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“Yes. I find them more settled when they have mates who are compatible.”
The servants chuckled.
She was introduced to the housekeepers, Uthan and Illia. They were Vor and had medium blue skin, grey markings, and long dark hair.
Yavor smiled. “This is your mistress, Lady Irith. Well, Iris to her people. Irith to me.”
Iris inclined her head to the people who were gathered. “I am pleased to meet you.”
The Terrans had pitying expressions as they inclined their heads where the others gave full bows. Hina and Ren were calm, and they were a reminder that it wasn’t just her own continent that had been wrecked by the asteroid. Her entire world had shattered in one cataclysmic thud, leaving it to bleed from lifegiving greens, animals for meat, and the very air itself. It might be over already, and if Terra was dead, she hoped that those who wished to live were living out in space and those who wanted to die with their world had a swift end.
She had not understood how heavy her will to live was until she had watched the last footage of the asteroid impact and the reports of death and destruction, then silence. The girls’ school didn’t have any ham radio equipment, and they didn’t develop the skills to make one until just before the landing. The girls at the school for their ten-year reunion had been scrabbling for everything they could get.
The Terrans looked back at her with sombre expressions. There was nothing like losing everything to give one perspective.
She looked to the staff. “When possible, and when Lord Yavor allows, my sister will be visiting.”
The Terrans were shocked.
Illia smiled. “Excellent. We look forward to hosting her at the soonest opportunity. Hina and Ren have told us of their society and the rules and patterns.”
“My culture is different but interesting in its own way, and aside from that, my culture is dead now, so it matters little.” Iris shrugged. “I will adapt to Avor.”
Yavor pulled her close. “I do not wish you to lose all of yourself, little Irith.”
“The rock falling from the sky did that. It lost me my home, my people, and everything I knew except for one thing. I got tokeep Lily.” She smiled up at him. Her body suddenly felt hollow, and she squeezed his hand.
His eyes flickered with acknowledgement. “Ah, Illia, our lady is hungry.”
Illia nodded and glanced at Hina and Ren. They smiled slightly and headed for the kitchen.
Yavor tucked her in close, gave a dismissing nod to those gathered, and took her on a tour of the place he called home. Servants’ quarters were in a separate building. The kitchens were bustling, and the cooks were whirring away. The smells were unfamiliar but not a turnoff. The nice thing was that everyone was talking quietly and joking. Even if they were laughing at her, they were having a good time. That gave her hope that it would be possible for her.
Entertainment rooms, a pool for swimming or reflection. Guest quarters, libraries, studies, and hobby rooms all went by as he showed her each one. It was more than she had seen in years.
The upper level was Yavor’s or, rather, theirs. “These are our private quarters. Anything in them is yours to have or toy with.”
Desks, wide windows, table, and chairs. An entertainment unit and plush couch took up one area. A set of wardrobes rested against a wall. A discrete door was next to them. The shower and bath were out in the open. That was a little nerve-wracking.
Iris looked around and muttered, “There aren’t a lot of walls.”
“Ah, you noticed that. I am glad your time in medical didn’t damage your vision. When I am dealing with particularly aggressive appetites, it would be best that you not be hidden from me. It is a startling reality, but it will happen. I am trying to keep things honest.”
She swallowed. “Right. Thanks for that.”
He chuckled. “One of my brothers has taken on one of your kind. She has been considered the first companion out of Terra,but you were the first unofficial one. The first one suspected but bundled in with your group.”
“Two years to get here?”
“Well, you have been in orbit for six months, so I could finish this place. A proper home for a companion is important.”
She blinked. “Like a cage for a pet?”
“More like a setting for a precious jewel. It makes the stone more brilliant, and the worth is apparent at first glance.”
She swallowed. “Oh. Right.”
He chuckled. “The expression on your face is priceless.”
