Part 19 (1/2)

aLooks great.a Garrett put enthusiasm in his voice.

aThank you.a Rusby mewed impatiently. I want to jump on the bedsponge.

aNo,a Garrett said. He reached into his pocket and took out a chewy treat that would keep the kitten occupied for a while.

An idea occurred to him. aSay, TQ,a he began casually. aDo you still have that mural on the wall? I liked it.a The only thing besides Artemisia he remembered with fondness. And he felt a buzzing hesitation from TQ.

aNo,a the actoras voice said aloud, with a hint of regret. aIt was decommissioned, as requested by the artist and the provider of the images.a A more cheerful tone. aIt was made especially for you.a aAnd I thank you for it again,a Garrett said, though his ears p.r.i.c.ked up at TQas wording. aYou have the artistas name?a aThe mural was also an experiment by GreatMistrys Avellana Hazel. Though we did not activate the option, it could have been three-dimensional.a Garrett grunted, disappointed. No way he could afford a mural by Avellana Hazel, an artist from the FirstFamilies.

aTQ.a Now his own tones were soft. aDid you provide enough data to give Artemisia an alibi for the murder?a aThey question me!a TQ thundered. aIf they question me, they will question the honor and verity of every Residence.a aI guess so.a aI will speak to my . . . colleagues.a aThey are colleagues, TQ.a aI am still almost the youngest. But the other Residences will not be pleased. As I understand the time of the death of the Black Magic Cultist, you and Artemisia had been drugged and were sleeping.a aThatas true.a aI monitored your sleep patterns because she objected to the soporific.a aMonitored?a aI have minute-by-minute graphs of your breathing and REM cycles.a aThat should do it.a His breath eased out. Artemisia was safe. Since he didnat know where or from what TQ was watching him, Garrett bowed in a circle to the House. aThank you.a aAre you going to claim your HeartMate?a TQ asked, again in weighty tones.

aI think so.a TQ sighed. aIt is good that you came to your senses.a Garrett found his jaw clenching, his contrary nature irritated at all the trouble this whole HeartMate thing had caused him, his own roiling emotions on the subject.

And TQ continued on, aThough I have witnessed the fact that the bond between HeartMatesa”even before the s.e.xual HeartBond is in placea”remains intact despite the avoidance of one of the partic.i.p.ants. You would have all your lives to claim her.a Garrettas eyes widened. He wouldnat. Artemisia had made it clear she wanted a husband and children, and soon.

Made him thinka”and feela”more. Fear and dread of what he had done mixed confusingly with a hopeful image of making those children with her.

Yes, head wanted children. Yes, head be terrified for their fates.

aYour respiration has increased and your body is perspiring. Is something wrong?a asked TQ.

aNo,a Garrett denied.

aYou are not truthful, but I will not press.a aThank you for rea.s.suring me about Artemisiaas alibi.a Garrett changed the subject. aI have appointments I must keep. I wish you well.a Garrett and Rusby had reached the public carrier plinth when he received a scry from the guard station. Since there was no one waiting with them, he took the call.

aWe checked out the old airs.h.i.+p landing area,a Berberis said.

Milkweed took up the story. aSpoke to a couple of pilots. One recalls bringing a pa.s.senger up from Gael City. Guy approached him, saying he was an old guildman and needed a lift. Offered a little gilt, but our pilot was feeling generous, and the man helped him with the checklist and knew what he was doing.a Berberis said, aSo the pilot let the man travel up. Said head thought there was something familiar about him, but couldnat figure it out, and the guy didnat talk much on the flight.a Milkweed grimaced. aTurns out the pilot had worked for Eryngo a while back before he started his own courier service. He said that now that he thought about it, the man looked like old Eryngo.a aAnd if head known it was Modoc, head have pushed the fligger out of the s.h.i.+p,a Berberis ended.

aThank you, that confirms my info.a Berberis grunted, eyes keen. aYouave got good informants. Iad heard you had thata”but now youave proven it.a aThanks again,a Garrett said and ended the scry.

Rusby swallowed his chew and said conversationally, I did not see My mother at the Turquoise House.

Garrett hadnat even thought of that.

aDoes that bother you?a She is a good dam for a Cat. But My life is with humans now. My FamMan and FamWoman.

Another deep breath for Garrett as he contemplated the fact that Artemisia would be a wonderful mother.

And he couldnat get over that it seemed she had already moved on from him.

Evening was finally falling and his feeta”and hearta”itched. He didnat want to return to MidCla.s.s Lodge. Or his office. He was too unsettleda”hadnat been like this sincea”well, maybe never.

So he went to a friend, Laev TaHawthorn.

They sat in Laevas study and discussed the murder case, Laev watching him with a penetrating gaze. Rusby was stretched out on the arched back of Garrettas wing chair, and Laevas FamCat, a long-haired black named Brazos, slept on a pillowed cat tree.

Finally the GreatLord said, aWhatas bothering you?a Garrett stood, walked to the bare fireplace, then to windows looking out on a gra.s.syard that had been tended for centuries. He turned to his friend with a grimace. aI made a bad mistake.a He heard Laevas breath. The man tapped his fingertips together. aI can probably fix any mistake that youave made. Run through all your gilt already?a aNo!a aFalsify any data in the Iasc experiment?a Garrettas face set in the new lines head developed with the ordeal. aOf course not. Sick. Nothing during that whole fliggering project was within my control.a aTough. Commit any crimes?a His shoulders tensed. aNo crime, but I broke a big law.a Laevas brows went high as if in disbelief. aWhich law?a aI told my HeartMate we were HeartMates.a aYou finally found your HeartMatea”a Laev began to grin, then frowned as he processed the rest of Garrettas sentence.

aYou did what?a Laev asked.

Garrett didnat think head ever seen the man so surprised. His mouth had fallen open. aYou heard me,a Garrett grumbled.

Laevas sucked-in breath was easily heard. aWho?a he rasped.

aArtemisia Mugwort.a Again Laevas jaw dropped. His Adamas apple bobbed as he swallowed, then snapped his teeth shut. aFliggering Cave of the Dark G.o.ddess,a Laev said.

Garrett didnat think head heard the man curse before. Not something a sophisticated GreatLord did. Garrettas insides tensed as his nose whiffed danger. Looking at the man from under lowered eyelids, Garrett slid into a chair and kept his lounge casual.

Laev straightened in his own chair, not looking cool at all, as if Artemisia Mugwort was someone special to him. But Laev was HeartBonded to his wife, Camellia. Garrett searched his memory for anything that Laev might have said and remembered that Laev had indicated that he knew her. Mistake on Garrettas part, talking about her. aDidnat know you were such a stickler for the rules.a aItas a pretty big law you broke,a Laev said crisply.

Garrett stretched his muscles. He was bigger than Laev, could move as fast, and was a better fighter than the lord with everything other than blazers. aWhatas Artemisia Mugwort to you?a

Twenty-four.

Artemisia Mugwort saved my womanas life,a Laev TaHawthorn said, scowling at Garrett.

Uh-oh.

Reaching out to a blue green perscry on the table next to the chair, Laev took it and ordered, aScry Artemisia Mugwort.a Worse and worse.

aArtemisia here,a she said.

Garrettas heart gave a hard thud in his chest at the sight of her. She wore fancy braids and a black evening dress of the latest style with a square neckline that showed the tops of her full b.r.e.a.s.t.s. His c.o.c.k stirred. Dammit!

aGreetyou, TaHawthorn,a Artemisia said politely. She seemed to be sitting in a booth in an expensive club. The wallpaper appeared to be silkeen, the cus.h.i.+on behind her blue leather. aWhat can I do for you?a she asked.

That was Artemisia, always offering to help without thinking of the cost.

aAre you alone?a Laev asked.

Her pretty arched brows rose. aFor the moment, but Iam not sure how long I will be.a aEnd the call when necessary,a Laev said. aGarrett Primross just told me that he broke the law by informing you that you and he are HeartMates.a She flushed . . . all the way down to her neckline and Garrett noted that her b.r.e.a.s.t.s rose and fell with ragged breaths.

aWhat do you want me to do to him?a Laev asked.

aYouare friends. I donat want you to hurt your friend.a Laev smiled over the scry at Garrett, an arrogant FirstFamily GreatLord smile. Garrett sat straight.

aI take some things very seriously,a Laev said, then, aYour father canat be happy with this.a Which had Garrett thinking about the puzzle he wouldnat let nag at him again, Artemisiaas Family and her homea”though the information that her father was an ex-judge spurted through his brain. The elder Mugwort would not approve of Garrettas actions.

Artemisiaas lips firmed. She lifted her chin. aMy father doesnat know about this. I prefer he doesnat find out.a aWhat do you want me to do to Garrett?a Laev repeated.

Garrett was beginning to sweat. Head misjudged the n.o.ble. Stup to think Laev was his friend first, would stand by him no matter what, even if Garrett was in the wrong. Stup!

Artemisiaas eyes went distant for a moment. aMy . . . gallant . . . has arrived. I thank you for your interest, GreatLord TaHawthorn, but I want you to do nothing to GentleSir Primross. Let this matter go.a aIam not surea”a Laev began but stopped as a big man entered the picture, walking like a fighter.

aBarton Clover,a said the guy. aVery pleased to meet you, GentleLady Mugwort.a Artemisia waved her fingers and Laevas perscry went dark.