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“It’s good to see you again,” the female said. Her feathers were very pale brown. There was a simple sort of loveliness to her round face.
“Carler has been talking about nothing else,” her mate agreed, stroking his son’s crest. They both were of the same purple color, though, of course, the grown male had a full, proud crest that was half raised with his own excitement.
“I’m looking forward to seeing him again too,” Rane said, and it was true. There was just something so wonderful about this youngling and his innocent joy he shared with Rane.
Even now, as he watched the family walk away, there was joy mixed in with the aching jealousy he felt at their life. That could be him and Sandy and their son if things were different.
But he also adored that boy. He wanted to see him again.
Feeling eyes on him, he turned to find Sal standing just steps from him. Giving him a hooded look. Rane felt his face close off as that brief joy faded. Something that Sal didn’t miss as his captain’s eyes narrowed.
“I spoke with your mother,” he said simply.
Rane was unmoved. That was hardly a surprise.
“I asked her why I haven’t seen Sandy recently,” Sal continued. Before Rane could even wonder what lie his mother had given him, he continued. “She said that Sandy is ashamed to be your mate. That she wants nothing to do with you.”
Oh, now that hurt. Of all the lies his mother could have concocted, she chose that? Though, it did make sense. There was a preponderance of evidence for why Sandy deserved better all recorded for everyone to see on every corner of the subnet.
“That’s right,” Rane said, hating himself, but not fighting with the lie. “She is ashamed of me.”
Sal said nothing for a moment before approaching, putting a hand on his shoulder. Rane tensed, ready for another lecture. Maybe more derision. His mother had weaved her lies again, and Rane couldn’t even speak out his defense. Sal had never trusted in him before, he certainly wouldn’t now.
But all Sal did was pat his shoulder twice before letting go and walking off. Rane watched him go. Feeling so terribly alone in this world.
Chapter 31
Sandy
The room Sandy had been confined in for weeks now was absolutely boring and bare minimum. Elffa made sure to remove anything Sandy might use to cause general mayhem. There was a mattress on the floor, her suitcase of belongings – including her grandmother’s ashes and antique radio – and the toiletries in her connected bathroom. That was it. Her clothes were in folded piles on the ground because she didn’t even have anything to store them in. She had a window, but this one was facing out over the woods surrounding the manor, opposite the city. The tree leaves were still golden brown and orange gold, and there had been no change of season yet. So, she was inclined to think they were that way all the time.
Her days consisted of staring outside, meditating, and using the back panel of the radio to carve her way into the wall.
It was a long process, because that wasn’t what the radio back was for. However, it was metal, sturdy, and if she used the edge, it kind of shaved along the walls, allowing her to cut through. The material wasn’t precisely drywall, but it wasn’t wood either. The texture and hardness was somewhere between the two. She could cut into it, but in the weeks that passed, she was only just now cutting through the first layer into the space between walls.
“Ha,” she grinned, pushing her finger through the small hole and pulling. It was easier to break the wall than it was to cut through.
She didn’t really have a plan. She didn’t know what room was on the other side of this wall, and even if she did get out, she wasn’t sure what that would accomplish. She just knew that she couldn’t stay here the rest of her life, and it was better than doing nothing.
Yanking pieces of the wall apart wasn’t easy. She had tried to kick and hit through the walls before the digging, and it hadn’t gotten her far. But she did her best to widen the hole as much as she could. By the time she finished, it was big enough for her to shove her entire arm in.
Even if she didn’t accomplish anything except annoying Elffa, the hole was worth it. Not that she would know, as she never came here. Orza would report on this, probably, but she hadn’t been hiding what she was doing as she did it, so Elffa had to know already that she was attempting to dig her way out. Maybe she didn’t think it would lead her anywhere.
Whatever.
Sandy continued pulling at the broken edge of the wall until her fingers got sore. Only then did she stop. After admiring her work, she went to wash the dust off her hands. She really hoped this wasn’t bad for her to breathe in, like some kind of alien asbestos. But that seemed unlikely. She was probably just thinking too much. It’s not like she had anything else to do with her time.
The sound of the door opening pulled her out of the bathroom. Curious, because it wasn’t mealtime yet, she poked her head out.
Only to see her big, beautiful mate stepping inside.
“Rane!” She yelled, running for him.
He looked just as surprised to see her, but still reacted fast enough to catch her when she threw herself into his arms. The door sealed behind him, but she knew that Blue and Green would be just beyond, guarding them.
But right now, she didn’t care as she peppered kisses all over Rane’s face. Excited to see him, she was eager to shower him in the love and joy she knew he wasn’t experiencing out there.
He just stared, blinking, for a long moment. Then, he started laughing. His hands clutching against her butt as he walked them to her mattress.
