Amazon Chief (52 page)

Maya scoffed. "New companion. Seven years."

"Yeah, well," I said. "I was her first."

I turned back to Lia. "So, I think you've just learned a lot more about me than I intended to share." She laughed. "So it's your turn."

"Well," she said, "I will have you know that I do not have a spider phobia, so you can put that thought right out of your head."

"Said everyone, ever, who was trying to prevent an influx of spider-based pranks."

Lia shrugged.

"Hmm," I said.

"I hope my lack of reaction will severely disappoint you," she said.

"So," I said. "No spider phobia."

"Nope. Let’s see. I am two years older than Tamma. I'm a mother and, at least some seem to believe, a good cook."

"Dinner last night was very good," I said.

"Thank you. What else do you want to know?"

"Hmm. Tell me three good things about you and one that maybe isn't so good."

"Oh you think so?" She smiled. "All right. I can juggle. It may be the only frivolous skill I have."

"Will you show us?"

"Maybe later. I have never pulled a prank."

"Never?"

"Never."

"So that's the bad thing?"

"You'll have to decide for yourself. And, let's see. I can hold my breath for a very long time."

"Oh, you can, can you?" I asked with a grin. "That can be useful."

"I haven't found it very useful."

"We swim a lot. Can you swim?"

"Ah, there's my bad thing then. I can't swim."

"Then we'll teach you," I promised. "We taught Rora and her daughter."

She cocked her head. "I thought you said none of you had children."

"I misspoke. Rora came to us as an adult with an eleven-year-old daughter. She became Nori's companion, and then some time later, when I needed a companion, her daughter became mine. She has been a warrior now for several years and lives in Queen's Town. She must be, hmm. Twenty now, I think."

From her other side, Annalise tugged on Lia's arm. "Mama, I'm hungry."

"Oh darling," Lia said, turning to her. "I'm sorry. The food would be out soon."

"There's bread," the girl said, pointing. "And honey."

"A small piece," Lia said. "And I will help you with the honey, but you will have sticky fingers, and you will need to wash them immediately after dinner before you touch anything."

"Yes, Mama," the girl said.

I watched as she retrieved bread for her daughters. She poured honey for her youngest then asked the eldest what she would like.

"Honey, too," the girl said. "I can pour it, Mama."

"All right, Joelle," Lia said, "but you will also wash your hands immediately after dinner."

"Yes, Mama."

Lia watched her eldest as the girl very carefully added honey to her bread. She was not lavish, but she was very, very thorough.

"Mama," said the youngest. "You missed a spot." She pointed to a bare portion of her bread.

"Joelle, would you like to help your sister?"

"Yes, Mama," the girl said, then she was just as meticulous with her sister's bread as she had been with her own.

I was impressed. This boded well for the tranquility of Lake Juna. When Lia turned back to me, I smiled. "I can say something else about you."

"Do tell."

"You're a good mother."

She smiled. "Don't let their behavior fool you. They adore their aunt, and they are on their best behavior." She frowned. "They do not, however, adore their uncle's wife. I told them if they were very, very good, the Amazons would let us take a trip with them. They realized that meant time away from Zora's tongue."

"Will you need to take them home immediately after dinner?"

"I thought I was going to need to, but Zora actually volunteered to retrieve them so I could stay. Your 'diplomacy' has temporarily put some sugar into her mouth. I have no illusion it would last, but I would not mind leaving on better terms than I had feared." She smiled. "By the way, thank you. For years, I've wanted to tell her everything you told her, but I wasn't brave enough. I've tried to keep the peace instead."

"Your position was more precarious than mine, and I also had the knowledge that she's not in a position to cause you venomous harm after we leave and you no longer have nine fearsome warriors protecting you."

"Five warriors," she said. "Four companions."

I smiled. "I heard the story of Maya's first adventure here. Do you remember it?"

She nodded. "She tied our hands."

"Do you remember what happened before that?"

"I didn't see it, but she beat up two of Daddy's thugs." She smiled. "Nine warriors."

"To be fair, Maya is better than Jasmine. But yes, Jasmine is more than a match for anyone living here."

"And neither of them are considered warriors? But Maya told us she killed that demon with just a knife."

We talked about that for a while, and then Chandri came out with our meals, platter
s of food we could pass around. She handed out plates and silver. There was also a pot of food. "It may be easier to pass plates," Maya said. "Send your plates to the middle. Rora and I will serve what you need and send them back."

"Two modest bowls of the stew for the girls," Lia said. "If they're still hungry, they can have something else after that."

"And more bread, Mama," Annalise said.

Lia caught me gazing at the girls. She raised an eyebrow.

"Sometimes I wish-" I paused. "But I wouldn't give up my life. I mean, I wish it weren't necessary, but because it is, I'm glad I'm there doing it. I've had a relationship with my sister I never would have had if we'd stayed in Gallen's Cove, and I've made such dear, amazingly dear friends."

"Ah, the mirror to me," Lia said. "I understand entirely. I wouldn't give up my daughters, but I think your life would have suited me."

I passed down the stew to the girls, and Lia turned to them for a moment, helping them with bread but telling them they've had enough honey. They didn't fuss. Once they were settled properly and warned about eating slowly and without making any more mess than was absolutely necessary, she turned back to me.

"It can be hard," I said. "You are not upgrading your living arrangements. I'm sorry. We do what we can, but until all of Morehama
echoes Chandri's sentiments, we make do with what we have."

"I understand, Chief Beria," she said. "Make no apologies."

"And the voices." I looked away. "They can be bad sometimes."

"Oh. I'm sorry. Um. Does your companion need to be a lover?"

"No," I said. "I have had no lovers since becoming a warrior. It is just touch and a desire to soothe. If you watch Maya, you will see if there is a warrior anywhere near her, she is touching that warrior. See, even while she is eating, she is touching Malora. I wouldn't be surprised if she has kicked off her boots and slid a foot over to find some bare skin of Badra."

Lia looked under the table. "How did you know?"

"She's my sister. I would have sat next to her instead of this resolute mountain-" I nudged Nori.

"What? Wait your turn," Nori said.

"But Maya sent me here. Maybe she wanted Tamma free to visit but thought Badra would need some touching."

"So, anyone can be a companion?"

"I doubt your brother's wife can."

She laughed. "Perhaps not. Are the voices after you now?"

"They started a while ago."

"But we're touching. Am I not helping?"

And we were touching, but only our legs, side by side on the bench, and it was through my leathers and her dress.

"Maya can soothe through clothing, but you'll see she even makes sure to find bare skin."

I felt a hand on my back, and when I looked over, Lia was moving her hand up my back, her fingers coming to rest on my neck. "Like this? This is what Maya is doing with Malora."

I smiled. "Yes. It's not enough to soothe the voices, but if it keeps them from getting worse, or at least slows them down."

Nori passed a plate over, so I set it in front of her. She stared at the food for a moment.

"Did you want something different?"

"No." She turned back to look into my face. "Are the voices bad?"

"Not so bad," I said. "I can typically go a few days, if I have to, although I am told I grow irritable. I believe the accusations come from the misguided who have never spent significant time around my sister."

"I heard that," Maya said, looking at me. She looked at Lia and smiled before turning back to whatever conversation was going on at the other end of the table.

"I don't understand," Lia said. "I thought it only took a minute or two to silence the voices, and it lasts for hours afterwards."

"It depends on who does the silencing, and there's silent, and there is really silent. Really, I'm fine."

"But you shouldn't have to suffer needlessly," Lia said. "There are all these companions here. If I'm not very good, but they can help you, why don't they?"

"They do," I said. "But we've been sitting for a while, and they're busy."

"All right, but I'm right here. What do I do?"

"Lia, really, it's fine."

"Don't you want my help? Is there something wrong with me?"

"No, Lia. You're wonderful."

"Lia," Maya said, "Beria doesn't like to ask. She hasn't asked anyone for help in years. But if you just do it, she won't push you away, either." Then she turned to Malora, rotating her body to put her free hand on Malora's cheek. She leaned forward and buried her face in Malora's neck, her forehead against Malora's cheek.

"Oh," said Lia. And then she shifted on the bench, and when she pulled my head towards hers, I let her. She weaved one hand deeper into my hair, the other on my cheek, and her face buried against me.

"Like this?" she asked.

"Yes. This will quiet them."

"All the way?"

"No, but it helps. Thank you, Lia."

"How long does it take?"

I didn't answer. It wasn't sufficiently intimate to make them quiet, but it was enough to help.

"How long, Chief Beria?" she asked again.

"Talk to Maya sometime later," I said. "You're going to start rumors."

"I don't care. Do you?"

I laughed lightly. "Only if you do."

"Mama."

"I'm sorry," Lia said as she pulled away.

"Thank you, Lia. That was nice."

She turned to her daughter, but she kept a hand on my neck for the rest of the meal, eating one handed. It felt nice. The voices weren't silent, but they were muted, and I was long accustomed to them.

Lia attended to her daughters and talked to Tamma and Badra. I listened to conversations on both sides of me. We finished dinner. Chandri and some of the other women cleared things for us, then Benton and Grace came out. We thanked them for an excellent meal.

"We're hoping you'll mingle," Grace said. "Everyone wants to talk with you. And I see a fiddle."

"I'll play in a while. Perhaps we can move the tables to the edges and make room for dancing," suggested Maya.

"I was hoping you would suggest that very thing," she replied. "We'll have diners for another hour or so, but we can move the tables after that."

So we all got up, stretched, and looked around. Lia gathered her children and took them somewhere to clean up. I moved a small distance from the table and turned around to look at that people. I expected Maya to come around the table and soothe me for a few minutes, but she didn't.
None of the other companions made their way to my side, either. So I mentally shrugged and did what I always did: ignored the voices.

The one that told me Maya was angry with me was annoying, but I knew if I talked back, they would only get worse.

I leaned towards Nori. "So, what are we supposed to do?"

"Look like we're friendly," she said. "I never learned how."

I laughed.

"You and Lia are getting along."

"Mmm," I said. Then I grinned. "Do you think I'd scare them if I wandered around and said 'hi' to people?"

"Yes." But she grinned at me.

"I suppose. I am a pretty fearsome warrior. Grr."

Rora turned to me. "Let your hair down."

"What?"

"Let your hair down," she repeated. "Here, I'll do it." Without waiting, she stepped behind me and unbraided my hair
, handing me the tie I used at the end of the braid. She combed it out so it settled around my shoulders. Like Maya, I had a lot of hair.

"There," she said.

"It's going to get in my way," I complained.

"It softens you," Rora explained.

"It needs a brush now."