Page 32 of Hainn

Shaking her head, she continued to the edge of the circle, stepping onto the pavement and glancing around in awe. It was as if she’d entered the goddess’s great circle at the original lab. Instead of stone pillars there were the towering old growth trees and soft grass underfoot. The cobalt blue sky arched overhead, birds sang and tiny winged insects flitted from flower to flower. Jezari pivoted to check behind herself but the forest in the valley was no longer visible. When she turned her face forward again, she saw the Great Mother seated on the huge boulder which was her ‘chair’. The goddess beckoned her forward and Jezari knelt at her feet.

“You have need of me, Daughter?” the goddess asked.

“I’m nervous about tomorrow,” Jezari confessed. “Not about the dive itself—I can handle that easily—but facing the alien woman again. I know she’s dead but she seems so much a living, breathing person. I’ve had nightmares of finding myself locked into the globe which imprisons her and watching her walk away.” After a brief hesitation, she added, “With Hainn.”

The goddess stroked her hair tenderly. “What you are doing is right and proper and I commend you. The unfortunate woman met a sad fate and her spirit is trapped in the dark, unable to move forward. But you are in no danger from her. No harm can come to you, for I’ll be watching and the man who would be your mate will be at your side. He’s an honorable male, is he not?” The Great Mother’s voice took on an amused lilt. “And quite handsome.”

Reminding herself not to look into the goddess’s face, Jezari nodded. “Why did you put us together? What makes him right for me?”

“I’m surprised you must ask. I thought you were in love with him. He certainly loves you.” There was silence. After an interval, the Great Mother spoke again. “He sees you as you wish to be seen, a strong, capable person. He watched your fight to regain yourself and to move on from what was done to you and he admires you. You make him happy and he wished to do the same for you. He thought you were a good team during your recovery and he craves more with you. For him no one other than you would do. If you don’t Claim him, his life will be miserable. Yours as well, Daughter. Doesn’t your child deserve its father and mother to be bonded?”

“Thank you for the gift of a child, Great Mother,” Jezari said humbly, taking in what the goddess had said about Hainn as her fated mate.

“You dread the attention, I know, but you’ll shield your child well, together with Hainn. He will be an excellent father—your strengths complement each other. I wish for my Badari to have children, you know. Several of your future paths offer the possibility of more children in fact. But only with Hainn.”

“So I’m not doing wrong, raising the alien woman from the lake and seeing her buried?” Jezari stuck to the original topic which had caused her to roam in the night. “The soil of this planet isn’t hers any more than the waters of the lake.”

“Her name is Ilynnis,” the goddess said. “And with your help she’ll become one with the light and the wind and the elements of this world and find her freedom to move to what lies next for her. Do not allow her to be buried for such is not the belief of her people.”

Jezari blinked. She stood alone in the cold, dark, deserted stone circle.

A single purple flower lay on the ground in front of her and slowly she bent over to pick it up, admiring the delicate petals and the lingering sweet scent.

“I hoped I might find you here.”

Jezari pivoted to see Hainn standing at the opening of the pillars. He came striding across the open space to her side and took her in his arms, a concerned frown on his face. “Are you all right?”

“I—I saw the Great Mother,” she said. If not for the flower she might have feared it had all been a dream. “She set my mind at rest on several topics.”

“You’ve been blessed then, to have a vision tonight.” His voice was reverent.

“Have you seen her?”

“A number of times, yes. As a healer, it’s my calling to interact with her but it’s never a simple matter, never easy.” Looping his arm around her waist, he said, “I need to get you somewhere you can sleep a bit before we have to meet the others for the dive. Come with me to my cave?”

Jezari was tempted. She had no desire to return to the Daughters’ residence and deal with her sisters and her Alpha either now or first thing in the morning. “You have your own cave? But you’re not mated.” She wished she hadn’t made the remark, considering the state of affairs between the two of them.

“Not yet,” he said cheerfully, squeezing her hand. “I have high hopes but mating’s not a topic for tonight. And all I’m proposing is sleep, sweetheart, nothing more. I’ve never slept better than the night I was with you on the trip.”

“I was the same,” she said. “No nightmares.”

Taking her comment for agreement, he led her out of the forest and to the general residence area, close to the barracks cave where his pack was living. There were a few individual caves here and Hainn brought her to one set apart from theothers. The lights came up as they entered and she exclaimed in surprise at how cozy he’d made his place. There was a rug on the floor and a big couch, a small kitchenette across the chamber and an arch which she assumed led to the bedroom. Another arch opened off the opposite side.

Struck by an unwelcome thought, she said, “How many women have you brought here?”

“None,” he said emphatically.

She did an elaborate doubletake and raised one eyebrow.

“Truly,” he insisted. “I’ve never brought any woman here until you, tonight. Because I’m a healer, I need a private space for my observances and undisturbed peace for searching the ancestral memory as needed. Can’t do that in a barracks setting! And on occasion people seek me out for help and privacy is required.” With a laugh he added, “There are bachelor apartments for what you’re talking about and I won’t deny I’ve used those in the past more than a few times. But not since I fell in love with you. I give you my word as a Badari and trust you to hear the truth.”

Jezari studied his face, thinking she could see this visage every day in bed and at breakfast for the rest of her life and be content. She and her inner predator were more than satisfied Hainn was speaking from the heart. “I hear and accept the truth.”

“Good, the issue is settled.” He put his arm around her and guided her toward the bedroom. “Unless you’ve got the munchies, I suggest we grab some shuteye. Dawn will be here before we know it and today is going to be a long day.”

Jezari was pleased to see his bed was more than big enough to accommodate both of them comfortably. After removing her boots she laid down fully clothed and turned on her side, facing the pretty luminescent patterns of the cave wall. The bed dipped as Hainn came behind her, pulling her close with his arm at herwaist. She sighed in contentment and closed her eyes, already sliding into peaceful sleep.

Although they only got a few hours of rest, she and Hainn were wide awake and ready to go when the alarm on his handheld went off. “I wish we had time for ourselves this morning,” he said regretfully.

---