"Did you hear what kind of trap?" Kaoren asked. He’d handled the interruption with almost his usual aplomb, but with just a little extra colour in his cheeks – and a cushion in his lap.
"They’re making it hard for me to get near," Lira said, shrugging. "I only heard two of them arguing about how it was a bad idea because it risked speeding something up or making something break, but the other one said that it doesn’t matter if it speeds up because if they have a second touchstone they’ll be able to finish off properly and then they won’t have to worry about it at all again."
"Any idea when their trap will be ready?" I asked, and she shook her head.
"They’re frightened," she said, with some considerable satisfaction. "They need to get you soon. Can you show me what this world looks like?"
She sounded angry when she asked, which was a combination of very justifiable rage at the people who’d kidnapped her, and an attempt to disguise a resurgence of the sheer horror of her half-life, which she seems to be trying not to focus on in preference to revenging herself by foiling the plans of Photoshop Gods.
There was no way I was going to say no to showing Lira anything, and all five of us ended up taking her on tour, since Sen woke up when Ys went to tell Rye, and attached herself to Lira in a pleased and very protective way. And the kids were useful tour-guides, too, since they insisted on pointing out the things which most interested them as residents of a non-technological world. Moving walkways and elevators and the KOTIS ship dock, and the roof with its whitestone expanse and the enormous storm roiling in the distance. The one thing we didn’t see was many people. Kaoren told me that the bluesuits pretended they were having a drill, put KOTIS on alert, and actually cleared corridors rather than have too many people see her, since Lira is very secret still, and stands out incredibly in her formal Lantaren outfit.
Sen was asleep on her feet by the time we reached the roof, and Kaoren carried her back down to our apartment and put her to bed, while I trailed along making sure Rye kept walking in his enthusiasm to describe what travelling in the ships was like (they’re all immensely impressed by the ships). Lira faded away before we’d quite reached the apartment, and I spent quite a while talking to Ys and Rye over the interface, since Rye’s caught up with Ys in understanding just how bad a situation Lira is in, and went all white-faced and horrified when I couldn’t promise him that we’d save her. As soon as I left them they both hopped into Sen’s bed, which is a sign of how deeply upset by this they are.
Kaoren’s been in interface meetings ever since, but is very unkeen on letting me out of his sight. Another trap for me is not a good thing.
Friday, October 31
Little Gestures
Kaoren had Sight dreams about me all night. The same thing over and over – me falling and him trying to catch me but my hands slipping through his. Sight Sight isn’t supposed to be prophetic, so it’s likely a reaction to his awareness that there’s an existing threat. He was a wreck by morning (and I wasn’t that great, because he thrashed about and even kneed me in the stomach once), and when breakfast time rolled around, we came very close to having an argument because Kaoren wanted to arrange for someone else to take Siame home.
We were fortuitously interrupted by the delivery of a huge number of parcels – the results of my shopping spree – which certainly gave the kids some fun over breakfast. I’m trying to restrain the urge to buy them everything, but even things which are practical replacements in my eyes (like the endless amounts of bubble bath Sen gets through) also count as impossible largesse in their eyes.
To my delight, among the parcels was one which had been forwarded care of Maze, and I tore it open to find that Siame’s book gift had been reproduced precisely as ordered, with my laboriously transcribed titles included. This was a serious distraction for Kaoren, who not only was very interested in the contents (and forced himself to not more than glance at it because it was Siame’s gift), but also the fact that I’d managed to get it made without him knowing. I’d simply forgotten about it, which appears to be an excellent way to keep secrets from Sight Sight talents.
One of the things I’d ordered was some useful paper, a thick piece of which I folded and wrote on, and a big sheet I measured out against the (huge) book, then gave to the kids the assignment of drawing pictures to make a birthday card and wrapping paper. Kaoren I took off to the shower, to talk him into going with Siame. I don’t want him not doing something which would normally be so important to him, just because he’s afraid for me. I guess that might count as our first full and proper argument, because we definitely had the make-up sex.
He was pretty subdued afterwards, but quietly joined me in adding drawings to the wrapping and card – really exquisite pictures of some of the animals we’d seen on Muina, which he told me privately his parents would consider embarrassing just because they’d been done on something like wrapping paper. I think I’m going to struggle to like his parents, if I ever meet them.
But the present looked great, all wrapped up in embarrassing art: my little plan to convey to Siame that she’s not lost a brother, but instead gained an extended family. But Siame’s reaction, when we went down to see her off, was focused almost entirely on Kaoren’s drawings. It was hard to tell if she was upset that I’d managed to break Kaoren’s ban on drawing, or pleased that he’d drawn something for her. She was on her best behaviour otherwise, self-assured and very polite – despite being tremendously weak and shaky still. No wonder she’s feeling down – being sick always makes you feel awful. Her birthday’s the day after tomorrow, and I can only hope that the book wasn’t just the thing to make her more annoyed with me.
Today was a rough day. Even though my move to Tare had been kept very quiet, and I was thoroughly guarded, being away from me for the seven hours it took to fly Siame to Unara, settle her in, and then fly back was not something Kaoren found easy to face – especially when it involved Siame being so ill, and having to talk to his parents. He ended up asking me to keep him permanently in-channel again, streaming what was around me to him, which I did (except for going to the bathroom) and of course nothing dramatic happened at all, but it helped.
Lira’s warning has meant a higher level of alert on all three worlds. I was assigned to Twelfth for the day, and Zan simply incorporated me and the kids into their training regime, while ensuring I was thoroughly guarded at all times. She managed to make it seem almost natural that there were always at least two squad members within five feet of me. But the stress level among all the squads is high, and so many of the Setari look exhausted or are sporting injuries. We had the good news that all the malachite marble locations have been discovered, but the technicians at Oriath have made little progress with the ramp of crushing doom. They’re experimenting with sonics as a way to keep the words out, but so far have only made it an extra foot or so down the ramp before the poor drone goes squish.
November Again
Saturday, November 1
Keyed Up
Another bad night for Kaoren. Beyond remaining notably unkidnapped, I don’t know what I can do for him. It must be awful to have something like Sight Sight shouting at you that the person you love is in danger. Other than keeping tensely alert and taking all logical precautions, you can only wait and try and stop it when it happens. I’m less keyed up about it myself, but in a kind of determined way, because if I let myself think too much about it I’m going to have a few rip-roaring nightmares of my own.