Star Rider and Bonds of Love: A Sci-Fi Space Opera with a Touch of Fantasy Heidi Skarie (fox in socks read aloud .TXT) 📖

“Do you also deny that SamratCondor’s a sorcerer?” she demanded. “You’ve heard of hisabilities — and how he can control dark powers.”

“His priests spread rumors toscare people.”

“I’ve seen his powers. It’snot made up.”

“It is uncanny the wayCommander Rochambeau has been tracking us,” Benray said from wherehe sat across the fire.

“I’ve heard he trained to bea sorcerer under Samrat Condor,” White Owl said as he sat on a log.“Maybe he does have some way of psychically tracing Toemeka.”

“Just what I need! A bunch ofsuperstitious nonsense upsetting everyone,” Jake said. “Tiger,keep your thoughts to yourself. I don’t want you spreading fearamong my men.”

“Michio, you explain blackmagic to this meathead!” Toemeka exclaimed.

Michio shrugged. “Jake has aright to his own beliefs.”

“Not when his beliefs are wrongand could endanger the rest of us.”

“In what way am I endangeringyou by not believing in sorcerers?” Jake asked.

“You’re not taking seriouslyenough the danger of Cadmus following us because of me.”

“You’ve always had crazyideas. Sensed things other can’t feel; seen things that haven’thappened yet; claimed to travel in the invisible worlds. The weirdpart is you expect the rest of us to believe you.”

Toemeka fumed, knowing he wasdeliberately taunting her, as he’d done way too often in the pastwhen conversations turned to her intuition and inner experiences.

He liked watching her reactionsand always seemed to find a way to get to her. She wondered whyMichio didn’t say anything. He was gifted with words and understoodesoteric things far better than she did, but he remained silent.Breezy didn’t say anything to support her either, even though shewas an Initiate of the Secret Teachings and shared Toemeka’sbeliefs. Breezy never argued with Jake.

When Toemeka didn’t respondimmediately, Jake continued. “Initiates of the Secret Teachings areSamrat Condor’s favorite sacrifices. When it was discovered thatErling was a Coalition member, the Fenians might have been able tostay in their home. But that’s only if they’d been willing toembrace Samrat Condor and worship him, which, of course, they refusedto do. It’s stupid, if you ask me. They almost lost their lives andstill might before this is over.”

“You’re just upset, Jake,”Breezy said. “You also refuse to worship Samrat Condor.”

“I don’t worship him becausehe’s evil and needs to be stopped.” Jake’s eyes narrowed. “Ibelieve in freedom and people having the right to live their lives asthey choose. You don’t have to believe in the supernatural to berevolted by the thought of Condor wanting to sacrifice Toemeka forhis bloody religion!”

Toemeka stared at Jake, feelingthe intensity of his emotions. So that was what was bothering him. Hewas upset that she’d almost been sacrificed. Jake usually arguedwith her about religion with detachment. He liked to debate ideas andmatch his wits against hers, but this was different. He wasemotionally involved. Moreover, Commander Rochambeau’s relentlesspursuit wasn’t easy to explain away for someone who didn’tbelieve in psychic powers.

Jake looked at her with a soft,intimate expression. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to attack yourbeliefs. I know you sense things others don’t.” She realized witha jolt that he still cared deeply about her.

Toemeka stared back at himfeeling the old attraction. He was a handsome man with lush darkhair, beautiful deep-blue eyes, and an easy roguish grin. She felther face heat up and glanced at Michio. He never missed anything andhe clearly hadn’t missed this. His body was tense beside hers andhis arm became rigid around her waist. His eyes were alwayspenetrating and now they seemed to look right to her Soul.

“I’m tired, Michio.”Toemeka rose.

Breezy hugged Toemeka, thenslipped into her place beside Jake.

Toemeka and Michio startedwalking toward the tent. “Why were you involved with a man whosebeliefs are so different from your own?” Michio asked.

“He knows there are things hecan’t explain or understand. He was just being difficult. He likesto get me riled up.”

“How serious was yourrelationship?”

Toemeka shoved her hands into herpockets, wondering why Michio was asking. “Fairly serious.”

“He’s still in love withyou.”

“I don’t think he ever reallyloved me. Anyway, he’s crazy about Breezy now.”

Michio frowned. “He doesn’tlook at Breezy the way he looks at you.”

“He’s upset that I almost gotsacrificed and that Cadmus is still tracking me by some mysteriousmeans he can’t explain. We’re good friends, but there’s nothingbetween us besides friendship.”

“I never said there was.”

“You implied it. I’m going tocheck on Najetta.” She left him and crawled into Najetta andRichwood’s small tent. Sharma sat beside her sleeping mother.

“How is she?” Toemeka asked.

“She’s got a bad cold andcough. I’m afraid it’s developing into pneumonia. She needs awarm bed and medical attention.”

“We’ve lost CommanderRochambeau. Maybe we can leave the wilderness now,” Toemeka said.She pressed her hand against her forehead, feeling a bad headachecoming on. She didn’t really think they’d be able to loseRochambeau. He was obsessed with recapturing her.

“Do you have another headache?”Sharma asked.

“I’m getting a migraine. Doyou have a pain pill?”

“I only have a few left.”Sharma handed her a pill and a water flask. “Do you want me to getMichio?”

“No, we had an argument.”

“About?”

“Jake. Michio thinks there’ssomething between us.”

“There’s always beensomething between you and Jake, but you’re married and obviously inlove with your husband. Besides, Jake and Breezy are together now.”

“That’s what I told him.Well, not the first part about there being something between Jake andI. Whatever that was, it’s over.”

“When you love someone, thosefeelings don’t go away just because life changes.”

“You’re thinking aboutConnor. I’m deeply sorry for your loss. He was a wonderful man.”

Tears glistened in Sharma’seyes. “Sometimes I think maybe he isn’t really dead and thathe’ll come back to me after the war. He died in a dogfight andthere wasn’t a body to bury. I dream about him. It always feels soreal, but then I wake up and he’s still gone.”

“Losing a loved one isn’tever easy, even when you know we never die as Soul.”

“It’s hard to see Breezy sohappy with Jake and your loving relationship with Michio. Even Erlingfell in love and got married. Why did I have to be the one to losethe one I loved? I want children; I want a home in Tismus. NowConnor’s dead, Tismus is conquered by Samrat Condor and we have toleave