Page 17 of Dark Destiny: The Turning Of The Loom

Annani knew every detail of what had been done to bring Khiann back, but it might be too emotionally draining for her to retell the story while the events were still fresh in her mind.

For five thousand years, she'd believed him dead, and now she was sitting across a coffee table from him and sipping cappuccino. It must feel surreal to her.

Kian set his cup down.

"I'll give you the short version of the events as I know them." He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "My mother can tell you the full story later. What were you told so far?"

"While I was leading a caravan, an earthquake struck and swallowed everyone and everything, leaving no trace. My immortal guards and I survived because we entered stasis. Everyone else died, and because no trace remained above ground, it was impossible to find us in the vast desert."

Kian looked at Annani. "Do I tell Khiann about Mortdh? Or do you want to tell him?"

"Mortdh was my intended before I chose you," Annani said quietly. "I do not wish to go into that whole story right now. But he is the reason I did not scour the desert for you." She turned to her mate. "Mortdh intended to kill you, and everyone knew that, including you. That is why I tried to convince you not to go with the caravan, and when you would not listen, I begged you to take more guards, but you still would not listen. Mortdh was accused of your murder, and witnesses testified to having seen him do it. That was why I believed you were truly dead, and it did not even occur to me that you might be in stasis."

Khiann seemed too stunned to ask questions.

"The witnesses must have been bribed or thralled," Kian took over. "My mother did not know that you had survived until we captured Navuh, Mortdh's son, and he told us that he had you and four immortals. He must have known from his father the exact coordinates where your caravan was swallowed, gone there later, dug you out, and sealed all five of you in chests built to preserve your bodies."

"Why?" Khiann asked.

"We are still not clear about his exact motives for doing so. He found you long before my mother and her clan became a power to contend with. He must have figured that he might one day need you as a negotiating token, and he was proven right."

Khiann frowned. "What did you give him in exchange?"

"Nothing." Kian smiled. "He wanted his freedom in exchange for your location, but we figured out where he was hiding you and went to retrieve you."

Khiann looked relieved. "He must have been disappointed."

"He was," Kian said.

"I wish I knew why he bothered to dig us out." Khiann glanced at Annani. "In a way, he saved us. It might have been because he wanted to use us, but if not for him, you would not have found me."

Annani nodded. "The Fates used Navuh to save you. I know that now."

"This Navuh," Khiann said. "Where is he now?"

"Locked up," Kian said. "He's not going anywhere."

Khiann nodded. "I would like to talk to him once I am out of this chair."

8

YAAF

Yaaf rang the bell and stepped back in case Leehy answered the door. He knew the effect he had on people, especially women, and made a conscious effort to look less threatening.

Sullha opened the door, slipped out, and closed it quickly behind her. "I don't want Tomek to ask where I'm going," she said. "Hopefully, the computer that Vrog brought for him will keep him so busy that he won't even notice I'm gone."

The dark circles under her eyes suggested she hadn't slept much last night, but for once it wasn't his fault for keeping her up until the small hours. It was stress about going to see the doctor this morning to learn whether she was pregnant.

He took her hand, and they headed toward Merlin's place. "Who is Vrog? Why did he bring Tomek a computer, and how does Tomek know how to use it?"

"Vrog oversees homeschooling and education in the village. He brought a personal computer, a laptop, because it can be held on the lap, and he showed Tomek how to play games on it. The games are educational, teaching math skills, reasoning, and other subjects that can be taught without using language. Tomek took to it as if it wasn't a big deal. To him, it's an interactive television he can play with."

Sullha was talking fast, the way she always did when she was anxious, and since it was her coping method, Yaaf went along with it.

"I'm glad. It will take some pressure off you since you don't have to shoulder all of Tomek's schooling yourself, especially since you are also teaching the enclosure women English."

Sullha snorted, her voice taking on a slightly hysterical edge. "You think? I will have even more work because Vrog wants me to teach the computer the island language."