Chapter 16
Teradia’s house was situated on one of the upper levels facing North Harbor, and as they hurried up the steep, zigzag stairs that linked the terraces, Killashandra saw that much of the debris occasioned by the hurricane had already been removed. Groups of young people were unhurriedly staking polly trees upright and replanting those young pollys which had been entirely uprooted. Others were pruning bushes or restoring bedding plants.
“Are there any snakes in this paradise?” Killashandra asked when they paused at the first level to let her catch her breath.
“Snakes? What are those?” Lars asked, humoring her.
“Normally, a long, slender, legless reptile – only I meant humans with unpleasant characteristics.” She made a weaving, sinuous gesture with her hand, and grimaced with distaste. “Surely the Elders make use of informers and spies.”
“Oh, they do. Most of whom report themselves to us and pass back such information as we want the Elders to have.” Lars grinned as his fingers caressed her arm. “It’s not naive of us; islanders stick together. The Elders can give us little that we lack – except the freedom to leave the planet. To be sure, not many of us would leave: it’s having the option to do so. And my father has a small detector so that people posing as tourists can be quickly identified. Father has a theory that only a certain type of personality is attracted to such an infamous occupation, and they often give themselves away. Strangely enough, by not singing!” He gave her a mischievous grin. “I was relieved to hear you singing lustily at the barbecue.”
“I nearly didn’t because, if I could recognize your tenor, you might have spotted me as that midnight soprano. So I sang alto. But, Lars, isn’t Nahia in jeopardy for being here? Someone might just slip up and mention her presence?”
Lars took her by the elbows and pulled her against him, unconcernedly stroking her hair. “Beloved Sunny, Nahia would be protected under any circumstances but, as it happens, only my father, you, and the people she came with, know she was on this island during the hurricane. Her party’s ocean jet has been secreted in another of the Back caves, unseen by anyone. It’s still there and won’t emerge until we’ve had a chance to jam the cruiser’s surveillance systems. Nahia and Hauness will use the islands to screen them from any possibility of detection when the cruiser takes you – all right, and me – back to the Mainland. Satisfied? I told you my father is efficient. He is.
“There will also be no one here tonight from Wing Harbor who might inadvertently remember the girl Lars Dahl had as his partner.”
“But – ”
“No one in Wing will feel slighted: they’re all too busy with storm damage. Every building on the waterfront collapsed. And Wingers avoid Elder inspection as they would a smacker school.”
Killashandra did feel relieved by his explanations. She was rather pleased, too, as she reviewed her confrontation with Torkes. Nor would she fail to be exceedingly cautious in the presence of any of the elders. Torkes would never forgive her for that tongue-lashing, and she knew that he would do everything he could to rank the others against her if a second confrontation was to occur. Still, she was glad she had launched her frontal assault on the fardling tyrant.
“We shan’t leave anything to chance, however, Sunny, Lars went on as they climbed to the last terrace level. “If sun-bleached hair and eyebrows alter your appearance enough to deceive an FSP agent – ”
“Corish was not expecting me to be on that beach, any more than you – ”
“Then Teradia can restore your beauty. With more sophisticated clothes, and that hauteur of yours, you’ll he every inch the crystal singer.” Lars halted, swinging her into his arms again. No one was in sight. “Will the impressively beautiful crystal singer still favor her island lover?” He smiled down at her, but tension caught at the corners of his grey-tinged eyes.
“Don’t tell me you – who braves hurricanes, Elders, and Masters – feared my ranting?” She soothed the creases from his eyes. “I assume a role, Lars Dahl, from some opera or other. I play no role with you, no matter under what circumstances. Believe me. Let’s not lose a moment of what we have together!”
She stood on tiptoe to kiss him and the hunger they both felt made them tremble.
“How are we going to make out, Killa, on board that cruiser? And back on the Mainland?”
“Oh, citizen!” Killashandra laid her hand gracefully against her bosom. fluttering her eyes, as much to keep back the tears as to embellish her assumed character. “When I trust to you my safety, where else shall you be but with me, wherever I go, even in my bedchamber? And have you seen where they quartered me in the Conservatory? You’ll see, Lars. It will all be arranged my way!”
By then they had reached an establishment with a modest sign spelling out “Teradia” in graceful lettering. Teradia herself greeted them, a woman as tall as Lars, with a supple, willowy figure, and densely black hair very intricately braided. Her skin was olive and flawless, the pale green pupils of her eyes appeared luminous: she was a superb testimonial to her establishment.
“Olav Dahl wants the very best for you, Killashandra Ree, and I myself will see to your care.”
“I’ll supervise,” Lars interrupted. “The bleaching must be . . .”
With a quick movement, Teradia placed one hand across Lars’s chest and eased him away from Killashandra, a look of mild disdain on her elegant features. “My dear boy, clever you may be in some of the ways of pleasing a woman, but this is my art . . .” she began to draw Killashandra away with her, “and you will allow me to practice it. Come, Guildmember, this way.”
“Teradia, that’s not fair.” Lars pushed through the door in pursuit. “I’m Killashandra’s bodyguard – ”
“Here I guard her body, though from the look of her skin and hair, you’ve done a poor job – Sun-bleached, dry-skinned, waterlogged child.”
“Teradia!”
For the first time Killashandra had seen her lover rattled; she looked more keenly at Teradia. There was a twinkle in the woman’s eyes, though her expression did not soften at his exasperation.
“It is, of course, as the Guildmember wishes . . .”
“How do you do it, Teradia?”
“Do what?”
“Quell him.”
Teradia shrugged delicately. “It is easy. He has been reared to respect his elders.”
“What?” Killashandra peered more closely at Teradia’s face.
“She’s my grandmother,” Lars said with a disgusted growl
“My compliments, citizen,” Killashandra replied, trying not to laugh at Lars’s discomposure. “I shall have your artistry to support me this evening – ”
“And me!” Lars was emphatic.
So, under Lars’s eyes and occasionally with his help and company, Killashandra was soaped and bathed and massaged and oiled, and repairs to hair and nail accomplished, Killashandra fell asleep during the massage and later Lars fell asleep while Teradia tinted Killashandra’s hair and dyed her eyebrows dark again.
“It does make a considerable difference in your appearance,” Teradia said, surveying her handiwork. “I’m not certain which becomes you more,” she added thoughtfully. “You are a striking woman in either guise. Now,” she went on so briskly that Killashandra did not have to make any reply to this assessment, “we don’t have everything back from hurricane storage, but I know exactly where I put several unusual gowns that would suit your style and rank. Come this way, into the dressing room.”
Killashandra looked over her shoulder at the slumbering Lars.
“If he fell asleep in your presence, he is far more tired than he would ever admit, Killashandra Ree. We will leave him so until he is needed to escort you back to Olav Dahl.”
By the time Teradia had garbed Killashandra to her satisfaction, which had nothing, Killashandra realized, to do with her own, Lars had awakened. He executed a double take at the vision before him, presented a properly stunned expression before he began to smile then nod with approval.