Creating Harmony Read online

  He inclined his head and sat.

  Rion looked from Iara to Ioko, and he smiled, “Well, family gatherings all around then.”

  Ioko looked at Reekan and they both nodded carefully.

  It was unusual for two clans to meet without a fight breaking out, but Iara was still damping the aggression in the entire base, so it was a polite and silent luncheon.

  Ioko finally broke the silence. “So, Iara, you are in charge here?”

  Rion answered for her. “Citadel Master Iara is the first master of Citadel Lowel.”

  Ioko scowled. “I was speaking to my sister.”

  Rion picked up Iara’s hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. “You were speaking to my intended.”

  Ioko was shocked. “You would try to take her without checking with her family?”

  “The same family who sold her into servitude?”

  Iara felt his confusion before her brother said, “What?”

  Iara touched Rion’s shoulder. “They didn’t tell them. It was too great a shame.”

  She turned to her brother and saw Reekan paying close and rapt attention. “Mother and Father sold me to King Learith of Saroo as a passive bodyguard. I served for twelve years until he died, and then, I joined the Citadel.”

  Ioko’s shock was almost palpable, and the rage that boiled inside him a moment later took some quick manoeuvring to quell. She could see the muscles of his neck flex as he got under control.

  “What did they tell the council, that I had run wild and stolen a shuttle?”

  He swallowed and reached for his tea. “No, they said you had gone to live with great-gran’s family. I wondered why we didn’t hear from you, but Father said that you were not allowed to use the coms. After a while, we forgot.”

  She twisted her lips. “Did cousin Sradu visit around then?”

  He blinked, “How did you know?”

  “He’s a forgetter. He would wear on your memory of me until you simply knew I was somewhere and you didn’t care precisely where. It is a good trick with enemies. They forget where he is standing and he can attack as he likes.”

  Reekan cleared his throat. “Are you serious?”

  She gave him an amused look. “My talent lets me touch other minds for identification purposes. I had met Sradu twice before I left the battleship. I know what he does.”

  Rion squeezed her hand. “He tried to make you forget what you were.”

  She nodded. “He did. Instead, he became so calm that his talent wouldn’t work.”

  Rion laughed, “How calm?”

  “He fell asleep.” She waggled her eyebrows.

  Ioko sat back. “Well, hell.”

  Iara looked around the commissary and she relaxed her calming field.

  She looked to Rion’s brother. “So, Reekan, do you have any embarrassing stories about Rion?”

  He did.

  Two hours later, their entire table was laughing as Ioko shared his story of Iara climbing through the air ducts in order to calm down the manhood ceremonies for her eldest brother.

  The ritual battle had frozen in place and everyone had been confused as to the cause, except her immediate family who were frantically trying to find her.

  She had crept back the way she came, but Ioko had found her in the ducts. He hauled her out, got her cleaned up, and when their father burst in, he pretended to have been watching her the entire time.

  At that point, if she couldn’t see a target, she couldn’t calm it.

  Iara grinned. “I remember that. I think Father knew. You had put my dress on backward.”

  Rion smiled, “How old were you?”

  She bit her lip. “I was three. I think I was—”

  Shouting broke out a few tables away as a group of Kozue got on each other’s nerves. Before she could quell them, Rion had locked them in place.

  At Rion’s urging, Reekan and Ioko helped him turn the three men involved in different directions.

  “Master Iara, are you ready?”

  She nodded and prepared to grapple with the now-locked minds. The moment Rion let them go, she blasted them, and they fell to their knees, going from rage to calm in a moment. Sighing, she resumed a thicker blanket on the facility.

  Ioko scowled. “I guess that is the end of our visit.”

  “It is time to return everyone to the station. Sorry, but no overnight guests here unless they are prearranged.” She touched his arm and unable to hold herself back, she hugged him.

  He stiffened for a moment and then crushed her in his embrace. “I am glad to see you, Iara. I have missed you.”

  She blinked back tears and smiled, “You know where to find me. This is my home and I am not going anywhere.”

  He grinned. “I sense an increase in my education coming up.”

  She sniffled and escorted him back to the zip transport back to the station.

  Rion kept his arm around her. “He will be back.”

  “So will Reekan. I could see it in his eyes.”

  His fingers moved on her ribs, stroking slightly. “May I escort you to your quarters?”

  She blushed and nodded. When they arrived, she invited him in for tea.

  Iara was about to ask him if he wanted to stay the night when there was a knock at her door. Surprised, she headed to it, and Winera was leaning against the wall with blood smeared across her face and torso.

  “Winera! You weren’t due back until tomorrow.”

  “I know. There was a slight problem. Where is Smudge?”

  As she asked, small puffy feet pounded down the hall.

  Iara smiled as Winera cuddled her companion and the blood began to fade from her skin. “We had a bunch of Kozue on the station, so Tether took him for the evening. I was about to ask Tether if he could keep him for the night.”

  Winera smiled. “He is in great shape and has put on a few pounds. Good thing we came back tonight. He is about to change and he was holding off until we got home. It was getting painful for him.”

  “Well, good night, Winera, take care of him and say hello to Hyl. I will see you two in the morning.”

  Winera took the hint, and Iara was free to return to Rion.

  Making eye contact, she slipped her Citadel robe from her shoulders and then put her hands on her neckline. “It is late and you must be tired. Stay here tonight?”

  He got to his feet and put his hands over hers, easing her suit open. “I thought you would never ask.”

  Epilogue

  In the staff hall, Iara stroked Smudge’s new inky blue feathers. He was truly lovely and his six little ones were adorable.

  In the midst of the grey, brown, blue and pinks there was a tiny little ball of white fluff with golden eyes almost too large for her little face.

  When Iara put her hand in the basket containing the little ones, the white Yaluthu came running every time. “Hello, Harmony.”

  The little one had a teeny peep that was almost beyond hearing, but she peeped like crazy when Iara was near. Smudge watched with indulgence while Iara met her soon-to-be companion.

  The small brown baby had an attachment to Rion, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted a Yaluthu of his own.

  Iara let Harmony pop onto her hand, and she raised her up and out of the basket, cupping the two-inch creature with care. “They choose you, Rion. You can’t say no.”

  He grumbled but let his fingers dangle in the basket. The little brown Yaluthu rubbed against his fingers, and he scooped it out. “Watch.”

  She blinked. “Watch what?”

  He sighed and stroked the tiny creature. “His name is Watch.”

  The gathering around the table laughed; Iara smiled, but inside, she knew what having two separate Yaluthu meant.

  Harmony would remain with her, and Watch would travel with Rion as necessary. She may have been locked to the Citadel, but he was a member of the Sector Guard. He was posted as an adjunct to Udell via Lowel, but he was first and foremost a member of the Guard. If they needed him, he had to go.<
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  At least with a Yaluthu, she would know that someone was keeping an eye on him.

  “How long does it take for them to grow from fluff ball to raptor?” He raised Watch up and glared at him, eye to eye.

  Watch squeaked and flapped his fuzzy arms.

  Winera stroked Smudge. “Three months before he is big enough to travel, and his final evolution is up to you. When he knows he can have his babies be safe and cared for, he will have them. Not before.”

  Iara gently placed little Harmony back in the basket with her siblings. They were going to get on well. Iara could wait until she was ready to run around on her own. They were already bonded, just as Rion was with Watch.

  She was going to have to set up two beds in her quarters for the little ones when they could be separated from Smudge, but for now, visiting filled her urge for contact.

  Construction had begun on the education centre, a testing area for Citadel personnel before they went out into active duty. Tether had taken charge of it, and he was watching it with interest. With the surface of Lowel being slowly reshaped by the Citadel, they could build anything they needed.

  It was the best time to become part of something, right at the beginning when you could shape the result.

  Two months later, Iara was sitting across from her brother and discussing Kozue employment policy. “I just don’t understand why the Hanikada don’t take on any protection details. It doesn’t make sense to only be thought of as a bully.”

  While her parents were holding to the illusion that she was dead, her brothers had no such restriction. She was having lunch with Looric, and he couldn’t stop staring at Harmony.

  “It is hard to take you seriously with that puff ball on your shoulder.” He smiled, his deep blue eyes amused.

  “I know, but that is where she likes to be. She used to sit on my head, but I turn my head a lot so she would tumble loose. This is safer.”

  Harmony lifted her head and chirped.

  Iara got the images from Looric’s mind. Harmony was a mind picker. She would rifle through someone’s thoughts and feed them in pictorial form to Iara. It had taken some getting used to, but now, it made sense.

  “So, will I ever see my niece and nephew?”

  His eyes widened. “Did Ioko tell you?”

  “No. You told me. Now answer please.”

  He rubbed the back of his neck. “It is tricky. They believe you are on a world with relatives.”

  “Well, couldn’t I have simply gotten a new job? A transfer? We don’t have to tell them the truth.”

  “You would lie?”

  “I have spent my life knowing that my family didn’t want me. To see you, Ioko and Tenyak, it has let me know that I was wanted, you just didn’t know what to do with me.”

  He chuckled. “That was the truth. I don’t know what my mate would make of you.”

  “I am the Master of a Citadel. There is nothing else she needs to know.”

  Harmony chirped in confirmation. She wasn’t supposed to be away from Smudge yet, but she kept escaping to come to Iara. When her father came looking for her, Iara would simply hand her over.

  “Speaking of Tenyak, where is he?”

  “He and Rion are sparring.”

  Looric smiled, “Well, we are still your brothers and he did not ask for permission to court you.”

  “I know.” She didn’t mention her pregnancy. That was the reason that her brother and her lover were currently trying to destroy each other.

  Harmony hummed and rubbed against her cheek. She was growing by leaps and bounds, but she was still only six inches tall. She wasn’t big enough for a healing, so if Iara needed any help, she stayed far away.

  “Iara, are you happy?”

  The question came out of the blue. She took his hand and smiled, “I am. I have contact with the family that matters, and even if you never come back, we had today.”

  Looric sighed with relief. “Good. You will be seeing more of us and I will work on my wife’s attitudes to the talented.”

  Smudge’s hunting scream rent the air.

  Iara laughed while Harmony let out a deep sigh for something so small. She bundled her companion into her hands and held her over her head on flat palms. Smudge flew through the room and snagged his escaped offspring.

  Looric stared with his eyes opened wide. “Does that happen a lot?”

  “Enough. She is sneaking out to be with me, and Smudge lets her have a few hours until it is feeding and naptime. He trusts me not to stress her out.”

  “So, that little fluffy thing is going to turn into that?”

  Iara looked over his shoulder and saw Rion and Tenyak making their way into the dining hall.

  Tenyak came over and inclined his head. “Congratulations on your pregnancy, sister.”

  Rion was drinking a glass of water when Looric absorbed Tenyak’s comment. He roared and Iara winced as her mate was tackled to the floor. She calmed her brother and gave him the same look she had given to Tenyak. “Take it to the gym.”

  He nodded tightly and Rion gave her a rueful glance. “I am guessing I should just ask them for your hand.”

  She grinned, “You are having fun, so until this gets old, don’t bother. I am sure that I can handle having a little one on my own without your clan attached.”

  He stiffened and nodded. He spoke to Looric and her brother nodded tightly. “Yes, you may, but you still have to pay for getting her pregnant before asking.”

  Rion sighed and nodded. They tromped off down the hall toward the gym.

  She turned to Tenyak and poured him a cup of tea. “Sit, eat. Relax. He has been having his fun, but it is time for him to smarten up and be a grown up.”

  Tenyak was amused, “You don’t mind his fighting?”

  “I appreciate fighting as a social and psychological release. I only object to violence when it serves no purpose. It has been my duty and privilege to observe thousands of types of rage, hostility, aggression and fear. Each of these can motivate violence. Frustration is an easy one to solve.”

  “Very smart, little sister.”

  “Thank you, I have studied.” She grinned and felt something tapping against her ankle. She scooped Harmony up and put her back on her shoulder, feeding her a piece of fruit. The little one was getting quicker.

  Rion and Looric would return and have dinner with them once they finished their ritualistic pummelling. Tether would be there as well with yet another invitation from Nittha.

  Winera and Hyl were invited, as were Wiali and Braenar. Her brothers weren’t too fond of the idea of a woman descended from a star and planet and a man who had hosted a planet in mind and body. Winera’s ability to remove oxygen from the room was far easier to deal with.

  It was a sign that they were committed to a relationship with her. If these were her friends, they would meet them and talk to them. It was the end of a long period without family, and with Harmony on her shoulder, she felt that her family was blooming out in directions she had never imagined.

  Author’s Note

  We are going to be back on Lowel in Thunderstruck. For now, I am delighted that I got some baby Yaluthu running around.

  I am just wondering what effect the pregnancy will have on Iara’s ability to broadcast calm.

  We will find out next time.

  Thanks for reading,

  Viola Grace

  [email protected]

  www.violagrace.com

  **PS. I now have a line of trading cards available with the book covers on them from my website. I am working toward getting all the cover art in a portable format but it will take time.

  About the Author

  Viola Grace was born in Manitoba, Canada where she still resides today. She really likes it there. She has no pets and can barely keep sea monkeys alive for a reasonable amount of time. Her line of day job tends to be analytical which leaves her mind hopping to weave stories. No co-worker is safe from her character analysis. In keeping with busy hands are
happy hands, her hobbies have included cross-stitch, needlepoint, quilting, costuming, cake decorating, baking, cooking, metal work, beading, sculpting, painting, doll making, henna tattoos, chain mail, and a few others that have been forgotten. It is quite often that these hobbies make their way into her tales.

  Viola’s fetishes include boots and corsetry, and her greatest weakness is her uncontrollable blush. Her writing actively pursues the Happily Ever After that so rarely occurs in nature. It is an admirable thing and something that we should all strive for. To find one that we truly like, as well as love.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Epilogue

  Author’s Note

  About the Author