Chapter Seventeen

Evalee

We woke up early with time enough to enjoy a leisurely round of lovemaking before breakfast. Lanimer and I still felt exhilarated by the love and friendship with my father’s people at the Summer Solstice Festival. They completely accepted Lanimer as my mate without reservations, even though he was human.

Although we still kept many Trakellisan traditions, we assimilated into Zevian culture in other ways.Now, without even discussing it, Lanimer knew that my people did not cause the strife between our people and humans.Of course, that didn’t solve the problem; it only clarified matters.

Because Toran Nethos inflicted this conflict upon us and caught us in the middle, we felt that we must find the root cause and stop it, or we would never have peace.We’d had such a lovely time at the festival; we really didn’t want to think about that controversy.

For a while, we didn’t.We shared a light breakfast of fresh fruit and freshly baked bread from our food processor.Lanimer reminisced about how we danced and the various dishes we enjoyed at the evening feast.

All too soon, we had to leave for a meeting with Nasir Aziz.I half expected that we would be seeking him in a clandestine alley.Instead, we met him in a nondescript office building.

We’re glad he didn’t keep us waiting when we arrived because we didn’t want to be late for the clinic.Lanimer and I both sensed some reservation as he greeted us, but nothing sinister.

“Nasir Aziz,” he introduced himself and nodded in greeting to each of us.

“Lanimer Dakov, and this is my fiancée Evalee Mascho.” We each nodded back in greeting.

Aziz showed us into his office, two chairs facing his desk, and we all sat down to hear what he had to say.

“I am pleased to meet you finally, Lanimer and Evalee.Chief Delmran speaks highly of you.I have great respect for him. I served with him on Velran, and I also met your guardian, Hankura Narcaza.I was sorry to learn that you got caught up in this dirty business.I fear that you may be in danger yourselves.”

“I don’t doubt it,” said Lanimer.“That’s why I contacted Uncle Delmran.I knew he had far more experience with this kind of trouble than I did.Do you know what’s causing the problem?All of this hatred seems to be coming from people like Toran Nethos and his organization, and the Trakellisans seemed baffled why they are suffering such abuse.”

“Well, that’s what we would like you to help us find out.”

“What can I do?I am a healer, not a spy, even though I am also telepathic.”

“You are also a very wealthy man.You’re just the kind of person who might attend Senator Adrian Dorn’s re-election gala at the governor’s mansion next week.We just want you to go there and let your mind wander.Then report back to us.I have your invitation right here.” Nasir opened his drawer and took out a golden embossed envelope with Lanimer’s name on it.”

Lanimer’s mouth dropped open with a surprised look.“How did you get that?I don’t even know Senator Adrian Dorn.Why would he invite me?And would that include Evalee?”

“Because you donated a million credits to his reelection campaign fund.” Nasir smiled slyly.

“Why would I?He supports moving the Trakellisans settlement.And everyone knows they”re sitting on one of the richest deposits of Verlian crystals on the planet.”

“Because you are a healer, and you don’t know any better?” Nasir raised his eyebrows.

“Especially when I show up with a Trakellisan hybrid female on my arm,” Lanimer nodded, reached across the desk, and accepted the envelope.

“And what do I have to do?”

“Just open your mind and listen to the voices in your head.Then call me when it’s over and tell me what you hear.We think we figured out what is really going on, but we don’t have enough proof to make any arrests.”

“Is Magistrate Spencer Brooks involved in this conspiracy?” I asked.

“It’s possible.Why do you ask?”

Lanimer and I told him about the evidence we’d found weeks earlier, and Magistrate Brooks refused to accept it.

“People have been killed over this,” said Lanimer.“We have to stop them.”

“I guess that means we’re in,” I said, and Lanimer reached for my hand and gently squeezed it.Although I was a little worried, I didn’t see that we had much choice.People were getting killed, and they blamed my people falsely.

Lanimer

We were about to enter the clinic when Toran and three of his thugs came around the side of the building, confronting us.I didn’t have to ask what he wanted.He thought he was going to intimidate me as he was a little bigger and a lot meaner.Toran was versed in hand-to-hand fighting, but he didn’t realize that I was a Wholaskan martial arts chackrin expert.

That didn’t necessarily mean that I could beat him, but he couldn’t simply pound me into the ground without my fighting back.

“Can I help you?” I asked politely, keeping my expression neutral.

Toran didn’t answer.I could feel his hostility and anger as he advanced on me, his fists clenched at his sides.His desire to pound me with those clenched fists was almost profound; it was so intense.

Stay back, Evalee.I’ll take care of this.I warned her silently.I stepped in front of her, not taking my eyes from his as he advanced.He threw the first punch, but I ducked and punched him, shoving him back.It was clear as we danced around each other, punching, kicking, and dodging blows, that Toran had similar martial arts training.

He didn”t know I had the advantage and could anticipate nearly his every move so that I could dodge or block most of his punches and kicks.The hatred I felt emanating from him was more potent than I can ever remember feeling from another being.He wanted to kill me and hurt Evalee in ways that made me consider killing him.

However, in truth, I didn’t want to kill anyone; I just wanted the hatred and harassment to stop.I took a few hard hits that I buffered with telekinesis.They still hurt.

Toran became infuriated that I remained standing and returned his punches and kicks.The angrier he became, the less efficient his attack was.I maintained a cool head, concentrating on his intentions and his movements.Although the fight lasted only several minutes, it seemed so much longer as Toran pounded at me with not only his fists and feet but also his hatred.

Finally, I downed him with a spin kick to his head, and he landed flat on his back.He lost consciousness for about a minute, shook his head, and looked up at me, eyes full of disdain.Surprisingly, his cronies stood back and didn’t interfere, which was fortunate for me.I don’t think I could take all four of them.I would have tried if I thought they would hurt Evalee.

I only felt a twinge of guilt for using psi to best Toran: that and my chackrin training were the only advantages I had.Following my training, I offered Toran a hand up, but he practically sneered at me.Hesitating for a moment as our gazes locked while he weighed his options, he shook his head and pushed himself to his feet, swaying just a little.

“I don’t need your help,” he grumbled defiantly.Yet I sensed uncertainty in him.He could hardly believe I beat him even though he was bigger and heavier.He turned to walk away and glanced back briefly before he strode down the street with his allies flanking him.

Only then did I realize my lip was bleeding as I read the thought in Evalee’s mind.

“I’m okay, sweetheart.”

She lunged into my arms and wrapped hers around me, hugging me fervently.“Thank Goddess!I just don’t understand why he hates us so much.” She said against my shoulder.

“Someone told him that Trakellisans killed his brother in that mining skirmish, so he hates you all and me because I love you.He is hurting himself so much more than he’s hurting any of us.