and Zera alike.
Torun’s eyes widened when he heard that. “Oh, damn.”
Alody smirked. “Yup. Some of the minerals of the BDC tech were bought with my body. I was kept in cold sleep until the timing was right, and then they thawed me and worked to try to get me pregnant. That didn’t work, so I was kept with the breeders, hoping the hormones would wake me up a little.
That is where I met Ithal when his mother passed.
They marked him, and I took him, carrying us both out of there, and we set up accounts and went looking for a safe place to live.
We landed here, and I began working as a seamstress while Ithal was enrolled at the academy. ”
She smiled. “And recently, I have learned that my daughter has cleared our path so that no one will come after us. It’s a very nice and settled thing to learn.”
Eskin looked at Diena. “What did you do?”
“It was just after the pregnancy was confirmed. I was given an urgency to make myself and my family safe, so I did. The minerals of the Lorn Empire are locked in the soil unless I say otherwise. By right of combat, I am the Lorn empress.”
The men around the table were stunned.
She ran her hands along her scalp. “I suppose I should set up a trade delegation or something, but I have been busy. I haven’t decided what to do with the mineral deposits aside from giving a few handfuls to Keska.”
Alody chuckled. “You will figure it out.”
“Yeah. Eventually. Until I do, nothing moves in or out of Lorn.”
Torun lifted his head. “Not even the citizens?”
“Neighbouring countries have welcomed the citizens, but there were not many of them. The hired goons are dead. All of them.” She shrugged. “And the self-styled emperor is dead. Maro wasn’t even a good fighter. How he got possession of the palace was astonishing.”
Eskin blinked. “You fought Maro?”
“No. I killed Maro. As I said, it wasn’t much of a fight.” Diena smiled. “I needed to kill him, so I did.”
Ithal came back in and leaned against his mother. “Mom. Vaken was wondering when we could go back to the playpark.”
Diena smiled. “You had fun?”
“We did. We are going to bring Kessie, too, if we can.”
Alody smiled. “We will have to ask Keska and Sorooth. Oh, and Kessie.”
Diena sighed. “I am going to take a shower and get dressed then drop onto my bed like a toddler.”
Jenaki smiled. “I will lend you a hand.”
She looked at him, the dark eyes and the golden marks on his cheeks shifting. “You are really intent on this.”
“Well, you did invite me in for waffles.”
“Oh. I suppose I did. Totally my fault, but I am running on very little sleep.” She looked up at him and said, “Sorry.”
He nodded. “No problem. You have had a rough twenty-four hours.”
She pushed upright and nodded. “Okay. Shower, change to pyjamas, and then bed.”
Alody smiled. “Do you want us to clean up and head out?”
“I want you and Ithal to move in. We can discuss that when I am more awake and Eskin isn’t memorizing you.”
Torun grinned. “I am going to tell the prefect about this. With the new boom in actives, she’s looking for qualified trainers.”
Diena started walking. “Tell her after my nap. Tell her tomorrow.”
Jenaki came with her, and she realized he was supporting her. She sighed. “You are really doing this.”
“I am really doing this. You are my primary concern and my dearest treasure.”
She glanced at him. “How do you know?”
“Your scent, the timbre of your voice, the softness of your skin, and the sway in your hips while you walk. My instincts are locking into all of it.”
“Why?”
“It is how I am wired. My people are powerful but sparse. We are constantly seeking our partners, and when we find them, we persuade them to accept us.”
“Well, you aren’t using psychic pushing. That much is apparent.” She led them down the long hallway to her room at the end. She opened her door and smiled. “Home.”
He blinked and smiled. “Here you are.”
She laughed and looked around. Blue and maroon bedding, bookshelves, and gold trim on everything. There was a design table near the window with building designs open on it.
He chuckled. “I was worried when I saw the entryway and kitchen, but now it makes sense. You were always going to invite them to live with you.”
“I just had to have the house paid for and enough money for Ithal.”
She walked toward the bathing room, and he blinked. “Diena, how much money do you have?”
“Enough. I have what I needed.” She looked at him. “Is that a problem?”
“No, you are even more admirable than I thought if you designed and created the playpark while keeping your job at Z-Corp and surrogating for Kritz and Arcady.”
“I am a bit of an overachiever.”
“I can adapt to that.”
She nodded and got some towels, hanging them on the warming rack.
When everything was in place, she lifted the maternity dress and dropped her underwear and bra.
Her shoes were kicked off, and she let Jenaki help her balance as she walked into the shower.
Stepping in started the water. It dribbled down until it was warm, and then the heads took on pressure, and she was doused front and back by the cascade.
Jenaki’s suit shed the water as he helped her wash her hair and then her body. She had never showered with someone in a bodysuit before. He took up a lot of room but was excellent at washing her hair and back.
She was checking out how far her recovery had come when he said, “Your healing is gentle.”
“It is. It has to be witnessed. I need to look like someone else has healed me for a few days.”
“Why?”
“Because what we can do is in demand, and I don’t want people to start hauling at me or Ithal or Mom.”
“You trust me with the knowledge?”
She looked up at him. “Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because when I was working to bring the baby out, you were encouraging and didn’t crack any jokes. You can accept when something is serious and act accordingly. So why obstetrics?”
“My older sister had complications in her first pregnancies. I wanted to see if I could help in any way. I studied in Renovik and learned how to help and ease what I could. Nature will still have her way, but she can be convinced to change her mind.”
She smiled. “Nature certainly changed her mind with me.”
“She did.”
“How many attempts did the couple have before me?”
“Twenty-three. Kritz’s contribution did not allow the embryo to survive long enough to get large enough to be viable. You changed that.”
She turned and let the spray hit her back. “You know why.”
“There was a need.” He swallowed heavily. “So, if I stated a need...”
She laughed. “Currently, it is a want. Good thing the suit is snug.”
He grinned. “You are correct. I am impressed you know the difference.”
She drew her fingers down his suit as the water pelted them both. “I know many things.”
He shuddered and said, “I think the shower is over.”
Diena laughed. “I do love a strategic retreat.”
He kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose, and then his mouth brushed across hers.
She smiled and then let out a jaw-cracking yawn.
Jenaki laughed, turned off the shower, and wrapped her in a towel while he exited the shower and changed into a different outfit. Casual shirt and slacks.
She smiled. “Nice trick.”
“Thank you. My mother taught me.”
“How many quick changes?”
“Seven.”
“Could you teach me?”
“No, but my mother could.”
“Is she around here?”
“She’s in Renovik.”
“Ah. Right. Well, I am going to put on some pyjamas and get some rest.”
Jenaki smiled. “Well, then, lead the way.”
Diena decided that having him watch her back was just the thing she needed for a solid day’s sleep.