Book 4

Siha: Rise of Rakhana

Part II

Casnar listens as Braith takes a deep breath, and exhales easily.

"I can really feel the difference." She looks at the drellahna playing with Jaspin in her lap who is trying to wrestle away some fruit from her fingers. "Thank you…That's quite a talent you have."

Casnar smiles inwardly. He witnesses Jaspin point and make the sign of a squeezing fist. "That's the symbol. Good boy, Jaspin," and as he sits on her knee, Sapphire passes him his reward, "…I'm glad we could help," she looks up to Braith across from her. The pleased expression on Sapphire's patak is fading.

Jenner sits on the floor, holding Braith's robe and staring at the attractive drellahna.

"…But who really did that to your neck," Sapphire's eyes drift to Ylyssus—she knowing Casnar's style in romantic entanglements, "…I hope neither of these two."

Braith gazes evenly back at her, "…Casnar has a younger brother…Do you know of him?"

Sapphire nods uncertainly, then corrects herself, "…I thought Cartira was older."

"The other one is younger…A half-sibling by his father," Braith enlightens her. Rojelios looks over from the chair opposite them. "His name is Tetonbaum."

"I didn't tell you about him," Casnar interrupts.

"You know," Sapphire hesitates, "…Iri was over once…She dropped that name in conversation…" She glances to Casnar, "…Sorry…I shouldn't have brought her up."

"It's fine, Sapphire," Casnar feels Braith's fingers touch his forearm, he standing beside her in his pajamas.

Braith's eyes lower from his emeralds, rising up to Sappire's blues, "…You and Irikah were close?"

"She didn't have many friends here," she nods, "…Neither did I."

"You're a Tyrannus."

Her blues widen, "…How could you tell?"

"I live with two," Braith smiles at her, "…There's a quality about Tyrannus drells—drellahnas…No offense, Rojelios..."

"Why would I take any?"

Braith is quiet a moment while he glares at her.

"So…Tetonbaum," Sapphire moves on to avoid the open hostility, "…did that to your neck?…Those are some big strong hands for a younger brother, Casnar."

"He was an honorary high th'ane," Casnar replies, "…He takes after my father, too."

Sapphire's eyes flutter and round with the faint memory of seeing Kolyat go to the Soterios on Rakhana, "…He must be a big drell."

Rojelios glares at his wife and growls his next questions to Casnar, "…What we know is your half-brother assaulted your wife…What's the story—why did he lay a hand on her and…Wait…Aren't you supposed to be locked up?"

Casnar frowns, "…Maybe…" He sees Rojelios's memory brightening, "…I didn't think your rank would be privy to the Illuminated Primacy's bigger concerns…"

"Maybe I am too low to be considered privy to such high profile assets," Rojelios sneers, reaching for the com-sole's shell-cupped handle, "…And maybe I should report your being loose with two infants and an injured spouse."

"Please don't do that," Ylyssus says, holding the receiver down from being lifted by Rojelio's hand, the thicker drell looking up at him, "…We are trying to leave Rakhana. There is something very important happening. You must remain cooperative."

Braith turns her attention to Sapphire. "Please discourage him from reporting us?"

Sapphire stands, letting Jaspin down, and walking over to her husband and Ylyssus.

"What have you done?"

"Nothing," Braith shrugs and removes the foam from her neck, handing it to Jenner to play with, "…recently…Well," she sucks in her lip and looks at Casnar, "…there was that one drell who tried to shoot you…"

"Shoot you?"

"We really need to get to the Archives," Casnar holds his hands pleadingly towards them, "…It's a small thing."

"We need information from the Archives," Braith sighs and touches her temple. "I know you two need to go to work. If Tor and…Iulia?" She looks to Casnar questioningly, "…Can we just drive over and try to talk to her?"

Casnar glances at Ylyssus, "…Let's go, we'll do that…"

Sapphire makes a quick look at Rojelios.

"…Iulia doesn't want to come over here, that's fine…We can go over there and try to convince her to reconsider..."

That morning had not panned out with what they had hoped…Iulia, who was keenly against any and all mysterious activities, has withheld her husband Tor Vitale from going to the Krios household—hoping to keep him out of trouble with Casnar...

Casnar turns to go. "Wait," he hears Sapphire, "…I can get you into Sybilla…"

"I can't believe this," Rojelios stands abruptly from his seat. "You know someone who can get you inside the Archives?…And you're going to help that bastard," he makes a rude gesture at Casnar.

"Language," Ylyssus murmurs, glancing at the twins on the carpet.

Sapphire looks sideways at her husband, "…Roj, do you remember that drell we met at your work party?…"

Rojelios's eyes widen. "No…Not Feron…"

Casnar raises an eyeridge and stares at the drellahna. "Feron?…You don't mean Feron—"

"—Saeah," Braith smiles and opens her arms to the lean, wirey drell bounding up the steps to the Krios flat.

"Braith Shepard!" Feron looks ravenously at her on the threshold to the Krios residence. "You look fine!…Hey, I heard Thane's been banging Miranda—"

"That's old news," Braith says through her teeth, "…Have you…been in contact with them—by chance?"

"Not if you think an email is contact—I don't…Damn, look at you," he picks her up and spins her, hugging his old hero tightly before setting her down on her feet. "What are you doing here—and at Sapphire's place?" He grins broadly, lowering his voice between them, "…You meet that big lug of a husband she has? You think he's a stooge, too, I can tell."

Braith shakes her head vigorously, "…Feron, you're on his doorstep..."

"Yeah, but he's not—" as he smells her knuckles and looks up to her face, he sees passed her shoulder the door widening.

Feron's voice dies away.

"Feron Saeah…" Casnar, Ylyssus, and Rojelios are crowded by the door behind Braith—two little infants looking wide-eyed round their dads' arms at the drell holding their mother on the doorstep. "What a pleasant reunion…I see you and my wife have met before."

"Mine too," Ylyssus says firmly.

"And mine," Rojelios growls, looking evil-eyed at the oily-hued iridescent drell now placing Braith away from him on the stoop, and brushing her robe off hastily.

"Rojelios," Feron chuckles nervously, "…Some really big drell I haven't seen before…and a Soterios," much more meekly, "…I haven't set eyes on in years…" He turns and gazes at Braith. "This is worse than being caught by the Shad—"

"Casnar!"

He grabs Feron by the throat and squeezes, "…Now that you've refreshed yourself with our wife's scent," Casnar hisses through his teeth, "…come inside to talk about what I need you to do for us…"