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.“This is Kyza.” He didn’t bother to keep the pride out of his voice.Laura glanced at her and swallowed.“Your daughter.”“If I fail to protect my people from the humans, my daughter will pay the price for my negligence,” he continued.“Tell me, Mrs.Howard, what do you think I should do to protect her?”Laura took a deep breath and gazed down at her hands.“Take out the enemy leadership,” she said in a quiet voice.He nodded again, though with her head down, Marianne didn’t think Laura could see it.To Marianne’s eye, he looked sympathetic, but she knew what he was feeling.She wasn’t sure what the other woman would see, perceptive though she was for a human.“I – I need to think about this,” Laura said.“Of course.Take as much time as you require.You are welcome to remain here as long as you like.”Her mouth fell open.“I’m.welcome?”He smiled with genuine warmth.“Should you not be?”“We’re enemies—”“I am perhaps at odds with your government, but you are not my enemy, Mrs.Howard.You are a friend of my wife.”Laura drew a sharp breath and turned to Marianne.“You’re married?”“The Tolari equivalent,” Marianne answered.“They don’t have anything like human marriage, but bonding is for life.”“Beloved,” the Sural said, “I must go.” He came around the table and bent to briefly touch his forehead to hers.Then he strode out of the refectory, Kyza on his heels, scurrying to keep up.Storaas rose, gave Marianne a bow, and followed them.When they were gone, Laura looked back at Marianne with a thoughtful expression.“He really loves you,” she said.Marianne blinked.“You can tell?”“It’s obvious, isn’t it?”“Not to most humans, no.Nor even to most Tolari.He’s – well, he’s a different kettle of fish, really.”“He didn’t even hesitate when that horrible man went for you.” Laura shook her head.“Powerful men.They protect what’s theirs.”Marianne looked out the refectory door.“I’ve never seen the Sural like that.” She shivered, looking back at Laura.The older woman was past hunger.“The apothecaries said you hadn’t been harmed, but you were in that trunk at least a day.How long has it been since you’ve eaten?”Laura shrugged.“I’m not hungry.”“Yes, you are.How long?”She heaved a sigh.“I don’t know.”“So at least a day ago, probably more.God, Laura, you need to eat.Do you like spicy food?”Laura hiccupped a laugh.“Yes, I love it.”Marianne grinned and grabbed a grain roll from a trencher on the table.“Here, try this.If it’s too spicy for you, drink some tea with it.That cools the heat.”Laura took a small bite.She smiled.“Nice!” Then her eyes went huge.She gulped down some tea, trying not to laugh and cough at the same time.“Wow,” she wheezed.“Nuclear fusion.”“It did take me some years to get used to it.”In spite of the spiciness, Laura ate the entire roll – which was better than Marianne had been able to manage at her first meal on Tolar.“I don’t think that man was going to let me live,” Laura said when she slowed down.She paused and took a breath.“The Sural saved my life, didn’t he?”“In more ways than one,” Marianne said with a nod, and reached over to pat her hand.“You look tired.Let me show you to the guest wing.You look like you could use some rest.”Chapter EightAfter showing her how to work the controls in the bathing area and in the necessary, Marianne left Laura falling asleep in her new quarters and strolled through the garden in the early evening, restless after the eventful afternoon.Music floated on the air.She smiled and picked up her pace, hoping to find Thela in one of the gazebos.She was pleased to find the girl practicing, playing a technically demanding piece of music without using her gift.The man Marianne now knew to be Thela’s father was relaxing on a bench in the pavilion, listening.Marianne stopped a short distance away to listen.The man noticed her.Marianne gave him a smile and continued to listen, admiring Thela’s virtuosity.The climatologist left his place in the gazebo, starting down the steps to meet her.As he did so, his robe caught on – something, she couldn’t see what – and flared out behind him.“No!” she cried, as he turned awkwardly and tripped, twisting as he fell.Thela’s instrument dropped, shattering, as she lunged for him.Her father tumbled down the gazebo steps with a startled yelp, stopping when his head impacted the paving stones at the bottom.A soul-ripping pain blazed through Marianne, knocking the wind out of her and doubling her over.Thela screamed.“Apothecaries!” Marianne gasped at the nearest guard.She stumbled toward the spot where Thela’s father lay sprawled face up on the gazebo steps, staring sightlessly into the early evening sky.Blood pooled under his head.Thela threw herself across her father’s body.“Come back, Father, come back!” She grabbed one of his arms and shook him.Panic rolled around her.“Come back come back come back!”“Thela,” Marianne said in a soft voice.She put a hand on the girl’s shoulder to pull her away.Thela turned and threw her arms around Marianne, clinging to her waist and sobbing, her emotions surging.“Hush, child,” Marianne said, stroking her hair.“Hush.”Thela’s senses beat against her in wild panic.Without thinking, Marianne caught hold of them and wrapped them up with her own.The world faded away.Grief and loss coursed through Thela, searing Marianne’s heart in its intensity.She reached along the hurt and tried to calm it.She couldn’t blunt the pain, but Thela’s panic began to subside.She wrapped her arms around the girl, deep instinct guiding her.Thela needed her.Her embrace tightened.Mine now.Slowly, Thela began to relax.Marianne, though absorbed with soothing her, was nevertheless aware of the presence of others when help began to arrive.She grew wary.“There is nothing I can do for him,” said a voice, too close.Cena.Marianne’s jaw clamped.She would not allow anyone to disturb Thela now.Then a gentle probe came from Cena.She tightened her hold on the girl.The Sural’s presence approached.“How did this happen?” he asked, shock and grief coloring his voice
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