electrokinetic shields. It’s why I’m surprised to feel a connection form.
He’s downtown, kneeling on the roof of an office tower, overlooking the Coalition’s fortress. Sadness and grief shadow his mind. His mother has been killed in the chaos. His house has been destroyed. He has come there to die. To die and destroy the Coalition with him if he can. He waits to find the chronomancers he’s certain are involved. Once he finds them, he will attack.
So you can destroy them? I ask, surprising him.
Kwan? He says. I feel some of the darkness leave his soul when he hears me. He rises and looks about to see if I’m near him.
I’m not here. You’re thinking too loud.
My mother blasted the house, rather than be taken by the chronomancers.
I know , I say. Friends are all Kajo has left. He’s never met his father: that much I determine from the connection. He has no relatives. His mother came here all the way from Wyverna, so he is halfway around the world from any demesne of his kind.
The image of the chronomancer assassins comes up in his mind again. Using his mental images as a beacon, I reach out, looking for the killers. I sense them to the south-east of Hillvale. Maybe in Graal. I’m not too sure.
All right. I will go there and pay the chronomancers a visit, says Kajo.
He visualizes a journey to find them. I feel a gulf of loneliness beckoning him.
Not without me you won’t , I say. It’s a bit out of character for someone like me, who’s never even been out of Hillvale. But I would be a terrible friend to let him face this alone. Besides, in this chaos, I might even be safer around a Lightning.
If only this little trip of his wouldn’t clash with school. Perhaps I can convince him to go on a weekend.
I will wait for school to end , says Kajo.
His mind has already forgotten suicide. I can sense him planning a renewed future.
Yes, Kwan. It is time I stepped up and took our half of Hillvale.
Why not the entire demesne? You’d make the very best Namika in history.
Oh Kwan. He laughs.
I was serious.
I must go prepare. See you in a week.
I release Kajo and think to myself about the unusual deal I’ve just made. What word can best summarize my mood right now? Excitement? Trepidation? I think somewhere in between.
“Haw, a date with Kajo?”
“Grandpa! You’re awake.”
“All that loud ’pathing, how could I sleep?” He sits up and swings his feet off the bed, so he can stand up and stretch his spine. I remain put, knowing he doesn’t want help in this simple activity. “Now who’s this young man I see in your mind? And who’s that, his mother?”
“Greg’s my boyfriend now, Grandpa. He’s introduced me to his mother and now I’m staying over there getting lessons.”
“Pity. Now you’re off the market for lonely men like me.”
“Buzzard! I was never on the market for you. How come you keep forgetting we’re related?”
My grandfather laughs and walks over to the window. I notice his gait is fairly smooth. His hip must be almost fully healed.
“Forget? I got a memory an elephant would be jealous of. And what’s going on outside. What was all that racket last night.”
I stand up and join him at the window, where I grasp his arm at the elbow. Spurred on by the physical contact, we enter rapport. He sees my memories of last night.
“Haw! Those Lightnings got themselves in a pickle all right. And this must be Mrs. Lanarr.
I let him watch my first day’s lesson with the tutor. He watches it piecemeal, just flipping to the interesting parts, and slowing at the moment when my parents meet Greg’s.
“That’s why I’ve not been by to bring you your lunch lately, Grandpa.”
“Seems you’ve got yourself a pilgrimage with Kajo too, m’dear.”
“A pilgrimage?”
“Ya. It’ll impress that cuckoo Lanarr lady too.”
“Who are you to call someone a cuckoo, you
He’s downtown, kneeling on the roof of an office tower, overlooking the Coalition’s fortress. Sadness and grief shadow his mind. His mother has been killed in the chaos. His house has been destroyed. He has come there to die. To die and destroy the Coalition with him if he can. He waits to find the chronomancers he’s certain are involved. Once he finds them, he will attack.
So you can destroy them? I ask, surprising him.
Kwan? He says. I feel some of the darkness leave his soul when he hears me. He rises and looks about to see if I’m near him.
I’m not here. You’re thinking too loud.
My mother blasted the house, rather than be taken by the chronomancers.
I know , I say. Friends are all Kajo has left. He’s never met his father: that much I determine from the connection. He has no relatives. His mother came here all the way from Wyverna, so he is halfway around the world from any demesne of his kind.
The image of the chronomancer assassins comes up in his mind again. Using his mental images as a beacon, I reach out, looking for the killers. I sense them to the south-east of Hillvale. Maybe in Graal. I’m not too sure.
All right. I will go there and pay the chronomancers a visit, says Kajo.
He visualizes a journey to find them. I feel a gulf of loneliness beckoning him.
Not without me you won’t , I say. It’s a bit out of character for someone like me, who’s never even been out of Hillvale. But I would be a terrible friend to let him face this alone. Besides, in this chaos, I might even be safer around a Lightning.
If only this little trip of his wouldn’t clash with school. Perhaps I can convince him to go on a weekend.
I will wait for school to end , says Kajo.
His mind has already forgotten suicide. I can sense him planning a renewed future.
Yes, Kwan. It is time I stepped up and took our half of Hillvale.
Why not the entire demesne? You’d make the very best Namika in history.
Oh Kwan. He laughs.
I was serious.
I must go prepare. See you in a week.
I release Kajo and think to myself about the unusual deal I’ve just made. What word can best summarize my mood right now? Excitement? Trepidation? I think somewhere in between.
“Haw, a date with Kajo?”
“Grandpa! You’re awake.”
“All that loud ’pathing, how could I sleep?” He sits up and swings his feet off the bed, so he can stand up and stretch his spine. I remain put, knowing he doesn’t want help in this simple activity. “Now who’s this young man I see in your mind? And who’s that, his mother?”
“Greg’s my boyfriend now, Grandpa. He’s introduced me to his mother and now I’m staying over there getting lessons.”
“Pity. Now you’re off the market for lonely men like me.”
“Buzzard! I was never on the market for you. How come you keep forgetting we’re related?”
My grandfather laughs and walks over to the window. I notice his gait is fairly smooth. His hip must be almost fully healed.
“Forget? I got a memory an elephant would be jealous of. And what’s going on outside. What was all that racket last night.”
I stand up and join him at the window, where I grasp his arm at the elbow. Spurred on by the physical contact, we enter rapport. He sees my memories of last night.
“Haw! Those Lightnings got themselves in a pickle all right. And this must be Mrs. Lanarr.
I let him watch my first day’s lesson with the tutor. He watches it piecemeal, just flipping to the interesting parts, and slowing at the moment when my parents meet Greg’s.
“That’s why I’ve not been by to bring you your lunch lately, Grandpa.”
“Seems you’ve got yourself a pilgrimage with Kajo too, m’dear.”
“A pilgrimage?”
“Ya. It’ll impress that cuckoo Lanarr lady too.”
“Who are you to call someone a cuckoo, you
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