Ellard entered the dining room at that point, and her feline stood to attention, aware of his presence before her. Something else to ponder. Did she trust the feline who had remained silent until she met Ellard? Perhaps she should rely on her own intellect instead.
“Good cycle, Ellard,” she said with an incline of her head. “Niran’s nephew and his friend are still missing and I volunteered us to help with the search.”
Ellard sat beside Gryffnn. “Of course. We would be happy to help.”
“Thanks,” Ransom said. “I want you and Gweneth to fly over this sector here.” He tapped the chart he’d retrieved from another room and set on the table. “It’s mostly jungle and mountains. I doubt you’ll find the youngsters there, but we should do a thorough search to set Niran’s mind at rest.”
“No problem,” Ellard said.
“How long will it take us?” Gweneth asked.
“Given good weather, you should be there and back by blacklight.” Ransom studied them both, worry creasing his brow. “You might experience turbulence due to the debris shower. Since you strayed into it, we have tracked the progress of the field. It has moved and is now closer to that side of the planet. I’m not sure how difficult that will make your search.”
“Ellard? What do you think?”
“I hate the idea of two Incorporeal people out there alone,” Ellard said. “We’ll fly as close as we can to our search area. If necessary, we’ll land and search on foot.”
Ransom gave a curt nod, but Gweneth sensed his approval. Satisfaction and pride bloomed in her chest until she wondered if her frame could hold it inside without an explosion. While Ellard appeared grumpy and remained uncommunicative at times, his heart kept her coming back. She knew a little of the events that had occurred during the war with the House of Cawdor. Males with damaged pride roared like wounded beests. This, according to Amme, and after observing the species she had to agree. Yes, she’d keep persevering. And Sable…well, if she lost to the half-dragon woman, so be it. At least she wouldn’t go down without a fight.
Niran blinked into prominence, dragging her thoughts from her romantic life. “The ship is ready for you. It’s full of safety equipment and food supplies.” The male wrung his hands and couldn’t seem to sit still. “I pray we find them this cycle. My sister…” He trailed off, his voice hoarse and strained with worry.
Gweneth grasped his arm as he flitted past, tugging him to a stop. “Niran, we will find your people.”
“What are their names?” Ellard asked. “If we do find them, will they trust us?”
“Sheera and Leeam. You can tell them their parents and uncle intend to ban them from outings for the near future,” Niran said.
She squeezed his forearm, ignoring the cool tingles that sped across her skin. “We will find them. One of the search parties will locate them, and they’ll be home with their families before you know it.”
“Soon,” Ransom added. “We will find them before they fade from lack of essence.”
“Thank you.” Niran’s voice broke, and he cleared his throat. “I’ll go and report back. We’re conducting our own repeat searches in the town and the surrounds.”
Gweneth hesitated. “Would they consider stowing away on a vessel leaving the planet?”
“No,” Niran said. “Definitely not. Unless they were with a mated couple, that would mean eventual death.”
“No,” Ransom agreed. “We seldom have visitors. Until recent times we haven’t welcomed them to Narenda. We haven’t had any deliveries since your arrival because of the debris storm moving closer. It made flying conditions dangerous. I’ve sent your search coordinates to the ship.”
“We’ll contact you and let you know how our search goes,” Ellard said. “You ready, Gweneth?”
Gweneth gave Niran a quick hug. “Don’t worry. We’ll find them.”
“The ship is parked on the training ground,” Niran said.
She and Ellard left the house together and walked down the gravel path leading to the open training ground.
Gweneth inhaled the fresh life force and caught a hint of something burnt in her quick breath. “Do you smell that?”
“Yes. I haven’t smelled anything like that—” He broke off to stare at the ship that waited for them.
Gweneth let out a piercing whistle. Small. Sleek. Streamlined for speed. “Nanu would love it. I can’t wait to tell him about this ship. Wait, let me take a depiction. Go and stand by the wing.”
Ellard grumbled but stood as she directed. “It’s fitted out with weapons.”
“Do you think they’re expecting trouble?”
Ellard frowned. “None of them give off that vibe. Let’s get going. I don’t like the look of the weather.”
Gweneth tested her senses, and it felt as if someone stroked her skin in the wrong direction. Chill bumps pebbled on her arms and legs. She scanned the horizon and understood what Ellard meant. The point where the land met the sky carried a sluggish gray color. Streaks of mustard-yellow and some of red dissected the gray, and as she scanned the region, she caught a flash of light.
“The debris storm is coming closer, but there is something else going on with the weather. I wonder how often they get the storms.”
“No idea. I’d hate to fly through another one. The first was bad enough.”
“Agreed,” Gweneth said. “The last one was scary.”
The ship reminded Gweneth of a high-tech Earth sports car but without the rubber wheels. Marcus, Amme’s mate, had kept one in his shed. Garage, she corrected herself. As they neared, two steel-gray panels rose. Gweneth slid inside while Ellard trotted around to the other side and clambered into the ship. This transport was made for short jaunts and not deep space travel.
Once seated, his knees were up around his chest. “How am I meant to fly and search folded up like one of Keira’s herb twists?”
No sooner had he muttered the words than the shape of the ship lengthened to accommodate his longer legs.
“Cool.” Gweneth scanned the instrument panel. Everything bore a label in Universal language. She tapped a button for computer voice control.
“This ship is equipped with voice control. Please state your names so that you can operate the ship during the journey.” The voice sounded pleasant yet non-gender.
“Gweneth Swithin,” Gweneth said.
“Ellard Tetsu,” Ellard stated.
“Thank you, Gweneth. Thank you, Ellard. Would you like to follow the set search coordinates for this cycle’s flight?”
“Very cool,” Gweneth said. “I want one.”
Ellard grinned at her, and some of her earlier apathy lifted. “Yes, we will follow the given coordinates.” Their ship purred to life.
“I brought my camera—my depiction machine—with me. This is exciting, even with the circumstances.”
Ellard shared another smile with her, and her pulse rate did a type of bump and grind, leaving her momentarily breathless. He scanned the instruments. “The ship is equipped with heat-seeking vision. Phrull, I forgot to ask about their appearance. Computer, do you have depictions of Sheera and Leeam?”
“Bringing up depictions,” the computer stated.
Two pale faces appeared on a screen. Both had a rosy glow in their cheeks, despite their pale skin. Their hair, however, didn’t resemble the normal pale white of most adults. Nor did their clothes. Gweneth figured they wanted to express their individuality. Sheera wore her hair long and in curly blue spirals that matched her clothing, a soft pale blue tunic and darker blue trews. Leeam had colored his hair black and it fell down his back in a straight shiny curtain. His clothes were black and contrasted with his pale skin.
“Attractive kids,” Gweneth said.
Ellard frowned at the screen. “They don’t seem old enough to think about mating.”
“Different species have different habits and expectations.”
“True. Computer, state the basics of the mating habits of the Incorporeal race,” Ellard in
structed.
“Ellard! That is personal.”
“Information is power,” Ellard stated. “It might save our lives. Computer?”
“The Incorporeal people are an old race. Their powers have made them valuable to those who seek to benefit from a symbiotic relationship. Greed has led other races to snatch Incorporeals from their clans and this has caused widespread loss of life.”
“Explain,” Ellard said.
“Each clan must live near a species who produce energy during their mating process. Without that energy, the Incorporeal fade from sight and lose the ability to function. It is possible for them to exist in this state for many rotations, but they are unable to become visible. Each clan has a leader, and when the clan is in a state of hunger, the other Incorporeals give their energy to the leader so that he may function. It is his responsibility to search out food.”
“Computer, what happens if there are too many Incorporeal beings?” Gweneth asked.
“There is not enough food. The clans search out a new compatible food source and split in order for both groups to prosper.”
“Niran mentioned this,” Ellard said.
“If the Incorporeal race can conjure anything out of air, no wonder other races seek to harness that power,” Gweneth said. “They couldn’t force them to make everything they asked for, not if they can blink out of sight at will.”
“They could if someone threatened their families or other races they care about,” Ellard said. “And no doubt, there are other ways of controlling them. Most of us have a weakness of some sort.”
Gweneth flinched at a flash that shot through the sky on the horizon. The storm did seem closer. “That is true.”
“Not all races would produce the correct type of energy for them to feed on. Some races lay eggs or have artificial breeding. Others don’t require a mate and can breed without another.”
Gweneth turned from the window to stare at Ellard. “They can?”
“Yes.”
“But what fun is that? Sex is about pleasure.”
He scowled and stared out the window at the nearing storm. “You shouldn’t be discussing this with me.”
“Why not? I mean, I know about sex. I can give myself pleasure—”
“Enough,” Ellard snapped, his glare off-putting as he turned to scowl at her. “I don’t want to know about that…that stuff.”
Interesting. Gweneth turned away to stare out at the scenery. The buildings gave way to trees. She could see an occasional clearing, the glint of water and splashes of yellow, red and blue flowers. She bit back a grin as she thought of sex and Ellard. The sec she mentioned anything relating to sex he turned into a grumpy cat. Keeping him off-balance might be the key. Keep him confused, and maybe she’d find a way forward.
Ellard concentrated on the scenery and the instruments. The instruments picked up several heat patches, but since they flew over farms and dwellings, he didn’t worry about stopping to check on identities.
“Have they searched the outlying villages?”
“Niran said they’ve been checked already. The search parties are investigating the outer zones and taking another look at places they’ve already searched.” Gweneth glanced at him, and his feline sprang to attention, every one of his senses engaged by this sprite of a female, no matter how hard he tried to ignore her presence. “I presume they’ve talked to their friends and questioned their siblings.”
“Niran said they had.”
Ellard scanned the lake below, a clear and brilliant blue. “According to the instruments, the flight will take another forty mins.”
“Do we pass over those mountains? The storm seems to have settled there.” She peered at the instruments too. “Do you think the weird colors are to do with the debris or something else?”
“No idea. I’m thinking it might be best to attempt to go around the storm rather than through it. Niran implied the ship would handle anything but we’d still get tossed around.”
“I vote for your idea,” Gweneth said firmly. “We don’t want to lose contact with Ransom. With luck, another search team will find the missing Incorporeal people and we’ll get a recall.” She paused. “Ellard, can I ask you something?”
His stomach turned with sudden foreboding. He shot her a quick glance, expecting to find her impish humor. Instead, he saw seriousness and the birth of a frown. “Yes?”
“None of the feline women seem to have ambition. All they talk about is mating with an eligible feline, and they complain about the dust from the rebuilding dirtying the hems of their dresses. I’ve tried to make friends with them, but they seem shallow and stupid. None of them has ever traveled off-planet. They can’t defend themselves. They haven’t known true hardship. Oh, they talk about the war, but they remained hidden in their homes with their families. Some of them attended the ball where the final showdown occurred, but they didn’t have an active part in protecting the House of the Cat. Not like you and your friends. They have no interest in learning new things. When we were on the Indy together, we were a family, and we did stuff together. Ry made sure to keep us as safe as possible, and that we understood how to defend ourselves.”
“You’re still a family.” He spoke nothing less than the truth because the Indy crew were a tight unit. And thanks to his brother and Jarlath, he’d become part of this group of strong felines.
“Things have changed now that Ry and Camryn have decided to use Viros as a base. While he hasn’t discovered any relations here on Viros, he and Camryn want to bring up their child amongst other felines. They want their child to know their heritage. I understand that. I do, but it means I have to build my life here because they’re my family.”
“That’s not true, Gweneth. In the short time you and your friends have been on Viros, we’ve followed several of your suggestions and recommendations. You have to understand that after years of following tradition, this change, the need to keep up with our neighboring planets, has come as a shock to many of our citizens. Some of them prefer the old ways where they lorded it over those of a lower position. There are still pockets of resistance who fight Lynx and Shiloh because they dislike change.”
Ellard scanned the instruments and after seeing nothing out of place, continued with his thoughts. “This festival idea of yours, Gweneth. It’s brilliant. If you hadn’t crashed the council meeting, none of us would have come up with an idea of this scope. Not that I approved of the way you did it,” he added hastily in case she decided to repeat the action.
“That’s what I mean,” she said. “The older council members looked at me as if I had rocks in my head. They were shocked to the core that I dared to enter male territory. I don’t feel as if I fit any longer. I don’t fit anywhere.”
The forlorn note in her voice tore at him. His feline gave an uncharacteristic whine, and the human part of him wanted to offer comfort. “I understand. I do,” he said at her snort. “Things have been different for me too. Jarlath met Keira and fell in love. I knew Jarlath would mate. He had to since he stood first in line to the king, at least until he stood aside for Lynx. I thought my job and my life would continue in the same way as my father’s. Then, I lost my arm and Jarlath mated with Keira. Everything changed, and the life I enjoyed shifted. Don’t get me wrong. I like Keira, or at least I do now. I thought her a troublemaker at first.”
“I think you’re strong, Ellard. It can’t have been easy losing a limb. I admire the way you haven’t let it stop you doing anything. You still train. You’re still a bodyguard and train the younger soldiers.”
A laugh escaped him, unbidden yet truthful and from the gut. “When I realized Jarlath had let them cut off my arm I wanted to die. I found it difficult to accept. My anger fueled me for a time.” And at himself for letting the enemy have entry to the castle.
“But you’re okay now?”
“Jarlath is my best friend. We grew up together. Once I calmed down and asked myself what I would have done under the same circumstances, I knew Jarlath d
idn’t have an alternative. I would have made the same decision if I had needed to make it for him. Jarlath gave me a chance to live and that’s what I need to do.” Ellard heard his own words and they struck him. He wasn’t truly living, not if he decided to run from Gweneth. His feline liked her, wanted her. Maybe he should take this chance and embrace the possibilities, consider promises and final decisions later. But like Gweneth, he could enjoy life more, try new things and savor new opportunities.
For some time he’d been aware of a restlessness.
“Have you thought about what you do want?”
“My friend, Olivia, wanted me to stay with her on Slyvia. Ry and Camryn said they’d let me if Kaya’s brother agreed, but I’m a feline. Ry’s need to find his roots resonated with me. I decided to stay with what I knew rather than leap into adventure like Olivia. She’s much braver than me.”
“Where did you meet Olivia?”
“Amme—she used to be my nanny and when I grew older, my companion. She married Olivia’s brother and stayed on Earth. That’s where I met Olivia. I want a chance to grow into myself.” She shrugged and gave a self-conscious laugh. “That probably doesn’t make sense to you.”
But once again, her words paralleled thoughts he’d never had the courage to voice. “It does make sense. This assignment to visit the dragon shifters of Narenda is a start. You’re meeting beings of different species. They like you. You’re good with them. You suggested the festival, and you’re taking a huge part in the organization. I’d say you’ve already started growing into yourself and becoming your own woman. Just be yourself,” he ended in a rush. Aware he drifted into territory too intimate, if he wished to stay away from Gweneth, he turned his attention to the instruments. Everything normal.
“Nanu will wet himself when he sees depictions of this ship. Maybe I should take inside depictions too.” Gweneth picked up her device and aimed it at him. Her device clicked and she pointed it elsewhere, repeating the action.
“What do you mean? Wet himself?”
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