The Illegitimate Claim by Lorie O'Clare Page A

then returned to his sister.
     
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    The Illegitimate Claim
     
    Chapter Eight
     
    “I can’t believe this is Taratown.” Meah spoke through her comm as she swiveled
    her head back and forth, taking in the sights of the busy town.
     
    “I can’t believe I’m surrounded by so many Gothman.” Paleah looked around
    nervously as she drove her glider slowly alongside Meah’s. “Where are all the men?”
     
    Meah laughed. “Welcome to Gothman, my friend. Men don’t do women’s work
    and women don’t do men’s work. They’re a stubborn race. I doubt if they’ll ever
    change.”
     
    “Why would anyone want to be a part of this?” Paleah spoke to herself but Meah
    couldn’t help but laugh.
     
    “There’s a certain appeal to a Gothman man,” she said simply.
     
    “If you like having no rights,” Paleah muttered, and continued to stare at the
    women and children who ignored them as they briskly went about their morning
    activities.
     
    “I wonder when they built that?” Meah pulled to a stop in front of a large temple.
     
    She got off her glider and helped two sweaty children to the ground as she stared
    up at the beautiful building in front of them. It was built from white stone and had wide
    stairs leading up to double doors that stood open. The yard surrounding the temple
    was clean, but plain. She immediately visualized climbing flowers on trellises on either
    side of the stairs. A plaque secured to the stone wall of the building said, “House of
    Crator”.
     
    Meah climbed the stairs without a thought to her actions, and the twins
    accompanied her on either side. Paleah parked her glider next to Meah’s and climbed
    off quickly to follow. The Neurian was halfway up the stairs when the sound of gliders
    coming down the street caused her to turn. Her motive was purely curiosity. Gothman
    gliders were so noisy, she couldn’t help reacting to the sound. She noticed the women
    and children on the streets stopped and watched as a procession of about fifteen
    Gothman warriors drove slowly past.
     
    The man leading the procession caught Paleah’s attention first. He was a very large
    man, with a powerful-looking body. Even at a distance, Paleah saw corded muscles
    pressing against brown leather pants. His expression was blank, but she could tell he
    was taking in everything as he passed slowly, and for a brief moment he made eye
    contact with her. The intensity of his blue eyes sent a chill down her spine. His black
    hair was as straight and thick as her own and it bordered a perfectly chiseled face.
     
    “Paleah, come on.” Meah walked out of the temple and stood at the top of the
    stairs. “I think we can stay here.”
     
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    Lorie O’Clare
     
    Paleah turned away as the procession of warriors continued down the street, and
    climbed the remaining stairs to Meah. She noticed the look of shock on her new friend’s
    face, and then the woman quickly turned and darted into the building. Paleah turned to
    get one last glance at the men as they passed by, and continued down the road. One of
    the men bringing up the rear of Gothman seemed to watch her for a long second and
    she found she couldn’t pull away from his gaze. Floppy blond curls begged for fingers
    to comb through and straighten them. His expression didn’t appear to be quite as
    serious as the first man she’d noticed. His eyes were dark but not imposing. She did a
    double-take when the man smiled at her. Without thinking, she smiled back.
     
    Paleah’s heart pounded in her chest as she remembered the picture of the heir of
    Gothman her sister had shown her. The picture looked just like this man. But it couldn’t
    be. Certainly, Lord Andru wouldn’t bring up the rear of a procession of warriors. There
    were stories of a bastard, Lord Darius’ other son. Was that who she’d just seen? She
    feared that impish grin was burned into her memory for a while, as she slowly walked
    into the large temple.
     
    Long,