Page 28 of Temple

Bailey pulled out another tablet and brought up the file. She handed it over.

Sage looked at it and laughed at some points. “No tickling without official notice?”

“Nope. They don’t know what it is, but it is something that Dennis used to do when he wanted to get secrets out of me. I think my heart would die if someone else tried it.”

Sage nodded. “Right. I get that.”

Sage took in the details of the contract, some of which brought a blush to her cheeks. She nodded and started copying the points she wanted to keep in her own contract.

They chatted about options, and Sage smiled at the enormous amount of working on the land that she had put into her wish list. “What if he doesn’t give in on all this?”

“He will, or he has to surrender something he wants. If he doesn’t, you can take this list to another Hmrain. Knowing that you are compatible with Zell will narrow down the matches that are likely.”

“So, I am not getting out of this.”

“Nope. Once they know you are Hmrain compatible, you are stuck. They keep coming until they have you. Mind you, as far as I know, I am the only one who has dodged one this long. That is mainly because other Hmrain think it’s funny to watch Symo chase me around the star systems, and I tend to keep to systems that I can make friends in. Basically, ones where the Hmrain is already occupied.” Bailey smiled.

“Oh, so ones where they have consorts.”

“Yup. They aren’t shopping or sniffing or scanning.”

“So, have you seen a lot?”

“Oh, yeah. Meteor waves, asteroids, nebulas, and a lot of things I can’t even describe. Wastelands and cities everywhere.”

“You have seen humans.”

“Yes. Individuals, groups, singles, and the ones who were in the first wave taken by the station and experimented on to see what we were compatible with. They are on Aten now, acting as security for the new human colonies. They are all the colours of the rainbow and now adapted to earth, air, water, and fire.” She smiled. “Ra is matchmaking with Hmrain descendants. He knows all of the species they have been blended with. Oh, and he also pointed out that the people of Terra don’t owe the station. He owns Terra, and therefore, we are all under his umbrella. All of our bonds are refunded on request. We are free to live if you know who to ask.”

“Seriously?”

“Yup. That is a relatively new development. You still have to sell your services to be employed. The bond auctions are still a thing, but you don’t start in debt anymore.”

“Oh. Wow. That would be so neat. I won a harvester race the night that I got abducted and sent to the Temple. Did I tell you that?”

“No. His consort had you deported?”

“His companion.”

Bailey smiled. “You don’t say.”

“What are you planning?”

“Nothing. Absolutely nothing. But give me her name, just in case.”

“Missal.”

“Cool. Cool.” Bailey rubbed her hands together.

“What are you planning?”

“Nothing unless Symo catches us, in which case, something.”

“So, what do you have against him specifically?”

“He can see into my soul. He’s one of the flat-out psychics. He took one look at me, and his face moved with empathy, and that killed me. He saw way too much, and our one kiss burned the shadows inside me and terrified me. I have been with the shadows for a while. They are part of me.”

Sage blinked. “You can’t let them go.”

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