Page 54 of Hope Forged
She harumphed and continued up the stairs.
“What truth did Amet omit?” he asked.
“I shall not repeat myself, so when I speak to Ziamee, then you, too, will know.” She stepped onto the path and drew in a deep breath.
Illan took a moment to enjoy the breeze cooling him before he activated his O.D.I. “Coll, to my location. You will need to lower a harness.”
“That is not necessary,” Ulta said. “Whatever you and Brac did has revealed the base. I can lock onto you and port you to Lady Faerar’s cave.”
“Do so,” Illan said, touching her on the shoulder. “Inform Coll of this.”
They appeared beside the fire pit.
She gasped, spun on the spot, then gripped Illan’s wrist. “Was that teleporting?”
“Much has changed since your crash landing.”
“Yes,” she said, smoothing her hair even as a wind tossed it. “TheHailewasn’t state-of-the-art when we bought it. I’d heard whisperings of this technology, but we encountered so few people…”
“Coll, how far out are you?” Illan asked his O.D.I.
“A few minutes.”
“What—” She clapped her hand over her mouth. When she removed it, she was beaming. “Oh, this is amazing. An O.D.I.? This’s real.” She laughed. “Are you here to take us offworld?”
“I plan to, yes.” He gazed at the sky painted so many breathtaking colors by the setting sun. “Why did you not return to theHaile?”
“I tried but couldn’t make it past the buvarre. Amet’s attempts to reach me were as futile.” Her gaze turned distant, darkened with sadness. “I expected to die alone.”
Illan couldn’t dwell on the past, not when nothing could be verified. “Tell me, is Amet a nizena?”
She frowned, her joy fading. “Why do you ask?”
“I am assuming a mother would return to her daughter if she is in pain.”
She paled. “Is Ziamee unwell?”
“She was injured badly many years ago. Twice.”
“I—didn’t know. She’s been limping for twelve years, but he said it was her lack of shoes.”
How deep did the lies go? What had Amet hoped to gain? His deception wasn’t what interested Illan. “The only explanation for Amet’s ability to shield this from you is that he has the gift.”
“I can’t say if he hid something from me. How would I know?” She narrowed her eyes. “It was by sheer luck I discovered the truth, so perhaps he’s a nizena.”
The low hum of the kuta approaching ended the conversation. She grinned as the shuttle landed, and yet her eyes held sadness hardened by anger.
The door opened to Ziamee leaping out and rushing toward them. She threw her arms around Illan, taking him by surprise. “Thank you,” she whispered, her words sending a spark of happiness through him. When she stepped back, tears dewed on her eyelashes. She faced her mother. “Mudya.”
“Little one,” Faerar said and dragged Ziamee into a hug. “I’ve watched you grow up, more beautiful than you know.”
“Why?” Ziamee demanded without pulling away. “Why did you leave me? Us?”
“Come, it’s time.”
“Faerar.” Amet’s voice held a warning note.
“To Hikos’s abyss with you,” Faerar snapped. “What other lies have you spun? I chose to abandon you both? I died? How could you, Amet? Did you tell her you broke the beacon? That you never wanted to leave this world?”
