03 Solar Flare - Spark Series (26 page)

Ami looked sorry. “That’s sad.”

Brandy shrugged as if the knowledge wasn’t
tormenting her. “At least they don’t hurt now. I’ve been trying to
practice walking on them. Maybe you could help sometime. I think
they are my boots,” she said, pointing. That wasn’t quite what she
meant, but the language occasional defeated her. She’d made a
sporadic study of it over the years, only recently brushing up. Ami
seemed to understand her well enough.

“They are kind of pretty,” Ami allowed,
looking at the “boots”. “Does it hurt?”

Brandy shook her head. “Nope.” She showed her
hands to Ami. “See my hands? The bones inside are different, too. I
had an operation to get those fixed a while ago.” She let Ami take
them in her own hands and study them. The silence in the room, and
her own conscience, told her that she’d become too maudlin. “But
that’s a dull story. You don’t want to hear about how I was
battling an evil troll.”

Ami’s eyes widened. “Really? You did? I want
to hear! Is it like a Khun’tat?”

“What’s a Khun’tat? Never mind, we’ll tell
each other stories later. I brought presents.” She looked at Azor,
who handed her a bottle of soda. “This is like juice, only fizzy,”
she told Ami. “I made it for you. There are more flavors, too. I
have a whole crate full. Here, let me open it—”

“Uh, wait, sis! We should probably have her
tested first, to make sure she’s not allergic. You wouldn’t believe
the trouble I had when I first came here.”

Brandy exchanged indignant looks with Ami.
“Well, that’s unfair! Oh, well, maybe they can hurry up with that
and we can have some with dinner. You can’t be allergic to all the
flavors.” She handed the bottle to Xera. “Don’t let them let the
fizz out.”

Xera smiled. “I’ll borrow something from the
med lab. We’ll test them before we try them, okay?”

Brandy sighed along with Ami. “Tell you what.
I have other presents. Why don’t you go over there to Uncle Azor
and he’ll let you open them. I need to meet your little brother,
too.”

As Ami eagerly hopped off, Xera said in
unholy glee, “Uncle Azor?”

Brandy stiffened. She hadn’t even realized
what she’d said. She frowned discouragingly, ignoring Azor’s small
smile. “That’s what Gem’s boys call him, because he’s Blue’s
friend.”

Xera smirked. “Which reminds me, we do have a
great deal to talk about.” She handed her son over before Brandy
could voice her retort. “Here. This is Embri. Isn’t he cute?”

Brandy sent her a look for the distraction,
but accepted the baby happily enough. “And so you are! I don’t
think you’re old enough to drink soda, little one. I’ll have to
make you some when you grow a bit.”

The baby looked at her for a moment, then
poked at her eyes. She moved back with practiced ease. He giggled
and latched onto her hair.

“Always with the hair.” Brandy smiled and
gave him her finger to grip. “He marked this one good, didn’t he?
But he has your eyes,” she told Xera. She told Embri sternly, “You
will not turn out like your cousins, little man. I didn’t travel
all this way just to be ambushed every time I turn around.”

He grinned, showing two tiny little
teeth.

Xera smiled. “Ambushed?”

Brandy shivered. “The tales I could tell
you.”

“Don’t let her fool you—she’s always in the
middle of the wrangle, giving as good as she gets,” Azor said
calmly. He was showing Ami how to work the little flashlight Brandy
had given her.

“Blue’s fault. He contributed all the hellion
in the little terrorists. I told Gem the man was trouble. You see
how that cross turned out? Someday we’ll be bailing them out of
jail.”

“You never know. By the way, the doctors said
we could move you out of here now. You have to come back for a
checkup every day, though,” Xera said.

Brandy’s eyes widened. “And you didn’t tell
me?” Still holding the baby, she swung her legs over the edge, and
then realized she had a problem. She scowled.

“I’ll push the chair and you can hold him
while we go,” Xera said soothingly. “It’s too far to walk yet.”

Brandy examined the yur root one her plate.
Xera seemed a little too eager for her to taste it.

Xera smirked. “We had your blood tested.
You’re not allergic to it like I am. There’s no excuse not to eat
your vegetables.”

“I like vegetables,” Brandy said mildly,
adding teasingly, “And you always were a pansy.” She sniffed and
tasted a tiny sliver. She grimaced, but said thoughtfully, “A
little strong for straight consumption, but it has possibilities as
a flavoring agent. Bitter, sour, earthy…a unique combination. I’d
be curious to know its properties.”

Disappointed in the slight reaction, Xera
asked good naturedly, “You’re thinking of pursuing your vocation
while you’re here?”

Brandy’s eyes flashed. Though she was on her
best behavior for the children, little things still set her off.
“Did you imagine I’d lounge around all day? I haven’t the patience
for that. ‘We don’t observe, we conquer.’”

“Dad’s motto,” Xera said with a smile. “He’d
be proud of you. I hear you’ve won a bunch of awards.”

Brandy shrugged. “We can’t claim to be the
best and not back it up with evidence. Besides, someone had to give
Vio Srie’s wines some competition. Before he went on the lam, he’d
already planned his victory party. Even I don’t do that.”

“Oh, yes. Your whole family is so modest,”
Azor mocked. “I worry that you won’t stand up for yourself without
Blue and I around.”

Ryven smiled faintly. “Xera gave me the
impression that her sisters are formidable.”

“Did she?” Brandy smiled crookedly. “We have
missed her.” She gave him a pointed stare.

Xera smiled warningly. “I’ve been happy
here.”

“Have you? Gem will be reassured to hear
that.” Brandy took her time selecting another bite. “We’ll have to
talk about that soon.”

Xera kicked her prosthetic under the table.
It made a dull thud, and Xera winced. Brandy couldn’t help but
smile. “Hurt yourself?”

“No, but I may strangle you,” Xera said
sweetly. “How’s your dinner?”

Brandy was in the mood to have it out with
Xera right there, but Azor smoothly inserted himself into the
conversation and managed to whisk her away after dinner.

She grumbled at him as he supported her
staggering steps to her door, which was right next to Xera’s room.
“It’s not good to let these things simmer.”

Azor raised a brow as he lowered her to sit
on the bed. “You traveled all this way to pick a fight with her at
the first opportunity? Need I remind you that Ryven is a warlord,
and that he seems rather protective of her?”

“You like him,” she accused.

“We have a lot in common,” he said
calmly.

“Come on!” she scoffed. “You’d never kidnap a
woman and…and….” She was so mad, she was sputtering.

Azor’s eyes lit. “I wouldn’t? What if that
woman were you?” He leaned in.

Still annoyed, she leaned back until her back
hit the mattress. “Knock it off! You’re trying to distract me.”

“No. I just haven’t had the chance to kiss
you properly in months. You’re no longer sick or in pain. You look
like fair game to me.”

Her heart began to thud. “Opportunist.” That
was all she had time to say before his mouth closed over hers.

It was sweet and hot, and she had missed it.
Missed him. She wanted his comfort, was not in the mood to push him
away. Her emotions were too raw to listen to moral arguments. She
wanted this. She pulled him closer.

Her legs shifted restlessly, and clacked. She
went rigid in his arms.

He glanced down, guessing the problem. He
gently curled his hand around one calf. “Can you feel this?”

She hissed, and not in pain. His hand was
warm, alive against the glowing blue lights of the calf. She was
loath to admit the abomination could transmit such sensitivity.

Experimenting, he traced his fingers over the
calf, making her shiver. They wandered higher, drawing circles on
the living skin of her thigh. She caught her breath.

“What do you think?” he murmured. “It almost
seems as if your calves are the more sensitive.”

She swallowed. “Maybe there’s something wrong
with their settings.”

He chuckled. “I don’t think so. I suspect
it’s the newness of the sensation.” He slid down and studied the
sleek appendages, running his fingers over the slick housing.
Lightly, he kissed their surface, applying a hint of tongue.

The unexpected shock made her flinch. Three
things happened simultaneously. Her heart gave a leap of
excitement, her leg bashed Azor’s mouth and her still healing knees
sent up a sharp flare of pain.

Azor sat up, cradling his jaw. They sat there
in charged silence. After a moment, he said, “Perhaps we’re rushing
it.”

She couldn’t help a chuckle. “You think?”

He ran his tongue over his teeth—checking for
blood, perhaps—then grinned. “I’ve always liked dangerous women.”
He lay down next to her and got comfortable. “We might as well get
some rest. Those hospital cots are horrible.”

Startled, she glanced his way. “You can’t
sleep here! Xera’s right next door.”

He rolled toward her and propped his head on
his arm. “I’ve talked to Ryven. Their culture isn’t as strict as
yours. He knows my intentions.”

Alarm prickled the hair at the back of her
neck. “What did you tell him?”

He kissed her forehead. “Just what he needed
to know.”

That didn’t help her much. “We’re talking
about a man who took my sister as a warprize just because he wanted
her! For all I know he’d agree to anything.”

Azor just sighed and tucked the pillow under
his head. He rubbed her belly soothingly. In an improbably short
time, his breathing evened out.

Still wary, she couldn’t help but be soothed
by his calm. Reasoning that they could argue about it tomorrow, she
allowed her eyes to close. She had a lot to do in the morning.

CHAPTER 16

After Brandy had staggered around in her
morning exercise and visited her doctor, she joined Xera for
breakfast. Xera kept the conversation light, possibly wary of
Brandy turning dark looks on her husband. Brandy remained on her
best behavior, politely ignoring Ryven unless he addressed her
first. She’d decided to bide her time and talk to Xera in
private.

“I think you’ll like Ryven’s home planet.
It’s a good thing you’ll be staying a while.” Xera said, spooning
an orange condiment on her fried grains. “I’m looking forward to
introducing you to the family. There are a lot of interesting
things to see and do on Rsik.”

Brandy smiled at her assumption. “I don’t
know how long we’ll be staying; we just got here.”

Xera’s gaze flew to her face. Confused, she
protested, “I’d thought it would be a lengthy stay. After all, it
would be difficult to turn the ships around after a pair of months
to escort you back.”

Brandy smiled with half her mouth. “Not
necessary. We can find our way back.”

Alarmed, Xera looked at Ryven, then Azor,
hoping for support. The men were listening intently, but did not
comment.

Xera looked back at Brandy. “This is not a
safe zone! We just got done fighting a war not so long ago, and
some of our allies are touchy at the best of times. Besides,
traveling in a small ship like that would be like taking a dugout
canoe over a hostile ocean. You don’t even have weapons!”

Brandy cocked her head. “We do, actually, but
I thought you routed the GE pretty quickly. Don’t tell me they’re
still lurking? I’d thought they were disbanded.

“For that matter, I am a citizen of the
Galaxy. They shouldn’t want to bother me.”

“I wouldn’t trust in it,” Xera said grimly.
She shot a searching look at Azor, found his face blank. “You’re
not planning on a quick turn around, are you?”

“It’s Brandy’s visit,” he said blandly.
“Though I think Gem would be disappointed if we didn’t spend at
least a couple of months on Rsik. I’m sure she’d prefer Brandy’s
firsthand report of your relatives.”

Xera settled back, though she didn’t look
completely mollified. “I’ve given her lots of reports.”

“Hey, I’m not planning anything just yet,”
Brandy soothed. “Though you may want to throw me back in a couple
of weeks. Overlong company stinks like old fish.” She frowned as
though something just occurred to her. “Now that you mention Gem,
I’m reminded that I was supposed to give you something.” She looked
at Azor, who presented Ryven with a short rod. With no apparent
mechanism, it suddenly elongated into a full-length staff.

“It’s a Jadock dirty-fighting staff,” Brandy
explained. “It operates by mental imagery. It can be a solid bar, a
weighted baton or a staff that’s solid or weighted on either end.”
She watched as he experimented with it. “Xera mentioned you had a
weapon collection.”

“Thank you,” Ryven said, seemly intrigued.
“I’m eager to try it out.”

“Spar with Azor then. He can use mine.” She
had two, which she often used as double weighted clubs. She hadn't
had much chance to use them along the journey but now that her legs
were better she was looking to working with them again.

She reached into her shirt pocket. “And for
you, Xera…we were unhappy that we could not give you your share of
the business.”

“I told you two to absorb it,” Xera
began.

Ignoring her, Brandy went on, “Obviously it’s
not doing you any good from half a galaxy away. Therefore, we
consolidated your share. May I present your dowry?” she said
formally, handing her sister a small box.

Xera opened the lid and gasped. “There must
be a fortune in stones here! Do you realize what might have
happened if anyone had suspected? You could have been killed!”

Brandy shrugged. “We take a risk everyday
just by getting out of bed. The stones are rare here and should
cash out well.”