special psychic gift,” he told her, holding up his hands. “And that we’re not supposed to ask questions or speculate or whatever, but…it looked more like magic than science, just now.”
“Well, maybe I could’ve made a great stage magician,” Ia quipped, smiling. “You never know, we could have some Mankiller blood in our family tree. Speaking of magic, and thus vanishing acts, I need to make sure I contact Rabbit today. You’ll need a safe place on Sanctuary to store all my ‘blood beads,’ for lack of a better term. I figure the best place for that is deep in the caverns, down where the Church won’t find them.”
Fyfer lifted his chin at her. “When you do, tell her I said hi, and that I’ll call her soon, alright? Unlike
some
people who never use their wrist units to
call
anyone…or rather, didn’t bother to ask for her number.”
“I did ask, but I rarely call her because she rarely
wears
her wrist unit,” Thorne retorted. “Which you’d know if you ever bothered to talk
with
her, instead of just
at
her.”
Ia rolled her eyes. “Stop it. Both of you. She likes you
both
. She
will
like you both. This is not a competition for her affections, nor can it ever be. The three of you working together as one unit is a force not even Time can stop, and I need you to
be
that united force.”
“Well…you could’ve at least picked out another woman for one of us!” Thorne protested.
“The only other women out there are ones who would resentthe demands of your tasks. Rabbit believes as much as both of you do. Be grateful that you
will
be able to get along so well, and that you’ll all have each other for company. Some people aren’t that lucky.”
Fyfer smirked. “Careful, Sister, you sounded almost jealous, there. Haven’t you picked out someone for yourself, yet? You’ve got an infinite number of possibilities to choose from, after all.”
Ia merely quirked a brow at him. “
When
, exactly, would I have time for a relationship?”
“Oh, that’s right, I forgot. The Prophet of a Thousand Years is a slagging
martyr
. Maybe they should’ve nicknamed you the Virgin Mary, instead of Bloo—
OW!
” Wincing, Fyfer flinched back from a second backhanded blow. He rubbed his bruised bicep and glared at his stepbrother.
Thorne lifted his arm in warning of a third attack, his stare now focused on the youngest of the siblings. “Get in the car. And
think
before you open your mouth again!”
“It’s alright, Thorne,” Ia muttered, pushing to her feet. “He’s not saying anything I haven’t thought, myself. I
am
female, Little Brother,” she added, fixing Fyfer with a sardonic look. “I do have urges and needs. I just don’t have the time to spare. Or the energy. I do not, however, look upon it as an act of
martyrdom
. All I’m doing is giving up sex with someone else, not to mention avoiding the risk of that someone being dragged onto the timeplains with me during intimate contact. That’s hardly a life-altering loss, which is what martyrdom requires.”
“Says someone who’s clearly never
had
—I’m going, I’m going!” Fyfer yelped and skipped back as his older brother swung at him again. Not with his full strength, of course; Thorne was readily capable of breaking bones without breaking a sweat. He was also normally quite gentle. Just the swipe of his hand through the air between them was enough warning to make the younger man retreat.
“Leave him alone, Thorne,” Ia muttered, dusting herself off. “In the first place, he’s upset that I’m making him go into law school instead of continuing as an actor. In the second, he’s unhappy that I’m encouraging you to flirt with Rabbit. Just like
you’re
upset that I’m letting him flirt with her, too.” Walking with him toward the ground car, she raised her voice enough so that Fyfer would hear as well. “Just…both of you, wouldyou
try
to keep your heads out of your pants for at least a few more years?
“Well, maybe I could’ve made a great stage magician,” Ia quipped, smiling. “You never know, we could have some Mankiller blood in our family tree. Speaking of magic, and thus vanishing acts, I need to make sure I contact Rabbit today. You’ll need a safe place on Sanctuary to store all my ‘blood beads,’ for lack of a better term. I figure the best place for that is deep in the caverns, down where the Church won’t find them.”
Fyfer lifted his chin at her. “When you do, tell her I said hi, and that I’ll call her soon, alright? Unlike
some
people who never use their wrist units to
call
anyone…or rather, didn’t bother to ask for her number.”
“I did ask, but I rarely call her because she rarely
wears
her wrist unit,” Thorne retorted. “Which you’d know if you ever bothered to talk
with
her, instead of just
at
her.”
Ia rolled her eyes. “Stop it. Both of you. She likes you
both
. She
will
like you both. This is not a competition for her affections, nor can it ever be. The three of you working together as one unit is a force not even Time can stop, and I need you to
be
that united force.”
“Well…you could’ve at least picked out another woman for one of us!” Thorne protested.
“The only other women out there are ones who would resentthe demands of your tasks. Rabbit believes as much as both of you do. Be grateful that you
will
be able to get along so well, and that you’ll all have each other for company. Some people aren’t that lucky.”
Fyfer smirked. “Careful, Sister, you sounded almost jealous, there. Haven’t you picked out someone for yourself, yet? You’ve got an infinite number of possibilities to choose from, after all.”
Ia merely quirked a brow at him. “
When
, exactly, would I have time for a relationship?”
“Oh, that’s right, I forgot. The Prophet of a Thousand Years is a slagging
martyr
. Maybe they should’ve nicknamed you the Virgin Mary, instead of Bloo—
OW!
” Wincing, Fyfer flinched back from a second backhanded blow. He rubbed his bruised bicep and glared at his stepbrother.
Thorne lifted his arm in warning of a third attack, his stare now focused on the youngest of the siblings. “Get in the car. And
think
before you open your mouth again!”
“It’s alright, Thorne,” Ia muttered, pushing to her feet. “He’s not saying anything I haven’t thought, myself. I
am
female, Little Brother,” she added, fixing Fyfer with a sardonic look. “I do have urges and needs. I just don’t have the time to spare. Or the energy. I do not, however, look upon it as an act of
martyrdom
. All I’m doing is giving up sex with someone else, not to mention avoiding the risk of that someone being dragged onto the timeplains with me during intimate contact. That’s hardly a life-altering loss, which is what martyrdom requires.”
“Says someone who’s clearly never
had
—I’m going, I’m going!” Fyfer yelped and skipped back as his older brother swung at him again. Not with his full strength, of course; Thorne was readily capable of breaking bones without breaking a sweat. He was also normally quite gentle. Just the swipe of his hand through the air between them was enough warning to make the younger man retreat.
“Leave him alone, Thorne,” Ia muttered, dusting herself off. “In the first place, he’s upset that I’m making him go into law school instead of continuing as an actor. In the second, he’s unhappy that I’m encouraging you to flirt with Rabbit. Just like
you’re
upset that I’m letting him flirt with her, too.” Walking with him toward the ground car, she raised her voice enough so that Fyfer would hear as well. “Just…both of you, wouldyou
try
to keep your heads out of your pants for at least a few more years?
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