Tani's Destiny (Hearts of ICARUS Book 2) (32 page)

“Tomorrow?” Naran asked in surprise.

“Yes,” Tani said, nodding.  “I’m sure it’ll be a relief to everyone.”

“Yes, of course,” Naran said.  “A relief.”

Tani frowned at Naran’s response.  “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Naran said, smiling.  “It’s just…shocking to think that, after so long, all of a sudden time’s almost up.”

“Time’s almost up?” Tani asked blankly.  Naran blinked at her. 

“Pardon me?”

“You said
time’s almost up
,” Tani said.  “I don’t understand what you mean by that.”

“Me neither,” Naran said with a grin.  “Weird huh?  Maybe that head injury I had was more serious than you thought.”

Tani smiled because Naran was clearly waiting for her to smile, but inwardly she wondered what the truth was, because she knew without a doubt that his head injury was fully healed.  She’d checked carefully on her last exam. 

“What I really meant is that it’s hard to believe we won’t have to worry about the Nomen anymore.”  Tani didn’t like the way Naran was looking at her, but she smiled anyway.

“ICARUS will be able to do something to insure that the Khun never have to worry about the Nomen again.  Of that I have no doubts.”

“Wouldn’t that be something?” Naran said softly.

Tani nodded her agreement.  “Well, Steel’s waiting lunch for me so I best get going.”

“All right, Tani,” Naran said.  “Thanks again.”

Tani nodded, then turned and headed for Steel’s cave, wondering why that little conversation with Naran bothered her so much.  It wasn’t just his strange choice of words, either.  There was something more.

She shook her head and pushed it aside.  She’d told Steel that she loved him, finally, and that she wanted to remain on Garza.  He’d indicated that he’d felt the same, which had been a relief, but she was looking forward to hearing him say the words.  That’s why he’d invited her to lunch, she was certain of it.  But, as she climbed the cliff, the conversation she’d just had with Naran refused to stay away.

“What’s the matter, Tani?” Steel asked as soon as she entered his cave.

“I don’t know,” Tani said, sitting down with a sigh.  “I suppose I’m tired.  It’s been a long day already, and it’s barely noon.”

“Well, it’s no wonder you’re tired,
Khalute
,” Steel said, handing her a plate loaded with enough food to feed three hungry
mahracs
.  “You killed a few dozen Nomen, rescued all the damsels in distress, not to mention one curly haired little urchin who possesses outstanding bravery and a remarkably cool head for a four year old, and healed Ruya from wounds that would certainly have taken her life without you’re intervention.”

“Yes, well, I did have a bit of help,” she said dryly.  “To hear you tell it, I’m a miracle worker.”

“As far as I’m concerned, you are,” Steel replied.  “Because of you, our women are here where they belong and on the road to health.  Because of you, Dirk lives, Ruya lives, and Naran not only lives, but walks.  I still can’t believe he survived being shot out of the sky.  Even in his
mahrac
form, the fall should have killed him.”

Tani gasped softly, an expression of surprise on her face that Steel didn’t understand.  “What is it?”

 “Did you just said that Naran was shot out of the sky?”  Steel nodded.  “Did Naran tell you that?”

“Yes, of course,” he replied, frowning.  “He and Roark were flying home and were ambushed by two Nomen who shot at them.  Roark was killed instantly, and Naran was knocked out of the sky, but landed too far from the Nomen for them to reach him right away.  He barely managed to fly home.”

“But Naran’s laser burn was on his back,” Tani said.  “Unless he was flying with his back toward the ground, that’s just not possible.”

“No, it’s not,” Steel said, his frown deepening for a moment.  Then he shrugged.  “He must have been confused, Tani.  After all, he was badly injured, as you know since you healed him.  If he’d been in his human form he wouldn’t have survived, of that I have no doubt.”

“Agreed,” Tani said.  “But I don’t think he was confused, Steel.  I think he lied.”

“Why would he lie?”

“I don’t know,” Tani said.  “You know him better than I do.”

“Exactly,” Steel said, his dark eyes going cold as he spoke.  “I’ve known Naran my entire life, and I know he’d never lie about something so important.”

Tani frowned up at Steel, noting the angry set of his mouth, the tension in his shoulders.  “Do you think I would lie?”

“There’s absolutely no reason for him to lie,” Steel said, avoiding her question. 

“There is if he had something to do with Roark’s death.”

“Oh, now he’s a murderer?” Steel demanded, his temper flaring.

“If I’m right, yes, he’s a murderer,” Tani said.  “If I’m right, he’s the one who nearly killed Dirk, and now that I think about it, I suspect it was Naran who fired that shot from the mine compound.”

“That’s stretching things a bit,” Steel said angrily. 

“Is it?” Tani asked, refusing to let her temper get the better of her the way Steel’s was.  “Who else carries a Blind Sight, and was left behind that night?  Khurda and Marbic went back, and saw no one, so it wasn’t one of the Nomen.  They would’ve immediately raised the alarm.  And don’t forget that I had to heal Naran again after that incident because he’d overexerted and reinjured himself.”

“I will listen to no more of this,” Steel snapped, tossing his half eaten sandwich onto his plate so hard that it skidded off and landed on the floor.  “Naran is Khun.  There’s no reason for him to betray his people.  You, on the other hand, are not Khun.  You’re the outsider here, Tani, and as such, you’ve no right to make an accusation such as this against one of my people.”

Tani maintained a calm expression with the greatest effort, even though her chest felt like the weight of the entire planet had just crushed it.  It took every scrap of will she possessed to set her plate down, stand up, turn around, and leave Steel’s cave without another word.  She made her way down to Astra’s and went inside, not even hearing Astra’s greeting as she went into the guest chamber and stopped walking. 

She stood there for a very long time as Steel’s words continued to echo over and over in her mind, too stunned by their deliberate cruelty to silence them.  She’d allowed herself to believe, just for a few short hours, that she’d found her place in the universe.  She was surprised at how much it hurt to have that short lived belief torn away.  Eventually she managed to build a barrier between herself and the pain.  It wasn’t a very big barrier, or a very strong one, but, so long as she didn’t put any pressure on it, it would serve until she was able to escape from Garza.  That meant staying away from Steel and, if possible, finding something else to occupy her mind with. 

Her eyes fell on the black sweater she’d borrowed from Astra, folded neatly on top of the dresser, and she nodded to herself.  She crossed to the dresser, pulled out the clothes she’d been wearing when she was transported onto the
Stray
, then closed the curtain over the entry way and undressed.  She redressed in her own clothes, then collected all of the clothing she’d borrowed and took them into the kitchen, glad that Astra was no longer there.

An hour later everything she’d borrowed from Astra was clean and hanging neatly on the drying rack before the fire.  She wondered if Astra had an iron, and decided she’d ask later.  She thought of the bedding she’d been using, but it made no sense to wash it now when she’d be using it again tonight.  She frowned, then decided she’d just ask her parents for some new bedding to transport down to Astra’s cave for her.  In fact, she’d see if there was a spare garment cleaner on the
Ugaztun
that she could give to Astra.  Then she’d never have to hand wash her clothes again.  That would be a good gift to repay Astra for her hospitality.

That decision made, she looked around for something else to do, but Astra was very tidy.  There were no dishes to wash, floors to sweep, or even ashes to empty from the fireplace.  Just as she’d decided to go for a walk, Astra came in.

“What’s this about?” Astra asked, looking at the clothing on the drying rack. 

“I thank you most sincerely for the loan of your clothing during my stay here,” Tani said stiffly.  “I’ve washed everything I borrowed, and when they’re dry I’ll iron them if you have an iron.”

“This wasn’t necessary, Tani,” Astra began, but Tani shook her head.

“Yes, it was, and is,” Tani said.  “When my parents arrive tomorrow I will request immediate transport to their ship.  Since I will not have time to wash the bedding I used, I will replace it for you.”

“Tani, what’s wrong?” Astra asked, the cool expression on Tani’s face and in her eyes worrying her.

“My parents will send men down to protect the Khun until Nica arrives,” Tani continued as though she hadn’t heard Astra’s question.

“Do you truly believe she’ll be able and willing to help us?” Astra asked, stalling for time to figure out what was going on.

“Yes, of course,” Tani said.  “Nica is an official agent of ICARUS, with all of the necessary authority to act on their behalf.  She’s also very intelligent and extremely powerful, as is her husband.  They will see to it that your people have all that they need, and that the Nomen cause no further trouble, and they’ll do it much faster and much more thoroughly than I ever could.  I ask that you trust me in this.”

“Of course I trust you,” Astra said.  “What will you do, Tani?”

“I don’t know,” Tani replied.  “First, I must find a place to live.”

“Do you mean another cave?” Astra asked.  “Because you’re welcome here, Tani.  I hope you know that.”

“Thank you, Astra, but no, I didn’t mean another cave.  I meant another planet.

“What about Steel?”

“What about him?”

“I know this isn’t my business, Tani, but the two of you belong together,” Astra said.  “I don’t understand how it is that you’re meant for him rather than your own people, but I know that it’s so.”

“You’re right, Astra,” Tani said, stopping the retort that had been on her tongue before it escaped.  Astra hadn’t done anything wrong, after all.  “I don’t understand it either, but it’s true.  I know only that I am not the same as other Jasani women, and that I have no soul mate among the clans.”

Tani’s voice had grown so sad that it brought tears to Astra’s eyes.  “Then why not remain here, with us?” she asked.  “With Steel?”

“Because I belong here even less than I belong on Jasan,” Tani said.  “There, at least I’m accepted.  Here I am a visitor who is not Khun, and therefore, not to be trusted.  I will leave this place the moment someone arrives who can take me away.”

“Why would you say such a thing?” Astra asked, shocked by Tani’s words. 

“I did not say it.  He did.”

“That makes no sense.”

“Oh yes, I’d forgotten,” Tani said bitterly.  “I am not Khun, so of course you have no reason to believe me.”

“Tani!” Astra said in surprise, “I’d never doubt your word, and it doesn’t matter to me whether you’re Khun or not.”

“I apologize, Astra, that was unfair,” Tani said.  “Nevertheless, if you want answers, I’m afraid I don’t have any.  I know only what I’ve told you.”

“But you haven’t told me anything,” Astra argued.

“Exactly,” Tani said.  “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to take a walk.”

“Of course, Tani,” Astra said, understanding that her friend needed to be alone.  She listened as Tani crossed the cave and stepped outside, her footsteps growing fainter and fainter as she climbed up toward the mesa above.  When she was certain that Tani was far enough away, she climbed to her feet and went in search of her cousin.

***

Steel waited until Tani was gone, then he’d shifted and taken off, flying as far as he thought safe while the threat of attack still hovered over his people.  He didn’t need anyone to tell him that he’d been cruel and unfair to Tani.  He knew that well enough.  The problem was that he didn’t think there was anything he could, or
should
, do about it. 

If he apologized to her, then he had to admit that he was wrong.  And if he did that, he had to admit that Naran was more of a monster on the inside than his
mahrac
was on the outside.  And he just couldn’t let himself believe that about a man he’d known his entire life. 

When he returned he was relieved to find that the mesa above the caves was empty, so he landed there, shifted, then walked to the edge of the cliff.  Only when he was certain that Tani was not among those of his people who were currently outside, did he step over the edge and return to his cave.

Unable to think of anything to distract himself from this new problem, he sat before the cold fireplace in his private living area, signaling to all who approached that he wished to be alone.  The only one who dared to ignore his request was Astra.  She entered anyway and sat down opposite him, then waited for him to speak first.  If she had been anyone else he would have out-waited her, but this was Astra.  Before giving up, she’d sit there with an expression of calm patience on her face until the stone that formed the cave around them was ground to dust by the wheels of time and blew away on the wind.