gaian consortium 03 - the gaia gambit by pope christine

Author:pope, christine [pope, christine]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Dark Valentine Press
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

They’d caught a fine string of some silvery fish that Jerem called “trout” by the time the rain began to fall. Jerem was all for staying on — “they bite better when it rains!” — but Rast judged their catch to be more than sufficient for five people.

“Besides,” he added, as they gathered up their tackle, “I don’t think your parents would be too happy with me if I kept you out here in the rain.”

Jerem’s expression was an odd mixture of mutiny and resignation. “Like they’d even notice. Mom’s busy on her computers, and there’s the baby, and — ” He broke off. “Anyway, I don’t think it’s a big deal.”

So Jerem was less than thrilled with having a new sister. Well, that wasn’t so out of the ordinary, especially since he’d been the only child for so long. Carefully, Rast said, “Yes, but I did say we would try to bring back something for dinner, and your parents need time to prep the meal. So we wouldn’t have been able to stay out here all that much longer anyway.”

This comment seemed to meet with a better reception. At least the boy appeared to consider Rast’s words, then nodded without speaking and picked up the tackle box in a silence that was uncharacteristic for him. They made their way back through the woods, moving more quickly than on their journey out. Rast wouldn’t say the rain was exactly unpleasant — the novel sensation of water cascading from the sky was enough to make it interesting, if nothing else — but he could feel his clothing getting soaked and knew he would have to change once he dropped off the fish at the Thorn homestead.

As expected, Miala was nowhere in sight, but Thorn accepted the string of fish with his normal taciturnity, said, “Get upstairs and change, Jerem,” then turned back to the knives he was sharpening.

Rast didn’t know much about fish, but he guessed those particular blades were intended for something a little more sinister than gutting a trout. Still, he knew better than to inquire, and only said, as he always did, “Need any help?”, to which Thorn only shook his head, as he always did.

Ritual satisfied, Rast headed back out to the Chinook, thus completing the soaking that had begun on his return trip to the Thorn homestead. Once inside the ship, he paused, gave the sodden masses of hair down his back a couple of squeezes in an attempt to avoid dripping water all the way back to his cabin, then pushed grimly on. While novel, rain definitely had its drawbacks.

He’d only taken a few steps when he saw Lira emerge from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her midsection. Her own hair was damp as well, although not dripping. She stopped, staring at him, as he gazed back at her, taking in the long slim legs and the graceful curve of her throat, the dark valley between her breasts. Yes, he had seen

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