“Okay,” he agreed and then held the door open for her again. “I’ll give you three bites before that dress is ruined.”
“I can do it in two.”
A short time later, they were camped out at a table in the otherwise deserted third lounge. Scythe and his assistant had managed to acquire several plates of food ranging from little sandwiches and cured meats on crackers to pastries. Despite her boast, Lena’s dress remained clean, but Scythe’s shirt sported a tiny smudge from a half-eaten, cream tart missile.
Ian walked in with Smoke and Leandra, “Hey, why wasn’t I invited?”
“Why would we invite you? You’re a hog,” teased Lena. She waved to Smoke and Leandra, greeting them in Kin, “Hello, friends.”
Leandra and Smoke both grinned with pleasure. “Hello, Lena, dear friend of our brother,” Leandra responded.
“You guys hungry?” Scythe held out a plate of sandwiches.
“Naw, we’re on duty,” objected Smoke, grabbing one and taking a bite. “On the other hand, it is important to check for poison.”
Scythe translated for Lena, “He’s making sure they aren’t poisoned.”
“Thanks, that’s considerate. Wanna check these, too?” Lena offered him a plate of shrimp cakes.
Smoke bowed his head, smiling, before taking one. He bit into it, raising his eyebrows and winking appreciatively. “That’s good shrim...” His eyes popped and he made a gargling sound, dropping the morsel and clutching at his throat. “Argh!”
Lena tossed down the platter and grabbed his arm, “Are you okay?” Her heart was pounding and the blood rushed to her face. She turned to Leandra, “Get a...”
Her words trailed away at the sight of the Kin woman, who was shaking her head and casually taking another bite. Scythe was trying very hard to keep from laughing and Ian said smoothly, “You so deserve that.”
Lena turned her flushed face toward the man before her, her eyes sparking when she looked up at a calm Smoke. Instead of laughing like the others, he just watched her, intrigued.
“You! You big...” She stopped with a grunting sound. She took a deep breath and tried again, “You are a...I will...” She poked him in the chest with her finger, “You’re lucky I depend on you to take care of Scythe, or I’d end your...aww, screw it...It was a good one.” She smiled up at him, completely unaware of how it set his heart beating a mile a minute.
“Fool,” Leandra said in Kin, reaching for another sandwich.
Smoke took a slow, deep breath, drawing in her scent. His eyes held hers, and he waited.
Lena’s smile softened and then disappeared. She opened her mouth to speak, but paused when his eyes slipped from hers and rested on her parted lips. Her hand flattened on his chest, feeling his heartbeat. Her own heart raced to keep up.
Ian said, “Lena,” at the same time Leandra interrupted with, “Smoke, you idiot. Stop before it’s too late.”
He replied, unrepentant, “It is already long done.”
She shook her head, brushed off her hands and headed for the door. “You’re just like your brother.” She made sure to close the door on her way out.
“Lena, what are you doing?” Ian asked. His usual, light manner had faded and he frowned slightly.
“Nothing,” she answered, smiling up at Smoke again and enjoying both the moment and the smile he returned.
“Your nothing looks like something stupid,” he responded.
“It doesn’t feel stupid.”
“Well, you look stupid. Like a puppy.”
“They look like my parents,” said Scythe, entranced. “My dad used to look at my mom like that.”
Ian admonished, “Don’t encourage them. We all know this is the biggest mistake since leaving the trees.” He pulled on Scythe’s arm, “Let’s give them some space, mediator. We’ve got no chance of averting this disaster.” He grabbed up a couple of trays and walked over by the door. “We can’t leave them alone in here together, so we’re stuck pretending to be oblivious.”
“I can do that. Hey, Ian. I’ve been meaning to ask a favor,” Scythe said, sitting on one of the chairs he dragged over and facing the exit.
“Yeah? What?”
He lowered his voice, moving his chair close to Ian's. “There’s this guy I want you to find for me. His name is Benjamin Warner. He was a guard in the lab. I know it sounds, well, crazy, but I want you to find him without anyone else knowing about it.”
“We have no leads about anyone who was left behind in the lab. They all disappeared.” Ian's eyes jumped involuntarily to where his sister stood and then flicked back. With a little frustrated sigh, he turned so that he couldn't see them and gave Scythe his full attention. “What is this about?”
“He, well, he is the father of one of the children. I know, I know, Ian. Don’t look at me like that. Just listen. The baby’s mother, Enera…you met her the other day…asked me to spare him, and, to be honest, I didn’t want to kill him anyway. He helped us out a lot, and, well...it’s hard to explain. It just didn’t feel right. Look, I haven’t told anyone this, so you have to keep it secret for me, okay?”
“I can’t take a pee without Lena finding out, you know that, Scythe,” he whispered with a roll of his eyes.
“You can tell Lena if you can be sure she won’t freak out, or expose him. Anyway, I’m gonna get you some pictures of his son, Yureg; Enera has already agreed to it. Do you think you could personally deliver them? I know you are really busy with your new baby and you're still searching for the conspirators, but if you get a chance, could you try to do this for me?”
“I’ll do what I can, but no promises. Boy, Scythe, you know how to ask for gigantic favors.”
“Yeah, sorry. If you can’t deliver them, just get me his location, and I’ll try to do it myself.”
He thought about it for a minute. “If I can find him, he may be able to help me with a lead or two...what do you think?”
“I have no idea; you can try.”
They both turned when Lena called out to them, “Okay, you guys can stop skulking about. I need a translator over here.”
“Sure thing, Lena. We’ve got nothing better to do than dump soil on your grave,” complained Ian, picking up his chair and following Scythe to the table.
“Stop overreacting, Ian.”
“Yeah, I’m overreacting, ‘cause I’m the one out of touch with reality here.”
She ignored him, turning instead to Scythe, “I’m having trouble here, will you translate?”
“Sure, Lena,” he grinned and then looked smugly at Smoke. “Brother.”
Smoke narrowed his eyes at him.
“Scythe, I don’t want you taking advantage of him,” said Lena severely.
Scythe looked at her, stating frankly in Kin, “He is my brother.”
“Your brother. Yeah, well, Ian’s my brother and there’s no one I’d rather torture.”
“Right back at you, sis,” Ian said, crossing his feet on one of the spare chairs.
“Scythe, will you tell Lena that I was touched by her concern for me?”
Scythe translated, adding, “He also likes your dress. A lot.”
Lena smiled, pleased by the compliment. She asked, running her hands absently over her dress, “You like my dress?”
Smoke grinned, nodding and saying in Kin, “Definitely. You look beautiful.” He touched her cheek with the back of his hand.
“He thinks you could benefit from a facial scrub,” commented Ian dryly.
“Ian, I am going to kill you later, slowly and painfully,” Lena whispered in a soft, romantic voice, covering Smoke's hand with her own and leaning into him.
Scythe said in Kin, “It appears she likes you well enough, despite your many shortcomings. You should know, she’s a handful.”
“I know,” Smoke acknowledged eagerly.
“Lena,” Scythe said, “you should know that he’s a complete goofball.”
“Isn’t it great? And what a beefcake!”
“I�
��m going to puke all of this shrimp up,” moaned Ian. “Thank the heavens above!” he rejoiced when, following a short knock, Pride opened the door and announced that they were getting ready for the next session. After catching sight of the couple, he quickly shut the door again.
“Okay, let’s go.” Ian stood and quickly stepped between them, “No, there will be no kissing. Lena, you need to focus and do your job. You can see each other tonight.” He steered Lena toward the door, continuing, “Scythe, tell your brother that Lena needs her brains now. Also, she has no experience with men, so he needs to respect that...oh, just stop it, you know it’s true...or I’ll have my friend Scythe beat the crap out of him.”
“Um. I’ll tell him...something like that.” Scythe turned to Smoke, saying simply, “Ian wants to be sure of your respect for Lena.”
“Have you ever seen me with a woman, Scythe?” Smoke asked.
“No.”
“Do you know what the Kin tradition is, regarding pairing?”
“Um, not really. It hasn’t really come up.” Scythe had already learned that he wouldn’t need that information for himself.
“Those who follow the old ways mate for life.”
“Is that what Leandra was warning you about?”
Smoke nodded, walking toward the door with Scythe, “Yes, and I told her...”
“‘It is already long done,’” finished Scythe.
Smoke explained, “I’ve made my choice, or rather, it was made for me, weeks ago.”
“So, what does that mean? You...”
“I will have no other, and only death will part us, if she accepts me.”
“Wow. What does your family think?” The union of a Kin and a Human was taboo, for both groups. No decent Kin family would permit such a match.
Smoke frowned and turned his head. He pursed his lips and then said, “It doesn’t matter. It is already done.”
“What are you going to do?” Scythe asked, unable to see a way for them to be together.
“I have no idea.”
Chapter 16
“Scythe, you have to hold his head,” Flame scolded lightheartedly. “Here, hand me Cinder.” The Kin woman reached over and took the eight-month-old out of Scythe’s right arm. Grateful for the help, Scythe readjusted the baby in his left arm, supporting his back so he could sit up safely.
“They are so floppy,” Scythe complained, “and I feel like he’s going to break if I hold him too tightly.” Nevertheless, he leaned in toward the baby, drawing his scent in and smiling. He rubbed his nose gently on the boy’s forehead, enjoying the feel of the soft skin. He had discovered something fabulous since his return from the hospital: he loved to hold children in his arms. It made him feel warm inside and quieted the noisy things that pestered him.
Enera leaned on the back of his chair and patted him on the shoulder, “He is hardier than he looks, just like you, Scythe. Don’t worry, you won’t hurt him.”
“Hey! I look hardy,” Scythe objected, looking up at her. He was bigger, both taller and more muscular, than he had been four months ago when they returned to Poinsea. His constant training with the Blades and the beginning of his third growth spurt in a year meant that his body was aching all the time again.
“You look like you need to eat at least two more meals a day, and sleep more, too.” Flame poked his arm where the muscle stood out.
“I sleep...”
“You are exhausted every day,” Serena spoke up from her bed next to them where she nursed her own month-old boy.
Scythe sighed in resignation and gave his attention back to the child he held. The truth was that he liked it when they made a fuss over him, which they took pains to do during his short but frequent visits. A small section of Poinsea’s infirmary had been set aside for the returned Kin abductees, and the largest room was converted into a nursery for the young halfblood babies. Although only one still awaited her delivery day, all the women spent their days tending to the children there. None of them had elected to leave the others; a special bond had formed among them during their abduction and they had agreed to stay together at least until the last child was born. In addition, the consensus was that, despite their Kin heritage, the young children might not be completely safe from some of the increasingly more powerful and numerous anti-Human groups.
Conversely, Scythe had never felt so welcome in Poinsea. From the moment of his return, he had received various visits, letters and gifts from people who had heard of his part in the return of the Kin prisoners. The governor had paid him a short visit after he had returned and officially thanked him and the Blades for their actions.
All the attention had made him more uncomfortable than anything and he was glad when it began to die down. He encouraged his diminishing fame by making himself scarce, which was easy because he had devoted himself fully to his apprenticeship. Each day, after his responsibilities with the Blades were done, he put in two to three extra hours of either study or training before sneaking off to the infirmary to visit the mothers and children he had grown very close to. His aunt had moved in with her family, and he often visited her as well. Although her relations were also his, and his improved reputation had smoothed the road with them, he didn’t spend much time at their homes. He had never felt like he was a part of that family, even when his parents were alive.
The only benefit of his popularity that he was grateful for was the lack of attacks on him; after a few quiet weeks, the Blades determined that he was not in danger anymore, so he no longer had a Blade accompanying him everywhere he went. This didn’t prevent him from keeping his guard up, however; keeping his senses attuned to his surroundings had become second nature to him, and it allowed him to feel secure, something he clung to during the day.
At night, he struggled with nightmares of confinement, death threats and a consuming despair like the one he had experienced in Shelfield. Sometimes when he awoke in the morning a depression hung over him that was hard to shake off. On those days, he threw himself into his training and tried not to think about the approaching night. Sleep wasn’t something that he looked forward to.
“He hasn’t been eating his vegetables, either,” said Rend, entering and crossing the room to sit on the edge of Serena’s bed. Smoke followed behind.
“And, he hasn’t worn his sweater for a week, despite it being so cold...”
“Nope. What’s worse, I don’t think anyone has changed his diaper...”
Serena leaned back her head, moaning derisively before declaring, “Oh, my! The magpies are already at it.”
“No, the magpies were at it for quite a while before we even got here,” joked Smoke.
“How’s our little fighter?” Rend asked, reaching over to grab onto a little fist.
“He’s trying to wear me out, of course, the little devil.” Serena’s fond look belied her harsh words.
“That’s his job, to wear out mommy so she won’t be so hard on daddy when he gets home.”
Serena sighed with emphasis, and then smiled and shook her head. She had already refused to talk to Rend about getting married, despite his persistent and increasingly outlandish proposals. It did not deter him at all; rather, he behaved as if he reveled in the challenge, confident in his eventual victory.
Smoke leaned against the wall and commented, “How long are you going to string my brother along, Serena? It’s embarrassing for the rest of us to listen to him weeping and calling out for you in his sleep.”
“What?” protested Rend, “Smoke, how can you say that? I wasn’t sleeping.”
“I’m not playing any games with him, Smoke, as you well know. I’m just not the type to take a child to husband. Then I’d be the mother of two. Wait, no, I’m fairly certain that I’d be the mother of three, since you two are rarely seen apart.” She was joined by the other women in her laughter, as well as by Scythe. “I’m tired enough with the one.”
Rend smiled, holding his arms out for the babe who had just finished with his meal. He put him to hi
s shoulder and patted his back gently but firmly. “Don’t worry, son, I won’t give up until your mother is my own and carrying your brother.”
Uncharacteristically, Serena snapped, “You don’t know whose son he is!” She gasped, surprised at her own words. Her face reddened immediately and her hand had jumped up to cover her mouth.
Rend merely patted the baby’s back, pointedly and calmly returning her stare.
Scythe said, in the quiet that had fallen, “I know whose son it is.” When everyone looked at him, he said sincerely, “It’s yours. He’s Serena’s beautiful baby. That’s all that matters to any of us.”
Serena’s heart jumped, and she closed her eyes on sudden tears. She whispered, “I’m sorry, for saying that. It was terrible...I didn’t mean it. And, Scythe, thank you...for that.”
Rend said to the babe after giving him a kiss, “Son, why don’t you take a walk with Uncle Smoke? I’d let Scythe hold you, but he’s taking a walk too, aren’t you, brother?” He handed Serena’s baby to Smoke who accepted him easily, wrapping him up in a blanket he took off the bed.
Scythe got up, replying, “I sure am, if it’s okay, Enera?”
“Sure, I’m going to go lay down for a bit. I’ll see you when you’re done with your walk.” She headed over to her bed, waving to Flame who was also departing with her daughter.
Halfblood Heritage Page 23