38
(Muranaday, cont.)
Joton, Kri’enden – A’mara Complex
.
The background of the sparring room had totally disappeared in Jessten Sipper’s mind as she clashed her shaze with that of her best friend Se-orna Jotoln. A moment later, her friend had been disarmed and lay on the mat after over-balancing.
The trainer came over to her. “Good job, both of you. Keep practicing, Jessten, and you might be able to give those boys over at the Shaze Academy a run for their money!” Cruro Stóri said.
“I don’t need to fight them to get my jollies,” she replied.
“It would be a great way to meet more guys,” Se-orna said. “I keep thinking that I need to go over there myself.”
Jessten shrugged her shoulders. In her mind, all she could see was Laisen Toban, the young man who had trained her briefly the past summer – and reminded her that a ten-year age gap was too great a hurdle for him.
Once in awhile, as she trained here, she thought she saw him watching, but he always disappeared the moment she looked. He hadn’t talked to her since Vestharya. She supposed he wasn’t interested in her anymore – maybe found someone his own age at last. It depressed her to think that.
“I heard some news today that might be of interest to you, Jessten,” Cruro said, breaking through her thoughts.
“I can’t imagine that.”
“It concerns your father,” Cruro said.
“He’s got himself in his own stewpot,” she retorted.
“And your half-brother.”
“What?!”
“I’ve heard through our rather substantial grapevine that your father has taken a mistress and that she’s already pregnant by him – with a son. Your half-brother.”
“There are no winds here that are not gales,” Jessten replied, shaking her head.
“If you want to contact him about it, I will help you,” Cruro promised.
“Thank you. But he made his feelings about me known back at Vestharya. I do not have a father anymore.” Jessten’s heart felt heavy. She looked up at the balcony and thought she saw a glimpse of Laisen again. She didn’t want him to know her continued shame in her father. She didn’t need his pity. She just wanted the floor to swallow her up to rescue her from her shame.
“Come on,” Se-orna coaxed, taking her arm, perhaps sensing her weakened state. “We’ll battle the boys another day.”
♥
Ilim City - Varkevand
.
Red-speckled terns shrieked above the docks as the ship from the mainland arrived.
“I haven’t been here in years!” Viper said.
Uana sat where she could keep watch on the A’mara Complex.
“You’re not nervous, are you, my darling?” Sipper asked his wife.
“Not at all, but it would be good to start getting an idea of who is here. There might be some useful initiates hiding there, after all.”
“I’m glad you guys decided to get the deed done as soon as we got here. It is better for leaving quiet trails behind,” Viper said.
“It wouldn’t be too hard to trace us,” Uana said. “The A’mara with their better-than-average ability when it comes to accessing data would be quick to connect these dots.”
“But they have less-than-average interest in actually doing it,” Sipper quipped.
“We will take advantage of that lack as long as it remains,” Viper said. “I can get us into their systems quite easily, I think. But first, I think we need to find a place to hang out safely. Let’s take a hoverbus around the island.”
Uana nodded her agreement.
Finished eating, the trio took the next bus out along the south coast road.
“Keep your eyes open for anything useful,” Sipper said. “We can handle legalities afterward.”
“With my abilities, we might not need to worry about difficulties,” Viper said.
Uana felt herself starting to doze as they flew up some bluffs at the eastern edge of the island. Suddenly, she saw it. “Stop!” she commanded the bus driver.
The driver stopped a few yards further. “Is no stop here,” he explained in heavily accented Common Tongue. “But you foreign, so I make exception.” The man described where the nearest stops were.
“Thank you,” Uana replied. “We will remember.”
The bus moved on and the trio wrapped the leya around themselves before investigating the abandoned house perched on a cliff above the ocean.
“There’s been no one here for quite a long time,” Uana concluded as they looked around. The leya imprints she felt were from many years ago. “I like it, Sipper. What do you think?”
“It’s not quite the lap of luxury I had imagined, but I think it will do,” Sipper replied. “Let’s check out the bedroom, Mrs. Sipper.”
♥
Towani City
.
Janika sat in the greenhouse at a picnic table that Vanti had decided they needed in the Rainforest greenhouse. Snow fell again, strangely appropriate for her aching heart.
She pulled out her flyppad and thought about the man who had sent the beautiful butterflies that flitted around her. She started writing.
Dear Coomar...
She deleted it.
Coomar,
I hope you had a good solstice. Do you celebrate it in Omrill?
I wish you could come and see how our greenhouses are coming along, how Vanti and I are taking good care of all the things you have sent.
I hope your greenhouses are going just as well.
I miss you. You were such a positive part of our lives for the short time you were with us.
I don’t know if anyone has told you how important you were to us here.
When do you think you will come and see us again? Don’t forget us.
Your friend,
Janika
She looked at her message again with a sniff, the tears threatening to flood her eyes. <If he really cared, I would have heard from him by now,> she thought.
She pressed the “cancel” button on the flyppad and cushioned her head down on her arms on the table, not even trying to suppress her tears.
A tiny flutter of wings caught her attention and distracted her from her tears. She opened an eye cautiously as she observed a pink mottled sipper hopping towards her as if it had a message for her. Janika moved her hand and the sipper flew off again.
<Coomar!> she cried through the leya. <My heart belongs to you. All you have to do is come and I’m yours.>
♥♥♥
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
Birth of the Neví - coming soon on Whaleshares - otherwise, scroll way back on Steem (like summer 2018.)
Name of the Neví - Chapter 1
Maps and Guides
- Terrenden Atlas Pages (six maps of Almara and Kranisis.)
- characters, pronunciation, glossary and image credits
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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, Mind of the Neví... |
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**(To be Named)** - 852 T.C.E. Collection of Romance... It's confirmed that the Neví are now in all three houses of Parliament and most assemblies throughout Terrenden. Additionally, some are threatening to introduce legislation to severely cripple the A'mara of all their privileges.
In this collection, we will catch up with our fugitives (Iyva/Zilan, D'zani/Elíaz). We will also meet Celna Dellan in X'lea; Peri Harmon, a Peer Councilor in Irola; Janys Tyne, an elections team leader in Atrua; meet a nice (as of yet unnamed) woman in Kasago; and revisit Vissia and Catalia in Towani. |
Writing and artwork copyright myself 2005-2019 – all rights reserved.
If you are interested in helping me publish these works, please contact me on Facebook or Discord, viking-ventures#2883.
Lori Svensen
author/designer at A'mara Books
photographer/graphic artist for Viking Visual
verified author on Goodreads
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blogging on: Steem, Whaleshares, WeKu, Hyperspace, Publish0x
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