She nodded. “I can keep a secret.” She paused and frowned before asking, “Would the authorities even think of questioning me, a lowly and stupid female?”
“They might not, but Zul will not take that chance,” Bran said. “If everything goes wrong and we do not effect the change we desire?—”
“And what change is that, exactly?” she interrupted.
Bran hesitated. Gil’s lips remained pressed in a thin line. So, Zul answered her with blunt candor: “A new Council Supreme.”
Ursula nodded with surprising equanimity. “Treason then.”
“I expected more of a reaction,” Gil finally commented.
Ursula shrugged. “The country I’m from basically came into being as a sovereign nation due to treason. The USA rebelled against England over the issue of taxation without representation.” She glared at the two males standing before her. “And I’ll be extremely disappointed in you both if you succeed in your aims and don’t work to grant women some God-given rights.”
The three males again exchanged speaking glances.
“If we fail,” Bran said, his tone measured, “then you and Crow will go with Zul. He will protect you.”
Ursula nodded, understanding that if they failed they would face execution for their crimes.
“You’re brave,” Zul complimented her after Bran and Gil hugged and kissed her and Crow.
“Not really,” Ursula said as she watched them climb into the brick-shaped conveyance that defied all laws of physics and would fly them to the Urib version of a subway which would then propel the conveyance to the capital at high speed. “But I know they’re doing what they think is right and just, so Imustsupport them. The Council Supreme is corrupt and needs to be replaced—preferably on a regular basis.”
Zul stared at her. What strange philosophy was this?
Turning toward him as the vehicle lifted from the ground and rose with ponderous grace into the sky, Ursula correctly interpreted his expression and said, “In my homeland, citizens vote for our political leaders. It’s a civic duty, although no one is compelled to exercise that duty. I feel obligated because a lot of women suffered and even died to earn me that legal right to vote. I hope to see women acquire such political suffrage in my lifetime here on Uribern.”
Zul blinked in astonishment. “Women—females… did what? Protested? Rebelled against the natural order?”
His mate sighed and decided a short history lesson was in order. “A century before I was born, women had few, if any, rights. Only under certain specific circumstances could women own property: they were, in essence, chattel themselves. Women even ceased to exist as legal entities upon marriage and only became legal entities again when widowed.” She paused at Zul’s puzzled expression and forebore to give him a much-abridged summary history of Western civilization and political philosophy. “Regardless, women comprised half the population and had no say in the laws affecting them. Thousands of women protested and lobbied until they were finally granted the right to vote. That was just the first step.”
“First step?” Zul echoed in awe of the ferocity of human females. “There’s more?”
Ursula gave him a grim smile. “Oh, yeah, there’s more. A lot more.”
He shook his head. “No wonder you are so fierce.”
She smiled at him. “And I hope you appreciate it.”
He nodded, fearing her reaction if he expressed disapproval. Truly, he thought, I need to read more about my mate’s people and their history.
“Let’s go in, Mama,” Crow whined, pressing his face against her leg.
Ursula dropped into a squat and wrapped her arms around her son, knowing he was sad, knowing he did not understand why his fathers were leaving again. “Shall we play in the courtyard, sweetie?”
The boy sighed, sniffled, and shook his head. “Don’t wanna.”
“All right,” she said, rubbing his back. “How about we go to the library? I’ll read you your favorite stories, and we’ll get Suvesh to bring us some hot cocoa?”
Crow perked up. “With marshmallows?”
She smiled tenderly at him. “Is there any other way?”
He shook his head. “Nope.”
“Marshmallows?” Zul parroted, wondering what they were talking about.
Rising to her full height which was much shorter than Zul’s, Ursula took his hand in hers and said, “Let me introduce you to one of the seven wonders of the universe: hot cocoa.”
