Book 5
Siha: Rise of Rakhana
Part III
"Silver and Fire"
( "You think we should leave them alone with the parasite," ) Borhaus switches into his native tongue, taught him by his father, and his father before him. Quoyle looks over the middle console.
( "You heard the drell, leave and don't come back until morning," ) Quoyle flips on the comm for headquarters, the call simulating its dial out with several clicks of the same tone, ( "…Be quiet." )
The tone clicks continue. Borhaus waits, and when it has gone on long enough to understand the person they want to pick up is not, ( "…What was that about your bachir?" ) he asks, ( "…How did he know you—" )
( "Shut up, Borhaus," ) Quoyle says, ( "…No talking." ) He reaches now to feel his large scale behind his right teness, and lifting it up, inserts his finger to feel the old scar—a cross of curving lines much like sea waves bisecting three additional waves. He cannot see it, but he can remember the brand applied to the sensitive skin under the movable scale by his grandfather, while his parents witnessed the ceremony.
He lowers his hand and glances at Borhaus, ( "…We never talk about that…No one must know, Borhaus. I am the last line of defense against any who threaten them." )
Casnar takes Braith aside once they are behind locked doors and she assists in relieving him of Jenner, "…You need to stay away from Tetonbaum, do you hear me," he says underbreath, Tetonbaum and Kasumi in the front room.
Braith stares at him. "We don't naturally get along, Casnar," she says with a forced, bright smile, "…Our days of collusion met an end after I became Supriya to Cemal, and now Tetonbaum doesn't trust me."
Casnar covers Jaspin with his palm, as if the child would hear anything in his deep slumber, "…I mean it, Braith," he reiterates, "…Keep a distance from him, that shard's just taken us on a fucking trip!"
"What the hell are you talking about," she follows him to the cotovatre, through the kitchen—Ylyssus gathering up the pouch with all shards collected once more, tying a knot with its strings. He glances at Braith and Casnar as they hurry by.
Braith smiles at Ylyssus to assure him he should be okay and disappears through the door, Casnar darting him a look that everything is not okay and he should be thinking of what they need to do.
Ylyssus turns back to the kitchen, alone, holding the pouch and realizing they have guests still, he goes into the front room.
Tetonbaum and Kasumi are sitting on the sofa. "I guess we're staying the night. Hi, Ylyssus," Kasumi says.
He has not seen her until now, and not having taking in Tetonbaum either since they were released by the shard, he can tell they must have been at some grand affair, "…You look lovely, Nefen Soterios." Ylyssus musters a smile and takes out a drawer under the sofa, "…Were you somewhere special before you…How did you come by bringing yourselves out to Elutha? Braith have a hand in that?"
"She contacted me about the shard and what was happening," Tetonbaum explains, folding his hands together and sitting forward beside Kasumi. "We were greeted outside the reception we were attending tonight by Sered Nerafa and his agents…They brought us here. I came inside at Braith's permission."
Ylyssus slowly sets out some blankets and a liner for the sofa opposite them, which can be made into a draw-bed, and looks at Tetonbaum, "…Were you two alone together?"
Tetonbaum gets the concern hiding behind the drell's words, "…No, I was with you both inside the shard."
"You were alone with her prior to that," Ylyssus says, straightening, "…You two have not gotten along since…Nothing happened?"
"Nothing unlike the usual," Tetonbaum answers honestly, "…Her power is very wary as is my own…It's just the matter that both are strong."
And potential mates to one and other, Ylyssus thinks, "…Right…Well, that's expected…" He looks to setting up the draw-bed for them, "…This should support the two of you—although Tetonbaum, you may find the sofa more comfortable."
Casnar and Braith return from the cotovatre to find Ylyssus bending over the bed frame and pulling liner corners over the mattress's corners, "…Good work, Ylyssus," Casnar says, his eyes snapping to Tetonbaum's, "…You, Ylyssus, and I need to talk."
"What about," Braith turns and gazes evenly at him, "…You three get together in that shard and now you're out, and you're going to do the all-drell's club thing while Kasumi and I sit in the dark some more?"
Casnar smiles at his wife, "…It's important only we discuss what we saw together, Braith."
"Bullshit," she nods to Kasumi, "…She got dragged here because of me, then she gets to know with me what's the reason for being all dressed-up and not where they need to be at," Braith glances at Tetonbaum, "…Now that there's no immediate emergency, you both look very nice…Some type of military regalia?"
Tetonbaum nods, "…Just a wedding for a friend."
"You made friends?" She looks at Casnar, "…He gets to make friends with her out there and we get stuck in here, isolated…My…Are the kids going to be able to make friends?"
Casnar waves his hand, "…Braith, not now."
"Right," Ylyssus folds the last of the blankets back, making a perfect line under the pillows and turned mattresses…As his fingers trace over the folded silk, his eyes water, "…Right…"
"Ylyssus," Braith touches his shoulder with an extended hand, "…What's going on, babe," he straightens and closes his eyes, turning and pulling her arm behind him so it wraps about his back.
Ylyssus holds her face, his fingers running in her hair behind her head. "You are significant to this all, Braith," he looks in her eyes, "…I think we need to go to Rakhana as you suggested."
"We do that," Tetonbaum says as Casnar's mouth tightens into a tense line, "…We will be bringing her directly to them."
"Maybe they don't want to harm her," Ylyssus says, turning from Braith's face to his, "…Maybe they only want to ask her for information?…Not everything we do not understand must be deadly."
"This Enmity killed the morthwyls. And it has her mate," Tetonbaum looks at Braith hesitantly, his power and hers buzzing in friction, "…It uses him—"
"You'll stop right there, Tetonbaum," Casnar warns him with a finger outstretched, "…You reveal too much…You'll affect them and they could possibly go insane." The finger points next to Braith and Kasumi.
Kasumi stands, "…I need a drink of water…Braith?"
"Over here," she nods, hands on her hips as she turns and walks with her into the kitchen, Kasumi hitching up her gown to step around the draw bed, "…I really like the dress…Giu'Staur?"
"How'd you know?…" The women enter the kitchen, Ylyssus and Casnar turning to look directly at Tetonbaum.
"Braith is to be your mate—we all understand that," Casnar growls after stepping round the draw-bed and crouching down in front of his half-brother, "…What is it that makes your power draw to hers?…You're not going to act on it."
"I have no intentions towards her," Tetonbaum says softly, not wanting the women to hear, "…My wife is over there."
"Our wife is here, and you've had something to the effect your powers disagree with each other, or you don't trust—"
"She is unholy," Tetonbaum spits out his own religious superstition, left behind by years on Rakhana, "…The morthwyl were always considered enemy, to be avoided, killed…"
"Dahnna Kiross did not believe that," Ylyssus says, "…She was friends with them. You, we, th'anes kept her alive for years as a prisoner, and from her you, I mean we," he forgets he was, too, a th'ane, sometimes, "…We learned so much about them…We could have understood them all better…what they needed…" Ylyssus's face shows a shadow of anger, "…My Braith would never have been turned into this hunted—"
"Braith died in a mine collapse," Tetonbaum says emphatically, "…Somehow she was brought back to life…She cannot be the same woman, however."
"She is and she isn't," Casnar cuts them both off. "What does it matter? She is our wife and by the Eye of S'syalahe, Ylyssus and I are fighting for her…You, eventually."
Tetonbaum nods, "…I will not bond with her, not in the way the stönn supplied…Afterall," he says with some relief, "…The Eye only offers path options—not a definite path…"
"My wife does not go to Rakhana to be given to this Enmity nor its master—this Mechinist we have not met," Ylyssus grumbles, "…I did not suffer and wait for her to be reunited with me, nor take into this marriage with another, only to lose her as some desired treat for a power that has no right to be in Bangal'roux!"
Braith and Kasumi look at them all from the doorway of the kitchen, Braith cupping the side of her mouth to say to Kasumi beside her, "…Ylyssus is my shining knight who hides in this servant exterior." They giggle together.
Casnar stands abruptly, they others spinning their heads, "…How much have you two heard!" His, Ylyssus's, and Tetonbaum's tebrises blanche in the light Braith flips on by a switch on the wall.
"Everything," Braith smiles and, looking at Kasumi's little grin, "…Even something about…Tetonbaum and me?"
Tetonbaum stands and smooths down the sash across his chest, "…The shard…It is only a potential—"
"Stop telling her!"
"Tell me," Braith looks at all three of them.
"Tetonbaum is supposed to give you a child," Ylyssus declares—Casnar's jaw dropping, aghast.
Kasumi and Braith both stare at them in silence—then break out into laughter.
Mithras, Tetonbaum thinks, …They look like sisters, what with the long hair.
"No," Casnar smacks the arm of the chair nearby the sofa, "…Don't laugh! This is serious, you two! Human women! Never not taking things lightly!"
"Except Miranda…"
Casnar turns and stares at Ylyssus.
Braith stops laughing, "…What?"
"Why would you say that," Casnar hisses, Ylyssus folding his arms together and giving him a knowing look of disapproval, "…Have you gone mad?"
Braith sighs, "…Kasumi and I are going to sleep in the other room. You three do whatever it is you're going to do out here…So glad you're out of the shard." They turn and leave. "Tetonbaum…Seriously…"
Casnar closes his eyes, "…We must still be in the shard…" He groans and thumps into the chair behind him.
"How does one get out of it?" Tetonbaum whispers, more to himself.
"It releases you when it's done..."
Ylyssus sits on the draw-bed, "…Based off what we've seen—Do you mind if I sit here?" Tetonbaum waves his hand, and Ylyssus resumes his seat, "…There is a way off Kahje…Say we entertain this idea of going to Rakhana, why not reach out to those we saw along some of the pathways proffered by the shards thus far?"
"A fine idea," Tetonbaum agrees, "…I think—"
"I say we get a tablet and begin writing everything down."
"There's one on the shelf."
Braith and Kasumi lean over the twins, playing with their little booties on their feet. "They're so cute…I love they have freckles from you, Shep," and though she is no longer called Shepard, old habits die hard—and Soterios is not a name one shortens, as Kasumi must know, "…Look at Jaspin…Why does he look so tense when he sleeps?"
"He's always tense. Jenner's really the opposite…I don't know why he's that way…" Braith hesitates. "Maybe because Jaspin is more like Ylyssus," she permits herself to admit, "…And Jenner is more like Casnar."
"How can you say that?" Kasumi glances at the woman, whose face is framed by long black tresses, Kasumi's own mussed but neat enough in her hairstyle for the venue that evening, "…The eyes?"
"No," Braith muses, "…Eyes don't tell you everything…Jenner is more Casnar's boy than Jaspin is, and it's the personalities…If you knew Ylyssus as I do, he's far more reserved than Casnar, but he has a greater anger, a greater anxiety, a need for justice…He was a slave, too, and things were done to them…Done to both of them, but Casnar wasn't…Well, he was in a labor camp…" She straightens off her elbows and looks backward in her mind, "…They've both been abused…I haven't learned enough about their families to know what's happened exactly, and I think I know more about Casnar than I do Ylyssus," …Particularly after tonight, she thinks, "…What with my knowledge of Thane's recollections about Irikah…and then there's Tetonbaum…"
Kasumi looks at her, "…Do you think there's any validity to Tetonbaum having a child with you?…Like," she sees the other's face snap to hers, "…You know what Casnar said…about the shard."
"Kasumi," Braith places her hands together on the end of Jaspin's hutch, "…I don't know what they're talking about. I have never had the urge nor the idea to sleep with Tetonbaum."
"That's not what I'm saying, Braith…" Kasumi, she can observe, is struggling with how to frame it, "…Tetonbaum and I have been together for a year—officially married, but longer—Anyways," she shakes her head, her earrings sway, "…What I'm trying to say is, and don't tell him I confessed this…I—"
"Kasumi, spit it out. Or I'll help you, you want to give him a child, and you can't..."
Kasumi's pretty face tenses and Braith turns to offer her a hug. "I know it's on his mind," Kasumi says into her hair, "…He looks at other families and couples where the drellahnas are pregnant…It's something in their nature…Most men I've known go through that desire to procreate but it's stronger in drells…Look at Tetonbaum's own family…His father had multiple kids…I think when he sees the way you and Casnar, Ylyssus have—"
"Are you and Tetonbaum growing apart?" Braith asks, holding the other's shoulders away so she may see Kasumi's withdrawn expression, "…Are you two going through some—"
"I don't really worry," she hastens out, "…I know he's always being propositioned by drellahnas…Heck," she rolls her eyes, "…Even drells, Braith…He's handsome—Look at him!—and there's this aura about him that makes him so darn attractive to all…I don't get half the looks he does here, I'm human…I feel separate from Kahje…I'm only here for him—and you guys, too, in a way these days," she glances at Braith, "…I don't care really…"
"You do…Kasumi," Braith lowers her hands and they move, tacitly understanding whereto, towards the bedroom, "…Let's allow the babies their sleep," she opens the other door, pauses, "…I need to clean up…" She closes the door suddenly and faces Kasumi with an embarrassed grin, "…Kasumi, Tetonbaum loves you infinitely…He married you knowing he couldn't have a child."
"The point I was trying to make, Shepard," Kasumi forces out through a gentle frustration, knowing what he gave up additionally, "…is that you can give him a child that would be both human and drell. If—"
Braith stops her with a little whistle. "Wow," she opens the door again. "Kasumi, I have two husbands…If you look in there, there's not a lot of room…and I'm not sleeping with Tetonbaum to give you two a kid."
"That's…Well," Kasumi rolls her eyes, "…Casnar and Ylyssus brought it up and I—" She refrains, Braith's eyes having narrowed into a cool stare. "Sorry…I'm feeling insecure."
"Not like you. Knock it off."
"I wish I could give him a baby."
"You can't," Braith says somewhat icily. "End of story. Don't let it compromise you, Kasumi." She enters her bedroom and politely shuts the door behind to begin cleaning and preparing the place for her friend to stay…Kasumi turns from that smooth panel closed, towards the hutches with the twins and, moving over to look at Jenner and Jaspin again, she bends her elbow to lean on the end of Jenner's bed-hutch frame, taking her cheek into palm as she dreams what it would be like to hold her and Tetonbaum's own child in her arms.
Casnar sighs and rolls back his neck in his hands, "…We need to list all the people we met, break down each into separate categories per their use and then we can make a plan on who to contact and how, what manner we might utilize them—to our advantage—in getting at least to Rakhana and stopping this Enmity from finding the Silver."
"If it's not too late," Tetonbaum mutters. Casnar and Ylyssus both make grunts of agreement. "I will start…Ylyssus, if you will?"
Tetonbaum begins listing the names and Ylyssus—who has a tablet from among the shelves in the walls of the front room, where the family stores toys, books and other items—starts writing everyone down.
Casnar closes his eyes and waits for his turn…and slowly the morning comes.
When Braith looks in on them after taking her shower, helping herself to a glass of water—the twins quietly contemplating their toes and fingers in their hutches before they decide to call for their parents—she sees Tetonbaum asleep with his uniformed body stretched out on the sofa, his wavy crests against the armrest. Casnar, with his body reclined upright against the chair next to his half-brother's sofa, both arms straight out on the armrests, his hands loose in sleep…Just like Jenner, she thinks.
Ylyssus lays on his back upon the draw-bed, his feet and shins off the end of the mattress, in contact with the floor with his slippers half-off…A tablet and stylus lay on the blanket next to his right arm, discarded with the screen blank.
She smiles, flicks the lights on and off, then makes her way quietly passed, into the kitchen.
Casnar blinks and lifts his head. His body sore from sleeping on the chair, he looks about and lays his crests on the backrest a moment longer, collects himself, then stands up and heads into the cotovatre—passing the children in their hutches whose eyes snag to their father as he walks tiredly by rubbing his eyes…And then into the bedroom.
Forgetting Kasumi is inside, and using their shower.
Braith hears the scream, the curses, and hurries back through the front room, through the cotovatre—encountering a bewildered Casnar coming out of the bedroom and closing the door with both hands. As he turns, he sees her and scowls, "…Woman, the next time you invite another woman into the bedroom, I'd like advance warning."
"Casnar, you're a crankpot today. Want me to make you some tea or espresso?"
"Please," he mutters apologetically, "…Surprise me."
Braith winks at him, patting his patak...Tetonbaum stands behind them as she turns and nearly collides into him. "Hey, Tetonbaum. Kasumi's getting ready."
"I heard her scream?"
"Casnar walked in on her."
"It was an accident," Casnar insists, taking hold of Braith's arm, Tetonbaum's, and switching their places as he walks Braith with him out of the cotovatre.
Tetonbaum glances at the twins—staring wide-eyed back. He smiles at both. The twins' little lips make small curves of butterfly smiles in reaction.
Tetonbaum eases his way through the bedroom door, in search of his wife.
Kasumi stands in the shower, her eyes closed as she enjoys the hot spray…At the sound of the outer door opening, she looks crossly again, but relaxes when she sees Tetonbaum closing the door and quickly turning to see her with those lovely eyes of his…He crosses the floor and stands by the glass, gazing in at her, "…I heard you, and I came to check on you, my wife."
She presses her hand to the glass, and humoring her, he presses his to her palm's shape—his own hand great in size, red with blue veins threading through his wrist from the blue undersides of his forearm's skin.
Kasumi observes their hands nearly touching together, and looks up at his eyes, "…I love you."
