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Uncertainty nipped me as I trudged up the gangplank, unannounced.
What was I doing? I didn’t know Herne or his people.
Sure, he had invited me, but what would we talk about? We’d discussed gravity. Fine. Maybe I was being silly. There must be some common ground I could find.
The only hitch? Herne’s group was a whole different enchilada. For starters, many of them floated around in ghost form, something the earthbound revenants never did. Even they avoided our latest arrivals. If the space revenants were too weird for their Earth cousins, what did that say?
Aside from the floaty ghost form, which appeared harmless, I wondered what other abilities they had and if they would be dangerous to the colony.
“Hello? Is anyone here?” I walked down a short corridor and peered into what looked like the bridge.
“You came!” Herne was seated behind a control panel, fingers posed over the panel.
That other distinctive feature I mentioned? Their faces bore a plastic sameness almost clone-like. No hair, no eyebrows, and a similar mannequin smoothness to their pale skin. Unlike his followers, Herne’s eyes were black rather than colorless like his tribe.
Today, he was in solid form which apparently allowed him to work the controls.
“Should I come back another time?” I asked, turning to leave.
“No!” He stood and pointed toward a row of bench seats. “Please, sit.”
I settled on the bench, moving harness straps out of my way. When he looked at me expectantly, I said, “I’m hoping you can help me solve a problem.” Oh cripes. How could I delicately put it that they were the problem?
Herne’s head tilted, and the place where eyebrows would normally be rose higher. “Problem?”
I suppressed a sigh. Of course, he wasn’t making this any easier. Then again, how could I expect him to? He couldn’t read my mind.
“Herne. As you may be aware, you and your followers appeared quite suddenly. I have to ask, is this the Lost Ship?”
A series of muscles contorted his face. Sounds stuttered from his lips. “I—we—no.” He shook his head.
“You’re from Earth?”
Another nod. I might as well be questioning the rocks outside. No more beating around the bush. “Why are you here?”
Herne rose and moved to a wall panel. The same contortions attacked his face. I didn’t think I was asking a hard question. They must have known someone would ask what they wanted.
The panel chirped three times and slid open. He retrieved a bag made from shiny cloth, then sat on the bench next to me. “I have this for you.”
“And ‘this’ is?” I wanted to shake answers out of him.
“It’s for the ceremony. I heard Harmony speak to you about it.” Loosening the drawstrings, he upended the bag, revealing a palm-sized crystal globe. The smooth surface swirled with iridescent colors. I’d seen similar technology used by Harmony when she created her worship dome.
“It’s beautiful. What does it do?” The urge to touch it was strong. I locked my fingers together and rested my palms in my lap. Hey. I’ve learned the hard way not to touch strange technology. Because as pretty as the orb was, it was not made on Earth. So, no touchy.
Herne opened his mouth to speak.
“Cherry! You in here?” Ian stepped inside then frowned. “What is that?”
“A gift for the child.” Herne dropped it into the bag and held it out to me.
I had a million questions, so I started with the obvious. “What is it?”
“A memory.”
Great, more cryptic answers. Was there anyone on the planet capable of speaking straight? “And what are we supposed to do with it?”
“I have never opened one, but I hear they contain collected knowledge that will help the recipient on their path.”
“And how is a baby supposed to open it?”
“You must sing to it,” he said.
“I don’t sing. I’m retired.” Other than a few select times, I’d kept my voice to myself. It had gotten me into too much trouble in the past.
“We have to go,” Ian said, giving me a lift upward. “Thank you for the gift.”
Herne stood. “I understand.”
I didn’t. What was the rush? Ian flashed me a somber frown. “Some other time then?”
Ian hustled me out of the ship and out the hangar door before I could say more. I headed toward the speeder, but he clasped me around the waist and launched upward, the sudden motion taking me by surprise.
Before I could react, he took the bag and dropped it into the sand. I saw it land before he sped up.
When we arrived outside the cavern’s entrance, I poked him in the biceps. “I thought we agreed no flying until the baby was born.”
“Except in case of dire emergency,” he said, accent sharp enough to cut paper. “I don’t care what his bloody customs are, we are not bringing an unidentified object into the caverns. Let’s go home.”
I dug my heels in. “Wait a minute. Why don’t you want me to speak to him?”
Ian looked puzzled for a moment. “Because I don’t trust him farther than I can throw my Aunt Fanny.”
He proceeded down the Hall of the Ancients. It told the history of the Eliade using stunning panels decorated with precious metals and rich colors. Think, stained glass windows made of luminescent stones.
“You never had an Aunt Fanny,” I grumbled, picking up the pace to catch him. “You could try and be nice to him.”
Ian stopped. “What?”
“Is that so hard? Have you seen him? I can’t explain it. There’s something vulnerable about him. Like something awful has happened and he can’t talk about it.” Maybe I had a soft spot for those who needed help, but I’d rather that than be cold and cynical.
“That’s not how I see it. I feel like there is some evil purpose to their landing.” Ian continued to walk, muttering a soft oath and something about “bleeding hearts.”
“Hey! Don’t walk away from me!” Annoyed as I was, the Hall always unsettled me.
Maybe it was the reminder of a once prosperous race that suddenly vanished. Despite my words, I kept walking because the Ancient’s Hall was deserted. Which wasn’t surprising. As a group, the colonists tended to use the other entrances to move about their business.
Or in some cases, they were content to remain in the caverns, ignoring the surface. Others, like my former assistant Louis and his zombie group, adored mucking about in the dirt and dust. Whatever. To each his own.
“If he comes near you again, I want to know.” Ian marched beside me, lips drawn in a hard line.
“All right.” What else could I say? Loads.
We walked in silence for about five seconds before I broke the quiet.
“Next time, don’t try and shelter me. I’m not a fragile doll.”
“I know, luv.”
“Do you? I don’t appreciate you making decisions for me.”
“I won’t apologize for protecting you and our child. Herne makes my skin crawl.” Ian folded his arms across his chest, daring me to fault his logic.
“Are you planning on hiding me from him forever?”
“Yes.” His expression hardened.
“Oh my God. Of course. I should have known. The Rogues will be watching me when you can’t.”
“I protect what is mine, Cherry.” A flash of white fang appeared then disappeared. He fixed a concerned gaze on me, then spoke with a rare and quiet desperation. “Are you saying our wedding vows, our bond, mean nothing?”
I knew a trap when I heard one, but I couldn’t not respond. “I love you, Ian. You know that. But there’s more to this. I have a gut feeling too. And I still haven’t heard how keeping me ignorant is protection.”
“I need to know you’re safe. I’ve never had a child before—or a wife.” The intensity of Ian’s gaze made me want to cut him some slack, but when no explanation was forthcoming, heat warmed my skin. I’m sure my face was crimson.
“I don’t doubt your love for me. Only your methods and your reasoning.”
“So, you don’t trust my judgement?” he asked.
“Don’t put words in my mouth. I think we should at least find out what the orb is.”
“No.”
“No? Just like that? Decision made.” We’d had this conversation before. The one where I explained to Ian that he wasn’t my master, but my partner.
“Yes.”
“It’s not only your job to protect our daughter. I’m her mother.” I stopped short of stating the obvious – that I could handle it.
“The less you know the better.”
“What?” I couldn’t believe my ears. “So, what is my job? To sit around and look pretty? To be a baby maker?”
He stared at me grim-faced. Barely a flicker of emotion touched my mind. He’d either shut me out or he didn’t care how I felt.
I huffed with disgust. “You know what? I need some me time. Why don’t you find someplace else to sleep tonight?” It wasn’t really a question, yet the idea of pacing our cavern quarters made me stabby. “Better yet, I’ll go. And if you value your life, don’t follow me.”
“Cherry, wait!” he called, but it was too late.
I booked out of there. Sure, I was the size of a whale, but I could still move fast when I needed to.
He didn’t chase after me. That made me mad too.
For once, he did what I asked. Only it wasn’t what I wanted. My back ached. My ankles resembled swollen sausages. I wanted to go home and bathe. If I returned, then I’d be spineless. I refused to let Ian win this argument.
I debated where I should go. I could go to Harmony’s quarters. Then we could have a night of girl talk. Except I’d reached my talking limit. Any of my Family would take me in, no questions asked. But I’d prefer they didn’t know I was fighting with Ian. Ditto for Louis. Running to spend the night with another man, no matter how benign the relationship, wasn’t ideal either.
Instead, I went to the one place I knew I could find a sympathetic ear.
I went to Kyrene’s Lake. No one ever hung around there except for me. I don’t know why. It was the only freestanding body of water on Mars. It could have been because of Kyrene. She was an avatar left by the Eliade. She also tended to be stoic and cryptic when she spoke. Hardly a conversationalist.
The water’s surface was smooth as a mirror, reflecting the cavernous ceiling above with perfect clarity.
“Hello?” I called, knowing she could hear me.
The cuff bracelet affixed around my wrist vibrated slightly. As much as I pretended to ignore it, it was more than a pretty golden band. It had belonged to Azaral, the last queen of the Eliade. Ian wore a matching version that had belonged to her consort. Ever since the events months earlier, it had remained quiet, lulling me into thinking of it as just a bracelet I couldn’t remove.
“Kyrene?” I buried the worry when she didn’t manifest right away. She was probably doing avatar stuff.
I waited a full two minutes before turning around to exit. Coming there to mope had been a dumb idea.
Water splashed behind me. I turned.
Jonathan, soaked to the skin, stood on the water’s surface. An angry glare was aimed at me like an accusation.
“What are you doing here? Go and find the orb. It’s too important to leave lying around.” Jonathan made a shooing motion with his hands. Droplets fell from his fingertips. Radiating circles appeared on the water’s otherwise still surface.
Transfixed, I watched the ripples radiate away from his body.
How was that even possible?
If he were ghost—and I wasn’t admitting I believed he was—then he shouldn’t have real water sliding off his body. He shouldn’t even be wet. Concentric circles radiated from the exact spot where he dripped.
I squeezed my eyes shut, refusing to believe him. And yet, his words rang true in my ears.
If Kyrene were there instead and she told me to get the orb, I would have given it serious consideration. In fact, my fingers twitched at the thought of discovering what the orb contained. Did it represent a danger to my daughter? Or would it provide answers instead?
Jonathan continued to glare at me. I glared back, refusing to acknowledge him.
Was I being ghost-phobic?
Geez Louise. That wasn’t even a real thing.
The orb and its meaning nagged at me. I couldn’t deny it. It also irked the hell out of me that Ian had decided to toss it in the sand. He wasn’t the sole decision maker.
“Fine,” I mumbled to my feet. I left the chamber with a burst of speed, refusing to give Ghost Jonathan the satisfaction of knowing that I might be listening to him. I could also be losing my sanity.
Another possibility I didn’t want to think about.
When I didn’t want to confront the past, I did what I always did: something that I would regret later.
I headed to the Martian surface, ready to get my hands dirty.
* * *
IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG to locate the bag. Even at a distance, the orb, now half-buried under the sand, glowed with an eerie radiance that penetrated the bag’s fabric.
After a moment of inelegant and awkward stooping, I managed to snag the drawstrings, being careful not to touch it. I wasn’t taking any chances. Experience had taught me that curiosity didn’t mean recklessness. To my surprise the orb was almost weightless, more like a bubble than a paperweight.
Looking around, including upward, I was certain I wasn’t being watched. Even if I was, Ian could suck it. I hustled across the sand. With my energy flagging, I headed toward the one place where I knew the orb would be welcome.
Jay’s lab. And, as my best friend, Jay was bound by the bonds of friendship to keep my secret.
The odor of burnt plastic assaulted me the moment I stepped into the lab. Situated in one of the original surface domes, he’d filled the space with metal tables, computer monitors, and a million glass beakers. To enter his lair, I had to endure a series of portioned doorways and vacuum devices designed to minimize outside dust and debris.
Jay assured me his precautions were necessary for the “continued success of his experiments.” Plus, if he wanted his PhD, he had to continue his studies.
All righty, then.
“Do I even want to know what you’re doing here at this hour?” Jay asked, not bothering to hide the wariness in his voice.
“Yes. Geez. Chill, will ya?” I slumped into the lone armchair, the bag dangling from my fingertips. “I’m invoking the friendship code of silence on this one.”
Jay released a beleaguered sigh. “Fine. But if this involves Ian and the possibility that he might kill me, be it on your head. Friend.”
“Come on, take this from me.” I wasn’t escaping the chair anytime soon. I sank into its comfy depths and I was a goner. As much I pretended otherwise, walking was becoming more of a chore every day. I couldn’t make it twenty feet without wanting to stop and put up my feet.
“Why are you here, Cherry?”
“Don’t you want to know what I have?” I displayed the bag.
“And don’t try and distract me. What is going on? Spill it. Now.” The hard set of Jay’s jaw meant he wasn’t letting me off with no explanation.
“Ian and I had a fight.” Everyone thought Ian and I were the perfect couple. And while that was true, we still had our disagreements.
“And?” Jay swirled a finger at me.
“He’s been keeping information from me under the guise of protection.” Air quotes on that last word.
Jay sat on the edge of arm chair. “Oh boy.”
“Yeah. You know how I feel about that rationale.” I fiddled with the hem of my coat, not quite ready to reveal the orb.
“I do. Why didn’t you tell me?”
I cringed at the hint of hurt in his voice. “Because everyone thinks we are so awesome together.”
“You do know how lame that sounds, right?” Jay grinned.
“I know. It’s a weak reason. But I’m a Sire now. I can’t let everyone know I have any weaknesses. Jonathan always ruled us from a position of strength.”
Jay squeezed the bridge of his nose and released a heavy sigh. “It always come back to him, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah. But I didn’t come here to talk about him.” Or his ghost that I was pretending didn’t exist. Tiredness washed over me. It was past my bedtime.
I unwrapped the orb and held it out to him. “I came hoping you could tell me what this is.”
His eyes widened. Curiosity drew him toward me. “Where did you get that?”
“Apparently, Herne’s people have a gift-giving custom. This is for the baby. Ian hated it on contact and pitched it in the dirt. We had a big fight and I decided to go and get it. The more you know, right?”
He flexed his fingers and readied to touch it, then stopped. “Let me get the tongs.”
“Agree. It’s better not to touch strange technology.”
Jay mumbled something that sounded like “about damn time” before gently removing the bag from my finger.
I let it slide. He was right. I’d become more cautious. Except if that were true, why was I sneaking around behind Ian’s back? Because no one got to tell me what I could or couldn’t do anymore. He didn’t have the right to forbid me to speak to Herne or accept strange gifts.
With a sigh, I relaxed into the chair and watched Jay place the orb under a camera mounted over a silver disk. A sizable flat-screen panel displayed a view large enough that I could see it from a distance. Not that there was much to observe. The orb looked the same as before, only giant-sized.
Jay tapped a keyboard, adjusting the display. Strings of numbers and scientific symbols scrolled on the side. The orb changed from a solid mass into a delicate web of connected lines and data points. “This is incredible. This is no mere ball of light.”
Despite the simple shape, the inside appeared to be intricate and unlike anything I’d ever seen. “So, what’s it for? What does it do?”
“I don’t have a fucking clue.” Jay tapped his chin. “It seems like more alien technology.”
“That doesn’t make me feel better.” I rubbed the cuff. Another mysterious thing created by aliens. “Until I know what it does, there’s no way it’s getting near my child.”
The noncommittal grunt I received in response told me Jay was paying a quarter of attention. “This is incredible. Such hidden beauty is a waste.”
“I don’t agree. It’s like when a woman wears lacy underwear because she can. Even if no one sees it but her, it gives her pleasure.”
Ah. Panties grabbed his full interest.
Jay snorted. “Come on, is that really true?”
“Are you kidding? How many years were we roommates? Did you ever once witness me wearing shabby undergarments?”
“I guess not.” Even with his Indian complexion, I could see his cheeks redden. “Don’t ask me to comment on your unmentionables. I never spent much time staring.”
“Well, I can assure you I wore pretty things because I liked it.” And it did make me happy, especially after my prim Victorian upbringing. “It wasn’t an affectation because I was a burlesque performer.”
Jay blinked a few times then resumed studying the orb. “Why are we discussing underwear? Can we get back to this gorgeous orb?”
After adjusting knobs and dials on the camera, the image increased, focusing on one of the web-like lines. Jay reached into a pile of metal instruments, chose one with a sharp-pointed end, then tapped the orb’s surface.
“Are you sure it’s safe to poke at it?” A dull ache spread across my forehead. My jaw opened wide and I yawned. If I didn’t get some rest I might fall asleep in Jay’s ratty armchair.
He shrugged. “There’s only one way to find out.”
With each poke and prod, the baby twitched. At first the motion was so subtle I didn’t notice it. “Jay. I think you need to stop.”
Jay didn’t appear to hear me at first. He whacked the ball harder.
Pain lanced against the side of my head.
“OW! Stop!” I clutched my forehead.
“Holy shit.” Jay dropped on one knee in front of me. “Did you bump your head? There’s a welt there.”
“About that...” As I explained his concern morphed into horror.
“Oh my God! Is the baby okay?” He moved to touch my belly but stopped short when he realized what he was about to do.
I sank into my mind and searched for her tiny thought pattern. “She’s fine. But why? It makes no sense.”
“This is an unfortunate development. It limits my ability to learn more about the orb.”
“Golly gee. I’m so sorry. Come on, Jay!” I would have smacked him but then I’d have to hoist myself out of the chair. Since I might need his help to leave, hitting him was a bad idea.
“Apologies.” He rubbed the base of his neck. “That was inconsiderate of me.”
“Ya think?”
Fear pitter-pattered across my chest. This was my fault. If I’d listened to Ian and left the damn thing in the sand, maybe I wouldn’t be sporting a goose egg.
I rubbed a circle against my breastbone, willing the sinking feeling away. “I’m already a bad mother. I should have never touched it.”
“Hey. Stop it. And no, I don’t know how or why it seems to be connected to you. But stop blaming yourself. It’s better that we have it than someone else. Right?”
I sniffled. “What if I turn out like my mother, Jay?”
“A control freak? Not going to happen.” He poked my knee. “Look at me. You are not her. You are a kind, caring person and you will be an awesome mom.”
“Ian will flip when he finds out I moved it.” I gave him the short version of the story. Ian thought Herne was hiding something evil. I thought he was a broken soul.
“We could always put it back.” Jay rubbed his chin. “Or you could man up and own what you did.”
The bump was almost gone. “Why does this shit always happen to me?”
“That’s how your life seems to roll,” he said, non-sarcastically because we both knew it was true. Lately, I’d been feeling like I had a cosmic target on my back. Or a “kick me” sign. Either way, the universe enjoyed using me as a punching bag.
“We both know how being me plays out.” It sucks. “Because Queen V decided to give me her mysterious cuff bracelet, I lost my home, my Sire, and my comfortable life on Earth. Of course, on the upside, I gained Ian and my baby.”
Jay grew quiet, pondering my words. He had lost his humanity forever. His expression brightened. “Remember the old saying? When one door closes, a window opens. It doesn’t matter what Ian thinks. I’ve never known you to quit. You always rise to the occasion.”
“I appreciate you leaving out the kicking and screaming part.”
“Well that’s a given too.” Jay took my hand and gave it a squeeze. “You got this, girl.”
Calmness and appreciation settled in my heart. Jay was my best friend because he never gave up on me. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”
“You’d be in deep shit,” he joked. As usual, he was right. Without Jay at my back, I would haven’t survived the last century.
“True. You complete me.” I couldn’t resist.
“Ugh. You’re killing me with corny movie lines.” He stood and cracked his knuckles. “Back to work.”
The lab grew quiet with the occasional noise from Jay typing or adjusting equipment. My eyelids grew heavy and I gave in with no struggle. For a while, I napped, peacefully. Until a persistent sadness nagged at me. I wanted to see Ian. I hated that we’d fought.
Why did he have to be so damn stubborn? It was like living with a throwback from the Stone Age.
I knew he loved me and he wanted me and the baby to be safe. And yet, I couldn’t excuse it. Not after Jonathan. He had attempted to control every aspect of my life. In the end, it broke us apart.
Jay turned his head, listening. He jumped from his stool and mouthed, “Oh shit!”
“Hello?” Ian called from the antechamber. “Jay? Have you seen Cherry? Jesus, what’s that smell?”
“Hide it!” I flailed at Jay like a flipped turtle.
He blanked the screen and covered the orb just as Ian entered the room.
Ian surveyed the area using what I called “surveillance guy mode,” no doubt born from centuries of living on the run. I’m sure he knew I was there the moment he stepped into the lab.
“Hello, luv.” Ian bent down and kissed my forehead like we hadn’t been in a fight an hour earlier.
Jay shifted from foot to foot, his hand casually grabbing a stack of papers. He tucked the papers and some random folders under his arm. “I’ll leave you two alone.”
“No,” I said. “Stay. I’m sure Ian is not here to apologize.”
“Here we go.” Jay slapped the files on the lab table. “I really don’t want to be witness to a fight.”
“No worries, mate. There won’t be any arguing.” Ian’s beleaguered sigh transmitted loud and clear to me. Along with a swirl of emotions pointing in one direction. No apology would be forthcoming. In fact, he was there for another reason entirely.
“What’s happened?” Oh well. He could be contrite later, in our apartment. When I made him sleep on the short, lumpy couch.
“Joan found something in the caves. You best come along too, Jay.”
I planted my hands on the chair arms in a lame attempt to lift myself.
“Allow me.” Ian hoisted me up.
An achy groan escaped my lips before I could stop it.
“Can’t this wait? I need a nap.” On a scale of one to ten, how urgent could Joan’s discovery be? “I mean, what’s the rush?”
“Have a juice. You seem a bit peckish.” Ian handed me a silver pouch.
“Peckish sounds like code for whiny. At least call me a big baby to my face.” I took the juice anyway.
“Aw, luv. That’s not true.” Ian went to circle his arm around my waist like all had been forgiven.
Uh, no. A sidestep of refusal stopped him in his tracks.
“I’m sorry, luv.”
When he didn’t elaborate on why he was sorry—like he was making decisions for my own good—I skirted past him, loudly slurping juice.
“Sure. Whatever.” Marching toward the exit, I blinked back hot tears before my emotions ran over me with the speed of a freight train. Not that there were any freight trains on Mars.
“There’s no use arguing with her when she gets like this.” Jay intercepted me and opened the exit door. A hovercraft was parked nearby. Jay hopped into the backseat, letting Ian and me have the front.
“When I get like what, exactly?” He’d better not say any of the following words: emotional, cranky, bitchy, or tired.
Sure, they were accurate descriptions of how I felt, but the men didn’t get to say it out loud. I was the one cooking a baby inside. As far as I was concerned, they were clueless male bystanders and could keep their comments to themselves.
“Mate, if I were you, I’d keep quiet.” Ian hopped aboard and gripped my knees, shifting to face me. “Cherry. You were right. I shouldn’t have tossed the orb.”
My jaw must have been hanging open because he traced his thumb along my bottom lip. The intensity of his gaze fixed me in place.
He touched his forehead against mine and shared the full brunt of his feelings with me. “I love you beyond life. The thought of losing you—I can’t even imagine it.”
Jay sniffled. “That was so touching.”
“Shut up.” I smiled through tears. Stupid hormones. Making me cry happy tears.
“Care to drive, luv?” Ian leaned back against his seat and waited for me to decide.
“You say the nicest things.” I took control and started the engine.
The great thing about the hovercrafts, it didn’t matter who drove. It could be done from any seat. Ian kicked up his feet on the dash. Jay perched his hands behind his head and closed his eyes.
The smooth gliding motion eased my tension. Wind shrieked, lifting my hair. This was the closest I could get to flying until after the baby was born. Ian’s emergency flight didn’t count.
Too soon, we arrived at the caverns. Months earlier, we’d discovered an entrance large enough to pilot the hovercrafts through. Joan speculated that it was part of an old landing bay. Subsequent discussions with Kyrene confirmed Joan’s theory.
Hard to believe, but the entire planet had once teemed with life: flora, fauna, and our ancestors. Until shit went sideways and the environment changed, making the planet uninhabitable. Despite their advanced technology, the Eliade couldn’t stop the inevitable disaster. Knowing the world was about to end must have been terrible.
When my time comes, I don’t want to see it coming.
Landing lights guided my way and I pulled into a free spot. A crew of colonists maintained the bay and its equipment. A zombie mechanic offered to assist me from the vehicle and I accepted.
“Nice to see you again, Ms. Cordial,” he said.
“Thanks, Ted, but call me Cherry.” I smiled and tried not to grunt as my feet touched ground.
Everyone had a job on Mars. Even yours truly. Though this was the first time in my life that I was going to be responsible for a baby. In the social class to which I’d been born, women handed the daily raising of children to a nanny, followed by a governess or a tutor. I would have no such help. Not that I wanted it.
I could do this.
At least that’s what I kept telling myself every day.
We exited the landing bay and headed down an elegant corridor. The arched ceilings were about twelve feet high, tall enough not to trigger my claustrophobia. I’d made strides in dealing with smallish spaces, but I still got the willies if I spent too long without seeing the outside.
Picking up the pace as best I could, I counted the steps until we reached the end. Ian clasped my hand, his fingers twining mine.
The corridor emptied into a space so vast it was hard to believe we were underground. We called it the Grand Hall. Some colonists wanted to call it the Grand Cathedral. Others Grand Central or the Grand Promenade. Loads of time was spent debating. But in the end, it became the Grand Hall.
Hey, it’s not like there are any athletic teams—we’re working on it—or other distractions. Naming things has become our sport.
Unlike when Ian and I had first discovered the caverns, they were no longer devoid of life. People milled around busying themselves with various tasks. Every once in a while, they’d scatter when a pod of space revenants floated through an area.
I frowned. “I wish everyone would stop running from them.”
“Hmm,” Ian said, eyes fixed on the floor. He guided me onto a moving conveyor strip. It would whisk us to the location faster than walking. Which in my current state, I appreciated.
“They need to quit showing fear.” I could understand that, at first, the revenants were weird and unknown, but it had been weeks. “The Rogues don’t act afraid.”
“Of course not, luv.” Ian’s fingers massaged the base of my neck, easing my muscles. “Stop gritting your teeth over it. You’ll reduce them to nubs.”
“You can’t blame them,” Jay said quietly behind us. I turned at the pensive tone.
His gaze captured mine. He was spooked.
“Do you remember the stories, Cherry? Back in India? The tales of men being consumed by tigers weren’t fables. Once, when I was a child, a tiger had been terrorizing a local village. My father and a few other officials went to kill it. He brought me along because he said it was time for me to know true fear. As we hunted the tiger, deeper into the mountains, I felt its eyes on me. No one else could see it or hear it. But I knew it was there by the crawl of fear upon my skin. Its soul spoke to mine. And it wanted me dead.”
He rubbed his forehead. “That’s how those revenants make me feel. The others sense it as well.”
“Did they kill the tiger?” Ian asked.
Jay stared into the distance as the conveyors climbed higher. “They did.”
“Did you feel sympathy for the beast?” Ian said.
I poked him in the side, ready to tell him to stop. The topic was disturbing to Jay. In our many years together, he had never once told me about it.
“No. I was glad it was dead.” The belt stopped. Jay stepped off and walked away, leaving us behind.
“Why’d you have to push it?” I couldn’t help the annoyed tone. “Not everyone is an alpha male, you know.”
“No, but he is smart to feel that fear. To be cautious. Watch your step,” he said as we followed Jay down a corridor that was new to me. The ground underfoot changed from sleek polished stone to rough-hewn cobbles.
“Where are you taking us?” The rocks dug through the soles of my boots. “I want a foot massage when this is over.”
He chuckled. “Nothing would make me happier.”
The cobblestone path ended at a rough opening in the rock wall. Several members of the exploration team were loading carts with rubble and debris.
I balked at the size of the passage. The ominous darkness beyond the hole didn’t help. “Do I have to go in there?”
Ian poked his head inside. “It’s plenty big in here. As large as our current abode. And very . . . shiny.”
Deep breaths. I could do this. I clutched Ian’s hand, for balance, not because I was afraid. Stepping forward, I closed my eyes at the last moment and walked through.
“You can open yours eye, luv. I promise.” Ian kissed the tip of my nose. His closeness promised safety and other more pleasurable things. Things we couldn’t engage in because it was filled with Joan’s archaeological team. And because of the baby, of course.
“Wow.” I took in the room. Shiny had been an understatement. The sleek walls gleamed golden yellow. Crystals and other colored stones had been used to create mosaics similar to the original Ancient’s Hall Ian and I had discovered a year earlier.
“Aren’t they magnificent? One can only wonder what this place was for.” Jay met us half way across the chamber, grinning ear to ear.
“Secrets often reveal themselves in due time.” Joan, the anthropologist, joined us.
Her fine blond hair, trapped in a perpetual state of frizz, was pulled into a loose ponytail. She held a flat-screen tablet in one hand and what I called the makeup brush in the other. It had a more sciencey name but where was the fun in that?
“If you’ll step this way,” Joan said, face flushed with enthusiasm.
I often wondered about how certain people became undead. Joan was part of the original Mars settlement group and not part of my Family. She still wasn’t. Like Ian and his Rogues, she was old enough to remain independent, which begged the question—who was Joan? Was Joan even her real name?
“As can be seen, this is very different than the tableau in the Hall of the Ancients. While there are decorative elements, these panels appear to have a function.” She motioned to a series of squares each containing a pattern of glyphs and dots. “We’ve documented them as we found them. Several of us have attempted to activate them but nothing has worked.”
“What does Kyrene say?” Ian asked.
“She has remained stubbornly vague.” Joan tapped her foot.
“Can a program be purposely obstinate?” Ian didn’t understand how Kyrene and her sister avatar Kasia worked. They often gave me cryptic bullshit answers. I think they enjoyed it.
“The avatars are more than Magic 8 Balls,” Jay said, eyes glued to the wall. “I bet your cuff could translate these symbols.”
The bracelet’s smooth surface warmed under my fingertips. Without noticing, I’d started to rub its shiny metal. In response, the walls hummed and the panels grew brighter, driving home the reality that we didn’t know much about the Eliade.
A deep rumble vibrated under my feet and penetrated the soles of my boots. It reminded me of a deep tissue massage except it was more punishing. Like the rocks in the gravel driveway at my old lakeside house. Step on those things with bare feet—yowza, they hurt.
“Sleeping dragon?” I ventured, hopping from foot to foot for relief. Ian braced me as best he could. Did I mention how much I love him?
“Don’t joke,” Jay warned, arms and legs spread wide for balance. “I wouldn’t put anything past this place.”
Joan flattened herself to the ground, one ear pressed into the dirt. “This is very promising. Promising indeed!”
Good God, she was weird.
The sound grew higher in pitch. The sand under our feet danced up and down to an unseen disco beat.
“What’s happening?” I couldn’t think with the racket.
“It’s harmonic resonance!” Jay shouted. “Something got activated.”
“Wow, thank you for that, Captain Obvious!” The noise reached a fever pitch. I drove my fingers into my ears, attempting to block the sound. “Can we turn it off now?”
“No one says Captain Obvious anymore,” Jay said before plugging his ears too.
“Well I do! What are you, the pop culture police?”
Ian marched over to the controls and pressed his matching gold cuff to the panel. The noise stopped. He tutted. “You two are like squabbling children.”
Ignoring his somewhat accurate assessment, I asked, “How did you know the noise would stop?”
“I didn’t. But since it appears your cuff accidentally turned on something, I guessed my bauble would work too.” Ian massaged my shoulders. The soothing action had me craving some alone time with him.
“It wasn’t intentional.” Or was it? I had been rubbing the cuff. For the hundred-millionth time I cursed the lack of an owner’s manual. “Should I try it again?”
A resounding, “No!” was my answer.
“You know what this means?” Joan’s eyes glittered with excitement.
“Headache pills for everyone?” Despite Ian’s ministrations, a dull throb formed between my temples. I needed someplace dark and quiet.
The muscles at the base of my back cramped. Make that someplace quiet, dark, and with a soft bed.
“Maybe there’s another undiscovered chamber beneath our feet,” Joan said with the same gee-whiz wonder as, “Look, I found a puppy.” She scurried toward her team, issuing orders, leaving us forgotten.
Fine by me. I waddled toward the exit. The baby settled like a bag of rocks, tugging at my back and hips.
Ian caught up to me, encircling his arm around what was left of my waist. “Time for rest, I think.” He feigned a giant yawn.
“We wouldn’t want you up past your bedtime, old man.” I smiled, knowing what he was doing.
By the time we’d reached our apartment, I was ready for bed. Except, energy coursed through me. Like I wanted to lie down and pace around the room at the same time.
Ian eyed me. “Let me fetch you something to drink and some of those mint leaves you love to chew. I’ll make you some warm tea.”
He cupped my face, thumbs trailing my chin. Leaning in, he kissed my lips, slowly at first. Kiss by kiss he deepened his attentions, making me wish we could engage in more rambunctious activities.
“I’ll be waiting in our bedroom,” I assured him as he left. Whether I’d be awake or not, the jury was still out.
I made it halfway to the bedroom when a familiar and unwelcome voice stopped me in my tracks.
“You can’t ignore me forever, Cherry,” Jonathan said. The same weariness he’d worn in life coated him now.
“Yes. I can.” I refused to believe in him.
“This is partly my fault. I tried to help you and now it may cost you everything.”
“What did you do?”
He started to fade. “I’ll be back. When you can’t run away.”
“We’ll see about that!” I shouted to empty space he no longer occupied. I spun around, ready to rest when—
A faint trickle slid down the inside of my thigh. Ignoring the sensation, I took two more steps. Another gush and—
Oh damn.
My water had broken.
Showtime.