by Ada Haynes
Toshio had not changed that much over the years. Her last clear memory of him was almost six years old. They had met in the meantime, but she had then been too much under the influence of the experimental drugs or her treatment drugs to have a clear recollection of him.
She had never visited him in jail before. Hearing steel gates clang when being closed still gave her the jitters. It used to paralyze her. Panic her. Make her want to become invisible. Prepare for pain. Fight the urge to scream.
She had better control over her reactions, nowadays.
She was still pretty angry, however. “Why did you have to tell Ekbeth I killed Yeshe, Toshio?”
Toshio’s eyes narrowed. “It was the best way to get him off your back. Why?”
“He’s now thinking the worst of me!”
“And since when is what Ekbeth thinks of you important? The man wants you dead. He doesn’t care about your feelings.”
“Your news is a bit old, Toshio. Since you’ve met him, Ekbeth found me and brought me to the Valley, and I survived their punishment. I’m not on the run anymore.”
“Good, but that doesn’t answer my question. Wait a second… Don’t tell me they still want you to marry him!”
Shona shook her head. “They still want to, but we’ve both decided to disregard their decision, at least for the time being.”
Toshio smiled. “That’s my girl. So, why do you care?”
Shona sat on his tiny bed, careful not to show any emotion. The baby had just given a kick in her belly. As if the burning of her lower back was not already pain enough, she thought with humor.
She was not planning to tell Toshio, or Jeffrey, about her pregnancy. If he knew, he would prevent her from participating in the search for Sonam. With a bit of luck, he would not notice anything for another month, maybe two, though that would be a stretch.
She needed to set things in motion. “It’s complicated, and not the reason I’m here. I’ve learned some amazing news in Bhutan, Toshio. Dorje survived the massacre, as you already know—and yes, I’m mad that you didn’t tell me—but so has Sonam.”
Toshio’s brows went up. “Your son?”
“Yes. My son is alive somewhere and we need to find him. I think he’s in China. You have the connections there. Help me.”
After a moment of thinking, he carefully said, “Who told you this? That Sonam is alive.”
She told him of her meeting with the old woman. Toshio did not seem convinced. She forced him to meet her eyes. “Toshio. You know me. I have a feeling about this. Sonam is alive.”
They locked eyes for a long moment. Toshio sighed. “I see. One of your revelation moments. True, they’ve most of the time proven right, but there’s not much I can do from here.”
“You managed to ask your friends to close their accounts at Ekbeth’s bank.”
He shook his head. “Phone calls won’t be enough for this kind of search. I need to be in China. Meet people in person.”
She allowed herself a tiny smile. At least he was not fighting the idea of getting out of jail.
“Toshio, I can get you out of here in less than five seconds.”
His face tensed. As much as he recognized her special abilities had their usefulness, he had always refused to go through a wall with her. So, doing a whole transfer? Plus, there would be the small problem of Interpol launching a search warrant against him.
“Alternatively, call a lawyer,” Shona suggested. “Make him reopen the case. Pay someone who looks a bit like you and is ready to take your place. Fake the evidence.”
“This is going to take months of preparation and procedure. I only know one way to get out of here quickly, Shona.”
Of course. The art trafficking section of Interpol had been trying to get information out of him for years.
“This is definitely going to put me out of work, Shona, and some people will be waiting for me outside, especially if I tell on them.”
“I’m sure Maire won’t complain about you being home more often. You can always start doing some legal work for a change. As for the enemies, you have enough protection. People will think twice before getting at you.”
He looked at her, deadly serious. “Still, Shona, is it worth it? We have no concrete evidence Sonam is alive. No idea who the men who took him are. And I know you. I am not going to help you kill half of China to get your son back, Shona.”
“We won’t need to do that much killing.”
Her lower back suddenly started burning. Damn! That Goddess indeed could track her outside of the Valley!
She added hastily, “Actually probably no killing at all. I have a plan.”
“I’d really like to hear it. We are talking here of finding ten men among a few billion Chinese, Shona. If they were Chinese. Without anything specific to start on. Not even names.”
“I’ll explain the details of the plan once you’re free. Have faith in me.”
They both heard the door unlocking. She was running out of time. “Please, Toshio?”
Another tiny hesitation, then he nodded.
She asked Nukri to transfer her back to the Valley just as the cell door was opening.
She had a few other destinations on her day list. First, going back to Bhutan and Dorje. She had left his house without leaving even a note. He was probably worried. She wanted to check his memory of the attackers against hers. They had not much to go on, indeed. Every little detail could make a difference.
She had lied to Toshio. She had no plan yet, but she had plenty of time to think of something.
Then, the Castle, the place where Jeffrey was living, to tell him the news about Toshio, and ask for his help with the plan.
Then, her gynecologist. She wanted to be sure the baby was healthy. She did not trust the As’mirin doctors. How could they be so sure of their diagnosis without scans or other modern technology?
And finally, a steak and kidney pie with mashed potatoes at the pub near Maire’s apartment. She had craved that dish during her whole stay in Bhutan and she had every intention of satisfying that need as soon as possible.
My, maybe she was going to enjoy being As’mir, after all.
50
Ekbeth was concentrating deeply on a report Lyrian was presenting on the latest developments of the Brazilian economy when Kimiel suddenly appeared in the chair next to him. Without speaking, she took his hand, put it on her belly and closed her eyes with obvious relief.
He could not help but smile. “Good morning, Kimiel.”
“Morning. That little devil has been dancing the jig all night inside. Bers’el suggested I tried this before anything else.”
“Not surprising if the rumors I heard about you are true. Even I don’t get transferred that many times a day, Kimiel, and I’m not pregnant. You should slow things down.”
She growled, “Stop the sermon now, or I just go back to the Valley. Would you please go on with whatever you were doing and ignore me?”
Ekbeth was finding the situation a bit awkward, but signaled Lyrian to continue. But his cousin obviously could not. He was scowling furiously at Kimiel and the tensed way in which his hands gripped the report document was a sure sign that he barely managed to contain his anger.
Ekbeth sighed, and called for his cousin’s attention. “Lyrian?”
Kimiel opened her closed eyes and looked around her. To her credit, she did not mock Lyrian when she finally laid eyes on him. “Morning, Lyrian. I am sorry to interrupt.”
Lyrian became very red in the face. A sure sign that Ekbeth had to intervene before his cousin lost control. Again. They had discussed the new situation between Ekbeth and Kimiel. The conversation had gone as badly as Ekbeth had expected, but Lyrian had finally promised he would not hurt her. However, it seemed a real struggle for him to keep his promise right now.
Ekbeth could understand and excuse Lyrian’s attitude, and told him, “We can continue the presentation later today, Cousin.”
Lyrian had worked long enough with him
to understand the message. He stormed out of the room. Kimiel chuckled, “My! He really is mad at me, isn’t he?”
“And you’re finding this amusing? Are you ever going to apologize to him?”
She shook her head. Ekbeth sighed. “You apologized to me. Why not to Lyrian?”
She put her hand on his and moved it a bit to the right. “Different situation, Ekbeth. Anyway, it probably would not help. As Sarah-Lysliana has told me, your cousin is all for extremes. He’ll never forgive me.”
She was probably right in that, Ekbeth had to admit. He asked, “Do you ever feel remorse for what you’ve done?”
“Sometimes. But never for long. What’s the point of torturing yourself once the act is done? It’s not like you can go back and undo it! I take responsibility for my acts, Ekbeth. Always. And I don’t care what others think of me!”
She then moved his hand to the left. “I’m afraid I’ll have to interrupt a few of your other meetings in the future, Ekbeth. Unless you manage to tell that girl inside me that she’s to listen to me as well.”
The abrupt change of conversation topic told him enough. She refused to discuss her past acts any further. He decided to humor her this time.
“Can we agree on some kind of warning then? I have some very nervous customers. They would certainly not appreciate seeing you appear in the middle of our discussion like you just did.”
She absently nodded. After some time, she asked, “Have you missed me, Ekbeth?”
He realized a week had gone by since their latest discussion. Oh, he had heard about her, especially of her transfers, but that was not the same.
“I’m afraid I was too busy. You’ll probably be happy to know that the Family Council has lifted the banishment of my ancestor, Keremli. We’ll announce it tomorrow and probably throw a small party in her honor.”
She smiled. “So, you’ve met her?”
“Yes! The day following your trial, as it is. At last, things make sense. I’d rather that she had come to me directly with her request instead of including you in her schemes, but she’s my great-great-grandmother. I suppose, I just have to accept her choices.”
“Good. I’m glad, Ekbeth. Keremli has saved me. This was the very least I could do for her.”
“Saved you?”
She nodded, but did not elaborate. Information about her past was not going to come from her either. He had tried Keremli, without success. Really frustrating.
Then she surprised him by asking, “So it has all been work and work. I must admit I admire your commitment, Ekbeth. Do you ever stop working?”
“Not much choice here, Kimiel. As you probably know, the tasks were split between the families after the Cataclysm. The Na Duibhnes got the finance part. Outside the Valley and on the Other Side. The Akeneires’el title also makes me responsible for the family administration. Normally, the administrative and banking functions are split. My older brother was the Akeneires’el. I was supposed to share the banking part with my other brother. Only, both of them died.”
“So you really have to do everything on your own?”
He almost told her that her sending Lyrian to the hospital for a month by torturing him had not been helpful, but she had clearly stated she did not care about Lyrian. There was no point, then.
“No. I need to generate about fifty million dollars per year to cover the community costs. That’s not a small amount of money. I would never be able to do this on my own. I have a whole staff working for me on both sides of the Veil. Only, no one in my family has been trained to lead the business as I have. Being in charge of the finances does not mean my family likes to bother with money. My cousin Lyrian is the only family member who is helping me with the bank, and his work now is limited to the activities on the Other Side as he is banned from the Valley.”
He started putting some documents away. “I have another meeting in half an hour, Kimiel. One you can’t attend, I’m sorry.”
She shrugged. “I’m feeling better already. I suppose some napping is also due. You take your responsibilities too seriously, Ekbeth. How long do you think you’re going to be able to continue like this before burning out?”
He forced himself to relax. Alyasini was regularly asking the same question, and that had become very annoying over time. He did not want to start a discussion about this. He had no time anyway.
“Thanks for your concern, Kimiel, but it’s not needed. I manage, so far. Or are you just concerned I won’t have enough time for you?”
She shrugged. “You told me you had no time for a wife, Ekbeth. I got the message loud and clear. And, as we are not going to marry any time soon, I can’t complain about your whereabouts, can I?
That made him smile, but not for long. “Correct in that. And, as we are discussing whereabouts… I don’t want to pry, Kimiel, but where have you been all week?”
“I can’t tell you, I’m afraid. But I’m a bit surprised, Ekbeth. Didn’t Nukri tell you?”
“The Caller is bound by an oath not to reveal where he transfers people.”
“Ah, don’t make me laugh! I’m sure enough incentive will make him spill it.”
Ekbeth shrugged. “Maybe, but I did not ask.”
“Very good of you.”
“So, you’re not going to tell me?”
She shook her head. Just what he had feared, she was certainly up to no good again. She needed protection. He was glad he had had that decision approved by the family council already.
“Then I have some other news for you, Kimiel. From past experience, I’ve learned better than to trust you with your own safety. And as you are carrying my daughter…”
She looked at him suspiciously. “You’re not going to restrain me to Kse’Annilis, are you, Ekbeth?”
He shook his head.
“Good, because that would have been a very bad idea!”
“I know. No, I want you to have a bodyguard at your side. One of my own family. To protect you and our baby.”
She frowned. “I can take care of myself.”
He met her gaze squarely.
“This is not negotiable, Kimiel. Unless you tell me what you’re up to.”
She was furious, he could feel it, but she kept her thoughts to herself. “If the bodyguard tells you about my whereabouts, I’ll kill him!”
Next, she was hissing with pain. It worried him, until he saw her put her hands to her lower back. Ah. The Goddess. Shona managed a loud curse, but that was the extent of her anger at the Goddess’s reaction to her threats. The pain only started subsiding after she’d loudly promised she would not kill anyone.
Ekbeth tried not to smile, but Shona could easily read his mood. “It’s not funny, Ekbeth. But see…” Kimiel gestured to her back. “I have a bodyguard already.”
“Is this happening often?”
“Often enough. She takes all my words a bit too seriously.”
“Good. Unfortunately, I can’t trust the Goddess with this, Kimiel. Not entirely. It’s all approved already. Najeb has volunteered. I don’t want you to go anywhere without him from now on. If you try to leave without him, or lose him, Nukri will just transfer him to you again.”
She looked surprised. “Najeb? Kalem’s son?”
“He’s not going to put a knife in your back, don’t worry. And he’s not going to tell me anything about the places you are going, because he’s going to swear an oath to protect you, and protecting also involves not talking.”
She was still not happy about the idea, as her expression made clear, but after some time, she nodded. “Good, then. When does this start?”
He had not expected the news to be accepted so quickly. She probably was already planning ways to bypass his idea.
He quickly looked at his agenda. “Are you going to rest all the afternoon?”
“Probably.”
“Then we could meet at the end of the day. And what about having dinner together?”
She smiled. “Your people are going to gossip, Ekbeth.”
<
br /> “Our people are gossiping already, Kimiel. Ignore them.”
She stood. “See you later then. I hope that bodyguarding does not extend to your bedroom Ekbeth… or you’re going to be very sorry. I don’t like public exhibition.”
She disappeared out of the room before he could find a good answer. Ekbeth was still chuckling while he walked to his next meeting. That woman was driving him crazy.
He sobered. His next customer was a recently widowed woman. Not that the woman had had much love for her deceased drug baron husband, but they had to keep pretenses. Chuckling was not appropriate.
He inhaled deeply and opened the meeting room door.
51
“Hurry up, Najeb! We are late!”
“That’s because you woke up so late, Kimiel, and you forgot to tell me we were going somewhere today. Again! I’ve spent the whole morning in the drains under the Na Dearghs’ house. I need to shower.”
“Hurry, then! No need to be so smart this early in the morning!”
“It’s already one o’clock!” retorted Najeb as he headed for the shower.
“Just shut up and hurry, all right? Otherwise I’ll leave without you!”
Her bodyguard ignored her threat, and whistled nonchalantly under the running water. He very well knew that Nukri would refuse to transfer her outside the Valley without him. The Aramalinyia’s orders.
She was still mad about that last bit, but she could only blame herself for it. She had promised Ekbeth not to go anywhere without Najeb. And she had regularly forgotten about that promise in the past days. Oath or not, Najeb had complained to Ekbeth.
Ekbeth had at first been angry with her. Understanding that she had no intention of changing her ways, he had taken a more drastic step. He had gone to the Aramalinyia and asked for her help.
Arguing that she was not cautious enough and that she needed someone to watch over her and her unborn baby had been enough. As’mirin apparently cared a lot about babies. Not something Shona would ever complain about, but in her specific case, she found the extra protection annoying.
Najeb was following her everywhere. And, as Ekbeth had warned her would happen, the few times she had managed to shake him off, he was back at her side less than a minute later. He only left her on her own when she was in the Valley. And that was because he knew the rest of the community was taking over his job of watching out for her.