Mostly, though, she enjoyed the freedom even though she and Eluheed couldn't leave the village yet. They didn't have cars, and she didn't know how to drive.
In fact, just the idea of driving was panic-inducing.
After five thousand years of living a certain way, change was difficult. It was frightening. It was nearly paralyzing.
As they crossed the bridge to the section of the village where Kalugal lived, the architectural style changed to more modern, and Tamira noticed security cameras that were visible on some of the properties.
"Kalugal's section of the village is a separate compound within the larger community," Eluheed commented. "It feels a little less welcoming." He turned to her. "Is it just me, or do you get the same impression?"
"I agree. The style of the homes in the rest of the village is warmer. Perhaps because it's more traditional. I was never a fan of contemporary architecture unless it was for modern art museums and office buildings. I prefer the warmer tones, front porches, and flowerbeds."
The map led them to a house that didn't look much different from the others except for a really tall, red front door. Tamira pressed the intercom button, and a moment later, the red door swung open.
"Welcome." Kalugal grinned at them. "Please come in."
He was such an unmistakable mix of his mother and father that she didn't need him to introduce himself to know who he was. He had Areana's eyes and Navuh's hair and skin color. The confidence was Navuh's as well, but there was an aspect that was uniquely Kalugal's, and that was the humor that somehow radiated from him even though he hadn't said anything humorous yet. Kalugal just seemed like the type who didn't take anything seriously.
"Thank you." She stepped inside with Eluheed by her side.
The first thing Tamira realized upon entering was that the modest exterior was a façade, and most of the house was built underground.
They descended a wide staircase into an enormous open-plan living area with soaring ceilings and elegant furnishings, but what struck her the most were the skylights. They were huge panels of glass set into the ceiling that flooded the room with natural light.
"This is ingenious," she breathed.
Kalugal smiled, looking proud. "Thank you. I designed it myself, with some help from the clan's architect. We were limited in regard to the aboveground square footage and building height, so we opted to build most of the structure underground, but we didn't want to live in a bunker, so the skylights were a perfect solution."
Kalugal gestured toward a seating area arranged around a fireplace that wasn't lit. "Please, make yourselves comfortable. I'll get Jacki."
He disappeared down a hallway, and Tamira and Eluheed settled onto a plush sofa. The leather was soft, the cushionsperfectly supportive. Everything in this room spoke of wealth and taste, but also of comfort. It was a home and a showpiece at the same time, which was not an easy feat to pull off.
A moment later, Kalugal returned with a tall, blond woman with blue eyes and a friendly smile. She carried a baby on her hip, a chubby-cheeked, serious little boy who regarded the visitors with solemn curiosity.
"This is my wife, Jacki," Kalugal said. "And our son, Darius."
"It's so nice to meet you." Jacki shifted the baby to shake Tamira's hand, then Eluheed's. "I've heard a lot about both of you. Can I get you something to drink? Coffee? Tea? Something stronger?"
"Coffee would be lovely," Tamira said, even though they'd just had some at the café.
"Same for me," Eluheed said.
Jacki handed the baby to his father and headed toward a bar that apparently housed a coffee station in addition to an impressive collection of spirits.
The baby watched them with curious eyes.
"He's beautiful," Tamira said to Kalugal. "How old is he?"
"Just over a year." Kalugal's expression softened when he spoke about his son. "He's starting to walk now, which means we can't take our eyes off him for a second. He gets into everything."
"They do at that age." The words came out before Tamira could stop them, and a familiar ache bloomed in her chest. She'd never seen Darien take his first steps. She'd never seen him doanything. He'd been taken from her when he was only a few days over three months old.
Kalugal sat on one of the armchairs and sat his son on his knee, bouncing him lightly. "You wanted to talk about Darien."
"Yes." Tamira clasped her hands in her lap. "I know nothing about him. Not even what he looks like, except that he resembles me." She turned to Eluheed. "My partner, Elias, is a shaman, and he can summon visions. He saw Darien and me walking hand in hand in a place called Times Square, and he said that he knew it was my son because he looked like me."
"The vision is why we have hope that he can be found," Eluheed added.
Kalugal nodded. "The resemblance is uncanny." He paused, and then his face brightened. "I might have a picture of him."
