Terminus Shift (Targon Tales - Sethran Book 2) by Chris Reher

Author:Chris Reher [Reher, Chris]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: adventure, genetic, romantic, Space Opera, Science Fiction, Galactic Empire
Published: 2014-08-13T06:00:00+00:00

* * *

Only the sound of wind in the trees outside and the soft gurgling of some stream or fountain nearby intruded upon the silence of the house now. Three open windows allowed enough light from Tadonna’s two moons to make lamps unnecessary. Seth sat on a bench in front of a window, his arms propped on his knees.

“Why didn’t you tell them?” he said finally.

Ciela lay curled on her side, without a blanket on this warm night. “Who you are, you mean?”

“Yes.”

“They’d kill you. You know that.”

“And you don’t want that?”

“No,” she said after some thought. “I don’t. You’re not like them.”

He chuckled humorlessly. “They are not like them, Ciela. Just like not all of you are the Arawaj whose tales of terror are told to frighten children. I learned that a long time ago.”

“And the Shri-Lan?”

“Shri-Lan are bloody bastards.”

She smiled tiredly but he saw tears reflect the light of the moons.

“You’re not all right, are you?” he said.

“No. I need to cry. I lost family today. Everyone. And all I can do is run away and hide on Delphi so I don’t get lost, too.” She held her hand out to him. “Lie down here with me. Please. I guess after your tall tale you have to sleep with me, anyway.”

“I didn’t really think that through before she sorted out the sleeping arrangements.” He removed his guns and jacket and walked over to her mats to stretch out behind her. She reached for his hand and pulled his arm to drape over her shoulder. He waited for her to start sobbing, to let her grief break through that Arawaj exterior that had, in some ways, left her as reserved as the Delphians she no longer resembled. But she lay quietly, letting tears run over her face and onto the pillows without a sound. He stroked her hair, too aware of the small space they shared. It had been a long while since he held a woman like this and he had to remind himself that he fell to their charms far too easily. He knew himself well enough to realize that Ciela had slipped under his skin at some point during these past few restless days and that he welcomed the intrusion.

“Ciela,” he said.

“Yes?”

“Are you going to tell me why the Shri-Lan value you so much?”

“I want to.”

“And will you?”

She turned halfway toward him to look into his eyes reflecting some of the dim light in a mellow gleam of violet. Her hand reached out as if to touch his face but then she pulled it back with a small sigh. “Let’s see what the morning brings,” she said.

“Are you as valuable to the Arawaj as to everyone else?”

“Yes.”

“So what makes you think Ruthala will let you leave here to run back to Delphi, no matter who I am in all this?”

“They wouldn’t… I mean…”

“People died because of this. And it looks like a whole lot more will get drawn into this little rebel rebellion. They need you. You seem more like a piece of property than a member of the team.

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