But when TQ spoke again, it was in his smooth and silky voice. aAnd the rules state that I cannot harm my occupants or release a drug that will have effects lasting longer than six point eight six septhours. This dosage will wear off no later than six point eight five septhours at the most, taking into consideration your ma.s.ses and your state of healtha"a aFine line, there, TQ,a Garrett said. Artemisia started to sway. Would she fall on his bed? He wanted her to.

No. He didnat. aBetter get to your bed.a He made a pushing motion. To keep his hands from yanking her down, he picked up the kitten and set him on a pillow on the far side of the bed.

aWhat?a she said, then her expression crumpled into hurt. aGo to my bed. Oh. Yes.a She drew herself up, panting slightly, keeping her own breaths light. She headed toward her bedroom . . . weaving.

aThis is wrong of you, Residence.a Her voice was thick.

aAnd I cleared the use of this drug in this amount with Lark Holly,a TQ said, quietly smug.

aHuh!a Artemisia flounced. To Garrettas riveted horror, she began to strip. Her tunic was first, thrown on the floor in the middle of his room. Then she said a Word and all the seams of her trous split and they fell. She paused to step out of them and he saw nicely rounded legs, then focused on her dimpled rear. His mouth dried. She wore beige pantlettes that looked flesh colored. Her a.s.s was also round, good handfuls. Her waist was narrower than head thought under all that cloth.

He swallowed hard.

When she got to the doorway of the dressing room, she dropped her underwear. He couldnat tear his gaze away, hoping for more than a quick, silhouetted peek of full b.r.e.a.s.t.s tipped with rose-colored nipples.

Then she turned to face him and his gaze went to the joining of her thighs, whisked up the curve of her stomach to her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. His mouth might be hanging open, but since no thought was in his head, he wasnat sure. All his blood had gone to his groin and he was d.a.m.n annoyed that he was wearing soft, loose trous. He wanted her, wanted her to know he wanted her.

aGanight, Garrett,a she said and dove for her bed.

He caught a flash of tender, dark pink s.e.x. His shaft strained.

Darkness clobbered him.

The next morning, Garrett woke and stretched and felt the best he had in a long time.

Even before he opened his eyes, he knew one of the reasons was that he felt the energy of his HeartMate fizzing toward him from the next room. Soon he and Artemisia would be released to leave . . . after TQas celebration. Garrett didnat want a celebration and he couldnat wait to leave, except he and Artemisia would part ways.

Fourteen.

Garrett was ready to return to his life, without Artemisia. Really. Meanwhile he could enjoy her energy, even the peacefulness of their bonda"the much larger bond between them. He was sure that it would fade if he pinched it tight. As he had all the years before except for those times of Pa.s.sage to free his Flair when he couldnat control the depth or breadth of the link.

Pa.s.sage was the last thing he wanted to think of. Those dreamquests were as rough as the d.a.m.n sickness head surviveda"for the second time. Three Pa.s.sages and two bouts of Iasc sickness. That could make a man believe head suffered enough for the rest of his life.

If he was lucky, the year head lost Dinni would be the worst of his life and this time period would rank second. That was a cheerful enough thought for him.

He lingered in bed because Artemisia still slept and he didnat want to rise and wake her. When he got up, head have to accept the fact their days together were over.

How did she look asleep? She was quiet, wasnat restless. Head known, somehow, even in the deepest part of the sickness, when she was awake and near or asleep.

Now that he thought back, her sleep hadnat been easy.

Again he stretched, testing every tendon, every muscle, popping joints. He felt a little creaky, but one workout should put him back into good shape. His mind drifted to s.e.x as exercise and he got up and headed straight for a cold waterfall.

As soon as he stepped back into the bedroom, wrapped in a large towel, Artemisia entered the dressing room from her door. She wore the pretty silkeen robe that Lark Holly had given her. For putting up with Garrett? Probably. The robe shimmered and clung to her curves, and he knew she was naked under it and had to swallow hard. The silver gray color accented her deep green eyes. Her thick black hair was caught up with sticks on the top of her head, showing her lovely neck. Her beauty took his breath.

When she nodded as she pa.s.sed, he thought she must have forgotten how theyad said good night, but when he looked around, he saw her clothes had been tidied away.

Then the door to the dressing room, which had been open the whole time head been there, closed firmly.

His body had stirred again, but other, deeper feelings had fired through him, more than simple grat.i.tude, bordering on affection, as unwelcome as the sickness. Hands clenched, he willed himself to calmness, using an image of Dinnia"small and sprightly and athletic. And then he felt as if head besmirched her memory and his own honor and dammit all!

aHow long will you fight your attraction to your HeartMate?a TQ asked, sounding merely curious.

aForever. I donat want her.a aBecause you lost a lover,a TQ said. There was a pause and Garrett noticed a spritz of fresher air coming from the ceiling. Summer flowers, something that he might smell outside. Which reminded him of his so-called kitten Fam, whom he hadnat seen this morning.

aWhereas Rusby?a Garrett folded the towel on the bed. Like all the linens, the cloth was prime, soft and absorbent. A pity it would be destroyed. But not a waste since head enjoyed the feel of it. Move on.

He dressed in clothes that had been sterilizeda"tunic and trous, boot liners and boots. Not nearly as luxurious as what he was surrounded by but they were his own, even if they didnat smell like him.

Garrett went to the window and looked out at the back gra.s.syard. There were cats, but not a spotted kitten. aTQ?a Garrett prompted.

TQ stayed silent for a minute, then said, aI have consulted all my human psychological data and it states that a person holding strong to a griefa"obsessinga"is not mentally healthy.a aStay out of my mind.a aI could report this to DaSea, the FirstFamily GrandLady mind Healer. I have permission to do that for any of my occupants since I donat have a steady Family.a aAs if the Families who live in the intelligent Residences arenat all crazy.a aThey are the FirstFamilies! The descendants of the colonists who funded the trip to Celta, the ones with the greatest Flair!a TQ sounded shocked.

aThatas what makes them odd. Four hundred years of privilege.a aAll humans have problems.a TQ was stiff.

aAll sentient beings have problems,a Garrett said. aFrom what I understand, there are some pretty strange Residences, too.a He thumped the doorjamb. aLike a House-becoming-a-Residence seeming to grow emotionally like a human.a aIf you are saying that I do not have the knowledge to speak to you about HeartMates and HeartBonding and lovea"a Garrett heard the waterfall shut off. He didnat want Artemisia walking in. aThatas my business, and so far Iam only hurting myself.a A question prodded. aHas she spoken to you of HeartMates? We connected during our Pa.s.sages.a Much as he hadnat wanted to.

There was a creaking wood sound Garrett suspected was TQ laughing. aShe has said nothing.a The House continued politely, aDo you want me to ask?a Heat crept up his face. aNo.a He lifted his voice, aWhereas my Fam? My . . . clever . . . kitten?a No answer, but there was a suspicious wiggle in his duffle bag at the end of the bed. aWhatas going to happen to my possessions, TQ?a aThe clothes you wore while you were ill have been deconstructed and sent to the n.o.ble Death Grove.a aAh-hmm.a aI have sterilized and decontaminated your sleight-of-hand tools in your bag and the bag itself.a aThatas good.a He nodded to Artemisia as she came in, her voluminous hair slicked down and falling to the middle of her back. He wanted to see it unconfined, so he distracted himself by asking, aAnd the Healeras pillow?a She gave him a bland stare. Yeah, he was avoiding calling her by name again, so what? Did she think that just because theyad spent three miserable days together, they were close? Head thanked her already. He shifted so his clothes settled better. They were a little large.

aYes, TQ, what of my pillow?a Artemisia asked as she went into her bedroom and rustled around, packing. Garrett wanted to turn and watch her, so he didnat. Yes, he was obsessive in ignoring her. He accepted that and had no intention of changing.

aThere are no signs of the illness in the pillow. I have a gentle decontamination cycle I will use to ensure you carry no contagion. And your new robe, of course, is pristine.a aNo contagion at all this time, TQ?a asked Garrett. The past crowded in on him again. Head been forced to take a lot of sick people up to a mountain quarantine clinic for fear of contagion, and the sickness had spread from the HealingHall that had turned them out. And the clinic. And the Smallage estate.

aNo person carried any cell of the Iasc sickness from here!a Pride rang in TQas tones.

Garrett heard Artemisiaas relieved sigh . . . and her movements as she dressed. He stopped himself from visualizing.

aNone of you have any microbe of sickness. Nor will you have when you leave.a aThat is cause for celebration!a Artemisia grinned and squeezed her pillow. She was dressed in a tunic and top that was several years out of date, and held her scuffed bag. aWell done, TQ!a aThank you.a If the House had been the actor whose voice he had, he would have bowed. aThere is bubbly and juice and special breakfasts in my mains.p.a.ce for you. Please leave and I will seal the rooms.a aNot sad to see the last of them.a Garrett picked up his duffle and opened the door to the hallway. He sucked in a deep breath, but it didnat smell any different than the bedroom.

Artemisia followed him and he heard her soft sigh. aItas good you can redecorate, TQ.a As they got closer to the mains.p.a.ce, Garrettas nose twitched as he scented food. He hurried in.

There were the camp chairs and a rickety table with a small bottle of bubbly and a carafe of orange juice. Eggs and porcine strips steamed gently beneath spellshields.

aIam ravenous,a he said, set down his bag instead of dropping it, and headed to the larger portion.

The Healeras bag thumped beside his and she joined him at the table, eyes gleaming. aLooks fabulous, TQ, thank you!a aA toast, if you please!a TQ said.

Garrett poured juice into the goblets, leaving a small s.p.a.ce for bubbly. Artemisia didnat contradict his portions. He didnat know about her, but he wasnat about to spend a lovely summer morning, the first morning of the rest of his life, buzzed.

aTo life!a TQas voice throbbed with pa.s.sion.

Artemisia laughed and clinked her gla.s.s to Garrettas raised one. aTo life!a Her lips curved, her lashes lowered as she sipped. aSuch a vintage, TQ!a aThe best,a the House agreed. aMay you live long and fulfilled lives.a aThank you,a Artemisia said.

The bubbly was smoother than any Garrett had ever tasted; effervescence seemed to slip straight into his blood. He didnat care that TQ had added advice to him.

They ate in companionable silence, Artemisia looking out the window as often as he. When they were done, TQ said, aI have instructions from the Healers. One set if you return to Primary HealingHalla"a aNo,a Garrett and Artemisia said in unison.

aVery well,a TQ said. aViz starting.a Light flashed on the long wall, then Lark Holly smiled at them. aGreetyou. Our preliminary data is favorable that this difficult experiment was successful. The top medical researcher has been a.n.a.lyzing GentleSir Primrossas blood and Flair and is hopeful we might duplicate several components.a aWonderful!a Artemisia said.

Lark continued, aWe have studied the most recent data on your health from this morning and release you to return home. Howeveraa"Larkas image raised a fingera"aif you do so, we request that neither of you use any great Flair. Including no teleportation today or tomorrow until we meet at Primary HealingHall tomorrow at MidMorningBell. We want you to rest completely. Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again. Good job!a The viz faded.

Artemisia huffed. aI suppose Iam not allowed to Heal.a aCorrect,a TQ said. aI have forwarded such instructions to your home.a A shade in TQas tone caught Garrettas attention. The House hadnat said, aFamily.a Where did Artemisia live? With whom? For one second of dread, his gut clenched as he thought she might be married.

Stup! She wore no marriage arm bands.

She could have a lover.

She didnat. No matter how tiny their thread, head known shead had few lovers. He would have known if she presently had one. He was a trained observer and she didnat act like a woman who had a lover. She seemed available physically and emotionally and had given unconscious signals to him as a man that she was interested in hima"physically and emotionally.

Though he might be physically available, he wasnat emotionally. He ignored that he was lying to himself.

He stood and put his softleaf on his clean plate. aWe can make the next public carrier on the street outside if we hurry.a Artemisia smiled with a polite and empty curve of lips. He told himself he wasnat disappointed. aOf course.a She went and picked up her bag.

Garrett looked at his duffle. Something definitely moved inside. Careful to leave the tab strips open on one end, he lifted the bag. Rusby didnat weigh enough for Garrett to feel.

Artemisia strode past him to the front room and threw open the main door to the sunshine and the warmth of the day.

They left the House and stood in the courtyard. Being outside for the first time in days, feeling good, was simply great.

aFarewell to you!a TQ projected through the open door. aVisit anytime.a And Garrett saw the mural in TQas HouseHeart. His image was there, dressed in leathers, his face somber, and he stood near tall trees. Artemisia sat on a rock near the waterfall, dipping bare legs into the pool, wearing her silvery robe.

The surprise of the visualizationa"from TQ to his mind?a"had Garrett stumbling a step.

Artemisia steadied him, hand wrapped around his upper arm. aAre you all right?a He pulled away, shaking his head, straining to remember more of the HouseHeart. aYeah.a His vision was still muddy, focused inward on a dim room lit by a large fire.

aI donat know . . .a She sounded worried, so he let memory wisp away and blinked. Managed a half smile.

Her brow was lined, her gaze concerned.

aTQ attempted to speak to me mentally. It didnat exactly work.a aOh.a Her lips folded down. aPerhaps we should go to Primary HealingHall.a aNo.a They stood in silence, studying each other. Her round chin set stubbornly. He didnat change his pleasant, revealing-nothing expression and knew head win.

The public carrier swished by on the street outside the courtyard. aDammit, we missed the transport.a aTQ, when does the next public carrier come?a she asked.

aIn half a septhour,a TQ lilted. His tone tipped Garrett off. TQ had distracted them so they were stuck together for another few minutes. Though half a septhour with Artemisia wasnat a lot if he planned on ignoring her for the rest of his life.

She walked toward the gate.

aWhere are you going?a aTo the public carrier hub less than a kilometer north.a aI can call a glider.a Laev TaHawthorn would do him that favor.

aItas a beautiful day and Iave been cooped up.a She shrugged her bag over her shoulder. It didnat appear heavy, as if it contained only the robe and her pillow and his two silver coins.

aIall walk with you,a he found himself saying. Ever since head awakened, head been torn. His body wanted his HeartMate, but his emotions still hurt from the loss of Dinni; yet it had been over three years. Experiencing the horror again made him yearn to put it behind him. Keep it in the past and not let it affect the present.

He wearied of hurting.

Losing a HeartMate would be the worst.

He wasnat ready for anything like that.

Artemisia pushed against the tall gates enclosing the courtyard. He caught up and put muscle into opening them; that felt good. They exited and he closed the gates. They turned north and stayed in step. His fingers brushed hers, and he liked the tingle and kept it up. She didnat draw away.

They hadnat gone four blocks before his bag wiggled. Are we there yet?

Fifteen.

Garrett snorted a laugh. aThat you, Rusby?a A hesitation. Maybe.

Garrett let the laugh roar from his gut into the early-summer afternoon. Let it loosen his muscles, his tense shoulders. For the first time in days, he felt like himself.

Artemisiaas lighter laugh rang. It rounded and flushed her cheeks, added sparkle to her eyes . . . they went from deep emerald to a green like gra.s.s shadowed by trees in a sacred grove. Strands of hair escaped her braid. What appeared black or dark brown indoors was a blend of brown and a deep auburn. She was simply beautiful.

Warmth suffused him, pleasure in being alive and healthy. And in the company of a lovely woman who laughed at the same things he did.

He opened his duffle enough for the kitten to poke his spotted head out.

I am leaving the Turquoise House! Rusby sounded thrilled. I am going home with MY FAMMAN! The little cat glanced up at Garrett with love in his eyes and Garrett missed a step. Head never seen that expression for him from a cat. Had rarely seen it at all.

Rusby was very young. Soon head don the arrogant cat manner. In the meantime Garrett would enjoy the kitten. He curled his fingers around Rusbyas middle, lifted him to stare into yellow eyes.

aWeare heading to MidCla.s.s Lodge.a Garrett put the kitten on his shoulder and said a simple spell so the young one couldnat fall.

The foxes speak of that place, Rusby said.

aThere were a few foxes once, but now their families are larger, they like more s.p.a.ce.a MidCla.s.s is close to the beach of the ocean. I have never seen a beach or an ocean.

With his sandy brown coat and dark spots, Rusby could easily be lost on the beach. Garrett put on a mild expression. aThe beach can be dangerous. You must promise not to go there by yourself.a I promise, Rusby said easily.

Garrett figured that like all young things faced with irresistible temptation, Rusby would break his promise.

aThere are new collars with a recall teleportation spell,a Artemisia said.

aGood idea.a His fingers stroked fur softer than most things head touched in his life. So soft. So young. So vulnerable and needing protection. aWe should consult with Danith DaAsh, the animal Healer, and make sure you are top-of-the-pyramid fine,a he said.

Cats do not get Iasc sickness, Rusby said.