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.“He said I had played well enough to be worthy of a reminder of the game,”she said with a wry mix of emotions that turned to a deliberate pout when helaughed.Eunni and Garm were the first to arrive, followed closely by Hic'lic.Eunni hadchanged her clothing, wearing pants and tunic as Alicia was, the first time he had seen her dressed in other than a robe.Black and opal, Ulanda's colors.Armed as well with a Zimmer knife, he knew she had one, but hadn't seen that beforeeither.A second who had made a decision.Garm wore the robe of Eccli cloth, the Simic moving with a courtly grace.“Hic'lic is here as Voice for the Wa'tic in the Household,” Eunni said.Rit bowed formally to the small creature and received a bow in return.“Analysis,” it said in plain tongue but pulling the command level codes of thespin he had seen earlier.“Center, journey.One sun, real sun.” Touching the oath braid around its neck, the Wa'tic bowed to Ulanda.“This one goes.”Were they going? And to where? Or what?“All I can say,” Bolda grunted, “is that we'd better pack first.None of this just leaving.”“He's never forgiven me for that,” Garm said.“Are we leaving?” He looked atRit, his eyes emerald in the sunlight.“Is even that decision outside my interests?”“Do we have a place to go?”Niv arrived before Garm could answer.The tass'alt was dressed as usual in asnake-pleat skirt but with a knife sheath attached to one leg.Something newthere as well, Rit hadn't thought the Camerat needed a knife.A third who hadmade up their mind.At the sight of the tass'alt, Mirwin straightened, gave a short bow and workedthe silk cord faster, his head down.Niv knelt on the other side of Ulanda fromhim.Then Rit saw that Kori had come with the tass'alt.She had stopped at the doorof the bathhouse as though reluctant to be included.Silassic was with her,waiting another step behind, but he was scarcely aware of the man.Kori was aLaurel Hickeywww.2morrow.bc.caEye of the Ocean – Book 1: Ji’Jin Stationwoman to Peecit’s child.Rit suddenly understood the loss that Gennady had felt, the pride as well, that he owned the responsibility for that bloodline.That heowned her.“Everything points to the Station Center,” he said without taking his eyes offher.Everything was too new, his perception of the Zimmer too raw.Duty andpride and family.Although he sought it, he could find no shame in the possession.His thoughts were like clear glass.Then Alicia came and stood beside him,breaking into his vision of Kori.He took her hand, grateful again for herintervention.I'm human, he thought.I need closed areas in my mind.“The Empress is attempting a binding,” Ulanda said.Garm looked at her coldly then went to sit on a rock close to Eunni and Hic'lic.The Eccli cloth of his robe brought the sunlight into the shadow, the burstsreflecting from the facets of Wa'tic's eyes.“Most likely getting rid of the ti'Linn support and our isolation was all that was intended.” His tone was distant fromany concern for her.“Camerat would have been premature - a mistake on theirpart, or a risk they couldn't entirely avoid.And if they're getting anything from here at all, then they have to know that both of you went into overpattern.”Would the timing be stepped up, Rit wondered.“How would that affect theirplans?”Ulanda shook her head as she turned from the Simic.“They mustn't know, orthey wouldn't be waiting.And they can't know about the ni'at tree.”So, she had been listening.“Or there's another factor we don't know aboutthat's holding them back.”“Bug-eaters die,” Hic'lic said in plain-tongue, then in Wa'tic native, added:“One eye blinks and that focus is lost, they wait to see how blind with fear wegrow.”“Planning that my isolation be more than physical,” Ulanda said.“You and you,” Hic'lic said.“Crystal glass and sun.”“Do you mean more than Ulanda as the target?” Rit asked.Garm made an exaggerated negative sign with his hands, setting his robeflashing.“Is there a difference between the two of you?”With effort, Rit avoided looking to see what Hic'lic understood of the exchange.“Of course, there is.”Garm shook his head.“There is nothing between you but skin, flesh and bone.”Eunni reached over and shook Garm's knee.“Stop being obnoxious.Last time Ilooked, skin and all that was plenty.At least you never complained.And you'dbetter change before we leave.I refuse to be blinded by that robe.”Garm covered her hand with his, his expression softening.“Goie was one ofthe suns that was used to form the sunstones that made up the girdle for keyingthe form of Altasimic pattern.The girdle used at the Opening.The death of that sun was the start of the birth of your people.”Laurel Hickeywww.2morrow.bc.caEye of the Ocean – Book 1: Ji’Jin StationThe garden they sat in, the ni'at tree that was appearing in the rug
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