Page 19

I tzak arrived at quarter to one, greeting me with his usual, “Hello, boss.”

I finished the row I’d been knitting and tucked the sweater, which was just about done, into my bag. “Afternoon, Itzak. How are you?”

“I’m fantastic. I love the fallow phase so much, I don’t even know where to start.

Slept in, then did a hot yoga class this morning, sat in the steam room after that, then swam laps before heading to a leisurely brunch at the dining hall and finally heading home to get ready for work. I wish it was like this all the time.”

I laughed. “Then we’d be the cruisers and not staff.”

“True. Is that what the cruising life is like? No wonder people love it.” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder at the two Ohuli-occupied classrooms. “How’s it going with all of that?”

“It’s been busy. You won’t believe the number of people coming and going.” I’d expected to see Zanya, but so far she hadn’t shown up.

“I think I would. Everyone all over the ship is talking about them. Have you tried the meditation?”

“No, but I am going for a reading as soon as I’m done here.

” It wasn’t actually information I wanted to share, but he’d see me going in there, so it wasn’t like I could keep it a secret.

Besides, if everyone thought I was partaking, that would help sell the illusion of me being fine with the Ohuli’s presence on board.

“Really?” He blinked. “I didn’t think you were the type.”

I shrugged like it was no big deal. “Why not? They’re here, and that’s what they’re good at, right? Might as well take advantage of the situation. What about you? Are you going to try some meditation or get a reading?”

“Yeah, maybe. My girlfriend, Feena, she wants to. I guess we could do it together.”

“There you go.”

He came around behind the desk and logged on to the computer. “Any library business I need to catch up on?”

“Nothing major.” I tried to think if I was missing anything. “Oh. We did get a brand new Instachef.”

He turned to look at me. “You’re joking.”

“Nope. Go look in the breakroom and see for yourself.”

“I think I will.” Grinning, he went back to take a look.

I leaned in close to Harry. “Remember what I said now. Record everything.”

He subtly nodded.

Itzak returned a few minutes later, holding a matcha latte. “Okay, that is amazing. I kind of want to pick up extra shifts now.”

I chuckled. “You know it’s exactly the same as the Instachef in your quarters.”

“I know, but I don’t get paid to be there.”

“So noted.” Shaking my head, I grabbed my knitting bag. “All right, Harry, come along.”

He made a big show of getting up and stretching before hopping down and blinking sleepily at me.

“See you tomorrow,” Itzak said. “Enjoy your reading.”

“Thanks.” I gave a little wiggle of my fingers and, with Harry at my feet, went off to meet Mhari.

I was on edge. Mostly nervous that she would figure out I really didn’t want to do this. That I was just pretending and wasn’t going to believe anything she told me. What would she do if she saw through my pretense? I had no idea, but what could I do? I’d already agreed.

If I backed out now, it would only make things worse.

She emerged from the small classroom as I walked up, her smile gentle. “Good afternoon, Ellis. If I may call you that.”

“Sure, that’s fine.”

“I sense your apprehension. Put your mind at rest. There is nothing to fear.”

Easy for her to say , I thought. But I nodded. “I know. I’ve just never done anything like this.”

“Even better. It means your mind will be open. We’ll have a good reading. I just know it.” She glanced at Harry. “Your … pet should wait here.”

“He’s a companion droid. He’s not a biological cat. And he goes everywhere with me. He helps me be less anxious.” Worth a try, I figured.

“I see.” She didn’t look convinced, and her next smile failed to reach her eyes, which didn’t endear her to me at all. “He’ll be quiet and won’t interrupt?”

“He’ll probably curl up and fall asleep the minute he gets in that room. You’ll forget he’s there.”

“I suppose that’s all right then. Follow me.”

With a quick glance at Harry, I did just that. I knew he’d understood what I’d said.

The reading room, which seemed a highly ironic way to refer to the space, was lit only with the soft glow of a few scattered rechargeable candles and the light that came in through the door.

Despite the fact that they’d draped the windows, they weren’t closing the door. I wondered if that was to keep things from seeming too secret.

“Please.” Mhari gestured toward two thin floor pillows, but her hand was indicating she wanted me to take the one opposite the wall. That would put me with my back to the other sisters and the people they were reading.

I was fine with that, so I sat, setting my knitting bag to one side. Smart, wonderful Harry curled up beside me but made sure he was facing Mhari. His eyes closed but not all the way.

I had a feeling he’d be recording video and sound. Literally the best boy ever.

Mhari sat cross-legged on the other pillow, arranging her voluminous robe around herself as she got into position.

I realized at that moment that I had nothing to give her, if she pressed me for a tip. Yes, I could transfer credits to someone else with my wristband, but she didn’t have a wristband or an Athos account to make any of that possible.

I supposed that was as good an excuse as any not to tip, which I hadn’t planned on doing anyway. Rewarding her for this charade would really ruffle my feathers.

“What now?” I wasn’t playing dumb either. I’d never done anything like this. Never gone in for palm-reading or tarot cards or the many other variations I’d seen on trips planetside. Every civilization, no matter how new or how ancient, had a version of fortune-telling.

What was it that P.T. Barnum had said about people being gullible? Seemed that didn’t exclusively apply to those born on Earth.

Mhari held out her hand, palm up. “Place your hand on mine and relax. This will not hurt you in any way, Ellis.”

For some reason, I didn’t find her reassurance very reassuring. I put my hand on hers. Her skin was warm and rougher than I thought it would be.

She placed her other hand on top of mine. “Close your eyes and think about what you would most like to know about your future. As your mind works, you may feel yourself grow warm. Do not be alarmed. It is merely the presence of my energy reaching out to yours.”

If I had a hot flash, I was getting out of here, but I didn’t tell her that. I just nodded and closed my eyes like a good little actress. I didn’t really have any pressing questions about my future. Maybe I wasn’t normal in that regard, but I was pretty happy to discover the future as it happened.

Didn’t mean I didn’t make plans. I just knew that having a plan didn’t guarantee a thing. Ned and I had had plans. That poor man never even made it to retirement. And now I was living on a starliner.

Plans weren’t worth a hill of beans.

“You do not think much about the future, do you?” Mhari said softly.

“No, I don’t.” No reason not to be honest. It was easier than lying anyway.

“Life has brought you some difficult things.” The pressure of her hands increased against mine. Like she was afraid I might bolt.

She was right.

“But life has also brought you some wonderful things.”

I didn’t say anything. I didn’t know if she was waiting for some kind of acknowledgement, but both of those statements could have easily applied to anyone on the Athos .

“You’ve lost someone very near to you.”

Again, a blanket statement that was literally true for everyone.

“The loss changed you, in a way, did it not?”

I was starting to get warm, but I had a feeling that was due more to my temper than anything Mhari’s energy was doing. I opened my eyes a slit. “Loss tends to change a person.”

“But this loss was unexpected. It was a shock. It made you rethink your future in a way you had never done before.”

She wasn’t wrong, but again, it was a pretty generic statement. I stopped myself from sighing in frustration and dropped my head enough to sneak a peek at Harry.

He looked completely conked out. Was he really sleeping?

“Your future will be good, Ellis. It will bring you more than you think possible. As long as you let yourself be open to what the universe has for you. Opportunity is not an unending stream. It is a rare and occasional gift. When it comes, take it.”

So we’d gone from generic platitudes to a pep talk. I could see how some people might really buy into this. Weirdly, my internal temperature did feel like it was increasing, but at my age, there was nothing magical about that.

I gave her a tight smile and a quick nod. “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.” Thinking we were done, I started to pull my hand away, but she held fast.

“This is one of those gifts. You would be wise to take it.”

“Isn’t that what I’m doing now?” I might need a stop at the cryostasis chamber on the way home if I got any warmer.

A look that seemed a bit too much like pity filled her eyes. “Sadly, no. You are very closed.”

She let go of my hand. “When you are truly ready, come back to me and I will show you the path of the stars. Much awaits you, Ellis McFadden, but you must be vulnerable to it.”

Being vulnerable didn’t sound like a good thing, but I kept that to myself. “I will give that some serious thought. Thank you for your time.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I have all the time in the universe. Not everyone does. Remember that.”

I grabbed my knitting bag, got to my feet, and gave her another nod before heading out, Harry walking along with me.

It wasn’t until I was in the corridor that I realized Mhari’s words sounded very much like a threat.