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  The part of her that accepted that it was genuinely the waterfall in her dreams fought letting the other women in on her secret. If Niiko had visited any of them, there was no sign of it in their body language.

  Maksuan eventually got away from Rashharna and he gracefully sat next to her on the grass. “You are staring very intently at that waterfall, Silari.”

  “It reminds me of a dream I had once, Avatar.”

  He gave her a surprised look and she turned her head to meet his gaze.

  “You dreamed of this?”

  She smiled slowly. “I dreamed of this, of the black sands of the Arekur Mountains and the oceans of the Perrigan continent. Looking at it, one could almost imagine what lay behind it.”

  His mouth opened slightly in amazement. “This was a dream, you say?”

  “It was. Sometime between midnight and dawn, my mind wandered the hills of Niiko.” She rested her cheek on her knees.

  He nodded and blinked. “Why do you wear the concealing clothing? The others are all so minimally clothed that a good wind would render them indecent.”

  Silari took in a deep breath. “I am scarred. My body bears the marks of a twisted soul who worked out his rage on my flesh. I hide the marks that I try to forget.”

  A concerned frown crossed his brow. “May I see?”

  Steeling herself, she extended her arm to him, tugging up her sleeve with her opposite hand.

  Maksuan took her hand in his and gently trailed his fingers along the scars. “Do they hurt?”

  “No. The medical centres were able to patch me up almost completely, but there was a chemical component that was added to the open wounds that changed my genetic composition within the cuts. This is as healed as they will ever be.”

  Thira glided up and watched jealously as Maksuan caressed Silari’s hand. “Oh, that is disgusting. Are those marks all over your body?”

  The loud voice got the attention of the other women and soon, women trying to look at her scars surrounded Silari and Maksuan. Maksuan swiftly tugged her sleeve back into place, but he kept her hand.

  “They were acquired in the line of duty, ladies. I don’t regret the events that created them. I simply don’t show them off. Your repulsion is the exact reason why.” Her own repulsion was the other reason why, but they didn’t need to know that.

  She tugged lightly at her hand, but Maksuan kept her fingers in his grip. He got to his feet and pulled her with him.

  They walked to the skimmer and the other females drifted after them.

  “Why are you holding my hand, Maksuan?” She bit her lip as soon as the words were out of her mouth.

  “Because I believe that you need it, Silari. Now shush and have a seat. There is a challenge that I am certain you will be very interested in.”

  “A challenge?” She breathed in and sighed as he settled her next to him in the front of the skimmer and the others silently took their places in the seats behind them.

  “Yes. It seems that the remaining candidates all have much to offer and I wish them to take an active role in the Yeruan society. Tonight, we will have a gathering and it will be seen which of you can adapt best.” He released her hand and took the controls.

  She nodded and tried to hide the flutter of fear. Formal gatherings meant formal clothing and she didn’t have anything concealing enough to wear with confidence.

  Her nervous anticipation was boiling inside her by the time they were back at the residence.

  The other women quietly filed out of the skimmer and into the building, but Maksuan caught her hand before she left. “You seem afraid.”

  She swallowed the lump in her throat. “My wrists are not my only marks.”

  “Then, I believe it is time to get them out in the open where they cannot hurt you anymore.” He ran his thumb along the shining skin at her wrist and she shivered at the gentleness in that small motion.

  “Fine, but I don’t have anything to wear.”

  “I will take care of it. All of the candidates will be wearing clothing provided, but it will be to simply make you a little more comfortable. Will you do it?” He raised a dark eyebrow and smiled.

  She sighed at the sincerity in his dark eyes. “I will do it. It is what I am here for after all.”

  His lips twisted in a sarcastic smile. “That’s the spirit, but I will take it. I am off to make arrangements, don’t get lost in the gardens again.”

  Silari stifled any of the nineteen epithets that sprang to mind and instead, she walked back to the residence with as much dignity as she could muster. It wasn’t nearly as much as she would have hoped.

  Chapter Six

  When the box was delivered to her room, she blinked in surprise. It was larger than she thought it would be.

  Wrapped only in a towel after her long soak, she opened the box carefully. “Oh wow.”

  She was going to be embarrassed, but this clothing was far more interesting than it was exposing.

  The skirt and top were simple rectangles of fabric and they were hung from a framework of dark gold in a swirling pattern that precisely matched her scars. The delicate silk framed against the dark metal gave her a peculiar sensation. She felt pretty, sensual and strong all at the same time. The matching cuffs and greaves that wrapped around her calves covered and highlighted her scars in turn. They were oddly comfortable.

  The final accent to the outfit was a tiara that settled on her head and sparkled with a pattern of stars outlined in gems.

  Silari looked in the mirror and saw all of her flaws marked and accentuated by the clothing. Surprisingly, she didn’t mind nearly as much as she thought she would.

  Her feet were bare and the contact with the floor gave her a sensation of being anchored to the world below them.

  A delicate chime sounded and Silari stopped staring at herself in the mirror and turned to join the others in the common area.

  To her surprise, the other women were all dressed in concealing garments that hid every inch of their bodies. Rashharna looked frustrated and if she could have changed colour when she saw Silari, she would have.

  Rashharna’s silver eyes narrowed and she gestured to Silari’s clothing. “What is that?”

  “This is the clothing that I was provided.” Silari reached inside herself and pulled out the aura she had worn as an Agent. “You, ladies, look lovely. Shall we join the Avatar and his guests?”

  The other women looked surprised that she had changed from timid to confident, but there was no other way to be when the only thing covering your naughty bits was vulnerable to a stiff breeze. You either embraced it or you hid in your room and Silari was done hiding.

  The stares that she received from the staff members were amusing and the moment that she led the group into the ballroom, every gaze was on them.

  Fifty dignitaries of the Yeruan were staring at her with shock and amazement, but she only had eyes for Maksuan.

  He was wearing a toga in the same gold silk as her clothing. To her surprise, scars delineated his torso and exposed the traces of old whip marks.

  She walked to him as if hypnotized. Her hand was drawn to the lines on his skin. It looked as if he had been hung from his wrists and whipped from both sides at the same time.

  “The marks should be worn proudly. My grandmother brought me to the Avatar to save my life. Niiko healed the wounds, but I asked him to leave the scars themselves. It reminds me that while most of the folk of Niiko are good souls, there are those who would attack for the purpose of manipulating the Planet for their own gain.”

  Her hand was pressed to his chest and she felt the heat burning her palm. “Who did this to you?”

  “Those who tried to manipulate my grandmother into contacting the Planet for mineral locations. They captured me, tortured me and eventually, my grandmother called the Avatar to rescue me. He gave up his position in order to let Niiko save my life and I will always be indebted to him.”

  “Parkalo.”

  Maksuan smiled. “Precisely.
He was given swaths of land and mineral rights and he and his companion lived together happily for years. Niiko and I visited regularly and confirmed for him that his sacrifice was not in vain.”

  “So, you know how it feels to be…exposed.”

  He reached out and touched the metal that acted as a corset. “I know exactly how it feels and I know that the sensation of being stared at never gets better, but perhaps together, we can stand against the curious and callous.”

  His kiss was surprising and the assembled men and women gasped.

  Silari went up on her toes and wove her fingers through his hair as he pressed his hands to her back, hauling her tight against him.

  A polite round of applause broke out as well as hissing and cursing from a few of the women.

  When Maksuan lifted his head, he smiled. “And the decision is made, though it really could not have been any other.”

  Niiko surged to the fore as he addressed the assembled. “And so I present to you Silari Henderson of the Alliance Protectorate of Terra, my bride and secondary Avatar. The ceremony will be held tomorrow for those who wish to attend and witness.”

  Seven of the women who had been there for selection turned and left the party. Ydella and Linorial remained and circulated throughout the event.

  Silari spoke quietly. “You could have asked me.”

  “You might have said no and really, there was no need to keep the others here. They have been most unpleasant to you and it was grating on my nerves.” Maksuan’s face showed his irritation.

  She realised that he had actually rushed this to defend her. It was sweet and touching to know that in his own way, he was taking steps to remove obstacles for her. Silari turned in his embrace and faced the crowd with a forced smile. “Hello all. Thank you for attending this announcement.”

  From the corner of her eye, she could see Maksuan smile and she walked into the crowd, head high and half naked. If this was the way Niiko wanted her to meet his people, this is the way she would do it.

  She met mayors, councillors and the occasional prefect. There were three physicians attending and those ladies met her with a sense of relief.

  Dr. Aksai Natrio smiled at her and bowed. “We are grateful to have a female Avatar for Niiko once again. A married woman will have an insight into the needs of women that the male Avatars have lacked.”

  “I understand. That is a common problem with the male Avatars. They mean well, but since most of them are chosen before they have wed, they are lacking a little vital information on the inner workings of the women that they are in charge of.”

  Aksai shook her head. “The Avatar has not been allowed any input into the state of women on Niiko. We believe this is why the Planet determined to have him find a mate the moment that they returned from their planetary summit.”

  Silari looked over at Maksuan and caught his gaze with her smile. “So, there was a recent turning point.”

  “Indeed. Apparently, the Planet immediately engaged in an intensive search to find a mate perfect for the Avatar and finally, you arrived.”

  “So, you didn’t think that the other women would make a good choice?” Her lips were twitching as she watched Ydella move among the councillors, smiling and chatting.

  “They have not had to face anything near what you and the Avatar have faced. It is having pain thrust upon you and coming out on the other side that my people respect. Pain is wisdom or so they have begun to believe since Maksuan took over as Avatar. His calm and rejection of entanglements of the flesh have gained him much respect in the eyes of his people. Choosing a woman such as you matches him with an equal, not a woman who must be raised up to be at his level.”

  Seeing the man brave enough to wear a golden toga to a cocktail party just to make her feel better about herself, she smiled. “I still have a way to go, but I have a very good example to follow.”

  Chapter Seven

  Ydella and Linorial cornered her after the guests had left. “Silari, we have a question to put to you.”

  The women’s quarters were completely empty except for their small cluster.

  “Sure, what do you want?”

  “Can we stay?” Linorial’s voice was quieter than that of her companion, but it resonated in the empty common area.

  “What? Why?”

  Ydella sighed. “I don’t want to go home. I have always dreamed of a life somewhere far from the world of my birth. This is my only chance.”

  It seemed a reasonable request, so she asked the other woman. “And you, Linorial?”

  “I was engaged to a man I did not want and he was upset at having to let me go. He threatened me and my family, but they took me from home anyway and sent me here. I cannot be sure, but he seemed the violent sort. I don’t want to chance returning to that situation if he has not yet found another target.” Linorial had ice-blonde hair and brilliant blue eyes. She was truly lovely but had a brittleness about her.

  “I will consult with Niiko after he has begun moving in. I do not see any problem with you remaining here for a few days until we know.”

  “I thought you could make the decision on your own now that you are his chosen.” Ydella scowled.

  “Would you like to make a decision that could be overridden the moment a planet jumped into your consciousness? No. Wait and I will see about getting his agreement. I am pretty sure that I can use some assistants, but I will see what happens.”

  Linorial gave her a quiet smile. “Thank you for agreeing to try. It gives me hope for a brighter future.”

  “Don’t thank me. I have no idea what the future here will bring.” Silari tried to remain cheerful, but she was reeling with the events of the evening.

  Ydella smiled, “It will bring what you wish it to once you are a full Avatar.”

  “I don’t think that I will choose to inflict my will upon these people. They seem to have lives of their own as well as a fully developed society. I do not feel that interference is appropriate.”

  She smiled to give her words less bite, but the fatigues of the day suddenly overwhelmed her. “Please excuse me, ladies, but I need to get some rest. I get the feeling that tomorrow is going to be a very big day.”

  Her two companions smiled and laughed in unison.

  Silari nodded and left the two women to their own devices. She had a wire corset to work her way free of.

  Her feet pattered lightly on the wooden flooring as she returned to her rooms. She started working to free herself from the bodice the moment that the door slid shut behind her.

  The metal was beautiful, but it was taking all of her body heat. The light snacks that had been served during the party were not enough to satisfy her caloric requirement. When she had worked her way free of the cuffs on her arms and legs, she sighed at the release of tension. Her normal, bulky bodysuit slid over her skin like a long-lost friend.

  Once she was comfortable again, she slipped across her room and listened at the door. Ydella and Linorial must have retired for the evening, because the hall was silent.

  With slow and deliberate moves, Silari slipped free of her room and walked the halls in search of the kitchen. Her feet made no noise on the wood and she didn’t see any of the servants who normally manned the building.

  Silari sniffed and used the faint odours of the lovely food from earlier in the evening that eventually came to her nostrils. And the dog has caught the scent.

  She chortled silently and pursued the smell that teased and taunted her. The moment that she found the kitchen, she held her breath and stifled the howl of triumph.

  Chillers stood side by side along the walls and a heater was waiting, just for her. She found a plate and quickly opened the chillers, piling a selection of snacks on her platter.

  Her silent giggles continued as she warmed the tidbits just enough to take the chill out. She parked her butt on the counter and swung her feet like a child, enjoying the feeling of raiding a fridge after midnight.

  It was almost to be expected that some
one caught her in the act.

  The light came on, but instead of coming from the fixtures, Maksuan was leaning in the doorway with a grin, his eyes and body lit from within. “Hungry?”

  She held up her half-destroyed plate with a grin. “Not so much anymore. Care to join me?”

  He wandered over to her, his skin still glowing in the darkness. “How did you find your way around in the dark?”

  “I have fairly good night vision and excellent hearing. It isn’t enough to qualify as a talent, but it is more than enough to become an agent of the Alliance.” She grinned and ate something with a sweet purple paste on it.

  He chuckled and went to the chiller himself, plate in hand.

  To Silari’s amusement, he went and obtained his own selection, heavy on the sweets.

  He parked on the counter next to her and she saw his feet swinging slightly.

  “How much of that glow is you and how much is Niiko?”

  “About half and half. He was very proud of the way you reacted and spoke to those assembled this evening. I am fairly sure that he was thinking you were going to bolt.”

  “I notice that you are back in your normal clothing again.”

  “As are you. We made our point and now, it is time for comfort, although I believe that the Yeruan styles would suit you very well.”

  She chuckled and munched the last of her collection. “We will put it in for negotiation. I like my bodysuits. They cover everything.”

  With the glow coming from his eyes, his smile looked devilish. “I have noticed that. When you were wearing the other clothing, I was surprised at how well muscled you are.”

  Her blush should have had her glowing pink. “I had to be fit to capture those I was sent to apprehend. Agents have a very specific set of job requirements and muscle tone is one of them.”

  Maksuan laughed. “I have always been afraid of women seeking to seduce me for the power they could gain. It has caused an irrational fear of women in revealing clothing and frankly, your personal enjoyment of concealing clothing was a relief. Though, if I had known what lay beneath, I would have had all of the women wearing as little as I could get away with.”