Divided: Brides of the Kindred 10 (16 page)

Chapter
Seventeen

Becca gave a little gasp and put a hand to
her heart when the weird eye and the silver mist surrounding them finally
disappeared.

“Just like the Cheshire Cat!” she
murmured, looking around the suite’s living area. But the ruby eye did not
reappear.

“The what?” Truth growled.

“From an Earth fable, I believe,” Far
said. “About a female child who falls down a hole made by a large rodent with a
time piece. She then finds herself in a place where nothing makes sense in the
conventional way.”

“What does that have to do with a
Leshirecat?” Truth asked, looking irritated.

“A
Cheshire Cat,”
Far corrected
him. “In the tale there is a furred mammal called a cat which appears and
disappears at will, leaving only its smile behind. It claims to be mad which is
not very significant since everyone in the book appears to be mentally
disturbed in one way or another.”

Becca nearly laughed at his earnest
synopsis of one of her favorite books.

“That’s an interesting take on
Alice in
Wonderland,
all right,” she said. “But I didn’t know you were a student of
English literature, Far.”

“And
I
did not know you knew so
much about my home solar system,” Truth remarked, turning to him. “I had no
idea that Void was once named Orthanx. How is it you know so much about both
subjects, Brother?”

Far looked down as though he was trying to
think how to answer.

“When I have a problem,” he began
carefully. “I…study it until I find the answer. I find the more information I
have, the better equipped I am to deal with it, whatever it is.”

“And Rebecca and I are problems? Is that
it?” Truth sounded like he might be getting upset. “What else do you know about
us? About
me?
”

“Pax is a closed planet so I haven’t been
able to find out much,” Far said quietly. Although with Commander Sylvan’s blessing,
I
did
recently speak briefly to your second mother.”

“What?” Truth exploded. “You spoke to my
mother?
How dare you? What did you say?”

“I was just trying to find a way to
understand you,” Far said stiffly. “Don’t worry, I said nothing to shame you. I
didn’t tell her I wished to bond with you and Becca.”

“You…you…” Truth shook his head. “I can’t
believe
you. How dare you do such a dishonest, dishonorable thing?”

“I simply wanted to know the parents who
raised you and since our father is dead, she was the only one to talk to.” Far
sighed. “I didn’t even ask her about
you
—I posed as a researcher for the
Council studying the customs of the Kindred who live on Pax. That’s all.”

“That’s fucking enough!” Truth roared. He
jumped up and began pacing. Becca couldn’t ever remember seeing him so angry.

“Truth, take it easy,” she said, standing
as well to put a hand on his arm. “I don’t understand why you’re so upset—Far
said he didn’t say anything that would cause you trouble.”

“No, I will
not
‘take it easy’ as
you say,” Truth growled, shaking her off. “And if Far learned
anything
about
the Pax customs he claimed to be studying, it would be that we regard prying
into the personal business of another as the lowest and most loathsome of
activities.”

“I know that now,” Far said softly. He
still sat on the couch, looking up at his twin. “For which I am truly sorry. I
debated about telling you at all, but you asked how much I knew about you and
how I knew it. I didn’t want to lie.”

“You see?” Becca said, still trying to make
peace. “Far is just trying to learn about us to get closer. And okay, it may be
a
little
stalker-ish, but it’s also sweet. Like a guy who already knows
how to get to your house for that first date because he followed you home one
night to be sure you got there safe.”

“What?” Truth rounded on her. “Do you hear
yourself, Rebecca? You make it sound like he plans to seduce us—
both
of
us.”

"You know that is not the case,
Brother," Far said quietly. "I simply want a relationship—a bond with
you and Becca such as all Twin Kindred have with each other and their chosen
female."

“And what does that 'bond' entail,
Brother?” Truth’s heated anger was gone now, replaced by an icy rage. “I have
already told you I have no wish to engage in perverted sex acts with you.”

“You make it sound like I wish to perform
these ‘acts’ on you personally,” Far said coldly. “When in fact, I simply wish
to
share
in them with you. To share Becca, as we did earlier.” He stood,
reaching out a hand to Truth and his voice softened. “I’m not just talking
about wanting to share the good things, Brother. I want your pain as well as
your pleasure. I want to help you bear your sorrows as well as share your joys.
Is that so much to ask?”

For a moment, Truth looked like he was
actually considering his twin’s words. Then he shook his head, ignoring the
extended hand.

“I need no such help,” he said stiffly.

Far let his hand drop and raised an
eyebrow. “You’re quick to reject help for a male who’s about to go to a rogue
planet. Or did you not hear Vashtar’s words? You’ll need both Becca and myself
to make it on Orthanx—the three of us will be dependent on each other.”

Truth frowned. “Who says we’ll actually go
there? It’s probable that Commander Sylvan and the Council have already found a
way to eradicate our…
problem
as we speak.”

Far frowned. “Perhaps. But you’re fooling
yourself if you think you can make it alone indefinitely, Truth. You may have
been raised Rai’ku but your DNA is pure Twin Kindred. You
need
a female
and another male to share her with—it’s in your blood.”

“So you keep telling me,” Truth growled.
“But my father managed just fine without another male to share his second
mate.”

“Your
father? The one who changed his name to ‘Feels Pain?’”
Far demanded. “And how happy was he in that situation? How much pleasure did he
get from his second union with no brother to help bear his burdens or share his
joys?”

“Are those the kinds of questions you
asked my mother?” Truth demanded. “When you pried into my life as no honorable
male would do?”

“Do you think I was only interested in
you?”
Far demanded. “Feels Pain was
my
father too, though I never got to know
him. At least you had one parent who was of your blood. I wanted to learn about
him, even second hand.”

“You did not miss much.” Truth’s usually
tan face was white. “Believe me.” There was pain in his eyes now—almost an
anguish at the mention of their father.

Becca wanted to warn the light twin that
he was going too far—that he was getting into dangerous territory with Truth.
She put a hand on his arm but Far shook her off impatiently.

“Did he speak of his home world often—did
he tell you about Twin Moons?” he continued, staring at Truth. “What did he say
of it? That it was terrible? An incestuous bed of perverted lust contaminated by
sick ideas and practices?”

“No.” Truth’s lips were thinned down to a
white line. “He never said as much.”

Far threw up his hands. “Because he never
spoke of it at all, I bet. He simply let himself be swallowed whole by the
Rai’ku culture—and let you be swallowed as well—because he couldn’t bear to
think or talk about all he had lost.”

Truth’s pale eyes flashed. “My father—”

“No, Truth—
our
father,” Far
corrected.

“Fine—
our
father,” Truth shouted.
“Do you really want to know what happened with
our
father, Far? He used
to talk about Twin Moons all right—but not until he was good and
drunk
.
The first few bottles of
gar
-berry ale loosened his tongue… the next few
loosened his fists.”

“Oh, Truth, honey…no,” Becca whispered but
the dark twin wasn’t done yet.

He pointed a finger at Far.

“You spoke of wanting to share my pain? I
could have used you, Brother, on the nights
our
father was feeling
homesick. I wore his memories of his home world on my face and body often
enough to make me
wish
I had a twin to help bear the beatings.”

Far looked taken aback. “I didn’t know.
Your mother never said…anything like that.”

“Of course she didn’t because we are a
private
people. The Rai’ku keep to themselves. We do not touch each other except
during breeding time, do not speak of wants or needs or feelings. And we
do
not
bond with other males.”

“I’m sorry,” Far said quietly. “More sorry
than I can say, Truth. If I could, I would go back and help you. I would take
the blows gladly if it would lessen your pain.”

Truth made an angry motion with one hand.

“Easy enough for you to say now. Where
were you on the nights he came in stinking and slurring his words? Where were
you—” He stopped abruptly and shook his head.

“I was on the other side of the galaxy,
wishing for you.” Far’s voice was quiet and sad. “Missing the brother I never
knew. For you
are
my brother, Truth, whether you want to acknowledge it
or not.
We should be together.”

Truth’s gray eyes were so filled with pain
and anger that for a moment Becca was afraid he might lash out and strike his
twin. But though his eyes were hot with emotion, his hands stayed clenched at
his sides.

“Well, we’re
not
together,” he said
coldly. “And no matter what happened here earlier tonight, we’re not going to
be. Not the way you want,
Brother.
”

“So that’s it. You’re going to shut me out
again—shut me out
forever
and cling to the values and ways of a people
who aren’t even really yours?” Far demanded.

“It looks that way, doesn’t it?” Truth
said tightly. “And as for the Rai’ku—you may think they are terrible for never
touching each other or hugging their children. But let me tell you
something—they never beat them either. Why should I be so eager to embrace the
Kindred ways when the Kindred male who was closest to me…” He stopped and shook
his head.

Becca wanted to cry for his pain—and for
the hurt and longing she saw on Far’s face as he watched his twin. They needed
to be together—she could see that now—but it seemed that Truth never would.

“Truth,” Far said softly. “If we could
only—”

“No!” It was a roar of pure pain and rage.
The dark twin rounded on his brother, his face a mask of angry agony. “No, Far,
what else can I say to make this clear? I don’t care if we are brothers,
I
don’t want you.
Don’t want to be near you, to talk to you, to
share
any kind of emotions either painful or pleasurable. I just want you gone. Out
of my life.
Now.”

“Fine.” Far stood and pulled Becca up
beside him. “I think the dust has dissipated enough that we shouldn’t have to
come back and
save
you again. Still, if you have a problem, don’t
hesitate to call.”

“Just go.” Truth was standing with his
back to them now, his broad, bare shoulders tense and angry.

“We’re leaving.” Far started to pull her
toward the doorway but Becca resisted.

“Truth,” she said coaxingly. “Whatever
happened to sharing? What happened to the two of you having some kind of
relationship?”

“Which is kinder?” Truth asked, still
looking away. “Leading someone alone with half truths and promises? Or cutting
them loose and letting them go their own way at once? I choose the second way.”
He glanced over his shoulder at Far. “Sorry, Brother. I guess your attempt at a
'relationship' failed.”

“I guess it has.” Far sounded bitter and hurt.
“But don’t worry, Brother—I don’t blame you. I’m the one who was stupid enough
to think you might actually come around.”

“You thought wrong.” Truth’s eyes flashed.
“Now leave.”

“We’re going.” Far pulled Becca to the
door and she went with him willingly. Not because she wanted to get away from
Truth but because she could tell he was desperate to be alone—to lick his
wounds. To try and bury this old pain he’d been forced to dig up.

“We’ll talk later, Truth,” she said as the
door
whooshed
open and the chilly air of the corridor—mercifully dust
free—filled the living area. “All three of us.”

Truth frowned and turned away again.
“There is nothing more to say. Good night. And Good bye.”

“Good bye, Brother.” Far sounded every bit
as unhappy and upset as his twin. He strode down the corridor after the door
shut behind them in strides so long Becca could barely keep up.

“Far,” she cried, hurrying after him.
“Wait! Truth is just hurt, that’s all. He needs time to cool down.”

Far kept his head down, his broad shoulders
hunched.

“Didn’t you hear him? I could give him a
century and he’d still want nothing to do with me.”