thefiremargins (43 page)

* * *

Morning dawned, bringing with it the end of Vanna's Link day. Waking alone, she sighed with relief. Since the incident with Sara, she'd had no patience with Brynne and it was she who kept their time together as short as possible. To give him his due, Brynne had tried on several occasions to apologise but she'd refused to listen to him. He'd eventually given up and withdrawn from her. Now they talked as little as possible.
She moved cautiously, pushing her heavy body up onto the pillows by dint of carefully using her hind claws for purchase on the mattress. Twisting round onto her back, she managed to sit up. A noise by the door drew her attention and she looked up to see Brynne coming over carrying a mug of coffee for her.
"I felt you waken," he said, putting it down on the night table beside her. "I got this for you as well." He held out the plate he'd been concealing behind his back. "It's one of your favorite fruit pastries."
Vanna was about to deny any hunger when her stomach betrayed her by grumbling.
"Take it," he said, putting the plate on her lap as he sat down beside her. "I know you're hungry."
Inwardly cursing her vanished telepathy, Vanna picked up the pastry and began to nibble round the edges of it. Though her advancing pregnancy had silenced her talent several weeks earlier, it hadn't diminished the need for their Link days. Now there was no mutual exchange of memories; for her, there was nothing but the physical pull toward him.
"Look, Vanna, I think it's time we talked."
"I've nothing to say."
"I have." He hesitated briefly. "Our son is due in a few weeks. There's decisions we have to make about him."
"I've made all the decisions." She narrowed her eyes as she regarded him. Lhea was outside in the main lounge. Vanna insisted on a guard being within calling range since the incident with Sara. She hoped he wasn't going to get difficult. "Let get this straight, Brynne. He's
my
son."
"He's my son too, whether or not either of us likes it. I have a right to be involved, Vanna. I'd rather we came to an agreement."
She had no idea what he was thinking, it was as if she was blind and deaf! She stalled, taking another bite of the pastry.
"I want to stay at the estate for the next few weeks, Vanna, and I want to be there when he's born."
"Forget it!" she snapped, eyes blazing. "Males don't come into the birthing room!"
"They can, if invited."
"I won't have you there. One biological act doesn't give you the right to demand that, or anything else, of me!" She put the pastry down on the plate and pushed it aside. "I should have known you wanted something from me! It'll take a damned sight more than this to bribe me into accepting your presence!"
"I wasn't trying to bribe you," he said patiently, trying to catch hold of one of her hands. "I gave you that because I felt your hunger. I have the right to acknowledge our child as my son. I want to do that, so I need to be there when he's born."
She pulled away from him, attempting to turn back on her side so she could get out of the bed and away from him.
"You didn't want him, Brynne. You can't suddenly decide you want to be involved now, I won't have it! Your presence makes me tense. That's the last thing I need when I'm giving birth!"
He leaned forward, taking her by the arms and holding her still. "I admit it, I didn't want him, but neither did you at first. I'm not trying to take him from you, Vanna, I just want what I have a right to by law. Garras may be your mate, but he isn't the father of your child. I
will
have him Validated as my son, and I also want the right to visit him regularly. That's not a lot to ask, Vanna."
She felt vulnerable and trapped lying like this on her back. Her bulk meant that she had to lie on her side to get up, and pinned down like this, she felt like some shelled sea creature stranded upside down on the sand at low tide.
"He's a cub, Brynne," she said, staring unblinkingly up at him. "You want to be his father, then first you have to accept that he isn't a Human baby, he's a cub!"
Brynne released one of her arms to reach up and stroke her face. "Just like you," he said quietly. "I hope his pelt will be as soft as yours. He'll have to live with you on the estate, I know that. I'm not going to interfere between you and Garras. I only want it acknowledged that I'm his father, that's all. I won't let Garras claim him."
"I wouldn't let Garras claim him either! As far as I'm concerned, he's
my
son, no one else's! Go and find a Terran female with a child to play fathers with, because you're not doing it with mine!" She pushed his hand away and began twisting round again.
"If you do that, I'll have to approach Konis Aldatan as a judge and ask him to give me my rights," he said. "I don't want to do that, Vanna."
She froze. "You'd do that? You'd humiliate us all by doing that?"
"Only if you make me. Dammit, Vanna! Sending to Sara that day was stupid, yes, but I didn't meant to hurt either of you! And there hasn't been anyone else but you since then."
"I don't believe you."
"It's true nonetheless. Look," he said, helping her sit up again, "we got off to a bad start, mainly because of Esken."
"Hah! So you say! It was your attitude that you wouldn't be forced into a relationship with any female that caused the trouble!"
"I was also automatically enrolled into your military forces because of you! I'm stuck with a long-term job I would never have chosen myself, because
you
chose it," he said. "There've been mistakes and injuries on both sides, Vanna, we can't ever repair that, but we can at least reach an understanding, can't we? Be civilized about this?"
"Why should I trust you? You've given me no reason to so far. Even now you're threatening me to get your own way in something that involves
my
body!" This new solicitude made her suspicious.
"We've a lifetime ahead of us, Vanna, and there will be more cubs, we both know that. I don't want to spend all my life fighting you. We've wasted enough time doing that already. Let's call a truce. Please."
"You don't ask a lot, do you?" she said sarcastically. "You wait until my cub's almost due, and my Talent has shut down to protect him, then you ask me to trust you! I'll say it again, why should I?"
"Because I care about you and him! Are you happy now that I've admitted it?" he demanded, his hands tightening on her arms. "Dammit, I've fought it from the start, you're right, but I wasn't ready for the relationship I suddenly had with you. Yes, I cared— I still do. You excited me from the start— everything about you was so exotic, so sensual," he said, pulling her closer and laying his face against her cheek. "You've no idea what you did to me that night in the shower all those months ago!" He turned his head, his mouth seeking hers in a kiss.
She tried to push him away but he continued to hold her, breaking off for a moment to speak.
"Don't fight me, Vanna," he said quietly. "Just this once, forget our past, think only of now."
She tried to turn her head away from him. "Our Link day is over, Brynne. Let me go."
"I know it's over," he said, capturing her ear tip briefly yet gently between his teeth. "I don't want it to be. I want to make love to you, not be controlled by the Link." His mouth moved across her cheek in a series of tiny bites as he worked his way down to her throat.
Her body shocked her by responding to his touch.
"See?" he murmured as he released her and moved his hands to open her robe. "This isn't just the Link and you know it, too."
Clutching her robe tighter round herself she tried to push him away. "You've never sunk this low before, Brynne. I don't deserve this cruelty from you," she said, a catch in her voice. "I know how huge I am, there's no need to mock me!"
"Mock you? No, Vanna," he said, pulling back from her so she could see his face. "That's why there's not been anyone else. You've never looked more lovely than you do now." His hand touched her face gently. "My feelings are no different from those of your Sholan males when it comes to my pregnant lover."
Vanna's eyes suddenly overflowed with tears and as her hands went up to hide them, Brynne for once knew exactly what to do: he gathered her close, seducing her gently with words until they made love for the first time.

* * *

Kusac was surprised when the comm chimed. They'd only moved into their new house that morning. His mother must have had it relayed through their private line.
He activated the unit. "Sub-Commander Farak. What can I do for you?" he asked, sitting down at his desk comm.
"We'd like to recall you and your Leska to active duty, Liegen Aldatan," said the Forces officer. "We haven't received a medical report concerning your state of health or that of your Leska for several weeks now. Please report to the medical center at the Nazule Warrior Guild."
"I'm afraid it won't be possible for my mate to attend, sub-Commander," said Kusac, his tone one of model politeness. "She's pregnant and since our child was conceived under the rituals of En'Shalla, she's not obliged to submit to any medical examinations. I'll certainly take the medical, but you realize that with her pregnant, I cannot return to active duty."
"Pregnant?" The officer was taken aback by the news.
"That's correct. You'll appreciate I don't wish to go into details with you, but after the loss of our first cub, we're taking no chances with this one, which is what prompted us to ensure she would be En'Shalla."
"I'm afraid I can't comment on that, Liegen. If you would report as instructed, someone will be in touch with you regarding your mate. Thank you for your time."
The line went abruptly dead.
"Trouble?" asked Carrie, coming over to join him.
He gave a small laugh as he turned round to her. "I don't think so," he said. "Nothing for you to worry about, any-way. Have you and Taizia finished exploring the rest of the house?"
She nodded. "It's huge, Kusac. Almost as large as your parents'."
"It should be, considering this used to be a separate estate in its own right. It fell into disuse several generations back when our Clan was hit by an epidemic that cost many people their lives. Those still living here moved over to the main estate and this one was just abandoned. There wasn't enough people left to run both of them." He looked around the room. "Where's Taizia? Is she all right?"
"Yes, she's fine. Just tired. She got Meral to take her home."
Kusac reached out to take her hand, urging her closer. "Do you really like our new home?"
"It's beautiful. Our rooms are just unbelievable," she said, leaning against him. "Do you remember when I first saw the stars from the
Khalossa?
The ceiling in the bedroom reminds me of that."
"That's why I chose it."
"Kitra loved the nursery. She says she wished hers had been like that when she was little."
"When she was little?" Kusac laughed. "What does she think she is now?"
"Getting older, unless I'm very much mistaken," said Carrie. "Maybe it's mixing with Mara and the kitlings that's made her grow up, but I've certainly noticed her eyeing up the young males around here today."
Kusac frowned. "I'm sure you're mistaken. She couldn't be, she's just a baby still."
Carrie laughed. "You sound like my brother! You all take longer to admit that we've grown up, probably because it makes you suddenly feel older yourselves and you think you've got to look out for us even more!"
There was the briefest of knocks at the door, then Kitra scampered in. "Jack's here with Garras. They've finished scanning the hill. Shall I tell them to come up?"
"Please. Isn't it nearly time for second meal? Hadn't you better be heading home?"
"No. Zhala said I could stay," she said, coming over to the front of the desk. "Can I stay and listen to what they've found?"
Carrie frowned. "Who's Zhala, Kitra?"
"Your cook, of course! I've met all the house attendants, haven't you? Can I stay and listen to Jack and Garras?"
"Provided your mother agrees. Call her now on the comm in the downstairs den."
"Thanks, Carrie!"
"She doesn't seem any more adult to me," said Kusac, turning round to close the comm unit, letting it slide down into its desk recess.
"Did I tell you that, a few weeks back, Taizia and I had a chat about our species differences?" she asked, her tone light as she pulled a seat over to the desk.
Kusac was instantly on his feet, taking it from her. "I'll do that. I don't want you doing any lifting, cub."
With a tiny inward sigh, she stepped back, letting him move the chair. "I'm perfectly healthy, you know," she said. "Noni confirmed it only a few days ago. I don't want to be treated as if I'm ill."
"I know you're not," he said, arm round her shoulders as he drew her over to the chair. "I'm just looking after you, that's all. Now, what were you saying about Taizia?" He sat beside her, keeping hold of her hand as he gave her his full attention. "Species differences, you say? I didn't realize you still had problems with our culture."
"I don't, now. I just decided that being female and only having a male's understanding of your people isn't exactly helpful. So we swapped. I now have her female perspective, and she has my Human one to compare with. We can help each other more now, especially as she's continuing her studies in AlRel and wants to specialize in the Terran culture."
Kusac groaned, shutting his eyes and shaking his head as his ears dipped in partially genuine distress. "How could she do this to me? What have I done to upset her? She was bad enough on her own, but combined with you— I haven't got a chance now!"
"That's not a very nice attitude, Kusac. How would you like it if I said that because you'd shared knowledge with one of the Terran male telepaths?" She stopped, her face creasing in mock surprise. "You have! And you kept it from me! Kusac, how
could
you?" she asked, snatching her hand away from him.
"Like you, I thought it would help," he said, recapturing her hand. "I didn't go to a telepath, though. I went to Jack."
"Why Jack?"
"Um, well. He was married once and has family still on Keiss," he said, ears flicking in embarrassment. "I just thought ..."
"I know what you thought! At least I did it because of our cub!" she said. She wasn't angry, exactly, just disappointed.
"It wasn't much use anyway," he said. "I've come to the conclusion that the males of neither of our species understand their females." He sounded morose.
"Never mind," she said with a grin, reaching out to touch his cheek gently. "
We
understand
you,
so there's no problem!"
"Huh! I don't think I like that comment," he growled, leaning toward her. "Is that a Taizia or a Carrie remark?" He nipped her cheek softly before pulling her into an embrace.
"Both."
Then the door opened and Jack, followed by Garras, came in. "Looks like you were right, Carrie," he said, waving a roll of paper as he strode over to them. "There's extensive underground caverns and tunnels under that old monastery."
"Monastery?" said Kusac, letting her go with obvious reluctance and turning to face his desk. "I thought it was only a shrine."
"We got Ghyan to send us copies of the plans for the major temples of Vartra on Shola and compared them with the ground plan of the ruin. It follows the same general configuration as those and the temple at Valsgarth, all of which are monasteries," said Garras.
"Can we use the desk?" asked Jack, hovering at the end of it, his plans poised ready to unroll.
"Certainly," said Kusac, moving the few items on it to one side.
"Hold this end down, Carrie," Jack said, laying it on the surface and pushing the roll toward the other end.
Garras stopped by the coffee table to pick up a couple of books lying there. Coming over to Carrie, he handed her one. "Use that."
He waited till the plan was lying fully spread out then placed the remaining book at the other end.
"We used the comm to construct a hypothetical elevation from the readings," Jack said, pointing to the appropriate diagram. "You can see just how extensive it is when compared to the mid-section aerial view. The plans are to scale, by the way, with the base of the hill being just over half a mile in length. There's two large caverns, connected by sloping tunnels. Looks like it might have once been a mine of some kind."
"Crystal," said Carrie. "It was a crystal mine, for these." Reaching inside her tunic, she pulled out the ovoid eye of Vartra, set in a silver wire cage and suspended from a silver chain round her neck. "They carved them into ornaments, or ground them smooth and oval to use as eyes in statues of Vartra."
Diverted, Jack reached out to hold the crystal. "May I?" he asked.
She took it off and handed it to him.
He turned to face the window, holding it up to the light.
"Hmm. Nice," he said. "Obviously some kind of quartz." He turned back to the desk, handing her the crystal. "Our readings indicated the presence of large quantities of metal, mainly in the lower chamber. Probably the remains of some mine carts."
"What about entrances to this complex?" asked Kusac, aware that Kitra had just reentered the room.
"There are two. One was obviously through the monastery itself, the other was here, at the base of the hill. A north facing exit in line with this estate."
"This tunnel?" said Kusac, pointing to it on the map. "That's where we camped, Carrie. We've been there, Jack! In fact, we were staying in a small chamber about halfway along its length!"
"What's the rest of the tunnel like?" asked Garras, leaning over the desk to see the diagram better.
"Blocked off. A rock fall I believe. Not a recent one," he added. "I played there as a cub. I'd have remembered if there had been a cave-in."
"What about the top entrance?" asked Carrie.
"There's a short vertical shaft under what would likely have been the floor of an office or some such room. It leads as you can see, to a smaller chamber and a passage to the first of the large caverns. From there another leads down to the second cavern. The one that's on a level with the entrance tunnel."
"I'd say it's definitely been used as a concealed base," said Garras.
"We've two options," said Carrie. "Either we go in at the top from the ruins, or we extend the tunnel at the base of the hill. I think going in through the tunnel is likely to take less time and bring quicker results."
"Carrie, you're not going to be involved in this," warned Kusac. "I don't need to remind you what's at risk, do I?"
"Don't be ridiculous, Kusac, I've no intention of digging out the tunnel! What kind of idiot do you think I am?" she asked. "Here I am, surrounded by six foot males, all of them stronger than me. Why should I do any digging when I've got you?" She grinned up at him, then Garras. "I don't intend to take risks," she said more seriously, looking back at her mate, "but I do intend to be there with you. If I'm not, I'm more likely to get high blood pressure from being kept away, aren't I, Jack?"
"Ah, yes, there is that, Kusac," said Jack, keeping his gaze on the diagram. "If she doesn't do any lifting or digging, there's no reason she shouldn't come with us. This first bit, now, it's likely to be just digging through a rockslide. There's unlikely to be anything much hidden under those rocks. What we need is some heavy mining equipment."
"Most of the building machinery is still here on the main estate," said Kusac. "There are one or two devices I've seen them use for digging out foundations that might be of use to us. Some of the builders are estate members, non-telepathic clansfolk of ours. I'm sure they'd cooperate with us without reporting the extra labor to their guild."
"Can you see them about it today?" asked Carrie. "I'd like the work started as soon as possible."
"Why the rush?" asked Kusac. "I'm as intrigued as you as to what's actually there, but why do you feel such a need for urgency? Remember, Jack did warn us that this isn't an accurate view of what's inside the hill."
Carrie sat back in her seat, gathering her thoughts for a moment. "I'm convinced that this complex under the monastery is connected to Vartra. I
know
I've seen it in several of the replays, and I'm sure that Kaid's seen it too. If we're traveling back to those days, we need to know as much about them as we can find out. I think that a lot of the answers Raiban wants will be found inside this hill, including what the Valtegans were doing here."
"I'll be with you, Carrie," said Kitra, who during their conversation had worked her way round to her bond-sister's side. "I can make sure she doesn't do anything to lose the cub, Kusac. I'll help her."
Carrie couldn't help but grin as she put her hand up to stroke the youngling's head affectionately. "There you are, Kusac. With your sister to keep an eye on me, how could I possibly come to harm?"
"We'll see. I don't know which of you will be looking after the other! Well, Garras," said Kusac, looking over at him. "We're getting nearer to finding out one way or the other whether Vartra was a male like us, or a God."
"Hmm. I'll stick to my opinion a while yet," said Garras.
There was a knock on the door and Dzaka looked in. "Second meal's ready now, Liege," he said.
"We're on our way," Kusac said. "Can we keep these plans for the moment, Jack? I'd like to look them over in more detail later."
"Certainly. We've got them on my comm at the medical center. We can run off copies as we need them."
Kusac shifted the books off the ends of the document and began to roll it up. "I'll have a word with the builders later today and see if their machines can do what we want. We might even be able to make a start tomorrow." He opened the drawer in front of him, placing the plans in there.
As they went down, Carrie kept an eye on Kitra as she walked alongside Dzaka, deep in conversation with him.
"I didn't know you'd assigned him to the house," said Garras.
Carrie glanced up at him. "Still cautious, eh? You know he's been sworn to our Clan and Kusac, just like all the rest of you, Garras. He'll not betray us, believe me. There's too much of his father in him. We were monitoring him all the while Kusac was questioning him, and at the temple during his release from the Brotherhood Oath and taking the Oath of Allegiance to us. He still has problems to resolve, but none of them will affect his loyalty."
"You have to understand the nature of the relationship Kaid and I had up until I left Stronghold, Carrie," Garras said carefully. "Warriors, especially the Brothers, often work in pairs, close pairs. Your people have nothing comparable as far as I can tell, so it's difficult to explain. It was a relationship that was closer than brothers, sometimes closer than you'd be with a lover because our lives depended not only on the trust between us, but on knowing each other's mind. Given our Talents, Kaid and I, we fitted together like that— still do in fact."
He stopped talking for a minute or two, then looked at her again. "It hurt to discover he hadn't trusted me enough to tell me Dzaka was his son, just as it hurt when I thought I'd lose him the night Dzaka attacked him. I have to find my own way through this, Carrie, and I can't till I've spoken to him again— and that might never happen because he remained behind to ensure Dzaka escaped."