The Devil Incarnate (The Devil of Ponong series #2) by Braden Jill

Author:Braden, Jill [Braden, Jill]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wayzgoose Press
Published: 2013-05-04T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12: The Return of QuiTai

“You’re going to leave us?” RhiHanya blocked the apartment door so QuiTai couldn’t leave. “Didn’t you hear what RhiLan said?”

QuiTai knelt before RhiLan and took the woman’s hands into hers. “I will put my informants to work looking for your man,” she said gently. RhiLan nodded, although QuiTai wasn’t sure if her hostess was really listening. She glanced at the terrified children. “I will do my best,” she promised them.

Only the middle boy responded, with the barest nod of his head.

“RhiHanya, I will send LiHoun to you at least once a day. He will bring food.” QuiTai was deeply worried when RhiLan didn’t react.

LiHoun was as grim as she’d ever seen him. “Uncle LiHoun will not let you starve, little brothers.”

She went to the children, who leaned against the wall as if they wished they could hide behind it. Their eyes were wide. Even the oldest boy, who rarely stopped grinning, was solemn. “I know you want to search for your father, but you must trust me, just as I must trust you to obey your mother and auntie RhiHanya. None of you are to go out on the streets for any reason.” She met each of their gazes in turn and waited for a nod of agreement.

“But you’re going out,” RhiHanya said.

QuiTai fought to keep her expression calm. “I didn’t think you’d be the one to give me trouble.”

“You can be hurt just the same as us.”

QuiTai drew on her deep brown velvet Thampurian jacket. “I don’t have children to protect.”

“Let her go,” RhiLan said. “Get her out of my home.”

RhiHanya stomped over to her cousin and shook a finger at her. “How dare –”

“Your cousin’s right and you know it. I thank you for healing me, but it’s dangerous to let me stay.” QuiTai let enough edge into her voice to let RhiHanya know she was in no mood to argue.

RhiLan seemed to agree.

RhiHanya grabbed QuiTai by the elbow and dragged her out on the veranda. Seething, QuiTai jerked her arm away.

“What are you going to do?” RhiHanya asked.

“What I promised to do. Send out my informants to find RhiLan’s man. Or his body,” she added in a whisper.

“You’re not going to let them get away with this.”

“You don’t want me to risk going out on the streets, but you expect me to take on the entire colonial militia?” QuiTai buttoned her cuffs.

“Let me go with you. We’ll go to the inland villages and tell the people about the attack today. We’ll tell them about the slaves on Cay Rhi!”

“You want to start a rebellion?”

“Yes!”

Somehow, QuiTai had expected this conversation. Still, she groaned and put her hands over her eyes for a moment. She was angry too, but emotion wasn’t the answer. “Give me time to figure out a peaceful –”

“Peaceful?”

QuiTai shushed her.

RhiHanya lowered her voice, but she was no less passionate. “Peaceful? You want me to be a good slave and not raise my voice? People were beaten, little sister, perhaps to death.

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