Pawn of the Neví - Chapter 16 - A'mara Books

16

(Fenjaday, cont.)

Ilim City – Rundown House

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“So, what’s your plan, Viper?” Uana asked.

Saara sat in the crook of Viper’s arm on the loveseat. She looked at the woman critically, noticing the extra leya imprint.

“Yes, she is,” Viper replied aloud to her thoughts. “She has been commended for her proactive choices to benefit our organization.”

“Which is what?”

“Soon. You are not ready to know yet,” he insisted into her ear. He applied several kisses at the same time. “You will be ready soon,” he promised in a whisper.

“When you’re done with the romantics,” Uana said irritably. “I have plans… What are yours?”

“We’ll keep the hostage for awhile,” Viper said with a shrug.

“Why did you take her in the first place?” Uana asked.

“She was following me,” Saara informed. “I couldn’t get her to stop. She runs faster than I, especially when I’m carrying things.”

“So, I came to Saara’s rescue and took her friend. She’s upstairs now,” Viper explained.

“Where she can hear us?” Uana challenged.

“I’m not stupid, #7!” he retorted loudly. “The room has been leya-dampened and magna-sealed. Jerreck Mastin couldn’t get out!”

Saara’s mind reeled. Numbers?

“Just because I’m one above you?” Uana snapped back angrily. Uana glanced at Saara, then back to Viper. “Is she trustworthy?”

“I’m pretty sure...”

“Not good enough! We’ll discuss plans further when you are certain!” Uana said, storming out.

“You can trust me!” Saara insisted.

“You have done everything I have asked of you, this is very true,” Viper said.

Saara felt the ‘but’ coming…

“But I need a little more from you before I can meet Uana’s expectations.”

“What more?” she asked.

“Not now,” he said, hushing her, then meeting her lips. “I owe you something, after all. I promised to spoil you a bit today. Is your friend all settled?”

“She’s not my friend,” Saara retorted. “But yes, she has everything she could want within the confines of her room.”

“Good. Let’s go do something fun together,” he said lifting her to her feet.

♥

A’mara Complex

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Lunchtime came and went. Andrian couldn’t bring himself to go to the dining room.

Her absence was tearing at his heart, he knew. Andrian cursed his slowness again. Maybe if he’d recognized her love for him sooner she would have listened to him and not gone after Saara. Maybe she would be safely in his arms now instead of wherever she was.

Yerdua morality wasn’t something people talked about in polite conversation. He started to fear that they would do something terrible to Lidzi. Even now, he knew he would do something terrible to anyone who hurt her! Yewan’s words, while encouraging, had made things worse. He didn’t want to live without Lidzi. Flypp it!

A dozen devices had been found in all. Even Ryonis had smiled knowingly when the one in the sparring room had been found. “She’s always been uncommonly good with the shaze,” the abári had said. “I even specially ordered that robot for her to spar against.”

“With all respect, abári,” Yewan had countered. “A robot isn’t the same thing as a live trainer. Sounds like she needed a Kri’enden master to train her further. Maybe she got bored and found a new maqla – someone who could train her.”

“This is Varkevand. Not Kri’enden,” Ryonis had argued back. “High level shaze training has never been needed.”

“She might have trained into a good instructor,” Yewan had retorted. “Now, she is gone, most likely.”

“Even if she returns, I have to give her a disciplinary tribunal. Given what we have seen, it is unlikely she would be allowed to remain in the Complex,” Ryonis had concluded.

Andrian wandered the Complex, almost aimlessly. But when he realized he was outside Lidzi’s door again, he forced himself to go outside for a walk. Maybe something would inspire him – maybe he would be lucky and find Lidzi’s leya imprint somewhere.

<Or a void,> the thought came to him. If Yerdua were involved, they would probably seal her in a magna-chamber so the A’mara could not feel her. But they could feel a void.

He quickly messaged Ryonis his thoughts and stepped up the pace, looking for any sign of the woman he loved.

♥

Ilim City – Rundown House

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The house below her felt empty. But with the leya-dampening all around her, it was impossible for Lidzi to be sure. Not that it mattered. She was as helpless as a newborn right now. Her gifts stripped from her as surely as her freedom.

The room had been fairly thoughtfully furnished. Besides the ample bed Saara had made a point of, there was a couch and HPS with a large collection of holoflicks. The one tall stool was placed appropriately to allow Lidzi to see outside the two windows. Most of the view was encumbered by a large tree, but beyond the street she could just see a small greenhouse behind an old house if she chose the perfect angle.

An alcove over the stairwell was curtained off to give a little privacy to a very simple lavatory. Apparently, upstairs plumbing hadn’t been a part of this old house. A wash basin had been crudely plumbed in to give some water, though no hot water from what she could tell. There was soap and washcloth and a towel to dry herself.

Another corner had been stocked with plenty of food in the chiller and on the shelves. Again, Saara showed thoughtfulness in supplying many snacks that she knew Lidzi liked. In the chiller were containers of leftovers, seemingly restaurant food. The niceness of her old friend still oozed through the cracks of her cold exterior.

Lidzi shivered. Who could have guessed Saara could turn like this?

She hoped again that Andrian was out there looking for her. She could imagine him coming through the door, his shaze blazing. He would rescue her. She would throw her life into his hands and ask whatever could she do to repay him. He would demand that she marry him. She would agree and they would make passionate love all night long.

Lidzi scolded herself for being so silly. She and Andrian got along like the fiercest rivals.

She chose a holoflick to watch, something that would hopefully keep her mind off Andrian for awhile.