Page 7

C adence washed up for dinner. It had been so much fun just to spin and skip outside with no other bio-signs getting in her way. Only her underwear had given her an issue, but she could work around it. Amber said she would have something for her by the following day.

When she walked into the dining room, Amber was there, talking to a man who looked a lot like her. They both had dark hair, bronze skin, and bright gold eyes, but Amber looked quite a bit older.

Cadence asked softly, Where would you like me to sit?

Amber looked at her and smiled. It s a round table, so sit where you like. Oh, Cadence, this is Rake. Rake, this is your student, Cadence.

Cadence smiled at him. He was wearing clothing similar to hers, but his looked different. It looked very well worn. Pleased to meet you.

He didn t reach for her hand, and that made her slump in relief.

She went to seat herself, and Rake sat a few seats over. Co arrived with their meal and snorted. If you could sit further apart, that would be great.

Cadence went pink and moved one seat over, closer to Rake. Amber grinned and moved so she was one seat away as well. It was only marginally all right.

Co said, Better.

She could feel the body heat on either side of her, but there were other directions for the energy to go, so it wasn t too bad.

The meal was all set out family-style, and Co filled a plate for her. We need to make you stronger, little one.

I am not little.

You are so skinny I could snap you and use you to spark a flame. Co gave her more mashed potatoes.

Rake chuckled. You are a little on the slender side.

I am usually a blur and fighting my clothes, so it doesn t show.

Rake was serving himself. Well, I am here to make sure that you maintain balance. When you are up to it, we will start a gentle exercise regimen.

She smiled. Thanks. I was trying to work out at the apartment, but there were a lot of actives in there, and they didn t respect personal space.

Amber blinked. What? Why didn t you mention it at the appointment?

Exercise was in the contract, and I didn t know how to bring it up. She felt really relaxed. It is hard to explain that a giant, green active fireman is sniffing you while you re on the treadmill.

Rake smiled. He has good taste. Did he leave a name?

Yeah. They added themselves to my com.

Amber frowned. How?

Cadence said, Would you like a demonstration?

Amber nodded. Sure. Show me.

For this to work, there needs to be two. One to grab your wrist for the add and the other to grab your hand and force the addition. Cadence grabbed Amber s arm and brought her other hand over to tap it to accept the new signal.

Why did it take two of them?

I was playing hard to get, apparently. She rubbed her wrists as she sat down. The bruises healed in three days.

Rake smiled. Can I see their idents and any messages?

The messages are gross. Here are the idents. She showed him.

Rake smiled. Thank you. I will look into it and contact the appropriate authorities.

Oh, uh, did they do something wrong?

Amber said, Harassing someone in a gym is not appropriate, and if they are both actives, it isn t legal. Their very approach to you was the use of undue force.

Rake nodded. This will be handled. Did they know you were carrying?

Yeah, that is why they dropped me and told me to call them when I was in a safe zone.

Amber gasped. Cadence, why didn t you call?

I was just upset, a few bruises. Nothing that endangered the project.

After dinner, I would like to check things.

Rake lifted his head from his com. May I be there? I can close my eyes and face the corner, but I need to know more about your physical state.

Cadence shrugged. Sure. At this point, I feel the entire universe has seen me.

Amber chuckled. It was only your sister, Dr. Kritz, myself, and everyone watching your scans.

How many was that?

Sixteen or so. Aksalla has been very eager to get a viable pregnancy. They didn t want him waking and being irritated. Amber kept eating.

Rake snorted, and it cemented Cadence s suspicion.

Right, so let s just get this out of the way. You are Raek Wlar, and that is Im-bar, your sister. You are Battle Harmony or the Lost Song.

He sat back and chuckled. Im-bar thought we had a week at least.

I follow patterns, and the name reverberated wrong.

Amber smacked her forehead. Right. I forgot. He used to do that when he was a kid.

Raek smiled at Cadence. So, you are feeling well?

Yes. My sister and I were very amused during the IUI. Your contribution was... organized.

He grinned. I am highly organized.

Im-bar said, OCD. He has OCD. He used it to compensate for feeling all the confusion in the world before he could fix it.

Raek smiled. When I got older, I just fixed things.

She nodded. Right. So, since you have woken, and that was the goal, should I find somewhere else to be?

He frowned. Im-bar cleared her throat. No. He would like you to stay here.

Oh.

She smiled. He asked for an heir because there had to be a mother. That was what he was after.

That is also why there was no interference from Khytten allowed. It was buying time.

Im-bar chuckled. Correct.

Cadence looked down and had finished her meal. I think I need to go for a walk.

Raek finished his meal. I will join you. We have some things to discuss.

We do?

We do. You are an untrained harmonic on a large landmass. We need to discuss it.

She wrinkled her nose. Now?

Now. I am still recovering from cold sleep, so we won t be long.

She nodded and got to her feet. She could hear her body humming. She walked past him, and he got to his feet behind her.

She glanced behind her and saw Im-bar with a smile on her face. Cadence straightened and walked with the father of her baby close behind her.

She left via the door to the kitchen and inhaled the night scents of the kitchen gardens.

Raek said, Come this way.

Cadence walked with him, and she blinked. I didn t know there was a path this way.

He sighed softly. It opened up for me.

Oh. She walked slightly behind him.

He reached back and caught her hand, pulling her next to him. Cadence, do you know how rare you are?

No.

Most audio talents send sound through the world to achieve a purpose. You give off waves that are looking for disruptions to harmony.

This is my first time feeling the waves go out and not slamming into my clothing or walls or people.

He chuckled. How are you enjoying it?

It feels like I am wearing new skin.

Your harmony is wonderful.

Is it?

He nodded, and she felt a hum coming from him in slow waves. She got closer and leaned toward him. Her hum picked up speed, and then he took her hand, and the thrumming quieted. His harmonic ran over her skin, and he smiled as hers ran over him.

She tried to pull her hand away. Sorry. I didn t mean to... uh... hum on you?

He grinned. It s a first for me. I always thought that my match would have the same frequency, but this makes much more sense. You fill in all the silences.

She swallowed. Uh, good?

He stroked her hand then touched her cheek. We both need to get into better shape before anything else happens.

Anything else? Cadence looked at him.

I would like to pursue a relationship.

Why?

He looked confused. You are carrying my child.

It s a contract. It means I get to live free for nine months, and when I go back to work, I can find a way to live in the cage again. That is the life I am planning for.

Raek was stunned. You would choose that life?

Nature and my activation chose it for me. I just have to find a way to live with it. She shrugged. I am not my sister. I can t have folks falling over themselves to be with me. It is distasteful.

Wait. Are you saying that you don t want to be your sister, so you are rejecting me?

She wrinkled her nose. Yes.

Raek stepped back in surprise, turned, and walked away.

Cadence walked down the new path and slid her hands into her sleeves, trying to keep her head up and her soul quiet. It was better that way. She didn t want to lose herself. It was so hard to keep her mind together while it was trying to shake her apart.

She walked until the light faded and then turned back to go the way she had come, but the path was gone. Cadence looked around and kept walking along the original path. If she had to, she would fight her way out, but she hoped it didn t come to that. Her activation makes a mess.

* * * *

R aek growled at his sister. When the baby is here, I want her out. Find another trainer for her.

What the hell happened in the last ten minutes? Im-bar was shocked at his angry appearance.

She rejected me.

What? Im-bar blinked.

She muttered something about not wanting to be like her sister and rejected me.

Oh, hell. Yeah. She can t afford to be like her sister. Her activation is far more dangerous than Arcady s. Im-bar said, Have a seat. I will explain. I just have to grab a tablet.

She darted off and came back with a tablet. She brought up the schematics of Arcady s transformation and showed Raek. This is Cadence s older sister. Arcady. Arcady is a member of the Blind Date Corporation, and she is Dr. Kritz s wife.

That sounds reasonable. Why wouldn t she want to get married?

Kritz is not Arcady s only lover. She is also the lover of Tycho and Corianne. They are all biters, and Arcady has no compunction about flopping into their arms at any given moment, and everyone just chuckles and pets her for it.

Raek frowned. I am beginning to understand. I think.

Do you? Arcady insisted on hugging Cadence.

That is right for a sibling.

But Arcady is loaded with implants, so it hurt.

Right.

So Kritz designed a suit to compress Cadence s output so Arcady could hug her sibling. Cadence doesn t reach for her.

I am getting a bad feeling.

You should. Im-bar sat and unloaded everything she had learned about Cadence s origin, and she showed him the images that had been found of Cadence standing away from her family, with her arms covered on the hottest days.

Oh. So, she has fear of people.