by Raine Thomas
By the time he was done, his mother had to light a few of the wall sconces to brighten up the gloom of dusk. Ty noticed that his plate and teacup both bore evidence of being used, and vaguely remembered his mother handing him things to drink and eat while he spoke.
His gaze again moved to her as she once again sat beside him and took his hand. “Now,” she said, “you’ll listen to me, TaeDane.
“I was young—younger than even you and Kyr are now—when I discovered I was pregnant with you. Your father and I were practicing birth control, so the news came as a total shock. But I believed then what I still believe today. You’re our miracle.”
Ty wanted to be uncomfortable with this conversation. Instead, he realized he had been waiting a long time to have it.
“It wasn’t only difficult for me to let you leave our house when you were still at such a tender age,” she continued, “it was devastating. In my head, I understood that you were fulfilling your destiny. The timing of your birth had been foretold…the same date at the same time and under the same star as the Ascendant. In my mother’s heart, though, I shouted at the heavens that this would be my fate…to have so little time with my firstborn—my only—child.
“I was so proud of you, but I was terrified, too. A child needs his mother, no matter his destiny. So I asked…I begged Guardian Shaya to allow me and J’ael to move into the palace so we could be close to you. When that request was denied, I pleaded with her to allow us to move into the Vawn megai. That, too, was denied. Shaya felt that you needed to be one hundred percent focused on your training and learning to protect her daughter. She felt that we would prove too distracting.”
Shaya had offered the same justification for giving Ty the marks on his forearms that caused him pain whenever he touched Kyr for a reason other than for her protection. He realized now that Shaya had suspected something more than just protective feelings might develop between him and Kyr. She had hoped the physical deterrent would be enough to keep them apart.
“I never intended to tell you any of this,” Elly admitted. “You’ve had enough to worry about. In light of everything that you’ve shared with me, however, I felt that you should hear it. It seems clear enough that the Guardian has had selfish intentions from the moment her daughter was born and declared the Ascendant.”
Ty couldn’t argue. She was exactly right.
Elly issued a quiet sigh. “If I’m sharing that much, I should be completely honest with you. The truth is, I’ve resented Kyr for a long time.”
His heart dropped. He didn’t think he’d be able to handle it if she didn’t approve of his relationship with Kyr. Not on top of everything else.
She patted his hand, probably intuiting his thoughts. “That confession makes me feel like a horrible person, especially in light of everything you’ve just told me. That poor girl has suffered under her mother’s thumb just as much as you. More, it seems, due to Shaya’s sickening jealousy. I find myself happy that Kyr had you to help her through what was clearly a loveless and difficult upbringing. I should never have questioned your fate. You two really were destined to be together.”
He met her gaze, struggling to ignore the emotion he saw there so he could speak. “Over the years living in the palace, I’ve thought many times about the fact that I came from much more humble beginnings than Kyr did. Yet I always felt that I was the more fortunate one because I had you and Dad, and Kyr didn’t really have anyone.”
A tear trailed down his mother’s cheek. She could only nod.
“I missed you as much as you did me. I wish we hadn’t been forced to spend so many years apart, and I hope our future will be much different.”
That produced a small, watery laugh from Elly. “I won’t accept any other way,” she said. “I fully intend to be a part of your life, not to mention my grandchild’s.”
He blinked over the straightforward statement, though he shouldn’t have been surprised. “How did you know?”
Elly smiled. “Pregnant females give off a different aura in the eyes of skilled female Mynders.” Her gaze settled on his with a mother’s pointed look. “I do wish you had undergone the Proce-Amanti before you had started having sex, though.”
Ty’s neck burned. He reached up to rub at it, not quite meeting his mother’s gaze.
“It’s clear you two bonded strongly enough on your own,” she said. “But I’d like to perform the proper Rite once Kyr is feeling well enough. Are you open to that?”
Relief flowed through him. “Sure, thanks. I’d like that.”
“All right. That’s settled. Why don’t you go and check on Kyr? I’m sure she’s been on your mind. I’ll let your father come back inside for dinner,” she added with a wink.
He firmed his hold on her hand before she pulled away. “Thanks, Mom. For everything.”
She sniffled. “Stop that. I’m barely holding it together as it is.”
Grinning, he let her go and got up to check on Kyr. Lia reported no change, so Ty asked her to take a break and come to dinner with them. When they got back to the cooking area, J’ael was busy placing a few things on the counter while Elly worked over a pan on the cooking fire. Ty’s eyebrow lifted when he recognized the bottles and implements that J’ael had set out.
“No sense in keeping up your disguise when your amanti doesn’t have one,” J’ael pointed out with a smile. “And since Vycor surely knows by now that Kyr is still alive, it doesn’t much matter that you both look like yourselves.”
Ty figured his father was right. Assuming Troi was under Vycor’s influence—and he had no reason to doubt Kyr’s conviction on that—the Advisor most definitely knew of her survival by now. Hell, he’d probably been watching what Troi did through Troi’s eyes, even guiding him through the torture session.
“I’m sorry I brought his name up,” J’ael said, his smile fading. “It was careless of me. In all seriousness, I know your mother would like to look at you as Yen-Ki intended.”
Ty’s gaze moved consideringly to his mother’s back. She was very intent on cooking whatever she had in the pan. He considered the fact that they hadn’t seen each other since he left for his training at the palace.
“Yeah, yeah,” he said, reaching for the implements. “Fine.”
“Feel free to make use of the bathing chamber,” he father called after him. “I put some of my clothes in there for you to use.”
Ty rolled his eyes. He hadn’t had a chance to bathe since Kyr was abducted. He knew he didn’t smell very fresh. Rather than comment, he just lifted his hand in a wave of acknowledgement.
He got the physical changes out of the way first. The device to return his facial features back to normal wasn’t such a big deal. It felt weird when his bones and flesh slid around and back into place, but once he was done, he was relieved. The eye color change was the worst. It took a lot of courage to bring it up to his eye, keep his eye open, and endure the bright pop of pain as the irises were drained of the false brown pigment and returned to their usual silver.
His stomach shifted a little after he was done, but he managed. He carried the bottle into the shower with him and used it to return his hair back to its dark blond shade. It was nice to wash away the days of grime he carried on his skin, as well. By the time he finished and got dressed in the shirt and pants his father had left for him, he not only felt more invigorated, he felt more hopeful.
Dinner was being served after he did one more check on Kyr and then walked back to the cooking area. His mother was spooning a meat and vegetable casserole onto plates set at the four-person table beside the cooking area. She glanced up when she heard him. Her lower jaw fell enough that he noticed.
“Oh,” was all she said.
Ty flushed when his father and Lia turned to look at him, too. Lia blinked several times. His father was clearly fighting back a laugh over the females’ reactions.
“You produced one handsome young man, Elly,” Lia managed.
“I sure did,” his mother said, her face
blossoming into a smile. “Just look at him.”
Fighting another eye roll, Ty took the seat across from his aunt. “Thanks for dinner, Mom. It smells great.”
Her smile didn’t dim. “I’m happy to cook for you.”
As she went into the cooking area to grab a basket of rolls, J’ael unfolded his napkin and said to Ty, “Looks like all is well. You were smart to use the underground tunnels to get here. Between that and your influencing abilities, I don’t think anyone has a clue you’re here.”
Ty nodded as he chewed a bite of the delicious casserole. The tunnels had been constructed before the AI wars. Many of them were collapsed, and few Mynders even remembered they existed. Ty and J’ael had gone through the tunnels closest to their home back before Ty left for the palace. It had been a fun adventure for the two of them to share. Seeing how unstable the tunnels were, J’ael had forbidden Ty to play in them, and Ty hadn’t gone into them again after that.
But he hadn’t forgotten about them.
“We used some of the tunnels to get Kyr here,” J’ael said as Elly sat down. “Just the safer passages. We had to put her in a storage trunk to avoid drawing suspicion. It’s good she’s as small as she is.”
Seeing Ty’s expression, Elly cleared her throat. “That’s enough of such talk,” she declared. “No more. Not tonight. Tonight, we’ll catch up on happier things.”
Ty wasn’t about to argue. So he ate his meal while being plied with questions about Kyr and their life at the palace. He asked his share of questions about the family, as well. Most of it he knew from Sem, who was able to travel to see their family and came back with regular reports. But it was nice to listen to his parents’ versions of some of the stories he’d heard.
By the time the meal was finished and he had helped clear the table, he was beyond exhausted. It had been nearly two days since he’d slept. Even his inherent healing abilities weren’t going to save him from crashing soon.
“Why don’t you join Kyr?” his mother urged when she saw him blink heavily. “Your father has already set up the guest room for us. I’ll sleep better knowing you’re comfortable with your amanti.”
Again, he wasn’t about to argue. “Thanks,” he said.
She smiled when he leaned down and kissed her cheek. She grabbed his face and gave each of his cheeks resounding kisses, laughing when she saw his bemused expression.
“I’ve been waiting all day to do that,” she confessed. Patting his cheek, she said, “Go on, now.”
He wished his father and Lia good night, then headed to his parents’ bedroom. As he removed his shirt to get more comfortable, he studied Kyr. It didn’t look like she’d moved a muscle since he placed her on the bed. Her color looked better, though, and he was sure a few of the bruises had already begun to fade. He would take what relief he could from that.
After climbing into bed beside her, he moved her carefully so that he could hold her without pressing on any of her more severe injuries. Within minutes, he was as dead asleep as she was.
Chapter 25
The first thought that popped into Kyr’s head when she next opened her eyes was, Great Yen-Ki, I have to pee.
The second was, Where the hell am I?
As she glanced around the room, the answer to her second question returned with a heavy dose of humiliation. She remembered waking up in the room with three strangers, then huddling in misery in the bathing chamber until Ty arrived.
She also remembered puking all over Ty’s mother.
Her bursting bladder wouldn’t allow her to just lie there and wallow in mortification, though. It would be ten times more embarrassing to wet the bed in their home. And judging by the knickknacks and pictures she saw, this was Ty’s parents’ bedroom.
Remembering how vile she felt before she fell asleep, she eased herself up into a sitting position. The room and her stomach both remained steady, she was happy to note. Her head was calm and no longer throbbing, but she remembered how it felt the last time Ty tried to connect with her. She decided it was best not to try connecting with him until after she had emptied her bladder, just in case.
She eased out of the bed and padded over to the door. She opened it quietly and checked to make sure the halls were clear before she scooted out and down to the bathing chamber. The last thing she could afford was a greeting or examination just then.
Thank Yen-Ki, she made it to the excrement tank in time. That was one less indignity she had to face. She belatedly realized she was wearing a nightgown as she washed her hands, and imagined Ty had somehow managed that.
Her gaze lifted to the mirror above the sink. As she had the first time she looked into this mirror, she experienced a punch of surprise over seeing her regular features staring back at her. At least the bruising was pretty much gone, she mused as she dried her hands with the neatly folded hand towel beside the sink. She had healed from death, so the faded bruises were actually less surprising than her removed disguise.
She considered whether to try opening her mental connection with Ty, but chickened out and decided to seek him out in person. The pain had been so horrible. She didn’t want to deal with that again.
She opened the bathing chamber door and stepped into the hallway. When she turned left, she nearly ran into Ty’s mother, who stood in the hallway holding a pile of laundry.
Kyr gasped as she drew up short. A hot blush tinged her cheeks. Despite her discomfort, though, she knew what she needed to do.
“Hi,” she began a little breathlessly as her heart struggled to calm down. She waffled over how to address Ty’s mother and ultimately left that part out. “I wanted to thank you for taking such good care of me. I’m sorry for making such a…well, such a mess.”
Elly gave her a compassionate smile. “You don’t have to thank me, Ma’jah. It’s the least I can do for the Ascendant…and the mother of my future grandchild.”
Kyr brought a hand to her stomach. Her voice wasn’t quite steady when she said, “So, the baby…”
“According to everything my senses tell me, the baby is fine, Ma’jah.”
Relief had Kyr bracing herself against the bathing chamber’s doorframe. “Please,” she murmured as her heart settled, “call me Kyr.”
Elly’s expression didn’t change, but she nodded. “Of course, Kyr.”
Kyr had hoped Elly would tell her how she preferred to be addressed, but she didn’t. Clearing her throat nervously, she asked, “Where is Ty?”
“He’s in the practice room with his father. He was driving us all crazy worrying about you, so J’ael took it upon himself to distract him.” Before Kyr could comment, Elly lifted the pile of clothes she held. “This is for you. I gathered it when I heard you stirring. It’s been altered to fit you.”
Kyr was stunned both by the gesture and the fact that Elly had managed to get clothing tailored to her size. “Just how long have I been sleeping?”
“Nearly two days.” While Kyr’s mouth opened and closed in astonishment, Elly continued, “Being a fellow female, I figured you’d want to get cleaned up, so I thought I’d catch you here. Please feel free to shower and change. I’ve got a stew on, and I’d like you to eat. Tae’s managed to rouse you long enough to drink your vitamin water and some broth, but I’m sure you’re starving.”
“Please don’t go through any trouble on my—”
“No arguing,” Elly insisted, handing the clothes to Kyr and turning her so she’d walk back into the bathing chamber. “Enjoy your shower.”
Kyr turned uncertainly in the bathing chamber and watched as Elly reached for the door handle to pull it closed. She struggled to think of something to say.
“Oh,” Elly added, “and please try connecting with Tae while you’re in there. I can sense that your mental signature is strong and stable now. You shouldn’t experience any unpleasant effects.”
Before Kyr could respond, the door closed. The sound of Elly’s humming as she walked away reached Kyr’s ears. She stared blankly at the closed door, fee
ling vaguely as though she’d just gotten blown free of a whirlwind.
No one had ever argued with her like that. Well, no one besides Shaya and Ty. For some reason, she found it rather refreshing.
Setting the pile of clothes on the counter beside the sink, she glanced curiously at the small bag on top. She opened it and found soap and hair cleanser, a hairbrush, a toothbrush and teeth cleanser, shaving supplies, and undergarments. Just under the bag was a clean towel and cleansing cloth.
The sight of the homey touches brought tears to Kyr’s eyes. She hardly knew Elly, yet she was already being treated more warmly than she ever had by her own mother.
She took a few deep, cleansing breaths and then got the shower water flowing. When her emotions were back under control, she carefully lifted the barrier in her mind, focusing only on Ty’s thoughts.
A vision entered her mind, one of Ty swinging a de’llum towards the male she now realized was his father. She knew the moment he became aware of her in his mind. He missed on his downward strike and stumbled with a loud curse.
I’m sorry, she automatically conveyed. Relief flared when the thought went through without any pain.
Ty’s intense relief and elation mixed with hers, making her eyes sting again. She sensed him starting to put aside his de’llum so that he could come inside and see her.
No, love, she told him. Your mother has me getting showered and changed, then she wants to feed me. Stick with your practice…judging by that last swing, you could use it.
He was so surprised by the joke that he laughed. All right, he agreed. But please leave the connection open.
I will.
I love you, Kyr.
I love you, too.
She focused on getting cleaned and groomed after that, but she felt Ty with her. It kept her calm and buoyed her spirits.
By the time she was done getting dressed, she felt incredible. She sure missed being able to cleanse or groom herself whenever the desire or need struck. Perhaps that made her spoiled, she thought as she reflected on some of the megais she had visited and how some of the Alametrians in those megais had to live. But if she had any say in it, no one would go without at least a working shower, soap, and teeth care items.