could not let them ignore this insult. One more and I will remove them from the surface.
Sebena shook as she regained control of her body. She immediately moved to console the collapsed woman in the doorway.
“It’s all right, Karri. No one was hurt. Are you okay?” Sebena touched the woman’s chin and flinched at the darkening marks on Karri’s face.
“They threatened my family, Avatar Sebena. I don’t know if they are safe.” Karri sobbed and tried to hide the bruising, wincing as she moved her arm.
Issul came up behind her. “We will see to your family, Karri. Give us a moment and we will come with you to your home.”
Sebena helped the woman rise to her feet and brought her inside their rooms. When Karri was seated at the table, Sebena reached for one of the basic gowns she had been given and she yanked it on over her head.
Hands helped her smooth the lines of the fabric and when she was free of the dress, she saw Karri with a focussed look on her face. Her wrists were still raw from her attempts to free herself, but she took her work as a maid seriously.
In under a minute, Sebena was presentable and gowned properly. Issul was wearing a blue shirt, black trousers and polished black boots.
“Come, Karri, we will get your family to safety if they wish it…and you will tell us who tied you to the bomb.” There was no doubt in Issul’s voice. He was going to get the answer he wanted.
“My uncle, Treesh. He is one of the objectors who does not wish for your return. He thought that my brother should have been named Avatar and was devastated when he wasn’t.”
Sebena wished that she could have been more shocked, but family pride was always dangerous. Back on Earth, her ancestors had done stupid things for pride and family honour. It was rather comforting to know that things across the universe kept that balance.
She straightened and put her arm around Karri. “Are you ready?”
She swallowed and Sebena could feel the swirling of Zeering behind her eyes. Issul was showing the same fifty-fifty markings.
They moved together and passed the astonished priests in the hallway, down the stairs and through the polished-stone lobby.
Sebena could feel the glow of power that surrounded them. Zeering was on high alert and they were going to get some questions answered.
The house was bright. Lights glowed intensely within. Sebena stayed with Karri and lit the street outside the house with her glow. A crowd was gathering. No one had seen an Avatar in the flesh in his or her lifetime and now there were two walking the streets.
Issul raised his hand and the door burst into blue flames. He walked inside and Zeering whispered to Sebena. Go inside. Treesh is subdued and they need to see that Karri is safe.
Sebena kept her arm around Karri and brought her into her family’s home.
The sisters were bound to chairs. Karri’s parents were beaten and tied back to back. Karri cried out and knelt next to her parents, untying them.
Her mother looked at Sebena with swollen and bruised eyes. “We are loyal to you, Avatars.”
“Will you give your daughter into my service, to be a priestess of the feminine Avatar for her life?”
As she was untied, Karri’s mother knelt before Sebena. She quailed inwardly, but Zeering kept her head high and her hand steady as the woman took it. “We give her gladly and happily into your safekeeping. Zeering will protect her from the machinations of males and for that, we are grateful.”
Issul was standing next to two unconscious males. He nodded for Sebena to speak.
“What do you need to make your lives whole, right and worry free?”
The woman looked up in surprise. “Wedding portions for my other four daughters would be what we need. Once they are married off, I would be able to have my life wind toward retirement with calm and dignity.”
Sebena looked to her maid. “Karri, will you be traded for the wedding portions of your sisters?”
Karri smiled. “Gladly and with a
Sebena shook as she regained control of her body. She immediately moved to console the collapsed woman in the doorway.
“It’s all right, Karri. No one was hurt. Are you okay?” Sebena touched the woman’s chin and flinched at the darkening marks on Karri’s face.
“They threatened my family, Avatar Sebena. I don’t know if they are safe.” Karri sobbed and tried to hide the bruising, wincing as she moved her arm.
Issul came up behind her. “We will see to your family, Karri. Give us a moment and we will come with you to your home.”
Sebena helped the woman rise to her feet and brought her inside their rooms. When Karri was seated at the table, Sebena reached for one of the basic gowns she had been given and she yanked it on over her head.
Hands helped her smooth the lines of the fabric and when she was free of the dress, she saw Karri with a focussed look on her face. Her wrists were still raw from her attempts to free herself, but she took her work as a maid seriously.
In under a minute, Sebena was presentable and gowned properly. Issul was wearing a blue shirt, black trousers and polished black boots.
“Come, Karri, we will get your family to safety if they wish it…and you will tell us who tied you to the bomb.” There was no doubt in Issul’s voice. He was going to get the answer he wanted.
“My uncle, Treesh. He is one of the objectors who does not wish for your return. He thought that my brother should have been named Avatar and was devastated when he wasn’t.”
Sebena wished that she could have been more shocked, but family pride was always dangerous. Back on Earth, her ancestors had done stupid things for pride and family honour. It was rather comforting to know that things across the universe kept that balance.
She straightened and put her arm around Karri. “Are you ready?”
She swallowed and Sebena could feel the swirling of Zeering behind her eyes. Issul was showing the same fifty-fifty markings.
They moved together and passed the astonished priests in the hallway, down the stairs and through the polished-stone lobby.
Sebena could feel the glow of power that surrounded them. Zeering was on high alert and they were going to get some questions answered.
The house was bright. Lights glowed intensely within. Sebena stayed with Karri and lit the street outside the house with her glow. A crowd was gathering. No one had seen an Avatar in the flesh in his or her lifetime and now there were two walking the streets.
Issul raised his hand and the door burst into blue flames. He walked inside and Zeering whispered to Sebena. Go inside. Treesh is subdued and they need to see that Karri is safe.
Sebena kept her arm around Karri and brought her into her family’s home.
The sisters were bound to chairs. Karri’s parents were beaten and tied back to back. Karri cried out and knelt next to her parents, untying them.
Her mother looked at Sebena with swollen and bruised eyes. “We are loyal to you, Avatars.”
“Will you give your daughter into my service, to be a priestess of the feminine Avatar for her life?”
As she was untied, Karri’s mother knelt before Sebena. She quailed inwardly, but Zeering kept her head high and her hand steady as the woman took it. “We give her gladly and happily into your safekeeping. Zeering will protect her from the machinations of males and for that, we are grateful.”
Issul was standing next to two unconscious males. He nodded for Sebena to speak.
“What do you need to make your lives whole, right and worry free?”
The woman looked up in surprise. “Wedding portions for my other four daughters would be what we need. Once they are married off, I would be able to have my life wind toward retirement with calm and dignity.”
Sebena looked to her maid. “Karri, will you be traded for the wedding portions of your sisters?”
Karri smiled. “Gladly and with a
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