Fire & Soul by Siobhan Crosslin Page B

away from my forehead, but Aiya doesn't acknowledge that she startled me. "It's okay, love," she whispers, and I realize I'm crying. "It's okay, it's not your fault," she murmurs as she wipes at my face with a wet towel. "Misa'll be okay, you only hurt her a little."
    "I'll get him killed," I choke out and she tsks and pulls me down to cradle my head in her lap.
    "You forget that me and my boys are free," she says as she pets my hair. Her pants under my cheek are quickly growing damp, but she doesn't seem to care. "Didn't I say I'd get you two a present?"
    I snort despite myself. I do forget, somehow, that Aiya and Keito and Micca don't belong to anyone but each other. "You said that two years ago," I croak and she chuckles.
    "It took a long time to find someone like him."
    I still. "He is? Jye's our present?"
    She strokes my cheek. "He's the most powerful anam I could find, equal to or stronger than your brother. I didn't know he was so pretty, though." She worms her free hand into her pocket. "Speaking of your brother…"
    She holds the wrinkled, crumpled note in front of my face and I make myself open it calmly.
    To my idiotic brothers,
    Don't you dare blame yourselves. It was Jheghda's fault as per usual, you're not allowed to be sad. And I'm doing fine, I promise. Just ask Aiya, I'm sure her and Baina gossip enough. I'd say our mentors shouldn't be allowed to talk to each other, but then we wouldn't be able to, so I guess that's the price we pay.
    I smile despite myself and scan the rest of the letter before tucking it safely away to share with Mikscn later.
    "How'd you convince Jheghda to buy us a stronger anam?" I ask.
    "I didn't," she says, petting her hand down my cheek. "I convinced Jye's House that a good diplomatic relationship with Bredan is something they want, and Jye volunteered to be a goodwill ambassador."
    I just breathe for a few seconds. "Jye is free?" I manage, and she hums a positive. "Totally free?"
    "Yup."
    I sit up and stare her in the eye. "We could—he could—we could convince him to buy Cherian and set him free, pay him back somehow."
    Something flits across her face too fast to read before her expression smoothes out and she smiles. "How about we get you boys introduced before we worry about all that."
    I nod, but I'm already thinking, planning ahead. Finally, a chance to free Cherian! I have to tell Mikscn. Aiya sighs as she follows me out of the room, but I ignore the sound, feeling lighter than I can remember. Finally, a chance to make things right.
    The next few hours are spent trying to track Jye down. He's been everywhere—medical, the quartermaster's, our suite—and by the time I give up and return to the adjunct, I'm ready for a nap. I climb up to where Mikscn's inspecting the panels in the adjunct's face and pass him Cherian's note.
    He smiles as he reads it aloud and I imagine that Cherian's talking to us. I can remember his voice, a little, and it's a nice fantasy.
    Mikscn passes the note back to me. "He sounds good."
    "Yeah." I tuck it back into my boot and stretch languidly. "I met our new anam. Kind of." I wince.
    Mikscn takes it in stride, though. "Yeah? Do tell."
    "He's pretty," I say before I can stop myself, and Mikscn laughs. "Aiya said he's powerful. Like, Cherian-powerful."
    Mikscn stares at the panel in his hands. "Good. That's … good."
    "You two are hard to find."
    I barely register drawing my gun, but Jye doesn't even flinch. He just stares up from where he's perched on the adjunct's wrist  and waits in silence as I holster my gun.
    "I take it you're our new anam," Mikscn says as he replaces the panel.
    "You're twins," Jye murmurs. "No wonder you're so powerful. Your synchronization rates must be through the roof."
    "My name's Mikscn. This is Temsha," Mikscn says like Jye hadn't even spoken. "You two've already met?"
    "Not as such, no." His eyes flick between Mikscn and I. "My name's Jye."
    Mikscn nods and turns around to face us, dusting off his hands. "Nice to meet