She leaned into him, wrapping her hands around his waist to give him a hug. She had wanted adventure, wanted to be a bride, and had always known it would not be easy. “I see you, but may I go and talk to her?”
The question pleased him.
She liked that look on his face. The soft expression in his eyes. The small smile. He was hard and strong in every way, even that first day when he took care of her, his eyes burning with concern and worry as she wept in his arms, when she tried to drink too much of the fermented milk in the red bladder, and when he rescued her from the hungries. But she saw something different there now. Since that afternoon. Some of his intensity had become less desperate.
He knew that she saw him now.
And she knew he saw her.
And Anna liked that very much.
Before she left Doku-ni’s side, Lurann and two of the Orki with her approached. The other males lifted their hands, motioning to Doku-ni, and when he answered them with words, a conversation in their language erupted so fast that Anna lost the thread of it quickly.
Not that it mattered. Standing in front of her, wearing shiny aquamarine cloth cut as simply as a nightshirt, slits up the sides to her waist and a distinctive pendant and chain, Lurann smiled. “I am so glad you are okay. You were right. I didn’t need to be afraid of the Orki.”
Taking Anna by the shoulders, she did something she had never done, pulled her close into a warm, friendly hug. Between them, the pendant with a red eye center grew strangely warm. Anna a tingle stung her chest. She jerked away.
“Oh, sorry,” Lurann’s smile faded in disappointment and a shadow dropped over her eyes like a veil. That was the face that she often showed everyone. That was the woman Anna was most familiar with.
She hastened with an explanation, not wanting this woman to be hurt anymore. “Oh no, it's your necklace. It was warm and I think it shocked me.” Silver with delicate, engraved designs, the necklace the centerpiece of the necklace glowed red, like the red face of the Father Moon. Big enough to fill Anna's palm, it was only mildly warm from the heat of Lurann’s body, as if Anna imagined the entire thing.
Lurann laughed. “Oh, you feel it too? Eid gave it to me. She said it would honor her if I wore it. Something about collecting information and stories from the Orki that were not connected to wargs. It is strange. But I do feel honored to wear it. It’s not half as heavy as it looks.”
“Eid gave it to you? Where was she hiding it? In that chair?”
Lurann laughed lightly, not a giggle but a low, feminine sound. “She said she was taking care of you when I asked. That machine is so smart compared to the one in the schoolroom. Almost real. I kept waiting for someone to appear.”
“There must be more than one room? I was in that blue room for weeks.”
“This place is amazing. I never imagined anything like this could exist. There is another of these community fires. Huge. Although the other one is longer. It once had a different purpose. I couldn't believe it when Eid told me that she was the remains of a satellite spaceship. You know I didn't study much in school. I had to have her look it up and explain to me what a satellite spaceship was. I felt like such a fool. This kind of technology is why our family left the steel cities. My father felt like he was always being watched. He would have hated Eid.”
Lurann continued, answering a question Anna hadn’t asked, “And, oh moons, yes! I thought the Orki Originals lived in caves, just like everyone did. Everyone but you and your father. Your father was my temporary teacher for a while—between teachers. One was going back to the steel cities and one was coming down through the mountains, and your father filled the gap. He was one of the kindest men I knew. I remember you as a girl, you loved school. I bet you will learn so much from Eid.”
The words came out of her as if she were nervous. And Anna could not understand why the beautiful woman would be nervous. As if one of the Orki heard it in her voice, without missing a beat of his conversation Doku-ni and the other, he took her hand.
Noticing Anna follow the action, Lurann said again, “You’re right about the Orki. I was so silly. They saved us. They saved me.”
Anna watched her calm visibly. “They did. And Eid healed me, in that chair of hers. Did you use that chair? I haven’t seen much. I am afraid I will get lost.”
“You’re a redress bride now. Your Orki’s duty is to you and the nest you build together. He won’t leave you alone to get lost.”
“How do you know that?”
“I had a long talk with Eid. But you haven’t met the other women. There are not very many… but some of them, when they told me who they are and how long they have lived here. I couldn’t believe it.”
“I'm sorry about the raiders. I don't know what happened to you, but it must have been terrible. Other women died, but you survived. You protected me and were able to keep a couple of the younger women out of their hands. How did you do it?”
“I couldn't do more. They wouldn't listen to me. They fought until the raiders knocked them out or killed them. I still hear Bess screaming.” She evaded the question, eyes growing dark with unshed tears.
“You are the only one who did anything. I was helpless. No ideas. Run and be cut down, stay and be raped. So much cruelty. I didn’t know people like this existed.” Anna flinched still to think how she did nothing, frozen, caught up in the malicious currents of the strangers, drowning it in indecision.
Lurann said, “Your family is gentle, compared to some. We didn't come to the Peace River Valley until I was a little older, you remember? My father and mother liked this place because nobody cared about our business. As long as ugly things happened behind closed doors, nobody cared. I always felt sorry for you. Nobody knew about my life. It only mattered how many men talked to me and not to them. But they gave you a curse you hadn't earned. I would have left that place if not for your brother.”
“You must have cared for him more than I ever knew or gave you credit for,” Anna said.
“He was my everything.” Holding an Orki’s hand, the conviction in this statement left no room for argument. “And I think you found your love.”
“He found me. He is my heart. I thought I lost him.” Anna smiled.
