21
(Tharnday)
Tirry opened her eyes. It was only barely light. The room’s few windows had heavy curtains over them. This wasn’t her bedroom. Yet, she felt very safe.
The thin cloth covering her was very lightweight, but very warm. The hem at her neck was connected to a light hood, she could feel. She could smell Yewan’s scent as she realized it was his cloak which covered her. She followed the neckline to the clasp and felt the abári fringe. She smiled, smelling the cloak more, taking in his scent. She kissed it, knowing that the kiss would be against him soon enough. Maybe he could feel that.
Tirry realized that she had fallen asleep on the couch in the gathering room where they had been the previous evening. Had it been anywhere else, she might have felt embarrassed. But not here.
She sat up, pulling Yewan’s cloak around herself to ward off the morning chill. She loved feeling it around her, it was like he was with her, his arm around her. She realized she should stop this line of thinking while she was still alone, but it was hard, with his cloak around her.
Tirry got up, pulling Yewan’s cloak around herself again. She fastened the clasp and walked over to turn on the light. Then, she started cleaning up some of the things that had been left in a disarray the previous evening. Grateful that the room had a sink, she poured water to soak the few dishes that had been dirtied. She put fish and chips wrapping paper in the garbage. Then, she found a cloth, dampened it with a little soapy water and wiped the surfaces.
“You didn’t have to clean up,” she heard Yewan’s voice behind her.
Hastily she threw the cloth in the sink, then pulled his cloak off over her head, her cheeks burning as she did.
“It’s okay,” he said, approaching her. “It is chilly this morning. I didn’t adjust the heat last night. I’m sorry for that.” He took the cloak from her, but then put it back on her, smoothing it over her shoulders. “It suits you.”
“But you’ll be cold,” she replied.
“I’ll be fine once I get moving,” he said looking through a cupboard, pulling out a couple of boxes and bowls. He looked odd without his cloak.
“What do you guys do for breakfast around here?” Tirry asked.
“There’s cereal,” he said with a sheepish grin holding up the boxes.
“You need to hire a chef!” she said. “That’s no way to get your energy levels to a healthy start. You need some good protein!”
“Yes, Abári,” he said with a teasing grin.
She shot him a playful glare. She took off his cloak and handed it to him. “I’m warm enough now,” she insisted. “I’m used to the climate here.”
He chuckled, but put on his cloak. “Actually, the breakfast I cooked for us yesterday was the first cooked breakfast I’d had since being here,” Yewan said, opening the chiller for some orange jelip milk.
“Do you have any eggs or anything else worth cooking in this building?” Tirry asked.
“I don’t know if we even have a working oven. Did you make any notes about that yesterday?” he replied.
“I only noticed the kitchen next door. I guess that needs to be a high priority then if we’re to get Jenna and Tle-sun living here!”
“That one will be fixed today,” Yewan resolved. “This morning, you can have cereal with me, or you can go all the way back to your apartment to cook. What do you think?”
“I guess I’ll have cereal,” she said fighting the urge to giggle at him.
He served her a bowl and sat down with his own.
“What are your plans for today?” Yewan asked as they finished eating and other A’mara began drifting into the room.
“Well, with the elections over, it’s time for me to start designing our projects,” she explained. “I’m anxious to get started.”
“I’ve set up a holonet terminal in the library. Maybe that would work for you.” He led her down the corridor to the designated room.
Tirry looked around the room. The holonet terminal was in the middle of the room. “Yes, that would do nicely,” she said sitting down on the bench. “Maybe you would also like some thoughts as to the design of the inside of the Complex as well. If you would give me a list of what you need…”
“I would love to see your ideas on anything,” Yewan replied.
“What should I work on first?”
“Whatever is easiest and gives you some rest after all the hard work you’ve been doing,” he encouraged.
“I guess I’ll play with the rooftop first,” she decided. “Do you have all the relevant dimensions?”
“Over here,” he said grabbing a flyppaper from a box on the only shelf in the room. He handed it to her. It was a flyppaper with a diagram of the rooftop area.
“That’s brilliant!” she remarked.
“Do you need anything else?” he asked.
“No thanks. I should be good for awhile.”
“I’m just going to go and work on something. I will check in on you later,” Yewan said with a smile, then he left the room.
Tirry looked at the blank screen in front of her for a few minutes. She struggled to imagine what it would look like. Maybe she was just too tired after all the work and stress of the elections.
She blushed when she thought about Yewan catching her wearing his cloak earlier. She mused that he hadn’t been shocked the way she had expected. He had even put it back on her until his teasing quip calling her the abári prompted her to give it back ignoring the cold.
Tirry looked through some of the Irolean designs again looking for thoughts and inspiration. She also thought about the climate restrictions of Gaskarii. So many of the plants that made Irola wonderful would simply not tolerate the cold or the wind of her island. She would have to leave exotics for the atrium. This rooftop was meant to be open to the elements, not insulated against them.
Finally, she started planning some raised beds and small trees. Yet, she struggled with where the water feature should go. She wanted it to be just right as it would be the most elaborate part of the design – a place that should be refreshing and restorative.
Other Chapters of this set
Acting the Part - chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Building on Promise - Chapter 1
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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Brighid's Blood 2006 and 1200 B.T.C.E. Katja and Rachel are so desperate for love that they cast two love spells one night. But the Guardians do not consider spells "fun", but rather as cries for help from the very depths of your soul. Certainly Katja and Rachel could not have possibly imagined where these spells would take them! |
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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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Rebound of Power: 850 T.C.E. Collection of Romance Terrenden is being terrorized by a previously underestimated Neví who, through the mysterious “Curator,” have been controlling elections all over the planet. In this collection, we meet some interesting women. Iyva - a homeless teenager in Irola whose untrained power leaves her close to death; Marc’la - a breeder of prized caballus in Kasago whose heart lives in the past; Zukie - an abused widow whose heart is afraid to try for future happiness; Jenna - an elections assistant manager and masseuse who has a prejudice against A’mara; Kami - a chola student in Varkevand who has been assigned to protect Ardin, a man who has his own reasons to distrust A’mara. |
| COMING SOON | TO AN EBOOK STORE NEAR YOU!!! |
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Acting the Part - 851 T.C.E. Collection of Romance The Neví have infiltrated the Terrenden Freedom Party. Dr. Jarly is on the run and the Curator still dominates the Terrenden stage. Famous actor, Derick Aiden has released his Neví expose film and now the Neví want him dead... In this collection, we meet more interesting women. Kauri - a simple receptionist who doesn’t realize one of her wildest dreams has come true; Tirry - an elections manager who is always the bridesmaid and never the bride; Zara - a chef who has all but given up on finding love for herself; D'zani - who isn’t even looking, but has to chaperone her more vulnerable roommate; Soala - an heiress who is expected to marry, but refuses to marry someone she doesn’t love; Moxara - one whose past griefs have locked away her heart. We also get updates on some of the lovely ladies we met previously. |
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Lori Svensen
author/designer at A'mara Books
photographer/graphic artist for Viking Visual
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