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  Ekinar was grim. “Nosku will cooperate. He will do what you ask and say what you tell him to.”

  She smirked, “He doesn’t seem very cooperative to me.”

  “He will be when I get through with him, but you have brought the matter up that I did not think of, how did the children learn the coordinates?”

  They reached the great doors to the temple and passed through and into the past of the Shadow Folk. Teyha tugged at Ekinar to take her to the side of the huge entry hall so that she could get some sleep.

  When he put the pack down, she grabbed the roll tucked under the carrying portion of the pack, flipped it flat and struck the corner to inflate it into a comfortable bed. A foil blanket would keep her body stable, and the water that she put next to her head would help her out when she woke.

  All tucked in and exhausted beyond bearing, Teyha relaxed and left the Shadow Folk to their own devices.

  * * * *

  Ekinar was torn between watching his soon-to-be mate and exploring something his folks knew of only through myth and legend.

  Nosku skidded back into the anteroom and waved his arms with urgency. Unable to resist the normally taciturn Nosku’s sudden enthusiasm, Ekinar followed the man into the other room, promising to come back and check on the lightly snoring Gaian.

  Teyha’s breathing was deep and even, so he felt better about walking into the huge audience hall with its five seats.

  “It is actually here.” All his life he had been told about the Temple of Shadows and its importance to his people. The councils that they now used instead were pale imitations of the five grand seats spaced evenly around the room.

  “Try one. They are inactive so it won’t harm anything.” Nosku walked across the room and took one of the two unoccupied seats.

  The children were in the other three.

  Shrugging, Ekinar took the final empty seat and sat back, rubbing his hands along the grooves in the throne that had been worn by generations of hands over time.

  He relaxed into it, breathing deeply, imagining his ancestors sitting in this very chair.

  He was caught by surprise when energy coursed through the chair, locking him and the other four in place, unable to even call for help. Their shadows burned off and they stared at each other in shock as the chairs cast judgement and found them wanting.

  * * * *

  It was not enough sleep, but Teyha’s reflexes woke her anyway. She stumbled to her feet and followed her instincts through the entry hall and into the room beyond.

  Teyha wanted to be surprised, but she couldn’t manage it. She looked from one lovely, pain-filled face to another and shook her head. “Why am I not surprised?”

  She read the glyphs on the floor as best she could, and while Ekinar’s face begged her to run, she wandered right to the centre of the room and then shifted a few inches to the left.

  Power surged through her, perking her up considerably. “I would get out of those chairs now if I were you. I don’t have much more patience for this sort of thing. Once was an accident, twice is really bad judgement.”

  They scrambled free of the large thrones, and as they left, the field she was disrupting dissipated.

  Unable to do anything else, she sat where she was. “Okay, who wants to tell me what just happened? Why were you fiddling around in the Hall of Judgement?”

  Ekinar was shaking, but his shadow was wrapped around him again. “We thought we were in the council hall.”

  She scowled up at him. “Don’t any of you read the signs over the doors? This says Hall of Judgement. I am guessing that the chairs were making sure that the accused could see their judges. Was it painful?”

  He frowned. “More uncomfortable than anything else, I am also intensely embarrassed.”

  She held her hands up in a mute request. When he complied and helped her back to her feet, he stood next to her, rubbing the back of her knuckles with small motions.

  “Perhaps you should wait until you know what you are doing or there is an expedition down here to explore this city of your past.”

  The teens were huddling close to each other, and Nosku had the arrogant stamp on his features.

  Sighing, she yawned. “Do you want a quick tour?”

  The teens nodded and Ekinar grinned. “Please. We may not be on the expedition who gets to come here, so this could be our one chance.”

  She laughed, “Okay, first the fountain. I really need to soak my head.”

  Chapter Six

  Water ran under her hiking suit, but she felt much better. The clear fountain with drinkable water was received well by all.

  Hiska looked at it wistfully when it was time to leave, and Teyha silently promised her a bath before they left.

  They investigated private homes, market areas, small abandoned cafés and a number of other vital areas before the sun tinged on its way down.

  “I have to get back to my pack, and we need to be on our way.” She smiled regretfully.

  No one protested. It had been educational, but they had blundered into two traps left by the ancients and that had a sobering effect on their urge to stick around.

  Back in the entry hall, she rolled up her bed, fastened it tightly to her back and then folded up her blanket until it was a palm-sized packet.

  She fixed the pink out in 12 hours flare in her gun and started the walk back through the jungle of rock without another word. She needed way more sleep than she had gotten, but if she got them out in five large pieces, she would be pleased with herself.

  “I will carry your pack. It is heavy.”

  She snorted at Ekinar. “I carried it in, I will carry it out.”

  He didn’t argue, but as the darkness covered their trail and she saw the Shadow Folk sans shadow, his face was concerned.

  She set a brutal pace for their trip out. Everyone was tired, but if they waited too long, they would lose momentum. The ground around them didn’t only work on electronics. It had a strange effect on the mental patterns of anyone who stayed too long.

  The teens stumbled but helped each other around obstacles, and Nosku huffed along without speaking. If Teyha was being honest, she was keeping up the paces so she wouldn’t have to listen to his whining.

  With the night firmly in place around them, she stopped. “Take a short break. I have to check in.”

  Nosku wasn’t sure what she was going to do, but as the flare exploded and arched skyward, he looked at her with horror. “What did you do?”

  “What I always do. I sent a signal to our watchtower that I would be out of danger in twelve hours. If I don’t show at the tower by then, they will send a search party for me.”

  “You?”

  She looked at him with a frown. “For such pretty faces, you have such a penchant for scowls. Yes, me. As far as anyone knows, I simply took the ambassador and his wife on an expedition to see one of the ancient cities of Gaia, or Underhill in your case.”

  He relaxed, and she could see embarrassment.

  Darku cleared his throat. “Thank you for your discretion. Hiska and Ritgar don’t deserve the stigma of stealing a ship.”

  Teyha laughed, “Especially since you were the one who stole it and convinced them to come along.”

  He looked shocked. “How did you…”

  She held up her hand. “Hiska and Ritgar are followers. You are a bully. My guess is that you wanted to impress Hiska with your daring, and it backfired in the prison. Fortunately, as a good girl of the Shadow Folk, she refused to go without her brother and that alone saved her from whatever you had planned.”

  Nosku scowled. “How could you know that?”

  “Hiska and Ritgar have not spoken to your nephew unless it was necessary since they got out of the prison, even you have avoided him. So, either he has worse body odour than the other two, or he did something that lost him trust.”

  The men were opening and closing their mouths.

  “There are also recent bruises on Hiska’s arms, and based on position, I
am guessing that her piloting in was done under duress, because Darku didn’t want to take responsibility for the crash. Her hands on the controls would shift blame if scans were done. Funny thing. No scanners work here.”

  Teyha loaded the next flare and kept it at her side. “We have twelve hours to get me home or alarms will sound all over the planet. The last thing you want is to try anything out here Nosku. You are not the only adult Shadow Folk here, and Ekinar is looking none too impressed.”

  She grabbed a ration pack and bottle of water. “Okay, I am moving, so come with me if you want to get out of here.”

  Hiska moved up just behind her and spoke quietly. “How did you know?”

  “The bruises? You tried to cover them up in the cave, but they were already blue-black. They had been there a while.”

  “No, about Darku.”

  Teyha kept hiking. “Gaians have teenage boys too. They press every advantage they can and have even been known to pull some ridiculous moves to win the attention of their chosen girl.”

  Hiska nodded. “How can you see us? I mean our faces. We have always been told that if one not of our folk saw our face, they would fall in love with us and pine until they died.”

  “Really? From what I see, you folk are like statues. Pale and perfect but with little exposure to a reality outside your folk. You don’t even interact with the others of the Nine, do you?”

  Hiska shook her head. “No. Same reason though. We don’t want to dazzle them.”

  “You may want to test that in controlled environments. Can you drop the shadows at will?”

  The young woman frowned. “I don’t know. I know it fades when we sleep, so it could be a learned behaviour.”

  “We accept the reality with which we are presented. Make sure you are safe but experiment at will. Don’t tell Ekinar or your brother that I told you to though. That is a conversation I am not interested in having.”

  Hiska giggled, and for a moment, she was relaxed and her face did have an unearthly beauty.

  Two more hours and a short break. Everyone was exhausted, but they were only two hours from seeing the plains ahead of them.

  When they all staggered to their feet, Teyha led the numb march through the hills, pausing to let a shale slide run its course before slowly and carefully making her way over the small shards of rock. “Be careful. This stuff is sharp.”

  She heard one of her party cry out, but it was only one, and as Nosku helped his nephew over the slide, she saw the telltale blood on Darku’s hand.

  She set her pack down and retrieved a medical kit. With even motions, she took his hand, rinsed it, applied a standard antiseptic and wrapped the palm carefully to keep pressure on the wound.

  “Why did you do that if I am such a monster?”

  She sighed. “You are a teenager. Your hormones dictate most of your actions, but you have to take responsibility for those actions. Shoving responsibility off is the act of a child. If you want to be seen as an adult, act as an adult.”

  He looked at the bandage on his hand and back to her. “What if it changes my life?”

  “Then, it makes the change and alters the man you will become. A future built on a lie and the act of a coward will definitely have an effect on your reality. You made a mistake, own up to it. You took a chance, bear it proudly.”

  He nodded and there was a shy smile. “Thank you for your repeated rescue. It seems that there are some Gaians who are not simply pathetic sheep waiting for the Nine to save them.”

  Shaking her head, she snapped the kit together and put it back in her pack. “It just goes to show you, anyone anywhere can be exceptional. They only need a chance.”

  She shifted her pack back into position and kept going. When she put the pack in, she had pulled the bolt gun out, and she led her small party through the stone, keeping her senses honed for any sign of predators attracted to blood.

  The moment that the rock face ceased and the plains opened before them was so sudden that even Teyha gasped, and she had known where they were.

  With wobbling knees, she made it down the graded slope. The transport was right where they had left it, and a chunk of metal had never looked so welcome.

  She climbed into the back, sat with a thud and waited for the rest of her party. Hiska sat next to her, holding onto her arm tightly. Ritgar sat next to his sister, exhaustion and relief on his features. Darku sat with his uncle, and Ekinar took the controls.

  With no other words between them, the transport lifted, turned and raced back across the plains.

  Teyha nodded off, but when Hiska shook her arm, she woke. “Damn. I need to get back to town.”

  Hiska smiled, “I am sure they will take you there in the morning. For now, baths, clean clothing and hot food.”

  The ambassador and his wife were standing in the courtyard, wearing long robes in silky green fabric.

  Daphne smiled at Teyha and Hiska. “Come this way, ladies. We will get you sorted and comfortable in no time.”

  Teyha smirked. “Were you expecting us?”

  “Something like that. We always keep guest quarters ready for whatever representatives from the Nine decide to show up. The servants are arranging a meal for the men, but I will take care of you, and I think a bath, clean clothing and a good meal is right in line. Come this way.”

  Chapter Seven

  Following Daphne’s silk-clad back was difficult when Teyha’s system was trying to flick between her enhanced vision and normal sight due to light.

  “This is Hiska’s chamber. There is clothing in the wardrobe, and when you are ready, join us for dinner in the common room.”

  “This is your chamber, Teyha. Shower, get dressed and come on out. I have caf for you and three types of tea.”

  “Tease.” Laughing, Teyha hauled her kit into the room and smiled at its lush comfort. An inviting bed, a large bath and wide shower all called her with equal voices, but if she was to debrief Daphne, she had better turn to the shower.

  She unravelled her braid before she stepped under the hot spray and groaned as the shower pulsed and relaxed all tight muscles, one by one.

  The grey puddle of rock dust and grime proved her need for a shower.

  Finally clean, she towelled off and checked out the options for clothing. She selected a long black silk shift and a red robe so everything was covered.

  The soft carpet under her feet made her toes crinkle in happiness. She joined the ambassador’s wife in the common area and clapped her hands happily at the spread of food before her.

  Hiska came in behind her, wearing a deep purple robe. They took their seats, and Daphne smiled, “Eat. You look like you are starving.”

  Teyha didn’t need to be told twice. While she was eating, Daphne announced, “We called the watchtower and told them you were safe.”

  Clearing her mouth by swallowing, Teyha said, “Thank you.”

  She had no desire to be hunted by her friend, but if she had been lost, she trusted no one other than Ioy Lazkiy to find her.

  When she had eaten her fill and had three cups of caf, her body announced that she needed sleep.

  Her yawn was uncontrollable. “Excuse me.”

  “The Shadow Folk Representative would like to speak with you before you retire.”

  She blinked at Daphne, “Huh?”

  Hiska said softly, “Ekinar Rossing. He is our species representative when we deal with aliens. You qualify.”

  She nodded, “Okay. Where?”

  Daphne gracefully got to her feet and walked around to Teyha’s chair. “Come this way. There is a study where you can have some privacy.”

  Teyha was feeling like a sheep. She would go wherever she was herded.

  Daphne opened the door, and within, Ekinar ceased pacing. He looked into Teyha’s eyes and asked. “How much time do I have?”

  She smiled blissfully. “I plan to be unconscious in five minutes.”

  “Right.” He walked up to her and pressed his hands to her shoulders. “
Teyha, in you, I have felt something that my life has been missing. I want to be with you always and have you at my side, but that will take some major manoeuvring, so until then, I will leave you with this.”

  The shadows of his body faded away, and she watched, bemused, as he got closer. When his lips caressed hers, her eyes widened as she finally caught on to what was going on. His lips were silky and cool, so she leaned up into his kiss, and he parted his lips against hers, spurring her mimicry. With their mouths connected and slightly open, he exhaled into her mouth, and the power and cool slip of a piece of his shadow into her was unmistakable.

  He deepened the kiss again, stroking her lips with his tongue and warming her skin. She shivered and moaned, pressing against him, the robe and slip no barrier to his own dark robe.

  A throat clearing in the doorway broke their kiss, but Ekinar kept his arms around her, holding her hips to his.

  Apolan Leoraki was standing there, scowling at them in all his forest-shaded authority. “That will be enough for now. There is time for everything else later, and my lady wife has informed me that Teyha is exhausted beyond reason. Anything you do now is with an impaired woman.”

  Ekinar growled low, but he released Teyha from his embrace. “We will speak of this soon.”

  She blinked as she tried to remember what they had been talking about, but it was lost in a haze of pleasure and the slow expanse of something within her. “Good evening, Ekinar. It was nice meeting you.”

  She drifted past Apolan and returned to her room. The bed beckoned, and she was not one to ignore such a direct summons. Before she could wonder at the shadows flicking at her mind, she was out in a deep and healing sleep.

  When Teyha sat up, she felt that something was different. She yawned and stumbled out of bed and into the lav.