Kia's Biehshah Gift

Chapter 31 Casualties

A holo opened. Eanne~ held Ryonne~ and Adia against him, in the holo. "J~oie, are you safe?"

"Ea, fa! What happens?"

Healers checked Ryonne~ and Pas put his hands up there. Sighed. "O, I am sorry. I think he died too quickly to suffer." Not a mark on them. They looked asleep, but deep gray. Their hands gripped each other's.

Another, older healer touched Adia's head and ported both bodies away.

I cried. "I shouldn't have been talking about Danger Service—"

Suma pulled at my arm. "You stopped most of them! Both of you did, despite the distraction."

"We didn't need to lose them! Why were they out there?"

Eanne~ sighed. "After the first attack, some ne came to our hiding place. Ryee went to find them, and Adia also. They ported to us, but ne Ryee and Adia." He cried, arms still curled as if holding them.

Pas looked around. "We found all. Only Ryee and Adia died."

"I must go to my people." Eanne~'s golden eyes filled.

J~oie pulled at his father. "I will go—"

"We come to you!" Pas pulled Eanne~ into a portal onto our bed. "Comfort your father. Ryee's other clone comforts our people. He holds Remembrance now. I find him able."

"After Esteerr?" J~oie shivered.

Pas waved blankets that steamed over both men. "He ne suffered as you and Ryee. Lyyyrah saw them before they would share foods, so he did ne. I found ne poisons with him, ne at all. When he finishes, they come to us. Is this well, Kia?"

I nodded. My head pounded from all the reaching to make sure none of those creeps got to Ye~. Why, of all people, did it have to be them? I felt the grief of all those Yeff. People thought about all his missions and how they expected him to die sooner. What?

J~oie tried to pull Eanne~ into his arms, but he put him on his lap. Clung to him. "O, such comfort you are to me, Bae!"

"Fa, Ryee died as he wished to die. He saved 20."

"Eae." The deep voice of Eanne~ broke, and waves of his sorrow shook us. "So many times, I held him, unwell, from missions on my schedule."

"Fa, ne! Ne this guilt—"

"I named him my aide at 12 and Eas called me foolish! Little knew I that he took opportunities—"

"Would we suffer without the treaties he signed? Or if you died trying to get them? I agreed with Ryee's choice, which I made if I only had health!" J~oie cried.

Eanne~ startled and placed a careful hand on his forehead. "My bae—"

"I can bear, Fa." He took his hand, kissed it, and pulled it down. Inhaled three bis tia. I never saw a Zheien take one. 

Ir stared. I saw them, rarely, take one, never three!

"J~oie, I ne expected to lose one of you in my home! On missions, ea, but ne in my home! Promise me you stay here!"

"I will stay, Fa. But if you need my help to comfort our people—"

"I need to know that I find you here, in safety! My younger stands to lose his life this day! And, my daughter!" He sobbed.

Today? Maybe he knows something I don't. But if I blink, it might be another day. I'm so tired! I want this to be over. Maybe Dromie can do something. If only we could talk to Pirad! We're in the dark ages without him.