My assumption was that whatever my father found caused his death. I had the records he'd sent to me; the constables accepted copies with reluctance, sure that they'd had nothing to do with my father's murder.
Perhaps they were correct; perhaps this was a war between houses of research. After all, to Amterean Dwarves, information is more treasured than gold, and is often sold for precious metals, jewels or other valuable compensation.
I'd never asked my father how this fee would be paid, or how much he would charge for the information.
For me, and where I'd been in the military for the past thirty sun-turns, it mattered little.
What mattered now was that my father's killer had escaped.
I had an idea where he could be heading, too. I merely had to find passage to Earth to catch up with him.
* * *
Sydney, Australia
Lexsi
"No," I placed a hand between Kory's mouth and mine. It was after eight the following morning, after what surely must have counted as a marathon of sex the night (and previous day) before.
Not that the sex wasn't awesome and everything I could have hoped for.
The truth was, I was starving and I still hadn't seen the Opera House.
"Seventeen times isn't enough," Kory muffled into my palm before kissing it.
"You're not hungry?"
"For you," he pulled my hand away from his mouth.
I was beginning to view his mouth as a very dangerous weapon; one that could make my blood boil and my fingers struggle to remove clothing or any other barriers between us. The truth was, his kiss made me forget everything else, and that could be perilous in the extreme.
"We can have eighteen, nineteen and twenty after dinner. For now, I want breakfast, the Opera House, lunch and then whatever else there is to see," I tapped his nose.
"All right." Kory's mouth curled into a smile, letting me know that we'd had enough sex for the moment. Maybe he did want breakfast after all. "Did I hurt you?" he asked.
"I don't remember," I confessed. "It was just—so consuming."
"I just remember how good it was," Kory grinned. "Come on, let's get in the shower and then find breakfast."
At least I took my shower alone; if Kory had come with me, we may not have left the room. We walked out of the hotel an hour later and had brunch at a small restaurant nearby. Tables were scattered throughout an open courtyard at the back, all shaded by a large, flowering tree.
Small, pale plumeria flowers with yellow centers would drop occasionally from the tree; two landed on our table while we ate. I lifted one and toyed with it while sipping the last of my flat white coffee—a favorite drink for Australians.
"It's perfect," I held it up for Kory to see.
"And yet it fell," he pointed out, lifting his cup of coffee.
"Isn't that a rather depressing way to look at it?" I asked.
"It fell for you. How's that?" His dark eyes held mischief as he sipped from his cup.
"Gag," I grumped. "Groan," I added.
"Are you still hungry? I can get you another omelet," Kory said, ducking his head to hide a smile.
"Trying to put me in a better mood?"
"Maybe."
"I saw there's a restaurant of sorts at the Opera House. I say we take the tour and then have lunch there."
"If that's what you want."
"What do you want?" I asked. His eyes narrowed and a light appeared in them. "Okay, forget I asked," I held up a hand. "I'm going for another flat white. I sort of like them," I said and rose from the table.
"Want me to get it?" Kory asked.
"I can do it. Want anything?"
"Ice water? With actual ice, this time?"
"All right."
I made my way through the crowd of small tables to reach the back door of the restaurant. I still had to go to the end of the customer line to put in a new order, though. I was there, waiting near the front door when I watched him walk past.
Except for the buzzed haircut and normal-looking eyebrows, the four-foot-tall man could have been Master Morwin.
A much younger Master Morwin, I decided, who'd likely have no way of reaching Earth in this day and age.
Perhaps my lack of sleep caused my mind to play tricks on me. Nevertheless, I shivered in the late-morning heat of a summer day in Sydney.
"Here," I placed the glass of ice water in front of Kory. "I made them fill it with ice, first," I explained before taking my seat across the table.
"Big line?" Kory asked. "You were gone forever."
"Yeah. It's worse, now," I said. "I guess we chose a popular place with the locals. You'll never guess what I saw, too," I added. "I saw a man who could be Master Morwin, if he were hundreds of years younger. Well, except for the eyebrows. And the long hair."
"Not Morwin, then," Kory said and drank his water. "I've seen him. If you cut off his braid, he'd kill you. Shave his eyebrows and you'd be tortured before you died."
"I don't think it would be that extreme," I said, sipping my fresh coffee. "It doesn't matter anyway, because it wasn't him."
"He spent thirty years in the Amterean military before he took over his father's business, did you know that?"
I blinked at Kory. I only remembered Morwin as the tutor and master scholar he was. "Amterean military?" I croaked. Amterean Dwarves excelled in two things; fighting and obscure knowledge. The RAA had several platoons of Amterean Dwarves in their ranks, with others sprinkled here and there.
Kory shrugged at my question. "How do you know this?" I asked.
"I met your dad, remember? We talked about your schooling, and how he'd been taught by Morwin, too. I met Morwin when I visited your grandmother's palace once. Formidable intelligence."
"So, Daddy never told me that—about Morwin being in the military," I grumped. "I'd have asked plenty of questions if he had."
"I doubt Morwin would be happy to answer them," Kory pointed out.
"I wonder if he was an expert in something?" My mind explored the possibilities.
"No way to know, but most Amtereans are only required to spend around ten years in the military. He tripled that."
"How nosy were you?" I was now back to my dad, and any secrets he'd told to Kory.
"Just basic, non-invasive stuff," Kory sounded hurt. "Your studies, hobbies, that kind of thing. Don't you think it would be a good idea to know your intended as well as possible before—well."
"Hmmph." We were back to the old argument of female High Demons being handed out like candy to reward the males.
"Baby, I realize now how stupid the system is," Kory held up both hands in surrender as I frowned at him. "If I ever hold a seat on the Council, I'll stand with Dad and protest the whole thing. It needs to change. There ought to be some choice in the matter—on both sides. All that aside," his dark eyes softened as he gazed at me, "I would have chosen you from a million others—or as many as there could possibly be. You are my treasure, m'hala."
"Queen Glinda is the only female who has any influence with the Council," I sighed, although I was secretly pleased with Kory's compliment. "There are no others to stand in support of females. Glinda will only slap King Jaydevik's hand if she disagrees with him on anything."
"Jayd is old school, as they say in the States," Kory grinned at me. "Most of his Council is, too. It'll be a long road to change minds, but I'll stand with Dad to see if we can't point things in the right direction, at least."
As my husband, he was entitled to a seat on the Council—in the future. Here we were, though, stuck in the past. "I appreciate the thought, and I'll appreciate it even more when we get back to where we came from."
"Yeah. Sometimes I miss Kifirin," he sighed. "Veshtul, especially," He said, referring to the capital city where the royal palace stood.
"I miss gishi fruit and oxberry wine," I said. "And the cheese we get on Avendor."
"Sounds like an amazing meal," Kory grinned. After sex, he added in mindspeech.
"You
realize that we come from the only two planets that can produce gishi fruit?" I asked, ignoring his mindspeech.
"Match made in heaven, or close enough," he laughed.
* * *
Sydney, Australia
Morwin
The trip to Earth was longer and more uncomfortable than I wanted it to be, even compared to military standards. The smuggler's ship was patched debris, in my opinion, and only operated on hope and regular threats from its crew.
I felt fortunate that I arrived on the planet merely half a continent away from my intended destination, intact and with my trunk at my side.
I had a communicator with me, but had my doubts whether the ship would hear my call to take me home again. I imagined I could end up dying here in the search for my father's killer—my father hadn't gone down easily, as evidenced by the disarray and amount of blood in his study.
My quarry was formidable, but I intended to challenge him anyway.
There was a difficulty, however.
There were few of my stature on Earth, thus marking me as an item of curiosity and making me more visible to an enemy. This had to be dealt with, and in such a way that I would no longer draw attention. If I failed to do so, the murderer would find me easily enough. I wanted to catch him unaware, instead.
Standing out on Earth made me more than vulnerable. My hearing is quite good; I heard many things behind me as I passed those considered normal on the streets. The first time I was called a midget behind my back, it made me angry. Not just on my behalf, but for those who were born here who'd been called such a derogatory thing.
As if I—and they—were less than others, and not merely in stature.
I had to find a way to make myself less noticeable, but had no idea how to accomplish that feat. My steps drew me closer to the walkway leading to the Opera House; it was a magnificent study in architecture, and one my father would have loved to visit.
He would have been fascinated by it, as was I. Perhaps I should take a tour, and lose myself with the others who gathered there—to be led through the structure and soak in the stories a guide could tell us about its creation.
* * *
Kordevik
I wasn't as fascinated by the Opera House as Lexsi was, but she wanted to see it. If it made her happy, then I'd see it with her. We stood in line to pay admission for a midday tour; other groups were being called and led away while we waited.
Kory, Lexsi's mindspeech invaded my preoccupied brain, There's the man who looks like Morwin, sixth in line behind us.
Casually I turned, as if gazing about at the lower level leading into the Opera House. A railing wasn't far away, where tourists stood to watch ferry boats in the harbor. The Opera House is surrounded by the harbor on three sides; today the sky was nearly cloudless while sunlight dappled the water.
Without drawing attention, I turned farther to see the man Lexsi spoke of, sure that she was wrong about this.
I stilled. Make his eyebrows longer, his red hair longer and his face older, he'd be Morwin.
Actually, he would probably look exactly like Morwin in this timeline. Stuffing hands in the pockets of my cargo shorts, I turned back to gazing at the water.
I wasn't really seeing it, this time.
How in hell could this one look so much like Lexsi's tutor?
* * *
San Rafael
Zaria
Zaria? Lexsi's mindspeech was tentative, as if she were afraid she'd be disturbing me, somehow.
What is it, sweetheart? I returned.
I—there's this man here, who looks exactly like Morwin, except he's younger than the one I know.
Yes, my heart kicked into a higher rhythm. Where are you? I sent. Never mind, I can tell. Give me a minute, I'll be right there.
Thank you. Her mindspeech expressed relief that someone was taking her seriously.
I was dressed warmly in sweats, sitting at the kitchen island with Klancy, sharing a dish of ice cream. "Hon, would you like to go to Australia?" I asked him.
Klancy blinked at me—he really enjoys ice cream, a treat he'd never had before he'd met me, actually.
"I've never been," he admitted. "If you wish to take me, I will be quite happy to go."
"Awesome." I leaned forward to get an ice-cream flavored kiss. "I'll dress us appropriately and we'll go. Then, we'll find out how they do ice cream Down Under."
"I look forward to it." He gave me a rare smile.
"Have you ever worn shorts?" I asked him. "It's hot there, right now."
"I will attempt to retain my dignity," he sighed.
* * *
Sydney Opera House
Lexsi
"Buy four tickets—Zaria and Klancy are coming," I whispered to Kory as we stepped toward the ticket counter.
"Huh?" Kory's eyes widened.
"I'm sorry," I hunched my shoulders. "I—just want Zaria to look at Morwin's twin, that's all."
"I don't care that they're coming," Kory squeezed my shoulders in large hands. "I'm sort of creeped out by this, too. He just looks—too damn familiar, you know?"
"Yeah."
"Buy five tickets," Zaria shoved a wad of Australian currency into Kory's hand. She'd appeared from nothing, Klancy right beside her. I drew in a breath; nobody around us acted as if two people hadn't just arrived from nowhere.
"Why five?" Kory began.
"Because that's Morwin," Zaria snapped. "He's in danger, so he's coming with us."
* * *
Morwin
I'd barely noticed those in line ahead of me, unless it was to take a step or two closer to the ticket counter.
Until the dark-haired woman and her mate left the counter and walked straight toward me.
"Morwin Quiffilis," she said, as if she could see my name written across my skin, "Come with us. We have your ticket here."
If she hadn't pulled herself to her full height as a Larentii, with sky-blue skin and riveting blue eyes, I'd have thought I was in more danger than originally imagined.
Here was a Larentii, telling me that I should come with her.
I went.
"My Larentii name is Corinnelar," she explained as I followed her to our designated waiting area. It would be an hour before our group for the tour was called. "People here call me Zaria, when I am my other self."
She shrank into the woman I'd first seen—the one with dark hair and bright-blue eyes. "This is Klancy, a former vampire," she added, introducing me to the tall man at her side.
"Quite pleased to meet you," Klancy dipped his head respectfully.
"A former vampire? I can't recall meeting one before," I said, attempting to hide my excited curiosity.
"There are a few of us," Klancy smiled. "Zaria had a great deal to do with that, as you may imagine."
"I've heard the Larentii are quite powerful, but seldom intervene," I observed.
"That is correct," Zaria agreed. "I will explain more later. Please, come meet Lexsi and Kory—neither know yet that I am also Larentii," she added.
"Why should I meet them, then?" I asked.
"Because they may be your best hope for destroying your father's killer," Zaria replied, her words cryptic.
That aroused my curiosity.
Greatly.
"I see I have much to learn," I mumbled and followed Zaria toward Lexsi and Kory.
* * *
Kordevik
"We're High Demons," Lexsi explained to a much younger Morwin than the one she'd known in her earlier life.
I could tell immediately that he'd never met any of our kind, before. Questions formed in his mind—there was a gleam in his eye that was easily recognizable—a thirst for information was forming and wouldn't be quenched until he was satisfied.
We sat at a table in the restaurant that took up much of the lower level of the Opera House while we waited for our tour to begin. Zaria had ordered tea for Morwin and Klancy; the rest of us had either soft drinks or water.
"How do you know about my fa
ther?" Morwin ignored his curiosity on the High Demon front and turned to Zaria, instead.
"It's difficult to explain," Zaria shrugged. "My condolences, by the way."
"Thank you." Morwin's eyes dropped to his hands; he held the cup between fingers calloused from handling swords, rifles and other weapons.
Morwin is fresh out of the Amterean military, Zaria explained to us in mindspeech. That explained the short hair and shaved eyebrows—those were military cuts. He looked like a human as a result—a little person human.
On Amterea, he wasn't considered little. In fact, he was above average height for his race. In the Alliances, he'd be recognized and given due respect for his heritage. Here, he was an oddity.
I could see Lexsi was already concerned for him in that way. She loved him—that was easy enough to see—as you loved a dear teacher who'd shown you the world in fresh and enlightening terms.
Her father, Torevik, had nothing but love and respect for Morwin, too. I never thought to see Morwin in such circumstances—grieving for a murdered father and set on revenge against his father's killer.
I knew I'd never stop looking for the murderer if my father died in such a way.
"Why did you come here?" I asked the obvious question. "What makes you think your enemy is here?" I had no idea why he'd chosen Earth, and Australia in particular.
"Because of this," Morwin drew an ancient version of a comp-vid from his pocket and set it on the table between us. "My father was doing research for a client—on a mystical place called the Metal Library. That client, I believe, is also my father's killer."
* * *
Perth, Western Australia
V'ili
"This information is incomplete," I dropped the comp-vid on the table. Deris was angered by my words, that was easy to see.
His anger should have been directed at himself, for botching this in the beginning. Instead of making sure that he had all the pertinent records, he'd taken the comp-vid offered by the scholar, then killed him before obtaining all the information needed to track the Metal Library.
The Amterean scholar had withheld important information, too, and there was no way to determine where it lay.
Morgett would demand that someone return to Amterea to look for the missing pieces to this puzzle. I worried he'd send me, when I had no desire to visit that planet. The obvious choice would be Deris, but as he'd fucked up the mission initially, I imagined Morgett would send someone else.
A Demon's Due: Latter Day Demons, Book 3 Page 2