Page 7
Story: Lost Companion
“Programming and childcare.”
“Interesting combination.”
“I think so. I was a nanny, a caregiver, and I stayed with the children under my care until they were put into a crèche grouping and sent to Lefaver.”
“They are good with children. What happened to their parents?”
“They ran. They told me to take care of them, and they left their children with me.”
“Usually, they keep bonded groups together.”
“Oh, the kids blamed me for their parents’ disappearance. They panicked every time I had to move us for fear of their parents never finding them. They rejected my care and separated themselves from me.”
Horib said, “You never showed them the message.”
Riley finished her meal. “There didn’t seem to be a point to making them feel that rejected.”
“But you let them direct their rage to you instead.”
“I’m a big girl. I can take it. It was better to leave them to their illusions.”
“You know that they will be able to get the details of their intake when they are adults.”
“If they want the information, my phone was downloaded for recordkeeping. The kids made me keep it in case their parents called or texted. They really didn’t understand how communications worked.”
Horib sighed. “That is tense.”
“Yeah. A small sliver of an eventful two years.”
“Was there violence?”
“Yes. Some received, some administered.” She chuckled and finished her tea.
“Yeah, I sense that about you. So does Lady Ranna.”
“Which is why she set a ridiculously high bond on me. I had better be entertaining as hell for the next five years.”
Horib chuckled. “You are off to a good start, but you know she will feed off your emotions, right?”
“I know. It’s a Hmrain thing, but several of my people have been taken on as consorts, and they are fine and well, so I am not afraid of that. She knows I am a Hmrain match.”
Horib blinked. “Right. Of course.”
“I am not into females, but on my world, young ladies of wealth would hire well-trained young women who had fallen on hard times and needed an income. They would be in a servant-sister position, and so far, this is what Lady Ranna has offered to me.”
Ranna’s voice came from the doorway. “You have a good grasp on the situation.” The door swung open completely. “That is what I want from you, and I hope it benefits both of us. Are you ready to dress like an Arro lady?”
“Nope, but anything is better than the bond shift.”
Ranna grinned. “That’s the spirit. Come on, time to get naked in a room full of ladies.”
“Ah, that takes me back to school locker rooms.” She got up and followed Lady Ranna down to a sitting room on the main floor. “Just don’t snap a towel at me.”
Lady Ranna turned her head and smiled. “I will save that for a spa day.”
Riley chuckled and caught up with Ranna as they got to the sitting room, where a selection of food was on a warming tray along with more of the morning tea.
Horib came in and served Ranna tea before leaving to answer the door.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7 (Reading here)
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60