14
(Silnaday)
Palerma, Tephsa – A’mara Complex
The morning light lit Kauri’s face as she awoke on the couch, a blanket over her.
“You weren’t kidding that you were tired from all the dancing,” Kanesh said giving her a mug of caff to help get her going. “We had storms all night too – you didn’t wake once.”
“That’s probably why I slept so well then. I sleep through storms like a lullaby,” Kauri replied, taking the mug gratefully. “Thank you.”
“I, on the other hand...” he drifted off with a sleepy smile, holding her flyppad.
“How much did you read?!” Kauri demanded.
“I was bored,” Kanesh said shrugging. “I couldn’t sleep, you couldn’t talk, so I got distracted by your wonderful storytelling! My favorite so far is ‘Courage.’ I’d love to make a film on that one.”
Kauri blushed. “I can’t believe you read that! I’ve never shared that one with anyone – I am so embarrassed!” She was alternating between anger and embarrassment and even a dose of relief.
“Kauri. You are only writing about life. Affairs happen in real life. Love happens in real life. Steam happens… even bad steam happens,” Kanesh said softly. “The best romance leads to steam – that’s the way of things. You know my films – you know I write about real life.”
Kauri nodded. She had mixed feelings. This amazing and lovable movie writer liked her work. “It just fights against my Silatian upbringing. We’re supposed to be above our animal nature, my mother always told me.”
“But we have that animal nature at our very core. There would be few children in the world if that were not true,” Kanesh replied. “Do you want to go down for breakfast or shall we eat here?”
“Let’s eat here. Though I could use some bacon, I think.”
“My dancer needs plenty of protein!” Kanesh said, putting some bacon onto a grill pan. “How are your legs feeling this morning?”
Kauri stood and tried a couple of steps. “They seem to be good. That oil the stella gave me really worked a treat!”
“Good. We have the trainer coming later. We need to practice the basic steps first. Hopefully, he won’t have to correct too much – I’d like to think I’ve been an okay teacher!” Kanesh said.
“I hope so too!” Kauri said nervously.
“For what it’s worth, I think you’ve got the basic steps down very well,” Kanesh said.
“Thank you,” Kauri said smiling at him.
“But there’s going to be some harder steps to learn now. That’s the trainer’s job. He can get you aerial.”
“What?!” Kauri protested, nearly spitting out her caff. She stood looking out their window at the street below, busy with shoppers keen to get an early deal at the market. Kanesh couldn’t mean what she had heard come from his mouth!
“You're meant to be good enough to win the Terrenden competition. You have to go aerial!” Kanesh explained, joining her at the window.
“When I said I would dance, I had no intention of my feet leaving the ground!” Kauri complained, moving away.
Kanesh caught her arm and looked at her close. He lowered his voice. “Look, you are good enough to look that good on the screen. Trust me on this,” he said, stroking her arm soothingly.
Kauri felt slightly confused. She loved him being so close to her, but he expected such wild things from her. “It's one thing practicing with you,” she finally said. “But what's it going to be like when I'm working with Derick? It's going to take some getting used to, to dance like that with another partner.”
“You'll be fine,” Kanesh said. “Trust me on this too. The trainer will get you airborne and you'll love it, I promise.”
Kauri shrugged and shook her head. “I don't know. I'll try it – for you. But please don't make me feel bad if I can't do it.”
“I promise to not make you feel bad,” Kanesh said, giving her a hug. “Thank you for trying. I believe in you.”
Irola – Balan Center
Fashi slammed his fist on his desk again. “I am tired of waiting! I am tired of the Curator knowing everything before me! I am tired of not being able to make the moves that I know we need to make! Aiden must die and we know where he is! Yet, the Curator wants to play this stupid game to find out who his informant is!”
“Darling, I think the Curator is right on this one. Sure, we could take out Aiden now, but if we discover his informant first, we can take them both out at once. Let’s not be too hasty.”
“I’m not doing anything, Belmara! That’s why I’m so angry – I’m tired of waiting! Yes, I know the Curator is right, but I don’t have to be happy about it!” Fashi slammed his fist again, but hit something under a pile of flyppaper. Something that didn’t feel familiar… He moved things around until he found it. “Is this yours?” he asked Belmara.
She looked at it. “My PCS link is on me. I don’t have another.”
“Then whose is it?” Fashi wondered. “It has been left on – monitor mode.” A bad feeling seeped through him.
“Don’t turn it off yet. Hand it to me, the leya imprint won’t elude me,” Belmara requested.
Fashi did so. He watched as information flashed across Belmara’s face.
She turned it off before reporting her information. “Zilan is in Towani City with his student. He’s been listening to everything we’ve said these past few weeks!”
“I guess we know where he went after leaving Irola,” Fashi mused.
“His leya imprint – that’s the one I felt in the sparring room when we got here. I think he’s training Zarkonn’s missing student,” Belmara considered.
“Report to Curator?” Fashi asked.
“Yes, I think we have enough information to get her to issue the Death Edict on Zilan and his student. Then, we’ll activate the Towani cell. It’s time for the traitors to die.”
Towani City, Towani
“So, what next?” Iyva asked, slightly worried.
“I think it’s time to leave again,” Zilan said with a sigh. “I did wonder that it took them that long to discover the PCS link!” He laughed in spite of their current danger.
“Where will we go next?” Iyva asked.
“I guess it depends on which ships leave tomorrow.”
“So quickly?” Iyva asked.
“That feels slow, actually,” Zilan replied. “They know which city we’re in now. Their links will know where we are pretty quickly. Those guys won’t take long to figure out where we’re hiding. The only thing in our favor is that this place is filled with leya-dampeners to keep others from feeling their activities in here. So, that means we leave tonight, or tomorrow night – no later for sure. Let me check out the ship schedules.”
Zilan used his PCS link to access the holonet. The display projected onto the wall beside them.
“That’s a pretty cool device,” Iyva said.
“It’s very useful in times like this.” Zilan used his mind to navigate. “I should make you practice.”
“It’s okay. I still find it amazing just to watch.”
Zilan smiled and kissed her. “You are good for me. I hope I can be of some good to you in return.”
“I still feel that I’m in debt to you,” she replied. “You have taught me so much!”
He kissed her again.
“Ships..,” he reminded himself. “We’ve missed everything today… Tomorrow, Silnaday… it’s dead quiet at the port. Vasanaday, there is an early ship to Joton. Yes, I think that will do quite nicely. It’s time for you to take your shaze skills to the next level.”
“What, there are people who know more than you?!” she asked incredulously.
“You honor me more than I deserve,” he said with a grin. “But yes, there are many who are far better than I, and most of them live in Kri’enden!”
Other Chapters of this set
Acting the Part - chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Building on Promise - Chapter 1
Acting the Part, part 2 - Chapter 10
Maps and Guides
- continents of Alacantis and Kranisis (five maps)
- continent of Almara (five maps)
- countries of Kri'enden and Yezi'im (four maps plus "other places")
- characters, pronunciation and glossary
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Birth of the Neví 829 T.C.E. It is a tumultuous period of Terrenden history. As is all too common, there are those who wish to profit from the misfortune of others. Some of these come together in a new "charitable organization" and step on the toes of the notorious Uugli. Combine this with draconian new measures to combat pollution and Terrenden has a situation ripe for a power struggle. |
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Lori Svensen
author/designer at A'mara Books
photographer/graphic artist for Viking Visual
verified author on Goodreads
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