Eye of the Ocean Book 3 Ji'jin Station

Eye of the Ocean – Book 3: Ji’Jin Station
in the corridors alive and within the warded area. If successful, she could drop the
pull once they were all together. A probability bubble, linked to the power of the
Station Center. “Should I ask Garm for a doorway instead? Do you see any silver
birds around? Or try to recreate the diamond? Do you think I could?”
“Hell no. To all of them.” Bolda's eyes went to Garm, a bright shape near the
way to the corridor and he sighed as he shook his head. “Don't worry, I'll keep a
lid on him, someone’s got to, besides Eunni. That woman has no taste in men.”
He scratched his nose, wrinkling the loose skin. His next question was a gesture
and a sour look towards Alicia that said she was as crazy for allowing her to stay
as Alicia was for insisting.
Alicia must have seen because she laughed. “Would you live my life for me?”
“Couldn't do a worse job of it.”
“I'll stay instead,” Mirwin said. “Cici and I both, if you want.” The Kallit girl
nodded.
“No,” Ulanda said, but softened the word with a sign to him. She stood. “Alicia
is my Security Second and I need Kori at the far points.” And I can trust her with
my life and with Rit's, she thought, but those words she didn't think should need
saying to either of them. The words she didn't dare say, was that Alicia was also
a reminder of other promises made. Another marriage that existed... somewhere,
anywhere Alicia and Rit were.
Rit had been walking towards the center of the flitter bay but looked back at
her words. “Alicia's right about there not being much time,” he said evenly, the
words carrying in the quiet.
Alicia hugged Kori, then Silassic and was hugged back by the medic. Ulanda
felt how strong her loyalties were and from how narrow a point they radiated out.
Silassic bowed to her. “Lady, please accept...”
Kori put a hand on his shoulder. “Husband, thanks have already been given in
all the ways that we exist.” She motioned to Peecit, then to Mirwin and Cici. “You
have duties.” She waited until they had started towards the exit then followed.
In moments, besides those staying here when she started the pattern-pull,
there was only her and Niv, Rit and Alicia. And red paper around the altar. She
pushed it with the toe of her shoe.
A kind of energy brushed her; she thought she might have imagined it. Fear or
simple nerves from waiting or a slight breeze, it was that faint on her skin, but it
moved the dust around them. “They're doing something,” she said. Much more
dust fell than could be accounted for by the resetting of the tiles; she hadn't
noticed it getting worse instead of better until just then.
The waiting was almost over. She signed the watchers away from the exit, that
close they might be trapped outside when she went into the pull. Op'ki'na was the
last in.
“So soon?” Niv asked.
Laurel Hickey www.2morrow.bc.ca