3
(Fenjaday – cont.)
Joton, Kri’enden – A’mara Complex
In the airy foyer of the A’mara Complex in Joton, three A’mara approached the front desk. The young man wearing a floral-patterned cloak in deep forest green and sea blue ducked under the drooping foliage of a Çtaráni rubber tree that was growing in a large pot set into the floor. Moxara, the older woman in the group, tried to get the attention of the woman at the HPS terminal, seemingly occupied with some celebrity gossip. She wore a name tag which indicated she was called Mandie.
“Apparently, Derick Aiden is seeing some receptionist out in Palerma. Another one bites the dust it seems!” the young woman said fatalistically as Mandie turned towards the visitors and brought up another screen. “Your names?” the young woman asked, looking rather unenthused.
“Moxara Tevy,” Moxara replied.
Mandie looked at her quizzically.
“M-o-x-a-r-a T-e-v-y, just how it sounds, really.” Moxara wondered if she should mention the lackadaisical attitude of the woman to the abári. However, most other positions would require more work – something the young woman was probably incapable of doing, she realized with a sigh.
“Sorry, your accent is a little strong for me,” the young woman replied, typing into the HPS unit. “I’ve found you now. Take a seat. Next?”
“Alyona, A-l-y-o-n-a, Toban, T-o-b-a-n,” the young woman said.
“Found you. You were born here though,” Mandie said, as if trying to make up for her earlier failing. “Even your tribal cloak says that, but your voice and skin say otherwise.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Alyona said. “But neither of my parents are Kri’enden. I grew up in Varkevand.”
“You don’t have the accent,” the secretary replied.
“Not much. I learned Common Tongue as a baby,” Alyona said, smiling.
“Please take a seat. Next?”
“Tamryn, T-a-m-r-y-n, Landry, L-a-n-d-r-y,” the young man said.
“You don’t look very Çtaráni,” the secretary replied. “We had another in here just a few days ago. That’s why I know your cloak.”
“My mother was there long enough to have me and get remarried. Since then, we’ve lived on Varkevand as well.”
“You do have a little accent. I like it,” the secretary flirted a little.
Alyona cleared her throat.
“Please take a seat,” the secretary said irritably. “I’ll let the abári know you’re here.”
“Thank you,” Tamryn said, sitting next to Alyona, who held his hands meaningfully. The secretary paid no further attention to them, but turned to her PCS comm system.
“Kivana, you have guests,” the secretary reported.
“Thank you, I’ll be right there,” came the immediate reply.
♥
Kivana N’jia reached the waiting area. “You must be my three Varkevanders,” she said giving each a hug as was customary of the Kri’enden.
“We are, Abári,” Moxara confirmed.
“Glad to meet you. Come with me. I’ll see you to your quarters where you may refresh yourselves. Then, I wish to be able to meet with you to fill you in on what we’re doing here in Joton. I hope you’ll have some interesting news for me as well,” Kivana walked briskly down the corridor. She stopped at a single room. “Moxara is in here. I will call for you in half an hour if that’s enough.”
“Yes, tank you,” Moxara replied and went into the room.
“And you two, I’ve put in adjacent rooms. I didn’t realize you were a couple. Do you wish for me to unlock the divider?” she asked politely, opening a door just across the corridor. “I can also have a larger bed brought in before evening.”
“Please,” Alyona said, flushing slightly, but following the abári into the first room.
“No need to be shy. I remember when your parents were here, Alyona,” Kivana said unsealing the magna-lock on the door between their rooms. “I’ll be back in half an hour.” She retreated quickly, closing the door behind her.
♥
“Kivana, may I speak with you a few minutes?” the woman in deep purple asked over the PCS link.
“Of course, Saraca,” Kivana replied. “How can I help you?”
“I just wanted to keep you informed with the situation in the Council of Peers here and how they wish to restrict our movements,” Saraca said.
“That seems to go with the territory these days,” Kivana replied. “How serious is it?”
“I don’t think they’re going to succeed – at least not this year,” Saraca said. “But it does mean that our actions need to be above reproach if we have any chance of stemming this tide.”
“I’m not sure where you’re going with this, Abári,” Kivana said.
“It’s hard to speak plainly because one never knows anymore when security has been breached. I cannot advise anyone to send people to, say, an election that comes up after the turn of the year, where we have no presence and the situation looks a little odd,” Saraca said cryptically.
“I can’t think of any upcoming elections that fit that description,” Kivana replied, scrambling through her brain to think of it. <Atrua.> she felt impress upon her brain. “Oh. Yes. I will see what I can discover.”
“Thank you. A little research and some language skills will go far. Thinking of things in your neck of the woods, have you had any further leads on this Zilan? We’re aware he was in Joton at the Shaze Academy just last month.”
“Cruro says nothing,” Kivana replied. “In fact, talking to him, you would think that there have been quite a number looking for Zilan. He’s way too guarded for what should have been just an off-hand question.”
“Of course, our adversaries may be searching for him too. It’s anyone’s bet as to who will find him first,” Saraca said. “He’s a very interesting character for sure.”
“We are just about to have a meeting to update our Varkevanders about the border dispute here. Do you have any recent news about it? Or would you like to sit in on the discussion?” Kivana asked.
“You have Varkevanders there?”
“Yes. Moxara Tevy, Alyona Toban and Tamryn Landry,” Kivana said.
“Are those two finally planning a ceremony then?” Saraca asked with a grin.
“I’ve only just met them, so I haven’t had a chance to learn of their intentions,” Kivana replied.
“Let me know if they decide on it. I’d like to be there. Alyona’s father was involved in rescuing me as well,” Saraca said.
“I had forgotten that tie,” Kivana admitted. “I just remember how Laisen and Jessten fought their feelings for so long. So, yeah, there’s a lot of history here. I don’t know how much Alyona knows about it.”
“Let me know if there’s any way I can help with your border dispute as well, but I suspect you and Oberti are the best people to resolve that one.”
“I really hope so, Abári,” Kivana replied.
“I hope to visit soon,” Saraca said.
“Good night, Abári,” Kivana replied as the connection closed.
In the few minutes she had before needing to retrieve her guests for the meeting, Kivana sat at her HPS terminal in her quarters. She looked up what she could learn about Atrua, their elections and anything she could find that might help her know what to expect with their upcoming elections. She had been unaware of any concern about them, but then, until last year, there had not been any concern about the elections. That had all changed with the explosion in Gaskarii and the fraud in Varkevand. There was genuine worry now that all the elections were fraught with the specter of fraud. Yet, officials tended to only be worried about elections in their own countries, not concerned that there could be a Terrenden-wide trend, a campaign to bring chaos to the planet… a campaign that all too often began and ended with the name of the Neví.
♥
If you have enjoyed this book, I would be grateful if you could put your thoughts as a review on Goodreads for me.
Other Chapters of this set
Acting the Part - chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Building on Promise - Chapter 1
Acting the Part, part 2 - Chapter 10
Spice of Strength - Chapter 1
Acting the Part, part 3 - Chapter 19
Sands of Survival - Chapter 1
Maps and Guides
- continents of Alacantis and Kranisis (five maps)
- continent of Almara (five maps)
- countries of Kri'enden and Yezi'im (four maps plus "other places")
- characters, pronunciation and glossary
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Brighid's Blood 2006 and 1200 B.T.C.E. Katja and Rachel are so desperate for love that they cast two love spells one night. But the Guardians do not consider spells "fun", but rather as cries for help from the very depths of your soul. Certainly Katja and Rachel could not have possibly imagined where these spells would take them! |
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Birth of the Neví 829 T.C.E. It is a tumultuous period of Terrenden history. As is all too common, there are those who wish to profit from the misfortune of others. Some of these come together in a new "charitable organization" and step on the toes of the notorious Uugli. Combine this with draconian new measures to combat pollution and Terrenden has a situation ripe for a power struggle. Book 1 in the Rise of the Neví series. |
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Rebound of Power: 850 T.C.E. Collection of Romance Terrenden is being terrorized by a previously underestimated Neví who, through the mysterious “Curator,” have been controlling elections all over the planet. In this collection, we meet some interesting women. Iyva - a homeless teenager in Irola whose untrained power leaves her close to death in Rebound of Power; Marc’la - a breeder of prized caballus in Kasago whose heart lives in the past in Friendship on Fire; Zukie - an abused widow whose heart is afraid to try for future happiness in Courage to Trust; Jenna - an elections assistant manager and masseuse who has a prejudice against A’mara in Elect to Change; Kami - a chola student in Varkevand who has been assigned to protect Ardin, a man who has his own reasons to distrust A’mara in Ocean of Empathy. |
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Acting the Part - 851 T.C.E. Collection of Romance The Neví have infiltrated the Terrenden Freedom Party. Dr. Jarly is on the run and the Curator still dominates the Terrenden stage. Famous actor, Derick Aiden has released his Neví expose film and now the Neví want him dead... In this collection, we meet more interesting women. Kauri - a simple receptionist who doesn’t realize one of her wildest dreams has come true; in Acting the Part Tirry - an elections manager who is always the bridesmaid and never the bride; in Building on Promise Zara - a chef who has all but given up on finding love for herself; and D'zani - who isn’t even looking, but has to chaperone her more vulnerable roommate; in Spice of Strength Soala - an heiress who is expected to marry, but refuses to marry someone she doesn’t love; and Moxara - one whose past griefs have locked away her heart in Sands of Survival. We also get updates on some of the lovely ladies we met previously. |
| COMING SOON | TO AN EBOOK STORE NEAR YOU!!! |
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Rise of the Neví - 830 T.C.E. In this series, the Neví begin their rise in power with the completion of several large housing projects that seem totally charitable, but also hide a great evil within. The draconian measures brought in the previous year has caused major distress throughout the world, perfect for giving the Neví a further foothold on the Terrenden stage. Will the A’mara, now removed from the Council of Peers, be able to shut down the Neví? Titles to include: Name of the Neví, Head of the Neví... |
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Lori Svensen
author/designer at A'mara Books
photographer/graphic artist for Viking Visual
verified author on Goodreads
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also on: Whaleshares, WeKu
