Page 33 of Dark Destiny: A New Thread in the Tapestry

"It's not." She grimaced. "It will probably ache when it gets colder in the winter. Dimitri made me a salve, and it helps. I've also been using the pool to exercise my legs. That's really helpful."

"The one on the terrace?" Tersan asked.

"No. The big one in the underground. I like having more room to move, and Dimitri can swim right next to me. The terrace pool is too narrow for that."

Yaaf arched a brow. "Be careful, or you will bump into Navuh."

"I only go in the evenings when I'm sure he's not there."

Should we tell her? Bardov asked.

No, the rest of the collective answered.

She would enjoy the story, Bardov insisted.

Lady Areana had not been happy with them after the prank they'd pulled on Navuh. She did not enjoy seeing her mate humiliated, and she would not appreciate them spreading the story further.

She is the Clan Mother's sister, Ravsoh said. She has considerable influence, and we should do our best to stay in her good graces.

Yaaf agreed. They needed to be on their best behavior so Kian would allow them into the village. He wanted to be where Sullha was, and the others wanted to be near their mothers.

"You're doing that thing," Mattie said.

"What thing?"

"The thing where all eight of you go quiet at the same time."

"I apologize."

"Don't apologize. It's fine. It just makes me want to know what I'm missing." She set a stack of napkins down.

"We were thinking about the pool schedule."

"Liar." She smiled. "That's fine. Keep your secrets."

We should be doing something, Voset said. About the probation. Turner said two or three weeks, and it has been three, and no one has come to talk to us about our status. How long are we supposed to be stuck here?

I want to be able to walk to Sullha's house, Yaaf shared. I want to be able to walk wherever I want without being escorted.

Yes, said Armos. I would like that too.

So what do we do? Bardov asked. We have been boringly good. We follow their rules and do everything they tell us. We wear what they give us, we go where they say, we eat what arrives, and we don't ask for anything. But the result is that nobody thinks about us.

At least in the Brotherhood we knew what we were, Bardov added. Here we are neither prisoners nor guests. We are a problem they haven't solved yet.

His anger had heat, and the collective absorbed it the way it always did, but lately there was more of it to digest.

We could ask for a meeting with Kian, Ravsoh said. Not through Turner or Bowen, or even Lokan. We ask for an audience with Kian himself and make our own case in our own words.

He will not meet us, Voset said. He does not want us peeking into his head and learning his secrets.

Then we suggest a video conference, Ravsoh said. Kian can wear the compulsion-filtering earpieces. The ones Turner gave us to wear so Navuh couldn't take over our minds.

He will suspect a trick, Bardov said. He will assume we can compel him through the screen.

Yaaf shook his head. Nobody can thrall through a screen. Thralling requires proximity.

Nobody is supposed to be able to compel through a thrall either, Dumuz said. And we can, so never say never.