Page 39

The greenhouse had been arranged to accommodate the guests and the doctors working at the research lab.

Emharo was dressed for dinner, her hair was up and she was politely serving the guests the food that Weelar had prepared. It smelled great.

Rivvin was dressed formally, as well, wearing a deep blue shirt the same colour as his hair and dark trousers tucked into military-style boots. His hair was braided away from his temples, and the rest of it flowed loose down his back.

Morro and Weelar were dressed for dinner, as well, but they were barely noticeable to Em, who kept her gaze as averted from Rivvin as possible. She wanted to stare at him, but it would have been glaringly obvious during their little dinner party. Instead, she did rounds with water, wine and trays of food kept warm on the sideboard.

Morro commented, “This is an amazing range of foods, Harold.”

Em’s father smiled, “We are fortunate in our child and our niece. Our niece Neeka is away from the lab for now, but she is as skilled at hunting as Emharo is at collecting what we need for any given project.”

Emharo paused when everyone at the table turned to look at her. “What?”

Rivvin cocked his head. “Have you always had this skill?”

Em looked to her parents and nodded. “It is one of my mother’s favourite stories.”

Emaline lifted her wine glass and smiled. “The first time we noticed it, Em was five. She and Neeka were playing on the beach, and Neeka cut herself. Instead of running for help, Em ran to the shoreline and picked up a fish, opened it up with her fingers and took out a nasty-smelling gland. She pressed it to Neeka’s cut, and then, they walked back to the lab together. When we wiped the residue away from the cut, it was gone, only a wide line remained. The gland she had found had the ability to knit tissue. The only perplexing thing was how she had found it to begin with.”

Harold smiled, “She explained how she found the fish and it glowed and the inside glowed brighter than the outside, so that is what she used. We tested the fish and have now crafted a coagulant for use after surgeries.”

Em continued to eat her meal while keeping an eye on everyone at the table to make sure they were not missing anything she could provide.

Morro asked her parents, “Do you harvest the fish for the product?”

Her mother smiled. “No, we have protein synthesizers that are used to provide basic ingredients. Once she brings something to us, it is our job to copy it for use in the city.”

Em finished her meal and got to her feet, picking up the water and wine pitchers and making a swift round of the table.

Rivvin looked up at her while she refilled his cup. “Does your cousin share this skill?”

Emharo frowned, “Not precisely. She is a hunter. Her skill lies in tracking and dispatching her prey. I like the sea, she prefers the land.”

Morro cleared his throat. “Is she nearby?”

Em smiled, “No, she will be gone for a few weeks. She is taking some of the city folk on a trip through the wilds. Ever since the Tokkel raids, more people have been interested in learning how to live away from the city. Neeka teaches a crash course in survival.”

She poured Morro a glass of water and finished her rounds before resuming her seat next to her parents.

Rivvin looked at her directly, without any subterfuge. “Emharo, are you engaged or have a gentleman caller of any species?”

She blushed and squirmed in her chair. “Um. No. Aside from the Gaians, the only compatible species here are those of the Nine, and you are the first that I have met.”

Her mother piped up. “She isn’t seeing anyone. The last eligible male in the area left after the summer training session here at the lab, and she managed to ignore him the entire time he was here.”

“Emaline, what are you doing?”

Harold Baker was curious.

Emharo buried her face in her hand and leaned on the table. “Well, Rivvin, as you have heard, the answer is no. I am not socially seeing anyone.”

He had his shark-like grin in place once again. “Good.”

Morro looked at him with concern. “Rivvin?”

“Be quiet, Morro. If you have an objection, raise it privately.”

Rivvin’s voice was flat.

Morro shrugged and continued to eat.

Emharo turned to Weelar, “Thank you for your excellent managing of the ingredients. The food was wonderful.”

Everyone immediately followed that train of conversation, and soon, Weelar’s pale skin was turning lavender from the praise.

Em exhaled and took a gulp of the wine.

Conversation turned to the research, into the uses of renewable products and the exclusive discoveries that were unable to be synthesized. Em didn’t bother chipping into the conversation, she simply sat and nursed her wine while the biologists, chef and her parents spoke.

The urge to do something took over, so she whispered to her mother, “May I be excused? The nocturnal plankton is blooming.”

“Yes, dear. Please be careful.”

Her mother leaned over and gave her a peck on the cheek.

Em got to her feet with relief. “Please excuse me.”

The three men of the Nine rose to their feet as she exited, and she could feel Rivvin’s gaze on her back. Fortunately, she would soon be underwater and he was stuck being a guest.

Rivvin watched the relieved set to Emharo’s shoulders and smiled inwardly. He looked to her mother, “May I ask where she is off to?”

“There is a phosphorescent plankton bloom out in the bay, and she wants to gather samples. She is taking the boat, I hope.”

Dr. Emaline Baker smiled hopefully.

“You can’t keep her in, can you?”

He was beginning to realise that whatever Emharo’s talent was it was part compulsion.

Emaline shook her head. “No. She would always leave in the middle of the night and come back with what she felt was needed for the next day. It got to the point where we would simply give her a list to collect before she went to bed so that we could generally control where she went.”

“Would you excuse me to accompany her?”

Emaline looked at him with hope. “Would you? That would relieve my mind.”

Morro frowned at him. “Rivvin, what are you up to?”

Rivvin sighed, “What nature intended. You will understand when it strikes you, Morro. I will see you after I return.”

Rivvin got to his feet, bowed to those sitting at the table and quickly moved to follow his lady down to the dock. If he gave her the chance, she would be free of him, and with their bond so tenuous, he needed to strengthen it as quickly as he could. The chemical bond he had formed with her would only last another two days. If he didn’t press his suit, she would be lost to him.

He jumped in the boat next to her, and she shrieked in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

“Accompanying you on what I am sure will be a matter of biological interest.”

He meant his biology, but it was not necessary for him to inform her. Rivvin was sure she would figure it out soon enough.