Eye of the Ocean Book 3 Ji'jin Station

Eye of the Ocean – Book 3: Ji’Jin Station
woman to Peecit’s child. Rit suddenly understood the loss that Gennady had felt,
the pride as well, that he owned the responsibility for that bloodline. That he
owned her.
“Everything points to the Station Center,” he said without taking his eyes off
her. Everything was too new, his perception of the Zimmer too raw. Duty and
pride and family. Although he sought it, he could find no shame in the possession.
His thoughts were like clear glass. Then Alicia came and stood beside him,
breaking into his vision of Kori. He took her hand, grateful again for her
intervention. I'm human, he thought. I need closed areas in my mind.
“The Empress is attempting a binding,” Ulanda said.
Garm looked at her coldly then went to sit on a rock close to Eunni and Hic'lic.
The Eccli cloth of his robe brought the sunlight into the shadow, the bursts
reflecting from the facets of Wa'tic's eyes. “Most likely getting rid of the ti'Linn
support and our isolation was all that was intended.” His tone was distant from
any concern for her. “Camerat would have been premature - a mistake on their
part, or a risk they couldn't entirely avoid. And if they're getting anything from
here at all, then they have to know that both of you went into overpattern.”
Would the timing be stepped up, Rit wondered. “How would that affect their
plans?”
Ulanda shook her head as she turned from the Simic. “They mustn't know, or
they wouldn't be waiting. And they can't know about the ni'at tree.”
So, she had been listening. “Or there's another factor we don't know about
that's holding them back.”
“Bug-eaters die,” Hic'lic said in plain-tongue, then in Wa'tic native, added:
“One eye blinks and that focus is lost, they wait to see how blind with fear we
grow.”
“Planning that my isolation be more than physical,” Ulanda said.
“You and you,” Hic'lic said. “Crystal glass and sun.”
“Do you mean more than Ulanda as the target?” Rit asked.
Garm made an exaggerated negative sign with his hands, setting his robe
flashing. “Is there a difference between the two of you?”
With effort, Rit avoided looking to see what Hic'lic understood of the exchange.
“Of course, there is.”
Garm shook his head. “There is nothing between you but skin, flesh and bone.”
Eunni reached over and shook Garm's knee. “Stop being obnoxious. Last time I
looked, skin and all that was plenty. At least you never complained. And you'd
better change before we leave. I refuse to be blinded by that robe.”
Garm covered her hand with his, his expression softening. “Goie was one of
the suns that was used to form the sunstones that made up the girdle for keying
the form of Altasimic pattern. The girdle used at the Opening. The death of that
sun was the start of the birth of your people.”
Laurel Hickey www.2morrow.bc.ca