Pictoria (The Ammonite Galaxy Series, Book 4)

Chapter 2

GRACE WAS BACK at the Xianthan spaceport, but this time to meet someone. She covered her eyes, and squinted against the last rays of Almagest as the shuttle came in to land. Her concerned expression lightened as she caught sight of Ledin, and she took a half-step forwards.

His eyes creased into folds of pleasure as he walked up to her. He gave her a quick hug, and then deliberately held his hands up in the more traditional salute. Grace hesitated, but then touched his hands with her own, acutely aware of the spaces where her missing fingers should have been. Ledin seemed not to notice, holding the salute for a moment, and then curling his hands around hers.

"I have missed you," he said simply.

She stared up into his face. "I missed you too."

"I'm glad." A slow smile illuminated his face. He put one arm over her shoulders, and they walked away towards the waiting magsled. When he saw it, Ledin raised one eyebrow. "Have we suddenly moved up the social scale?"

Grace laughed. "We are apparently heroes here. They say we can use the magsleds whenever we want."

"Nice of them."

"They are nice people."

"Yes – I am glad we have chosen this planet."

"Me too," Grace agreed.

"So, let's go and get my canth – I can't wait to see the Emerald Lake!"

"I left my canth at the canth farm too. I wanted both of us to be there when we tell the man who spoke to canths our idea. He's the one who let me use the magsled." They clambered aboard the luxury vehicle, and Grace carefully put the gear into drive. "Did I tell you we are now godparents fifty times over?"

Ledin raised an eyebrow. "Couldn't Six and Diva agree on anybody else to stand as surrogate parents?"

Grace giggled. "I guess not."

He gave a sigh, but Grace could tell that he was really quite pleased. He asked her if Six and Diva were still there, but they had both left Xiantha after seeing the children. Arcan had transported them both back to the Kwaide Orbital Station, where Six was due to run another pilot training program. Diva had agreed to take a shuttle down to the surface of Kwaide, to spend some time with Cimma, examining the trade agreements with Coriolis – not a pastime which appealed to her. She had not looked particularly happy to be leaving the Emerald Lake, and Grace could hardly blame her.

The magsled had wended its way out of the spaceport terminal, and was now outside. Ledin took in an appreciative breath of the hot air, and looked around at the dusty red ground. Then he looked towards the Xianthes, as she had when she'd arrived. He stared for a long moment, and then looked down at her again.

"I am glad that is over," he said.

She didn't pretend to misunderstand him. "So am I. Xiantha now seems a much more peaceful place."

"Let's hope it stays that way."

BUT WHEN THEY reached the canth farm, the man who spoke to canths was on his knees on the dusty ground, crouching next to the black canth which was stretched out prone. As Grace approached, he sat down and pulled the animal's heavy head into his lap, where he began to stroke the whorls of its coat at the top of the neck, soothing, talking, trying somehow to remove part of its pain.

Grace came to an unsteady stop beside them, and sank down into the sand too. The black canth was breathing unsteadily, its flanks shuddering with each breath, the marks of sweat along its beautiful hair surrounded by white rims of foam. Grace put a gentle hand on its shoulder, and felt tears come to her eyes at the sight of such distress in this magnificent creature.