thefiremargins by Lisanne Norman

knew what he was months ago, Vanna! Why punish him for his past? This isn't worthy of you. He knows you're lying to yourself, remember that! At least talk to him about it, you owe him that.

She got to her feet. "Garras, wait. We need to talk," she said.

Kaid waited till they'd gone. "So we play the Brotherhood at its own game, eh?" he grinned.

"It seems the best way," said Kusac. "It also enables us to get your people legitimately employed with us without them having to leave the Brotherhood. Naturally, we'll have this agreement down in writing so neither Ghezu nor Lijou can demand them back at a later date."

"That would be wise," agreed Kaid. "About the new clan, I presume you've checked out the legalities."

Kusac nodded. "If we prove we've walked the Fire Margins, we can set up a new clan. Then our Brotherhood members can leave and join us legitimately."

"Where do you plan to locate this clan?"

"This land is my mother's, the Aldatan land. South of here, adjoining it, is the Valsgarth estate, my settlement as heir. There's already a villa there that's being made ready for us at the moment, and the remains of the estate houses. As soon as Carrie is fit to move, I had planned to take her there to recuperate. It's time we had our own home, and our own lives," he said, getting to his feet. "We could locate the new clan there. Where is Carrie, by the way? I don't want to wake her by sending."

"In the main lounge, sleeping on the daybed," said Kaid.

"I want to call in on her before I find my father. I need to know why he wanted the kitlings brought here."

"Your father also requested a bodyguard this morning when he visited the Guild. I sent T'Chebbi with him. She said the attitude of the medical staff toward him bordered on the aggressive. She was glad she was there."

"That's bad," said Kusac.

"Esken wasn't much better," Kaid said, accompanying him to the inner balcony. "He was patronizing and insulting— just within the bounds of the acceptable, until he refused to accept the Governor's appointment without checking with him first. Your father insisted on calling Nesul, who proceeded to give Esken an earful! T'Chebbi also said your father probably had us collect the kitlings because Esken said he was moving them the next day."

"Gods, where are we headed if this continues?"

"I think Esken's rattled because he now realizes your family poses a threat to his control of the Council. With your father working with the new Leskas, it leaves him little or no room to conduct illicit experiments on them to find out their potential. He's going to have to move them if he wants to stay in control."

"I wonder if Esken realizes that in crossing swords with my father he's taking on a major government department, not just one male."

"If he doesn't, he'll soon find out," said Kaid as they made their way down the main staircase.

     
    * * *
     
    Vanna joined Garras in the corridor. "We'll talk in our rooms," she said, turning to go upstairs.

Garras followed her. He could tell she was still deeply upset about his past. He sighed. He'd been too long in the world outside Stronghold. He'd never bothered about anyone's reaction to his profession in those days— especially a female's, but then the females who were interested in the Brothers weren't like Vanna. And he'd rather have her than any number of those from his past.

Once in the privacy of their lounge, Vanna turned to him.

"Before you begin, Vanna," he said, forestalling her, "please sit down and listen to what I have to say."

She opened her mouth in protest, then closed it and sat down on the settee, looking up at him.

"You didn't know me during my days in the Brotherhood," he said, sitting opposite her. "I joined, as we all do, because Vartra called me. I trained hard and became one of the best at what I did. Kaid and I teamed up early on. As Brothers all we have is the God, our oath, and each other. Lasting friendships outside Stronghold are frowned on, and are virtually