Fade Read online

  He had not been kidding. All of their people, his aunt and several folk from the village were seated around a table laden with food. They took the spots at the head of the table, side by side.

  After the folk nearest her got used to her accent, they began to loosen up. Wine flowed and laughter climbed as the lord’s wedding was celebrated in style.

  Amy finally realised that the visits in the village were a sneaky way of gaining guests to their union without spoiling the surprise.

  Everyone had brought something and that was all that was needed to secure an invitation no matter their social standing.

  She was listening to the bookbinder telling a tale when she saw a flicker out of the corner of her eye. A second later, there was a gun at her temple.

  “Everyone hold still or I will splatter your new lady’s brains all over his lordship. That goes for you, too, Lord Akutan.”

  She looked at the guests, and they were frozen in shock. Sacred Flame had a gun to her temple as well. “What do you want?”

  “My dear woman, we still want you. Get up.” He hissed it into her ear.

  “I can’t, you are on my robes.”

  He looked down, and she moved as quickly as she could. She pitched her body back into the shadow with the gun, leaving her robes behind. Once she overlapped him, she took control, shooting the man with his hand to Sacred Flame’s head and turning to fire at the others who had crashed the party. The older woman immediately used her fire to grab three attackers next to her.

  Akutan was on his feet, slicing through the invaders.

  One of her body’s friends shot him, and she felt him dying. She could still jerk a dead body around, but it got creepy fast.

  “Teriki, could you please lift the robes up by the neckline and hold them as if you were touching my shoulders?” Saying it through a body that was no longer breathing was difficult.

  Teriki seemed to catch on, and she lifted the robes as high as she could. Porali held the wrap in place.

  Amy streaked through the few feet separating her from her clothing and she resumed her position within the robes. A few adjustments to keep her body from forming around fabric and she started to solidify from the inside out.

  Akutan smiled at her. “Are you all right?”

  She wrinkled her nose. “They interrupted our wedding dinner.”

  “At least they did not disturb our wedding night. That I would not enjoy.” He sighed. “Where shall we put them so they don’t escape?”

  “Lock them in the dead shuttle. I believe that they have enough rations to last until there is a pickup.” She shrugged. “And since three Guardians have just engaged in active duty defending local citizens, we can get the express service.”

  He grinned, wrapped her in his arms and kissed her in front of all their guests.

  Sacred Flame lifted a small object, and there was a bright flash. “This moment has to be preserved in art for future generations to see. Good or bad, something new started here tonight.”

  Keeku spoke with her after she returned from locking the invaders in the shuttle with the help of Sacred Flame.

  “You are going to be a lovely addition to the local population, Lady Amethyst.” She gestured, and her assistant brought forward a small bundle. “I had a blank on hand, so I did the embroidery in our ancient tongue. Your name does not translate well, so I had to settle for the one who is not there.”

  Amy smiled and looked to Akutan, where he was speaking with the men of the village. “You know, Mistress Keeku, I had a feeling you were going to say that.”

  Lying with her husband, her hair cascading over his chest as they were twined together, Amy smiled. “I have my Guardian uniform.”

  “That is surprising.” Jivo wove his fingers with hers.

  “I know, but she said she had a blank on hand. I am guessing that the second Blade gave her more than just directions for a wedding robe.”

  He pressed her fingers to his lips. “It was a lovely robe. I am impressed at the details in the workmanship.”

  Amy smiled and trailed her hand over his chest. On the long hem of the robe, mixed in with the Nyal script and whatever language was used on Rai, had been tiny words in English. To have and to hold, from this day forward, as long as you both shall live.

  “Yes, the detail was truly amazing, I look forward to discussing her workmanship another time.” She squeezed him tight and settled in for her first night as Lady Akutan, Lady of Rai.

  Author’s Note

  Fade was an example of a talent who didn’t want to use it and certainly didn’t want to use it in the way that other people thought. I liked Amy, she expressed what few of us could articulate, the wanting to fit in. Sometimes, you stand out and you have to embrace it.

  In Factor, we meet an analyst who specializes in determining what is needed to deal with a situation. When her Guardian base comes under attack, Factor has to go from providing guidance to needing it. Armour, aliens and seduction via pheromone. See you in two weeks!

  Thanks for reading,

  Viola Grace

  www.violagrace.com

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  [email protected]

  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.

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