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W eek one was strange , and there was a lot of acclimatization. Mortimer was now king of the enormous apartment and liked to sit on his stand while she wrote music.

Being able to spend all day with her hobby meant that she had to set timers to go to her standing reservation at Klauz s. She had a table for one at every meal.

She was able to order from a menu and not get Klauz to her table. She wanted to get in and out and back to her music.

Music was her passion, but she didn t want to sell it; she was just compelled to make it. Ever since her body had started to vibrate with sound, she had been locked into making music.

She finished her meal and left the restaurant, running into Arcady and her other three partners. Oh, hi.

Arcady looked disappointed. I thought we had enough time to catch you today.

Um, I just eat and leave.

Arcady bounced on her feet. What did Klauz get for you?

I ordered off the menu.

What?

You can do that.

Oh. Right. Arcady looked crushed. You were just busy today.

Yeah.

Kritz kept his arm around Arcady. Cadence, what is your favourite meal here?

Cadence pinched the bridge of her nose. I don t know. I just need to get back to my room. I am enjoying the break so far. I haven t had one before.

Arcady looked like she was going to cry. Arcady, don t you fucking think about. I can and will take you over my knee, and it will feel like you are making out with an electric fence. If you want to see me at dinner, tell me.

Kritz paused. You didn t ask her to dinner?

Arcady winced. They told me she arrived at six, so I thought we had time.

Also, Arcady, I sit at a table for one. It is a mechanical action. I come in, I sit down, I eat, and then I go back to my apartment. That s it. Nothing else.

Arcady asked softly, Did you want to go shopping on the weekend? Cori is really good at shopping.

I am not getting between you and any of your lovers.

Arcady blinked. What?

Never mind. Have a nice dinner. Good evening to you all. She smiled at all three of them and nodded to Arcady.

She got into the elevator and returned to her apartment. It was quiet. Mortimer was at her side the moment she walked in.

I don t think that Arcady has ever appreciated the silence of an empty room.

She has always had people around her, and they are drawn to her.

That isn t my case, and now that my skin hums, it is less likely that I will find a compatible partner.

Tomorrow, we find out if the cell was able to break out of prison and attach, and if it did, it would explain the pain I felt yesterday morning.

Mortimer rubbed against her legs, and she went to her music room and got to work. She needed to get more music out of her. It was becoming imperative.

* * * *

K ritz looked at Arcady . What do you know about how your sister lived her life before last week?

Arcady blushed. I don t know a lot. She said she went into foster care here in Aksalla when she was twelve.

How did she get here? You were from the capitol.

Arcady blinked. Oh. I didn t think about that. I was with Thomas. She paused. She said that when she left home, Thomas didn t want her. That means she came to us, and I didn t know. That bastard!

And what would she do next?

I guess she would head off to Aksalla somehow.

Do you know what happens to anyone found crossing the Aksallan border? They are arrested, put in cells, and then they are assessed while their identity is sought.

Arcady blinked. Cadence wouldn t mind much. She was always on her own.

Bunny, do you know what kind of cells those are? She s tall for a female, and until her age was confirmed, she would have been in the female general population.

Oh.

So, if she doesn t like contact now, there may be a reason.

Klauz walked up and nodded at Kritz. She comes in, asks for a menu, and seems to be able to choose which days I am late to work and leave just before I arrive. In the evening, she appears after I am usually attending other tables and asks for a menu and gets a single entr e and then leaves.

Kritz said, Do you think she is getting enough?

No. Not now and not for later in her gestation.

Kritz nodded. How would you feel about hosting a barbecue?

With six babies? Great. Any chance at being an adult.

Good. We will arrange it with her. Maybe next weekend?

Klauz nodded. Full consortium?

Yes. I think she needs to meet as much family as possible, as quickly as possible, before she cuts herself off.

Arcady frowned. Why?

Because she came from a huge family, and every single one of them rejected her. I have a suit for her to wear so that she can move without worrying. It is also rigged with monitors so her bio-signs can be tracked.

Arcady blinked. Oh, right. The baby.

If tomorrow s scan indicates pregnancy, Zera is going to have to arrange a photographer. These images need to be pretty, soft, and sweet.

Why?

Because we are trying to use them to wake the dead or the nearly dead. Aksalla promised him that they would find him a partner, and after he was injured, he was put into cold sleep. If this works, we can wake him up.

Tycho asked, How long has he been out?

He paused and carefully said, Twelve years.

Corianne blinked. You aren t serious?

Kritz smiled. Oh, very.

Arcady stared. What am I missing?

Kritz grinned. You will learn when your sister does. It would not be fair otherwise.

Fair?

Fair. I believe the stress of the mystery is driving some of the solitary behaviours.

Arcady paused. How do you know my sister better than I do?

One loner recognizes another. It took a cheerful little bunny to knock me out of it.

Arcady snuggled in close to him and leaned her head on his shoulder. She was worried. Cadence was never this standoffish.

* * * *

C adence got into the transport pod and was whisked to the Z-Corp building by Arcady. She was checked through security and into the lift in under a minute.

Morning, Arcady.

Morning, Cadence. Did you have a nice breakfast?

I forgot.

Arcady looked at her. Forgot?

Yes. After I threw up dinner, I wasn t hungry again.

You should let Klauz pick. He s really good and very nice.

He s busy. I am a repeating annoyance.

They reached the lab level, and Zera was waiting for them. Cadence. How are you feeling?

Fine.

Arcady said, She threw up yesterday s meal. She always had a nervous stomach around secrets.

Cadence snorted. You are right. That hasn t changed.

Zera took her hand, blinked, and slowly let it go. Let s go get the tests done. There will be bloodwork, a weigh-in, and an internal ultrasound.

Delightful.

They went to the exam room, and Dr. Amber was there, administering the tests and sending the blood vial off with Arcady. The internal ultrasound was done, and the peppercorn speck of the embryo was starting.

Cadence sat up as soon as the wand was out. Only thirty-nine weeks to go.

Dr. Amber looked at some of the reports. You are eating?

I set a timer for lunch and dinner.

Nothing else?

Cadence sighed. I forget. It isn t important when I get up.

I have trouble getting started in the morning without a ton of caffeine, but in the contract, it said I had to abstain.

I am really trying, but I can t think, and it s like walking underwater half the time. My head hurts, and I am nauseated.

Dr. Amber frowned in concern. Fruit juice. Start the morning with fruit juice. Fresh if you can get it.

Hah. Not fucking likely. I have been given the easiest setup imaginable, and I am still screwing it up. Cadence snorted. Feeding myself has always been a battle. Feeding my passenger is going to be difficult.

Arcady asked, What?

I can t eat when I am stressed, and this situation stresses me out more than I thought when I signed the contract. I have no idea who I am growing.

Dr. Amber took the test results and smiled. Your levels are climbing well. Give it another week, and if other arrangements need to be made, they will be. But that said, congratulations, you are pregnant.

She smiled weakly. Oh. Good.

Dr. Amber put her hand on Cadence s knee.

You are carrying the child of a very good man.

He saved millions of lives over his career.

Aksalla promised him the one thing he couldn t find: a partner.

Their seers had determined that if he remained here, a partner would present herself.

He volunteered to be put into stasis until she showed up.

He had been promised an heir. Aksalla s promise was an heir for him.

I thought his girlfriend had lost two pregnancies.

Two prior attempts have been made. The sperm shredded right through the egg in one and exploded another.

They were industrious bastards.

Dr. Amber nodded. If you have spare time, learn Toulan. You might enjoy a new project.

Kritz looked at Dr. Amber in surprise.

Um. Thanks. I need things to distract me now that my schedule is gone.

The doctor looked at her kindly. Walk me through your day.

I wake up, go to the gym, shower, go for lunch, come back, write music for four hours, my alarm tells me when it s time to go for dinner. I come back and write more music until I am tired and need to sleep.

Dr. Amber smiled and touched her cheek. I think we need to get you someone to help you hang on by that thread.

This procedure is expensive enough. I don t want to incur any more debt.

This would be free of charge, and you could live out in the fresh air without the press of people around.

Cadence felt tears rush to her eyes. How did you know?

You live in a body that few can touch. Being around those who kiss and cuddle is just one more thing you can t have.

Arcady looked pale, and Kritz looked embarrassed, but Cadence could barely see them through her blurred vision.

Dr. Amber smiled. I will make some arrangements. In the meantime, Toulan. Learn it. It will come in handy.

Okay. Thank you. And... thank you.

Dr. Amber patted her knee again. It is a long road ahead of you. You should not have to walk it alone.

She has me, Arcady said.