by Grace, Viola
Minohr drove them to the gates, waited for security, and drove in. The gates swung wide, and they passed into the relative safety of the embassy. It was time to settle in and get ready for the negotiations to follow.
Chapter Eight
The staff was rather scandalized at her sharing quarters with Inoth, but the ambassador insisted, and he was in charge when he was in residence.
“So, Nia, what do you think of the chamber?” Inoth smiled and set his case on a trunk at the foot of the bed.
She looked around, looked at the huge expanse of bed, and she chuckled. “I should be able to keep my hands to myself in bed. So, who are we meeting with this afternoon?”
“Dolling Marquith. He is a member of the research division, and he will have an idea who can grant us access to their prisoner. We know who it is, but we still have to go through the formal channels for access.”
“Of course. Do you want me to gain information in my particular way?”
“Can you?”
“If I know what I am looking for, I can get it out of a handshake. The longer the contact, the more I can get. I can even remove data if I have to.”
He blinked in surprise. “So, what have you learned from me?”
“Whatever I wanted to know.” She patted his hand lightly. “I do know how to dance now. A bit. I think. I haven’t tested it yet.”
He smiled slowly. “Really?”
“I believe so. I haven’t danced before, but you have, so I sought out the information. Of course, I have to transfer it and reverse it so that it matches my body and I don’t try to lead.”
Inoth nodded with understanding. “So, you can copy the motion of my body, but if we want to dance, it would not be appropriate for you to lead.”
“According to local traditions, no.” She smiled. “My best bet would be to find a woman who is a good dancer and get the information from her.”
“Ah, that would make more sense. Are you intrigued by dancing?”
“It looks fun through the eyes of others. I like to be active, and it does look like it could be a challenge to master.”
She opened her bag and smiled. “I will just get changed for the meeting. I will only be a minute.”
“Take your time. I have to put on my suit.”
She nodded and headed over to the restroom, and she swiftly removed her outer jacket. Changing was quick, and she soon had her traveling clothing put away, her tank top with the gauzy floating outer layer was in place, and the straight skirt that matched the top gave her the misty aura of the djinn smoke wrapping around her. The shoes were slightly heeled but not enough to make her uncomfortable.
She folded her travel clothing and put them back in her pack.
Her exit from the bathroom was sudden, and Inoth was pulling his shirt over his heavily tattooed torso. She bit her lips as she committed the symbols and icons to memory before turning her back.
He asked. “Ready? You really are quick.”
“I know.” She turned and faced him. He was tucking in his shirt. “I usually have to dodge the mechanicals coming and going.”
“That would do it.” He slipped into a suit jacket and smiled. “You look amazing.”
“Thank you. I feel like a curtain in a light breeze.”
Inoth chuckled and walked up to her, unclipping her hair. “This is more appropriate for a Jianoan.”
She stood staring at him as he ran his fingers through her hair and settled it around her shoulders.
“Properly, you should have jewelry.”
“Only after marriage. Right now, I wear the bracelets my guardian gave me and nothing more.”
His forearms were resting on her shoulders, and she was in a loose embrace. Eltrinia looked up at him. “Shall we adjourn to your office?”
He sighed and pulled his hands away. “That would be wiser than what I was thinking.”
“Don’t worry. That is not what I am here for.” She smiled brightly and batted her lashes at him. “You will have to court me all over again when we are home.”
He smiled and followed her to the door. “Why?”
“Work trips don’t count, Inoth. Remember that.” She smiled, but there was a serious look in her eyes that she felt in her soul. She wasn’t going to fade daintily into his arms to have herself swept away in the moment. She was made of worthier stuff.
They walked down the hall to his office, side by side.
The dignitary that they were waiting for was in his office five minutes after they settled. She was sitting with a notepad and scribbling poems in line with her feelings on the trip, and when there was a knock at the door, she rose in place to greet the visitor.
She opened the office door with a smile. “Minister Marquith. Please, come in.”
He was surprised to see her, that much was apparent. Out of reflex, he extended his hand. “Have we met?”
She blushed. “I am sorry.” She shook his hand. “I am Nia Oltrinal. I am the ambassador’s new assistant.”
Inoth stood behind the desk. “Dolling, it is good to see you again.”
The minister gave her a dazed smile. “It is lovely meeting you. Please, excuse us.”
She inclined her head. “I will be nearby if you need me, Ambassador.”
He nodded. “Go and wait on the bench outside.”
She bobbed a curtsey and closed the door behind her as the men sat to talk about men things.
Once in the hall, she walked to the nearest restroom and set her notepad down under the sink. She locked the door and checked her chronometer before she pulled up the hood hidden in her tunic. She only had a minute.
She teleported into the secure facility and used the minister’s code to copy all the research data. She sent a power surge through the computer and the monitors, sending a wave of destruction through the system. While the unit shorted out, she teleported home, then back to the bathroom, and washed her hands before she pulled back the hood and tucked it into the back of her tunic. Her hair was tidy and just as it had been when she had left the office.
With her hands dry, she picked up her notepad again, opened the door, and walked to the bench outside the ambassador’s door.
She had gotten two pages written when the door flew open. The minister stared at her. “Miss Oltrinal. I am surprised to see you here.”
She blinked. “Why would you be? This is where I said I would be.”
“What are you doing?”
“Writing poetry. It is my hobby, and the ambassador lets me pursue it when I am not busy.” She rose to her feet. “Is there a problem?”
“I just received a security alert. The signature was djinn.”
She frowned. “I am hardly djinn. I only have a little bit of recessive gene that offered up some freakish eyes.”
Inoth came up to them. “They are not freaky, they are lovely. I keep telling you, but you are wearing on my nerves.”
She put a hurt look on her face. “Why is everyone suddenly in such a bad mood? Everything was fine a few minutes ago.”
Inoth stepped up to her and lifted her hand to his lips. “I am sorry, pet. We were at a critical moment in our negotiations when there was a disturbance.”
She frowned and jerked her hand back. “You didn’t have to be rude.”
He sighed.
The minister nodded. “It was very pleasant meeting you. I hope that we can converse again.”
He took her hand and kissed it. A direct contact that was startling. His thoughts were not on the infiltration, but rather on her and what she would look like out of her black flowing clothing. He had dismissed her as a possible threat when she nearly broke up with her boyfriend over the rudeness.
He walked out, and Inoth cupped her elbow, easing her back into his office. He hugged her and leaned down to whisper in her ear, “Are you all right?”
She sniffled a little. “I am fine. I just don’t like it here. Everyone is so suspicious.”
“One more meeting, and then, we can head home.”
She nodded and then sighed. “I don’t think I am cut out for this.”
“Going from country to country is rough. Don’t worry. Most places aren’t as pigheaded as the peninsula.”
She chuckled, and together, they sat and cuddled on the couch, aware that his office had been bugged since he was last here. She could feel the electric pulse in the corner of the room where it had no right to be. When they had entered for the first time, a quick phrase had tipped Inoth off.
Now, they were putting on a show of light touching and cuddling.
The next visitor was another minister. When he shook her hand, she copied all of his secrets into her own mind, and then, she waited for him to mention that they need to be alone. He didn’t. He asked her to stay to pretty up the room.
She sat and wrote on her notepad, answering questions when asked but otherwise ignoring the discussion of mining trade between the two countries.
When the minister left, Inoth exhaled and smiled. “Would you care to go for dinner?”
She looked up and asked, “Are we finished?”
“Those were the only meetings I had to come in for. Did you want to stay here for the night or head home?”
Eltrinia sighed. “I want to head home, but you look kinda tired. We can leave in the morning.”
He smiled. “Good. I think a night here might be educational.”
She wrinkled her nose. “So, where can we get something to eat?”
“Do you want to see the city?”
Eltrinia smiled. “I would love to.”
“Good. Go and change into your more practical clothing. I will call the king and then arrange for the karros.”
She nodded. “I will meet you back here.”
He smiled, and she left, walking the halls and looking for the steps that would take her up the stairs.
A djinn woman paused and asked her, “Can I help you?” The woman reached out and touched the back of Eltrinia’s hand.
“Yes, I have gotten turned around and am trying to find my way back to the ambassador’s quarters.”
“Where is the ambassador?”
“In his office, he said he had to call the king.”
“Ah. Right. Come this way.” The woman touched a cuff on her wrist, and Eltrinia heard the slight ping.
“So, is there really an alarm if someone teleports?”
The woman snorted. “No. They don’t have the technology to do that, though they are claiming that they do.”
“Ah. Why?”
“They don’t like magic. They don’t like being humans without power. It is frustrating for them and something that they actively try to deny, but that is the problem. They want more, and they can’t have it.”
The woman headed up the staircase that had been hiding around a corner.
“Why is there an embassy here then?”
“They are willing to pay a lot for some semi-magical minerals. The king receives the benefit from the exchange.”
Eltrinia knew the truth when she heard it. It was the other thing that had caused an issue.
She thanked the woman for help when they reached the door to the ambassador’s quarters. The woman opened the door for her and closed it with a click.
Eltrinia scribbled her message on the pad she held in her hand and watched smoke curl around it. She had never tried this before, but she didn’t want Inoth caught by surprise.
She went to her case and took out her regular clothing, stripping off in full view of the camera while she changed into more practical clothes.
When she was back in normal clothing, she went to the door and gripped the handle. The lock had been thrown. That was it. She sent energy through all the cameras in the building, shorting them out, followed the cables down to the hard drives, and burned them out.
With surveillance down, she teleported to the office, and she flexed her hands, sending the spikes in the bracelets out over her fists. The man raising his sword to Inoth jolted as the spikes hit him, and she sent a charge through the filaments. He arched and twisted, dropping the saber.
Inoth smiled and spoke on the phone, “Excuse me, brother. I have something I must attend to.”
He hung up before the king could demand that he stay on the line.
“I am sorry, Inoth. The president has put a price on your head as well.” She pulled the spikes free, and they reeled into place.
He got up. “Shall we get our things and go?”
“Sure. Through customs or straight home?”
He smiled. “I think we have dispensed with pleasantries for the day. Let’s get home.”
They teleported back to their quarters, got their documents, and she grabbed her notebook. Inoth wrapped her in his arms, and they teleported back to the arboretum. She inhaled and exhaled, enjoying the familiar scent. She was back.
Chapter Nine
“I will brief you as to the results of the infiltration tomorrow.” Inoth kissed her on the cheek and disappeared.
She took her bag and notebook and headed up to her quarters. The curator came out of her office as Eltrinia approached, and she seemed to sigh in relief. “You are back.”
“I am. Did you know I would be home so quickly?”
“That was one of the possibilities. Is Ambassador N’Mir with you?”
“No. He is off to the capital to investigate the contents of the day’s efforts.”
“You teleported directly out of the peninsula?”
“Yeah. We needed a sudden exit.” She entered her room and put the bag down, went to her closet, and pulled out her normal clothes.
She walked into the bathroom and closed the door, leaving it open a crack. “Well, Inoth and I have more in common than we did a few days ago.”
“What is that?”
“There is now a price on his head as well. The peninsula wants him dead.” She came out, buckling the long vest into place.
She put on a set of boots and sighed happily. “Oh, that is better.”
Eltrinia looked at her guardian. “Do you want the wrist bands back? They came in terribly handy.”
The curator smiled. “They worked?”
“They did.”
“Keep them. They were made for you. They will keep you from leaving scorch marks on your opponents.”
Eltrinia smiled. “What time is it? Has the security screen come through yet?”
“You have two hours. Why?”
“I really need to do something for me, and the back rooms don’t let folks send a signal, so when they need my input to access the data, they will have to come to me.”
“You don’t want to be available for that?”
Eltrinia swirled her skirt and smiled. “I want them to come and get me.”
The curator smiled. “I am very proud of the way you are taking charge of your life.”
Eltrinia held her hands out, and when the curator touched her, she gave her a hug. “Thank you. It is becoming more fun and more frustrating every day.”
“That is life, Eltrinia. I am glad you have made it this far.” The curator smiled. “If there is a message for you, I will have the mechanicals bring it down.”
Eltrinia nodded, smoothed her skirt, and bobbed a curtsey to her guardian, and then, she sprinted out the door and through the museum with her hair fluttering behind her. She should have pinned it up, but this was far more fun, and she could remember the feel of Inoth’s hands as he threaded them through her hair.
She used her handprint to access the secure area and slid into the back to check on a few of the items that really wanted to come out and play. There was a jewel box from Agrutheria and a signet ring from the countess of Dailal. The box could contain even the most vile of radioactive materials with no leakage, and the ring had transported so many poisons that it was toxic itself. Only a special concoction that had died with the countess could be used to guard against
the ring. Eltrinia had worked out the formula, but she wasn’t allowed to test it.
She put on a lab coat and protective gloves and went to visit her treasures.
The box was sitting in its test display. Its levels were normal, and even flipped open, there was no radiation leaking free. “Good girl. You are slated to go up for display next month.”
She finished the exam, locked the box in the case and opened the secure case that held the ring with a code. She lifted the lid, and instead of the metal lockbox that held the ring, there was nothing but open tabs.
She didn’t panic. She went to the internal information machine and looked up the codes that had opened the case. Seliandor had been in last. He was a researcher that had been working on his dissertation regarding ancient poisons. The ring had been his special point of interest.
Eltrinia contacted the curator via internal coms. “Um, Curator?”
“Yes, Eltrinia?” The voice was amused.
“Has anyone signed out the countess’s ring?”
The curator was serious in an instant. “Countess Dailal’s ring? No. There are no authorizations to move it. It requires such specific handling.”
“I thought so. Seliandor was the last person to see it, so I am going to locate him and ask him a few questions.”
“Would you like a security team?”
“No. I will be fine. I just need to ask him some questions.” She smiled and checked Seliandor’s personal media accounts. She found a recent picture of him in his apartment with his cat. It was a cute picture and gave her what she needed.
She removed her lab coat but kept the gloves on. She might need them.
She closed her eyes and built the construct in her thoughts. When she left the secure area, she moved into the shadows and teleported herself into the living area of William Seliandor.
She paused at the situation. William was lying on the floor, a particular shade of green, his cat was making soft sounds as she tried to wake him, and the ring was on the floor, next to his hand. She called the curator, and when she was instructed, she waited for the police.
She took images of the placement of the ring, and carefully took the ring, wrapping it in the double gloves before setting it inside the safety case. She unlocked the front door, and she waited, holding the cat and caressing it to comfort it.