Page 61 of Dark Destiny: The Turning Of The Loom

He and Gertrude went out, and the room was quiet except for the beeping, which had settled back into a slow, unhurried rhythm.

She lay there, listening to her own heartbeats coming at her from the machine and from her own body.

She could hear them even without the machine.

Incredible.

The door cracked open again, and Tomek came through, his new computer clutched to his chest. Yaaf followed him in, and behind Yaaf, her mother stood in the doorway, eyes red-rimmed and lips pressed into a line that was trying very hard not to tremble.

"Mother, why are you crying?"

"You look terrible," Leehy said. "Your hair is stuck to your head."

Sullha lifted her hand and smoothed it over her hair. "I've been sweating out a fever for twenty-some hours. What did you expect?"

"Just for you to wake up." Her mother's chin wobbled, and she turned toward the sink, took a paper towel from the dispenser, and soaked it with water. "Let me at least wipe your face so you'll feel better."

Sullha wanted to say that she was fine and that wiping her face with a wet paper towel wouldn't make her feel better, but she realized her mother needed to do something to feel useful.

"That would be nice. I feel all sticky."

Leehy came over and began to wipe Sullha's face, her forehead, her cheeks, and the side of her neck. "There. Much better."

Tomek waited until Leehy stepped back, then approached the bed with the laptop Vrog had given him. Its lid was decorated with the stickers he'd collected from cereal boxes, and he hadn't decided where to use them until now.

"I brought my computer," he said. "So I can keep playing while I watch you. Yaaf said we're taking turns, and it's my turn now."

She looked up at Yaaf over his head.

He shrugged and smiled.

She looked back at her son. "That's very sensible. I'm glad you're enjoying playing with the computer."

Yaaf hoisted the boy onto the bed so he could sit next to his mama, then he sat back in his chair again.

Leehy pulled out a stool on her other side, sat down, and watched her family.

A sense of contentment settled over Sullha, and she let her eyes drift closed.

"Mama? Are you sleeping again?"

"No, sweetheart." She opened her eyes and smiled at him. "I'm just resting a little."

24

ANNANI

The box was too large for Ogidu to carry comfortably or even to see where he was going from behind it, but he refused to take the cart just to deliver it to Alena's house, which was only five minutes away on foot.

"I do not need to see, Clan Mother. My feet know the way."

Khiann stifled a chuckle, and Annani shrugged. "There is no point in arguing with him."

"Like someone else I know," Khiann murmured.

She lifted a brow. "Are you complaining?"

"Not at all." He reached for her hand, matching his chair's speed to her steps. "Tell me again who is going to be there."