“It has been regenerated.Your eyes are dark green once again.”
“Dang.I kind of enjoyed the red.”She twisted her lips a little.“Is there a mirror around?”
“Let me check.”
He looked around and found a mirror for her.He held it up, and she stared.The woman from her picture in Thorassen was there, aside from the bald head.
She ran her fingers over her head and sighed.“I just got the right products for it.”
“Salat’s lady said you have to put on a few pounds before she can help you with your hair.Your fat layer sloughed off.”
“Oh.Charming.”
“Hm.You have visitors.They are eager to see you.”
“Oh, uh, sure.”
She made sure her gown was in place, and it covered everything.“You can let them in.”
He nodded and left for a moment, and then he returned with a much older couple, clinging to each other.
Ival smiled.“Nandy?Gravva?”
The couple burst into tears and walked to her, clutching her hands and hugging her.Nothing happened.She said softly, “You always had the best hugs.”
The elders both sobbed against her, their tears registering on her skin.They started to tell her that they never stopped looking, that they disowned their other son and his family, and that her mother didn’t commit suicide.Her aunt had held her under the ritual bath.Ival’s mother had been very petite.A perfect omega.
“Mishana confessed when questioned, and the details were unveiled with a minder.He has crafted a complete report.His child’s mother is Uraddan.”
She smiled.“Sorooth does good work.”
Her grandmother smiled.“You know him?”
“Kessie’s mother is a friend.As are Kessie’s aunties.”She paused and looked at Riimal.“Do you know if Hemma was all right?”
He smiled.“She made it, recovered, and sang at the celebration.You can probably see the streams.The Uraddan festival has now been declared an annual event.”
“Oh, good.I might get to see one someday.”She sighed.“All that work and I didn’t even see it.That sucks.”
She looked at her grandparents.“Did you have business in town?”
They looked at her in shock.Her grandmother said, “You.You are the business we are in town for.”
“Thank you.I have had more contact with living people today than I have since I was fighting for my life.”
Riimal froze.“Really?”
“Yeah.Zephyr got me out of there because no one looks for corpses.It was a few rounds after you.”
Her grandparents turned to him.Riimal looked embarrassed.
“Oh, you didn’t tell them.It’s not a big deal.After my husband died, my mother-in-law threw me out on the day of the memorial.She sold me back to Uradda.Just like Uncle did, but this time, I wasn’t a child.I was an adult with an activation, and they put me under intense stress to make the activation more aggressive.That is how I met the sand dragon.I was thrown into a pit to try to kill him.It was quite the fight.”
Riimal touched her arm and then reached up and rubbed the mark.It made her feel warm and relaxed.“That is where the beast marked her.He’s known she was out there all this time, but I thought we killed her.”
She looked at him and gave him a serious expression.She didn’t say that he had killed her, but he nodded slightly.“Anyway, I was used as a fighter for a few more months, and then I disappeared, healed as much as I could, and looked...well, I am sure that Riithan showed you my scarred-up face.”
They nodded, and her grandmother cried again.Her grandfather looked like he wanted to punch someone.
