Blood Double (God Wars #1)(49)

I stared—I know I did. One of the tallest men I'd ever met stood as I walked in the room. He wasn't Larentii-tall, but that didn't matter. Dark hair. Darker eyes. A handsome face. Jeans, boots and a polo met my gaze. My hand covered my mouth. I felt as if I'd waited a long time to see this man, and had only realized it.

"I have no idea why he wishes to see you, but one does not refuse a request from a right hand of the Mighty." Gavin's mumbled words confused me, but I didn't turn in his direction. No, my eyes stayed on the visitor. Had my mind worked a little better in my confusion, I might have wondered how it was he'd known to visit me. The term the Mighty might have piqued my interest, too, but all that took a back seat to what was in front of me.

"Trajan Gibson," the tall man held out a hand. I didn't know whether to close my mouth or take the offered hand, first. It didn't matter—Trajan closed the distance and took my fingers in his. My mouth snapped shut shortly after.

*

"I had a better vision," Rabis said. Ashe turned sharply. He'd gotten mindspeech from his grandfather shortly after he'd returned to SouthStar with Trajan. They'd gone out briefly for supplies but hadn't stayed long—Ashe felt it was too dangerous.

"Better how?" Ashe asked.

"I saw her for more than a few Earth seconds, this time. She seems frightened. In danger, too, but very, very close. If I were to estimate, I'd say within a day or two."

"Really?" Ashe felt real hope for the first time in decades. "Will she—still need help?"

"Yes," Rabis' eyes had gone dark with prophecy. "More so now than ever. You must take a great deal of care and make sure she is not upset."

*

"I had to drop the Mighty's name. Gavin didn't want me to see you," Trajan led me through the Queen's arboretum later, my hand tucked firmly on his arm. I'd barely spoken—all I could do was stare. This time, I found my voice.

"He doesn't want anybody to see me," I sighed.

"Look, I sort of figured this out, Ashe gave me the talent," Trajan grinned. His grin was worth a lot to me—nobody had smiled at me in a while. "What I can't figure out," he added, "is why Gavin's being such an ass."

"Being an ass is his raison d'etre," I pointed out.

"You know, I've heard that before. From other people. Ashe seems to like him, though."

"I have no idea why."

"Look, I hear this is your day off. Why don't you come home with me? Bill can feed us lunch."

"Lunch?" My responses could certainly use help, I decided.

"Yeah. You know—food?"

"I'm vegetarian," I said.

"I think we can still find something for you. Bill's pretty good at that."

"I want to come," I said. I did. If Trajan asked, I think I'd be willing to go anywhere.

"Good enough. Gavin said to send mindspeech when I was done talking to you. He didn't say where we had to talk, did he?" Trajan was grinning again. Yeah, I was smiling right back at him.

Did I say I couldn't read Trajan? I couldn't. That didn't matter in the least to me. I'd taken one look at his face and that was it. He could fold space, too. Easily. And where he took me, I can't begin to describe properly.

"Gishi fruit trees. Miles of 'em," Trajan said, as I stared at an enormous grove of trees.

"This is where the ice cream comes from," I whispered in awe. I couldn't see the end of the trees—they disappeared beyond my gaze in a greenish-gray mist.

"The ice cream comes from EastStar. They have the patent, but I know the owners," Trajan said, running a gentle hand over my shoulders. His hands were large with a few calluses from hard work, the nails trimmed neatly.

"You get ice cream whenever you want?"

"Yeah. They always send enough to keep us until the next harvest," he said.

"I only got to eat it once, and it was heaven in a cup," I said.

"It is," Trajan agreed. "Come on, I'll take you to the house and introduce you to Bill. Ashe may come in, too. I want to show him what I found." Did I know he was going to lean down and kiss my forehead? No. Did I mind? Hell, no.

The house turned out to be a palace. Nearly as big as the palace on Le-Ath Veronis, I found I liked it better. Shining white walls, blue domes trimmed in gold, it was something from a fairy tale. One I wouldn't mind living in.

"Bill Jennings," Bill introduced himself. Yes, I stared. I knew him. Or at least knew of him.

"Bill Jennings, Director of the Joint NSA and Homeland Security Department? That Bill Jennings?" I squeaked.

"How did you know?" Bill was curious and surprisingly not upset that I knew his face.

"I'm from Texas," I gave him my best Texas accent and held out my hand.

"Really?" Trajan settled onto a barstool standing next to the largest kitchen island I'd ever seen in my life. "I'm from Texas, too. If my brother hadn't told me to come take a look at you," he shook his head in confusion.

"Trace is your brother." Yes, I'd seen Trace. Had only done a quick read on him—there hadn't been much time to devote to him and the others at NorthStar.

"I almost blew him off," Trajan grinned. "Man, look what I would have missed." He pulled me onto the barstool next to his, while Bill served potato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. Bill then sat down with us to eat as we talked.