Creating Harmony (8 page)
“So, will I ever see my niece and nephew?”
His eyes widened. “Did Ioko tell you?”
“No. You told me. Now answer please.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “It is tricky. They believe you are on a world with relatives.”
“Well, couldn’t I have simply gotten a new job? A transfer? We don’t have to tell them the truth.”
“You would lie?”
“I have spent my life knowing that my family didn’t want me. To see you, Ioko and Tenyak, it has let me know that I was wanted, you just didn’t know what to do with me.”
He chuckled. “That was the truth. I don’t know what my mate would make of you.”
“I am the Master of a Citadel. There is nothing else she needs to know.”
Harmony chirped in confirmation. She wasn’t supposed to be away from Smudge yet, but she kept escaping to come to Iara. When her father came looking for her, Iara would simply hand her over.
“Speaking of Tenyak, where is he?”
“He and Rion are sparring.”
Looric smiled, “Well, we are still your brothers and he did not ask for permission to court you.”
“I know.” She didn’t mention her pregnancy. That was the reason that her brother and her lover were currently trying to destroy each other.
Harmony hummed and rubbed against her cheek. She was growing by leaps and bounds, but she was still only six inches tall. She wasn’t big enough for a healing, so if Iara needed any help, she stayed far away.
“Iara, are you happy?”
The question came out of the blue. She took his hand and smiled, “I am. I have contact with the family that matters, and even if you never come back, we had today.”
Looric sighed with relief. “Good. You will be seeing more of us and I will work on my wife’s attitudes to the talented.”
Smudge’s hunting scream rent the air.
Iara laughed while Harmony let out a deep sigh for something so small. She bundled her companion into her hands and held her over her head on flat palms. Smudge flew through the room and snagged his escaped offspring.
Looric stared with his eyes opened wide. “Does that happen a lot?”
“Enough. She is sneaking out to be with me, and Smudge lets her have a few hours until it is feeding and naptime. He trusts me not to stress her out.”
“So, that little fluffy thing is going to turn into that?”
Iara looked over his shoulder and saw Rion and Tenyak making their way into the dining hall.
Tenyak came over and inclined his head. “Congratulations on your pregnancy, sister.”
Rion was drinking a glass of water when Looric absorbed Tenyak’s comment. He roared and Iara winced as her mate was tackled to the floor. She calmed her brother and gave him the same look she had given to Tenyak. “Take it to the gym.”
He nodded tightly and Rion gave her a rueful glance. “I am guessing I should just ask them for your hand.”
She grinned, “You are having fun, so until this gets old, don’t bother. I am sure that I can handle having a little one on my own without your clan attached.”
He stiffened and nodded. He spoke to Looric and her brother nodded tightly. “Yes, you may, but you still have to pay for getting her pregnant before asking.”
Rion sighed and nodded. They tromped off down the hall toward the gym.
She turned to Tenyak and poured him a cup of tea. “Sit, eat. Relax. He has been having his fun, but it is time for him to smarten up and be a grown up.”
Tenyak was amused, “You don’t mind his fighting?”
“I appreciate fighting as a social and psychological release. I only object to violence when it serves no purpose. It has been my duty and privilege to observe thousands of types of rage, hostility, aggression and fear. Each of these can motivate violence. Frustration is an easy one to solve.”
“Very smart, little sister.”
“Thank you, I have studied.” She grinned and felt something tapping against her ankle. She scooped Harmony up and put her back on her shoulder, feeding her a piece of fruit. The little one was getting quicker.
Rion and Looric would return and have dinner with them once they finished their ritualistic pummelling. Tether would be there as well with yet another invitation from Nittha.
Winera and Hyl were invited, as were Wiali and Braenar. Her brothers weren’t too fond of the idea of a woman descended from a star and planet and a man who had hosted a planet in mind and body. Winera’s ability to remove oxygen from the room was far easier to deal with.
It was a sign that they were committed to a relationship with her. If these were her friends, they would meet them and talk to them. It was the end of a long period without family, and with Harmony on her shoulder, she felt that her family was blooming out in directions she had never imagined.
We are going to be back on Lowel in
Thunderstruck
. For now, I am delighted that I got some baby Yaluthu running around.
I am just wondering what effect the pregnancy will have on Iara’s ability to broadcast calm.
We will find out next time.
Thanks for reading,
Viola Grace
**PS. I now have a line of trading cards available with the book covers on them from my website. I am working toward getting all the cover art in a portable format but it will take time.
Viola Grace was born in Manitoba, Canada where she still resides today. She really likes it there. She has no pets and can barely keep sea monkeys alive for a reasonable amount of time. Her line of day job tends to be analytical which leaves her mind hopping to weave stories. No co-worker is safe from her character analysis. In keeping with busy hands are happy hands, her hobbies have included cross-stitch, needlepoint, quilting, costuming, cake decorating, baking, cooking, metal work, beading, sculpting, painting, doll making, henna tattoos, chain mail, and a few others that have been forgotten. It is quite often that these hobbies make their way into her tales.
Viola’s fetishes include boots and corsetry, and her greatest weakness is her uncontrollable blush. Her writing actively pursues the Happily Ever After that so rarely occurs in nature. It is an admirable thing and something that we should all strive for. To find one that we truly like, as well as love.
