Talent For Trouble (7 page)

A tear shimmered down her face. This man was too amazing for words. She feared he would grow tired of his promise, but then, he’d already seen her through so many weeks of therapy in the hospital. He was a good man who lived up to his promises, she could tell.

“It seems so unfair.” She pushed back from his embrace and wiped her face. “You’re a very special man, Darak of Geneth Mar. More special than I deserve.”

He kissed her lightly, almost as if in benediction, before rising and holding out his hand to help her stand. He had led her almost to the door before he spoke.

“You deserve all that is good and pure in this world, Jana, but for now, I guess you’ll have to settle for me. Slightly tarnished and ragged from overuse, but still willing to try.”

She laughed at his self-assessment as they left the chamber, and he kept her laughing all the way to the luncheon room.

CHAPTER FOUR

Micah and Jeri weren’t oblivious to the blush on Jana’s cheeks or the twinkle in Darak’s eyes, not to mention the bulge in his pants, but they said nothing to make Jana feel even more uncomfortable as they sat down to a light lunch. Before long, the conversation turned to the herd of horses that had been brought together in one of the larger expanses of open land that was part of the massive estate.

Jeri told her sister how she had sent out a silent call to those wild horses in the area that wanted to come live free on their land and how, only a few days later, a large herd had gathered. There were untamed lands and mountains off to the west of the estate, where most of the horses had carved out a living for themselves. They would still roam free, but if they needed any sort of help, be it food or water or medical assistance, they now had a refuge. Jeri and the staff of capable horsemen she had chosen and was training would see to it that her promise to the wild horses of Geneth Mar was kept.

“You can still speak with the horses.” Jana’s voice was full of pride and a bit of awe as she regarded her little sister. “Papa had the same gift.”

“Did he?” Jeri was excited by the idea that her gift had been passed down from her lost parent.

Jana frowned slightly. “He never spoke of it with you? I mean, I know it was his big secret, but when I turned thirteen, he sat me down and told me about his gift. He taught me how to shield my own fledgling powers and warned me never to speak of them to anyone but him or Mother.”

“They both died before I turned thirteen.” Jeri’s voice held aching sadness, and Jana held her hand out to her sister, an offer of comfort.

“I remember his words, Jer. I’ll tell you what he told me.” Both women were fighting back tears. “Papa said that I should embrace my gift and not fear it, but rather fear the Wizards that would try to use me for my gift. He said he and Mama had lived in fear of the Wizards their whole life, but by being careful and shielding tight, they had survived so far. He warned me to do the same, but above all, he told me to be happy. As he was with Mama and us.”

“Little did he know we would have so little time left with our family.” Jeri’s face was sad, her eyes wistful. “He was such a good man.”

Tears rolled down her face, and the two girls clung to each other, the men placing their broad hands on the women’s backs in silent comfort.

Before long, they all decided to troop outside and see the horses. The herds had always been a source of peace for Jeri, and Jana remembered her time among the horses of their homeworld with fondness, though she hadn’t been around horses in many years. Jana was tentative, at first, her wobbly legs unsure on the uneven turf, her gait uncertain as the huge animals bore down on them. Jeri, of course, was fearless, holding up her arms to the big stallion that galloped over to receive her attention first. Jeri’s laughter rang out through the countryside and lightened every heart that heard it.

Jana remembered her childhood spent among the herds on Mithrak as several of the young colts and fillies gathered around her, tickling her with their velvety muzzles. She reached out to them with her hands and her unshielded mind, surprised when she received a few faint images of happiness and warmth from their complex minds.

“Jeri!”

Suddenly, a huge black stallion moved his way through the smaller horses, vying for Jana’s attention, and stopped just in front of her, eyeing her carefully. Jana held her breath. This was, by far, the most gorgeous animal she had ever beheld, and he seemed to know it. He was haughty and powerful, sizing her up as she regarded him.

“I call him Darkest Hour.” Jeri’s soft voice came from not too far away. Jana knew her sister was watching them, but she couldn’t tear her eyes from the great stallion that faced her. “He is the leader of the wild band from the western mountains. The yearlings are all his get.”

Jana could see it then, the remarkable resemblance between this strong stallion and the young horses that had so playfully greeted her. They had his strong shoulders and powerful build, though none had a match for his pure black, glossy coat.

“He’s magnificent.” Jana’s voice was a mere breath of sound. The stallion stamped his foot once as if in agreement and bowed his head just slightly. She took that as a sign that she could move closer. She wanted to touch this beautiful, powerful creature. She wanted to commune with him on a non-verbal level.

She reached out her hand, and he moved into her caress, fitting his soft cheek into the palm of her hand. She smiled and stroked him, patting gently and scratching by his ears as he moved into her. Within moments, she found herself putting her arms around his strong neck, his huge head moving to encapsulate her in his warmth and seeming protection. It was a moment of pure magic.

Without conscious thought, she stroked her fingers into his thick mane and, with an agility she’d thought long gone, she pulled herself up onto his bare back. She was breathless a moment, waiting to see if he would let her ride, and then, he was off, slowly at first until he cleared the crowd of the herd and people, then faster and faster as she found her seat. She felt as if she had never been away from the horses with which she’d been raised. She felt a perfect union with the glorious beast beneath her as he picked up speed across the open field.

She heard the pounding of hooves just behind her and realized that her sister followed on a powerful mare, keeping pace, there for Jana if she should need her, much as their papa had done when they were little. It made her feel warm and protected in a way she hadn’t felt since the Wizards had ripped her from her home.

Tears streamed down her face and into the wind, but it was a cleansing feeling that claimed her when Darkest Hour finally came to a stop at her urging. She would have liked to ride all day and all night, but her legs were just too weak. She was trembling from head to toe when the horse walked back to the waiting men. Darak’s eyes were filled with pride, and his smile spoke of the care she had only just realized lay between them. When the stallion stopped beside him, she tumbled down into his arms, allowing him to guide her and support her weak body with absolute trust.

He carried her back to her room where she promptly fell into a deep, healing sleep. She didn’t awaken until just before dinner when Shill, the maid, came to help her prepare.

* * *

The days went on in much the same way for a few weeks. Each morning, she would meet with Master Toombs, and little by little, she was putting her past behind her. Darak continued to be a nearly constant presence, though he didn’t push her any further than he had that first day at the estate. She rode the horses and formed a deep bond with the magnificent stallion who remained nearby, seemingly waiting for her whenever she set foot outdoors. She was regaining her strength quickly, surrounded by the love and acceptance of her sister, but she knew others still harbored doubts about her.

“I won’t be here for the next few days. I have to go up to the
Circe
and oversee the refit.” Darak’s voice cut through the dinnertime chatter, startling her.

“How is it coming along?” Micah wanted to know, lifting his goblet and failing to not look too interested in the fate of his old ship.

“The repairs were completed this morning, and the new bits are going to be installed starting tomorrow. Which is why I want to be there.”

Micah nodded. “Understandable. When do they want you to go back out?”

“You mean you don’t know?” Darak grinned at his powerful cousin. “I thought it was you that had put me on hold.”

“Hold?” Jeri entered the conversation. “We didn’t know, Dar. I swear. I wonder why they’d hold the
Circe
back?”

“I don’t know,” Micah’s eyes turned speculative, “but it could have something to do with the comm I received just before dinner. I was going to wait until we were finished eating, but you might as well know now. The Council wants to question Jana next week. They say they’ve waited long enough.”

“Micah! You’ve got to do something.”

“No, Jeri.” Jana finally spoke up. “I expected to be interrogated sooner or later. I’d just as soon get it over with.”

“But you’re not strong enough, yet.”

Jana held up her hand, calming her volatile sister. “I’m as good as I’m going to get, for now. I need to talk to them and tell them what little I know.” She sighed. “I just want to put it behind me as soon as possible and get on with my life.”

Darak surprised her by taking her hand and squeezing, catching her eyes with his concerned expression. “I’ll go with you, Jana. You don’t have to face them alone.”

“And they’ll treat you with respect,” Micah assured her. “If they get out of line, they know they’ll have Jeri and me on their case.”

Jana smiled. “You are all too good to me. With such allies, what do I have to fear?” She took a sip of her wine, taking her hand back from Darak. She wouldn’t let them see just how frightened she was at the prospect of the interrogation to come.

The days Darak was away from the estate dragged. Jana didn’t realize until he left just how used to his hulking presence she’d become. It was like a piece of her was missing when he wasn’t around.

But he came home—she’d come to think of the place as home in even such a short time—just before she was due to leave for the Council compound. She was rising when a perfunctory knock sounded on her bedchamber door. Before she could answer, the door swung inward, and Darak was there.

He was a sight for sore eyes, though she would never let him know it.

“Isn’t it customary to wait to be invited in?”

“If I waited for an invitation, sweetheart, I’d grow old before my time.”

“You got that right,” she muttered as she tied the sash on her robe a bit tighter. “I could have been dressing.”

“One can only wish.” His devilish smile softened her stance a bit. The rogue had a charm about him that was hard to resist. “You’re looking better all the time, Jana. How do you feel?”

“Stronger. More fit.” She moved to the window to look out over the western fields where the horses roamed free. “Riding again has helped a lot. My legs are stronger each day.”

“And what of the crystals?” He’d come up behind her without making a sound, but now, his voice drifted down over her like a caress, so close did he stand behind her. “Do they still burn?” His fingers grazed the crystals in her cheek, tendrils of his gentle healing energy zapping into her with an exciting caress.

“I’m getting used to them, and they to me, it seems. My body is starting to be able to regulate their power flow a bit—or so the med techs tell me.”

“That’s good.” His hand slid down over her right side, caressing and sending healing energy to the myriad shards nestled into her skin under the soft fabric of her robe.

“You don’t have to spend your energy on me, Dar. It really doesn’t hurt that much, anymore.”

He pulled her lightly back against his chest, enveloping her in his warmth. “Any pain is too much, Jana, when I can do something about it. I don’t like to see you hurting.”

She remained silent as he sent even more energy into her skin, soothing hurts she hadn’t even realized were there. She let him do it, knowing somehow that he derived a deep satisfaction from using his healing powers. She wouldn’t let him drain himself, however, but he stopped long before his massive reserves of energy were even tapped.

He moved back, releasing her, much to her surprise. She turned and found him nearby, holding a length of soft, pale blue fabric in his rough hands.

“What is that?”

“A gift.” He held it out and the material slithered between his fingers. It looked expensive.

“Not more clothes. Darak, you’ve already been way too generous. I will never be able to repay you at this rate.”

“I expect no repayment. The clothes were gifts. But this…” he held up the odd creation as if presenting a masterpiece, “…is something special. I had it designed just for today.”

“I meet with the Council today.” She swallowed nervously.

He nodded, his eyes as serious as she’d ever seen them. “They will want to see the crystals.”

“I thought as much.” She blushed at the thought of so many eyes on her bare body.

Darak moved a step closer, holding the strange garment before him. “I know you were raised to be modest. I had this made so you could keep some of your modesty and still allow easy viewing of the crystals in your skin. Won’t you at least try it on?”

“You did that for me?”

She was touched beyond words. She’d thought he least of all would worry over her discomfort with showing her naked body to strangers. They were so free on this planet, as she’d learned the hard way, having walked in upon multiple couplings in the past days between all sorts of people who lived on the large estate. She wouldn’t have thought he would worry over her foreign sensibilities, but apparently, he did. Wonder of wonders. He had actually thought ahead to what the interrogation by the Council would mean to her. The idea left her momentarily speechless.

He moved closer. “Try it on. Please?”

Tears in her eyes, she took the slinky garment from his fingers. She held it between them for a long moment, questions in her eyes that he seemingly didn’t want to answer.