Free Jeanne G'Fellers - No Sister of Mine by Jeanne G'Fellers Page A

us.”
    “Surely not. Kimshee Middle knows you’re waiting for confirmation of LaRenna’s arrival.” Chandrey stood tiptoe to reward Belsas’s kiss with a passionate one to her mouth. Sensing the tension in her mate’s face, she frowned, her lips drawing in a similar fashion. “Relax, darling. We’ll hear something soon.”
    Appropriately timed, a plump face, cheeks pink with excitement, appeared in the doorway. “Pardon, Belsas, but a coded transmission is waiting for you.”
    “Thank you, Rona.”
    “See!” Chandrey grinned so merrily Belsas couldn’t help but chuckle. “I told you we’d hear.”
    “You’re correct as usual, love,” Belsas said, entering the access number into the adjacent computer panel and the view screen flared to life. “Well, First Kimshee, did she make it in one piece?” Krell’s image was dim on the screen. “Are you having transmission difficulties?”
    Krell whispered salutations. “Greetings, Grandmaster Belsas. Good day, Lady Chandrey. There’s no problem here. I have the lights low so they won’t wake your daughter. She’s travel exhausted, but otherwise fine.”
    “She near?” asked Chandrey, mindful of the overcrowding on Langus.
    “Look for yourself.” Krell turned the viewer so LaRenna’s outline was visible, her white mass of curls peeking from the blankets.
    “Poor baby,” fretted Chandrey in her melodious soprano. “She’s already asleep. The journey from the Training Grounds to Langus can be so hard.”
    “She’s no baby,” reminded Belsas. “LaRenna’s fully braided and at a post. But then again,” she added with a loving smile to Chandrey, “you always were one to worry over the young ones.”
    Chandrey’s eyes never moved from her daughter’s form. “I’m a teacher, Bel, it’s in my nature.”
    Belsas gazed reflectively at her mate then turned back to Krell, who again dominated the screen. “All going as planned there?”
    “As well as can be expected. I had a meeting with an Aut by the name of Starnes Bane this morning. The reconnaissance was right, two of the Branded are holed up here.”
    “Did you find out who?”
    Krell murmured the answer in a tone so low Chandrey wasn’t sure what she’d said. She was about to ask when Belsas’s pallored expression told all she needed know.
    “The Creiloff Twins!” The color drained from Chandrey’s face.
    Belsas collapsed heavily in her worktable chair. “I should have executed them when I had the chance. Why did I believe the reports of their deaths?”
    Chandrey followed to rub her guardian’s bunched shoulders. “How were you to know they would break the Trimar barricades?” she whispered.
    “I knew someone would sooner or later.” Belsas spoke no louder. “Others have tried.”
    “And they’ve been caught,” reminded Krell. “We’ll catch these two just the same.”
    Belsas peered at the viewer to lock determined eyes with Krell. “Whatever you do, First Kimshee Middle, make sure LaRenna is prepared. She should know exactly what she’s getting into.”
    “You have my word.”
    But Belsas continued as if she hadn’t heard. “You have three days to be certain. If she’s not ready, abort the mission. We’ll call it a loss and pull all Taelachs off Langus. The High Council has received serious threats. Autlach authorities have foolishly chosen to ignore them, but for me to do so would be imprudent.” Sinking back into her seat, Belsas let out a weighty sigh. What was LaRenna getting into?
    Chandrey glided across the room to face the viewer close up, her eyes exuding the same concern as Belsas until her hands trembled. “For the love of the Mother Maker,” she whispered to Krell, a fair amount of pleading in her voice. “Don’t let her fall to them. If they find out who she is”—she glanced over her shoulder at her shaken lover, then back at the screen—“they’ll do far worse than just kill her.”

Chapter Twelve
     
    The mind phase can be simultaneous in its