Page 20 of Breaking Ties

Eliada was lovely, as all Hmrain were lovely. She extended both of her hands, and Aubrey placed her hand in the other woman’s. “Oracle, it is astonishing actually to see you in this place and time.”

“My own astonishment matches yours.”

“Please sit. I have so much I wish to ask.”

“I would like to offer my condolences on the loss of your mate.”

Eliada paused, teared up, and smiled. “Thank you. I have our child and his children, so I am doing well. Perhaps one day I will be able to consider allowing another partner.”

Aubrey smiled. “I know you will.”

Eliada laughed. “Of course you do.”

Aubrey inclined her head. “I am getting used to it. Why are you here, Lady?”

“My grandson is ready for a companion, but he needs to remain on duty to defend his world. It has volatile weather that should calm in the next five decades. So I am looking for a mate that will suit him.”

Aubrey smiled and rubbed the back of her neck. “I have seen a woman with him, but there are stipulations.”

Tea was brought and poured for them. Eliada handed her the first cup, and Aubrey held hers until they were both settled.

“What stipulations?”

“Well, the woman I see with him is vain, self-centred, and tends to scapegoat anyone around her she perceives as weak. However, she is magnetic, excellent with people, genuinely likes kids and the elderly.”

“You have personal experience with her?”

“You could say that. She is my younger sister.”

Eliana spluttered in shock. “What?”

“She and I used to appear nearly identical, and she used that to commit petty crimes and blame me. I am the elder by a year, but we entered school together. Our parents thought it would be fun to have two girls who looked like twins. I was older and given the responsibility of keeping an eye on her. She used that to her advantage for the next twenty years. So, I know her personality very well.”

“But you complimented her people skills.”

“She has excellent people skills. She can make anyone she focuses on feel special and cared for. She genuinely means it, but for me... when we were children, she was taught that she was allowed to blame me for everything and get coddled for it, so she did. Give her rules, make them count. Punishments should be inconvenient but not painful. Taking care of animals might work. Her skills don’t work on animals.”

Eliana nodded. “You think that she is the best match for my grandson?”

“I think she will cling to him like he is the only man in the world. I think she will soothe him when he comes home from a bad mission. I think she will make cute babies.” She chuckled. “I know she will make cute babies. Her children will have the power that your son contains. They will power it up in a generation.”

Eliana smiled. “How many?”

“Four in twenty years... but... here is my stipulation.”

“What?”

“She is not to be offered a full companion contract until the fourth child is born. Until then, she needs to be on five years at a time.”

Eliana recoiled. “That is a casual contract.”

“I am aware. If she develops love for your grandson, she will stay. The contract will cover food, clothing, room, and education only.”

“Why so strict?”

Aubrey smiled. “Because on our last day here, she consumed all the rations, convinced her companions that I had eaten them, and they tied me to a defunct vehicle and left me to die. I was obviously determined to live.”

The Hmrain stared at her. “She tried to kill you?”