31
(Silnaday, cont.)
Freebooter Apartments Office
.
Xanthine sat looking at the mess of flyppaper regarding the opening of their Casino. She looked again at the piece that had just been emblazoned “Approved” that morning and sighed. It was welcome news, but now there were a dozen new forms to fill out – mostly formalities, she recognized, but it never seemed to end.
Tasp joined her, handing her a glass of mujani.
“A bit early in the day for something so strong,” Xanthine mused.
“A celebration drink. Given the piece of flyppaper that I’m about to hang on the wall, I think it’s in order!” he replied, slipping the piece into the waiting holder on the wall. “This drink is for the Freebooter Casino – and Us in general. The baby we’re going to raise together. Everything!”
“You’re sweet,” Xanthine replied.
“You’ve given me a reason to live sober,” he added. “You’ve turned my life around.”
“You’ve only been sober a few days,” Xanthine reminded him.
“Let me prove it to you,” Tasp insisted.
“Then keep proving it,” Xanthine said, meeting his lips.
Uana came in, Sipper right behind her. “The new women installed, Sheena back to the Project. Now what? What’s the battle plan?” she asked.
“After lunch, sometime, I guess,” Tasp offered, looking at the chrono. Xanthine realized it was lunch time already.
“Do you know anything about a new admission at the Project?” Xanthine asked Uana. “Apparently, they took her directly to the Complex.”
“There wasn’t anyone in there when I showed up,” Uana said. “But someone was in the interview with someone – probably Laisen. By the way, Sipper, your daughter is very mature, a compliment to you.”
“Thanks,” he said with a grimace. “But why would they send someone directly to the Complex?”
“Someone who has left someone potentially violent,” Uana replied. “Do we have a name?”
“Sheena said her name is Kailey. She came in with two young children,” Xanthine replied.
“Do any of our recruits have a wife or girlfriend by that name?” Tasp asked.
“I can barely keep up with recruits names, let alone significant others,” she said.
The door burst open, admitting Ninn and Joneel into the office.
The bandage on the back of Ninn’s head was conspicuous.
“What have you two gone and done now?” Xanthine asked irritably. “I told you to rest!”
“They gambled on Joneel’s wife last night. Given how drunk he was, it’s no surprise he lost and apparently Ninn lost a battle with a dresser,” Uana said scathingly.
“Highly-gifted, untrained. She should be here,” Ninn said. “I’m lucky that all I needed was stitches.”
“She will die,” Joneel vowed.
“Who?”
“Kailey, my wife,” he replied.
Xanthine exchanged glances with Uana.
“What?”
“She’s at the Complex with two children,” Uana reported.
“Let’s go then!” Joneel demanded.
“Hang on, upstart,” Xanthine said. “We plan this thing – with Cerástes and Elið. Otherwise, we lose before we’ve even started.”
♥
Joton Neví Housing Project
.
The final pieces of flyppaper had been moved to the transfers book. The book closed with a satisfying click under Jessten Sipper’s hands. Oberti Perton came out of the interviewing room with a woman.
“Do you need any help?” Oberti asked kindly.
“I’m fine,” the woman replied. “I just need to get moving rebuilding my life. Thank you.”
“That’s our job. We’ll be closing up for the day now, but someone will be here tomorrow,” he said.
The woman nodded, then went through the double doors towards the apartments.
“Fifteen women rehoused today,” Jessten reported after she left.
“Rami will be pleased,” he replied. “I can handle closing up now. You can go train.”
“Thanks,” Jessten said. She hurried outside, barely keeping back the tears that had threatened ever since watching Laisen carry Marcey out the door that morning. Finally, she could let the masquerade drop, let the façade fall. Even as she did, she felt the tears flooding her eyes. She was so tired of crying! So tired of him having the power to hurt her!
“Flypp it!” she shouted, running down to the river. She picked up a rock and threw it as hard as she could, hitting a small post on the other side. Jessten rarely cried. She only shed a few tears about her father disowning her only a couple of seasons previously. Yet, she seemed to be constantly crying now – and all for one reason.
When she could regain control of her eyes, she dabbed a few drops of oil below her eyes to make sure they wouldn’t betray her. Then she ran back up to the Shaze Academy. Between Mathis and Frey, they could make her smile again – and maybe teach her some more moves so that she could win the tournament, gain her silver. Then she could leave Joton and not have to cry over Laisen again.
♥
A’mara Complex
.
Laisen Toban was exhausted. His day had consisted entirely of working with the new woman and her children.
First, he’d interviewed her to make sure she was genuinely in need of their help. He still didn’t know the full situation, but he had been convinced not only that she needed help, but that she wouldn’t be safe enough in the Project.
Laisen had carried the toddler back to the Complex canteen on his shoulders. He wished the stella was there to give him something to treat his tired shoulder muscles. He was okay now, but he knew it was best to be preemptive when dealing with seldom-used muscles. He doubted that even the normal chin-ups he did to keep his shaze arm strong would be enough for the strain of a half a dozen blocks of carrying a toddler on his shoulders.
He had helped them get a good meal, holding a tray for the toddler. While they were eating, he had found the woman a stroller for the infant.
Once fed, he’d taken them to the clothing closet to find enough clothing for a basic wardrobe. He held the baby while the woman looked through everything.
He helped them get situated in their new quarters as well. He was surprisingly exhausted.
The woman seemed to be grateful for everything, but also fearful that her husband would come and cause trouble for them. She hadn’t gone into details and had gone quiet, brooding with worry that she shouldn’t have left the man at all.
She didn’t want to discuss it with him. Laisen couldn’t blame her. He was just another man, after all, even if he did wear a dark green cloak and the fringed ‘acting abári’ stole.
He sat down in the Conference Chamber with a sigh. He wasn’t old enough to wear the fringe. He wasn’t qualified. A true abári would know how to handle what was going on right now. He needed Rami here, not off who knows where…
His mind recalled seeing Jessten play with the woman’s baby earlier. The lady was right, Jessten was a natural. She looked good with a baby. She looked good with a shaze too. Heck, she looked good no matter what she was doing.
Laisen knew Jessten was probably training at the Shaze Academy, but he couldn’t really justify watching her for the hours she trained – not when he was filling in for Rami. He sighed again.
The hairs on his arms stood on end. Something was wrong.
♥♥♥
If you have enjoyed this book, I would be grateful if you could put your thoughts as a review on [Goodreads](coming soon) for me.
Buy at: (coming soon to Books2Read, Scribl, LBRY and Lulu - paperback.)
Other Chapters of this set
Birth of the Neví - Chapter 1 on Whaleshares
Name of the Neví - Chapter 1
Mind of the Neví - Chapter 1
Game of the Neví - Chapter 1
Maps and Guides
- Kri'enden & Joton - 830 TCE (New/imprived map coming soon)
- Character Guide and Image Credits
- Calendar and Glossary - for Name of the Neví but these two parts are true throughout.
Writing and artwork copyright myself 2005-2019 – all rights reserved.
If you are interested in helping me publish these works, please contact me on Facebook or Discord, viking-ventures#2883.
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Lori Svensen
author/designer at A'mara Books
photographer/graphic artist for Viking Visual
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