Free Dream Called Time by S. L. Viehl Page B

and he’s well acquainted with my condition,” I reminded him. “Should anything unexpected happen, I’m sure he can cope. You can stay here and do whatever it is you need to do while you’re on planet.”
    I didn’t sound very convincing, and Xonea wasn’t stupid. “What has Darea said to you?”
    “The usual. ‘Hello. How are you? We missed you. We honor you. . . .’” I shrugged. “You’re not going to make me try to copy all the hand gestures, are you?”
    Reever came into the corridor, and didn’t even glance at Xonea. “Cherijo, the Torin are waiting for you to address the assembly.”
    “Speech time. Wonderful.” I rolled my eyes. “See you later, Xonea. Duncan.” I dodged between the two men and hurried into the hall.
    This time Reever caught up with me and took my arm as I made my way through the assembly toward the flowery platform at the head of the hall. “Darea has apprised you of Xonea’s emotional condition.”
    “She did.” I felt the brush of his thoughts against my mind and glanced down at his hand. “Just so you know, if you try to link with me, ever, I will kick you in the groin.”
    “Have you forgotten that I can control your body?” he asked, as politely as if he were asking about the weather.
    “You have to sleep sometime, Duncan. I can wait and cripple you after I come out of it.” I stomped up the steps of the platform and walked to the center. I couldn’t stop Reever from accompanying me, and it was probably best that we show a united front, but I didn’t have to stay up there all night.
    The crowd immediately fell silent, which made my voice ring out through the hall. “I’ve never been very good at making speeches,” I warned them, “so this will be brief.” I sounded too loud, too harsh, and took a moment to clear my throat. “I’ve been away for a long time, and I’m still trying to catch up on what’s happened since I last left Joren. I want you to know how much it means to me, to be able to come home, here, to the Torin. I never had a family of my own on Terra, and I never expected to find a new one. When I lost Kao”—I tried to smile—“I felt as if my one hope of happiness had died. Here, tonight. . . .”
    I knew I had to say more than that, but my throat didn’t want to cooperate.
    “Gratitude and honor overcome my bondmate,” Reever said. “HouseClan Torin rescued Cherijo, protected her, and brought her into their hearts. You have done more for me and my bondmate than simply providing a new homeworld for us and our ClanDaughter. You have taught us what it means to be part of something bigger and better than ourselves.”
    It wasn’t only self-pity that made tears stream down my cheeks. In that moment I could have killed him. “Duncan is right,” I said, the words rasping past the constriction in my throat. “You have done so much for us, for me. You saved me from loneliness and despair by accepting me as your kin, and for that, I will honor HouseClan Torin forever.”
    The applause nearly deafened me as Reever guided me down from the platform. I was passed around from one Torin to the next as my family embraced me and murmured words of encouragement. Somewhere between the fiftieth and sixtieth hug Reever took charge, gently extricating me and making excuses as he guided me out of the hall. In our wake I heard Xonal telling Xonea to let us go.
    I managed to compose myself by the time we reached the guest quarters the Torin had allocated to us. “Is Marel here?”
    “She is staying with Fasala in her family’s rooms tonight,” he said. “I thought we should have some time alone.”
    “What for? We’ve already adequately dissected the situation. It’s a dead issue.” I reached for the door panel controls. “I need to rest. Go away.”
    He put an arm across the opening panels. “How will you convince Xonea that our bond remains strong if we occupy separate quarters?”
    I didn’t have an answer for that, so I ducked under his arm