That decision made, she looked around for something else to do, but Astra was very tidy. There were no dishes to wash, floors to sweep, or even ashes to empty from the fireplace. Just as she’d decided to go for a walk, Astra came in.
“What’s this about?” Astra asked, looking at the clothing on the drying rack.
“I thank you most sincerely for the loan of your clothing during my stay here,” Tani said stiffly. “I’ve washed everything I borrowed, and when they’re dry I’ll iron them if you have an iron.”
“This wasn’t necessary, Tani,” Astra began, but Tani shook her head.
“Yes, it was, and is,” Tani said. “When my parents arrive tomorrow I will request immediate transport to their ship. Since I will not have time to wash the bedding I used, I will replace it for you.”
“Tani, what’s wrong?” Astra asked, the cool expression on Tani’s face and in her eyes worrying her.
“My parents will send men down to protect the Khun until Nica arrives,” Tani continued as though she hadn’t heard Astra’s question.
“Do you truly believe she’ll be able and willing to help us?” Astra asked, stalling for time to figure out what was going on.
“Yes, of course,” Tani said. “Nica is an official agent of ICARUS, with all of the necessary authority to act on their behalf. She’s also very intelligent and extremely powerful, as is her husband. They will see to it that your people have all that they need, and that the Nomen cause no further trouble, and they’ll do it much faster and much more thoroughly than I ever could. I ask that you trust me in this.”
“Of course I trust you,” Astra said. “What will you do, Tani?”
“I don’t know,” Tani replied. “First, I must find a place to live.”
“Do you mean another cave?” Astra asked. “Because you’re welcome here, Tani. I hope you know that.”
“Thank you, Astra, but no, I didn’t mean another cave. I meant another planet.
“What about Steel?”
“What about him?”
“I know this isn’t my business, Tani, but the two of you belong together,” Astra said. “I don’t understand how it is that you’re meant for him rather than your own people, but I know that it’s so.”
“You’re right, Astra,” Tani said, stopping the retort that had been on her tongue before it escaped. Astra hadn’t done anything wrong, after all. “I don’t understand it either, but it’s true. I know only that I am not the same as other Jasani women, and that I have no soul mate among the clans.”
Tani’s voice had grown so sad that it brought tears to Astra’s eyes. “Then why not remain here, with us?” she asked. “With Steel?”
“Because I belong here even less than I belong on Jasan,” Tani said. “There, at least I’m accepted. Here I am a visitor who is not Khun, and therefore, not to be trusted. I will leave this place the moment someone arrives who can take me away.”
“Why would you say such a thing?” Astra asked, shocked by Tani’s words.
“I did not say it. He did.”
“That makes no sense.”
“Oh yes, I’d forgotten,” Tani said bitterly. “I am not Khun, so of course you have no reason to believe me.”
“Tani!” Astra said in surprise, “I’d never doubt your word, and it doesn’t matter to me whether you’re Khun or not.”
“I apologize, Astra, that was unfair,” Tani said. “Nevertheless, if you want answers, I’m afraid I don’t have any. I know only what I’ve told you.”
“But you haven’t told me anything,” Astra argued.
“Exactly,” Tani said. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to take a walk.”
“Of course, Tani,” Astra said, understanding that her friend needed to be alone. She listened as Tani crossed the cave and stepped outside, her footsteps growing fainter and fainter as she climbed up toward the mesa above. When she was certain that Tani was far enough away, she climbed to her feet and went in search of her cousin.
***
Steel waited until Tani was gone, then he’d shifted and taken off, flying as far as he thought safe while the threat of attack still hovered over his people. He didn’t need anyone to tell him that he’d been cruel and unfair to Tani. He knew that well enough. The problem was that he didn’t think there was anything he could, or should, do about it.
If he apologized to her, then he had to admit that he was wrong. And if he did that, he had to admit that Naran was more of a monster on the inside than his mahrac was on the outside. And he just couldn’t let himself believe that about a man he’d known his entire life.
When he returned he was relieved to find that the mesa above the caves was empty, so he landed there, shifted, then walked to the edge of the cliff. Only when he was certain that Tani was not among those of his people who were currently outside, did he step over the edge and return to his cave.
Unable to think of anything to distract himself from this new problem, he sat before the cold fireplace in his private living area, signaling to all who approached that he wished to be alone. The only one who dared to ignore his request was Astra. She entered anyway and sat down opposite him, then waited for him to speak first. If she had been anyone else he would have out-waited her, but this was Astra. Before giving up, she’d sit there with an expression of calm patience on her face until the stone that formed the cave around them was ground to dust by the wheels of time and blew away on the wind.
“What do you want, Cousin?” he demanded.
Astra shot to her feet, instantly furious, shocking him so completely that his mouth fell open. “You, Cousin, are rude, overbearing, self-centered and completely lacking in manners. Your father was king for many years and I never once heard him speak to anyone as you do every day.”
“I apologize, Astra,” he said tiredly. “You’re right, of course, and there’s no excuse for my behavior. My father would not be proud of me.”
“No, he wouldn’t be,” Astra said, disinclined to excuse him this time.
Steel rubbed his eyes, hoping to alleviate the sudden ache growing in his head. “I’ve made a mess of things, Astra. Again.”
“With Tani,” she said, sitting back down.
“Yes,” he said. “She told you?”
“Yes and no,” Astra said.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean she told me that she’s leaving,” Astra said. “When her parents arrive tomorrow, she’s going to request that they transport her to their ship immediately.”
“Did she give you a reason?” Steel asked, rubbing absently at his chest where a strange, hollow feeling was beginning to grow.
“She said that she doesn’t belong here, and that since she is not Khun, she is not to be trusted.” Astra paused, studying her cousin’s face. “You really said that to her, didn’t you? I hoped that she’d misunderstood you, or even exaggerated something you said. But she didn’t.”
“No, she did not exaggerate,” Steel said with a sigh. “I didn’t use those words but yes, that’s what I said. Did she tell you why I said that?”
“No, she didn’t.”
“She accused Naran of lying about how he got injured.”
“Why?” Astra asked before he could say more.
“Why?”
“Yes, why, Steel,” Astra said. “I want to know why she made the accusation.”
“Because the laser burn on Naran’s back could not have been made by someone firing from the ground while he was flying.”
“Comet crap,” Astra whispered, borrowing Tani’s favorite epithet. “She’s right, of course. It’s so obvious that I don’t understand why you didn’t see it yourself.” Her eyes narrowed as she studied Steel’s expression. “You defended Naran, didn’t you?”
“I did,” Steel admitted. “I’ve known him my entire life, Astra.”
“What has that to do with the truth?” Astra demanded, then shook her head. “You told her that since Naran is Khun and she isn’t, you believe in his innocenc
e despite the evidence.”
“I did, and I went too far, again, as usual,” he said. “I called her an outsider. I know I shouldn’t have said that to her, that it was cruel and wrong, and eventually I will apologize for that. But not yet. She has to understand how wrong it was of her to say what she said, Astra. Because I do trust Naran. If I didn’t, he wouldn’t be my third in command.”
“I love you, Cousin, but you’re an idiot if you think that apologizing to Tani is going to fix things this time because she’s not wrong. You are. You just have great big blinders on when it comes to your friends.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that Naran is a liar and he always has been. He’s also a bully when he thinks no one’s watching. And, he’s so jealous of Khurda that he can hardly stand it.”
“Why would you say these things?” Steel asked, shocked.
“Because they’re the truth,” she said. “Haven’t you ever noticed that Naran never even looks at Khurda, let alone speaks to him?”
“No,” Steel said, frowning. “I haven’t noticed that. But it doesn’t make him a murderer, Astra.”
“No it doesn’t,” Astra said. “But it does make me wonder why you believe a story that the evidence clearly proves to be false. Does Naran mean so much to you, and Tani so little?”
“I owe it to Naran to give him the benefit of the doubt,” Steel said stubbornly.
“And Tani?” Astra asked. “What do you owe her, Steel?” Steel had no answer to that question, but Astra hadn’t expected him to. “Tani loves you, Steel, and you just threw her and her love away like so much trash. All for a man who you’re too blind and stubborn to see as he truly is. You will one day though. Very soon, unless I miss my guess. But it’ll be too late for you, I’m afraid. Tani’s right to leave Garza. There’s nothing for her here, after all. I will wish her luck in finding a man who will love her as she deserves.”
Steel watched as Astra got up and left his cave, shocked by most of what she’d said, but not all of it. He knew that he should have been surprised by all that Astra had said about Naran, but he wasn’t. Not really. He wasn’t as blind as everyone seemed to think. He knew that Naran did and said things that weren’t right, but he’d never caused any real harm, and he had a good heart.
Turning a blind eye to Naran and his lies had never mattered before because Naran had never hurt anyone before. But it mattered now. In defense of Naran, he’d hurt the woman he loved, and insulted Astra, his only remaining family. If Tani and Astra were right, then Naran didn’t have a good heart at all, and he’d done a lot more than just cause harm to someone. He’d murdered Roark, and nearly murdered Tani while trying to kill him. Had he also been responsible for tossing Dirk down the mountainside? Steel felt sick at the thought.
If he could have honestly told himself that Naran was innocent, he’d have stood firmly behind his lifelong friend. But suddenly he was beginning to have doubts. Big doubts.
***
Tani left Astra’s cave and stood on the ledge for a moment, thinking. Maybe a little target practice would distract her. Or a long run up the mountain. Anything to keep her from addressing the pain that now seemed to encompass her entire mind and body.
She took the path toward the right side of the cliff face instead of the left, keeping her eyes down as she walked. Once she was sure that she’d be as far as possible from Steel’s cave when she passed it, she started climbing straight up, ignoring the path altogether. She was nearly there when she heard someone calling her name.
She ignored it at first, until she realized it was Dirk calling her. She stopped reluctantly and turned around to see the little boy following her, using his hands to help him climb in her wake.
“What are you doing, Dirk?” she asked. “You know you’re not supposed to go up to the mesa alone.”
“I wathn’t going there,” Dirk said. “I wath going to thee you, Gunji Tani.”
“Is something wrong, Dirk?”
“No, I juth wanted to thee you,” Dirk said.
“Well, that’s very nice of you, Dirk,” Tani said, trying to smile for the boy’s sake. “But right now I’m going someplace you can’t come, so how about if you come to see me later, before dinner?”
“Can’t I come with you?”
“No Dirk, not this time,” Tani said. “You go on back to your Grandma now before she starts worrying about you. I’ll see you when I get back.”
“Okay,” Dirk said and turned to make his way back down to the regular path. Tani waited and watched him to be sure he made it safely, then she turned and climbed the rest of the way up to the mesa.
She was relieved to find it empty for a change. Ever since the women and men had begun using the mesa as their shooting range, it was rarely unoccupied. Now that she was here, she didn’t really feel much like practicing her aim. She looked up at the mountain that rose up in front of her and decided she didn’t want to run, either. She turned and wandered slowly to the far side of the mesa for no reason other than to be moving.
She threw herself sideways, her instincts screaming a warning so suddenly that her body barely had time to react. She spun around, two shuriken in each hand, looking for whoever or whatever was behind her, only to find that she was still alone. She took a couple of slow steps sideways to where she’d been walking, keeping her guard up. She trusted her feelings more than she trusted her eyes, and they were telling her that she was not alone.
She searched the ground carefully until she saw a tiny dart with a green feather on the end. Then she looked up, sensing a change just as a figure popped into being a few feet in front of her.
She wasn’t surprised to see that it was Naran. What did surprise her was the sight of Dirk’s limp body in Naran’s arms. Worse than that was the sight of Naran’s hand laser pressed against the boy’s temple.
“Drop the shuriken, then bend down, pick up that dart, and stick it in your arm,” Naran said.
“Why should I do that?”
“Because if you don’t, I’m going to kill this annoying little brat,” Naran said, his lips stretching in a cold smile.
Tani dropped the shuriken and picked the dart up, then held it poised over her arm. “Was it you who shot me the night of the raid?” she asked curiously.
“That wasn’t my fault,” he said with a shrug. “I wouldn’t have repaid your gift of healing by shooting you, but you just had to go and play the hero.”
“It was meant for Steel?”
“No, it was meant for Khurda,” he said, spitting the name out. “Steel should not have made him second in command over me. I’m the better man.”
“But you shot at Steel,” Tani said calmly.
“It was dark, they were in mahrac form, and flying so far after just being healed wasn’t as easy as I’d hoped. I got them mixed up.”
“Did you kill Roark?”
“Yes,” he said with a heavy, put upon sigh. “That wasn’t my fault, either. He followed me one night and saw me meeting with Brutus. It was Roark who shot me out of the sky. When he landed to check on me, I shot him. If he’d kept his nose out of my business, it wouldn’t have happened. As it was, he didn’t give me any choice.”
“What about Dirk? Why’d you throw him down the mountain?”
“Because he was playing a game and chose to hide from the other kids in Ruya’s cave,” Naran said. “I couldn’t be sure that he hadn’t found a rather large stash of gold coins that I’d hidden in there, and it wasn’t a risk I could afford to take. Since you healed him and he never said anything, I decided he hadn’t seen them after all.”
“Why this? Why hand me over to the Nomen?”
“They have my sister,” Naran said. “Shela is the only family I have left.”
Tani nodded. “There isn’t much I wouldn’t do for my own sisters,” she said and stabbed the dart into her arm. The effects of the drug were immediate, but she fought them back long enough to see Naran drop Dirk carelessly on the ground. She fell to her k
nees while sending a silent thought to Wily, who was lying quietly on the back of her neck. Then she slumped to the ground, unconscious.
“Naran, what have you done?” Ruya asked in surprise. Naran turned to stare at her, a laser gun in one hand and an unconscious Dirk at his feet. She swallowed back nausea at the sight and kept her expression mildly curious.
“Only what I had to do, Ruya,” he said. “Why are you here?”
“I came to thank Tani for healing me,” Ruya said. “What’s going on here?”
“I promised that you’d never have to go back in that damn mine and I meant it,” Naran said. “Once I hand the princess over to the Nomen, they’ll release Shela, and then they’ll take the three of us wherever we want to go in the galaxy.”
“What will they do with her?”
“Who cares?” Naran said, with a shrug. “She’s not one of us, Ruya. It doesn’t matter what happens to her.”
“Her people may not agree with that,” Ruya said, sensing that reminding him how much he actually owed Tani would be a mistake. “The Jasani are very powerful.”
“Again, who cares? We won’t be here.”
“I see,” Ruya said, wondering when the man she’d once loved had gone completely insane. He’d always had anger and jealousy issues, but never anything like this. “What do you want me to do?” she asked, knowing she had to play along.
Naran smiled, the faint light of suspicion that had begun to grow in his eyes at her questions fading. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to be drugged, too,” he said. “Otherwise it’ll look suspicious.”
“Or I could just turn around and go back to my cave,” she suggested half-heartedly, knowing that to agree to being drugged too fast would be suspicious. Naran was crazy, not stupid.
“No, Ruya, that’s too risky,” Naran said. “I think drugging you is best. I’ll just give you a light dose like I gave Dirk. Then you can claim, truthfully, that I drugged you.”
“All right, Naran,” she said with what she hoped was the right amount of reluctance.
He reached into a pouch at his waist and removed a small plastic case. He opened it, selected a dart, and handed it to her. She accepted it slowly, holding it gingerly when she really wanted to throw it at him. But he was fast, and she wasn’t. The attempt would fail and she’d never get a chance to warn anyone that Tani was in danger. “Where should I poke myself with it?”
Tani's Destiny (Hearts of ICARUS Book 2) Page 27