Eye of the Ocean Book 3 Ji'jin Station

Eye of the Ocean – Book 3: Ji’Jin Station
mercy. If he were Zimmer. “Did you think the sasi-spun was for luck? What did
you hope?”
Her hope was cold and hot. He heard the whisper of a chant: black and white,
and for a moment thought it was coming from outside. Confused, he shouldn't
know the meaning of the words but did, an older form of a language he
sometimes understood. Cold air and a sweet scent, he'd fallen back into Zimmer
again. From touching her, he thought, and he let her go, clenching his hands into
fists. What had she hoped? Her mind had always been split, like a crystal broken.
Oimit had chosen her tool well.
The Speaker moved on Be'ell. Alicia only moved to block him from interfering.
“Their affair,” she said. He was glad not to, his response had been instinctive.
“I remember her as a child,” the old man said, holding Be'ell in his arms,
smoothing her crest, his hand trembling. Her eyes were open to death; she'd be
burned with them open. “I remember her as a woman, a mother. She was
brave... she believed so strongly, her faith was a flower that grew and bloomed.”
He looked up, blood from his mouth dripping on the woman's face. “How could
this have happened? How could this have been allowed?”
- 42 -
Carefully avoiding the view of those around them, Oimit shaped the true form
of her words on Kori's skin, not trusting to speak them. “You're the one who had
her brought to the Speakerhouse,” she said out loud. Those kinds of words were
allowed between them. The woman hissed her disapproval as Oimit continued.
“Do you see your way from here or are you blind?”
Yuin sight at least and Oimit laughed. Mirwin looked up from tying a pack,
then at a sign from Kori, continued with his work.
“Take care, Commander,” Kori said as she buckled the rifle on her leg. “I don't
belong to you.”
“We belong to each other.” Her nails bit into skin then pulled Kori's hand off
the weapon to feel the swell of the child. “The same blood, aren't you flattered?”
“As flattered as Be'ell?”
“Does this concern you?”
“As little as it appears to be concerning her right now.” Kori jerked her hand
away. “And you needn't play games, I'm not some cub seeing Clan for the first
time.”
“Didn't you want him? How could you not, you were fertile and he was your
Clan Lord.” Oimit stopped without pressing the point; she thought she might even
Laurel Hickey www.2morrow.bc.ca