Page 6 of Tender Captivity
“Praise be to the ancestors,” Holian muttered, confusing the heck out of her before he continued. “I know you’re probably tired, but please tell me you have enough fortitude to look at this mausoleum’s automated systems. I’ve had several experts in to try and figure out why they keep going wrong. They’ll fix one thing, but then another problem will develop. I’m tired of being awakened in the middle of my sleep cycle with an artificial heatwave or rain in my personal quarters.”
“Rain?” she asked, feeling a smile stretch her lips. “Really?”
“Perhaps not a true rain, but one doesn’t like to wake to find themselves covered in a layer of morning dew.”
His dry delivery made her giggle. “I could take a look,” she agreed.
No sooner were the words out of her mouth than Holian stood up, careful to keep her cradled in his strong arms, and strode out of the room with surprising speed. In only a few moments he was sitting down at a display set in a table. Although it wasn’t as complex as the systems she normally worked with, it still ran on the same basic principles, so she dove in.
It felt good to do this work that she was both good at and enjoyed. She understood code. It could be complicated and intricate, but as long as she was patient, the code always yielded its secrets and flaws to her.
Her fatigue vanished. The last few months took a backseat. The reason she was in that cantina getting drunk was pushed to the back of her mind. All that existed was her and the masses of little symbols scrolling across the display.
She started tapping and lost herself in the work.
She had no idea how much time had passed before she sat back with a big grin. “I think I found all the issues.”
That’s when she realized she’d been sitting in Holian’s lap this entire time and the Talin hadn’t moved a muscle. Looking back down at the display, she noted that at least three marks had passed, maybe more. It took her a second to translate that to Old Earth Standard time—roughly two and a half hours!
“I’m sorry!” she apologized, remembering how upset her husband would get when she lost herself in projects.
“Why are you sorry, little flower?” Holian asked looking up from the display. “You are a gift from the ancestors for fixing this.”
Was he really not upset?
“I didn’t mean to make you sit here so long. I lose track of time when I’m doing these things, and I don’t notice other stuff. My husband was convinced I was on the spectrum, but I’m not sure he was right. And besides, he was always trying to find reasons why we do things, but sometimes we just do them. You don’tneed some deep psychological cause. Maybe everything would be—”
She stopped talking when she belatedly realized Holian had gone silent and still. He wasn’t even rumbling out the purring she’d gotten so used to in this short amount of time. “I’m sorry, I’m a chatterbox sometimes. I don’t mean to be. I know it can be annoying.”
Holian focused in on one thing. “Husband? Is a human male out there searching for you?”
Blinking back tears at the thought of her husband and child, she shook her head. “No. They’re—no, they aren’t looking for me.”
Holian folded his strong arms around her, hugging her gently to his chest. “I’m sorry, little flower. I didn’t mean to upset you. I would have found him and brought him to you if I could. Even if…even if it meant I had to give you up.”
Before she could ask what he meant by giving her up, Renalan came into the room. “Committee Citizen Sornlian from the Committee for Pet Welfare is here to speak to you, Commandant Holian. I’ve put him in the formal council room. Maven Gorgian from the Clan Authorities Council sent a message, and she wishes to speak to you at your earliest convenience. Also, the healer is here to see Jinna.”
“Why is it always everything all at once?” Holian muttered before addressing Renalan. “If you will take Jinna to the healer, I’ll meet with Committee Citizen Sornlian. Make sure the healer talks to Jinna before doing anything, and don’t let the healer do any procedure without consulting with me first.”
Jinna’s heart rate had kicked up at the idea of seeing a Talin healer again. When she’d first been brought to Talarian, she’d gone through an invasive and dehumanizing examination and decontamination. Shaken and crying, she’d been handedover to Nelaran right after and gotten slapped for being overly emotional.
Before she could get a good panic going, Holian was soothing her. “This healer will be gentle, and I promise I’ll join you the moment I can. But it’s important I make a report to the Committee for Pet Welfare before Nelaran’s family is granted another human. It’s equally important to me that you’re cared for. You might have injuries you don’t even realize you have, little flower. If you can be brave for me, I promise no more pain.”
Her protest died on her lips at his words. “You’ll come back to me as soon as you can, right?”
“Without hesitation,” Holian agreed.
“I’ll stay with you,” Renalan offered as he rumbled out a purr. “I won’t leave you alone with the healer even for a moment.”
She gave him a grateful smile as Holian carefully set her on her own feet. She immediately missed being next to his solid warmth, but when Renalan moved to pick her up, she shied back. She didn’t want anyone but Holian touching her.
Standing up behind her, he gave her a last hug, rubbing his cheek over the top of her head. The scent of apples filled her nose, making her close her eyes as contentedness swept over her.
“I’ll watch over her, Commandant,” Renalan assured him.
“Thank you, my friend,” Holian said with a thankful rumble. Then he met her gaze. “Go with Renalan. He’ll take good care of you, and I’ll be at your side as swiftly as I’m able.”
She was about to turn when Holian stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. “One more thing,” he said and then grasped the sides of her collar. With impressive ease he broke the thing in two and handed the pieces to Renalan.
