“Have they searched the outlying villages?”
“Niran said they’ve been checked already.The search parties are investigating the outer zones and taking another look at places they’ve already searched.”Gweneth glanced at him, and his feline sprang to attention, every one of his senses engaged by this sprite of a female, no matter how hard he tried to ignore her presence.“I presume they’ve talked to their friends and questioned their siblings.”
“Niran said they had.”
Ellard scanned the lake below, a clear and brilliant blue.“According to the instruments, the flight will take another forty mins.”
“Do we pass over those mountains?The storm seems to have settled there.”She peered at the instruments.“Do you think the weird colors are to do with the debris or something else?”
“No idea.I’m thinking it might be best to attempt to go around the storm rather than through it.Niran implied the ship would handle anything, but we’d still get tossed around.”
“I vote for your idea,” Gweneth said firmly.“We don’t want to lose contact with Ransom.With luck, another search team will find the missing Incorporeal people, and we’ll get a recall.”She paused.“Ellard, can I ask you something?”
His stomach turned with sudden foreboding.He shot her a glance, expecting to find her impish humor.Instead, he saw seriousness and the birth of a frown.“Yes?”
“None of the feline women seem to have ambition.All they talk about is mating with an eligible feline, and they complain about the dust from the rebuilding dirtying the hems of their dresses.I’ve tried to make friends with them, but they seem shallow and stupid.None of them has ever traveled off-planet.They can’t defend themselves.They haven’t known true hardship.Oh, they talk about the war, but they remained hidden in their homes with their families.Some of them attended the ball where the showdown occurred, but they didn’t have an active part in protecting the House of the Cat.Not like you and your friends.They have no interest in learning new things.When we were on theIndytogether, we were a family and did stuff together.Ry made sure to keep us as safe as possible, and that we understood how to defend ourselves.”
“You’re still a family.”He spoke nothing less than the truth because theIndycrew was a tight unit.And thanks to his brother and Jarlath, he’d become part of this group of strong felines.
“Things have changed now that Ry and Camryn have decided to use Viros as a base.While he hasn’t discovered any relations here on Viros, he and Camryn want to bring up their child amongst other felines.They want their child to know their heritage.I understand that.I do, but it means I have to build my life here because they’re my family.”
“That’s not true, Gweneth.In the short time you and your friends have been on Viros, we’ve followed several of your suggestions and recommendations.You must understand that after years of following tradition, this change, the need to keep up with our neighboring planets, has shocked many of our citizens.Some of them prefer the old ways where they lorded it over those of a lower position.There are still pockets of resistance who fight Lynx and Shiloh because they dislike change.”
Ellard scanned the instruments and, after seeing nothing out of place, continued with his thoughts.“This festival idea of yours, Gweneth.It’s brilliant.If you hadn’t crashed the council meeting, none of us would have come up with an idea of this scope.Not that I approved of the way you did it,” he added hastily in case she decided to repeat the action.
“That’s what I mean,” she said.“The older council members looked at me as if I had rocks in my head.They were shocked to the core that I dared to enter male territory.I don’t feel as if I fit any longer.I don’t fit anywhere.”
The forlorn note in her voice tore at him.His feline gave an uncharacteristic whine, and the human part of him wanted to offer comfort.“I understand.I do,” he said at her snort.“Things have been different for me too.Jarlath met Keira and fell in love.I knew Jarlath would mate.He had to since he stood first in line to the king until he stood aside for Lynx.I thought my job and my life would continue in the same way as my father’s.Then, I lost my arm, and Jarlath mated with Keira.Everything changed, and the life I enjoyed shifted.Don’t get me wrong.I like Keira, or at least I do now.I thought her a troublemaker at first.”
“I think you’re strong, Ellard.It can’t have been easy losing a limb.I admire the way you haven’t let it stop you from doing anything.You still train.You’re still a bodyguard and train the younger soldiers.”
A laugh escaped him, unbidden yet truthful and from the gut.“When I realized Jarlath had let them cut off my arm, I wanted to die.I found it difficult to accept.My anger fueled me for a time.”And at himself for letting the enemy have entry to the castle.
“But you’re okay now?”
“Jarlath is my best friend.We grew up together.Once I calmed down and asked myself what I would have done under the same circumstances, I knew Jarlath didn’t have an alternative.I would have made the same decision if I had needed to make it for him.Jarlath gave me a chance to live, and that’s what I need to do.”Ellard heard his own words, and they struck him.He wasn’t truly living, not if he decided to run from Gweneth.His feline liked her, wanted her.Maybe he should take this chance and embrace the possibilities, consider promises and final decisions later.But like Gweneth, he could enjoy life more, try new things, and savor new opportunities.
For some time, he’d been aware of a restlessness.
“Have you thought about what you do want?”
“My friend, Olivia, wanted me to stay with her on Slyvia.Ry and Camryn said they’d let me if Kaya’s brother agreed, but I’m a feline.Ry’s need to find his roots resonated with me.I decided to stay with what I knew rather than leap into adventure like Olivia.She’s much braver than me.”
“Where did you meet Olivia?”
“Amme—she used to be my nanny and my companion when I grew older.She married Olivia’s brother and stayed on Earth.That’s where I met Olivia.I want a chance to grow into myself.”She shrugged and gave a self-conscious laugh.“That probably doesn’t make sense to you.”
But once again, her words paralleled thoughts he’d never had the courage to voice.“It does make sense.This assignment to visit the dragon shifters of Narenda is a start.You’re meeting beings of different species.They like you.You’re good with them.You suggested the festival, and you’re taking a huge part in the organization.I’d say you’ve already started growing into yourself and becoming your own woman.Just be yourself,” he ended in a rush.Aware he drifted into territory too intimate, if he wished to stay away from Gweneth, he turned his attention to the instruments.Everything normal.
“Nanu will wet himself when he sees depictions of this ship.Maybe I should take inside depictions too.”Gweneth picked up her device and aimed it at him.Her device clicked and she pointed it elsewhere, repeating the action.
“What do you mean?Wet himself?”
Gweneth placed her device on her lap, her green eyes twinkling with mischief.One quick glance had his feline reacting with a purr.He liked her in this mood, even if it did raise his suspicions.
“It means he will be envious.More Earth speak, I’m afraid.”She sighed.“We had such a good holiday on Earth.I miss Amme, but she is happy with Marcus.”
“Tell me about your holiday.Why do you like Earth so much?”
