Acting the Part - Chapter 31

31

(Vasanaday)

Palerma, Tephsa

The waterfall thundered behind Kauri and Derick as their backdrop, the remote cameras already rolling.

“But what if the Neví discover who you are?” Kauri’s character asked the handsome man standing with her. “I am frightened they will kill you!”

“Don’t worry about the Neví right now,” Derick’s character replied. “Just think of us – right now.”

Derick pulled Kauri close and pressed his lips to hers. What started as a simple kiss instantly escalated into a deep passionate kiss. Kauri almost forgot that it was her character kissing him.

“Cut!” called another voice.

Kauri and Derick broke apart, to see who had interrupted them.

“Not enough tongue for a proper Neví kiss! Remember, many of the Neví are Balan trained – and trust me, the Balan know how to kiss!” the blue-haired man corrected as he joined them.

“Zilan!” Derick cried, hugging the man.

“Derick Aiden???” a purple-haired young woman exclaimed. “How did I get so lucky?”

“We went to school together,” Zilan explained. “Derick, please meet Iyva, my… student.”

“Nice to meet you,” Derick said, shaking the girl’s hand. “Zilan, Iyva, this is Kauri, my co-star.”

Kauri blushed as she shook the hands of the others.

“Could I act as well?” Iyva asked.

“Not without making you a very large target,” Zilan warned. “The Neví already want us, no reason to make it bigger.”

“But if they already want us, how is it so bad to act as well?”

“She has a point,” Derick replied. “It would help me enormously to have another couple to dance against.”

“Dance?” Zilan answered laughing. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

“It’s hard for Kauri and me to win a competition if we have no competition!” Derick replied.

“Please?” Iyva begged him. “I learned shaze for you – now you can learn to dance for me!”

“Who is this girl?” Derick asked, laughing. “More than your student, I’m guessing, but she’s too old to be your daughter.”

“You are right on all counts, Kanesh,” Zilan answered, relenting.

“You are a bit old for her?” Derick ventured.

“One doesn’t always choose where their heart goes. I’m sure you know that,” Zilan replied.

“Is she even old enough?” Derick asked.

“In Kri’enden. Otherwise, she would need permission.”

“The A’mara would do it for you,” Derick suggested. “If you’re asking her, that is...”

“That would require me being known to them again,” Zilan said with a sigh. “I fear that there is no going back for me.”

“Actually,” Derick said. “When I was in the Complex on Irola, I heard they are looking for you – they know that you assisted Tle-sun in Loxos. They are also worried that the Balan are targeting you. In other words, they may be open to reconciliation – at least being friends again, even if you don’t want to belong to their organization.”

“What do you think, Iyva? Reconciling with the A’mara?”

She smiled. “I think I would like that. We seem to be short on friends these days.”

“Ask her,” Derick urged.

“Would you, Iyva?” Zilan said, taking the young woman’s hands. “I’ve never met a woman able to take me on in a shaze battle like you – despite the fact that I’ve had to train you almost from the start. I don’t think I would be happy without you. Would you marry me? Despite the age gap?”

“Yes!” Iyva said with a radiant smile. “I have been yours since the day you showed me how dead I was – and began to give me hope.”

“Damn, I’m slow!” he replied, pulling her to him. “Your turn, Derick – I can feel your emotions – and hers as well. And everyone around the world has seen that kiss of yours!”

“Kauri, I know I wasn’t completely honest with you in the beginning, and I’m still very sorry for that. I hope you can forgive me for that – and agree to be my wife.”

“I love that I got to know you for you first – before I found out who you really were,” Kauri replied. “I would have constantly questioned myself too, but instead I fell in love with Kanesh first! Yes, I’d love to be Kauri Aiden, I’d love to be your wife!”

Derick gave Kauri a deep, passionate kiss that exceeded the earlier one.

“Much better! That’s the kiss you needed for the camera!” Zilan said. “If it wasn’t for the fact we just got here, I’d be telling you guys to get out of here; go and make some babies!”

Kauri blushed as they parted and looked at the bold blue-haired man and his giggling fiancée.

“I’ll bet you’re hungry, Zilan,” Derick said. “Let’s go and eat.”

“Sounds good,” Iyva replied. “I’m starving!”

“You know, I need to make you a full partner in my company, Zilan,” Derick said as they headed downstairs.

“Derick, Iyva and I are living under Death Edicts right now. To stop for long is to die. I want to accept your offer, but I do not know how to do it,” Zilan replied.

“We will have to work out the details, but you are the reason I’m where I am today,” Derick said.

“Yeah, with death threats!” Zilan quipped.

“It’s much more than that, and you know it, my friend!” Derick replied with a grin. “I can, at least, fund your path from here on out. Unlinked cards to use, things like that.”

Zilan smiled. “You are learning to think like Neví,” he said.

♥

Irola – A’mara Complex

Julleon Dellan sat in the Chamber of Peers cafeteria, without his aqua cloak. It made him feel somewhat naked, but it made it less painfully obvious to the casual observer that an A’mara was sitting with some of the Peer Councilors.

“Don’t tell me anything that would get you into trouble,” Julleon said. “But I’m hoping to get a little more information so I know how to advise the A’mara.”

“The Neví bill has pretty much died,” said Dustin Taylor, the PC from Jracenii. “The anti-A’mara bill has gone down with it. No one wants to vote these bills with elections coming up for so many.”

“This is good,” Julleon said.

“But unless the proposers get voted out of office this season, the bills are threatened to be returned at the beginning of the next term,” Chloë Greene from Towani replied. “We know how great it is to have A’mara able to handle crises. The recent events in our capital show how great you guys are at handling most things. But it rubs some people the wrong way.”

“We dislike the Neví as much as anyone,” Dustin added. “But we also see that banning an organization is unlikely to help – and could actually backfire.”

“There has been talk within our organization how the Uugli may not have disbanded at all, but were absorbed into the Neví,” Julleon shared.

“That would be frightening,” Chloë said with a shudder.

“The Gaskarii explosion is a case-in-point,” Julleon said. “It seems more Uugli, not Neví.”

“So, if one organization is banned, another will pop up in its place,” the Jraceniian man replied.

“Exactly,” Julleon agreed. “And the A’mara get thrown out with the bath water.”

“I’ve heard that the Council of Elders are prepared to carry forward some of these bills as well,” Dustin said.

“I tell you in strict confidence, but we have Neví in all three houses,” Chloë said.

“I had heard rumors,” Julleon admitted. “I really can’t spend too much time with you – at the risk of all of us. But please keep me informed.”

“And pray that we both get re-elected,” Dustin reminded.

“I will.”

Julleon left to report to Saraca – that things looked okay for the moment, but everything could change.

♥

NEXT CHAPTER

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, Chapter 28

Sands of Survival - Chapter 1

Acting the Part, part 4 - Chapter 29

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

PLEASE CATCH UP!	LINKS TO BUY! (in chronological order)
	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!
	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.
	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.
	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!!!
	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...

Lori Svensen
author/designer at A'mara Books
photographer/graphic artist for Viking Visual
verified author on Goodreads
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