Eye of the Ocean Book 3 Ji'jin Station

Eye of the Ocean – Book 3: Ji’Jin Station
“I won't hurt you,” he shouted from where he stood back, one hand pressed
over his arm. She got the meaning more from the movement of his lips, but
sound was starting to return in a whine. Not Ri-bred, she decided as she tried to
get her thoughts together. A dark haired man with a powerful build, middle aged.
But speaking Ri-native.
She nodded and let him untangle the braid ends and her clothes. Tass'altin at
least from the way he handled them – and her – as he helped her to stand and
then straightened her tunic. “If you'll let me, I'll help you out of here.”
She shook her head no and no again when he would have started on the hair
that had pulled out of the coil. At a sign from her, he stepped back. “Who are
you?”
“My name's A'in. I'm the Empress' tass'alt. She wants to talk to you...”
“No.” The word was out before she realized.
“... and you might save everybody and yourself some trouble and listen.”
“Am I here? Is this really Camerat?”
He didn't answer immediately, his eyes flickered away towards where the
center of the garden would be. “Yes and no,” he finally said. “A pull interface
between you and her.” He looked tired and more than a little worried. “Priest
Ulanda, she's just hanging onto this. If she lets go, where will you be?” His voice
was low; the sound wouldn't leave this small area. “You're here, what more will
talking with her cost you?”
Cost? In her mind, she heard Rit fall, the sound of the shaft hitting his body.
She saw his eyes again. There was no surprise in them and no fear. She closed
her own eyes tight and crossed her arms under her breasts. And saw Heana with
the bow still in her hands, watching without moving, then slowly lowering it as Rit
fell, her narrow face raised in triumph. Sweat had washed the flat sides of her
head clean of ash and the colors of the tattoo glowed as she turned to Rilla, her
mouth open...
When Ulanda opened her eyes, A'in hadn't gone and the garden hadn't
changed. “I would have talked,” she said in High formal, adding the slant that put
it firmly in the past tense. Why did you kill him, she wanted to ask but didn't.
Would saying he was dead, make him so? Had Cassa finally claimed her price?
The sympathy she thought had been in his face vanished. “And what will not
talking with her cost you?” he said, speaking more quietly still.
Laurel Hickey www.2morrow.bc.ca