Lisia's Journey by Rebecca Airies

all clans are as uncivilized as yours.” She smiled widely and deliberately. “I
    never had any problem with any of the males.”
    “Your brother‟s position protected you. Eventually, you would have found a man
    willing to risk it to claim you.” Jarritt shook his head. His certainty in his beliefs was
    obvious.
    “There‟s also the fact that she has five older brothers.” Drake inserted cheerfully.
    Jarritt glanced at the screen and then at Lisia. “There‟s a lot that you didn‟t tell me.
    Any sisters or other relatives I should know about?”
    “One younger sister and a slew of cousins, uncles and aunts.” She grinned.
    “That figures. A huge joining with all your family present isn‟t possible right now.
    There‟s too much risk.” Jarritt shook his head decisively. He turned his attention back to
    Drake and the viewscreen. “We‟ll wait for you and the rest of her immediate family if
    you‟d like to be here.”
    “Of course, I want to be at my sister‟s wedding. What do you mean risk? Is Lisia in
    danger?” Drake‟s voice lowered and a growl rumbled from the screen.
    “There are some space pirates in the area. For the most part, the risk is to any ship
    that travels in the area.” Jarritt looked directly at the screen.
    „“For the most part‟ doesn‟t sound very reassuring to me. If you‟re going to marry
    my sister, I want to know she‟s going to be safe with you.” Drake sat forward and
    leaned his elbows on the table.
    Just from his tone, she knew he was utterly serious.
    Lisia knew that look. It was his “I‟m going to get my way” expression. It usually
    worked, but she didn‟t think it would have quite the same effect on Jarritt that it did on
    the men and women at home. She fully expected to see more bristling male ego at that
    blatant challenge.
    Jarritt laughed. “She‟s safe. She‟ll be well protected here. Come and see.”
    Lisia watched her brother‟s head tilt and a smile lift one corner of his mouth. She
    knew he‟d come to some decision, but she didn‟t know what it was. He could be
    amazingly sneaky at times. She probably wouldn‟t know what he really thought until
    she saw him in person.
    “I‟ll be there as will at least one of her other brothers,” Drake said. “We‟ll talk more
    then.”
    “Thank you. I‟ll keep your sister safe. She‟s as important to me as she is to you.”
    Jarritt drew his fingers across her knuckles, but his eyes remained on the screen in front
    of him.
    “I love you, Drake. Give my love to everyone at home.” Lisia took a deep breath
    and tried to get hold of a sudden surge of emotion. She missed her family, wanted to be

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    Lisia’s Journey

    with them right now. It had been so long since she‟d even seen another member of her
    clan.
    “It might take me a few days to arrange things, Lisia, but I‟ll get there as soon as
    possible. I love you, little sister.” Drake looked at her intently for a moment.
    She‟d swear he‟d been trying to tell her something with that look, but she couldn‟t
    think of what it could be. As she went over what he‟d said, “little sister” stood out from
    the rest of his words. That wasn‟t the way he normally spoke to her. In fact, she could
    only remember one other time, he‟d ever called her “little sister”. It had happened on a
    space station they‟d been visiting when she‟d been much younger. A group of boys had
    cornered her and he‟d chased them away. When she‟d thanked him, he‟d said that that
    was what older brothers did—take care of their little sisters. No matter what.
    What was he planning?
    “You have some explaining to do.” Jarritt‟s hard voice jerked her away from her
    thoughts.
    She looked over to find him fully facing her, a very fierce frown on his face.
    “What?”
    “Why didn‟t you say something about your brother being Shi’an ? I know he was
    mentioned more than once.” Jarritt used his hold to tug her out of her chair.
    She caught