Karina remembered how he’d reacted when he’d thought her life was in danger. She felt a warm glow spread through her body, almost alarming in its suddenness. «You killed her, Raoul,” she said softly. «You killed her for me.»
«Well, I don’t know about that.…»
«So now she’s dead,” said Karina with sudden forced gaiety, trying to suppress her growing emotions. «And now we can do anything we like!» She wriggled, finding her words had a double meaning — and gave in to herself, admitting to herself what it was she would like. She left the rock and the disturbing proximity of Raoul, and lay on the grass, looking at the sky. It shouldn’t be hurried.
«Tell me about the Dedo,” said Raoul. «I thought she was just some girl my father found.»
So Karina explained, from her first meeting with the handmaiden to the occasion in the cottage when his mother had died, just a few hours ago. When she’d finished, Raoul said:
«If she was so powerful, don’t you think she might have left her plans behind her? Set up the Ifalong to suit herself, I mean?»
«I don’t care,” said Karina, yawning. The sun was making her drowsy and for a moment she closed her eyes. Here, on this ridge with Raoul, she had a wonderful feeling of isolation and content. The rest of the world seemed a long way off. She stretched, catlike, feeling her breasts pressing against the tunic and hoping that Raoul was watching her. She cracked open an eye, and saw that he wasn’t.
«I can’t see why she had to kill so many people,” said Raoul. «Do you suppose she set up the whole revolution?»
«I don’t want to talk about the rotten old Dedo.»
«Well.… What do you want to talk about?» He sensed an impatience in her tone and hoped she wasn’t going to leave.
«Mordecai! Here we are all alone in the forest and you don’t know what to talk about?»
«My parents have just died.»
«Well, I’m very sorry. But they weren’t your real parents, were they?»
«No. But I loved them, I guess.»
«I know what you mean. My father.… He’s the nicest man I know. And I love my sisters, too. But that’s not the same thing as, well, you know.… A man and a woman. Is it, Raoul?» She’d propped herself up on one elbow, looking up into his face, hoping he could see down the front of her tunic. «Remember a while back, I rode with you in the sailcar, and you kicked Torch in the pants?»
He grinned suddenly. «I didn’t like him too much.»
«But you liked me .»
Trapped, he admitted, «You’re very pretty.» He could see right down to her navel.
«Why did you kick him? Why did you kill the Dedo? It was because of me, wasn’t it!»
«Yes,” he said quietly, staring at the distant ocean.
«Well, then!»
«Karina, I.…»
«Look at me when you speak to me, Raoul!»
And foolishly, he did. He fell into the pools of her amber eyes and was caught by the nets of the Little Friends who waited there. He leaned forward, unable to help himself, and slipped his hand inside her tunic, stroking the nipple gently, then squeezing the breast.
«Karina.… We’re different species,” he said helplessly.
He was hers, now. She crawled close, put an arm around his neck and pulled him down beside her. She kissed him long and passionately, as though she’d been doing it all her life.
«Karina, you’re not being fair,” he said, when he had the chance.
«It’s not supposed to be fair. It’s supposed to be fun. Come on, Raoul. Show me what you’re made of. Show me it wasn’t a fluke, what you did in the cottage.»
«But killing has nothing to do with this!» he protested in despair, his hand between her legs, his fingers drawing her clothing aside.
«No,” she said in satisfaction. «It wasn’t a fluke.»
«But this is because I want you.»
«That’s good enough for me.»
But not for me, he thought in desolation, as his body did just what she wanted it to. This only makes it worse. Now I’m trapped, and I’ll never, never be free.
«Oh, Raoul.…»
Because I love you, Karina. I love you with all of my heart, and you don’t even know what that means.
Then, for a few blessed moments, all thought stopped.…
Later, Karina rolled away and stood. «Oh, Raoul — that was so good. Every bit as good as they say it is.»
«You mean … you never …?»
«Yes, that was the first time for me,” she said happily. «I didn’t tell you, because I didn’t want you to think I was, well, amateurish, you know. But you liked it, didn’t you?» She was full of life, full of vitality and youth, as though she’d just enjoyed a refreshing swim on a hot day.
Raoul sighed, lost, as he’d known he would be.
Return to Rangua
Seven days later Karina and Raoul came out of the Jungle and told Captain Guantelete to take them back to Rangua.
«I’m not sure about that.» Palhoa basked in an Indian Summer and the turmoil of Rangua seemed a long way off. «There’s been no news out of Rangua for days,” Guantelete said. «God knows what’s happening down there.
«Take us,” said Karina.
Guantelete grinned suddenly. «If that is your wish, Karina.» He had his curiosity. Every day he’d climbed a signal tower and observed the Canton capital for a while. He’d seen no sails moving. The little signalmen were gone from Palhoa; disappeared into the foothills. It was rumored that their Guild had called them off the job due to violation of their property in Rangua. The hemitrexes stared blindly downhill. Palhoa was cut off from the rest of the world.
Some time later the sailcar rolled to a halt in Rangua station.
Nobody paid any attention to Karina and Raoul as they alighted and walked down the main street. A few True Humans were about, and felinas loitered at the corners in grupos, chattering and idly stropping their fingernails on the trees.
They found El Tigre sitting alone on a treestump beside the sailway track. «It’s good to see you again, Karina,” he said. «The Pegman was here a few days ago, with his woman. He told us the story. It was difficult to believe.»
«I hope you didn’t harm him.»
«Nobody’s been harmed for many days,” said El Tigre. His eyes were haunted. «Raoul, I’m grateful to you for saving my daughter’s life.»
«I think I’d do anything for her, El Tigre,” said Raoul.
Karina gave a smug grin, then surprised her father. «We mated, up there in the jungle. Lots of times. It was so good.»
El Tigre watched them silently; his wayward daughter and her True Human lover, and he was sad. It was a pity that such a beautiful thing wouldn’t last. And it was all so pointless anyway, because they were different species.…
He found himself thinking of Serena.
«Who did win the Tortuga Race, anyway?» Karina’s question brought him back to the present.
«Captain Herrero.»
«Oh. What a pity.»
«They flashed the news through just before the signalmen walked out. I’d rather not have known. It seems there’s nothing on Earth will stop a man like that from winning.»
Raoul regarded the houses of Rangua: quiet, defeated, in mourning. «If it’s any consolation, I expect Captain Herrero thinks the same about you, El Tigre.»
Then Teressa and Runa arrived, and the mock-fight finished with the girls a tangled heap on the ground while Raoul and El Tigre looked on tolerantly.
As the felinas were dusting themselves off, Raoul asked, «What’s been happening around here, anyway? I expected to find you all living in the Palace.» And for a moment the memories returned; the house with its view over the coastal downs, and his father and mother. He could never go back to that house.…
«We’ve been betrayed,” said El Tigre. «How can I deal with the Canton Lord when we can’t put our own forces in order?»
«Manoso’s double‑crossed us,” Teressa explained. «He took his army to the delta under orders to capture it, but instead he made a deal with the people there. The bastard. He’s got the cai‑men and Maquinista and all the Specialists on his side, and he’s holding the delta, the tortuga pens, and all the cars in there. Now he’s bargaining with us for terms.»