Mehanna felt a little thrill race through her. Her sister made her question what had happened between her and Grinnell when she’d told her about them. He hadn’t shown any desire for her, but now she knew that he was trying to be a gentleman like she had seen in the entertainment feeds. Now what? She looked up at him. “So how do I make the first move?”
“You could whisper in my ear that you need me.”
“I do.” She leaned into him. “I need you.”
“And I need you.” He wrapped his arms around her as his lips claimed hers. He urged her back onto the bed. His hands moved about her body, touching, caressing, as well as removing her clothing.
She felt the cool moss against her back. The heat of his chest against her breasts. How she had missed this. His mouth moved from her lips to her throat, traveling down to a breast. A sigh escaped her when he latched on. She felt each tug to her toes.
Her breath hitched when she felt his fingers slip into her folds. She held her breath when his mouth released her breast and started to work down her body. Grinnell planted a kiss against her ribcage, then her belly button. He paused there for a moment, swirling his tongue around it before he continued down her body.
She arched her back when she felt his mouth at her core. Each time his tongue touched her, heat filled her. Soon she was on fire and wanted more. She wanted, no, needed to feel him deep inside her. Her legs started to move. It must have given him some sort of signal because he moved back up her body and took her lips with his as he drove into her.
They started moving together. Grinnell released her mouth and turned to her throat instead. Each time he drove into her she felt everything tighten a little before relaxing, only to do it again when he drove into her once more. Like a coil, her body tightened a little more each time. Her body started to vibrate. She met him thrust for thrust, wanting that release she could only find in his arms.
Her blood zinged through her veins. The release she wanted was getting closer. She could almost feel it. Mentally begged it to take over. To take her to that place where joy was in control.
Grinnell changed the tempo, driving into her faster.
It made her blood pump quicker. Then it started, bubbling up and filing her until she lost contact with everything but her release. She floated along in euphoria. Joy. She sighed her happiness.
“Wow.” Grinnell shifted and brought her into his arms. That was more explosive than any other time. Maybe keeping themselves apart wasn’t a bad thing. He didn’t want to move. Didn’t want to break the spell they weaved with their lovemaking.
“I know.” Mehanna’s voice was soft. “Does it get better every time?”
“It does with you.” He pressed a kiss against her temple. “I think our time apart was good for us.”
“And you don’t have to fly this ship? You did on our way to Emori.” She rested her head against his chest.
“That was because the planet was a lot closer. It’s easier to manually fly when it’s a short trip.” He brushed his fingers against the arm she rested on his chest. “We’re going to have to search a little. Your homeworld is cloaked in mystery. All anyone knows is the legends we have heard. Astrid stocked our library with all the stories and books that have any reference to your planet. All we need to do is have the computer organize it by content. Then we’ll start reading. We’re going to have plenty of time.”
“How do you feel about doing some fun reading?” Grinnell asked Lawaya. He handed Mehanna the two tablets they would be reading from.
“How do you plan on having me do that? I can’t turn pages or scroll.”
“No, but you can tell the computer to do that.”
“I don’t have a problem, but if all of you are reading, won’t me talking to the computer every time I want to turn a page stand out?”
“It will be fine, Lawaya. Let the computer know what word or motion you want to use so it will know to advance what you’re reading. Our goal is to find the references we’ve heard about Mehanna’s planet.”
“There is something in my books at home that gave a lot of information.”
Mehanna gripped Grinnell’s arm when she heard Lawaya say that.
“Can you use the computer to access those books?” asked Grinnell. That information could save them lunas of searching.
“I can ask the council to transmit them to the ship, but they’ll have to see me in order to approve my request.” She looked around where she was trapped. “I’m not sure how they would take this.”
“We could record you at a close distance. If they can’t see the mirror, they might not question anything.”
She smiled. “You don’t know the Barou masters. We’re trained to see through other Barou’s images. They will see through this. I just need to come up with a reason that they will understand.”
Grinnell contacted the council and found they were excited to speak to their leader. He focused the view screen toward the niche where she rested.
“My sisters.”
“Lawaya, we’ve been working hard on keeping everything running as you asked.”
“And you’ve feared my silence.”
“We hoped you were well, but just couldn’t communicate with us.”
“That much is true.” Lawaya smiled at her Barou family. “I met a young woman. Although she isn’t Barou, I felt her abilities were close enough that I could train her.”
“Is that why we haven’t heard from you?”
“Part of it. It is also why I’m contacting you. She is magical, and I remember reading about a planet that had magical people. Grinnell and I want to take her home.”
“Grinnell?”
“Yes.” She signaled for him to step forward.
“Hi.” He wasn’t quite sure what to do. “Don’t know if you remember me, but I was the one who contacted you a few cycles ago, looking for Lawaya.”
“Yes,” responded the woman. “You needed her for someone?”
“Astrid, Queen of Emori.” Grinnell smiled. They did remember him.
“And how is she?”
“Much better.” Grinnell caught a hand motion from Lawaya out of the corner of his eye and nodded. “And I understand that Grenta has been reinstated?”
The woman nodded. “We received the missive from Lawaya.”
“Good,” replied Lawaya. “Grenta helped me with Astrid, and I never believed she should have been banned.”
“Why do you look different?” asked the woman she was speaking to.
“Because I’m trapped in a mirror.”
“What?” The woman turned to look at a few of the women behind her.
“I wondered when you’d say something.” Lawaya laughed. “I told you I was working with a young woman who had magical powers. She’s very powerful but was untrained. There was a small snafu, and I’m now trapped in a mirror. It’s one of the reasons I need the book where I read about her planet. We’re hoping that someone from her planet will be able to release me.”
Mehanna gave her a sad look. “I’m so sorry, Lawaya.”
“Child, all of us have had our power go haywire,” Lawaya replied. “I believe Astrid told you about her tail.”
“She did.”
“Come and speak to the council.” Lawaya gestured for Mehanna to step beside the mirror. “I’m sure they fear I’m doing this under duress, and I want them to meet you so they understand that is was a very powerful, sweet woman who didn’t know how to control her abilities.”
“You think I’m powerful?” Mehanna stepped to her side so the camera could pick her up. “Um, I wish I could reverse what I did, but I don’t know how. We’re hoping someone from my homeworld could either release her or teach me how to do it.”
“How did you end up out here?” the woman asked. “Your people don’t normally leave the planet.”
“I don’t know. Do you know where my homeworld is?” She couldn’t keep the hope in her voice out.
“No, but our library has the most comprehensive information on all known races. Lawaya was right in contacting us even under the current conditions. If there is any info on where you’re from, we should have it.” The woman talking looked down for a moment. “I’m sending twelve books to you. They should have the info you’re looking for.”
“Thank you.” Lawaya looked at Grinnell and Mehanna. “Sorry, but this is for my eyes only. You have to be a Barou master to read any of our literature.”
“We have plenty to read,” said Grinnell. “I’m just glad that we have access to special information that could help us.”
“Thank you for helping us,” Lawaya said to her fellow Barou. “Hopefully the next time you see me I will be free of this mirror.”
“Are you okay?” asked the woman who had been doing all the talking.
“I am. Grinnell set up a way for me to speak.” She smiled again as she looked at him. “I didn’t know how much time had passed until I was able to speak to them. I am sorry that you didn’t know where I was or what happened to me. I am safe and will be home soon.”
“As long as you are safe.”
“I promise these people have my best interests at heart.” She looked over at Grinnell again, who nodded, letting her know that the books had arrived. “We’ve just started our journey, so it could take some time.”
“Hurry home.”
“I will try.”
Grinnell ended the communique.
“I loaded the information they sent for you to read.” He pulled up the screen so she could see the information. “The computer is waiting for your instructions.”
“I’m a little worried that I won’t be able to read. We don’t know what the mirror world has done to my senses.”
“True, but you can talk and understand us, so I think the only thing we might have to do is adjust for any distortion.”
She nodded.
“Ready?” asked Grinnell.
“Yes.”
The cover of the first book came up.
“It’s a little fuzzy.” Lawaya frowned. “Can you sharpen the image?”
The computer made a few adjustments.
“Well, that’s good for the cover.” She swiped her finger like she was turning the page, but nothing happened. “Grinnell, nothing is happening.”
“That’s because you haven’t given the command to the computer. If you want to use a movement to give the computer a command, you have to tell the computer out loud what it means. From that point on it will follow that command while you are looking at the screen.”
“I forget that the system has limitations.”
“I’ll leave you with the computer.” Grinnell took Mehanna by the hand and led her away.
“Grinnell is very thoughtful,” Lawaya said. “Computer, I do want to use hand signals. I don’t want to disturb our lovebirds with a voice command when they need to be alone. I want to have both.”
“Of course. How do you wish to proceed?”
“Motions first. As far as the books go, I’ll probably just do this.” She motioned her finger like she was turning a page. “If I want to turn more than one page, I’ll count on my hand how many I want to go. When I start a book, I always want to start with the table of contents. I know what I’m looking for, so I don’t need to read the whole thing.”
“Understood.”
“When our couple gets a little amorous, I’ll make a motion like this.” She pulled her hands up and then pushed them down. “That will mean I want the shield.”
“If it makes it easier, you can use either gesture as well to signal the shield.”
“That would be easier.”
“I can pick up nuances, but I need to know your personality first. As time goes on, I will be able to anticipate what you want or need. The mirror might be a problem for you, but it doesn’t keep me from seeing your facial expressions and reading your personality.”
“Do you understand the concepts of love and hate?”
“Emotions are not something I feel, but I can recognize them by the data I have.”
“So what do you see happening between Grinnell and Mehanna?”
“They are sexually active. Grinnell is very attentive to Mehanna. She, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to be sure about what to do.”
“That’s what I see as well. I want to give them the space they need for Mehanna to realize she’s in love with Grinnell. She has never been around people, so this is very new for her.”
“Do you think she will embrace this or run from it?” asked the computer.
“That is something I’ve been wondering. She’s never had her heart broken by someone, yet she was abandoned. It could cause the same reaction. As innocent as she is, I think as long as she feels Grinnell’s affection, she’ll embrace it.”
“It will be interesting to see how this plays out.”
Lawaya agreed. She wondered if she’d end up with the shield up all the time. “If the shield is up, how was I able to see the images Grinnell loaded?”
“Good question,” said the computer. “The cloth Mehanna used on the mirror sealed you in. The only time you were aware of anything was when the cloth was removed. Clear or opaque, the shield doesn’t touch your mirror. It surrounds it. It’s surrounding it right now, but you can still function.”
“Then I should be able to read the books while the shield is opaque?”
“Of course.”
“Great. I don’t sleep while in here, so it will give me something to do.”
“You can also speak to me whenever you wish to talk,” said the computer. “I’m programmed in many subjects.”
“You don’t think Grinnell or Mehanna will be paying any attention to either of us?”
“They do seem to be preoccupied with each other.”
Grinnell led Mehanna to where he normally controlled the ship. “This is where I’ll be if you need me. I created a spot for you near Lawaya. I wasn’t sure what you’d prefer, but here you can get comfortable as you read. If you doze off, which I think everyone has done when reading the way we’re going to, the space will convert into a bed for you.”
“Okay.”
“Did you want it to be more like the cave?” asked Grinnell. “I can create something like that for you if you’d like.”
“This is fine.” She looked around for a moment. “Um, I’d like to be with you.”
“Oh, you want to distract me.” He wrapped his arms around her.
“Well, no, but I would be more comfortable if I could, I don’t know, ask questions if I need to. If I’m over here and have to come over to where you are to ask questions, I’d feel like I’m intruding.”
“You’d never be intruding.” Grinnell gave her a quick hug. “Computer. Can you expand my area to allow Mehanna to join me? I’ll need another screen for her.”
“Done.”
He brought her to where he had set up his pilot seat. “Normally, when I’m captaining a ship, I don’t have a room. I stay here instead.”
“You sleep here?”
“Unless I have a co-pilot. I never know if something is going to happen. If I have an emergency to contend with and I’m in my quarters, I’ll lose precious securs trying to get to the bridge. This way, I’m right here and can react immediately.”
“That’s smart.” She looked around and spotted a pillow-covered bed, for lack of a better word, for her to lounge on. It looked comfortable, but she didn’t feel very comfortable.
Grinnell took her hand and led her to it.
“You can make changes to this if you want. The screen can be mounted, suspended, or you can hold it in your hand.” He took one of the two screens he had handed her earlier. “I loaded about ten titles for you to work through. I recommend you not read the whole book. Most of the books have a table of contents that will help you with your search. The computer also marked the sections that might have the info we’re looking for.”
“Why don’t you just ask the computer to search the files?”
“The computer sees everything in black and white, right or wrong. It would give us information quickly, but it might miss something small because it wouldn’t get an inference.”
“So you used it for some of the books.”
“It scanned all the books and was the one who gave me the list. I gave it key words to look for.”
“And what am I supposed to look for?”
“Well, anything we know about a race that has magic is legend.” He sat and pulled her down beside him then pulled up one of the books to show her how to quickly find what they were looking for. “We have lots of races, like the Barou, or Miran that have abilities, but they’re limited, like you saw with Astrid’s talent. She can create almost anything, but it doesn’t last. Orla is a shapeshifter. He can go from humanoid to a Miran, but that is all. I’ve met people who can turn into anything. But I’ve never met anyone who can do what you and your sister can do.” He pointed to the table of contents showing extinct races. “I’m betting your people came out into the galaxy and found that people wanted what they could do and decided that keeping to themselves was the smartest thing to do.”
“What we can do isn’t all that.” She tapped on the link. It opened to the section that spoke of races that are gone but whose remains were found in digs. She closed that and went to the section that spoke of the legendary races.
“Maybe not to you, but even your sister found the fruit you could create amazing. Imagine if you had been trained since you were a child. What you would take as something natural would be magic to someone else. Some would accept you, but others would be afraid of what you could do. Then you have those that would covet what you could do. They would be thinking of all the things they could make you do if they could control you.”
“Never thought of that.” She sat back from the book and dropped her gaze.
“And now you’re wondering if I want to control you.”
She looked up at him.
“Now you want to know if I’m reading your mind.” He took her hand in his.
“It did cross my mind.” She played with his fingers.
“General Varal did that to me.” He brushed his knuckles against the back of her hand. “He controlled me by hanging my family over my head. Telling me they would be safe as long as I did what he wanted. He lied to me. He killed my family anyway. Having it done to me made me swear to never do that to anyone. It tore me up inside, and even though it forced me to flee and I’m better for that, no one should go through what I went through.”
“I didn’t mean to make you relive what Varal put you through.” She took his hand. “I’ve been by myself all this time. I never thought about how others would see my abilities. Especially since I think my powers are a hindrance, and I’d like nothing more than to have them go away.”
“Really? Are you afraid of your powers?”
“No.” She sighed. “Yes, maybe a little. Not being able to control it upsets me. Look what I did to Lawaya. What if it happens again, but the next time it’s worse? I don’t think I can live with myself if someone died because what I can do goes haywire.”
“I get that, but you have a beautiful gift. I watched Astrid try to control her talent, and in the beginning, it embarrassed her to no end. Now, I understand that her power isn’t the same, but there were moments when it could have caused harm. She could have had her powers fail her or she could have tried to show off and have it go berserk.”
“But it didn’t happen to her, did it?”
“You’re right. It didn’t happen to her, but she felt the same fear because it could have.” He smiled. “That’s what you’re doing. You’re not thinking about what you can achieve, but what might go wrong.”
She remained quiet.
“I gave you something to think about, haven’t I?”
“Yes.”
“Then why don’t you get comfortable? I have a few system checks that I need to do and will be back. I promise not to bring this up until you do.”
She smiled.
Grinnell stood over his control panel, checking the readings and making sure everything was within acceptable norms. Happy with the readings, he checked on Lawaya once more before going back to where Mehanna sat. He found her on her stomach, knees bent, feet waving in the air. The image made his heart skip a beat.
He slipped into his seat and pulled up his screen. May’s diary had also been loaded. How would Mehanna feel if she knew he had her sister’s diary and was reading it? Would she be upset that May had given it to him instead of her? Grinnell decided to read that when she was sleeping or otherwise occupied.
“This is interesting,” said Mehanna.
“What did you find?” He went to sit down beside her.
“This book speaks of people who controlled magic. They could turn the dura into duro. Make it rain.”
“That sounds like the people we’re looking for. Does it tell you anything about where they came from?”
“Not yet. The people who wrote this saw them as gods. It sounds like they came to the planet as explorers.”
“What was the name of the planet?”
“Um, it’s called Teraforna. I think.” She handed him her screen. “How would you pronounce that?”
“Teraforna is right.” He looked at the information. “This planet is in a section of space that I wanted to avoid.”
“Why?”
“It’s not safe.”
“You had said something about the space around my planet not being safe, didn’t you?”
“Yes. The planet I found you on is just inside a section called nomad land.”
“Why is that area so bad?”
“When we defeated Varal, a lot of his loyal soldiers ran to that section of space. It hasn’t been explored a lot, so it’s easy to find a place to hide.”
“And the section we’re going to?”
“It’s a little further out and a little more developed, but this is where Varal’s reach ended. Anyone running from him went there.”
“So you ran there as well.”
“I went to the fringes of Varal’s reach but not into that territory. The area we’re talking about still isn’t governed. If I had flown the ship that I had stolen from Varal into that area, I would have been attacked. They wouldn’t have cared that I stole it. They would have taken it from me to either sell for parts, ransom it back to Varal, or keep it for themselves to try to control a small section of the quadrant.”
“And you’re afraid that it could happen now.”
He nodded. “This ship is top of the line. One that any pirate worth his salt would want to have. It’s not a could but a when. I need to figure out how we go into territory we don’t belong in and get back out without trouble. I need to keep everyone safe.”
“Can I help?”
“Yes. Continue reading. Maybe we’ll find some information that will keep us away from that sector.”
“But you don’t think that will happen, do you?”
“I live by the rule that what can go wrong will go wrong. It makes it easier to prepare for everything.”
A large planet loomed on the screen.
“Why are we going to this planet?” asked Lawaya.
“I want to be sure we have all our supplies,” said Grinnell. “We need enough fuel, food, and equipment to make it to the planet we decided on and back without having to stop.”
“You want to be as self-sufficient as possible, even if we get attacked.”
“No one is boarding this ship while I’m the captain.” He set the controls to start their descent. “I’m known here as a pilot. Nothing more. I doubt the information of me working for the queen of Emori has spread this far. It’s not something I would deny, but it’s not something I’ll announce either.”
“Lawaya, you’re going to be in charge of the ship while we’re on the planet. The computer will monitor the area around the ship and keep me posted, but I’m relying on you to let me know if something doesn’t feel right.”
“I will do my best.”
He powered down the ship and pulled up the shields. “I’ve hidden the royal seal but the ship itself has to be visible while we’re in port. It was the only way we could land here where we can refuel and restock.”
“You think there will be a problem?”
“No, but we are on the fringes of regulated space, and there are spies for those in the next quadrant.”
Mehanna clung to his side. The noises, the people, it was too much for her.
“You okay?”
“I should have stayed on the ship.”
He laughed as he slipped an arm around her waist. “Tell the computer to minimize the background noise so you can focus on my vocal direction.”
She spoke softly into her mouthpiece and sighed when the sound around her lowered to a volume she could tolerate. “Can we make the crowd thin?”
“We’re almost out of the port. Open space isn’t too far away.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“Grinnell!”
He knew that voice anywhere. They had protected each other while running from Varal. He turned and smiled. “Leabo!”
They grasped arms as they pulled each other close and pounded each other on the back.
“How have you been, my friend?”
“Good,” Grinnell responded. “And you?”
“Happy.” He smiled as he turned with them to head for the massive opening that led outdoors. “Who is your pretty friend?”
“This is Mehanna. I’m helping her find her homeworld.”
“I see.” Leabo paused for a moment. “Is it one of those things where time is of the essence? I’ve been trying to get in touch with you. I need your help.”
“With what?” Grinnell gave Mehanna’s waist a quick squeeze. “Is it something I can do once I help Mehanna?”
“My request is something that is time-sensitive but shouldn’t take too long. How about you two come to the evening meal and I’ll explain everything?” He looked at Grinnell. “Have you booked a room yet?”
“No. We were going to stay on the ship if we needed to stay overduro.”
“Then why don’t you stay with me? We can catch up, and it will give you a break from the ship.” Leabo noticed Mehanna tighten her hold. “I do only have one extra room at my place. Is that okay for you two?”
“That will be fine, my friend.” Grinnell smiled as he looked down at Mehanna who loosened her hold a little. “Mehanna has led a sheltered life, so I thought staying in town would be a bit much for her.”
“I totally understand if staying with me is a little too much. Just thought it would give you a little relief from the confines of the ship.”
“How about we meet you for dinner and then decide if we want to stay? That way, if Mehanna wants I can take her back to the ship.” He patted his friend on the back. “Right now, I want to take her out to the tents and give her a chance to see the wares the people here have. She never experienced anything like this.”
“That will give me the time I need to get everything ready. I’ll meet you just outside the main doors of the port in three horas.”
“Sounds good.”
“Who was that?” asked Mehanna once Leabo had walked away.
“Oh, sorry. That was Leabo.” He took her hand and led her outside. “He was my co-pilot when we helped Astrid and Orla. We met several lunas after I had escaped with Varal’s ship. When Orla offered me the position to head up his space fleet, Leabo could have been my assistant, but he opted to work privately. Whenever he has needed my help, he has contacted me. I’ve helped when I could. I bet Orla told him about our quest and that we were going to be here this dura.”
He took her down a wide path. They rounded a corner, and the noise got loud again. Riots of color filled the sky.
“What is this?”
“Welcome to the Bazaar.”