CHAPTER 35

"Your children are extraordinary," Raven said as he ushered us into his luxurious home. "Very strong mind-speakers." He looked at our dubious expressions. "You didn't know?"

Carthan and I knew the twins had a strong rapport with the calots, but it had not occurred to either of us that they could communicate with humans. "If they are, the gift must be from Carthan. I have none to speak of," I said.

Raven said, "On the contrary – much of their ability comes from you. You simply have not learned to use it."

I shook my head in disbelief. Raven merely smiled, eyebrows raised.

At that moment the outer door slid open and the ape trundled in, his great black ten-foot bulk filling the entire entrance way. Carthan stiffened to a half-crouch, his sword appearing in his hand as if conjured from nowhere. As I reached for my rapier, the calots sprang between us, and the ape raised all four of his arms defensively.

Raven shouted, "Stop! He will not harm you!"

As our tableau froze in place, Raven added quietly, "Did he harm your daughter?"

"He didn't hurt me, 'Than," said a childish voice in corroboration as Cara ran to the ape, hugging one of its legs. "He's nice and he gives good rides almost as good as you." She added as an afterthought, "But furrier."

Carthan slowly slid his sword into its scabbard, turned toward his daughter, and grinned quizzically. "Furrier?"

She dimpled. "Softer." She looked up at the creature, who had relaxed its stance. "His name is Xodo."

Weak-kneed with relief, I sank abruptly into the nearest chair – which in turn began to hug me. With an unladylike squeak, I tried to regain my feet but the chair held me fast. Raven looked at me in amusement. Suddenly feeling foolish, I relaxed into the form-encompassing recliner, allowing myself to enjoy the sensation of real comfort – a luxury we had sorely lacked in the last seven years on Earth.

The diversion broke the tension in the room. While we adults relaxed and the calots collapsed at our feet with huge sighs, the ape took the children down to a lower floor, its purpose unknown. However, within a few minutes all three returned bearing beverages and food.

Carthan exclaimed at the sight of a great ape working as a servant.

Raven said, "Like your calots, Xodo is sentient to some extent and though he cannot speak he can interpret one's wishes."

"A slave, then," Carthan commented shortly. He abhored slavery of any kind.

"By no means. Slavery implies captivity and lack of choice. He is free to leave at any time. While indigenous to the Rift, he and many others of his kind prefer the comforts of the city. In return for shelter and food, the apes offer those services of which they are capable."

The ape and our twins served us mantalia milk and a kind of vegetable roll. They then sat in a corner to consume their own.

"Why did Xodo take Cara from us?" I asked, watching the ape as he tried to emulate the eating motions of my children.

Raven replied, "I admit to some embarrassment about that and must offer my apology. Xodo senses that I am . . . lonely at times and I suppose he thought Cara might be good company. His kind is yet too primitive to have a concept of wrongdoing." He gave a wistful smile. "He was correct, of course. Her company is quite refreshing."

He look at each of us. "As is yours. You must have many questions about our city and I shall be pleased to answer."

An unusual offer, I thought, considering he didn't know us. When Raven gave me an uncomfortably direct look, I suddenly wondered if I were wrong.

Unaware of this exchange, Carthan the cartographer said, "Thank you. Please tell us about the map."

Raven nodded. "Ah, yes – I thought that would interest you."

At that, it finally sank into my skeptical brain that he could and did 'know' us. He was telepathic – far more so than I could ever have imagined. I found myself extremely uncomfortable, conscious of every thought he must be 'reading'.

He turned toward me. I think he turned toward me. He seemed to have turned toward me. Please do not be concerned – I 'read' generalities only. To read specifics is exhausting and an invasion of privacy. Be at peace.

And, oddly enough, I was.

Now, as I reflect on that incident, I realize his attention had neither strayed from Carthan, nor had he "spoken" to me aloud. Rab Taven was not merely a powerful telepath and hypnotist, but a catalyst who at that very moment had awoken a dormant part of my brain.

Carthan, still oblivious to the undercurrent, launched into a discussion of the map with the dedication of the enthusiast. Raven said the mosaic had been created with the city several thousand years ago when the "immortals" felt constrained to separate themselves from the rest of their race. He said that the details of oceans and rivers were not contemporary with the city's construction but based on ancient maps. He offered to show them to an eager Carthan at the next opportunity.

The conversation then turned to the composition of the dome which, he explained, was a force field perpetually powered by the molten core of the planet itself.

I took no part in the discussion. I nodded off in that exquisitely comfortable chair and missed all the excruciating details.