Noon A Catherine & Wilder Rachel Emerald Fire

Emerald Fire

by A. Catherine Noon

Torquere Press

www.torquerepress.com

Wilder

First published in www.torquerepress.com, 2012

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Emerald Fire

by A. Catherine Noon

* * * *

Emerald Fire

by A. Catherine Noon

Emerald Fire
A. Catherine Noon and Rachel Wilder

Emerald Fire

by A. Catherine Noon

Chapter 1: Stake the Claim

Emerald Keeper Teeka set his waterskin on the sand next

to the baku tree and wiped his forehead. The kohl burned a
little as it dripped in his eye, and he sighed. He moistened a
corner of his outer silks and wiped his face. The turban fought
him, the wool still a little scratchy, but he wrestled it back
into place around his head. Too new yet, it would soften with
washes into a more comfortable garment. He wished he didn't
have to wait. Sure, it looked good against his caramel skin,
but he could do with more comfort.

Only another mile remained before Brant got to the

sandstone motherlode, and Teeka wondered how long it
would take him to get there and back. Several yingtzao, their
yellowish orange fronds undulating in a breeze, clumped
nearby like a signpost. The lode they had found made any
other recent one look minor in comparison. His new Contract
seemed pleased, even as he went off to enter his code in the
Claim Stake.

Brant didn't speak much, but as Contracts went, Teeka

could have done worse for his first time. Older than Teeka
liked, the Hunter nonetheless seemed to value Teeka and his
skills. As an established Senior Hunter of five years, Brant
gave Teeka status by sharing Contract. A new Contract with a
Hunter would be easier now, even with Teeka's relative
inexperience. A small bit of remorse twinged him for leaving
Brant, the fondness having grown over the last two and a half
months. But Teeka wanted other Contracts.

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by A. Catherine Noon

At least, that was what he had told Brant the night before.

Then Brant stunned Teeka with his offer. "I'll share the profits
of this Stake with you, Keeper. After all, you helped to find
it."

Though he saw Brant's Contract as business, Teeka would

be heartless not to let such a generous gesture warm him. He
had hedged when speaking to Brant about extending their
time together and said only he would consider it. Truth to tell,
the offer excited him—not only to repay his debt to the Keep,
but for the respect and status a Claim in his own name would
give him.

This Claim stirred excitement for other reasons as well.

Brant had only harvested spurs and left Teeka behind at
Kotek City, stating it was too much trouble to move camp for
a few days at a time. A lode this big meant Teeka could be
out in the Great Valley, even if it was still close to the tent
city. He'd always dreamed of going on Stake for real, and not
just as a Keeper to a successful Hunter—even one several
years his senior, like Brant.

The gem Brant had given Teeka as a Welcome Gift more

than made up for their difference in age. Teeka pulled his
silks open and lifted his tunic to see it. The size of his
thumbnail, it nestled in his belly button with the help of a
small, inexpensive cyberplant. The dark green stone winked
at Teeka as he studied it. He tucked his tunic back down,
patting it into place, and took another sip of water.

He wished Brant would hurry up! It was lonely sitting here.

He wished the Hunter had agreed to bring his young truffle;
at least that would be company. Brant claimed that he didn't

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by A. Catherine Noon

want to keep track of the little creature as well as a novice
Keeper. The morning heat beat down on Teeka's forehead like
a fist, even in the shade. He couldn't find cover from both
suns at the same time, so he hid from Sol's brighter glare
that overwhelmed the softer blue glow of Minah.

He blinked his eyes, heavy with drowsiness, and realized

the rhythmic sounds nearby came from footfalls.

"Why are you on the ground?" a harsh voice demanded.
Teeka craned to peer around the trunk of the baku tree.

"It's hot."

"Get up! It's not safe here." The speaker moved closer,

dressed in the silks of a Hunter. He unwound the face cloth,
and Teeka gasped.

Faded scars, dark red now, split his right cheek from

temple to chin. Three of them, they bore mute testimony to
the violence of whatever fight had caused them. "What in
Landing did that to you?" Next to the scars, the reflective
prosthetics on his eyelids seemed less spectacular, even
though their dark gray color gave him an intense stare.

The speaker scowled. "You are Teeka."
He frowned. "Yes."
"You wait for Brant."
"Yes."
"You may call me Quill. Come with me. We must return to

Kotek City."

Teeka cast his mind back, trying to remember this Hunter.

Dim recollections of the silent man at dinner festivals, on the
outside of the group, came to him. Even when Brant

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introduced them, Quill had only nodded his greeting. He'd
never spoken to Teeka, though, nor anyone else.

Teeka scrambled to his feet as Quill grabbed his provision

bag with its precious yingtzao fronds, evidence he'd brought
back for Brant. How he'd searched for days in the library files
on the net for maps and other geological data! After several
weeks of research, he'd located the proof to his theory—
yingtzao could only grow that thick over waterstones, and
where waterstones lay, there had to be a lode. These fronds,
even this close to the tent city, indicated a lode of significant
promise, overlooked until now.

Quill slung the bag over his shoulder with a powerful thrust

of his arms. His robes flared and a flash of crimson caught
Teeka's eye. Blood spattered the inside of Quill's robes and
trailed along his left arm.

"You're bleeding!"
"It's not mine. A sandboar gored Brant. I killed it." He

shifted, showing the carcass to Teeka. Too big to be carried in
its entirety by one Hunter, the traditional cuts included the
haunches and forequarters. This one only included the
haunches, which spread the length of the back harness.

Teeka's eyes widened, a chill sparkling down his back.

"That is enormous."

Quill shrugged. "Get your things. There are more in the

area."

A spurt of fear went through him and he glanced around.

"You're kidding! What about Brant?"

Quill studied him, his cold gray eyes remote. "I told you. A

sandboar gored him."

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by A. Catherine Noon

Teeka froze, the air going out of him. "Wait. You mean

he's dead?"

The Hunter turned and set out along the path to Kotek

City. Numbness spun out from Teeka's chest. Dead. Brant
was dead?

What would to happen to Teeka now? True, he neared the

end of his Contract, but he was far from any Keep. After
meeting Brant in Cyrus, they had traveled six days to get to
Kotek City. What was he going to do?

Tears for the quiet Hunter spilled down his cheeks. They'd

only lain together a few times, but Brant seemed patient and
gentle. He'd died without Teeka even hearing the attack.

He followed Quill into the blistering heat, the yingtzao

fronds poking out of the corner of his pack like an accusation.

The walk back to Kotek City seemed longer than before.

The Great Valley spread out from the nearby mountain range
like a rippling golden blanket. A wide swath of short grass
separated the rough peaks from the sand. Their tent city
seemed small, a child's toy dropped on a carpet, but Kotek
City did a brisk trade. Tucked between two crescent-shaped
walls, the stones shielded it from the forty to sixty mile-an-
hour winds and sand sweeping in from the desert. Close to
the mountains, though, the Herders found plentiful grazing
while the Hunters found good goldstone lodes out in the
shifting dunes.

Prosperous and settled, Kotek City thrived. He'd been

ecstatic to live here as his first Contract.

But in his dream, his Contract lived and breathed.

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He smeared kohl along his cheek and into his eye when he

wiped his face and rubbed it with his sleeve. He wished he
could hide, fish his mirror out of his pack and fix his face, but
Quill never slowed nor even looked back. Teeka tried to
ignore the sensation of being exposed and vulnerable, out of
sorts and disheveled in front of a stranger. Of course, he
followed behind. He stumbled and hurried to catch up to
Quill's robed figure.

Quill didn't wear the usual Hunter garb. Quill seemed like a

wraith, his gray outer daysilks covering a deep, burnished
chocolate robe underneath. His leggings peeked out from
under the browns, and the unexpected flash of slate blue
caught Teeka's eye, like the sky after a storm. Quill's turban
lay tight to his face, allowing no hint of his hair to peek out.
Silk edge-stitching decorated it with what looked like a
repeating geometric design. Where had he purchased it? The
idea of the taciturn Hunter shopping a bazaar for such
delicate work made him want to smile, but the urge was
smothered in the horrible heat—not that Quill would see him.
Quill's long legs kept him ahead of Teeka by several strides.

Discovering where it was made seemed important, though

Teeka's curiosity only served him as a distraction. Right in
front of him, the sandboar haunches swung from Quill's pack.
Secured to a leather back harness, the enormous animal's
legs hung from Quill's broad shoulders. Its savage claws
glowed red with what could only be blood. His stomach
tightened with the realization it could be Quill's blood, or
perhaps Brant's.

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by A. Catherine Noon

He swallowed, praying he wouldn't throw up or otherwise

embarrass himself in front of the taciturn Hunter.

When they reached the canvas walls of Kotek City, Quill

led the way to a side gate away from Central Promenade and
greeted the guard in a soft voice. They spoke together for
several moments until Teeka caught up and Quill set off for
the Hunters' Quarters. Teeka hesitated, he'd never been to
the section of Kotek City where all the Hunters had their
tents.

"You may go with him, son," the guard murmured in a kind

voice.

Quill slowed to allow Teeka to catch up. He retracted his

sunshade implants and his gray eyes found Teeka's gaze.
"You may accompany me to the Hunters' Pavilion. You can
check to see if your Stake is registered there."

Teeka hesitated. "I can go in there?"
Quill frowned. "I know it's for Hunters, but you'll be with

me."

Brant never took Teeka to the Hunters' Pavilion. He

thought it was because he wasn't allowed inside, since he
wasn't a Hunter; however, if Quill invited him, that couldn't
be true. Why wouldn't Brant want Teeka there?

"Once we check on your Stake, I'll find out what Elder

Hunter decided. A party of Hunters will go out to retrieve
Brant's body."

"I don't have the whole Stake, sire." Teeka swallowed,

trying to get his voice out around the lump in his throat.
"Brant went out to get the Claim Stake and enter the code."

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by A. Catherine Noon

Quill's expression sharpened and his gaze bore into

Teeka's as though the Hunter tried to read his mind.

"Half of that Stake is mine now, isn't it?"
The Hunter's eyes narrowed. "If you can prove it out."
"I can!" Teeka pointed at his own pack and its yingtzao

fronds. "I found it, not Brant."

"Did you, now?" Quill's voice held a purr, as though he

refrained from laughing or disagreeing out loud.

Teeka flushed, not liking the man's tone. "I know how to

find a Stake, Hunter Quill." He yanked his pack away from the
man and dug his mirror out. He made Quill wait while he fixed
the mess of kohl on his cheek, though he didn't bother re-
applying it. He finished and stowed the mirror, then gazed up
at the Hunter. Let him make the next move, the sandboar!

Quill cocked a jet black eyebrow but said nothing, just

turned and headed for a long, low tent with its bright sapphire
designs.

Teeka entered the sanctuary of the Hunters and curiosity

filled him, despite the somber reason for his visit. Thick
carpets covered the floor of the pavilion and several heavy
tables stood with papers and maps scattered over their
surfaces. Senior Hunters with their armbands of rank
clustered on the far side and their conversation halted as Quill
appeared.

One, a pale-faced man with long, blond hair, turned as

they entered and then he saw Quill's face. He paused in the
act of braiding his hair, the silky strands in one fist. "What
happened? What's wrong?"

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Quill sighed and strode to the Meat Stone near the hearth

and slung the sandboar haunches onto the slab. "Brant is
dead."

Several other Hunters stood, facing them. In all, thirty

men ranged around the tent stared at them, and Teeka tried
to ignore the heat flaming into his face.

"How?" the blond asked.
"Gored," Quill responded. "This is the sandboar."
"The body?" Elder Hunter Tybin asked in a deep voice.
Teeka eyed him with interest. The legend of the Elder

Hunter had gone through the Keeps like wildfire. A former
Gem Keeper like Teeka, Tybinia could have stayed at
Sapphire Keep to teach and live a pampered, opulent lifestyle.
Instead, after his Contract of twenty years died of the cancer,
Tybinia had left the Keep and dropped his suffix. He
petitioned the Hunters as an apprentice and, despite all
expectations, they had accepted him. Then, his first season
alone, he stunned them all by bringing from the Great Valley
four bags loaded heavy with both goldstones and sunstones.

Teeka had only caught two glimpses of him at festivals.

The Elder Hunter spent most of the season out in the Great
Valley, harvesting Stakes of his own. While in Kotek City, he
remained deep in the section of the tent city reserved for
Hunters, up against the canvas walls and close to the desert.

The Elder Hunter's face retained the beauty he'd had as a

young man, lined now but still handsome. His expressive blue
eyes seemed kind and intelligent, and he wore a large
sapphire on his left hand. His black hair lay over one
shoulder, plaited in an intricate weave and jeweled with more

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sapphires. Teeka recognized the work of a Keeper in the
plait's pattern. Did he Contract with a Keeper after he had
retired? Or did Tybin plait it himself?

Quill cleared his throat and faced the Elder Hunter. "I left it

covered and shielded. I didn't want the Keeper to have to see
it."

Every eye in the tent focused on Teeka, and he resisted

the urge to fidget.

The piercing blue gaze of the Elder Hunter focused on

Teeka like Sol's glare. "You are from Emerald Keep, are you
not?"

Did his gaze denote intensity, rather than censure or,

worse, dislike? His body language didn't indicate anything
negative. Only the eyes seemed to reach out and grab Teeka
with an almost physical presence. "Yes, sire." Teeka brought
his head up, feigning a confidence he didn't feel. "Contracted
over two months ago."

"Ah." The Elder Hunter's eyes widened, and he glanced at

Quill.

"He has a Claim to Stake." Quill shifted his weight, cocking

one hip.

"Do you?" The Elder Hunter eyed Teeka. "I shouldn't

wonder. Emerald Keep looks to its own and brings value to its
Contracts."

Teeka frowned, but the expressions on the faces of several

nearby Hunters made him wonder if the Elder Hunter's
comment was for them, not him.

Tybin stepped forward and rested a hand on Teeka's

shoulder. "I am sorry for your loss, but I can tell you there

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was no activity on the vid this morn. Brant did not Claim any
Stake for either of you. Perhaps, when he examined the site,
he realized he was mistaken. Stonedust veins are often
confused with sunstones, even to experienced Hunters."

Confusion welled up inside Teeka. He knew no mistake had

been made. The sandboar must have attacked his Contract
before he could input their codes. What should he do? What
could he do? Other Hunters would check that area sooner or
later. Brant had too much standing to have his interest
dismissed out of hand. All of Teeka's hard work would go to
another. The conversation resuming around him broke Teeka
from the worry circling inside.

"What happens to the Contract now?" one of the younger

Hunters asked. He seemed about Teeka's age, over majority
but not yet five-and-twenty. He wore shoulder length reddish-
brown braids, gold spacers flickering in them like embers. He
still wore his outer robes and a turban lay on the table next to
him.

"The Chieftain will rule on that." The Elder Hunter turned

to address the younger man. "He will need to return to
Emerald Keep, with no Contract."

"I would petition for the Contract. I can buy out Brant's

interest." He threw his head back, gazing at the Elder Hunter
like a Sultan.

Several others murmured back and forth, and Quill

twitched like he'd speak, but said nothing.

Teeka eyed the man with interest. His reddish-brown silks

seemed in good repair, not new but not threadbare. He

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trimmed his fingernails, and what Teeka could see of his
musculature seemed promising.

Of course, he was a Hunter; physical conditioning

happened as a byproduct of the lifestyle.

"His Contract lies dead, Hunter Ezek. You speak out of

turn." The Elder Hunter sounded stern and gazed at Ezek with
piercing blue eyes. "All in due time. Let the boy be."

Teeka flushed. Boy? He wasn't a boy! He looked away to

hide his reaction from the older man, and Quill snared his
gaze. His eyes matched the gray of his sunshades, dark but
compelling. The Hunter said nothing, just studied him, his
eyes seeming less harsh in his face now that they all stood in
the surroundings of the tent.

"I'll take you to your tent." Quill squared his shoulders.

"You should rest."

"Thank you," Teeka answered and hefted his pack onto his

shoulder.

He could feel the others' eyes on him as he left, Ezek in

particular, but didn't turn to look. It wouldn't do to appear too
eager.

But another Contract this soon on the heels of his old one?

That was luck he hadn't even hoped for! The best he'd
thought he'd find would be an escort to the nearest Keep.
Emerald Keep lay on the other side of the planet from here,
and other gem and stone Keeps stood between it and the
Great Valley, but any Keep would safeguard him home.
Emerald Keepers fetched high Contracts and had their pick of
assignments.

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But to find a Contract right here, and with a Hunter,

seemed like luck beyond his dreams.

Guilt flooded him next, to consider business right after his

first Contract's death. But he didn't want to be sent back,
either. Memories of his arguments with Contract Keeper
Zeteya flashed in his mind. Though Zeteya favored him above
his yearmates, the arguments over Teeka's choice had left a
bad taste in both their mouths. Not until Teeka had divulged
his secret desire to become a Hunter did Zeteya relent and
allow his Contract to Brant. To return so soon, and with an
unfilled Contract, would only prove Zeteya's point that he
should Contract closer to Reghdad.

Another thought occurred to him: what would his

yearmates say? Though no one had witnessed his
negotiations with Zeteya, his yearmates knew of his Contract
and gossiped about the distance, the remote nature of Kotek
City, and Brant's age. He shuddered to think of their reactions
now. And what of other Potentials? With his first Contract
ending in disaster, it could be that no one would want him on
Contract again.

He followed Quill into the covered walkway between the

tents, the dusty rugs on the ground cushioning them against
the day's heat. He moved along the pathway in a daze,
doubts chasing around his mind like sandmice and turning his
stomach to acid.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Emerald Fire

by A. Catherine Noon

Chapter 2: Finding the Stake

Quill left Teeka at his tent and disappeared into the

shadowed walkway, his gray outer silks providing effective
camouflage. Teeka tied the door, wishing for privacy. The
tears he'd held at bay spilled down his cheeks, and he gazed
at the bed and its waiting nightsilks, arranged in two sets on
the pillow.

"Brant..."
The hushed interior of the tent swallowed his whisper.

Kaleidoscopic patterns covered the rugs on the walls, mute
evidence of Brant's success as a Hunter. More carpets lined
the floor, leaving it thick and comfortable. They didn't have
much furniture, only a low table for food preparation and two
low-slung leather chairs, but the plump pillows scattered
about fit the needs of guests. One of the new ones, by the
bed, displayed stitching by Teeka himself, his first gift to his
new Contract.

His eyes slid of their accord to the empty food dish and

pen waiting for Brant's truffle. He wished Sniffer was here to
share his loneliness, but he didn't know the Hunter with
whom Brant had left the little animal. He should have asked
at the Hunters' Pavilion, but it seemed silly to return on that
errand now—not to mention he might get lost. Weariness
tugged at him and he sighed, stomach hollow.

He stripped out of his silks and stepped into the back of

the tent. He whispered a prayer of thanks that none of the
others who shared their necessary occupied their homes at

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the moment. Four tents backed up against the small
waterspout and toilet. He stepped under the sluice of water
and soaped his whole body, trying to wash away the empty
feeling in his stomach. It didn't work, but he emerged feeling
cleaner than he had in weeks.

The Claim Stake stood out in his mind like a beacon. He'd

found the lode spur almost by accident, focused as he was on
the motherlode. Brant went off to hunt for signs of game
nearby and to enter the code. Teeka had followed and found
the motherlode after tripping over a rock. Brant had even
smiled, an expression Teeka treasured for its rarity.

Brant had set the first Stake on the spur and bade Teeka

wait while he hiked to Stake the main Claim. He'd seen
sandcat tracks in the area and didn't want Teeka to be in
harm's way.

But if the Hunters sent to retrieve Brant's body got

curious, they'd find the Stake! Now that Quill had made the
Claim public, anyone could take it unless Teeka could enter
his own code first, since Brant hadn't done it. He sank down
to the mattress, chewing his thumb. His eyes fell on his
buttercup-yellow silks, his newest clothing purchase. They
were made from the finest wool. For some reason, robes were
called silks despite the material used, though Teeka never
found an explanation in his classes or old texts. On Old Earth,
he'd read, they used insects to produce fine fabrics—which
always sounded rather disgusting. Why they didn't just use
moss like normal people was beyond him. He'd bought these
one afternoon at the Bazaar because they looked like robes

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that Hunters would wear. Brant had seemed amused by the
purchase.

What if he, Teeka, went with the Hunters to retrieve the

body? He could wear those silks and blend in, and even if
there was a sandcat nearby, he'd look like a Hunter.

Before he could lose his nerve, he threw off his housesilks

and dressed. He squeezed the water out of his hair and re-
braided it. It stretched down his entire back. Henna kept the
burnished red in the brown, and it looked tawny like a
sandcat's fur. He'd intended to cut it when he left the Keep
but Brant had seemed startled when he'd mentioned it. Sure
enough, when Brant allowed himself to touch Teeka, he had
loved to play with Teeka's hair.

He wound his older, pale tan turban around his head. Soft

and supple with many washings, he loved the feel of it. It
covered his hair, even the small side-braid. Rather than leave
it to dangle free, decorated with dark green glass beads like
little emeralds, he hid everything like a Hunter.

The pans he'd planned to use to make dinner sat ready

near the door of the tent, and his eyes threatened to tear up.
He had collected all the makings for lentil stew, a dish Brant
seemed fond of and one that pleased Teeka to make for him.

But that was done now.
Instead, Teeka grabbed a nutrient bar and pulled his

desert boots back on. The mid-day heat in the corridor closed
around him like an outer robe, and he trotted back to the
Hunters' tent. He didn't want them to leave without him. He
entered through the door Quill had used and paused,
wondering if he broke protocol somehow since he wasn't a

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Hunter. Of course, the Elder Hunter looked right at him as he
did it. He couldn't very well leave and find another door.

Teeka approached the Elder Hunter, his heart pounding.

"Sire."

"Teeka." The Hunter gazed down at him, a huge man with

as many muscles across his chest as Teeka had in his whole
body. His large blue eyes seemed kind, for a Hunter.

"I want to go with the burial group," Teeka blurted before

he lost his nerve.

"When they return for Brant?"
"Yes, sire. I want to go with them, when they retrieve him.

I..." He trailed off. I want to say goodbye seemed too silly to
vocalize to this huge Hunter.

One of the men standing in the shadows near the far table

stirred and glanced over. Without his turban, it took a
moment for Teeka to recognize Quill. Jet black hair, shaved
close in back but tufted in front despite a pointed widow's
peak made his gray eyes stand out. A single braid, beaded
with what looked to Teeka's not-inexperienced eye like rubies,
fell along the unscarred side of Quill's face almost to his
nipple. His slate-blue bodysilks looked darker in the dim light
inside the tent. He studied Teeka but turned away when their
eyes met.

"Very well, you may accompany them." The Elder Hunter

squared his shoulders. "Go, now. They prepare. You may join
them at the southeast gatehouse."

"Yes, sire," Teeka gasped, dipping in a bow. He scurried

along the covered walk, his feet shuffling on the carpets lining

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the center of the tent city. They kept the sand controlled and
lay thick under his boots.

He arrived at the outskirts, near the gate Quill had used.

Several Hunters gathered by the door to a provision tent, and
Teeka slipped inside. Maybe he could help carry a pack.

Ezek stood to the right of the door by a bench, holding his

gear. He set a waterskin down and wiped his face with a
towel. He turned as he stripped out of his tunic and found
Teeka watching him.

Before Teeka could look away, the Hunter grinned. "You're

Teeka, aren't you?"

"Yes."
"Call me Ezek."
"I am coming with you," Teeka announced in as firm a

voice as he could manage while distracted by the smooth skin
of Ezek's chest. "I came in to see if I could carry a pack."

Ezek nodded, ducking his head and pouring water onto the

back of his neck. He pointed at the door. "Outside. They're
portioning out everything now. Go on ahead; I'll be out in a
moment."

Teeka smirked. Ezek spoke like they'd already Contracted.

Teeka walked out into the heat. The small group of Hunters
gathered near the gatehouse. Quill stood to the side,
somehow separate from the others.

Before Teeka could speak, Ezek emerged with the tail of

his turban in his hand. He finished winding it as he
approached two other Hunters and motioned to Teeka. "This
is Ming and that's Feyl," he said, pointing at each. Ming was
an Asian Hunter, bright red streaking his jet black hair. Teeka

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recalled his pale blond companion from earlier, in the Hunters'
pavilion. He had the narrow face and sharp features of a
Northerner. Teeka nodded at each of them, filled with sudden
shyness. Would they like him? All of them lived in the desert
and filled their lives with Hunting and other rough pursuits.
Would a Gem Keeper seem too pampered to fit into their
society?

Since when did he care so much what others thought of

him?

Since he wanted to be one of them, considered on his own

merits and not that of the Keep or his family.

Pushing those thoughts and doubts aside, he studied the

Hunters. Ming's Chinese features went well with his streaked
hair, but Teeka never dreamed a Hunter would use dyes. In
his fantasies, the Hunters all seemed remote and strong, not
vain about their appearance.

"You're going with us?" Feyl asked, his strange grass-

green eyes studying him. "You're no Hunter."

"He was Contracted to Brant, Feyl," Ming countered.

"Ignore him, Teeka. He's just got a stomach illness, and this
is his first day back Hunting."

Feyl flushed red but didn't deny it. Instead, he got a small

pack with bread and moss-cakes and handed it to Teeka.
Teeka wound the closure and knotted it one-handed before
Feyl could say anything, and the Hunter seemed impressed.

Teeka fell in behind as they set out. The sand sled

hummed as they towed it, bouncing along empty, waiting to
carry Brant's body home. Quill waited to take the caboose, his
steps silent. Teeka couldn't even hear his fabric rustle. Only

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the fainter hum of the smaller sled Quill pulled betrayed his
presence.

The hour flew by as Teeka listened to Ezek and the others

talk about sandcat and sandboar hunting. It fascinated him,
all the tales of blood and battle with the huge, fierce beasts.
He learned that they were both formidable adversaries. The
tusked sandboars used brute strength and charges, while the
sandcats relied on cunning, pouncing on their prey from
concealment. The difference was that a sandboar would
attack only if startled, whereas sandcats actually hunted
humans as prey. Why Brant would have startled a sandboar
seemed to puzzle Ming, and he spoke at length on his
theories.

Quill, though, said nothing.
"Why, even Quill would agree sandcat are the most

dangerous," Ezek blared over one shoulder.

Quill didn't answer right away, and Teeka peeked at him.

With his sun lenses back up, his eyes seemed metallic. They
flashed in the light, hiding his expression from view.

"I do not wish to alert any quarry to my presence with

loose talk," Quill murmured after a moment.

Ezek's cheeks reddened, but he didn't challenge Quill in

any way, just resumed walking. He did say something that
made the two Hunters laugh, though it sounded nervous, and
one shot a glance at Quill. He flushed when his eyes met
Teeka's and he looked away.

"Over that hill," Quill announced after another mile. The

others set off, and Teeka started to follow, but Quill caught
his arm. "It is not fit for you."

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Teeka flushed but dropped his voice so the others wouldn't

hear. "Why not?"

Quill narrowed his eyes. "There is much blood."
Teeka swallowed. "I see."
"You saw nothing? While you waited?" The Hunter cocked

his hip against a nearby baku tree and retracted his
sunshades in order to study him.

Teeka shook his head. "I found the yingtzao and stayed to

gather some fronds while Brant staked the main Claim."

The Hunter's eyes narrowed. "You have seen the

motherlode?"

Teeka sighed before he repeated himself. "I am the one

who found it."

Quill grunted and shaded his eyes. "You saw no one?"
From his expression, Teeka could see the other man did

not believe him. "Other people, you mean?"

Quill just looked back at him without speaking.
"No one," Teeka answered. "None but me and Brant."
"Did you love him?"
Teeka blinked. "We were Contracted for two months, sire."
"So, no."
Teeka looked away. "I wouldn't say that."
"So you did?"
Teeka squared his shoulders and glared at the Hunter,

even though his cheeks turned pink with embarrassment.
"Brant was good to me. Honorable. Gentle and kind. I would
have grown to love him, in time."

"What of your Contract now?"
Teeka turned away. "I don't know."

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by A. Catherine Noon

"Perhaps you'll be able to accept Ezek's offer."
Before Teeka could reply, the voices of the others echoed

as they returned with the sand sled. Quill fell silent and
stepped away from him, and Teeka couldn't finish their
conversation.

Then he saw the blood.
Brant's silks lay against his skin as though still wet from

the laundry. His stomach was the wrong shape, a dip in the
fabric where there should have been a swell. His throat was a
mass of ruined flesh, thick crimson covering his front. His
hands lay against the sled, empty but covered in blood and
caked sand. A tarp lay crumpled over the Hunter's battered
body, half slipping to the ground.

"Oh, Landing!" In his whole life, Teeka had never come in

contact with a dead body. He bit his knuckles, his gorge
rising.

Quill shot a glance at him and stepped forward. He

straightened the fabric with a sharp snap, covering Brant's
body from view. He said nothing, but the others fell silent at
the implied reprimand.

"We'll start back," Ezek said, eyeing Teeka. "Come when

you're ready."

Teeka nodded, numb. He listened to the sound of the sled

on the sand as they moved past, but he couldn't watch. It
rumbled louder as it traveled over short grass rather than
sand. Their footsteps receded and still he did not move. Quill
said nothing, just waited.

"I need to see it," Teeka blurted.
"Pardon?" Quill responded, turning to face him.

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"I want to see the place where it happened."
Quill studied him but turned without speaking and led the

way over the slight rise. Teeka scrambled after, a loose stone
turning under his foot. They went about a hundred yards, and
Quill slowed.

Teeka stumbled to a stop, aghast. Blood spattered the

rocks in a wide swath, ten feet across if it was a foot. The
scene of the fight lay nearby, the ground trampled and blood-
soaked, the remains of the sandboar waiting in a neat pile. Its
head sat in the sand, trunk lolling from between its thick
tusks. Almost all of the native herbivores of Persis had short
trunks and claws to reach the nutritious moss that grew
under the sand. Imported livestock from Old Earth could only
graze on the short steppe grass that stretched from the edge
of the Great Valley to the Crescent Mountains. Teeka had
always thought the trunks were cute.

Until now.
"I need a moment alone," Teeka announced and turned to

walk toward the Stake.

"Fine. I'll finish loading the rest of the sandboar to bring

back."

Quill squatted on his heels and studied the trampled area

with an intent expression. Teeka climbed out of the small
pocket valley and made his way along the wash to the original
Stake. Baku trees and waist-high kimit grass clogged the trail
and made it hard to move. He struggled through, pushing
with all his strength against the resistance of the plants, and
the squat Stake unit appeared in the grass ahead.

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He hurried forward and tapped their codes out, grateful

Brant had trusted him with the numbers. At least now, the
main Stake would be his. His and whoever Brant had chosen
as his heir. He stood and stretched his back, a vertebra
popping.

Then he heard it.
The low rumble of a sandcat's growl came from the right,

behind a close-growing stand of four baku trees. The creature
appeared, as tall as Teeka's hip and twice his weight. Its wide
face and heavy jaw seemed huge in relation to its body. Its
eyes, yellow-green like a baku leaf, narrowed as it saw Teeka.

"Landing!" He drew his belt knife, the silly thing not even

the length of his hand. He had some training at fighting, all
Keepers did, but nothing in his past prepared him to come
face-to-face with a sandcat.

The sandcat crept forward, its long tail lashing the grass

behind it. It growled again, the dry rasp sending chills up
Teeka's back.

Teeka edged back, setting his feet with care, as though

dancing. Maybe if he could get to the baku tree, he could
climb out of reach. He reached back and touched the trunk of
the one closest to him. Did sandcats climb? Why couldn't he
remember?

"Get back!" Quill shouted, leaping in front of him. He held

a long spear in one hand and wore only his blue bodysilks.

The sandcat yaowed as it realized Quill blocked it from its

prey. Quill bent forward, facing the animal, his arms wide and
the spear poised. Teeka stood frozen to the baku tree,
shaking. He couldn't have moved if he'd tried.

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The sandcat paced forward, trying to move around Quill at

Teeka, and Quill stepped toward it. It yaowed again and its
tail lashed harder, annoyed now. Quill clucked at it, and the
animal's ears went flat. It slung its head back and roared.

Teeka nearly wet himself.
The sandcat rushed forward, and Quill flowed around it,

graceful and deadly. The spear flashed in the air and buried
itself to the hilt in the soft flesh at the bend of the shoulder.
The sandcat collapsed into the grass, dead.

Quill rounded on Teeka. "What were you thinking? Are you

a fool? Did you get the Stake entered while you prayed?" The
derision in his tone could cut glass.

"I wasn't praying!" Teeka shouted, stung. "Brant would

want me to Claim the Stake for his family!"

The Hunter blinked. "His family."
"Yes. I get half, and his heirs get half. That's only right."

Teeka blinked angry tears out of his eyes. He always cried
when angry, something he'd hated since childhood. He
whirled away to keep the Hunter from seeing it and stumbled
back toward the trail.

Quill caught him on his second step, his grasp rough on his

upper arm. "It's not safe."

"I don't care."
The Hunter yanked him forward. Off balance, Teeka fell

against the bigger man's muscled frame.

"Sandcats hunt in packs. And," he shook Teeka, "you're no

Hunter."

Teeka tried to look away but couldn't pull out of the

stronger man's grip. "Fine, let's go!"

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Quill didn't release him but instead gripped his face with a

gentleness that seemed out of character. "You cry."

Teeka stared at him, daring him to comment further. "Let

go of me."

"You truly intend to give half the Stake to Brant's family?"
"I don't lie." Teeka flushed, prickles running under his skin

from anger.

Quill chuckled and let him go. "All right. Calm down."
Teeka spun away to head back down.
"I need to clean the carcass," Quill called after him.
He stopped, chest heaving, staring at the trail away from

this place. The desire to leave warred with his sense of duty.
But this was the Great Valley and nothing went to waste here.
"I should do that."

If the Hunter seemed surprised, he said nothing, just

gazed at him. Teeka ignored him. He retrieved his knife from
where he dropped it by the tree and went over to the carcass.

Of course, his knife wasn't long enough to strip it.
A blade the size of his forearm appeared in front of him.

He jumped.

"Here," Quill offered, moving the knife in front of him.

"Take it; it will work better than that."

"Thank you. Do you have a back harness for the carcass or

will it fit with the sandboar on your sled?"

Quill grunted. "Probably both."
The Hunter pulled his spear and cleaned it. Studying the

ground and moving at a slow pace, he retraced his steps to
the hollow. Quill left a small pile of his possessions there,
including his outer silks and back harness. The Hunter also

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made sure to keep Teeka in sight. Teeka turned back to the
carcass and dressed it with as much speed as he dared. If he
couldn't hunt the thing, by Landing he'd clean it like a Hunter
and not a city-boy.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Emerald Fire

by A. Catherine Noon

Chapter 3: New Contracts

Quill spotted three other sandcats while Teeka worked,

and Teeka finished skinning the carcass in record time.
Dividing up the weight, he loaded some onto the sand sled
and the rest he lashed to the back harness. Quill strode over
without a word and hefted it. He kept his spear out and
motioned for Teeka to go ahead of him.

Teeka set out but slowed, a flash on the ground nearby

distracting him. Not gold, but silver. Quill crouched and
studied the ground, lifting something in his hand that flashed
like metal. He swore under his breath.

"What is it?"
Quill showed him the knife in his hand. "This is between

where Brant was attacked and where I found him."

"But, I thought..." Teeka looked back to the site of the

blood.

"He got himself this far before he bled to death," Quill told

him. "I killed the sandboar in the main clearing."

"Maybe one of the others dropped it."
"Not likely."
They set out again without resolving anything. Teeka's

body shook with exhaustion before they made it halfway back
and he prayed he wouldn't faint in front of Quill. Kotek City
appeared after an eternity of slogging through the sands.
Teeka led the way to the same entrance as before. The guard
let them enter without speaking and Quill took the lead. As he
watched the Hunter pass him, long legs striding, it became

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by A. Catherine Noon

clear Quill had let him set the pace back—but why? He didn't
seem the accommodating type.

The Hunters' Pavilion seemed empty, with only two other

men about at this hour. The rest were abroad, either Hunting
or resting for the remainder of the day. Quill laid the carcass
on the Meat Stone for weighing.

"I'll bring you your price for the sandcat," Quill told him.

"You do not have to wait here."

Teeka's eyes widened. "My price?"
Quill shrugged. "You found it. You should have part of the

price."

"But you killed it!"
"Yes." Quill's tone indicated "of course," though the Hunter

didn't say the words out loud.

"Thank you."
"Did you know that I am Brant's heir?" Quill's narrowed

eyes speared him. His lips compressed into an angry line as
he faced Teeka with subtle violence or maybe anger.

What he had said filtered through and Teeka gaped at him.

"Pardon?"

"I am Brant's heir." He unwound his outer robe with one

hand. "I was his apprentice, years ago."

Only then did Teeka notice what he should have seen

before: the badge of Senior Hunter adorned Quill's muscular
arm, done in delicate silk embroidery the same color as the
deep chocolate brown.

"I didn't know that," Teeka admitted. "The Stake is half

yours."

"Perhaps. We will see what the Chieftain decides."

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by A. Catherine Noon

"But the Stake was made when I was Contracted to

Brant!" Teeka flared.

Quill chuckled without sound. "Calm yourself. We shall see

what happens. Go. There are rituals I must perform for the
animals killed this day."

Well! Teeka's face heated, and he ducked a perfunctory

bow. He spun on his heel and strode toward the door.

As he went, his eye fell on the knife they'd found where

Brant died.

Quill, by his own admission, would gain the Stake upon

Brant's death.

Teeka, chilled, made his way back to his own tent,

shivering. What would he do if his suspicions were correct? He
couldn't very well accuse a Senior Hunter. Who would believe
him?

Inside the cool shelter of the tent, he tried to calm his

whirling thoughts. He looked forward to a rinse later. Or
perhaps a soak to relax his body, as well as his mind.

A clap sounded outside his tent door. "One moment."
He opened the flap to find Ezek standing there.
"I didn't think you should be alone at a time like this," the

Hunter told him in a quiet voice. He smelled good, of some
exotic spice, and he'd changed his clothing. He wore a deep
green robe of burnished material, the kind that felt good in
the hands.

"Please, come in." Teeka stepped out of the way. His eyes

fell on the nightsilks he'd left on the pillow and blushed. As
Ezek re-tied the tent flap, he stuffed them out of sight, under
the pillows. "May I offer you tea?"

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by A. Catherine Noon

"That would be welcome."
Ezek's gaze swept around the tent, making Teeka thankful

he Kept a tidy home. The Hunter paused in front of the two
chairs and considered them. When he sat, his long legs curled
under him, it was in Teeka's chair. In the lowered lighting of
the tent, his hair seemed copper and lush.

Teeka lit the lanterns, one on the table and another on a

stand by the bed. Pulling a bottle of electrolyte drink from the
cooling box, Teeka offered it to Ezek.

Ezek shook his head. "No, thank you. The tea will be fine

for me. But please, go ahead; you need to drink that."

"Thank you. Please excuse me as I get things ready."
Teeka sipped from the bottle as he tidied. As the tea kettle

heated, he washed up out back. He left his outer robe on the
hook by the back door of his tent and came in wearing only
his daysilks. Next to the deep green of Ezek's attire, he
looked like the gold of jewelry to Ezek's emerald.

"I felt we should become better acquainted if we are to

discuss Contracting."

Teeka tilted his head. "How can you be so sure that we

would suit each other? We've just met."

"What more do I need to know? You're a Gem Keeper."
Teeka frowned. "All Keepers are well-trained. Stone Keeps

are just smaller."

Ezek snorted. "That's not what everyone thinks."
"Well, that's the way they should think."
Ezek smiled and spread his hands. "I mean no offense,

Keeper. I merely wished to become acquainted. Brant kept
you to himself."

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by A. Catherine Noon

"He was a complex man," Teeka flared, pride in his

Contract coming to the fore.

"I merely meant, you must be lonely. Emerald Keep is a

long way from here. Keepers there are gregarious."

Teeka kneeled by the tea case, preparing the tea. "You

know the Keep?"

"Not Emerald. My mother is Maiden to the Caliphate in

Cyrus, so I'm familiar with Ruby Keep. Of course, the two
Stone Keeps, Lapis and Peridot, are there too, but few Stone
Keepers serve at the Caliphate." The lean Hunter scratched
his nose with one long finger. "I grew up there."

Ruby Keepers, since Ruby was the first Keep, were known

for being snobs about their status. Ezek must have developed
his opinions from that. "Did you know many Keepers?"

Ezek nodded. "My mother had two close friends from Ruby

Keep, and one of them took care of me when I was a boy."
He sobered and looked away. "He died when I was twelve."

"I'm sorry for your loss." Teeka set the teapot on a small

stand and got out two cups and a plate of teacakes. "Do you
miss Cyrus?"

"Sometimes." Ezek lifted the tea cup and held it near his

face, inhaling the aroma. "But I love Hunting."

"Do you come from a large family?"
Something changed in Ezek's expression, but it flitted

away too fast for Teeka to identify it. "Large enough. But
come. Tell me more of you; I have heard little these two
months except that Brant made a Contract at long last."

"Had he not had one for a while?" Teeka asked, sipping his

tea.

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by A. Catherine Noon

Ezek took a bite of teacake, and his eyes widened. "This is

amazing!" he gushed as soon as he swallowed.

Teeka preened. "Thank you."
The Hunter laughed but did not begrudge him his pride out

loud. He shouldn't, if he considered Contracting with Teeka.
And Teeka's teacakes were the best of his class, everyone
said so.

"He was a solitary man," Ezek said. "Quiet. He and Quill

were well-suited."

"Quill was apprenticed to him?"
Ezek nodded. "Quill graduated top of his Year." He paused.

"The youngest Senior Hunter in a decade."

Teeka's eyes widened. He tried to hide his reaction from

the young Hunter in front of him. Never let a man know how
appealing a rival was. But top of his class. Winds!

He wondered if Quill had shared this tent with Brant.

Gazing around, his attention was captured by Sniffer's empty
pen. It was about time he found out where Brant's pet was!

"Do you know which Hunter has Sniffer?"
Ezek gave him a blank look.
That made Teeka frown. "Brant's truffle?"
"Oh, that should be obvious; Quill does. He fawns over

those silly things."

Teeka blinked. Both the bitterness in Ezek's tone and the

fact that Quill adored the cute little creatures surprised him.
He tried to picture Quill cooing over the big-eared, short-
trunked animal and failed.

"How can they be silly? I thought they helped Hunters find

sunstones. That is why they were named truffles, because

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by A. Catherine Noon

they resembled pets on Old Earth that dug up buried
treasures."

Ezek snorted. "They're more trouble than they are worth.

But come. You've told me nothing of yourself."

Teeka wanted to protest Ezek's opinion concerning the

truffles; he loved Sniffer. But she wasn't trained yet and did
tend to mess up the tent. Perhaps a truffle had lead Ezek to a
false lode, causing his mistrust of them.

"I trained at Emerald Keep, but you know that." Teeka

pursed his lips. What would interest a Hunter like Ezek? "I did
a Year Work with Mistress Kahna when I gained majority, but
decided I didn't wish to continue in the trade."

"A weaver and needle worker, hmm?" Ezek sounded

pleased and surprised. "Master Bladyk, of the Guilds, died last
Spring, and we haven't had a Master at Kotek City since. You
will be popular with the Hunters if others learn of your skill."

Teeka smiled; he couldn't help it. He'd loved the work, in

truth, but the cloistered life at the Keep didn't suit him. He
fished the pillow off the corner of the bed and handed it to
Ezek to examine.

"Landing, you did that?" Ezek gasped. "This is Masterful

work."

"I could have stayed with Mistress Kahna if I'd wished to; I

had a Posting there."

Ezek seemed aghast. "You didn't take it?"
"I always wanted to..." be a Hunter, he couldn't say,

"...travel," he finished, embarrassment flushing his cheeks
and roiling his stomach.

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The Hunter handed him the pillow and took another sip of

tea. "I apologize for my offer this morning. I meant no
offense with it, but perhaps I misunderstood your feelings for
Brant."

Teeka looked down. "He was good to me."
"I understand. I am not a Senior Hunter, yet, but I have

means. I'm young, but I'm strong and graduated well."

"I appreciate your confidence in me." He tried to put the

regret he felt into his voice. "Until I speak to the Chieftain,
though, I cannot make any negotiations."

"I've taken enough of your time." Ezek set his empty cup

down and stood. "I should go, Evening Meal is soon."

Teeka wished he dared offer Ezek the lentil stew, but it

would be out of the bounds of propriety. Too bad, as the meat
in his cooler wouldn't last. "Thank you."

Ezek stepped forward and Teeka, expecting him to stop,

didn't move. Ezek's body came up against his and his hand,
warm from where it gripped the tea, cupped Teeka's face. His
eyes, when seen from this close, seemed full of secrets and
promises whispered in the dark.

"I wouldn't want you to forget the offer," the Hunter

whispered.

And then Ezek kissed him.
Landing, it was a good thing Teeka didn't invite Ezek to

dinner. Teeka would have molested him before dessert. The
kiss stretched, and through it, Teeka knew what he guessed
Ezek wanted him to know: Ezek knew the sensual arts and
how to bring pleasure. Even with a kiss, the Hunter's skill
rivaled any Keeper's.

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As the tent flap closed behind the young Hunter, Teeka

sank to the bed. His heart fluttered and thumped, refusing to
settle down. The taste of Ezek's kiss teased him, like a whiff
of honey in tea. He fell back against the coverings and stared
at the roof of the tent. His life had changed beyond reckoning
in one short day.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Emerald Fire

by A. Catherine Noon

Chapter 4: Dinner Companions

Teeka set out the ingredients for the lentil stew and found

he had no onions left. That wouldn't do. He dressed in his
wine-red, patterned daysilks and rushed out of the tent. Just
enough time to get to the Marketplace in the center of the
tent city before it closed.

Few others traveled the pathways at this hour. The heady

aroma of onions and spices filled the air, and he inhaled,
stomach growling. He came around the last corner and
stepped through the wide entrance to the main market tent.
Bigger than some buildings, the huge enclosure kept the sun
off the market stalls and kept the air cooler. Not cold, by any
means, but comfortable.

His eyes searched for Papa Rabin's banners. They were still

up so that meant the merchant hadn't closed early.

He hurried over to the produce stall. "Papa Rabin?"
"Ah, Teeka!" Rabin greeted, grinning with all of the teeth

left in his mouth. "What did you forget?"

"Onions, Papa, onions." Teeka winked at him. "I must put

onions in my secret batter."

Papa Rabin stared at him and burst out laughing. He

waggled a wide finger at him and shook his head, his black
beard bouncing. "You'll not fool me that easily, young Teeka.
I know you don't put onions in your teacakes."

"Yes, but I do put them in my lentil stew."
"Half a pound?" The big man counted out three fat orbs.

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by A. Catherine Noon

"Make it a pound." Teeka got a flash of an idea that could

involve the other Hunters. Ezek's face and nubile body flashed
in his mind, posed without silks. On the heels of that thought
came Quill's harsh features, softened into gentleness. "I'll
make a roast tomorrow." Sandcat roast, in point of fact, since
he had the meat.

Papa Rabin put the onions on the scale and added a small

one as a gift, eyes twinkling. Teeka handed him the rough
wool market bag and the big man set the vegetables inside as
though they were spun glass.

Teeka paid him and turned to head back to his tent. The

other shopkeepers paused in their closing preparations in
case he wished to stop. He smiled and waved but didn't slow,
and they continued in their labors. Several shops already
smelled of dinner, and his stomach growled again.

He came back inside his own tent, grateful to have a quiet

dinner after all the unpleasant excitement of the day. He set
the onions near the back door to wash later and took off the
robe.

Then he saw it. Nestled on a pillow in the center of the bed

lay a single sandcat fang on a black silk cord. No note
accompanied it. Teeka fingered it. It radiated warmth, as if
the animal that bore it still gave it life. A delicate tracery of
carving adorned the sides, and Teeka recognized the pattern
of a baku leaf.

It appeared that Ezek took the tradition of giving gifts to

court a Keeper seriously. Interesting that the young Hunter
chose a sandcat; was that meant to compete with Quill
rescuing Teeka earlier? Hunters must have many sandcat

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by A. Catherine Noon

teeth; did Ezek mean to imply he was every bit as
accomplished as Quill? Arrogant, perhaps, but also, intriguing.

He slipped the cord over his neck and washed the onions

for his dinner. Cooking, as always, relaxed him.

Teeka just wished he had someone for whom to cook.

Eating alone filled him with a hollow loneliness.

He set the finished stew on the table with a plate of

vegetables and sat down. As he took the first bite, someone
clapped for entrance. "Come in."

Quill appeared, dressed in slate blue robes and no turban.

As before, his dark braid held several good-sized rubies. He
smelled of fresh soap and scent, and Teeka hoped his deep
inhalation went unnoticed.

"I disturb your dinner," Quill said, by way of greeting. "I

will return later."

"Stay, please," Teeka countered. Since Quill was Brant's

heir, eating dinner with him would not be out of bounds of
propriety. "It's lonely eating by myself. I hate cooking for
one."

Quill blinked but consented to come inside at least.
"Close the door, you're letting in the heat," Teeka chirped,

quoting his mother.

The Hunter seemed startled but did as he asked. He came

in and sat in the other chair.

Brant's chair.
Teeka cleared his throat, emotions swirling around inside

him. "May I offer you some of my stew? It won't last the
week. I made too much."

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by A. Catherine Noon

"You made enough for you and Brant, you mean." Quill

said it in a normal tone, like he discussed the weather.

Without warning, Teeka's eyes filled. He turned away so

the Hunter wouldn't see and prepared a bowl of the stew. As
he set it down, though, Quill touched his hand.

"Forgive me, I meant no offense."
"I..."
"You cared for him," Quill murmured. "It does you credit."
"He liked my stew," Teeka admitted. "I planned it for

tonight."

"Oh?"
"It was his yearday." Fresh tears joined the first. "I'm

sorry; I don't know what's gotten into me."

"You shouldn't apologize for emotion," Quill admonished.

"There are few here to cry for Brant. You do him honor."

"Will there be services?"
Quill grunted. "I don't know. Likely."
They ate for several moments in silence.
Quill stirred and glanced at Teeka, then looked down at his

bowl, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. "This is quite good."

Teeka flushed, annoyed despite Quill's body language.

"You say that as though you doubted."

Quill chuckled. "Don't be so touchy. I offer you a

compliment."

"Thank you."
"Ezek raves about your teacakes." Quill's voice had an

edge.

Teeka smiled in spite of himself. "That's good to hear."

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by A. Catherine Noon

The gray eyes grew stormy, and Quill's cheeks reddened

further. "You did feed him?"

"He came by earlier, to apologize for offering a Contract.

He said he didn't mean to intrude on my feelings."

"For Brant."
Teeka frowned. "Yes. Who else would they be for?"
"Indeed."
"Would you like one?" It dawned on Teeka, finally, why the

Hunter brought it up.

Quill shrugged, feigning disinterest if Teeka was any judge.

"If you have a mind to share."

Teeka rose and prepared a pot for dessert tea and cakes,

and set out two kinds of teacake. He'd made them for Brant's
yearday celebrations. He'd hoped to end the evening with
lovemaking, since several days had elapsed since Brant had
lain with him.

He collected the Hunter's dish and set the cakes and two

fresh cups down. "Do you take sweetener?"

"No, thank you." He cleared his throat. "The Elder Hunter

asks for you join him in the morning, for discussion about
your Stake."

Teeka finished the tea and set the tray down. "Help

yourself. The Stake? How does that work? Won't I have to
return to the Keep?"

"Tybin thinks he may have found a way around that, for a

short time." He took a bite of cake and his eyes widened.
"Landing!"

"What's wrong?" Teeka leaned forward. He'd just made

them; they couldn't have gone bad.

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by A. Catherine Noon

"Ezek was right." Quill sat back, studying Teeka. "These

are the best I've had."

Teeka preened, touched. "Thank you."
"Do you want to go back to Emerald Keep?"
Teeka broke eye contact, unsettled. "You ask difficult

questions."

The Hunter chuckled. "These are difficult matters."
"I wish to stay here." Teeka spread his hands. "But with no

Contract," he stopped, letting the silence imply the
consequences rather than speak them out loud.

"If your Claim is approved, won't the Keep allow you to

stay?"

"Doubtful. The only way they'd give me a Stay is if there

were legal matters to tie up related to Brant's death. But for
something as prosaic as a Claim, they would say that it
should go to Brant's heir and I should return to the Keep. It's
not proper to stay out of Contract, especially since it was my
first. It would be different if I were Tybin's age. He had two
decades of Contract when his partner died."

"You know Tybin?"
"Keeper Tybinia is a legend in the Keeps. The Keeper who

became a Hunter at such an age. Most say it was unwise of
him and of his Keep to let him drop his suffix."

"Sapphire Keep, eh?"
"Sapphire Keep has its own customs." Teeka took a bite of

stew. "The Master of Emerald Keep didn't approve of
Sapphire's decision to let him become a Hunter rather than
teach, but it's not for me to say whether it was the right or
not."

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by A. Catherine Noon

"But you have an opinion, do you not?"
"Perhaps," Teeka admitted in an arch tone.
Quill chuckled but didn't press him.
"What happens now?" Teeka studied him.
"With what?"
"The Stake. What happens with it?" Great machines

appeared in his mind, come to harvest the sandstone,
preparing the waterstones for use. In his imagination, the
noisy and bustling mining process provided work for many.
The production must approach the size of Kotek City, given
the size of the motherlode they found.

"A Hunter will harvest it."
His fantasy collapsed. "One Hunter?"
"We're trained for it. Why do you think we Hunt?"
"I never thought about it," Teeka admitted.
"Did you imagine a great mining production?" Quill

guessed, eyes twinkling.

Teeka's face grew warm, and he prayed it didn't betray

him by reddening.

"You've been reading too many fairy tales of Chebek the

Bold," Quill chortled. "First Settler of Persis..."

"And Miner of Sandstone!" they finished in unison.
"I guess I have." Teeka shrugged. "But I don't know what

a harvest looks like. It's not like we had them at the Keep.
I've seen gem mining in school, of course, and assumed this
would be the same. It's the same kind of result, isn't it?
Sandstones are gems, after all."

"True, but things have changed since Settlement days.

Hunters used to hunt animals, but that changed when the

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by A. Catherine Noon

need for sunstones to power the cities became clear. Now we
Hunt for stones."

Teeka flushed. "I know that!"
"All stones that come from the Great Valley are called

sandstones. I know you're familiar with glowstones and
goldstones. What you haven't seen yet are the raw
sunstones." Quill's tone changed, becoming like an instructor
at the Keep.

"Then why are you so good at hunting animals?" Teeka

frowned. "You have a Meat Stone at the Pavilion."

Quill shrugged. "It's still customary for us to bring in meat

for a tent city. In the course of our Hunting, we're the ones
that find the animals. But the stones are our primary goal. We
learn how to find them and prepare them. They go brittle if
they're not harvested quickly enough. A large operation would
actually be a detriment. Here, I'll show you." Quill looked
around and pulled a corner of a chart from under the bed. "I
need to make a sketch."

"Wait!" Teeka cried.
Too late. The Hunter pulled the maps from under the bed

and eyed them with interest. Teeka's careful hash marks and
planning stood out even in the lowered lamplight and Quill
reached for the rest of the case, buried under the mattress.
"What is all this?"

"Research." Teeka slumped, embarrassment making him

sick to his stomach as it soured his meal. "Nothing you'd be
interested in." He collected the plates, dejected. Quill must
think him an idiot, with his fantasies of Mining villages and all.

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by A. Catherine Noon

"You did this?" Quill asked. "These marks, they're where

Brant died."

"Yes. How do you think I found the Claim?" Teeka gestured

at the maps and let his hand fall. "I had a theory, and Brant
let me test it out."

"Brant was an idiot!"
"Well, excuse me!" Teeka cried, face burning. "I know it's

infantile to think there'd be an entire mining—"

"No, I mean he's an idiot for not sharing this with the Elder

Hunter. This is incredible work, Teeka!" Quill spread the maps
on the table and almost knocked one of the cups of tea over,
but Teeka caught it. The Hunter ignored him, focused on the
drawings.

Teeka set the cup down and edged closer. When the

Hunter didn't censure him, he kneeled next to his chair.
"Here's the field of yingtzao." Teeka pointed at the drawing.

"Yes."
"They grow in sand, right?"
"Yes, of course."
"But there's no sand there," Teeka pointed out. "It's got to

be buried, right?"

Quill's eyes widened and he pulled the map closer.

"Landing!"

"If it's covered, there's got to be a water source there too.

So look." He pulled the other map over and set it on top of
the one Quill scrutinized. "See, here are the fault-lines. And
here, you can see where the sand swaths should be, but
under the planted hybrid grasses. There's the one where we
put the Stake, where you rescued me from the sandcat. But

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by A. Catherine Noon

here," he stabbed his finger at the map, "here is where the
yingtzao grow. Nearly an acre of them. There have to be
sandstone rocks under there, buried, along with waterstones,
for that many yingtzao to grow. I found plants as thick
around at the base as my arm."

"That's what Brant meant."
"Pardon?"
Quill eyed Teeka from inches away. "Brant called me from

the Stake the day he died. His call got cut off in static, and I
assumed it was a Sandstorm. He told me he'd found
something, something important out in the desert, but that
I'd never believe it."

"Is that why you came?"
Quill nodded. "I expected to find Brant. Instead I found a

naive Keeper, sitting in the shade waiting to be attacked by
sandboar."

"I was not!" Teeka protested with heat before he saw the

twinkle in Quill's eye. "You're teasing me."

"A little," Quill admitted.
Teeka looked down at the maps, a chill winding through

him.

"What is it?" Quill asked.
Damn the man's perceptions! "I..."
"What?"
"If this is all true, how do I know you didn't kill him?"

Teeka whispered, not able to get his voice louder. He did
manage to meet Quill's gaze. "You're his heir; you said it
yourself."

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by A. Catherine Noon

Quill studied him, his gray eyes remote. "I would give my

right arm to have Brant here with me, to work that Stake and
live. You have no idea what he meant to me. He was my
brother, as sure as if we came from the same womb."

Teeka shivered. The emotion in Quill's voice called to him,

and he felt Quill's pain in his own throat. If it was an act, it
was a good one.

"What about the knife?"
"That, Keeper, is the smartest question you've asked of me

since we met."

Teeka flushed with equal parts embarrassment and pride.

"Well, what of it?"

"It's a standard Hunting knife. We use it for preparing the

finer cuts of meat before we give the carcass for weighing."

Outrage filled him. "But that's cheating!"
Quill chuckled, a dry sound like a sandcat's growl. "Is it? If

I hunt it, at personal risk, should I not retain the choicest
cuts?"

Some of Brant's provisioning floated into Teeka's brain. No

wonder the meat his Hunter provided cooked up so well; he
had the choice of the best cuts. Of course, if he hunted it, as
Quill said, shouldn't he get to keep it?

"This is long-standing custom," Quill went on. "The knife

isn't a surprise. But where we found it, is a surprise."

"But if Brant—"
"I didn't say it was Brant's knife," Quill countered. He

pulled a dagger from somewhere in his robes, the ornate
carved hilt covered with designs. "This is Brant's knife. I
made the hilt for him as a gift two years ago."

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by A. Catherine Noon

Teeka took the knife and examined it. Delicate scrollwork

adorned the hilt; yingtzao leaves and their rare flowers
traveling back and forth like vines. "This is beautiful."

"The one you found is like any at a Marketplace," Quill told

him. "I know the maker, in fact. He's a Smith who visits
Kotek City before each Daymonth."

Teeka's heart sank. "You can't tell who it belongs to?"
"Well, any Hunter missing their carving dagger would be a

place to start."

"Oh."
Quill slapped Teeka's shoulder. "Don't despair." He stood.

"I must go. I'll collect you an hour after first light, to speak to
Elder Hunter. Sleep well."

And then he was gone.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Emerald Fire

by A. Catherine Noon

Chapter 5: Elder Hunter

Teeka entered the necessary as his neighbor Jebbynk

finished a bath. "Good eve."

"Likewise," Jebbynk drawled. "I'm sorry about your

Hunter."

His heavy Southern accent made it difficult to understand

him, but in the weeks since they'd been neighbors Teeka had
gotten better at it. "Thank you."

"When are services?"
"Not set yet."
"Make sure I know, son." Jebbynk collected his towel and

clothing.

"I will." Teeka stepped into the stall and started the water.
His hair lay stiff against his back with sand and grit. It took

a while to get his braid unwound and the beads out of it. He
managed after some struggle and set the jewelry on the
nearby table. It felt good to wash, and he let the flow cover
his face for several minutes.

The soap stung his face as he washed. He finished the rest

of his body and rinsed. After shutting off the water, he
collected his clothing. As he set his silks with the laundry his
eyes fell on the truffle bowl. "Sniffer!" He still needed to
collect his Contract's truffle.

He started for the door of his tent, but stopped. The

evening torches flickered against the cloth walls of the tent. It
would be too late to go after Quill at this hour. He sighed and
laid down, wishing he weren't alone.

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by A. Catherine Noon

It took a long time to fall asleep.
He woke early, when his neighbor Jebbynk started the

sluice and his morning off-key singing. Too bad he loved to
sing so much, since he couldn't do it. At all. Teeka sat up and
rubbed his face before pulling his brush over.

By the time he'd finished brushing out his hair, Minah cast

her blue light against the tent walls. His braid took a long
time to finish, his hair long and silky. He put more hair oil
along the thick rope and pulled it through with the comb. He
reached for his beading needle and wove his beads into it as
he went.

He selected his clothing with care, since he'd have an

audience with the Elder Hunter. He wore his light silver body
silks and the plum daysilks. He retrieved his badge from his
pack, the leather stiff. He'd put it away when he'd arrived,
figuring he'd keep it as a memento.

He never expected to need it this soon.
Quill clapped outside his door.
"Come in," Teeka called, putting the kettle on. "Good

morn."

"Tea?" Quill smirked and closed the tent flap.
A flash of annoyance went through Teeka, heating his

chest. "I usually like breakfast before I leave in the morning."

"I meant no offense, Keeper." The Hunter's voice sounded

soothing. He sat down in Brant's chair as though he were at
home.

Teeka didn't quite know what to do with that. Instead, he

concentrated on essentials. "Do you take butter on your
flatbread?"

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by A. Catherine Noon

"Thank you."
Teeka prepared a quick breakfast and set a plate down for

the Hunter, and one for himself. He sat down across from
Quill and sipped his tea, inhaling the strong aroma.

As they ate, Teeka studied Quill. He had to admit, the

Hunter looked good. He wore the slate-blue bodysilks and a
burnished gold day robe with delicate stitching along the
hem. Teeka, on a whim, reached out to finger the stitches,
and Quill froze, watching him with large gray eyes.

"This is well made." Teeka met Quill's gray gaze from a

few inches away and let go.

The Hunter looked down. "Dekka sewed it." His voice had

little sound. "It was a yearday gift."

"Dekka?"
"Dekka was my Keeper." Quill met his gaze with an angry

expression.

"Did his Contract end?"
"I..." Quill swallowed, his throat jumping. "I'm surprised

you haven't heard the story." A bitter note sounded in his
voice.

Should he ask? Quill seemed fierce with that expression on

his face, but Teeka sensed pain under it, and not aggression.
He sat back and kept his expression gentle. "What
happened?"

"These are sandcat scars," Quill told him, motioning at his

face and downward, to include his chest. "We found a spur
and harvested it. One twilight, after Minah set, Dekka made a
special dinner. He came out to surprise me and—" He cleared
his throat. "The sandcat caught us half a mile from our tent. A

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by A. Catherine Noon

female, angry and needing food for her young. She killed
Dekka without him even knowing. She nearly killed me as
well."

Teeka went cold from chest to balls in one breath.

"Landing!"

"Brant found me. I crawled back to the tent but fainted

before I got inside. If it weren't for him, I'd be dead too. But
the Healers couldn't do anything about the scars."

"Quill, I'm..." He trailed off. He couldn't think of a single

thing to say.

"More tea?"
Teeka blinked. "Certainly." He turned to retrieve the pot.

"What Keep did Dekka serve?"

Quill sighed. "Jade Keep. You would have liked him."
"Jade, eh? A musician, then."
Nodding, Quill gestured with a bit of flatbread. "He was a

chef, like you."

"I'm hardly a chef." His face heated like the tea kettle and

he hoped Quill wouldn't see it.

Quill cocked his head. "I've had your teacakes, Teeka."
"Thank you."
"What is your specialty?"
With cooking? Winds, what should he say? Teacakes

sounded arrogant, even if it was the truth. "My specialty?"

"Emerald Keep is known for its textile artists, and every

Keeper has a specialty. What is yours?"

"Oh. I thought you meant... Needlework." Teeka sipped his

tea. "I do weave and knit, you're right. I don't have a loom,
though."

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by A. Catherine Noon

"Master Bladyk died, but he had two."
Teeka smirked. "Ezek told me about him, too. Is there a

conspiracy to get me to stay?"

Quill flushed dark red. "With Ezek?"
Hmm. Jealousy? "Perhaps."
"Not with Ezek." Quill's eyes flashed with dark anger or

something else. Had to be jealousy.

Teeka stifled a grin and poured himself more tea. "I could

have gone into the trade, but I didn't want to stay in the
city." He pulled the pillow over and handed it to Quill. "That
was my first gift to Brant."

Quill ran his fingers over the needle tracks with interest.

"This is beautiful."

"Thank you."
"I recognize the stitch."
"It's traditional. Emerald Keep, Fourth Century."
Quill's eyes widened as he studied the designs. "Where did

you find such fine thread?"

"It's spun at the Keep," Teeka told him. "I don't care for

spinning, but my classmates there are amazing. They can
make such fine threads." Homesickness pricked him, and he
looked away.

"Do you miss it?"
"Sometimes," he admitted. "But to come here was like a

dream come true. When Brant's offer came, it was like he
knew my dreams."

"Oh?"
"I've always wanted to be a Hunter." Heat flooded him,

and he laughed. Just blurt it out, for the sake of the Winds.

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by A. Catherine Noon

"Landing! I've never admitted it to anyone outside my family.
But I had several offers, and Brant's let me see the life of a
Hunter. My other offers were all from Reghdad or Cyrus. I
didn't want to live in a city. That Brant was so good to me..."
He stood and moved over to the dishes, sadness welling up.

"I didn't mean to stir your memories." Quill stood as well

and set the pillow on the bed. "Come. We should go."

Teeka set the dishes in the basin to soak and covered

them with soapy water. He dried his hands and followed Quill
out into the walkway.

The Hunters' Pavilion seemed empty when they entered.

Only Elder Hunter and Hunter Ming occupied it. Ming sat at a
table nearby, dressed in fire-red silks, reading something on a
portable vid display.

"Good morn," Elder Hunter greeted. "Welcome, Keeper

Teeka."

"Good morn," Teeka greeted. He followed Quill to the table

and took a chair. Ming rose and collected a tray with a fat
ceramic teapot on the table along with a stack of four ceramic
cups. Ming passed out the cups and the Elder Hunter took the
head seat.

"Very well. You wish to stay." Tybin took a sip of tea.
Teeka blinked. "Sire?"
Quill chuckled. "He's not used to such bluntness."
Tybin's eyes crinkled. "Interesting comment from you,

Quill. You're hardly more talkative."

Ming laughed. "Teeka, what Elder Hunter is trying to say is

he understands you want to Claim the Stake. If you leave,
you can't do that, correct?" He sat down at Tybin's left hand.

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by A. Catherine Noon

Tybin glanced at Ming. "Will you take notes for us?"
"Of course, sire." Ming pulled his vid display over and

picked up a stylus.

"The Claim is shared between me and Brant's heirs," Teeka

said. "I just felt it was right."

"I am Brant's heir," Quill pointed out. "I will send you your

Stake."

Teeka couldn't think of a single thing to say that didn't

sound like he accused Quill of anything.

"You want to see the Stake, experience it, is that it?" Elder

Hunter asked him, cradling the cup of tea in his hands.

Teeka nodded. He couldn't speak around the sudden lump

in his throat.

"And the memorial?" Elder Hunter pressed.
Teeka nodded again.
"There are legal matters to be settled," Elder Hunter

mused, looking at Ming. "Do you agree?"

Ming shrugged. "While his estate is settled, Brant's heirs

should be here."

"But a Keeper isn't an heir, his Contract is property," Elder

Hunter said.

Teeka flushed. He looked up and Quill caught his gaze.

Quill gave a slight head-shake, tipping it at the Elder Hunter.

"Quill, what is your opinion?" Elder Hunter asked. "Will you

Claim the Stake?"

"Yes," Quill responded. "I intend to go out after the

memorial."

"And who will Keep for you?"
Quill gazed at Teeka. "Well?"

Emerald Fire

by A. Catherine Noon

"Well what?" Teeka's heart started to pound. "We're not

under Contract."

"No, but it is your Stake. And I'll need a Keeper; I can't do

it alone."

"But..." Teeka trailed off. He tried to stay calm, to think

through his rising excitement. He looked at Elder Hunter.
"Sire?"

"It is your decision, Keeper Teeka," Elder Hunter

murmured. "But it is a prime opportunity."

Teeka swallowed. "How long?"
"How long what?" Quill asked.
"How long will it take?"
"A fortnight," he responded. "Maybe less."
"If I decide to do it, what would it take?"
"I will discuss it with the Chieftain," Elder Hunter told him.

"He will make his ruling, and we will know for sure. I'm sure
that Emerald Keep will accept the word of a Chieftain to give
approval, since it's not a Contract but special circumstances
related to a Stake."

"Will he agree?" Teeka asked, swallowing with

nervousness.

Ming waved his hand in the air. "He won't countermand an

order of Elder Hunter without good reason. He doesn't care
about a single Keeper."

Teeka inhaled, a flash of hurt bolting through him.
"Ming," Elder Hunter admonished. He turned to Quill. "It's

up to you. When do you want to hold the memorial?"

"By the end of the sevenday," Quill told him.
"Very well." Elder Hunter stood. "That will be our plan."

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by A. Catherine Noon

Teeka took a convulsive slurp of tea, scalding this throat.

"Thank you."

Quill rose and Teeka scrambled out of his chair. The silent

Hunter walked out of the tent, and Tybin gave a nod to Teeka
to follow. Ming waved a hand at him and Teeka bowed from
the neck before hurrying after Quill.

Teeka followed at the Hunter's heels. He assumed they

were returning to his tent until Quill led the way down a
different lane of the covered walkway. Looking around, Teeka
found himself deep in the Hunters' Quarter. Brant claimed it
was too rough, with Hunters coming and going, for Teeka to
enjoy living there. Instead, their tent stood closer to the
Merchant Square, on a bigger lot. It was a subject they'd
disagreed upon. Guilt over his annoyance with Brant's
strictures had mingled with his desire to explore.

Quill stepped into a low, gray tent with a delicate

geometric pattern along the opening. Teeka paused, fingering
the designs, then entered. Plush carpets covered the floor,
the designs reminding him a little of Brant's. The bed stood to
the left, bedsilks hanging from a round frame attached to the
roof beam. A truffle pen stood empty off to the side. A heavy
table sat to the right of the door, scattered with carving
supplies and several sandcat teeth. As Quill prepared tea,
Teeka moved to the table and picked up one of the teeth.

The half-finished designs resembled the one left on his

bed.

He pulled the tooth out of his shirt. "You did this?"
Quill came and set the pot on the table. "Yes."

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by A. Catherine Noon

"I thought..." He trailed off. Telling Quill he thought Ezek

had given him the gift didn't seem prudent.

"What?"
"Nothing." He sat down in the nearest chair. "You carve

very well."

"Thank you." Quill regarded him without speaking, his gray

eyes shadowed.

"Where did you learn?" Teeka took a sip of tea and

resisted the urge to grimace. He set the cup back on the
table, his stomach roiling. The herbs were stale or Quill had
overheated the water.

"My mother was from the Guilds. She taught me before I

left home." He cocked his head. "You're wearing it?"

Teeka blushed. "Yes."
Quill smirked. "I am glad."
"Can I help you plan the memorial?"
"Yes."
Teeka blinked. "And..."
"Yes?"
"What do you want to do?"
"That's your area of expertise, Keeper." Quill leaned back

in his chair. "What do we do?"

Teeka laughed, more out of nervousness than humor. "I've

never planned one."

Quill's eyes twinkled. "You'd better start planning now."
"You're his heir."
"I have work to do."
"You're serious, aren't you?" Teeka stared at him. "What

do I do?"

Emerald Fire

by A. Catherine Noon

"Use your resources." Quill just gazed at him, not moving,

and not offering to help.

The truffle.
"Fine." Teeka stood. "First, I'm making us some decent

tea."

"What?"
Teeka didn't say anything, just collected the dishes. He

looked for the herbs and sure enough, they were stale. He
pulled out the jumbled provision box and started laying the
items out one by one. A light dusting of dust and old food
crumbs covered the bottom of the box, and he looked around
for a cleaning rag.

"What are you looking for?" Quill asked.
"Where are your cleaning supplies?"
"My cleaning supplies?"
"Do you have a rag?"
"Yes, over..." He trailed off, looking around. "Out back."
Teeka moved the back tent flap and slowed. He expected

to see the four tent walls backing up on the necessary, but
only Quill's tent accessed it. It must have cost a fortune to
have such a wealth of water.

The rags sat in a container, waiting laundry. He picked the

cleanest one and wet it. He used some soap on it, scrubbing
with his hands, and rinsed. He used it to wash out the food
box and wiped everything down. The grain had to go, as did
several root vegetables. He finished and stood, stretching his
back, and found Quill watching him.

He blushed. "You need provisions."
"I do?"

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by A. Catherine Noon

"Your tea is stale, and you need more grain and

vegetables. I assume we both have the sandcat, yes?"

Quill nodded, a faint smirk on his face. "I suppose you can

do something about that."

"Unless you'd prefer I let you starve?"
Quill stood, pulling a money pouch out of his robes. "I can

take care of it."

Teeka snatched the pouch, irritated. "Never mind. You said

you have work to do." He stalked out of the tent, trying to
ignore the chortle from the Hunter behind him.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Emerald Fire

by A. Catherine Noon

Chapter 6: Memorial

Teeka visited Papa Rabin's stand first. The merchant's full

black beard seemed to shine with health, and he'd combed it
recently. His dark eyes, though, seemed cheerful and
twinkled the minute their gazes met. "Teeka. Good morn to
you."

"How are you?"
"Well. You didn't forget something, did you?"
"No. I'm here for someone else. I need some flour, onions,

salad greens, and tea."

"I have the first three, but you'll have to see Papa Kennay

for the tea. My shipment doesn't arrive until the cruiser's
delivery, in a sevenday." He pulled out the requested items
and set them on the counter. "Have you set a date for the
memorial?"

Teeka nodded. "The end of the sevenday. But I don't know

what to do."

Papa Rabin's eyes narrowed as he counted out the change.

"Hmm. Papa Kennay might have some suggestions. He is
good at that sort of thing."

"Thank you." He didn't have a shopping bag. "Um..."
"Forget a bag?" Papa Rabin grinned at him.
"Yes."
"Here." Papa Rabin pulled a net bag out of a box under the

counter. "You can bring this back to me."

Warmth filled him at Papa Rabin's kindness. "Thank you."

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by A. Catherine Noon

"If you want to see Papa Kennay, now is a good time. He

goes to Temple after Minah reaches Zenith."

"Thank you." Teeka smiled again and lifted the bag with

the groceries. "Good fortune."

"You as well."
The approached the tea merchant. Papa Kennay's oldest

daughter, Rini, tended the counter. She wore a filmy rose
scarf over her black hair. It complemented the darker maroon
of her robes. Teeka's fingers itched to touch the fine weave.

She smiled at him. "Good morn, Keeper Teeka. How can I

help you?"

"Is Papa Kennay available?"
She nodded and pointed over her shoulder. "Please come

in."

Papa Kennay was stacking tea boxes in the back of his

shop. "Papa Kennay?"

"Keeper Teeka, how nice of you to visit. You're out of both

kinds of tea already?"

"No, no. I'm here for a friend," Teeka countered. "And I

have a question about a memorial."

Papa Kennay's face grew sad. "I've heard of your loss. I

am sorry for you."

Teeka swallowed. "Thank you."
"Will you take tea with me?"
"Yes, thank you."
They talked for an hour, and Papa Kennay proved to be a

good listener. Teeka found himself speaking of his own
feelings, much more than he'd ever intended to. Papa Kennay

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by A. Catherine Noon

drew out several plans for him, explaining what to buy and
what to do, and by the time Teeka left, he felt much calmer.

He returned to Quill's tent to find it empty. He looked

around. The place needed to be tidied, so he set to work.
After an hour, Quill's footfalls approached.

The Hunter entered with two wriggling truffles under his

arm. The animals scented Teeka and made their telltale
snuffling noises as they saw him. They lifted their short
trunks and waggled their huge ears. Their double eyelids
fluttered with excitement.

"You're back," Quill said by way of greeting.
"Is that Sniffer?"
"Yes." Quill set the truffles down. "This is Snuffles, her

brother."

The truffles ran up to Teeka on sturdy, short legs. Sniffer

rolled over on her back for a belly rub. Snuffles rooted up
Teeka's pant leg to learn his scent, tickling him. "Stop that."
He lifted the snout out of his sock.

Quill chuckled.
"I brought your provisions." Teeka stood. "I straightened

up the tent."

The Hunter looked around, eyes widening. "You did."
"You're welcome."
Quill gazed at him, gray eyes serious. "Thank you."
"I can make some lunch for us. Papa Kennay gave me

some suggestions for the memorial that I wanted to run by
you."

"I have to go to the Hunters' Pavilion in a couple of hours,"

Quill said. "Until then, I'm yours."

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by A. Catherine Noon

Teeka slopped water on his hand and hissed as it burned

him. "Landing!" His heart pounded quite apart from the
throbbing of his scalded hand. He hoped his flush would be
mistaken for pain and not emotion. Certainly not hope that
Quill might have meant more than a casual comment.

Quill gave him a strange look and handed him a towel.

"Did you burn yourself?"

"Yes."
The Hunter got some ice from the cooler box and put it in

a towel. He brought it over and set it on Teeka's hand.

"I can take it." Teeka pulled the ice out of the Hunter's

hand.

Quill just smirked at him.
Teeka spun and set about making a salad and drinkable

tea. How the Hunter could stomach the stuff he made was
beyond Teeka. He finished and set the plates on the table.
Quill sat down and took a bite of berry.

"Do you know what religion Brant followed? I never saw

him go to services."

Quill swallowed his food. "He didn't, not anything formal."
"Then I suppose we won't need a priest."
"No. But Brother Kent will want to be there and say

something for Brant."

"What about family?"
"None, other than me," came the laconic reply.
"What Papa Kennay suggested is to have a dinner in his

honor. Papa gave me a formal menu from Emerald Keep,
because Brant chose me from there. I didn't bring any formal

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by A. Catherine Noon

menus, since that wasn't something I expected to need on
this Contract."

Quill's eyes narrowed. "That is a good idea."
"Thank you."
"Where will you hold it?"
"I plan to petition Elder Hunter for the use of the Hunters'

Pavilion."

"It's a lot of work for you, though."
"I don't mind. He was my Contract."
"It does you credit."
Teeka wanted to look away. "Thank you."
The moment stretched. Teeka's heart pounded in his chest

as it thumped. Prickles up and down his arms made him want
to rub them, and his palms started to sweat.

A crash of breaking ceramic broke the silence and Quill

swore. "Snuffles!"

The truffle rooted in the droplets of tea from the broken

pot. Teeka laughed and scooped the truffle onto his lap. The
truffle investigated his hair, the nimble trunk capturing
Teeka's braid tip and shoving it into the creature's mouth.
"Stop it." He tapped the trunk, and the little truffle regarded
him with a mournful expression.

"Sorry, he's still teething." Quill sat back and watched the

little animal with a gentle expression on his face. "Snuffles is
actually helping Sniffer deal with Brant's death. He won't
leave her side."

Teeka blinked. "How does she know?"
Quill flushed and looked down at the floor. "I brought her

to see Brant's body. I didn't want her to wander and get lost

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trying to find him." Then he straightened and turned to
Teeka. "Elder Hunter will speak to the Chieftain later today
about your petition."

Teeka took a bite of berries, trying to appear nonchalant.

"Oh?"

"I don't think there's anything to worry about," Quill

soothed. He sipped some tea. "Don't excite yourself."

"I'm not excited!"
Quill chuckled. "Okay."
Snuffles nipped his fingers, trying to get his attention

back. Teeka tapped him on his trunk again. "Stop it."

Quill chuckled again. "He just wants you to feed him."
"Because he is obviously starved by you." Teeka rubbed

the short fur covering the rounded belly before setting the
truffle on the floor, then wiped his hand on his napkin.

"I'll need supplies for the Stake." Quill wiped up the spilled

tea and cleaned the broken shards of pot from the rug.

"Can I help with provisioning?"
Quill cocked his head. "Perhaps."
"I don't know what I can do, honestly, but I'm willing to

learn."

"I'll make up a list."
"I'll need money."
"That's not a problem," Quill purred.
Teeka blushed. He looked down and put a bite of greens in

his mouth.

"Do you miss your family?" Quill sounded curious.
"Pardon?"
"Your family. You have family at Reghdad?"

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by A. Catherine Noon

Teeka smiled, he couldn't help it. "Yes, actually. I'm

probably an uncle again by now."

"Oh?"
He nodded. "My sister Jasmine was expecting when I

called last. They said it was a matter of days."

Quill's eyes crinkled. "Boy or girl?"
"Girl," Teeka told him. "My family leans toward women. My

father's wives are bountiful."

"He's homesteaded?"
"Oh, yes. Papa has four wives and a Keeper whom we call

Uncle for simplicity. I have twelve sibs, all of whom are
women, save my brother Atyn."

"Older? Younger?"
"Oldest, actually. He runs a hostel in Reghdad."
They talked of pleasantries before Quill excused himself to

go out back. Teeka collected the dishes and set them in the
basin to wash. The truffles began to play and knocked over a
basket. He scooped them up and put them in the pen. He
gave Sniffer an extra pat. He'd not seen the truffle since
yestermorn, when Brant had mumbled something about
leaving her with someone while they Hunted. He hadn't
wanted to keep track of both of them among the dunes.
Teeka felt guilty now, though he'd been annoyed at the time.
They cheeped at him, drawing him from his memories with
the mournful sound. Quite accomplished little actors, they
tried to convince him they starved.

After giving them each a suet ball, he started to straighten

the mess they had caused. As he returned a fallen vid to the
basket, he recognized the logo.

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by A. Catherine Noon

It was the audition disk he'd sent to Brant when they

negotiated their Contract.

"I can explain that," Quill murmured from the door.
Teeka stared up at him from where he crouched on the

rugs. "Why? Why do you have this?"

"Teeka." Quill cleared his throat, his face pink. "Brant

asked my assistance when he planned to make a Contract.
He'd talked of it for months, but I never dreamed he'd select
someone."

"But you kept the auditions?"
"In a manner," Quill responded. "Yours was memorable."
Teeka blushed, remembering the dance sequence he'd

added at the end. "Thank you." He stood. "I should go, let
you get to your afternoon duties."

"Very well. Have you plans for the evening meal?" Quill's

tone let Teeka know the Hunter was trying to make the
awkward moment dissipate.

"I plan to roast the sandcat, if the meat is ready."
"Ah."
"I could share with you, if you like." In truth, Teeka didn't

want to eat alone. They were not Contracted, so he didn't
want to appear too forward.

"That would be welcome. Do you want me to keep Sniffer

for now?"

He looked over at the sleeping truffles, trunks wrapped

around pudgy bodies, and nodded. The feeling of pleasure
lasted all the way back to Brant's tent. He recalled the knife
that may have killed Brant, and a chill went through him.
Quill didn't seem like a killer, but he was a Hunter. Would he

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by A. Catherine Noon

have been able to kill Brant without feeling? And why did he
have Teeka's audition saved?

Unsettled, Teeka set to his cleaning chores with a

vengeance, trying to clear his own mind.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Emerald Fire

by A. Catherine Noon

Chapter 7: Dinner Talk

After having been to Quill's tent, Teeka found it easier to

explore the Hunters' Quarter of Kotek City. He had few friends
here, and Brant hadn't socialized much. Ezek and Ming
seemed open, though, perhaps they would enjoy a small
dinner party?

As he walked along the passageway, the tents of the

Merchants' Quarter intrigued him. Colorful banners,
identifying the occupants, hung by the tent flaps. Many of the
tents themselves had been made from brightly patterned
fabrics.

As he entered the Hunters' Quarter, indicated by a small

flag that hung from a ring at the intersection of two
passageways, he noticed that while the banners of the
Hunters were as elaborate as those he left behind, the tents
were much more subdued. The colors, he noticed, would
blend into the dunes of the Great Valley.

A young page darted along a side passage and Teeka

caught his eye. "Can you tell me, please, where to find
Hunters Ming and Ezek?"

The young boy nodded. "That's easy, sire. They're

neighbors and share the same waterspout. Ming shares his
tent with Hunter Feyl, and you'll recognize Feyl's Conrad
Family crest by the bright green glider lizard." He pointed.
"Go there and take the next left."

"Thank you." Teeka smiled, and the boy zoomed off,

radiating pleased pride.

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by A. Catherine Noon

As Teeka wandered toward his destination, he tried to

memorize the different crests he passed. Did the boy mean
that Feyl and Ming shared a tent, or shared a tent? That
wasn't something he could just come out and ask, but his
curiosity threatened to brim over. They would make a striking
couple.

As the banner came in view, Teeka caught sight of the

glider lizard. It looked so familiar that Teeka frowned, trying
to place it.

Before he could remember, Ming appeared through the

tent flap and saw him. "Keeper Teeka. What brings you to the
Hunters' Quarter?"

Teeka approached. "I wanted to invite you and Ezek to

dinner this evening with Quill and I. I have too much sandcat
and decided to make a little party of it, rather than let it go to
waste."

"Did I just hear my name and an invitation?" Ezek, dressed

in dark wine-red robes, appeared from the tent next door.

Ming nodded, eyes twinkling. "You heard correctly. Though

how you couldn't, with your appetites, I'd be at a loss to say."

Ezek glared at him but transferred his attention to Teeka.

"What will you serve?"

"Sandcat."
"Your sandcat," Ezek clarified.
"Well, I didn't kill it," Teeka told him.
"Quill did," Ming said. He disentangled a truffle from his

silks. "Mizi, stop it."

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The truffle eyed the Hunter with a mournful cast to her

expression. Teeka resisted the urge to step back; she was
much larger than Sniffer.

"She just wants a treat," Ezek told him.
Ming retrieved a small suet ball from a bag that hung just

inside his open tent flap and gave it to the truffle with a
smile. "Glutton."

"Will you join us?" Teeka asked Ezek.
The tall Hunter eyed him. Without his turban, his reddish-

brown hair framed his face and set off his eyes. "That would
be welcome."

"Have you planned the memorial?" Ming asked, depositing

Mizi in a pen at the back of his tent. She cheeped at him until
he set a toy in with her, and she rolled around with the
stuffed fabric ball with abandon.

"I'm working on it." Teeka stretched his back, the muscles

sore. "Papa Kennay gave me some suggestions."

"I have to go to the Hunters' Pavilion." Ezek straightened.
"I should get back to my tent. I need to tidy up and get

dinner started."

"Do you need help?" Ming asked, surprising him.
"Can you cook?"
Ming shrugged. "I can, a little. Do you need any supplies?"
"Some flour and spices would be welcome. I can make

more cakes for dessert."

Ezek's expression sharpened. "Teacakes?"
"I had a dessert cake in mind, something with berries,"

Teeka told him. "It's a secret recipe."

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by A. Catherine Noon

"I can pick up whatever you need," Ming offered. "I have

to buy some supplies for myself anyway."

"I'll make you a list."
They separated to their tasks. Teeka made it all the way

back to Brant's tent before he remembered the truffle; should
he go back to Quill for her? Sniffer seemed ecstatic to be
reunited with Snuffles.

Though the fact the taciturn Hunter had a truffle with such

a childish name made Teeka want to grin at inopportune
moments.

Time remained to clean the rugs as well before his guests

arrived, and he set up the lines in the necessary to hang
them.

"Cleaning day, Teeka?" Jebbynk emerged from his tent,

the faint aroma of cooked onion coming with him. "Here, let
me help you." The taller man held the rugs while Teeka
clamored up the step ladder to clip them to the lines.

"Thank you, Jebbynk."
"Clap when you're done beating them free of sand, and I'll

help you take them down."

"You have any wash you need done?" Teeka offered. "I

have several I have to do for myself."

"If you're sure it's no bother."
Teeka smiled. "I'd be happy to."
Jebbynk returned with several crumpled day robes,

spotted with food. Part owner of a large restaurant by the
hostel in the corner of the market square, Jebbynk ran a
successful business cooking for the Hunters and other
occupants of Kotek City. Jebbynk had little time to himself to

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by A. Catherine Noon

do his laundry, and Teeka, after finding this out, had made
sure to fit him into his schedule. The cook never said anything
about it but always helped Teeka with the heavier chores.

Once the carpets were hung to air and the laundry to dry,

Teeka went into the tent and wiped all the surfaces. He
cleaned the floor and the air filters. Sand got everywhere!
One would need to be replaced soon. How would he have the
money to do it? With no Contract, no income came in. Would
the Chieftain grant his approval?

He needed to stop worrying, damn it, and concentrate on

dinner. At least that he could control. He rinsed the guest
dishes and prepared a broth for the sandcat with onions,
garlic, and herbs. By then, it was time to bring the carpets in,
and Jebbynk helped him unhook each in turn.

"You are a boon, Teeka," Jebbynk murmured when Teeka

handed him his clean robes. "I don't know what I'm to do
without you."

"You'll find someone, Jebbynk," Teeka responded, touched.
"Be well."
"You as well."
Teeka came back inside just in time to hear a clap at the

door. "Come in."

A runner for the Hunters, dressed in the blue tabard of the

Elder Hunter himself, stood in the walk with an enormous
parcel. "Your meat, sire."

Teeka laughed. "You don't have to call me sire."
The boy blushed. "Yes, s... Yes. Thank you!" He bolted

before Teeka could give him a coin as a tip.

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by A. Catherine Noon

Didn't anyone at Kotek City tip their pages? At the Keep, it

would be unheard of to skip such a courtesy. Perhaps the
Elder Hunter had already paid the boy? No matter; he needed
to prepare the main course.

The meat was still cold from storage, and Teeka set about

carving it. He prepared a large roast and cut up the rest, half
in strips for the drying rack for field rations and half in cubes
for use in breakfast and salads. With luck, he'd have enough
for three days for himself and Quill.

He paused. Since when did he cook for Quill?
Quill was Brant's heir. But he also might have killed Brant

for the Stake. The more Teeka got to know him, though, the
more it seemed unlikely. Elder Hunter treated Quill with a
deference he didn't give to any of the other younger Hunters,
a sure sign of his prominence.

Another clap sounded outside, disturbing Teeka from his

musing. This time, the page wore the badge of the markets, a
checkered border on the sleeve of his silks. A cloth bag hung
over his elbow.

The youth bobbed at Teeka. "Your baking supplies, Keeper,

sent by Hunter Ming."

Teeka smiled and reached out. "Thank you. Let me get a

coin for you."

"Oh, sire, that's not —"
"Please. I insist." He didn't want this one rushing off

empty-handed. He grabbed a coin from the embroidered
purse, frowning at its contents. Part of the Contract was to
give Teeka a shopping allowance. Was he still entitled to that?
Teeka pressed the coin into the boy's palm and waved him

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by A. Catherine Noon

off. Teeka would worry about the money later. Humming,
Teeka brought the bag over to the cooking corner of the tent,
the recipe circling in his mind. First, though, he needed to
finish preparing the sandcat.

He sliced three of the onions and arranged them in the

bottom of the baking dish, drizzling them with oil and spices.
Going to the moss bin, Teeka pushed aside the loose moss
strands to reach the bulbs stored beneath. The strands clung
to his fingers, coarser than the type used to make silk. It
constantly amazed him how this native plant, found under the
shifting sands of the Great Valley, could be used for so many
things. He rubbed the roast with fat, stuffed it with more
onions, garlic, and moss bulbs, then set it on top. He
munched on a moss bulb as he tied up the roast, then
wrestled the huge slab into the baking chute. After setting the
temperature he wanted, he washed his hands.

Now, to make dessert.
The roast started to emit a heady aroma after only thirty

minutes, and Teeka's stomach announced he'd better fill it,
and soon. He prepared a quick bowl of roasted grains for
himself and ate his meal with some tea, after setting the
cakes in to bake.

The berries he prepared with some of Brant's precious

liqueur, purchased on the occasion of his visit to Cyrus to
meet Teeka. The Hunter admitted to being uncomfortable in a
city, which was why he'd had Teeka travel to Cyrus and met
him there, rather than coming to Reghdad and Emerald Keep.
Teeka had helped select the liqueur, and they'd enjoyed two
cordials their first night as they talked long into the dark. That

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by A. Catherine Noon

Brant had ended the night without touching him in any way at
first gave Teeka pause, until he had realized it indicated a
severe shyness on Brant's part.

A clap at the door disturbed his reverie. "Come in."
Ming stepped into the tent, dressed already in his dinner

finery of rich blue silks with a white embroidered pattern of
circles. Teeka recognized the Fifth Dynasty Ruby Keep badge
in the design and resisted the urge to finger the needlework.

"Teeka, good eve to you."
"Thank you. You as well."
Ming made a show of taking a deep breath. "It smells

incredible."

Teeka preened. "Thank you."
"I don't suppose there'd be a taste?"
Teeka laughed. "Not until the others arrive. But come, tell

me why you stopped by."

"I wanted to make sure you received the supplies you

asked for."

"Yes, thank you, the page brought them by a little while

ago."

Ming looked down, a slight flush along his cheekbones. "I

wished to ask a favor, actually."

"Of me?"
Ming nodded and fidgeted with the edge of his tunic. "My

tent mate, Feyl, is alone tonight. He's been ill of late, and I..."
He trailed off, appealing to Teeka with those large, black eyes
of his.

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by A. Catherine Noon

"You wish me to invite him?" Teeka guessed, his heart

sinking. He couldn't deny eyes like that, but Feyl never
showed him the least bit of friendliness.

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble. He's quite a

conversationalist, when you get him going. He's been
sensitive to Brant, though, because Brant voted down his
promotion to Senior Hunter."

Teeka blinked. It accounted for his attitude toward Teeka,

at least. "Very well. Bring him along."

"Are you sure there's not a taste?"
"Be off with you!" Teeka laughed, brandishing his wooden

mixing spoon.

Ming slipped out the door like a dancer, his laugh ghosting

behind him.

Teeka's curiosity about Ming and Feyl burned hot again.

How such an animated and handsome Hunter would be
attracted to someone like Feyl mystified Teeka, but never
mind. He collected a place setting for Feyl, and laid down a
gaily-patterned festival rug for them to eat on. He'd made it
while still on apprenticeship and had kept the piece, his
favorite of his wovens. The patterns of repeating squares
modulated through the color spectrum in thinnest thread,
spun by his yearmate Jeffa. Jeffa could spin anything, from
regular animal fiber to unusual vegetable fibers.

Teeka had sent Jeffa some yingtzao fiber to see if he could

do anything with it, and Jeffa had sent him some gorgeous
lace-weight thread spun from suri alpaca fiber. Every time he
worked with alpaca fiber, gratitude filled him that the first
colonists had brought the animal from Old Earth and that they

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by A. Catherine Noon

had adapted so well to the environment on Persis. Smart and
affectionate, they made good pets and as livestock, and their
fiber brought a handsome profit. A small herd of them lived
near Emerald Keep and he used to visit them with Jeffa when
they had the afternoon free. Jeffa knew of his fondness for
the animals and chose their fiber for his gift.

The pang of homesickness that caused hadn't dissipated

for a while, nor had the spurt of jealousy. But Jeffa had
included with his letter a shawl of such delicate beauty Teeka
forgave him. Done in gradations of emerald, it stayed
wrapped in tissue in Teeka's Dowry Chest.

Finished with all the preparations, he stripped and went

out to the necessary to wash. He re-applied the hair oil to his
wet hair and sat down on the bed to re-braid it, dressed only
in his houserobes. A clap outside his door made him jump.

"Who is it?"
"Quill."
Quill didn't wait for an invitation, just stepped inside. His

eyes fell on Teeka where he sat on the bed with his hair only
half-done, and his face flushed. "You're not dressed!"

"I'm wearing a robe," Teeka shot back, annoyed. "I'm

hardly improprietous."

"I..."
"Can I help you?"
"Yes." Quill fidgeted with his tunic. "I have the list of

supplies."

"Ah. Good. Thank you." Teeka stood and his robe chose

that moment to billow, revealing his nude body in a long line.

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by A. Catherine Noon

Quill's eyes locked on Teeka's navel with its emerald, and

his face heated.

Teeka turned away and continued his plait. "The others will

be here in thirty minutes, if you'd care to return."

The Hunter met his gaze. "The others?"
"I invited Ming, Ezek, and Feyl."
"Ezek."
"And Ming and Feyl," Teeka stressed. "I have few friends

here."

Quill blinked. "I did not think of that."
"I have many friends in Reghdad."
Quill's brow creased. "Do you wish to send for any of them

for the memorial?"

"I had not thought of that." He'd only meant to needle

Quill about inviting others to dinner. Quill made a generous
offer. "I don't think it's necessary, even if there was the
time."

"Very well. I will return." He paused. "The meal smells

heavenly."

Quill spun without waiting for a response and strode out of

the tent, leaving Teeka standing there with his jumbled braid
in his hands, wishing for more attention than a mere glance.

Landing!
Teeka smiled when he realized the Hunter had forgotten to

leave his list. He sat down and brushed out his hair, starting
the braid over again. Just to focus himself, Teeka worked it
into a seven-plait, and the exercise required such
concentration it centered his mind. He threaded his green
beads into it at intervals, using all of them and not just the

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by A. Catherine Noon

handful he had plaited for the day. He got his ear cuff and
arm bands, and double-checked the setting of the navel
jewel. His tunic top stopped above it, revealing the stone
when he moved, and he re-set his robes. Should he wear
slippers? They didn't plan to leave the tent, after all. Barefoot
it would be.

By the time he poured the tea to steep, voices approached

in the hall outside his tent flap. A clap sounded. "Come in!"

Ming entered, followed by Ezek and Feyl. Ezek wore his

fire-red robes over an open tunic, leaving his muscular chest
visible. Both nipples bore jewelry, which distracted Teeka. He
turned to Feyl, smiling in welcome, and paused to admire the
lean Hunter. The Northerner dressed in traditional cream,
with delicate stitching along the edges and a brilliant firebird
on the back.

"He's a needle worker," Ezek told the quiet man. "Let him

examine your robes."

Feyl studied Teeka, his green eyes grave, and then turned

to let Teeka see the design. A thick rope of blond hair,
braided in a simple but neat plait, cascaded down Feyl's back.
The Hunter moved it out of Teeka's way, and Teeka traced
the design of the stitching with his fingers.

"This is incredible work," he murmured. "Is it by a

Keeper?"

"Yes. My father's Keeper was from Emerald Keep. Rumia

was with him for almost two decades, life-partnered. After my
father died, Rumia stayed with my mothers, and he Keeps for
them."

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by A. Catherine Noon

"I studied with a student of Rumia's," Teeka told him.

"Instructor Kadda. His needle design work is breathtaking."

"Show him the pillow," Ezek prompted.
Teeka flushed. "Come, you should sit, take tea. We aren't

here for an exhibition!"

Ezek settled in Teeka's chair again, and Ming strode past

him. As he lowered himself into Brant's chair, Ezek laughed.

"Careful, that old thing might break under your weight."
Teeka frowned. Though slightly battered, Brant's chair was

perfectly sound. He had checked it himself when he first
began Keeping in this tent. Perhaps Ezek was just teasing the
other Hunter.

"But let me see the pillow," Feyl protested, his face

opening with curiosity. "You are from Emerald Keep, yes?"

Teeka nodded and handed him the pillow. "The rug is mine

as well."

Ming's eyes widened and Ezek whistled. Feyl stepped off

the carpet with a peculiar sideways hop, and Teeka smiled at
him.

"It's strong; your feet won't damage it," he told the

Hunter.

Feyl hesitated a moment and then folded into a sitting

position against the pillows, only his knees on the rug. "This
is beautiful!"

Perhaps he'd been hasty in his first impression of the other

Hunter. The man did know his weaving, as the Keeper
discovered while answering questions of technique.

Another clap sounded, and again Quill entered without

waiting for an invitation. Teeka's heart flipped over. Quill's

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black hair, free of its turban, shone in the light. He had
arranged his braid over his shoulder, where it spread down
his chest, rubies woven into every inch. Teeka widened his
eyes at such a display of wealth. He wore a rich, slate gray
robe with dark blue embroidery covering it, the wrists so thick
with stitch work they moved stiffly. His tunic covered his body
to his knees, revealing his bodysilks of a deep, burnished red
that set off the other two colors like flame.

Quill's chuckle sent heat flaming into Teeka's face, and he

turned away to prepare tea, hoping the others didn't notice
his arousal. That Quill saw it was bad enough. They seemed
engrossed by Teeka's weaving, for which gratitude filled him.

Quill set a gitar against the pillows near the door and

Ming's face brightened. "You brought your instrument! I have
my flute." He produced it from inside his robes and set it on
the corner of the bed.

"I left my drum behind," Ezek murmured.
"Brant has drums," Quill said before Teeka could. He met

Teeka's gaze and blinked. "I apologize, Keeper. It is your
right to give or withhold them."

Teeka cocked his head. "I don't know where he kept

them." The spurs Brant worked only took a few days. They'd
never moved the tent outside of Kotek City; Teeka Kept it for
Brant's return. He'd been hesitant to open storage containers
when there was no need.

Quill pointed at a chest in the corner, behind the table.

Teeka opened the lid to investigate and sank to his knees,
stunned. Three small hide drums and several cymbals for
dancing lay nestled in the crate. Supplies for the Eve Dance

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were stacked on the left and several armbands of goldstone
beads lay on top. "Landing!"

"Brant's mother was a dancer," Quill said from just behind

him, making Teeka jump. "He kept the drums for his own
enjoyment, but he kept the dancing garments in memory of
her."

"I never knew," Teeka whispered, tears in his throat.
Quill's hand squeezed his shoulder with surprising

gentleness. "I apologize; I should have thought before I
brought it up. Brant did not like to discuss his mother with
anyone. He only shared with me because she passed during
my apprenticeship."

That eased some of Teeka's bitterness, and he looked up

into Quill's face with gratitude. Quill met his eyes from inches
away, his lips parted, and they stared at each other for a
moment. Quill's ruby ear cuff flashed in the light and Teeka
had a sudden urge to see if he had nipple jewelry to match.

"This tea is incredible!" Ming's joyful exuberance

interrupted the moment, and Quill stood. "Teeka, you've
outdone yourself."

"It's no magic, Ming. Papa Kennay keeps several

varieties."

"They aren't cheap," Ming murmured.
"No, but they are the best."
"True." Ming's voice held bitterness, and the others stirred,

as though wanting to change the subject.

Teeka frowned but obliged by rising and getting the

teapot. He set it on a low tray in the center of the rug and
arranged the cups and plates of teacakes. "Please. Enjoy."

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"I brought some ouiska," Feyl offered, reaching into the

pocket of his outer robe.

Teeka's eyes widened when the crystal of the decanter

flashed and sparkled in the light from the lamps. "That is a
princely beverage."

"It'll knock you on your ass like a sandboar," Ezek

murmured, and the others laughed.

"I'll get glasses." Teeka rose and went to the case where

the precious glass items lay nestled in thick packing moss.

They talked for over an hour, of varied subjects including

astronomy and politics. Teeka plied them with tea, cakes, and
ouiska, and only Quill seemed to stay sober. Ezek's face
flushed pink with drink, and even Feyl seemed to mellow.

Teeka brought the roast out and had to confess it rivaled

even the best he'd made in the past. The meat exuded a
heady aroma with the onions and vegetables. He set it on the
table with a flourish.

"Feyl, hand him your carving knife, will you?" Ezek asked.
Feyl reached inside his robes. "That's strange, it's not in

my case," the Hunter murmured, searching his clothes.

"Use mine instead," Ming urged. "He wouldn't even allow

me a taste before!"

"You came earlier?" The thread of anger in Quill's voice

sent a chill up Teeka's spine.

The older Hunter shrugged, oblivious. "I offered

assistance. It smelled divine. I've been hungry since."

The others laughed, but Quill studied Teeka with a

thoughtful expression. Teeka, feeling mischievous, served him
the first plate, a privilege reserved for the Contract.

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Quill's eyes widened as he did it, and Teeka turned away

without comment. Had Quill expected him to serve Ezek first?
The others babbled on, unaware of the byplay.

Finished with serving, Teeka curled up by the corner of the

bed with his back against the pillows and ate his dinner. The
sandcat tasted even better than it smelled, and the grains
came out with just the right consistency. One of his better
meals, though he refrained from saying it out loud.

The others fell silent, concentrating on their dinner. That,

more than any verbal comment, gratified Teeka.

As they finished, he offered seconds. Only Ezek declined;

even Quill took another steak. "This is truly masterful," the
lean Hunter murmured when Teeka handed him the plate.

Teeka, touched, blushed. "Thank you."
As he sat back down, Ming gazed at him. "Do you sing,

Keeper Teeka?"

"Some," Teeka admitted. "I was trained in the dance, but

my sisters love to play and they needed a male voice. My
brother can't hold a tune in a bucket."

They laughed. "You have a large family?" Feyl asked.
Teeka nodded. "They're back in Reghdad, even my

brother. They love the city life."

"What made you choose Brant?"
Quill froze, staring at Feyl, but the Northerner didn't see it

as he focused on Teeka.

"I wanted to live as a Hunter," Teeka said. "My other offers

were from cities, and then Brant's offer came in. It was like a
dream to me. He was very kind. I was fortunate to have such
a first Contract."

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"What happens now?" Ezek asked.
Feyl frowned. "What if you have another Contract offer?"
"I don't know, honestly," Teeka admitted, not looking in

Ezek's direction. "Without the approval of the Keep, it
wouldn't be valid. Keepers are allowed to negotiate Contracts,
but the Keep has final say." He left out any mention of the
possibility of going on Stake with Quill, even if it would only
be for a fortnight.

"I smell dessert," Ming interrupted in an awkward tone.
Feyl flushed. "Forgive me, I didn't think."
Teeka frowned, confused. He felt eyes on him and met

Quill's gaze. "Later," the Senior Hunter mouthed to him.
Teeka nodded and rose to get dessert.

"What is that?" Feyl gasped as he turned.
"A berry cake," Teeka answered, displaying it with a

flourish. The liqueur had thickened to a deep violet, and his
mouth watered. The only problem with living in a tent was
that he didn't have access to a full kitchen like he did at the
Keep. "It's one of my specialties."

Quill helped him set the platter on the table and held the

plates for him to serve. That this was a partnership reserved
for Contract and Keeper did not escape Teeka's notice. When
Teeka turned, Ezek glared at Quill's back, but his face cleared
when he saw Teeka watching him.

Teeka, feeling perverse, gave Ezek the first serving.
Ezek smirked, aware of the implied honor, and cocked an

eyebrow. Teeka grinned at him and turned to get the other
plates.

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They talked little through dessert. Ming ate three slices,

reveling in it with unselfconscious glee. Teeka, touched, did
not begrudge him the extra food. Even Feyl had seconds.
Teeka passed around moist, hot cloths so they could clean
their hands.

"Come, Quill. Play for us," Ezek invited.
Quill set his plate down and retrieved his gitar, tuning it

with economical movements of his long fingers. Ming got his
flute, and Teeka rose to get a drum for Ezek.

"That one will do," Ezek murmured, leaning over Teeka

close enough their cheeks touched. Ezek lingered, pressing
his body against Teeka's before he stood. Ezek's silks rustled
along Teeka's cheek and sent Teeka's heartbeat skittering in
his chest. He fiddled with the contents of the crate for a
moment to allow himself to school his features back to a calm
demeanor.

When he turned, he found Quill studying him, his large

gray eyes stormy. Clearly jealous, he glared at Teeka before
turning to his gitar.

They played two quick tuning ditties, and then Quill struck

an intricate cord. "The 'Ballad of Ballyn'?" he asked the
others.

Teeka's eyebrows rose almost of their own accord. Even

experienced Keepers had trouble with the complex stanzas of
the 'Ballad.' "I'll get the lyrics." He withdrew his songbook
from his document case that held the precious schoolbooks
that had traveled with him all the way to Kotek City. Brant
protested the weight until Teeka showed him the music, after
which the Hunter seemed quite content to pay the freight.

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They sang long into the dark, the tents around them

hushed and listening. Teeka wished he dared invite his
neighbors in, but didn't want to disturb the moment. By the
time of full dark, he didn't want the Hunters to leave.

Ezek loitered behind, but Quill didn't rise from his pillows.
"Come, Ezek, help me pour Feyl into his bed," Ming

murmured. He hauled Feyl to his feet, placing the pale
Northerner's arm over his shoulder. "You get heavier every
year, I swear!"

Feyl mumbled something, and Ezek laughed. "All right, all

right! Good night," he said to Teeka and Quill before he slung
Feyl's other arm over his shoulder. They disappeared into the
walk, Feyl still muttering protests and trying to hum.

Poor man couldn't sing a damn, though.
"You've outdone yourself." Quill turned to Teeka after he

closed the tent flap.

Teeka collected the dessert plates. "Thank you."
"I truly think you can pull the memorial together," Quill

went on. "I had my doubts; it is a lot of preparation."

"We're well trained at Emerald Keep," Teeka snapped,

offended.

Quill appeared in front of him as he got the glasses. "I

meant no offense."

"Quill..."
Quill brushed a gentle hand across his cheek. "Do you

intend to give consideration to Ezek's offer?"

Teeka wished he'd skipped the last drink; the alcohol

fuzzed his thoughts. "I don't know."

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Quill stepped closer, bringing their bodies together. He

bent forward and took Teeka's ear cuff in his teeth, tugging
gently on it. "You would do well to consider your options
wisely, Keeper Teeka."

He pecked Teeka's cheek and stepped back so fast Teeka

wobbled. Quill chuckled, noting it.

And then he was gone.
Teeka sank to the cushions, trembling.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Emerald Fire

by A. Catherine Noon

Chapter 8: The Lode

Teeka woke well after Minah rose, his head thick with the

effects of the liqueur. No longer accustomed to it like he had
been at the Keep, the headache pounded over his left eye. He
took some analgesic and the powder made him cough,
dissolved in the water but still gritty. He used the necessary
and stumbled going back into his tent.

A perfunctory clap outside was all the warning Quill gave

before he entered. "You're not up?"

Teeka glared at him, pulling his bedsilks around his body

and lying back down. "No." He did not say, Go away, though
the thought tempted him.

Quill grunted and set the kettle on to heat water. "You

don't mind I've kept Sniffer?"

Teeka blinked. "No. She seemed ecstatic to be with her

brother again."

Quill grinned, a flash of white teeth against his tanned

skin. "True." He came and sat down on the floor next to the
bed, his elbow along Teeka's thigh. "Elder Hunter spoke to
the Chieftain."

Teeka's heart started to pound. "And?"
"He approved the Stay. You have a fortnight."
"But that's excellent!" Teeka gushed, sitting up. His robes

gaped open and Quill's gaze fell on his navel emerald. Teeka
smirked, pleased at the expression of interest he read in the
Senior Hunter's gaze. "Brant gave it to me."

"What?" Quill's gaze flew to Teeka's face.

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Teeka bent forward and watched Quill's eyes dilate as he

got close. "The emerald. Brant gave it to me, because he
liked to watch me dance."

Quill swallowed, his throat jumping. "You dance very well."
Teeka nodded. "Yes, I do." He paused and leaned forward

a little. "It's better in person."

Quill's lips parted and he turned pink. "You're not very

modest."

"I don't need to be."
"Hah!" Quill barked a laugh. "Very well, not-modest Keeper

Teeka. We should prepare to work the Stake, lazybones."

"I am not lazy!"
The Hunter's gray eyes twinkled. "No? Yet here you lay,

nearly to mid-day."

"After cooking for you and our friends half the day."
"Our friends?"
Teeka sobered. "Quill. I noticed something."
Quill cocked his head at his tone. "Oh?"
"Feyl was missing his knife."
Quill's eyes widened. "Indeed?"
"Remember? Ezek asked him to cut the roast, but he

couldn't because he didn't have his carving dagger. You said
all the Hunters carry them."

"Feyl's been sick, he hasn't been Hunting," Quill mused.
"What about Ming?"
Quill leaned back as Teeka got out of bed to make

breakfast. "What about him?"

"You said you'd explain later. It's later. What is there to

explain?"

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"Ah." Quill sighed. "It's a sad tale."
Teeka poured tea for him and handed the Hunter the cup.

"Oh?"

"Ming had a Keeper. From Ruby Keep. They grew attached

to each other, but last season, Ming broke his leg. He couldn't
Hunt for a month, and when he did, the next two spurs he
found were stonedust. False lodes. When it came time to
renew the Contract, he couldn't. Reesa returned to Ruby
Keep. Even Feyl hasn't managed to cheer Ming since."

"That's terrible!"
"I offered to buy the Contract for Ming, but he wouldn't

accept it. Said he wouldn't take charity. I told him he could
take it as a loan, but he refused outright. Was quite offended.
When Reesa found out, and understood he could have stayed,
there was a rather ugly fight about it. I don't think Reesa
meant it, but he said some things that hurt Ming deeply."

"I thought..."
Quill quirked his lips, eying Teeka. "What?"
"I thought Ming wanted Feyl," he admitted. "He came to

ask me to invite Feyl to dinner."

"Ah. I'd wondered. Feyl hadn't been very kind to you; I

was surprised you invited him."

"Ming asked me to, as a favor. He said Feyl hadn't forgiven

Brant for not promoting him to Senior Hunter."

When Quill's eyes widened, Teeka froze. Had he broken a

confidence? "I shouldn't have said that."

Quill cocked his head. "To me, you mean?"
"I don't know if Ming wished me to hold that in

confidence."

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"And I'm a Senior Hunter, you mean? You're worried I

might censure Ming?"

Teeka nodded, miserable.
"Teeka, calm yourself. I'm not that petty. I know of Feyl's

bitterness. It was one of the reasons he wasn't promoted.
He's very young, yet. He's the former Chieftain's son, and he
thinks he should be entitled to more leadership. Brant wasn't
the only one who voted against him; he was just the most
verbal."

Teeka blinked. The banner on Feyl's tent floated to mind.

No wonder it looked so familiar; he could see the vids with
the former Chieftain's banner in his mind's eye from when he
had researched Kotek City prior to accepting Brant's Contract.
Then what Quill said filtered through his mind. "You voted
against it as well?"

"I felt he needed more seasoning. Even though he has the

skill and talent, he seems to lack the focus for it."

A thought occurred to Teeka. "You don't have an

apprentice?"

"No."
He laughed. "No? That's all? But why not? I thought all

Senior Hunters did?"

"I've taken two apprentices since my promotion, in point of

fact."

"Oh."
"Come. Have you your maps?"
"Of course."
"Let's see them. We should plan."

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100

Teeka collected his precious research and set it on the

table. While Quill absorbed himself in studying it, Teeka
finished preparing breakfast.

"We'll set the tent here." Quill pointed at a spot on the

map.

"The tent?" Teeka tried to hide his dismay. "One tent?"
"Yes."
"But what about this tent?"
"Brant's tent goes to his heir, not his Contract. We only

need one tent on Stake."

Teeka stared at him and a lump formed in his throat. "But

I thought..."

Quill laughed. "What?"
Teeka shot to his feet, unwilling to cry in front of Quill's

coldness. "I should clean the dishes."

The Hunter caught his shoulders. "Teeka?"
"No!" He yanked away. "If I'm to lose my home, I need to

gather my things first."

Quill caught him and pulled him around by the shoulders to

stand face to face with him. "Who said anything about losing
your home?"

"You said—"
"We'll only take my tent to the lode," Quill interrupted.

"We'll leave this one here to give us something to come back
to."

Teeka's doubts surged through him and sudden tears

spilled down his cheeks. "But what if I have to leave? Go back
to Emerald Keep?"

"I'll offer a Contract for you."

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101

That Quill said it with such bald practicality, as matter-of-

fact as though it were nothing but business, cut Teeka to the
bone. "I don't want your charity either, Quill!" Teeka spun
away. "Just go!"

"What? Teeka!"
"Just go, Quill. I'm sure you have preparations to make,

and I need to prepare for the memorial for Brant."

"I..." Quill trailed off, his sigh of frustration loud in the

hush of the tent. "You're being unreasonable."

"Am I?" Teeka snapped, seething. "Just go. If all you care

about is the lode, go and prepare for it."

"That's not all I care about."
Teeka put the pans on the table and went back to collect

the plates. His eyes refused to obey him and the tears spilled
down his cheeks.

Quill stood and stepped in front of him as he tried to get to

the plates. "Teeka, look at me."

"No!"
"Teeka."
"No, Quill."
Quill growled something unintelligible and caught Teeka's

arm in a firm grip. Teeka whipped his hand across Quill's
cheek without even thinking about it.

The Hunter stared at him, eyes wide and shocked. "What

was that for?"

"Let go of me!"
Quill's eyes narrowed. "You'd prefer another?"
Teeka's heart split in two. "It doesn't matter who I prefer.

I'm out of Contract. You'd love that, wouldn't you? Disgrace

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102

me here, then send me back to Emerald Keep as damaged
goods. Is that how it was between you and Dekka? Just
business?"

The Hunter's face drained of color. "What?"
"Was Dekka just a Contract to you too? Do you have any

feeling at all?" Teeka tried to pull on his arm but couldn't free
himself. "Let go of me!"

Quill wrapped his hand around Teeka's heavy braid and

yanked him forward, against Quill's body. He kissed Teeka
with rough possessiveness. Teeka opened his mouth on
instinct alone and Quill seized the advantage, crushing the
Keeper's smaller frame against his own and wiping all thought
from Teeka's mind.

By the time Quill let him up for air, Teeka's brain had

emptied.

"Does that seem like no feeling to you?" Quill released

Teeka so fast he stumbled back.

"I..."
Quill spun, heading for the door, and a bolt of cold jolted

through Teeka. He knew one thing. He wasn't going to let
Quill out of the tent! He caught the Hunter two steps from the
front flap and grabbed his arm. "Wait!"

"No!"
Teeka stepped in front of him, bringing their groins against

each other. He cupped Quill's face in both hands, brushing the
scars with his thumb. "I'm sorry. I know it's not only
business. But you are a hard man to read, Quill."

Quill froze under his touch, his eyes wide and vulnerable.

Teeka seized the advantage and kissed the scars on Quill's

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103

throat, using his hands to open the Hunter's robes. He licked
along Quill's collarbone to the mass of scars along the
pectoral muscle and nibbled along the ridge.

"It tickles." Quill shuddered and caught Teeka's face in a

gentle grip. "All right, you've made your point."

"Have I?" He pulled Quill's head down but didn't bring their

mouths together. "Prove it."

Quill kissed him again, burying his hands in Teeka's hair.

He wrapped Teeka's braid around his wrist, pinning the
Keeper against his body, and concentrated on the kiss. Teeka
felt dizzy with arousal by the time the Hunter let him up for
air, his body aching for release.

"I should go." Quill stepped back, straightening his robes.
"What, now?"
Quill smirked. "If I stay, we'll both regret it." He stroked

along Teeka's hardened length, causing the Keeper to
shudder. Teeka's silks felt tissue-thin, the heat of the
Hunter's hand burning through them. "You need release, but
we're not under Contract."

"Quill, I —"
"Yet," Quill added. He pecked Teeka on the cheek and

strode out of the tent.

"Damn it!" Teeka's body shivered with arousal. He took

hold of himself and did for himself what he wished Quill would
have done. He only needed a few strong strokes to trigger his
climax. His body erupted and the release nearly hurt. It
slaked his body's hunger, if not his heart's.

And Quill knew it, Teeka felt certain.

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104

The pillow he threw at the door only made him feel a tiny

bit better.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Emerald Fire

by A. Catherine Noon

105

Chapter 9: The Gathering

When Jebbynk found out about the plans for Brant's

memorial, he insisted Teeka allow him to help. For the next
two days, they spent every waking moment together,
preparing food and working on the setup. Elder Hunter
allowed them access to the Pavilion the day before and Teeka
and Jebbynk arrived before Minah rose.

"Good morn." Elder Hunter paused in the act of pouring

tea. "I've made tea for you."

Teeka smiled, remembering Tybin's history as a Keeper.

"Thank you, sire."

"How many tables will you need?" Tybin asked.
"We expect the Hunters, sire," Teeka told him. "Myself and

Jebbynk, and Papa Kennay's family. Papa Rabin's as well."

Tybin grunted. "The festival tables are in storage in back.

I'll gather several Hunters to help you."

"I can assist as well," Jebbynk told him.
"Very well. Come with me. Teeka, if you would prepare

some breakfast for us?"

"Certainly."
The two men disappeared into the back of the tent, and

Teeka rooted around for supplies. A well- stocked larder gave
him everything he needed. He turned and jumped; Quill stood
close enough to touch.

"Good morn."
"You startled me!"

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106

Quill smirked, which seemed to be a habitual expression

every time he startled Teeka or got a rise out of him. "You're
preparing breakfast?"

"Yes."
"Do you need help?"
Teeka blinked. "What?"
"With breakfast. Do you need help?"
"I..."
Quill reached past him to retrieve the large bag of flour. As

he did, heat from his body flared along Teeka's side and sent
shivers up and down his body. Quill chuckled, a quiet but
intimate sound that brought saliva to Teeka's mouth.

The Hunter stood without touching him and set the grain

on the table. "I'll get a pot."

"You are a tease," Teeka grumbled.
Quill swung back, eyes fierce. He swept down onto Teeka's

mouth and kissed him. He spoke from inches away. "Hardly,
Keeper Teeka. But I will respect your station." He stood and
moved away.

Teeka wiped his face and collected berries with shaking

hands. He got out spices as well and rooted around for baku
seeds.

"What are those for?" Quill asked from right behind him.
"Stop sneaking up on me." He hauled himself to his feet.

"Bring the berries, please."

Quill chuckled. "Very well, Captain."
He flushed. "Funny."
Quill picked up Teeka's empty cup. "You're touchy in the

morning before you've had enough tea." Quill sounded rough

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107

when he said it, but his eyes twinkled as though he enjoyed
it.

"So make me more tea."
"All right, all right!"
Teeka put the ingredients together for breakfast grains and

set it on the flame to cook. He turned to clean and Quill
stepped in front of him with a cup of tea. "Here."

"Thank you."
Quill smiled at him and sat down. "Elder Hunter is

impressed with your preparations."

Teeka flushed. "Indeed?" After a small sip he set down the

bitter brew. He wouldn't ask the Hunter for tea again; the
man had no clue how to make it potable. He wiped down the
preparation table and started a pan of water for dishes.

"You sound surprised. Have faith in your training."
"It's a larger festival than I've planned before."
Quill shrugged. "You can do it."
Always hot and cold, this one. Teeka set down the spoon in

his hand. "You..." The sounds of the others returning came to
him and he trailed off.

"What?"
"Never mind." He straightened and smiled as Jebbynk

appeared with a table. "Over here."

Jebbynk nodded and carried it over to set up. Several

other Hunters, including Ming, appeared with other tables. By
the time Teeka finished directing them, Quill had disappeared
but the grains were finished cooking.

"Teeka?" Jebbynk asked.
"Breakfast is ready," Teeka said. "Come, let's eat."

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108

Jebbynk smiled and came to help him serve. "You used

baku seeds?"

Teeka nodded. "They add a nice flavor to it."
The cook grunted. "I hadn't thought of that. I use them

with roasts."

"I do too, but they're good in sweets." He noticed Tybin

pouring out the tea and starting another pot. He felt like he
should apologize for asking Quill to prepare it instead of doing
it himself, but the moment passed as Hunters came and
went.

They worked well into the afternoon. Teeka made the final

arrangements with Elder Hunter and made his way back to
Brant's tent, exhausted. Several Keepers gathered at the
cistern and he wanted to speak with them, but his body ached
with weariness. It was a pity they had arrived late in the
season at Kotek City. He'd never gotten the chance to have
tea with them and share experiences. He made his way
through the maze of walkways, pleased when he did not get
lost.

He was preparing for bed when a clap interrupted him.

Quill entered without waiting for an answer and stopped in
the doorway. "You're sleeping?"

"Not yet. What is it?"
"I should come back."
"Quill."
"Yes?" Quill paused, his back to Teeka, his hand on the

door flap.

"Just tell me. You're already here."
"I came to wish you luck, is all."

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"Luck?"
"Good night."
"Quill?"
"Teeka, I should go."
Teeka hopped out of bed and caught Quill's arm. "Talk to

me!"

Quill eyed him, his gray gaze shadowed. "You should rest.

You have a big day tomorrow."

"Please, talk to me." Teeka squeezed his arm.
Quill let Teeka pull him into the tent. He sat down in

Brant's low chair, his long legs crossed. Teeka prepared some
evening tea and sat across from him.

"I don't think you will like what I have to say," Quill told

him in a quiet voice.

Teeka's stomach tightened. "What? What is it? What's

happened?"

"Your suspicions about Feyl may be correct. I've talked to

the others, and Feyl's been acting unusual for several weeks."

Teeka poured tea. "And?"
"His knife is missing, and he claims he doesn't know where

he lost it. He acts strangely around me, very cagey. I just
came from his tent, and we argued, over nothing."

"Do you know why?"
"I do not and that is what concerns me. Others comment

on his moodiness, and he is generally known to be sunny-
tempered and friendly." Quill clenched his fist, radiating
anguish for his friend though his voice remained calm.

They sat without speaking for several more moments. "Do

you think he could Claim the Stake?"

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Quill shook his head. "No. Ezek has taken the spur and

plans to go out after the memorial as well. The Elders refused
any other Stakes. Feyl cannot act for now."

Teeka frowned. "Why the ban on Hunting?"
"The Chieftain does not want us ripping apart his prime

grazing land for hunches. We should just wait and see if Feyl
does anything else. He is my friend; I hate to think ill of him
or ask more questions and have others talk."

"But?"
"It may make him irrational, if he thinks he is thwarted."

Quill sighed, his face drawn. "When he was younger, Feyl
earned a reputation for having a quick temper."

A chill went through Teeka like a breeze from a doorway.

"What are you saying?"

"Have you had any word from him? Seen anything

suspicious?"

"No. He doesn't seem to like me, but that could be

explained by his feelings about Brant."

"Perhaps you should not be alone."
"Quill, I'm not in Contract!" Teeka protested. "It wouldn't

be proper."

"He is not acting like the man I know. Perhaps I should

stay here."

"People will talk, Quill. Besides, this is hardly an empty

section of the city. He'd be hard-pressed to sneak in here. Not
many Hunters come this way. "

Quill pulled a short-bladed dagger from his robes, the edge

sharp enough to shave with. "At least take this. I know for a
fact you have no weapons to protect yourself with. That knife

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of yours would be ineffective. They taught you basic defense
at the Keep, did they not?"

"Yes, but—"
"Sleep with one eye open. I'll be by to collect you an hour

after Minah rises."

"Quill, you're scaring me!"
Quill's face softened, and he cupped Teeka's cheek. "That

is not my intention."

"I..." He trailed off.
The Hunter stepped back. "Just be safe."
And then he was gone.
Teeka stared at the door, and his hands started to sweat.

He tied the door to the tent and put out all the lamps. He sat
on the bed but couldn't relax. After a half hour, he rose and
walked across the necessary to Jebbynk's tent.

"Jebbynk?" he called.
"Teeka?" Jebbynk opened his tent, dressed in his soft

bedsilks.

"I can't sleep," Teeka fibbed. "I keep thinking about

Brant."

"Come in," Jebbynk invited, stepping back. "You can take

the pillows."

"Thank you." Teeka curled up on the pillows near the back

of the tent and Jebbynk doused the lamps.

In the darkness, Teeka could at last admit to himself the

real reason he wouldn't let Quill stay. It wasn't propriety that
made him refuse, but fear over what Teeka would let himself
do with Quill if they were alone together. It was also the

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reason why he couldn't seriously consider Contracting with
Ezek, despite their mutual attraction. He wanted Quill more.

Landing! What did that mean for the future? His mind

worried at the problem, making his stomach burn and his
heartbeat pound in his neck like a drum. Listening to
Jebbynk's regular breathing helped to calm Teeka, but it still
took a long time to drop off.

He woke soon after dawn and rose. Jebbynk gave him a

groggy wave as he washed up in the necessary. He went back
to Brant's tent just as Quill entered, face pale.

"You didn't answer!"
"I slept at Jebbynk's last night," he answered, setting his

bedsilks on the pillow. "I was spooked."

Quill's face softened. "I am sorry for that. We'll leave after

the memorial, and you'll be safe."

"I wish..." He sat down on the bed.
The Hunter hesitated and kneeled in front of Teeka. "Tell

me."

"I have been so excited to go out on a Hunt and now..."
Quill sighed. "I am sorry for that. But there is still plenty of

reason for excitement. The Great Valley is beautiful this time
of year." His eyes lit with a fire, and his face smoothed. He
looked into the distance. "The suns rise over the sands like
fire. And the sandstones glow at night. Their beauty is
unsurpassed."

Teeka inhaled, his imagination awakening.
Quill's gaze focused on him again. "But come, Keeper

Teeka. You have a memorial to attend."

He laughed. "Very well."

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"I brought you something."
"Oh?"
Quill held out his hand. "Here."
Teeka let the Hunter deposit a small sandcat carved from

goldstone into his hand. "Quill!"

"Wear it in good health."
"This is a princely gift."
Quill smirked. "I'm glad you like it."
Teeka placed its cord over his head and nestled it under

his silks. "I should get ready."

"I'll be back to collect you in an hour. I need to go to the

market."

"Very well."
After Quill left, Teeka pulled the pendant off and

scrutinized it. The carving was exquisite and must have taken
several hours to create. He set it on the bed and collected his
formal robes.

The water felt good when he bathed. He let it sluice over

his face and body and rested, letting the tension flow away
with the water.

He dried off and went back to his tent to dress. Since his

braid didn't need more oil, he brushed it out and re-plaited it,
using the traditional Emerald Keep patterning. He threaded
the beads into it with careful movements and wove a strand
of green silk through it. He put on his bodysilks, the dark
wine-red that went so well with his slate silver outer silks.
The sandcat pendant nestled against the silks, sparkling in
the lamplight.

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The fact he would look good against Quill's robes was just

an extra benefit.

Quill returned on schedule and clapped. Teeka opened the

tent flap, and the Hunter's eyes widened. He didn't move, just
stared at Teeka.

"Quill?"
He cleared his throat. "I have not seen those robes

before."

"They're festival robes of Emerald Keep." He stepped back

and spread his arms to allow Quill to see all the stitching. "Do
you like?" He spun in a circle.

Quill chuckled. "You certainly are a peacock."
Teeka glared at him. "Funny."
"But I like."
"Hmph."
"Have you had your tea?" Quill narrowed his eyes.
"No."
Quill smirked. "Come. There is tea where we're going."
Teeka gathered his spice pouch and followed. "Jebbynk will

join us there."

"Feyl claims to be ill again today," Quill told him.
Teeka's stomach tightened. "What do we do?"
"Nothing. Enjoy the memorial, as well as you can. Nothing

will hurt you there."

He followed the Hunter through the pathways to the

Hunters' Pavilion. They separated at the door, and Teeka
started to prepare the food. He hung his heavy festival robes
on a hook with other fancy clothing. Jebbynk stopped what he
was doing and introduced Teeka to the restaurant staff he'd

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brought with him to help them. Teeka fell into a routine as he
worked just like a festival at the Keep. Teeka hadn't enjoyed
himself so well in ages.

The Hunters, accompanied by a surprising number of

Keepers, began arriving and filling the tent. How many
Keepers lived at Kotek City? Why hadn't Brant told him? He
recognized several Stone Keeps, though he and Tybin alone
represented Gem Keeps. He paused. Could Tybin still be
considered a representative of Sapphire Keep now that he
held the title Elder Hunter? The border of Tybin's robes bore
the sigil of Sapphire, though done subtly enough as to not
attract the eye. Teeka smiled to himself.

It surprised him that more Gem Keeps were not

represented among the Hunters; they were prosperous
enough. So far, the few Gem Keepers he'd seen were
Contracted to wealthy merchants. It was lonely being the only
Emerald Keeper in Kotek City.

The Elder Hunter stood, interrupting Teeka's train of

thought. "It's time, everyone." His voice boomed throughout
the space, somber and elegant in equal portions.

Teeka stood and stretched. He donned his outer robes and

followed Jebbynk into the main Pavilion. Ezek, standing with
Ming by the door, turned and saw Teeka. His eyes widened
and his lips parted. Ming frowned, turned, and blinked.

"Good morn," Jebbynk greeted.
"Good morn," Ming said. "You've outdone yourselves,

gentlemen. It smells amazing."

"You look incredible," Ezek murmured to Teeka and

flushed.

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Teeka smoothed his braids. "Thank you."
Quill approached, a 'look' in his eyes. "Good morn."
"Quill," Ezek greeted, an edge to his voice.
"Where is Feyl?"
Ming sighed. "He's ill again," he murmured. "His stomach."
"I'm sorry to hear it." Quill squeezed his forearm. "Come.

Let's take our seats."

Quill sat next to Teeka. "It smells incredible. Who will

serve?"

"Jebbynk brought his boys from the hostelry to assist

Tybin's pages. They're excited to be treated as adults."

"Welcome, everyone." Elder Hunter stood. "Please rise."
They stood as one. The servers entered and each stood by

a table, passing out glasses of wine to be raised as a toast.

"We gather today to honor Senior Hunter Brant," Elder

Hunter said. "Raise a glass to his memory." He held up his
wine. "To the Successful Hunt!"

The Hunters assembled echoed him in unison. "To the

Successful Hunt!"

Teeka jumped, a tingle starting in his chest. He looked

down, the memory of Brant's piercing gaze and gentle hands
floating into his mind's eye. During lovemaking, Brant showed
him a softer side that Teeka valued the more for its rarity.
That he seemed to cherish Teeka only made it more precious
to him.

After several long moments of silence, Elder Hunter bid

them seat themselves and the young men served the food.
Teeka sat, lost in his memories, and tried to follow the

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conversation around him. The others, seeming to sense his
mood, let him be.

"You are quiet," Quill murmured after some time. He

sipped his tea. "Are you saddened?"

Teeka met his gaze, feeling tears in the back of his eyes.
Quill's hard gaze softened and he slid his hand onto

Teeka's thigh under the table. "I am sorry for your loss."

"Thank you." Teeka looked down. "And I, yours."
The meal tasted divine, the greens and the sauce a perfect

match for the meat. Several Hunters raved to Teeka, and he
managed to keep his smile in place. But by the end of it,
exhaustion pulled at him. Quill rose and spoke in a quiet voice
to Elder Hunter. Tybin nodded, his eyes kind, and he
squeezed Quill's shoulder.

Quill returned to Teeka. "Come with me."
Teeka rose. "What is it?"
"Hush now." Quill guided him to the tent flap.
He led the way through the Pavilion to the kitchen and out

into the quiet shadows of the pathways. Teeka recognized the
route to Quill's tent just as they arrived and Quill held the flap
for him. He lit two lamps and turned. The truffles chirped
from their pen before curling back up to sleep.

"Please. Sit," the Hunter coaxed.
Teeka sank against the cushions, feeling numb.
Quill knelt next to him and stroked his face with surprising

gentleness. "You have not truly let yourself grieve, have
you?"

Teeka met his gaze from inches away. "I do not wish to

impose on you."

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"You are not imposing, Teeka," Quill whispered. He kissed

Teeka's forehead. "Hardly that."

Teeka's eyes filled. "I miss him." The words came out of

him like blood from an old wound, clotted and painful.

"Aye, peacock," Quill breathed. He pulled Teeka against his

chest.

The tears came out of him despite his effort at control.

How he missed his sisters. With them, he could feel free to
express whatever emotion he wished with no thought of
censure. But in front of the Senior Hunter? He couldn't be
more embarrassed at losing his composure in front of him.

Quill stroked his hair and slid his hand around the back of

Teeka's head, under the braid.

"I never expected he would die. Not like that."
"No one did."
Teeka hid his face against Quill's throat. Quill swallowed,

his throat bouncing against Teeka's cheek. He cried, letting
the Hunter hold him as his body shuddered. Quill's warmth
soothed him. It took a while for his tears to run their course.
He cried for the man he'd known, but also for the dream that
died with him. As much as he wanted to go out on the Stake
with Quill, it would only be a fortnight, not for the rest of the
season, like the Contract with Brant. Without a formal offer
from Quill or Ezek, he'd have to go back to the Keep. The
other Contact offers could be reinstated, but he didn't want to
leave Kotek City early.

His tears slowed and trickled to a stop, and Quill released

him. He pulled a handkerchief out of his silks and handed it to
Teeka. He smoothed a hand across Teeka's cheek and

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caressed his hair, sliding warm fingers under the braid against
his scalp, sending tingles down Teeka's spine.

"I suppose I should go." What he wanted to do was stay

cuddled in the warm shelter of Quill's body.

"I'll walk you back."
"That is not necessary," Teeka protested.
Quill shrugged. "The truffles need to go out."
Teeka nodded. He did not want to wander alone through

the darkened tents. They entered the hush of the corridor,
Teeka carrying his sandals, and made their way to Brant's
tent. Quill stayed at the door when they arrived. "I'll come for
you just after Minah rises," the Hunter told him, cupping his
cheek in a calloused palm. "We leave with Sol."

Quill dropped his hand, and Teeka forced himself to step

back and speak, breaking the charged silence that fell like a
secret between them. "Sleep well."

"You as well," Quill murmured and disappeared. Teeka

heard no footsteps, though. The Hunter waited on the other
side of the tent flap.

He stepped closer. "Quill?"
The flap opened and Sniffer cheeped up at him, then

trundled past. Quill smiled at him and turned, robes flaring, to
disappear down the walk. Sniffer waddled over to the bed,
nosed at it with her snout, and labored her way up, grunting.
She curled around a pillow several times and settled with a
sigh, watching Teeka with drowsy eyes.

He put the lamp on low and laid down, watching the

patterns on the rugs until long into the dark. Sniffer's warm
weight comforted him, and her breathing eased his loneliness.

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[Back to Table of Contents]

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121

Chapter 10: The Stake

A clap woke him and he sat up, groggy. Quill entered and

grinned at him. "You are not a morning person."

Teeka resisted saying the first several things that came

into his mind.

"I've brought you tea," Quill told him and put the water on.
Teeka tried not to groan out loud; he really needed to

wake earlier so he could make the tea. He rolled out of the
silks and went out back to use the necessary. He sluiced
himself without wetting his hair and came in, drying his body
as Quill poured. Fragrant leaf tea, a powerful stimulant,
perfumed the air.

"Leaf tea?" Teeka shivered. "I've never used it."
"You'll need it," Quill warned. "We have heavy work

today."

"I'd better dress." Teeka dropped his nightsilks and

rummaged in his chest. It didn't escape his notice how Quill
admired his nude body when he did it, and he smirked to
himself.

"I will go get the packs." Quill fled.
Teeka sipped his tea and braided his hair for the desert,

pleased at getting back at the Hunter for making him rise at
such an unholy hour. At least the brew didn't taste like boiled
socks. It didn't taste good, but Teeka could at least get it
down.

A heavy clap caught his attention. "Come in."

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Ezek stepped in, dressed in his turban and desert gear.

"Good morn. You're up early."

"We're leaving for the Stake," Teeka told him. "You as

well?"

"Mmm." Ezek hesitated. "I've wanted to talk to you for a

while."

Teeka sat on the edge of the bed to lace his leggings. "Tell

me."

"You know Quill has had feelings for you since you arrived

here?"

Teeka chilled, but kept his eyes on his leggings. "Oh?"
Ezek sat down on the bed but didn't touch him. "He got

drunk one evening and talked to Ming and me about it. He
kept your audition but not the others. I think he would have
offered Contract for you if Brant had not."

"Why are you telling me this?" Teeka asked, looking up to

find Ezek's gaze hot on his own.

The Hunter gripped his wrist with a sweaty hand. Strange,

though; it felt cold and clammy, not hot with arousal, as
though his body disagreed with this mouth.

"He takes you out into the desert alone, Teeka. Do you not

see?"

Teeka's stomach tightened. Did Ezek try to come between

them for his own ends? "I have honor, Hunter Ezek."

Ezek nodded, a little too quickly. "I don't doubt that. Just

be on your guard, Teeka. You're young, you don't know how
canny Quill can be."

Teeka kept his reaction off his face from long practice at

Keep. His lessons in protocol and politics came back to him,

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the long hours drilling with Mistress Zoka. Most of the
Keepers hated the lessons, but they served Teeka well. He
could tell Ezek hid something. "Thank you, Ezek. I appreciate
your concern."

"I don't want you to eliminate your options," Ezek

placated.

"I remember your offer."
Ezek nodded. "Just be careful out there. You don't know

how remote a Stake can be."

Teeka heard the rustle of Quill returning and stood. "Quill

is back."

"Think about what I said, Teeka." Ezek stood.
Quill entered, his face blank. "Ezek."
"Quill."
"Good fortune to you."
"You as well," Ezek responded over his shoulder as he left.
Teeka shivered. "Quill?"
"What?" Quill asked, rummaging in his pack for something.

He glanced over, saw Teeka's expression, and turned to face
him. "What's wrong?" He kneeled in front of Teeka. "Did he
upset you?"

"I don't....He told me you..." He took a deep breath. "He

said you kept my audition but not the others. You would have
offered Contract for me if Brant had not."

"You already knew that. It didn't seem to upset you when

you discovered it earlier." He kept his eyes on Teeka's with no
flinching, though a slight flush colored his throat and cheeks.

"I'm not, not about that. You already told me, essentially."
Quill's gaze sharpened. "Well, what is it?"

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Teeka pulled at a loose thread on his robes. "I think he

competes with you."

Quill's eyes widened and he broke into a full-throated

laugh. "That is not news!"

Teeka flushed. "I just mean, he's competitive. More than

with just Hunting. I think he's a lot more sly than he shows."
Teeka sighed, frustrated at not finding the right words. "He's
dishonest, I think."

Quill cocked his head. "You're serious, aren't you?"
Teeka turned away, and Quill caught his wrist in a gentle

grip. "I'm sorry. Come. Tell me why you're upset."

"I'm not upset, exactly." Teeka let his hand fall into his lap

and slumped his shoulders. "Ezek made a play for me, right
after Brant died. He kissed me and told me he was serious in
his offer, but that he underestimated my feelings for Brant. I
thought it was genuine, that he wanted me, do you see? But
now I think I was wrong."

"Now you think it's to compete with me."
Teeka nodded, feeling silly. "I'm sorry, it sounds childish. I

don't mean to be petty."

"Perhaps. But I'd be a fool to dismiss your instincts."
Teeka sighed, frustrated.
"But come," Quill coaxed. "Let's get ready. I'm itching to

leave."

Indeed, Quill seemed different, more excited somehow. His

face flushed with more color and he looked animated.

Teeka grinned at him. "Very well."
Teeka finished dressing and wound his tan turban around

his head. Despite its taste, the leaf tea left him alert and

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excited, more awake than he'd felt in days. He knew those at
the Keeps who used it as an aphrodisiac, but did Quill know of
that usage? Teeka's body buzzed, and he could see how it
would be useful in that context. It was sweet of the Hunter to
make it for him. He'd have to check back at the Keep and find
other recipes; at a guess, it could be made to taste good
instead of just this side of potable.

Quill led him to his sand sled, waiting by the Hunters' gate.

Sniffer and Snuffles saw him and started cheeping, Snuffles
jumping in his harness and leash. Quill laughed and settled
the truffle with several caresses. "We'll be off soon enough."

Teeka suppressed a spurt of jealousy. But that Quill

exhibited such a gentleness intrigued him.

Quill straightened and glanced over one shoulder. "Come,

let's move."

Teeka followed Quill through the desert gates of Kotek

City. The Great Valley spread out before them, golden and
sparkling in the morning light. Minah's blue tint tinged the
sands with her glow, and Teeka gazed out at it, enthralled.

They angled left, toward the mountains, and Teeka tried to

pay attention to their trail this time. Try as he might, though,
he could not figure out how Quill stayed oriented. The sands
shifted daily in the Winds and left no recognizable shapes
behind. Other than the mountains, he could see nothing that
looked familiar.

Quill's gaze flashed at him and the Hunter dropped back to

walk beside him. "You seem curious."

"How are you navigating?"
"Experience."

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Teeka glared at him.
Quill chuckled. "Look there, do you see that rock

formation?"

Teeka squinted, searching for it, and nodded. "Yes."
"It's called the Twins. It marks the entrance to the

mountains. There are two trail-heads that spur off from it;
we'll take the right."

"Oh, I'd wondered why we didn't head directly out into the

Great Valley."

Quill chuckled. "We'll turn east soon enough."
Teeka kept watch for other signs and began to notice other

rock formations and shapes in the mountain that wouldn't be
obliterated in the Winds. It became fun, almost a game.

They reached camp two hours later. Teeka eyed the area,

wary of sandboar and sandcats.

"They're not out this early," Quill said, startling him.
"What?"
"Sandcats," Quill clarified. "They're not out this early."
"I'd wondered."
"I could tell." Quill grinned at him.
Teeka kicked the sand. "What about sandboar?"
Quill sobered. "They prefer to stay in the hollows to graze.

They won't be up here in the open sand. Come, help me set
up the tent."

Though Teeka had set up a tent in training many times,

he'd never done it over sand. He found the experience
fascinating and much less easy than in training, and sweat
drenched him by the time they finished.

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"The sun shade will heat water for the sluice," Quill told

him.

Teeka perked up. "We'll have enough for the sluice?"
Quill chuckled. "We're close enough to Kotek City to share

the same water table. Plus, once I hook up the waterstone,
our reservoir will fill. It's not like living there, but it's enough
to do the job."

Teeka watched as Quill set up the lines for the solar panels

and helped with the ones on the opposite side.

"You learn fast," Quill noted.
Teeka preened. "Now what?"
"We settle in. We'll scout the Stake after the afternoon

heat has passed and start work in the morning."

"Not today?" Disappointment welled up.
Quill laughed. "You don't plan to feed us?"
Teeka blinked. "I guess I am hungry, at that."
Quill laughed, his teeth very white. "You do that; I'll finish

setting up outside."

Their cooking supplies got set up in a corner of the tent

and Teeka set water on to boil. He'd make grains with
vegetables, something easy to get down that wouldn't heat
them as they ate it. He wrestled the rolled carpets into place
on the floor and hung the walls for insulation. The bed came
next and he inflated it with a small motor, grateful he didn't
have to use the old-fashioned arm crank for it.

He noticed Quill had only packed one bed. He considered

making a small pallet for himself, but Quill's tent was smaller
than Brant's. His aching body protested the idea of setting up

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another sleeping spot, and he shrugged. They were both
adults, after all.

The suns began to beat on the tent walls, making them

glow, and he was glad to be in the sheltering shade. He
dressed the bed as Quill came in, and the Hunter paused in
the doorway, an expression of shock on his face. "Landing,
you work fast." He removed his outer robes in a shower of
dust and shook them off in the antechamber of the tent,
sneezing.

"The sooner it's done, the sooner I can rest," Teeka

murmured.

Quill nodded. "Have you water for the truffles?"
He'd forgotten them. He shot to his feet and prepared their

bowls and the wide pen Quill brought. They slurped at it,
finishing it in under a minute, and curled up on each other for
a nap.

"A nap's not a bad idea." Quill stretched, joints popping.

"We'll go out again after Sol sets, to let the heat dissipate."

Teeka wanted to protest, but the minute he sat down,

exhaustion roared over his body as though it had been
waiting to ambush him. "Oh."

Quill chuckled. "You've not used leaf tea before, you said?"
Teeka shook his head.
"Lie down. You'll feel better after a nap."
Teeka sank to the pillows and didn't protest when Quill

unlaced his leggings for him and removed his boots, treating
him like a large doll. The Hunter flung a light cooling sheet
over him, and Teeka floated away like water down a drain.

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When he woke, Sol's light had faded. Quill lay on the other

side of the bed, sound asleep, with his arms flung wide,
fingers toward Teeka. His skin glowed in the shadowed tent,
smooth and very silky. Teeka ached to touch him, to run his
hands along the muscles of his arm to his chest, but dared
not.

He rolled off the bed, taking care not to jostle Quill, and

kneeled in front of the provisions locker. He pulled a sandcat
steak out of the cold storage and set some grains on to soak.
A light casserole for dinner would be suitable, and something
he could reheat for a quick breakfast in the morning. As he
diced fruit for dessert, Quill stirred.

"You slept long." The Hunter yawned, his jaw popping. He

rubbed a chin that needed a depilatory soon.

"No longer than you." Teeka glared at him.
"Ah. But I did not lie down as soon." He smirked. "Answer

that."

"Don't irritate your cook, or you may get gruel for dinner."
Quill chuckled. "Fair enough." He stepped out to use the

necessary and called to Teeka.

Teeka dried his hands on a towel and came outside. "What

is it?"

"Look." Quill pointed. "Sol sets."
The huge star was nearly gone from sight already, only its

rings visible.

"Put your sun shades on," Quill advised.
Teeka obeyed, enthralled. The rings backlit Minah, and the

smaller star erupted in blue flame as she passed in front of

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her bigger sibling. Together, they watched the starshow until
the last of Sol's rings slid from view.

"Breathtaking, isn't it?" Quill murmured.
"The grains!" Teeka cried. He ran inside and snatched the

pot off the flame. They had only burned on the bottom, a
gelatinous mess that protected the rest of their meal from
scorching. "It'll take forever to scrub."

"Let it soak," Quill advised in a calm tone. "It's a little

thing."

Teeka flushed. He had wanted his first Keeping in the

Great Valley to be perfect, not marred by burnt grains his first
night out. He set the edible grains aside and scraped at the
burned mess until Quill's hand on his shoulder stopped him.
He didn't look up.

Quill's warm palm cupped his jaw and turned his face up to

the Hunter. "Teeka. It's okay. I promise. I'd rather you get
distracted in favor of seeing the grandeur of this place. It's
why I brought you with me, to show it to you. It's worth a
little burned food."

Teeka blinked. "But I wanted it to be perfect."
Quill shook him. "And it is. Dekka left the entire grain

ration out his first time, and the truffles ate it."

Teeka stared at him in shock and burst out laughing. "All

of it?"

"Every last crumb. And he was hardly a novice."
Teeka frowned. "What do you mean?"
"He had almost paid off his Keep Pledge when he accepted

my Contract." Quill looked away. "We would have bonded,
had he lived."

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"He was older than you? By how much?" He tried to

picture taking a Contract younger than himself, but failed.

"Three years."
"But..." Teeka trailed off. He was seven years Quill's

junior.

"What is it?"
"Nothing. I need to finish dinner," Teeka lied, pulling away.
"You worry about his age?" Quill asked, a smile in his

voice.

"You're seven years older than me!" he flared.
"So?"
"You... Dekka..."
"I knew your age when I saw your audition, Teeka," Quill

told him in a soft voice. "Yet you were my choice, out of all
the candidates."

"Why didn't you make an offer?"
"Brant did before I could. The old man talked for months of

getting a Keeper. How was I to know he'd actually do it? We
all thought it was idle talk."

"You would have made an offer for me?"
"Ezek didn't lie about that," Quill told him. "Your audition

impressed me."

"But —"
"But," Quill interrupted, "Brant was my elder, and my

teacher. If he had finally selected someone, who was I to
argue? At least I knew he'd selected the best."

Little effervescent bubbles filled Teeka like wine.
Quill chuckled. "Come. Finish your preparations. I'll scout

in the morning. Do you wish to eat here? Or outside?"

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"Outside? What about sandcats?"
Quill shrugged. "The tent has a field that will keep them

away. Come. Stardawn is worth seeing away from the lights
of a city."

Stardawn. Teeka had only read of it, of the rise of Great

Hunter, the Blue Sandcat, the Sandboar, and of Minos and
Mathos. "Yes, please!"

He helped collect a rolled carpet for seating and several

pillows, and carried them outside. Sniffer, burrowed into a
nest in the sand, watched him with sleepy eyes. Her side
moved oddly and Snuffles sneezed, his snout bouncing, and
Teeka realized her brother lay half under her, curled around
her back.

"Cute, aren't they?" Quill asked from right behind him.
He jumped. "Yes, actually."
"They've been like that since they weaned. It's why I

picked Snuffles."

"How did you name him?"
"I didn't," Quill stressed. "Mizi is their mother. Feyl named

them. He can have a wicked sense of humor, or at least I
remember him to."

Teeka did not want the other Hunter to intrude on their

evening, even by mention. Instead, he laughed, forcing his
mind to focus on the antics of the truffles. "I had wondered."

"I would have named him Fang."
"Oh really?" He grinned. "Something fearsome?"
Quill waved a hand at the truffle. "Look at him. All that soft

fur and gentle spirit. Fang suits him. Or maybe Killer."

"Oh certainly. Assassin, for sure."

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"Ninja!"
Teeka clapped and sat down, spooning the grain mixture

to serve Quill.

"Landing!" It came out garbled since the Hunter stuffed

such a huge bite in his mouth.

"What's wrong?"
Quill chewed a few moments and swallowed, beaming the

entire time. "Nothing's wrong. This is fantastic."

Teeka laughed, touched. "Thank you."
"No, truly, this is good, Teeka. You've outdone yourself."
Teeka preened. "They stressed cooking in my program,

once I decided I wanted to Contract with a Hunter. They said
a large part of my duties would be cooking and cleaning,
since the Hunter has to spend his effort on Stake."

Quill cocked his head. "Truly?"
Teeka nodded. "Of course." A thought occurred to him.

"Don't you know how the training works?"

"Dekka never really talked about it. Training was a decade

ago for him."

"He came from Jade Keep, you said?"
Quill nodded. "He taught me the gitar. He was teaching me

flute before he died." An expression of pain crossed his face,
and the Hunter looked away.

"I'm sorry."
"No matter. But come. Tell me of your training."
"There's not much to tell," Teeka said. "It's not unusual."
"It is if you're raised in Kotek City."
He blinked. "Were you?"
Quill nodded. "Here and elsewhere. Tybinia is my Uncle."

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"Tybinia? Your father was his Contract?" Teeka grinned.

"So that's why you keep forgetting to drop his suffix."

Quill blushed and nodded. "They taught me from the time I

could walk. The Hunger came on me early, they say."

"The Hunger?"
"For the Hunt."
"I don't understand."
"I don't know if I can explain it. A Hunter needs three

things: the sight, the touch, and the Hunger. This is a difficult
life. Not all who come to it stay."

Teeka frowned. "How do you know if you have the

Hunger?"

Quill shrugged. "You'll know. You'll know if you don't, as

well. But come, you've told me nothing of life at the Keep."

Teeka gathered his thoughts. "I was born in Reghdad. My

family has several Keepers, but none in my generation. We
thought it passed us by, but my nona taught me to knit when
I was five. I wouldn't put the needles down. I made socks by
the time I was seven and applied to Emerald Keep a year
early. They didn't take me, because I was too young, but
Mistress Kahna gave me lessons anyway. I learned the
textiles and loved it."

"Did you live at the Keep?"
"Not when I trained with her, but once I was accepted,

yes. My family fostered anyway, and going into the Keep
wasn't unusual because I expected to go away to school
somewhere."

"Fostered? Your family must have some wealth."

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"Some," Teeka hedged. In truth, his father could have

retired before Teeka was born, but he didn't think it politic to
say. "I entered the Keep on my tenth yearday."

"What do you do at that age?"
"Learn reading, mathematics, dance, how to cook, and eat

at table. Many of us serve as pages in the Great Hall."

Quill's eyes widened. "Landing."
"I met the Minister of Commerce when I was twelve,"

Teeka admitted. "He liked me. He bought my first tapestry
weave."

"When you were twelve?" Quill gasped.
Teeka nodded. "I have a gift for it. But if I had stayed, I

would have worked with the women and teachers. I grew up
in the Keep. I didn't want to spend my entire life there, to be
honest."

"But you would have been pampered there."
"Yes. But I wanted to travel."
"And be a Hunter?"
Teeka nodded. "I stayed and finished my training to enter

Contract. I graduated top of my year. The Contracts were
generous and unusual for a first-year."

"Do Keepers not finish training?" Quill's brows drew down.

"Don't they have to pay back their Keep Pledge?"

"Yes. But not everyone who enters the Keeps becomes a

Keeper. Some graduate at eighteen and apprentice, paying
their Pledge as they earn. The Guilds fight over us, or so I've
heard. Once we reach majority, we're given the option to
become Keepers or not. It's a lot of extra training, another

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two years of intense courses, and not everyone wants to go
through it."

Quill looked up and pointed. "See?"
Teeka followed his gaze and stared, lips parted. More stars

than he'd seen anywhere, save in bookvids, blanketed the
darkening sky. He couldn't see individual constellations yet,
not with the starglow from Minah, but it wouldn't be long. He
found the Sandboar's Tail and tried to follow it to the body
but couldn't find the shoulder.

Sudden warmth on his hand startled him and he looked

down to find Quill's fingers, holding him from spilling his plate
all over the rugs.

He flushed. "I'm sorry."
Quill pulled the plate out of his hands. "Lie back."
Teeka nestled his head against a pillow and stared up at

the sky. Quill moved around, tidying, and Teeka knew he
should help but couldn't tear his attention away. The Hunter
stilled after several more minutes of straightening up and
stretched out next to him, shoulders touching.

"There's the Sandboar's Tail, but I can't find his shoulder,"

Teeka said, pointing.

Quill's long finger directed his eyes to the left. "There. So,

so, and so."

"And the Maiden?"
"There. And beyond it, do you see the Sandcat?"
"What about Great Hunter?"
"He isn't risen yet."

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Teeka smirked at the double entendre, and Quill flashed

him a quizzical look. They both burst out laughing as color
flamed into Quill's cheeks.

They stayed there for the better part of an hour, pointing

out the constellations as they grew in luminance. Once, a star
shot across the sky, traveling fast. Teeka waited for more but
no others appeared.

"I have dessert," he roused himself to say. "I hardly want

to leave."

Quill rolled up on his elbow to look down at him. "Come.

We have a fortnight to watch the starshow."

Teeka gazed up at him, Minah's setting glow silvering his

cheek and making his gray eyes seem luminous. He reached
up with a trembling hand and brushed the scars on Quill's
face. Quill gasped and caught his hand, and kissed his
fingers. "Behave, young Keeper. You'd seduce an old man
before his dessert?"

Teeka flushed and pulled his hand away. "You're only

seven and twenty!" He sat up.

Quill caught his face with a gentle hand and shook him.

"Teeka."

"What?"
"It is not only my own pleasure I think of, but your honor.

You think I don't want you because of your age?"

Teeka couldn't say it, not with Quill inches away with such

a heat in his eyes.

Quill leaned over and kissed his forehead. "Come. Let's

have dessert. I don't want to fight."

Teeka sighed. "I just..."

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"I know, Teeka. Be patient. When the Stake is done, then

we can talk of Contracts."

Teeka got to his feet, annoyed. "How do you have such

patience?"

Quill shrugged. "I'm a Hunter."
Teeka glared at him but couldn't hold it. They both ended

up laughing. Quill followed him back inside, carrying their
dirty dishes.

Teeka served the dessert, and made tea, and carried it out

to the quiet Hunter where he sat on the rugs watching the
stars. He wished he could paint the scene, the way the light
silvered Quill's hair and set off his profile. The Hunter turned
at that moment and met his gaze, and a blush burned into
Teeka's cheeks and throat.

It promised to be a long two weeks.

[Back to Table of Contents]

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Chapter 11: Lessons in Sand

Teeka dressed in his bedsilks, wishing he dared wear the

ones meant to be seen by a partner and not the more modest
ones he selected. It didn't help matters that Quill favored a
heady perfume, like pastry spice.

Quill's bedsilks, though, needed repair.
"What have you done to your bedsilks?" he asked as the

Hunter came in from the necessary.

Quill laughed. "Snuffles is still teething."
"You let him in the bed with you?"
"Well," the Hunter seemed confused, "yes."
"Not tonight," Teeka muttered.
"But -"
Teeka pointed at the two truffles curled together in the

pen. "They look comfortable by themselves, don't they?"

Quill frowned. "What am I supposed to cuddle with?"
Teeka grinned at him and a rosy blush on the Hunter's

cheeks rewarded him. Teeka laughed and lay down again,
curling up under the blanket.

"Now who's a tease?" Quill got in on the other side and

settled himself.

Teeka woke from a light doze and lay blinking into the

dark. The evening Winds beat against the tent walls. Though
less than the morning Winds, they still caused the canvas to
hum. He pulled the covers up around him.

The bedsilks rustled next to him. "Everything is fine."

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Teeka felt compelled to whisper. "They are so much louder

out here than in the city."

Quill chuckled. "Of course; we are in the Great Valley, their

home. Go back to sleep."

Teeka did not know how he could follow that directive, but

he eventually found the rhythm of the Winds and let them lull
him back into slumber.

Teeka stirred and frowned. What had awakened him this

time? The Winds were gone and even the truffles were quiet.
The he heard it. Soft music, singing accompanied by gitar,
floated to him on the dark's still air. He sat up and strained to
listen.

Quill sang in a tenor, smooth and liquid like any of the

finest of Sapphire Keep. He sang a ballad to the stars that
Teeka recalled from some concert or other. Tears tracked his
cheeks by the end of it. He crept closer, enthralled.

Quill sang three more ballads, his voice rich like wine.

Teeka sank to the sands, his silks tucked under his knees
against the chill desert night.

Some breath he made, or maybe a rustle of fabric, alerted

the Hunter to his presence. Quill broke off mid-song. He
turned and their eyes met, Teeka's still wet with tears.

Quill studied him, his expression open and vulnerable, and

looked down to tune the gitar. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"You amaze me," Teeka managed to get out around a

lump the size of a rock in his throat.

"I'm honored," Quill responded. "I've little formal training."
"You underestimate your talent." Teeka cleared his throat

and wiped his face. "What is that last one?"

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"Dekka wrote it for me." Quill paused. "A love song for the

desert."

"I..." Teeka cleared his throat and tried again. "You would

honor Sapphire Keep, or Jade, if you applied to them."

Quill chuckled. "They'd tire of my ways soon enough. I'm

no city dweller."

"But you have such a voice."
"You flatter me."
"Do you know 'The Brothers of Aidyn'?" he asked, shyness

making him hesitate.

Quill raised his eyebrows and struck the opening cords.

Teeka took the descant and Quill the main, and they meshed
their voices together. They got it on the third verse, and
Teeka's chest swelled with emotion he couldn't name. He
didn't want it to end. Even Quill seemed reluctant to sound
the ending chords.

"I've not sung like that since..." Quill trailed off.
"I've not done so since I was at Keep." Teeka said. "My

yearmate, Cheula, went to Sapphire Keep three— no, five
years ago, and I lost my singing partner."

Quill strummed the opening notes for a bawdy song, one

of a barmaid on a galactic way station, and Teeka laughed
and sang the opening lines. Quill took the echo and they
enjoyed bouncing it back and forth. Quill even surprised him
with a verse Teeka hadn't heard before, and he clapped when
they finished.

Quill set the gitar aside. "We should try to sleep, it will be

an early morning."

"Couldn't you sleep?"

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"I have trouble settling down the first few days on a

Stake," Quill glanced over in the midst of casing the gitar. He
saw Teeka's face and grinned, eyes quizzical. "What is it?"

"I could massage your back." Teeka tipped his head.

"Strictly honorable. But it might help you sleep."

Quill's face closed. "I'll be all right."
Teeka didn't press him. Maybe the man was body shy, like

Brant. Perhaps it ran in Hunter society.

Teeka's mind flashed on Ezek, rather inappropriately. The

younger Hunter seemed quite comfortable in his own skin.

Feeling disloyal, Teeka rose and walked back into Quill's

tent and lay down on Quill's bed. Dreaming of another man,
no matter how smooth his skin, while in the bed of your
Contract seemed—

Well. He didn't have a Contract, yet. And Ezek seemed

more than willing.

Teeka's body chose that moment to awaken and he turned

on his side, desperately telling his swollen member to behave
itself and not embarrass him his first night on Stake.

It ignored him, however, pointing toward Quill like a

homing beacon. Quill laid down on the bed, the mattress
bouncing. "Tell me where you learned to sing."

"I must use the necessary!" Teeka blurted.
He all but ran outside, hoping his robes concealed his

disgrace. Release felt both guilty and pleasurable, and he
wished he could shout out loud. He prayed his quickened
breathing didn't sound inside the tent as he used a towel to
clean himself off. He washed his hands and the towel and

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then returned, his pulse pounding in his neck like it wanted to
thump its way across the tent to Quill.

"Well?"
"Well what?" Teeka squeaked, flushing.
Quill laughed. "No memory when you're tired. The music?"
"Oh, yes." Teeka breathed out the breath he'd been

holding. "That."

Quill gazed at him, his lip in his teeth, half smiling. "Are

you all right?

"I'm fine. Um." He swallowed, trying to calm himself. "I

learned from my yearmates at the Keep. Basic musical skills
are taught at all the Keeps, and we're expected to be able to
entertain our Contract. It's only at Jade you specialize with
multiple instruments and learn craft and musicology." He
shrugged. "Or you can go to Sapphire to train the voice to
master the operas."

"Do you prefer dancing or singing?"
Teeka shrugged. "Both, to be honest. I'm a better dancer

than singer."

"Modesty isn't one of your strengths, I take it?"
"Hiding my skills won't make them disappear," Teeka said,

quoting his teachers.

Quill laughed. "True enough."
Teeka let his eyes closed and centered his breathing.

Quill's light snore let him know the Hunter beat him to
slumber, which surprised him a little. He'd seemed very
awake when they sang together.

He floated for a while, listening to the light breathing of

the Hunter and the cheeps of the truffles until sleep came.

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The morning dawned with an argent flame that stabbed

into Teeka's eyes. He cracked his eyes open and found Quill
already up, setting the water on for tea. Teeka groaned and
hid under the pillow.

"Up, sleepyhead. It's morning."
"What is that great burning light?"
"Sol, telling you it's your first day on a dig!"
Teeka never knew Quill could chirp like that. Of course, the

Hunter made a point. He groaned and sat up, yawning. "Does
it have to rise so early?"

"Here," Quill said instead, thrusting fresh tea at him.

"Drink. It'll put your spine back in."

Teeka rolled his eyes and hauled himself to his feet. He

went out to use the necessary rather than say something
snappy to the cheerful Hunter. Teeka splashed cold water into
his face and shivered, waking up. He downed the tea in one
gulp, not caring how it tasted, and came back in search of
more.

Quill stirred some grains for their meal. "We need to get

breakfast done and out of the way. I'll take the truffles with
me and tether them at the Stake."

"Won't there be sandcats around?" Teeka's stomach

tightened in alarm.

"We use a force screen once we set the Stake."
Teeka leaned over the Hunter and snagged the corner of

the bag of baku berries. He tipped a handful into the grains
and added some spice while Quill watched with interest.

"What do we do now?" Teeka asked, stepping back out of

Quill's way.

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Quill patted a canvas bag near the provisions locker. "I'll

start sifting. You should get lunch and dinner ready early,
because we'll be too tired later. Dekka only did laundry twice
a week out on Stake. I think we're fine for now."

"We were taught to do it thrice a sevenday, unless our

Contract needed it less," Teeka told him. "I can make a
judgment based on how much we use."

"That's a good plan. We'll have to work quickly. Once I

uncover the Stake, the stones will go bad within a week. I'll
work in sections, treating them as we go along. If it's a big
Stake, we might have to bring in help."

"Won't you have to split the Stake?"
"Yes. But if it's too big to process alone, I might have to. I

can't afford to let the stones go brittle. A spur is different. But
a Stake of this magnitude is too valuable to let go. Elder
Hunter trusts me, and Ezek, and didn't counter our Claims,
but if we were novices, he would have sent a Senior Hunter
with us. He'll send someone after a sevenday to evaluate our
progress."

Teeka's eyes widened. "You might have to share anyway?"
Quill nodded. "It's part of the learning process."
The Hunter stepped outside to wash, and Teeka got

breakfast together. Following Quill's advice, he pulled out
some supplies for lunch and dinner.

Quill returned, dressed in his full desert robes with his

eyeguards down. "I'll be back before morning Winds."

Teeka nodded, excited. He left the tent with Quill and

watched as the Hunter made his way, the two truffles
cavorting alongside him on their leashes. Though only a five

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minutes' walk from their camp, the Stake lay over a short rise
and Teeka couldn't see it from where he stood. Hunters
believed pitching camp right next to the lode brought bad
luck.

Bloody inconvenient, that little superstition.
Teeka straightened the tent and unpacked everything they

would need. Once the meat thawed enough to work with, he
set about slicing it into thin strips for wraps. He made flat
cakes of grain and used them to roll the wraps with greens
and a spicy sauce of baku seeds and oil. He set them in the
cold storage to chill and started on dinner. Teeka made a
large salad with nuts and fruits and made a light dressing to
toss it with before it went in the cooler.

He set out his daysilks, arranging everything he'd need.

After that he washed and dressed.

Then he ran out of things to do. It took another fifteen

minutes before he became heartily bored.

He could go to the Stake to see if Quill needed help, but

concern for sandboar and sandcats kept him inside the force
screen. He pulled out his needle case and some camu fiber
and played with designs to make with it. The threadbare state
of Quill's bedsilks floated to mind. He rooted in the Hunter's
clothing locker and sure enough, all his socks had suffered
the same fate, or worse.

He designed a pattern using the best sock in Quill's locker.

Using the heathered gray, he sketched out the design and
started knitting. He finished one sock cuff to the ankle before
Quill returned.

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The Hunter's appearance stunned Teeka. His step sounded

heavy and his silks exuded sand and dust from every fold. He
seemed pleased enough, though, and grinned when he saw
Teeka waiting. "I brought you something."

Teeka brightened, distracted by Quill's thoughtfulness.

"Oh?"

The Hunter deposited a five pound bag of sand in front of

Teeka.

Teeka blinked. "Sand?"
"That's lodesand, young Keeper. It started several feet

under the dirt, just like you predicted." Quill shook the sand
out of his outer robes all over the rugs.

Teeka winced, eying the fallen dirt and sand in his neat

tent, but remained silent. This time.

Quill, oblivious, stepped over to the corner of the bed and

sat down. "Come. I'll teach you to sift."

"I'm surprised you left the Stake."
Quill patted the bed next to him. "I haven't dug deep

enough for it to shelter me during the morning Winds."

Thus began Teeka's education in Hunting. Quill kept the

energystones at the site, purifying. But the smaller
sandstones, those he taught Teeka to find. Painstaking,
detailed work, it required spreading handfuls of the sand on a
mesh and moving through it by hand, collecting the
sandstones one by one.

Teeka loved every minute of it. He found so many on his

first try that Quill sat back, astonished. "You'll pay for your
Contract in no time, if you keep this up." He transferred his

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gaze from the stones to Teeka, pleased. "That's a month's
wages right there."

Teeka blinked. "It is? I had no idea."
"It will need to be prepared," Quill told him. "But those are

goldstones, like the ones you wear."

Teeka looked down at his braid with its five precious

sandstone beads. "Really?"

"Really." Quill grinned at him.
Teeka scrutinized the next batch for the telltale flicker and

found three more.

The Winds started, and gratitude filled Teeka for the strong

walls of the tent. They howled around the canvas, sounding
much louder than any day he'd experienced in Kotek City.
Then, as suddenly as they began, all fell quiet.

Quill returned to the lode a short time later. Teeka offered

to accompany him but Quill declined. "It's heavy work, Teeka.
You wouldn't enjoy it." He accepted the packet of wraps for
lunch and left.

While Quill was gone, Teeka munched on cold grains and

leftover greens. He sorted the rest of the lodesand and set it
aside, keeping the precious sandstones in a dish to show the
Hunter when he returned. He swept up the mess Quill had
made and worked some more on the socks, finishing one of
them and starting the second before Quill's steps approached.

Sniffer came through the tent flaps and trundled over to

Teeka, cheeping and radiating happiness. She nudged him
with her snout, and he laughed, catching her harness. "You
need a bath."

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"We all do," Quill said by way of greeting. Even without his

outer robes, sand seemed lined into his clothing and skin.

"You look terrible." Teeka stood, still holding Sniffer's lead

so she didn't get dust everywhere. "Come. Do you wish a
bath?"

"No, I'll just sluice off. I'm fine. I'll sluice the truffles at the

same time."

"Don't let them back in here wet," Teeka warned with

mock ferocity.

Quill waved over his shoulder and disappeared to the

necessary. Teeka heard the happy cheeps of the truffles as
they bathed, and Quill's cheerful commands. Teeka pulled
their dinner out of the cooler and set it up on the plates while
the Hunter finished washing.

Quill ate little, only one serving, and laid down after that.

Teeka turned to ask him a question and blinked.

The Hunter's light snore came from under the pillows.
"That was fast." Teeka watched him a moment.
He tidied the tent and went out to take care of the truffles.

Their fur had dried, for the most part, so he let them back
into the tent. After eating, they curled up in their pen with
happy cheeps and grunts and fell asleep right away. Teeka
set some grains on to soak for breakfast and got in bed,
feeling accomplished.

[Back to Table of Contents]

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150

Chapter 12: Market Day

Teeka woke alone, finding a note from Quill saying he'd

return for a late breakfast. Damn it. He slept in when he
should be Keeping for a Hunter out on harvest. He washed
using only cold water and shivered, though it woke him up all
the way. Just as he finished, Quill returned.

Teeka hurried to make tea while Quill undid his boots. As

Teeka prepared their meal, his mood improved as well, and
they sat down to eat together. The Winds started up, howling
around them as though they wanted to get in. Quill seemed
content to eat in silence and, truth to tell, Teeka didn't feel
awake enough to carry on a conversation, so they sat in
companionable quiet. Quill pulled over some gear to repair
after he ate and sat against the pillows, the truffles wedged
against his leg.

A heavy crash outside made Teeka jump and Quill swore.

He caught Teeka's arm before he could open the tent flap.
"The Winds!"

"But —"
"We must wait, Teeka. They'll flay the skin from your

body!"

"What fell?"
"I don't know," Quill admitted in a grim tone.
They waited, tense and idle, for the Winds to lessen. After

several more minutes, Sniffer hopped to her feet and cheeped
at Quill, her little face earnest. Snuffles, too, rose and rooted
at the door.

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Quill cocked his head, listening. He stepped to the tent flap

and laid a hand on it, probably to test if the Winds vibrated it.
After a moment, he peeked out. "It's safe now."

Teeka followed him outside. The food storage locker lay on

its side, provisions spilled across the sands. Some things
could be salvaged, but sand and grit mixed in much of the
food. Fruit lay bruised and scattered, and a few containers
yawned open, their contents vanished.

"Landing!"
Quill sighed. "We'll have to go to Market."
Teeka turned. "If you give me the money, I can go. You

don't have to leave the Stake."

"What about sandcats?"
"You said it yourself, they're not out this early. Brant said

they never venture out right after the Winds."

"I don't know."
"You could call Ming and have him meet me."
Quill studied the mess scattered across the sands as

though someone looked through it. "I suppose the idea has
some merit. I can call him and walk you out to meet him."

Teeka went inside to dress in his desert gear. He wound

his braid up and fitted the turban over it. He left his
sunshields down for the moment and collected his market
bags to put on the sandsled.

"Here is the money," Quill said when he came out. "You

ready?"

"What did Ming say?"
"He's on his way now."

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The walk over the sands fascinated Teeka. The dunes had

reformed in the days they'd been out, refashioned by the
Winds into new shapes. The rock formations stood out like
sentinels. The Twins appeared, signaling that they grew close
to Kotek City.

Ming came toward them on the path, dressed in tan silks

that all but disappeared into the sands behind him. He
seemed like a wraith. He waved, and Quill responded.

"I'll see you when you return," Quill murmured, passing

him the handle of the sled. "Be safe."

"Good Hunting."
Quill's grin flashed at him, and he turned to disappear over

the ridge. Ming waited while Teeka came up to him.

"Thank you for doing this," Teeka called.
"Good morn," Ming said at the same time.
They both laughed, and Teeka fell in step beside the

Hunter.

"Quill said the Winds took your food?" Ming asked.
"The food box fell over."
"Some say the Winds have a mind of their own. They Hunt

just as we do and are looking for those who can communicate
with them."

Teeka felt a chill and gazed around. "Really?"
"I don't know about the daily Winds, but I've seen things

in the sandstorms." Ming grinned at him. "It's something to
occupy the mind on Stake."

"I could see that." He gazed over Kotek City as they

approached. "How are things here?"

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"Good. Jebbynk is experimenting with a new recipe, and he

let me try some. It's a type of casserole with moss bulbs and
nightbloom seeds."

"That sounds interesting."
They talked of food for the rest of the walk, and Ming left

him at the Marketplace, promising to return in a quarter hour
after retrieving something from his tent. Teeka walked in and
headed for Papa Rabin's stall.

He happened to glance to the left and the fiber merchant

saw him, and glared. He turned away, pulling the curtain on
his stall closed. Teeka frowned. He couldn't be that near
prayers.

"Teeka?" Papa Rabin asked when he got close.
"I need some provisions, Papa Rabin." He came up to the

stall. "What is wrong with Papa Tobin? Does he have early
Temple today?"

Papa Rabin gazed at him but didn't smile. "You'd better

come in, Teeka." He moved and opened the side flap of his
stall.

Teeka frowned but did as he bid. The portly shopkeeper

guided him to the back of his stall and invited him to sit
down. He got tea for them both and sat across from Teeka at
the low table.

"Teeka, the others are talking."
"The Hunters?"
"No, the shopmen. They know of Brant's death, and they

know you went out into the sands with Quill. They say you
are Outcontracted, that it is unseemly of you to go with such
a young Hunter as he."

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"He's a Senior Hunter!"
"Yes. They say he takes advantage of you, a naive young

Keeper. After all, Brant was your first Contract. And you,"
Rabin motioned at Teeka's body. "How could a man as
disfigured as Quill resist such a beautiful young man?"

Teeka stared at him, his stomach roiling. "What?"
"They say he could not resist your training. Keepers are

taught all the sensual arts, and they believe you would use
them with a man you aren't Contracted to. After all, two
young men, all alone in the desert..."

Tears of anger sprang into Teeka's eyes. "I would never

betray my station."

"Nor would Quill, Teeka." Rabin's eyes grew sad. "But

these are simple people. They don't understand the Keeper
covenants, nor the life of the Hunter. Many of them are of
Digger stock and they have such backward ways. Or they
come from the cities where gossip is a pastime."

"But—"
"And when you came back with Ming instead of Quill, it set

many tongues to flapping. Tobin's son saw you enter at the
gate and told his father. Tobin is one of the worst gossipers. I
honestly think it's jealousy, because he tried to Contract and
both Keepers broke Contract early. He's a petty man and
jealous. But the others listen to him, at least when it suits
them. There's little else at the moment to occupy their
tongues."

Teeka felt a chill. "I don't know what to say."

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"I will help you provision," Papa Rabin said in a gentle

tone. "But the sooner you can settle this and rob their
tongues of a target, the better."

Teeka handed over his list, numb. His mind went around in

small circles like a sandmouse, trying to argue with the
shopkeepers' attitudes. That they were partly right, and he
was out of Contract, didn't make him feel any better.

He paid Papa Rabin and accepted the big man's hug.

Rabin's eyes seemed sympathetic as he watched Teeka
trudge toward the gate of the Marketplace. Teeka felt as
though every eye centered on him, glaring and hostile.

"You're done early!" Ming blurted.
"I have a headache," Teeka lied. "Can we just go?"
"Of course." Ming set out for the gates with alacrity, and

Teeka followed, saying nothing. The Hunter pulled the
sandsled and Teeka didn't object, just trudged behind him.

Ming led the way past the Twins as Minah neared the

horizon. Sol had already set, its blaze still lingering. Minah's
cool, blue light suffused the sky over the Great Valley. Teeka
found himself mesmerized as they walked.

Their camp appeared as Minah set. "Good eve," Ming told

him by way of farewell.

"You as well."
He could invite Ming for dinner but discarded the notion in

the face of his unease over the rumors. Ming seemed a little
disappointed when he set out on the path back to Kotek City.

Quill stood by the entrance to their tent. "You're back."
Teeka moved past him, listless.

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The Hunter caught his arm and narrowed his eyes. "You

don't look well."

"I'm fine." He tried to pull away, but Quill did not release

him.

"Are you sick?"
"I'm fine, I said!" Teeka yanked away and stumbled as

Quill released him. "I'm just tired." His mind flashed on Papa
Tobin's shunning of him, and his eyes filled. Damn it! He
hated crying when he felt angry. He whirled and pushed past
the curious Hunter into the dim interior of the tent.

Quill followed. "What happened? Something happened. Tell

me!"

"They say I'm Out of Contract, but still with a Hunter. Papa

Tobin refused to treat with me, and Papa Rabin said they all
think it. They say Emerald Keep shouldn't have allowed me to
stay with you, out here, all alone! Happy now?" He rounded
on Quill, expecting to see the usual mocking expression on
the Hunter's face.

Instead, he saw horror.
"They shunned you?"
"Because I'm Outcontracted!"
Quill paled. "But Elder Hunter approved your Stake. So did

the Chieftain."

"Yes, but what if we lied to Emerald Keep? The Keep would

want me back if they knew I was staying out here, Keeping
for you without any Contract at all. They think I'm too young,
that I don't understand proprieties."

Quill flushed bright red. "But you haven't been doing

anything wrong."

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"They assume I have. Tobin brought up your scars and the

fact I'm so young. My training, they say how could you resist
it? And even if not, you let Ming escort me back, instead
bringing me personally, so now they think I'm wanton as
well!"

"What?" Quill demanded. "That pinch-purse! He couldn't

keep a Keeper if he had all the goldstones on Persis!"

Teeka laughed but it turned to tears, and he whirled away.

"That's what Papa Rabin said."

A gentle hand on his shoulder caused him to flinch, but

Quill pulled him around to face him. "Teeka, don't let their
tongue-wagging upset you so."

"I just—"
"Aye, peacock," he murmured. He pulled Teeka into his

arms to cry against his chest. "You are too sensitive to what
those old women say. Papa Tobin is a dried-up old man, bitter
and lonely. You shouldn't let him affect you."

"But Papa Rabin said they're all listening to him."
"Papa Rabin knows better. Papa Kennay too, I'll wager,

and Jebbynk. Ming doesn't care what those old bats say, none
of the Hunters do. The Marketplace is full of Diggers' rejects,
and they like to make their opinions known. But none who
know better listen to them. The Chieftain's considered
banning them, but they bring trade we need."

Teeka sniffled. "Really?"
Quill pulled back and smoothed a hand across his cheek,

wiping the tears away. "Really. I promise. You are a good
man, Teeka. No one who matters would question your honor."

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He pulled away and got a tissue. "I suppose I should think

about dinner."

"Were you able to get what you needed?"
He nodded. "Papa Rabin helped me. I have everything."
Quill helped him unpack, and he set about preparing

dinner, still unhappy but comforted by the Hunter's reaction
to the shopkeepers.

[Back to Table of Contents]

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159

Chapter 13: Spoil the Broth

"Are you awake?" Quill called.
Teeka groaned. "No. Why?"
A pillow landed on the back of his head, followed by an

enthusiastically rooting truffle. The snout tickled when it
burrowed along his neck and investigated his ear, the noises
very loud. He came up flailing and Sniffer climbed onto his
lap, cheeping, radiating pleased contentment.

"Truffles!"
Quill laughed. "Come on, get up. It's worth it, I promise. I

want to show you something."

"Sol's not even up yet!"
"I know. Come on!"
Teeka got up, muttering complaints the entire time. Quill

handed him some tea, and he managed to get it down, but
just barely.

"I have got to teach you to make a decent cup of tea,

Hunter Quill."

"That's Senior Hunter, Keeper Teeka; you mind your

tongue."

"Hmph. Where's my turban?"
Quill shook the fabric at him, and he snatched it, winding it

with alacrity around his hair but leaving the braid to hang
down his back. He eyed the plait with some surprise; it
reached to the swell of his ass. It seemed like only yesterday
it was to his hips.

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He followed the Hunter outside into the chill pre-dawn and

stopped, his mouth falling open in shock. "Landing!"

"See?" Quill chirped. "Come on, it gets better."
The second time Teeka stumbled, Quill took his arm to

guide him. He stared up at the starshow, trusting the Hunter
to guide his steps. "Is that... what is that? It looks like the
Scorpiate, right?"

"Scorpion," Quill corrected. "Just like the one similar to it

from Old Earth. Yes. And there, do you see? The Hunter's
belt?"

"He rose finally, did he?"
Quill chuckled.
Teeka glanced over at him and stared at the sands

beyond. Faint sparkles came from the ground between their
camp and the rolling hills of the dunes, some even coming
from yingtzao fronds. "What is that?"

"I told you, sandstones glow." Quill smiled at him. "You

have to catch it right, but they are beautiful. Some are from
mica veins running under the sands, crystals that went brittle
and broke apart. They can fool a young Hunter."

"But ours is a true Stake, yes?"
Quill grinned, looking years younger. "Yes. Come, I'll show

you the dig."

Teeka followed the Hunter, drawing his dayrobes tighter

against the early morning chill. The Great Valley spread its
skirts around them, illuminated by starglow and the strange
lights of the sandstones.

He'd read of travelers on Old Earth who had been lured by

foxfire into bogs. He imagined it looked like this faint glow

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along the ground. It wasn't hard to see why someone would
follow it just to see where it led, out of fascination with its
beauty.

They came over the rise above the dig, and he stopped

dead in his tracks.

The lodesands Quill had already sifted sat in neat piles to

the left of the dig. A deep well extended into the ground, and
Teeka could see where he'd dug parallel to the horizontal
shafts where the stones waited in the sand. A ladder and
hoses peeked from the hole, and a metal scaffold straddled it.
Quill's banner hung from the highest point on the scaffold.

A few feet from the hole, a large clear container sat with a

chemical bath. He'd read of the process of letting the
sunstones steep to cure, but the pictures on the vid couldn't
compare to the reality. They glowed with an ethereal light,
shades of amethyst, jade, garnet, and deepest ruby. One
even glowed emerald.

"What makes the colors?"
"Mineral content," Quill answered. "It's all the same

compound, but depending on where the concentrations are in
the crystal, the colors change. Once they finish steeping, they
turn that characteristic white gold that you've seen on the
vids."

Teeka sighed, disappointed. "But they look so pretty now."
Quill chuckled. "Yes, but they're more valuable to power a

reactor."

"You're no fun."
Quill leaned over the container with a long-handled net. He

lifted the cover and scooped out the small green one. He

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folded it into a cloth and set it aside. Quill smiled at him.
"There, once it's dried it will stay the same for you. You can't
handle it, but putting it in a lantern or glass container will still
let it glow pretty for you."

Teeka smiled. "Oh, thank you!" Then he frowned. "Will that

cut into our profits?"

Quill's face darkened. "Is that so important to you?"
"No, it is not. I want this. I just don't want to cut into your

hard work. But I want my own pretty sunstone and this
memory for my first Stake. Truly, I love it."

Quill grinned, his teeth white in his face. "Good. Come, let

us add to your memories."

Quill crouched on the shallow ridge, and Teeka joined him,

enthralled by the Great Valley, the dig and the sky. He set the
warm sunstone on the sands next to him, still softly glowing
through the cloth. The breeze riffled through the tall grasses
behind them, sheltered in the depression, and made a
shushing sound. In front of them, the sand dunes stretched
like a golden blanket.

When Sol's rings appeared over the horizon, Quill touched

his shoulder. "We should return. Once Sol comes up, it will
heat quickly and you're not dressed for it."

They walked back together and Teeka, on a whim, slipped

his hand into Quill's. The Hunter hesitated and then curled his
fingers around Teeka's, but said nothing.

The Winds started up when they were still a few hundred

yards from the tent, first as a breeze but growing in strength.
By the time they reached the tent, the Winds had pulled
several wisps from Teeka's braid and Quill's hair stood up on

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one side. Quill fastened the wind rigging and they left their
outer robes in the antechamber. Teeka closed the interior
rugs of the tent. The full force of the Winds hit them,
thrumming against the walls of the tent like they wanted to
get in.

Teeka made them breakfast while Quill set out his day's

attire. He washed his face while Teeka served and they sat
down at the table.

Quill took a long drink of tea before turning to him. "We're

making good progress. We'll be done on schedule. You're
doing a lot better with the sorting than I expected, to be
honest."

Teeka preened. "Thank you."
"I wonder..." Quill trailed off, taking a bite of grains.
"What?"
"I wonder if it's your textile background."
"How do you mean?"
"Your training as a weaver. It might help you to see the

sandstones."

Teeka shrugged. "I have fast fingers."
Quill laughed.
"No, I'm serious, actually. I have fast fingers, my teachers

all said it. I don't know why, because I'm not trying to be
quick. But my hand-eye coordination is much higher than
normal."

"Perhaps I will teach you some of what we do at the dig, if

you think you'd enjoy it. As I said, it's heavy work."

Trying to conceal how excited that suggestion made him,

Teeka nodded. "I'd like that."

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Snuffles jumped up and stared at the door, and Sniffer

rolled over to crouch next to him. Quill drew his knife and
crouched, just as the shadow of a man appeared against the
tent wall. A weak clap sounded and both truffles started
cheeping and jumping in place.

"Hush, both of you," Quill barked, rising. "Hush!" He

motioned at Teeka to move deeper into the tent.

"Come, Snuffles, Sniffer!" Teeka led them both to the pen

and lifted them in, Snuffles trying to investigate the neckline
of his robes. "Stop it."

The Hunter opened the tent flap and paused, squinting.

"Feyl?" Quill's tone grew alarmed. "What are you doing out
during the Winds?"

"Quill?" Feyl stumbled as he came into the tent. He looked

at Teeka, his eyes wide and one pupil larger than the other.

Teeka took a step forward. "I don't think he's well —"
Feyl's knees buckled, and Quill caught him just before he

landed on the carpets. "Feyl!"

Teeka leaped forward and helped Quill get the Hunter onto

his back. His face had a blue tinge to it, and Quill swore. "Get
my medpack!"

Teeka dove for the red satchel with their medical supplies

while Quill yanked Feyl's robes open. Sand scattered
everywhere. He breathed several times into Feyl's mouth,
pinching off his nose, and pumped at his chest. After several
tries at this Feyl took a quick inhalation and started coughing.
Teeka grabbed a basin just as the Hunter got sick. Quill
helped steady him. Teeka got some water and Quill held it to
Feyl's lips.

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Feyl kept trying to talk, but his words made no sense.
"Hush, Feyl, it's Quill. You're safe now." He looked at

Teeka. "Get the sandsled. I'll call Tybin to send a sandsail for
him."

"A sandsail?"
"He's too ill to stay here. He needs the Healers." He

paused. "What in Landing was he doing out in the Winds?"

"The Winds? You don't mean he was walking in them, do

you?" Teeka echoed in horror, glancing at the door.

"Look at his robes," Quill told him. "And his face. Those

cuts are sandmarks. I'm surprised they're not worse; I've
seen men with their skin stripped off."

Teeka shivered. He put the kettle on for tea and dug in

Quill's pack for the tel, and brought it over. Quill smiled at
him but sobered and coded a number, then spoke with
Tybin's assistant.

"They've got a sandsail there now, and Driver Sami. He'll

be here shortly."

"Is Feyl going to be all right?"
"I don't know, Teeka. It's too soon to tell." Quill wet a

corner of a cloth in some cool tea and stroked Feyl's face,
washing the sand away.

Teeka filled another basin with tepid water, then got clean

rags and soap. He set up the table near Quill and retrieved
the skin oils and smoothskin. He returned as Feyl gripped
Quill in a fevered grasp and tried to speak.

"Hush," Quill soothed, stroking his face.
He did it with such tenderness that Teeka suppressed a

wild surge of jealousy. How could he feel such emotion at a

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time like this? Quill chose that moment to look up and catch
his gaze. Teeka spun and knelt by the provisions locker,
trying to regain his composure and get some electrolyte
beverage for Feyl.

"Quill!" Feyl shouted, struggling. "Quill, look out!"
When Teeka turned back, the stricken Hunter stared up at

Quill, clutching his robes, and fainted in his arms.

Teeka got the sandsled and fresh dayrobes, one of Quill's

old set. He helped Quill dress Feyl like a large doll and
rewrapped his turban. He kept the rounds low, to protect his
face, and fitted a light cloth over top to shield him from Sol's
glare.

The steady hiss and whoosh of a sandsail approached.

Once outside, he shaded his eyes to see the Driver.

"Good morn to you!" The Driver, a young man of about

five-and-twenty, waved. He stopped the sandsail and hopped
down, setting the chucks under the skis with practiced
efficiency. "I hear you've sommat a problem."

Teeka blinked, parsing out the strange accent. "Yes.

Hunter Feyl has taken ill."

"The Healers are waitin' anxiously for 'im," the Driver

agreed. "I'm Sami." He stuck out his hand to shake.

Teeka blinked and took it with reluctance. He was just now

getting accustomed to grasping forearms like the Hunters
favored, instead of the head bows of the city. He'd heard of
the custom of the Drivers, the physical touch of palms as a
greeting, but until now never encountered it. Sami, oblivious
to his discomfort, turned to the tent flap.

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Quill appeared, dragging the sandsled behind him. Feyl

never stirred, not even when Quill and Sami took opposite
sides of the sled and deposited Feyl in the undersling of the
sandsail. Sami tied him down with quick movements, and
Quill handed him a pouch.

"Hurry, please," Quill urged. "He's got the sun fever and

was sick to his stomach."

"I've heard from Healer Alwyn, Senior Hunter. I know the

urgency. He'll be back before he left, I promise you."

The last two words came out "promee-you," and Teeka

wanted to giggle.

Sami leaped up into the navchair, the chucks already off

the skis. The sandsail motor started up with a hiss, and the
vehicle swung around their tent. The sails belled out, and she
caught the wind, moving almost too fast to follow with the
eyes.

Teeka, enthralled, watched until she disappeared in the

heat haze.

He turned to find Quill smiling at him. "What?"
"We'll make a Hunter of you yet," Quill murmured.
He turned to return to the tent, and Teeka followed.
"What are you doing?" Teeka asked, watching him gather

his gear.

"Going out to the dig."
"But..." He trailed off. "You're pushing too hard."
Quill laughed. "I'm fine. If I don't get it done, we lose the

stones."

Teeka wanted to argue but didn't quite dare. His training

warned of Hunters pushing themselves beyond endurance,

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caught up in the Hunger for the stones, but a Senior Hunter
would know his business. Teeka got out a quick lunch for the
Hunter, a wrap and some berries, and Quill ate it while
getting his gear together.

"I'll be back for dinner," he said by way of farewell.
Teeka sat down on the bed, feeling hollow. Too much had

happened, and he still didn't feel awake. He dozed off and
woke with a start, panicked he'd overslept. He threw himself
out of bed and made a strong pot of tea.

"Laundry, dinner, and socks," he recited to himself. He

took a quick detour to sluice himself off and used only the
cold water.

It revived him, somewhat. The tea did the rest, and by the

time Quill appeared he felt more awake.

Quill, on the other hand, looked awful. Dusty and ashen-

faced, the Hunter went out to wash and fell asleep on the
bath stool.

"You need to rest," Teeka grumbled, annoyed.
"We need to finish—"
"Don't start on that," Teeka snapped. "You're taking

Sittingday off; we both are."

"Teeka—"
"I insist, Quill!" He stared with such ferocity at Quill that

the Senior Hunter pulled back and gaped at him with a
startled expression. "I mean it."

"All right, all right."
Teeka spun and set about making dinner while Quill

dressed in his nightsilks. He fell asleep with his leggings only

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half done. Teeka just lifted him all the way onto the bed and
pulled the silks over him. Quill never stirred.

"You're pushing too hard," Teeka whispered, stroking

Quill's hair back from his head. He hesitated, then kissed
Quill's temple. "Sleep well."

He fed the truffles and cleaned up, setting grains to soak

for the morning. He went out and watched the Stardawn and
fell asleep against the pillows. He roused well after dark when
the Winds picked up. Chilled by the memory of Feyl's wounds,
he threw the pillows into a hasty pile and hurried back inside.
Dousing the lamps, he crawled in next to Quill.

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Chapter 14: The Routine on a Stake

Teeka woke to the sounds of Quill harnessing the truffles.

Winds, the man woke early when on Stake. Sol didn't even
shine on the tent walls yet. Teeka sat up, rubbing his eyes,
and yawned. "I'll make you breakfast."

"No need. I've eaten. Rest a while, there's no need for you

to get up."

Teeka stood. "Don't be silly. I can help." Stretching his

back made his vertebrae pop. He poured tea for himself and
took a quick bite of grain before slipping out to use the
necessary. He returned to find Quill fastening his turban, his
sunshades already down.

"I'll be back for lunch," Quill promised. "You have

everything you need?"

Teeka nodded. "Good fortune."
Quill grinned at him and headed out, the truffles

gamboling alongside him. Sniffer, in particular, seemed happy
to poke her snout into everything, even her brother's collar.
Teeka laughed as Quill disentangled them and got them
facing the right direction.

He didn't have any tidying to do once he finished the

breakfast dishes. Instead, he double-checked their laundry,
but he didn't have enough for a full load yet. That led to
unpacking and re-packing the crates, ensuring the robes
wouldn't wrinkle. He got another fifth of space in the process
and smiled to himself.

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He curled up and started work on the toe of Quill's sock as

the Winds thrummed against the tent. It seemed cozy, now,
to listen to them while safe inside the tent, even though he
missed Quill returning for a morning break. Teeka finished the
sock with startling speed. Working alone in a tent, rather than
at the Keep surrounded by friends, made his knitting go much
faster than usual. He started the mate and got several inches
before Quill appeared with a bag of lodesand.

Teeka grabbed Snuffles, unbuckled the truffle, and put him

in the pen while Quill did the same with his sister. Kibble
waited for them, and they hurried over to reach the bowl.
Sitting back on his heels, Teeka watched as Quill shucked out
of his robes and sat down, moving his leg as though it pained
him.

"What's wrong?" Teeka demanded.
"My hip," Quill admitted after a moment. "The sandcat

damaged the tendons."

"Let me see," Teeka ordered.
"Teeka —"
"Quill. I'm Keeping for you. Let me do my part. I've

training in this." He stroked Quill's arm. "Let me see."

Quill blinked and laid back on the bed. "I never dreamed

you were this forceful."

"There's a lot you don't know about me." Teeka kneeled on

the bed next to Quill. "Now, roll up on your side for me,
please."

He spent an hour working with Quill's muscles. After the

first few minutes, Quill stopped complaining. When they

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finished, the Hunter moved his hips back and forth. "It
worked!"

"Don't sound so shocked."
He sighed. "Thank you."
"It's nothing."
Quill caught his arm and shook it. "I mean it."
Teeka gazed at him. "You're welcome."
He rose and got lunch, serving Quill where he sat on the

bed. Quill ate with little speed and stopped after finishing only
one portion.

Teeka said nothing but knew he'd made the right decision

about taking a day off. He helped Quill harness the truffles
again and bade him farewell. He sat down with the lodesand.

He finished sorting it in a couple hours and stretched. Their

dinner for Freeday night would simple, just some light greens
with some sliced meat, and fruit for dessert. He'd spend the
extra time working on their Sittingday foods. He started some
meat for stew for the Sittingday meal, and pulled out some
flour to make a loaf of sittingbread.

Quill didn't return until both Sol and Minah had set. The

daylight hadn't faded yet, but the shadows already lay long
on the ground when his heavy footfalls approached. Teeka set
his pan down and stood, intending to ask about the dig.

"Landing!" he blurted as soon as he saw Quill. "You look

awful."

"I ran out of water an hour ago," Quill muttered, his voice

raspy. "The machine jammed, and I couldn't leave." He pulled
off his robes in a shower of dust and sand.

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Teeka held the flap of the tent out of the Hunter's way and

followed him inside. He shooed the truffles away from Quill's
legs and grabbed the chair. "Sit."

"What?"
Teeka took Quill's arm and pressed him into the chair. "Sit,

I said."

Quill did it without arguing, a fair sign of his exhaustion.

Teeka got his boots off and hung up Quill's outer robes, and
got him a glass of water. He stirred a pack of electrolytes into
it before handing it to the Hunter. "Drink that. Wait here, I'll
be right back." He got a teacake from his dwindling stash and
put it on a plate. "Eat this; the spices will help revive you."

"The spices, huh?"
"Yes, actually," Teeka snapped, irritated. "It's one of their

main purposes. Mine just happen to taste the best."

"True," Quill surprised him by saying.
Teeka stepped out back and pitched the bath screen. It

fought him, dust and sand in every crevice, but he managed
to wrestle it open. He inflated the tub and set the water to fill,
using a large portion of their precious supply. He connected it
to the solar panels on the screen to heat. Retrieving the
folding table from where he'd set it against the tent wall, he
set the salts and sponge with the hair treatments and
massage oil. He got the clean towels from his stack of laundry
and laid two next to his supplies.

Quill had fallen asleep in the chair, his arm in a puddle of

water from the spilled cup. The remainder of the liquid had
disappeared down Snuffles' gullet, and the truffle eyed him
for more.

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"No, you get nothing more from him!"
"What?" Quill asked, coming awake.
Teeka pulled the Hunter's arm over his shoulder and

hauled him upright. Ignoring the protests, he half-led, half-
dragged the groggy Hunter outside.

Quill gasped. "You filled the tub?"
"A tub takes less water than the sluice. Now, sit," Teeka

commanded. "Sit before you fall."

Quill glared at him but did as Teeka bid. He allowed Teeka

to undress him, even unwind the turban to reveal his ebony
hair. Teeka resisted the pull of his body, focusing instead on
the pale grayish tint of dehydration to Quill's skin.

"Stupid!" He yanked the clothes off the table and threw

them into the hamper. "You could have injured yourself."

"I'm all right," Quill murmured.
"And what will happen to me if you die?" Teeka demanded,

whirling to check the temperature to the water.

"Is that all I am to you?"
Teeka stilled. "No. I didn't mean that."
Quill stood and came to the edge of the tub. "What did you

mean?"

"Just get in the water, please," Teeka requested, stepping

out of range of Quill's hands.

The Hunter hesitated a moment more, clearly wanting

Teeka to look at him. Teeka refused. Quill sighed and got into
the water, exhaling with a loud groan. "I needed this."

"How's the water temperature?"
"Perfect."
Teeka drizzled oil on Quill's muscular shoulders.

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"What are you doing?"
"Just relax." Teeka gripped the taut muscles, holding the

Hunter against the side of the tub. "Breathe deeply, and let
me do the work."

He fell into a rhythm as he worked at Quill's muscles. The

man must be in pain from the tension, with knots all up and
down his spine. Teeka hesitated, his hands resting on the
unyielding firmness of implants under the smooth skin. Only
the most prosperous Hunters could afford a cooling system to
help regulate their body temperature. This explained why
Quill tended to overdo it, since he could ignore his body's
normal warnings against the heat. Tracing them with his
fingers, Teeka leaned into the tub, rubbing lower along Quill's
back, and the Hunter's head lolled back onto Teeka's
shoulder. Before Teeka could protest, Quill's heavy breathing
in his ear let him know the Hunter was asleep.

Good, it worked. Teeka worked out every kink he could

find until the water started to cool. He woke Quill by washing
his hair, and then washed every inch of skin just as he'd been
trained at the Keep. His own body, tired now, failed to
respond to Quill's nudity. For his part, Quill seemed oblivious
to Teeka's caresses, luxuriating in the massage.

Fine. It would stay clinical.
Teeka used every trick he'd learned to overwhelm the

Hunter and lure him to sleep. By the time he finished and let
Quill out of the tub, the lean Hunter wobbled when he walked.
Teeka guided him back inside the tent, dressed him in
nightsilks, made him drink more water, and then tucked him
into bed. He worked at the Hunter's muscular legs, the skin

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smooth as silk and muscles powerful as a horse. He took his
time with Quill's feet, digging at the reflexology points until
Quill lay like putty under his hands.

He started snoring before Teeka finished pulling the sheets

up to his chin. Teeka combed out the long tail and re-braided
the Hunter's hair, using his favorite five-weave rather than
the simple braid Quill used. He tied it off and laid it on the
pillow next to Quill.

The Hunter's face smoothed in sleep. Teeka sat down on

the bed next to him, and let himself do what he'd wanted to
since they'd come out to the Stake. He stroked his fingers
down the unscarred side of Quill's face, exploring the skin. It
felt as soft as he imagined it, though the Hunter would need
to reapply depilatory soon. Whisper-soft whiskers tickled
Teeka's fingers like feathers. Quill inhaled and rolled toward
Teeka, his lips curling up in a smile. Teeka brushed the ridges
of scar tissue and followed them down Quill's throat to the
neckline of his nightsilks, seeing in his mind's eye their
progress across the Hunter's pectoral muscle.

Teeka sighed and rose to tidy up. He let out the bath and

watched as the sands absorbed the water as though thirsty.
He looked up at stardawn and gazed for a while at the stars
before finishing his chores. He rolled everything up and
brought the bath supplies inside. Then he washed his brushes
and stowed them in their case.

Gathering Quill's discarded clothes, he stepped back

outside and shook them out. He retrieved the strands of
rubies he'd taken from Quill's hair and laid them on the small

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chest next to the bed. Already he could picture them in the
plait he'd woven, gleaming against the dark hair.

He made himself a quick dinner of grains and vegetables

and gave half to the truffles. They seemed to like it much
better than their kibble, cheeping and fluttering their eyelids,
which he had come to identify with happiness. He finished
and doused the lamps, then laid down next to Quill.

Freeday dawned bright and Teeka blinked awake. Quill still

splashed around in the necessary, getting himself ready.
Teeka rose and put on the water for tea. He got out some
flatbread and made breakfast, finishing just as Quill re-
entered the tent.

"I'm not hungry," the Hunter grunted.
"Tough. Eat it anyway; your body needs it." Teeka held the

plate out toward the Hunter.

Quill glared at him but took it. He ate half of it and set the

plate aside, grimacing. "I'm full!"

Teeka sighed. "I packed some food for you to snack on."
The Hunter sighed and stood. "Thank you."
"I'll see you at midday."
Quill nodded and harnessed the truffles. Sniffer started

cheeping the moment the Hunter appeared with the harness,
and Snuffles seemed excited too. Teeka laughed as they kept
trying to investigate Quill's robes with their snouts, making
snuffling noises at each other as they did it.

"They talk to each other, I think," Quill murmured.
Teeka narrowed his eyes. "I wonder what they talk about,

though."

"Truly." Quill smiled at him. "I'll be back."

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Teeka nodded and watched the Hunter's lanky form

disappear into the bright morning. He returned to the tent
and straightened up, setting their dinner on to cook. He
prepared a light lunch of greens and fruits, nothing that would
upset the stomach, and sat down to knit.

Quill woke him as he returned, his face wan and dusty.
"I'm sorry, I must have dozed off!" Teeka blurted, sitting

up with his knitting in his lap. "Landing!"

"It's all right," Quill said in a soft voice that sounded tired.

"I brought you more sand."

"Thank you." He jumped to his feet and got a plate for

Quill.

The Hunter fell asleep on the pillows, his robes only half

removed. He didn't stir when Teeka came over to remove
them the rest of the way, coughing at the dust.

"Sorry," Quill mumbled, coming awake when Teeka moved

his legs to get at the boots. He sat up and gazed around the
tent. "Maybe I have been pushing too hard."

"Take the afternoon off?"
"No. I can't, we'll lose the Stake." Quill got to his feet. "I'll

be fine. I'm going to sluice my head."

Teeka watched him stumble out to the necessary with

worry growing in his belly. When the Hunter returned, Teeka
stopped him with a hand on his arm. "Please. Eat something,
at least. You hardly finished your breakfast."

Quill sighed. "Teeka..."
"Please. You're worrying me with how hard you're

pushing."

"All right." Quill sat down on the edge of the bed. "I'll eat."

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Teeka handed him a plate with the salad and some fruit,

and Quill managed to finish it. He drank some water and got
up to head back out.

"Let me help you at least."
Quill shook his head. "No. I'll be fine, Teeka. I'll just clean

up and set the Stake to process what I've uncovered. I'll
come back, and we'll rest tomorrow. I promise."

Should he press harder? Maybe this was the real reason

Hunters had Keepers, to keep them from falling over from
exhaustion. Is that why Brant didn't take him out on Stake,
so he could practice his obsession in peace? Teeka watched
Quill leave, still conflicted, and sat down to sort the sand. He
rose after an hour and cleaned up from lunch. The tank was
half full. He sighed in relief; the waterstone was working. He
went back to the sand and finished it in short order.

The Hunter returned, covered in dust, an hour earlier than

usual. Teeka held the tent flap for him and watched him undo
his robes.

"I'll take Sniffer and Snuffles in with me when I sluice off."

Quill eyed the truffles with a dour expression. A faint scent of
sweat came from him as he moved, a pleasant spiciness.
"They're covered in sand."

"As are you." Teeka smirked at him.
Quill grinned. "I am. But I'm pleased. We're doing well. I'm

about half done."

Teeka nodded and turned away to prepare dinner. Quill

sluiced himself while the truffles cheeped and played in the
water. Teeka wanted to wash, but the temptation of Quill's
nude body in the water dissuaded him. Damn the man! Damn

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Brant for dying! It just wasn't fair, dragging Teeka out into
the desert like this with no Contract and an attractive, gentle
Hunter for company. This was nothing like his daydreams
back at the Keep.

He spilled water as he poured the evening tea. "Damn it!"
"What's wrong?" Quill asked, entering with a cloud of soap

scent.

Teeka tried to conceal his deep inhalation. "I just spilled, is

all. It's nothing."

Quill said nothing, just dressed and dried his hair. He

reclined on the pillows and took the plate Teeka gave him.
"How was your day?"

"I finished the lodesand."
"Indeed?" Quill put a bite in his mouth and watched him,

radiating approval. "That's excellent."

"Thank you." Teeka met his gaze. "You worried me."
Quill set his plate down and leaned forward. "I'm sorry for

that."

Teeka nodded and pulled away, wishing he dared let Quill

touch him and let that touch lead to other things. Instead,
Teeka got the fruit he'd prepared for dessert and poured fresh
tea.

As Quill finished, Teeka used the necessary to wash up.

When he returned, Quill dozed against the pillows, his tea in
danger of tipping from his slack hand.

Teeka rescued the cup and shook Quill's shoulder. "Bed,

you. You'll spill all over the rugs doing that."

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"I'm going, I'm going." Quill hauled himself up and

collapsed against the bed, snoring almost before he lay
prone.

"You're pushing too hard," Teeka whispered, covering him

with the cooling sheet.

At least they'd get to sleep in for Sittingday.

* * * *

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Chapter 15: Sittingday

Sleeping in a tent on open desert, however, meant that

Sol's light woke them as usual. Teeka blinked at the walls
with their glow and groaned.

Quill chuckled. "It's all right. Go back to sleep. You're right,

I have been pushing too hard."

Teeka rolled over and gazed at him. "You mean it?"
"Yes." Quill laid on his back, his arm behind his head, and

inhaled with a loud noise.

"Are you going to sleep?"
"Perhaps."
Teeka closed his eyes but couldn't relax. Quill started to

sing in a soft voice, a child's lullaby, and in spite of himself
Teeka drifted away with the Hunter's song.

He woke some time later to find Quill up and sitting

against the pillows. He held a cup of tea and took a sip. When
he saw Teeka awake and looking at him, he retrieved a
second cup and handed it to the Keeper.

"Good morn," Teeka greeted after taking a long drink of

the bitter stuff. He tried hard to keep the grimace off his face
but his throat wanted to close and avoid it. Even his taste
buds rebelled. Did Quill burn the water?

Quill laughed. "You really aren't a morning person."
"This is not news." He sat up and stretched, shrugging his

nightsilks back into place. He looked over at Quill in time to
see his cheeks turn pink, but the Hunter wouldn't meet his
gaze.

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Instead of pleasing him, as Quill's reaction to his flashes of

nudity normally did, he felt frustration with their situation pull
at him. He needed release, damn it, not further assurances of
his honor! If he was to be shunned, at least it should be for
what he did!

He rolled out of bed and pulled his bedsilks closed,

snapping them around himself like a shield. Without looking
at Quill again, he went out to use the necessary, washing up
without wetting his hair.

When he came back in, Quill set down his cup. "We need

to talk."

"About what?"
Quill stepped in front of him when he started to walk over

to the food locker, and Teeka stopped, staring at Quill's chest.
"Quill—"

"Look at me." Quill's hand tipped Teeka's chin up with a

warm hand. "We can't keep dancing around the truth, Teeka."

"What truth?" He cleared his throat.
Quill bent forward and kissed his lips with a feather-light

brush. Teeka hesitated and opened his mouth, letting the
Hunter explore him. As the kiss extended, his body
responded, and he slipped his arms around Quill's body at
last, letting himself explore the robes, if not the skin inside
them. They broke apart after several long, blissful moments.

"Keeper Teeka, will you accept my Offer of Contract?"
"I—"
"I intend to offer a quarterweight goldstone for the

upcoming season and the balance of this one, if you would
accept it."

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Teeka felt his eyes widen in shock. "Quill!"
"What? You think it should be more?"
"No! Of course not!"
"Then it's acceptable?"
"Of course!"
"Then you accept?"
"What? I—"
"You just said you accept."
"You're confusing me!" Teeka stepped back, pulling out of

Quill's embrace. "Are you serious?"

Quill studied him with those gray eyes of his. "Yes."
"I don't know." Teeka whirled and took two steps to the

edge of the tent. "I just..."

The Hunter came up behind him and stroked a warm hand

up his arm. "I'm not good with words, like you. But I'll never
lie to you. I work hard and provide well. I'm healthy and
strong, despite the scars."

Teeka spun to face the Hunter. "You think I'd say no

because of that?"

Quill said nothing, but Teeka could read it in his eyes.
"You fool! I don't care about the scars. I've wanted you for

days now, damn it. But with the Contract, and it's not yet
Daymonth... When you offered before, it seemed like
business, just a way to keep me here."

The Hunter stepped up to him, bringing their bodies

together. He bent and nuzzled Teeka's neck, bringing his lips
up to Teeka's ear. "Please say yes. It's not just business. Let
me show it to you. I don't have the words, not like you. But I
will show you, if you let me."

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Teeka's heart started pounding and he couldn't catch his

breath. "All right."

Quill whipped back, moving to meet Teeka's gaze. "What?"
"Yes. I agree to your terms. Let us submit it to the Keep."

Teeka smiled. "Intended."

The Hunter grinned, a flash of white teeth, and he kissed

Teeka with a possessive growl. Teeka spun in his embrace
and pressed his back along Quill's body. He brought his arms
up over both their heads to tug Quill's hair, cupping their
bodies together.

Quill caught his arms in a strong grip and pinned him

against the bigger man's body. Teeka could feel Quill's
hardened length against his ass, its heat pressing against him
through the bedsilks. He rocked his hips in one of the Dances,
and Quill made a low noise deep in his throat.

Teeka sighed and leaned his head back against Quill's

shoulder. Quill chuckled, tickling his ear and tightening things
all along the front of his body. His calloused hands cupped
Teeka's pectoral muscles and squeezed him against the
Hunter's body. Quill's lips brushed aside the collar of Teeka's
bedsilks, warm breath fanning his skin. He bit down on the
bend of Teeka's shoulder and Teeka ground against him, his
hips moving in small circles, begging.

Quill parted Teeka's bedsilks. When Teeka tried to help,

Quill grabbed his hands, holding him still. Teeka wiggled,
excited. Quill chuckled at his reaction, his mouth still against
Teeka's neck. Teeka could feel the vibrations tickling his neck.
The Hunter gripped Teeka's left nipple ring and tugged,
making him gasp.

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Quill stepped back and turned Teeka to stand facing him.

He gazed at Teeka, the expression in his serious gray eyes
warm. Teeka reached for the Hunter and Quill stepped back
out of reach.

Teeka closed his eyes and balled his hands into fists.

"Quill..."

Quill chuckled again. "All in good time."
He walked in a slow circle around Teeka, his fingers trailing

along Teeka's shoulder, and stopped behind him again. He
stroked his hands down Teeka's sides, squeezing.

Teeka had had enough. He pivoted in Quill's grip and

cupped his face in both hands. Teeka pulled the Hunter's face
down and kissed him, licking along his lips. Quill shuddered
and fenced with him. Teeka let himself do what he'd wanted
to since he'd massaged Quill with such chaste restraint: he
slid his hands inside Quill's robes, the ruffle of body heat a
gentle tingle along the hairs of his arms.

"You radiate warmth." Teeka tightened his grip, pulling

Quill and his heat closer.

"Always have." Quill shivered, leaning into Teeka's

embrace. "I think it's because I grew up a Hunter. Dekka said
I was a furnace."

Teeka kissed the soft skin on the unscarred side of his

chest, and folded the robes back. His fingers brushed Quill's
nipple and felt the telltale ridge of a piercing hole, now closed.
"Where's your jewelry?"

Quill flinched. "Teeka."
"I'm sorry." Teeka released the skin in his hands.

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Quill caught his fingers and brought them back to his

chest, settling them against his skin. "Dekka and I wore
matching jewelry," he whispered, voice raw. "When he died,
the Healers couldn't save the one on my right. I couldn't bear
to wear the other one because it reminded me of him."

Teeka leaned his forehead against the Hunter's chest. "I'm

sorry."

Quill slid his hands up Teeka's arms into his hair,

scratching the scalp beneath the braid. "I should move on,"
Quill murmured. "It's been long enough I've carried his
memory."

Quill tugged on Teeka's braid, pulling his head back. He

cupped Teeka's throat with his other hand and sucked along
his jaw to his ear. Teeka closed his eyes, reveling in it, and
Quill chuckled.

Teeka, already slick with oil from his sluice, undulated his

hips and brushed Quill's cock. Quill took a shuddering breath
and Teeka danced against him, moving his hips in small
controlled circles. Quill's left hand clamped on his hip but he
ignored it, concentrating on driving the other man wild with
his movements.

"Teeka—"
"I want you, Quill," Teeka whispered. "Please. I've wanted

this for days. I've touched myself, several times, and always
wished it was your hands on me, your body filling me."

Quill shivered, his hardened length bobbing. "Are you

serious?"

"Landing! Must I beg?"

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Quill pulled on his braid, making Teeka tilt his head back to

meet Quill's gaze. "There will be no need for that. Not this
time."

Shrugging from his robes, Quill pushed Teeka's bedsilks

away. The soft fabric puddled at their feet. He stepped
forward, bringing their bodies together, and Teeka gasped as
the heat of the Hunter's body pressed flush against this own.
Quill's cock slid along his and left wet trails of pre-come on
his belly.

"I need more oil," Teeka whispered.
Quill reached over him, bending him at the hips and

making Teeka arch backwards. His scalp tingled where Quill's
fingers directed his body's movement. The Hunter helped him
straighten again, the bottle of oil in his hand. He watched as
Quill thumbed the stopper and it fell, rolling away.

Quill's grip tightened in his braid. "Pour it on my fingers."
Teeka took the bottle from him, proud his hands did not

shake in his excitement. He held his breath as Quill reached
around him. Long, strong fingers slid inside him and he
shifted his legs, allowing access. Warm and slick from the oil,
they spread him, making his passage wider for Quill's shaft.

"Breathe, Teeka," Quill instructed, soft laughter in his

voice.

He stepped back, fingers slipping from Teeka and making

him feel empty.

"Now me."
Teeka poured more oil in the waiting palm, wishing Quill

allowed him to smooth it on. He wanted to touch and discover
the hard arc of flesh curving up against Quill's belly. The

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Hunter seemed to read his mind, or at least the longing
expression on his face.

"Next time. You will make me spill too fast." Quill's voice

now held a low growl. "Turn, I want you from behind."

Teeka's breath came out of him in loud gasps, and his

heartbeat slammed against his neck. His skin seemed
reluctant to part from Quill's as he moved. He raised his arms
overhead and wrapped his hands around Quill's head,
stroking his ears with his thumbs. He reached back with his
hips at the same moment Quill nudged forward, and Quill
poked inside. They both cried out, and Teeka rocked his hips,
moving Quill deeper.

Quill's hand fastened on Teeka's hip and they started

moving in tandem, Quill twisting his hips as he went, his tip
hitting every erogenous zone inside Teeka.

In that moment, he knew Quill's skill rivaled any Keeper's,

and he grinned with surprised pleasure. Quill sped his thrusts,
and all thought evaporated in the waves of arousal. He
couldn't even keep up his own rhythm as Quill moved,
bringing them both closer and closer.

And then, he stopped.
"Landing! Don't stop!" Teeka shouted, panting.
"What do you want?" Quill purred, a smile in his voice.
"Quill, please! Don't tease me. It's been too long for a

lover's dance. Please, make love to me."

"Lean back," Quill murmured. "But also look ahead and

watch us. Watch me claiming you."

Teeka let the Hunter's body support him but kept his eyes

open. He realized what Quill meant as he caught their

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reflection in an unused solar panel leaning against the tent
wall. He had used it for braiding his hair; now its shiny
surface showed them together. The Hunter's body loomed,
tanned and muscular, behind his own slender frame. The
sight excited Teeka more than anything he could remember.
Their eyes met in the makeshift mirror.

Quill smiled, his face hard as he resumed moving, his

powerful muscles like an ore drill. Teeka tried to catch his
breath, to use his training, but failed in the face of Quill's
skill. He hung on to Quill's shoulders as his release roared out
of him, clenching all his muscles from his knees to his
shoulders. Quill followed soon after, burying himself inside
Teeka and panting into his ear.

Quill eased out of him, using a towel to catch their fluids,

and pressed him forward onto the mattress only a short
distance away. He drizzled oil on Teeka's back and legs and
then rubbed him down, from his ankles to his neck, his
movements sure and firm.

By the time he finished, Teeka fought off sleep.
"I must be losing my touch," Quill mused as he crawled

onto the bed alongside him.

"What?"
"You're still awake."
"Very nearly not." He rolled into Quill's embrace and slung

his leg over the Hunter's, twining their bodies together. "You
are simply incredible."

Quill chuckled. "Thank you."
"I am nearly asleep." Teeka's conscience made him admit

it. He smiled and kissed Quill's chest with drowsy lips.

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"Sleep." Quill kissed Teeka's forehead. "Intended."
Teeka grinned and snuggled against Quill's chest. He

dropped off, pleasure filling him.

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Chapter 16: Desert Trek

Teeka dozed in Quill's arms for the better part of an hour.

The truffles fell asleep in their pen, their snores and whistles
a soothing lullaby. They woke Teeka playing, rolling around in
their pen and cheeping.

Teeka sat up, rubbing his face. "I'll get them some food."
"Good idea." Quill looked at him. "Do you want to go and

explore the dunes? You won't let me work."

Teeka almost dropped the container of kibble. "Just go out

and wander?"

Quill nodded. Teeka rolled the idea over. He never wanted

to speak ill of Brant, but going trekking would never have
occurred to the older Hunter.

"Is it safe to leave the Stake?"
"I have the shields up, and even if someone got past, I've

emptied the current vein."

Teeka frowned. "It's played out?"
"This vein branches. Forks with one jutting off to the side.

I know which direction, but it would be a guess and a waste
of time for another to try and harvest it."

Teeka looked around at their possessions. "And the tent?"
"We can shield that as well. This," Quill gestured around

them, "represents survival. Tampering with it is dealt more
severely than even a Stake. I can bury our waterstone with
the bags of harvested stones."

"Is that risky? What if another Hunter has a truffle;

couldn't they find our cache?"

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"If a Hunter dug every time a truffle rooted around in the

sand, the Great Valley would be riddled with potholes." Quill
shrugged. "Everything in the Great Valley is a risk. Besides,
I'll have one of ours piss on the spot. The smell will cover the
scent of the stones."

Teeka raised his brows. "Or tell the other truffle it belongs

to another. I've watched our two; they never steal from each
other. Not food or suet balls."

Quill cocked his head and glanced at Sniffer and Snuffles,

eating together in their pen. "Maybe. I know they will love to
go exploring. The question is, do you want to go?"

"Can I pack some food?"
Quill grinned, looking years younger. "A desert picnic? Why

not."

Teeka dressed in the silks he wore to go into town. This

promised to be more fun than his last trip there. He
mentioned that to the Hunter.

Quill frowned. "Do you want to go into Kotek City, instead?

We can announce our changed status."

Teeka went and wrapped his arms around the taller man.

"It's sweet that you want to clear my reputation, but I would
rather spend the day with you."

Quill returned his embrace. "Me too."
Noticing the Hunter was dressed for the desert and that

Teeka still hadn't wound on his turban, Teeka pushed Quill
away.

"Stop distracting me. You promised me a day in the

desert. Perhaps I will find another lode."

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Quill laughed and moved to pack while Teeka finished

dressing. The truffles began to cheep as soon as Quill started
to sort out their harnesses. Teeka grabbed Snuffles and
began to buckle him in, evading the inquisitive trunk.

Once they stepped outside, Teeka held the leashes for

both truffles while Quill secured the tent. Quill led Sniffer over
to a spot and spoke to her. She looked over her shoulder and
Teeka turned his back to them. He could not tell, even after
staring at the area, where Quill had disturbed the sand to
bury their bags of stones.

"Why don't I keep Sniffer?" Quill's cheeks flushed with a

little color when he said it.

Teeka looked between the two truffles. Snuffles sat

between Teeka's feet, waiting with evident patience. Sniffer
already pulled at the leash, trying to get Quill to move and
making the Hunter frown.

"You trained Snuffles very well." Teeka scratched the

truffle behind one ear.

Quill's blush deepened. "I mean no disrespect to my old

teacher, but yes, Brant really didn't do much with her. It's a
shame, because she has so much potential."

They rounded the tent and looked out at the Great Valley.
"Which direction?"
Teeka laughed and spun in a circle with his free hand

pointing outwards. Snuffles chirped and spun as well, almost
tangling him in the length of lead. Teeka ended with his hand
pointing to northeast. Relief flooded him; he would have felt
silly if he'd pointed at the tent. Though after last night, that
option held definite appeal.

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They started out in the direction Teeka chose. Between the

tight-packed dunes other hollows appeared, carpeted with tall
grass.

Teeka gestured as they passed another one. "Are they

named?"

"No, they can disappear overnight after a good sandstorm.

Most near Kotek City seem stable, but they just aren't big
enough to use as grazing. Local wildlife probably love them."

They headed more toward the east and the sand became

deeper. Teeka struggled, his leg muscles aching in protest.
Quill pointed to a low ridge. "Let's stop there. We can slip on
the sand shoes."

Teeka lowered himself with a thump. He stretched out his

feet and watched as Quill fastened large mesh ovals to the
bottom of his boots.

"These will help. Let Snuffles pull you along. Truffles are

better adapted to traverse the dunes than we are. Tell him
'Let's go'."

Quill said the last in a singsong voice, and Teeka had to

resist the urge to laugh, since Quill seemed so serious. Teeka
looked over at the truffle rooting in the sand. "Has anyone
tried harnessing several to a sand sled and letting them pull
someone sitting on it?"

Quill rubbed his chin and gazed into the distance. "It would

take a team, and it would be hard to train them."

"Really? They seem so smart. I read in the archive that

pets their size pulled sleds over frozen white sand on Earth."

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Stroking Sniffer's neck, Quill shook his head. "Truffles are

too rare. No Hunter has a large enough group of them. It
would be fun, to have an entire herd to breed and train."

Quill's face had a faraway look until Sniffer tossed some

sand in the air. Coughing and laughing, they stood again.
Teeka took the Hunter's advice and let Snuffles pull him
along. The little male leaned into the leather and showed no
strain. It did make going uphill easier.

Quill stopped him and pointed to odd wavy marks in the

smooth sand. "Dunesnake. They slide sideways over the
sand." Noticing Teeka's nervous glances around, he added,
"Not poisonous to something our size. They blend into the
sand, half burying themselves to hunt mice and jumpers."
The Hunter pointed at a small rock. "That's probably a burrow
of one of them, a jumper or rock digger."

Teeka peered down, his eyes dazed by the bright suns with

his sunshield raised, and caught sight of a small hole half-
hidden in the sands. He would never have noticed it on his
own.

"Look over here."
Teeka shuddered, seeing a distinct cat paw print in the

sand.

"Too small for sandcat. That's a desert lynx looking for his

dinner. See the imprint of the fur between the toes?" Quill
knelt and Teeka did the same. "Both the lynx and the snake
will return at dusk to try again. Though, the dunesnake might
end up feeding the lynx if he's not careful."

Quill stood, and Teeka's knees twinged as he did as well.

The Hunter's gray gaze narrowed as he looked around. "We're

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too far out for sandcats. Despite the name, they tend to hunt
in the grasses where larger prey can be found."

Teeka watched as the other man's mouth tightened. "It's

all right."

"They linger near the camp, looking for stray camus that

are tempted to wander and graze at the hollows we just
passed. That's another reason I set our camp farther away
from the Stake. They have no fear of us."

"I'll be careful." Teeka squeezed Quill's side, trying to

reassure him.

Quill leaned down towards Teeka. His hand, still free from

its glove from when he pointed out the tracks, cupped Teeka's
jaw. The Hunter kissed him, lips warm on his mouth, and he
caressed Teeka's cheek with a rough, calloused palm.

Quill lifted his head, his breath brushing over Teeka's lips

as he spoke. "I couldn't bear to lose you, too."

Teeka stretched up and kissed Quill back. His hands fisted

in the taller man's robes and he pressed against the muscular
frame. The Hunter's tongue teased the seam of his lips and
Teeka parted them. Wet, questing warmth filled his mouth,
and Teeka sighed. He twined his tongue with Quill's, and the
desert faded away.

Until they fell together in the sand.
Hard.
Teeka blinked and looked around as Quill laughed. A heavy

weight pinned his feet and he realized it was not the other
man. The truffles chirped and wiggled, their long leads
tangled around his and Quill's legs.

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Quill rolled from him and sat, reaching down to unwind the

leashes. Teeka sighed and adjusted his sunshield, reluctant to
give up the moment of passion they just shared.

Quill helped him up, and Teeka bent and adjusted his

boots and sandshoes. He squeaked when a firm hand goosed
him through his robes. He straightened and pretended to
glare at his Intended. Quill grinned back as he pulled on his
glove. The Hunter's teeth flashed white against his tanned
face.

It amazed Teeka again how much younger Quill looked

when he smiled and relaxed. Taking the day off was proving
to be one of his better decisions.

He gathered up Snuffles' lead again and whistled like he'd

often heard Quill do. Soon they trundled up another dune.
This one seemed like a small mountain, and they paused
again at the top.

Teeka stared in wonder. An ocean of sand stretched in

front of him. The golden dunes glowed in the suns, grains
glinting like tiny goldstones. He squinted, the light blinding
despite his sunshields. The dunes reached the horizon like
they went on forever. "How far do the dunes reach?"

"Not sure. Far-glasses show no edge or trees. No one has

ever crossed it and returned."

"Have many tried?"
"Enough."
Teeka shivered despite the heat. The idea of being lost and

wandering with no clear direction made the desert seem less
exciting and more dangerous.

He gazed around. It all looked the same to him.

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"Um. Can we find the way back?"
Instead of being offended, Quill grinned again.
"I have a natural good sense of direction. Keeping track of

the suns' paths helps, and I do have my compass. Did they
teach you how to read one?"

"Of course."
"Perhaps I'll let you practice on the way home." Quill

paused and studied him, and Teeka kicked the sand. "Did you
bring it with you?"

"I forgot it in the tent." He flushed. He could see in his

mind the compass and his teacher back at the Keep, lecturing
on and on about the danger of becoming lost and disoriented
in the Great Valley. Now, his first time out, what does he do?
Forget the silly thing back at the tent.

Quill's eyebrow cocked over the gray implants, though he

didn't seem annoyed, more amused. "The truffles will take
you back. Just tell them 'home', especially if they are
hungry."

Teeka laughed. "Are they ever not?"
"Truffles mature slowly. They're still growing."
The little creatures looked up at them and blinked their

long lashes while fluttering their inner lids. Quill gave them a
treat each, their nimble trunks carrying it to eager mouths.
Teeka grinned, forgiving them for interrupting the earlier
tender moment.

Teeka didn't know how long they walked. The time flew by,

with Quill often stopping to let him rest and to show him
some interesting aspect of the desert. Rather than barren, the
Great Valley teemed with life, if one knew how to look.

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They stopped at a small grove of baku trees to eat. Quill

set up the cooling sheet from over their bed, draping it from a
low limb. Teeka spread out a cloth and retrieved their meal
from Quill's pack. The cooling container had kept the contents
at a nice temperature. Earlier they had snacked on raw grava
root the truffles sniffed out, but now their stomachs grumbled
for more.

Quill settled beside him, unlacing his boots and pulling off

his socks. He dug his toes in the sand and stretched, enjoying
himself. Teeka grinned, watching his antics.

Teeka had packed thin stackable bowls and split the cold

soup between them. The crackers and fruit complemented the
chilled grains. Quill insisted they drink water supplemented
with electrolytes, and Teeka heeded his judgment.

He fed the truffles some of the fruit when they begged and

made Quill laugh.

"Of all of us, they are the best suited to stay well fed out

here. Their trunks can search under the sand to the layer of
edible moss below."

Teeka giggled. "They seem to like fruit better."
He reached out to the Hunter, the next piece of fruit in his

fingers. Quill parted his lips and let Teeka feed him. Quill
licked his fingers, claiming any stray drop of juice that
lingered. Teeka shivered and scooted closer. He moved the
dishes aside but kept the fruit bowl. He scooped another juicy
piece out and fed his Intended the next one as well. He loved
it when Quill tried to suck his fingers in.

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"You are the one I'm worried about becoming dehydrated.

You don't have all the implants I do." Quill pulled the bowl of
fruit closer to him.

Boots discarded when he first sat down, Teeka tucked his

feet under him. They ended up sitting knee to knee, facing
each other. When Quill placed the piece of fruit between
Teeka's lips, he wrapped his tongue around the salty digit.
Quill moaned deep in his chest and satisfaction filled Teeka.
He loved making this strong Hunter utter those hungry noises
of want. They continued to take turns feeding each other until
only the juices remained in the bowl.

Quill held the rim to Teeka's lips. "You should drink this."
After Teeka swallowed, Quill leaned forward and claimed a

kiss.

"Sweet," he murmured against Teeka's mouth. "We might

take a nap, now. We've walked quite a ways, and it's the heat
of the day."

"What a good idea," Teeka agreed.
He repacked the empty bowls while Quill took the truffles

on a short walk. When the Hunter returned, he loomed,
standing over Teeka who reclined on his elbows on the
blanket. Excitement fluttered through him at the glitter in
Quill's gaze. Quill kicked off his boots again and lowered
himself next to Teeka.

"Now this is what I call dessert."
Teeka wanted to giggle, but it caught in his throat.

Instead, a whimpering sound emerged, embarrassing him.
Quill unwrapped his turban and set it next to his boots, his
dark braid swinging. The rubies gleamed even in the shade as

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the Hunter reclined next to him. Teeka watched as Quill
propped himself on an elbow, his other hand reaching to rest
on Teeka's hip. He pulled, turning Teeka until he lay on his
side, facing Quill.

Teeka's breath caught as tanned fingers plucked at his

silks. They seemed very dark against the pale yellow of the
fabric. The front of his robes parted and Quill flicked the edge
up and over to hang behind Teeka. The Hunter's eyes roved
over his exposed skin and Teeka could feel the heat of the
other man's gaze even with the cooling sheet draped above
them. A long finger traced down his sternum, returning
upwards to play with his nipple rings. Teeka panted but lay
quiet, wanting to let his Intended explore.

That finger trailed downwards again. It began circling his

navel, the emerald there winking with his breath. Teeka
leaned forward, a steady pressure on his back pushing him
towards Quill. He watched the Hunter's lips lower, before they
paused and quirked up in a grin. Teeka blinked as his mind
cleared.

If Quill's hand caressed his belly and he rested on the

other, then....

He glanced over his shoulder and Sniffer jerked back,

removing her trunk from the small of his back.

"Landing!" Teeka rolled forward and away from the truffle,

grabbing his robes about him. Quill rolled onto his back,
laughing.

"Stop!" Teeka slapped Quill's stomach lightly. "It wasn't

that funny."

"Actually, it was."

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Quill's arm pulled him close, and Teeka cuddled against

him. He rested his head on Quill's shoulder, his hand roving
over the broad chest. He threw a possessive knee over one of
the Hunter's legs. Slipping his palm under Quill's robes, it met
warm, taut skin. He inched his fingers upwards, searching for
Quill's nipple, and woke up.

Blinking, Teeka peered from under the cooling sheet. From

the position of the suns, he'd napped for hours. Quill sat
nearby, whittling, a coiled wooden fansnake appearing under
his blade. He made it from a twig from the baku twig.

Teeka sat up and rubbed his eyes. They felt gritty, as did

his robes. But he did feel rested.

"We should be heading back. We don't want the dark to

catch us."

"That sounds smart." He tried to rise, and his legs

protested, aches shooting through his muscles. He bit back a
groan. Thinking back to the hours they walked, he bit back
another. "How far out are we?"

Quill slid a glance sideways and fiddled with his carving.

"Not far, actually. We walked in a semi-circle."

Teeka hid his grin and said in a mock stern voice, "We

haven't been wandering and trekking?"

Quill shrugged. "I considered it wandering in a controlled

manner."

"Well, my legs thank you for your forethought," Teeka

admitted.

Quill rose to his feet and helped Teeka. He discovered,

after hobbling around their improvised camp, his muscles
loosened with movement. Hiding a grimace, he fastened on

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the sand shoes again and strode out with Quill. He gathered
up his courage and forced a smile onto his face despite the
soreness in his legs. Quill continued on, next to him, like a
Hunter on the vid.

With Snuffles pulling him along, Teeka made it back to the

tent. Quill insisted he take the first sluice, and Teeka allowed
himself to be persuaded. As the water bathed him with cool
refreshment, he couldn't see how Hunters went for days
searching the Great Valley for a harvest with no Keeper to
take care of their tent. A pleasant exhaustion filled him but
the luxury of water was high on a list of things Teeka wouldn't
care to live without, goldstones or no.

Teeka's grin burst out of him as he prepared to re-enter

the tent. He had enjoyed every minute of being out in the
Great Valley. Strange, to feel at home in such a desolate
place.

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Chapter 17: Stardawn

Teeka walked in from the sluice, still damp, water droplets

clinging to his skin. Quill looked up, and his gaze filled with
lust, but a burst of cheeping from the truffles interrupted
them. Both Snuffles and Sniffer came at a run, trunks lifted.
Teeka stepped back, using his hands to cover himself.

"They just like seeing you looking like them."
"Funny." Teeka flushed. "Just put them in the pen."
Quill chuckled. Teeka knew how to get revenge. He pulled

out various food items and began to prepare dinner in the
nude. Quill muttered and escaped to take his sluice while
Teeka laughed. When Quill returned, nightsilks clinging to his
damp body, Teeka gave his Intended a smoldering look that
made the Hunter swagger a bit.

He realized he had left the grains in their packs. "Can you

get me the packs, please?"

Quill stepped outside but immediately poked his head back

in. "Come here a moment."

Teeka padded to the flap and peeked out, hiding his still-

nude body. "What is it?"

Quill pointed. Stardawn left the sky filled with light and a

river of stars flowed overhead.

"There's none but us outside," Quill murmured. He opened

his robes to reveal that he wore nothing underneath. "Come.
Lay with me."

Teeka grabbed some pillows and stepped out on the rugs

they used as their front stoop. He waited while Quill arranged

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himself, making a nest for them. He curled up on Quill's body,
his head in the hollow of his throat.

"You smell good," Quill commented.
"I do?"
"Mmm." Quill nibbled at his neck. "Indeed."
They spent an enjoyable hour kissing and watching the

sky, pointing out various star clusters and making up their
own. An errant breeze raised bumps on Teeka's skin and Quill
rubbed his arm.

"We should go inside," the Hunter said, regret in his voice.

"You're getting chilled."

"You're not," Teeka responded, disappointed in himself.
"I told you, I'm a furnace. Always have been. I don't get

cold until Nightmonth."

Teeka laughed. "I'm always cold."
He rose and ran back into the tent to dive under the

bedsilks. Quill let the truffles out of the pen, and they
cheeped and chirped in loud voices. They followed Teeka,
resulting in a chaotic tumble on the bed. Sniffer got tangled in
Teeka's braid, rolling and cheeping, playing as she got more
and more knotted with it.

"Help!" Teeka cried when Quill just laughed.
Quill caught Snuffles as he zoomed past, depositing him in

the pen with a large fabric ball. He attacked it, cheeping, and
did the same to his sister when Quill brought her to join him.

"They'll settle down in a bit," Quill promised. "They just get

excited."

Quill gathered the bowl of chilled greens Teeka had

prepared earlier. He carried it over to the bed, where he

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shrugged out of his silks. Teeka decided to make the grains
another time. Teeka let his gaze run over the form of his
Intended. This exceeded his dreams of being on Stake; he'd
had no idea he'd find love in his second Contract.

Teeka held the bedsilks for Quill and waited while he

settled himself. He made a tight cocoon of them, himself
wedged against the Hunter. Quill slid his arm behind Teeka
and lifted him bodily on top of Quill's chest, where Teeka
settled, warming himself. The Hunter handed him a spoon
and Teeka slid sideways so he could lean up against the
pillows. They began to eat, sharing the bowl. After all the
exertions of the day, the light supper seemed just right. They
began talking between bites.

"We can draw up the papers in the morning." Quill smiled,

his eyes possessive. "Elder Hunter will send someone to check
on the dig, and they can carry the papers back to Kotek City."

"I'd like that," Teeka said, shyness stealing his voice. "It's

more than I could hope for."

"What did you expect?"
"To have to go back to the Keep and start the Contract

review over again."

"Will you miss it?"
"My friends, yes. But I'm content here."
Quill squeezed him. "What about the Daymonth?"
"The Keep opens to all the Keepers on Contract, and there

are festivals and games. Our families come and stay as well.
It's not as fun as Nightmonth, but I enjoy it."

"No, I meant, what will you do this Daymonth?

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Teeka stopped. "Oh. I didn't think about that." He pulled

back enough to see Quill's face. "What do you do?"

"Kotek City pulls back to the Stronghold. Many Hunters

carouse as far as their money will take them. I spend time
with Uncle Tybinia, refit my gear, and relax."

"That sounds..." He trailed off.
"Boring?" Quill guessed, grinning. "It suited me."
"Suited? But not any longer?"
"I would enjoy seeing the Keep. I've never been. Dekka

spent time here, and Tybinia. I've been to Reghdad, when I
was looking for a Contract, but never spent time in either
Keep."

Teeka loved to hear Quill refer to the Elder Hunter as

"Tybinia." He seemed more human when he did it and less
like the icon of the perfect Hunter. It must have been lonely
for him, though, growing up without siblings or cousins to
play with. "I'd love to introduce you to my family. There are a
lot of them, though, I warn you."

"So you said."
"Oh, I don't just mean my sisters and brother. There are

nieces and nephews, too."

"How many?"
"Eighteen, at last count."
"What?" Quill's eyes flew open. "You're not serious?"
"Oh yes. And the other Keepers come with their families

too. It's quite something." He avoided telling the Hunter of his
own family's palace. He'd find out soon enough. No sense
scaring the man now.

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But all of that would wait. For now, this tent, and his

Intended, satisfied Teeka beyond measure. He snuggled
against the now silent Quill and concentrated on his breath,
relaxing his body as well as his mind.

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Chapter 18: Damned Devils

Solday morning, Quill prepared the Contract while Teeka

made breakfast and set their dinner in to cook. By the time
their morning meal was finished, the Contract was ready.

"Quill, there's an error here." Teeka munched his mouthful

of grains. "It says a halfweight."

"No, that's correct." Quill said it in a casual tone, not even

bothering to turn around and look at Teeka.

"But—"
"I'm asking for two full seasons, not one."
Teeka stared at him. "That's a year!"
Quill shrugged. "And?"
His head started pounding and happiness made his chest

tight. "Quill?"

"Eat your breakfast."
Teeka read the rest of it. What Quill offered differed little

from what Brant offered, in point of fact, and he couldn't help
but notice the implications. By tradition, if a Contract lasted
beyond three years, it became a Bonding. Quill had added an
automatic first refusal clause. Teeka's eyes widened. Usually
the Contract only requested right of first refusal if he wanted
a permanent Bonding with the Keeper. Traditionally, such a
clause only got included when the pair knew for sure they'd
stay together.

After he paid off his Keep Pledge, Teeka could add the 'ia',

changing his name to Teekia, to show Bonded status. Even
though they'd only just Contracted, the idea sped his

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heartbeat and sent warmth into his hands. He didn't want to
look up and show Quill his gaze, in case he appeared too
excited. But the idea... the idea appealed to him.

After a few moments, he could feel Quill's gaze on him.

The Hunter appeared to be waiting for something. "Quill, I
don't know what to say."

"Do you accept?"
"Yes, of course!"
"Sign it and have done with it. I have work to do!"
"Well!"
Quill snickered and ruffled Teeka's hair before going back

to his packs and organizing his equipment for the day's work.
Teeka stretched in the chair and watched him, sated in body
and mind.

"What should I work on today?"
Shrugging, Quill examined his belt knife for nicks. "I'd

clean up and prepare for packing. Our remaining time will
pass quickly. I can bring you a bag of lodesand at lunchtime."

Teeka rose and tidied up the breakfast dishes. Quill

finished and clucked at the truffles. Teeka took Snuffles'
harness while the Hunter got Sniffer settled. "I'll see you
shortly."

Teeka grabbed Quill and pulled his head down for a quick

and fierce kiss. "Hurry back."

Quill nipped his chin. "I will."
Then he was gone. Teeka moved about the tent, cleaning

and tidying, a proprietary sense of pleasure at the objects
filling him. The Winds whistled past the tent. Teeka pulled his
silks closer around him. A chill did not accompany the eerie

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sound, but it unnerved him. He'd noticed odd swirls of sands
while preparing to do washing and changed his mind about
starting that chore. Too early for the morning Winds, this
unusual activity made him secure the tent flaps after Quill left
for the site.

He glanced over to make sure and a dark shadow at the

entrance startled him. Slipping his eating dagger into his
hand, Teeka called out.

No answer came back to him.
He moved to the center of the tent to give himself room to

move. Not sure what to expect, Teeka waited, his mouth dry,
until a short trunk thrust between the flaps and made him
laugh. At the mournful chirp, he rushed forward. This close to
the entrance, he could hear Quill muttering as he tried to
unfasten the ties Teeka had knotted from the inside. Teeka's
fingers joined his Intended's and soon the truffles pushed in,
followed by a dusty Quill.

"Landing, it's awful outside."
Teeka didn't even complain of the sand settling around

them. "What's the cause for the weather?"

Quill shrugged, another fine shower falling from his outer

robes. "This happens every so often. We call them dust
devils, these small whirlwinds. They tend to only last a few
hours before moving on or dying out."

"So it's not part of the Winds?" Teeka glanced at the door,

stomach tightening.

"No. Dust devils aren't regular, for one thing, and they're

not as widespread. They don't happen down south; that's why
you've never seen them near Reghdad."

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"Does this mean you can't work on the site?" Teeka tried

to hide his pleasure.

Quill shook his head. "Not worth unpacking the tarps I set

up for taking the day off yesterday. Had to tighten it up and
reset the shields the devils knocked out, but it's secure
again." He peered out the tent flap and sighed, swearing in
sudden annoyance. "They're coming faster than I thought.
Fasten the storm cover over the back of the tent while I get
the truffles settled." He secured the flap and clicked at the
truffles.

Teeka ran out back and got the heavy canvas covering for

the back side of the tent. He zipped it into place on one side,
and then Quill appeared, helping him with the rest. The lean
Hunter went outside to double-check the rest of their gear
and to drag the heavy food lockers inside the door of the tent.

Quill took out the tel and dialed Kotek City. Teeka listened

with half an ear as he consolidated the food lockers. Quill told
Tybin not to send anyone because of the dust devils. Their
Contract Witness would, therefore, have to wait. They both
finished their chores at the same time.

"Now what?" Teeka sat on a box in the now cramped

quarters. Thank the Winds he'd already started tidying up
earlier.

Of course, further work didn't appeal to him. He knew

what he wanted to do with the idleness, but wasn't sure if
Quill would be too distracted for lovemaking.

Just wearing his inner robe, Quill scooped up the truffles

and put them in the pen. He draped his outer silks over the
side of the wire mesh wall.

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Teeka frowned. "I can string up the inner line to air out

your robes. The truffles will pull them into the pen and nest in
them, if you leave them there."

Quill's grin lit up his face, making him look years younger.

"Nope, it's so they can't watch us."

"Oh, doing what? Eating or having tea?" Teeka put a slink

in his walk as he approached the Hunter.

Quill reached out and grabbed a handful of Teeka's braids,

using them to pull him closer. "I think we can find some more
interesting ways to pass the time until the dust devil wanders
away."

Quill's kiss tasted of heat and hunger and sand as Teeka

allowed the other man's tongue to sweep inside his mouth.
He shivered as the Hunter's calloused hands stroked up under
Teeka's sleeves. His own lifted to caress Quill's neck before
his fingers buried into the thick hair. He massaged Quill's
scalp and the base of his skull.

Quill moaned into his mouth as Teeka lifted up on his toes

to deepen their kiss. By balancing on the tips of Quill's boots,
he gained another few centimeters.

"Skin," Quill muttered against his lips.
Hands blindly pushed their silks away until the fabric

puddled at their feet. Teeka could not stop his giggle.

"What?"
Oh, Quill's distracted, frustrated look was sexy. "You still

have your boots on."

"Well, you're wearing your slippers."
Teeka smirked as he kicked them off one at a time. Quill

shuffled backwards, Teeka still balanced on his boots. As Quill

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struggled to sit without falling, Teeka clung to his shoulders.
They ended up in a mound of pillows with Teeka on his lap.

Quill's naked lap.
Teeka enjoyed a slow wiggle as they began kissing again.

Quill's hands ran up and down Teeka's back, under his hair
and braids. They settled on his hips, holding him still and
bringing a halt to his swaying.

"Stop, or I will spill too soon. You're driving me crazy."
Teeka lifted his head and grinned. "I'm just dancing."
"Lap dancing; is that new from the Keeps?"
"Not yet, but I see it becoming very popular."
Quill leaned in and bit him on the curve where Teeka's

neck flowed into his shoulder. Teeka arched, his cock rubbing
on Quill's hard belly. His Intended's cock wedged under
Teeka's balls and made him want to start moving again.

"More, I want more."
"Help me with these blasted boots."
Teeka slid off Quill's lap with the maximum amount of skin

contact he could manage. Nimble fingers made short work of
the leather laces and buckles of the Hunter's high boots,
though the image of Quill sprawled back among the pillows,
just wearing the tall tan boots and his armband tattoo of
rank, was one Teeka would remember.

When both boots, with socks tucked inside, rested under

the bed pad's frame, Teeka sat back on his heels. Quill's cock
curved up over his belly and a bead of precome gleamed in
the tent's dimness. Swooping forward, Teeka's licked the hard
length until he could capture the drop waiting for him. Quill's

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guttural groan made Teeka smile. He watched the Hunter's
face as he explored Quill's cock with his tongue.

Despite his silks, a few grains of sand had managed to find

their way to Quill's skin. It added to the taste of the Hunter,
to discover these in such a private place. It was like the
desert didn't want to let Quill go. But for now, he belonged to
Teeka. The siren call of the dunes would have to wait.

Urgent fingers tugged in Teeka's hair. Quill's eyes half

closed, and his lips parted as he panted. Teeka could see the
need in his Intended's gaze and it filled him with excitement
as well as a deep sense of satisfaction. This was what he'd
always wanted, dreamed of, during lessons at the Keep.

He rose and pushed Quill backwards. There was a brief

scramble as they scooted back among the pillows until they
lay surrounded in a nest of moss-soft silk. Straddling Quill's
hips, Teeka wrapped his hand around the shaft rising up from
a cluster of short, dark curls. Reaching to the side, he
fumbled and found the vial of oil he'd hidden near the head of
the bed. Popping it open one-handed, he poured a drizzle on
Quill's cock, smoothing it around with his other. Soon Quill's
shaft gleamed, shiny and ready for him.

He held his breath as he guided it to his entrance.
"Hey, look at me."
Teeka met Quill's gray gaze. His eyes were darker than

he'd ever seen them and met his with a steady strength.
Teeka leaned forward and kissed him. A hand curled around
the back of his neck as Quill's other rested on his hip, bracing
him. Teeka pulled back a few inches and stared into Quill's

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eyes as he relaxed and pushed down. The blunt head of
Quill's cock breached his entrance, the burn making him gasp.

The expression on Quill's face outshined any passing

discomfort. The Hunter's cheekbones were stark against his
face as it tightened in need. The cords of his neck stood out
as Quill arched up, wanting to get deeper inside of him.

He watched as Quill took a deep breath and eased back

onto the pillows, lying flat. The Hunter's hands cradled both of
Teeka's hips, holding him secure.

Teeka lowered, filling himself. When Quill's coarse curls

crushed under his ass, Teeka exhaled.

"Are you fine?"
Teeka could see the strain on Quill's face. It amazed him

that the Hunter pushed away his own need to see to his
comfort.

He reached down and cupped Quill's face. "I'm not fine;

I'm perfect."

Teeka sat back and gasped as Quill's length rubbed him

just right. He rocked his hips to repeat the sensation.

"Move, baby. You're killing me."
Teeka loved hearing the need growled out from his

Intended. Thankful for his years of dancing, he raised and
lowered himself on Quill's cock. The strong hold on his hips
held him as he arched back and closed his eyes. Over and
over, he made sure the shaft buried inside him stroked his
gland.

It surprised Teeka when his release rushed through him.

Usually he needed to touch himself to reach climax. Shudders

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raced through him and he cried out as white jets of his seed
fell onto Quill's chest and belly.

Quill's hands slid up his body and steadied him when he

would have slumped into a boneless heap. Quill turned them
and Teeka sighed as he relaxed into the pillows.

He protested as Quill slid from him. "No, don't go."
"Let me clean us up a bit."
A wet, warm cloth wiped over him, gentle on his softening

cock.

Teeka frowned as something occurred to him. "You didn't

come yet?"

"Oh, I will. Just letting you get some strength back."
Teeka grinned, slow and lazy. "Oh, really? How considerate

of you."

He arched among the pillows, watching as Quill's gaze

followed every little flex, full of hunger. Teeka gathered a few
pillows and pulled them under his hips. He let his legs splay
open and Quill moved in between them.

Rough, calloused palms slid over the smooth skin of

Teeka's inner thighs, making him shiver. Quill drizzled more
oil on Teeka's skin, making him writhe. Desire rekindled
inside him, and he held out his arms. Quill leaned in for a kiss
again. Teeka ran his hands over the Hunter's shoulders and
wrapped his legs around Quill's hips, pulling him closer.

Teeka's tongue twined with Quill's as they caressed each

other. The leaking tip of Quill's cock left a wet trail along
Teeka's inner thigh.

Teeka pulled his head away, earning a growl from the

Hunter.

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"Inside me. I want more. Help me with the pillows."
Quill sent him a puzzled look. "Huh?"
"Push more behind me. I want to watch you enter me."
It only took a moment to pile a small mountain behind

Teeka's shoulders. Now he reclined and watched with avid
eyes as the Hunter kneeled between his legs. Quill gripped
the base of his cock and rubbed more oil along the heated
skin. Then he guided himself to Teeka's entrance.

Quill slid into him again with tantalizing slowness. Teeka

sighed as their bodies rejoined. Quill braced himself up on
straight arms to allow Teeka to look down to where their
coarse curls mingled.

"Can I move now?"
Teeka giggled. "All right. That is, if you're sure you want

to?"

Quill growled and snapped his hips, making Teeka gasp in

response. He wrapped his hands around Quill's upper arms,
feeling the tensed muscles. He lifted his legs and wrapped
them around the Hunter's hips. Quill began thrusting, the tent
filling with the sound of their skin slapping.

Teeka's desire rose again with each stroke of Quill's shaft

over his gland. It seemed the Hunter's aim was as true in bed
as when filling their larder.

Teeka tilted his hips as Quill moved. Now that his first

release had spilled his seed, he could watch Quill as the
Hunter worked inside of him. Quill's face sharpened, his
tanned skin pulled taut over high cheek bones. Tiny beads of
sweat, nothing to do with the desert heat, trailed down his

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neck. Teeka arched up and licked one, the salty taste
exploding on his tongue.

Quill turned his head for a kiss. Teeka sucked on Quill's

tongue as it mimicked the actions of the Hunter's body
stroking inside him. His hands caressed Quill's arms and
shoulders, running over the smooth skin and bunching
muscles.

Too soon his own rising desire distracted him. Need clawed

though him and Teeka moved to match Quill.

"Spill for me," Quill growled in his ear.
"No, you first."
"Winds, Teeka." Quill gasped, stomach muscles bunching.
Teeka bit the meaty part of the Hunter's shoulder, and

Quill moaned, low and gravely. A few more frantic short
thrusts and Teeka felt wet warmth fill him as Quill groaned
and stilled.

This triggered his own release, and Teeka cried out.
They clung to each other as they recovered, their breaths

harsh sounding in the stillness of the tent. Quill withdrew and
Teeka make a soft protesting sound. He unwrapped his legs,
letting them go limp as Quill used the towel to clean their
skin. A strong arm pulled him close and Teeka threw a leg
over Quill's as he rested his head on Quill's chest.

A rumble sounded under his ear. "Nap?"
"Definitely."
"Good."
Now this was the life. His Intended curled up with him, out

on Stake, and a post-coital nap. Did it get any better than
this?

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[Back to Table of Contents]

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Chapter 19: Inner Light

When Teeka woke again, silence greeted him. He couldn't

hear Quill out in the necessary; he must have gone to the
Stake. The Hunter seemed to need to be moving or working
when out on Stake. Teeka sat up and stretched, joints
popping. The truffles peered at him with hope, since the silks
no longer hung in front of their pen. When they saw him
looking at them, they began cheeping.

"In a minute."
He shrugged on a robe and went out back to the

necessary. After a swift sluice, he returned to the tent and
lifted the truffles from the pen. Snuffles trundled to the flaps
and poked his trunk out while Sniffer stood by their leashes
as though willing Teeka to hurry up.

"Do you want to go out? Maybe find Quill and bring him a

cold waterskin?"

She chirped as if answering him.
"All right. Let me get dressed."
The walk seemed shorter this time, his body acclimating to

the effort. But then they arrived, Teeka looked around at the
empty dig site. The tarps still secured the dig, tied down with
the shield in place. It appeared untouched.

Where was Quill?
The truffles chirped and spun out to the Great Valley.

Teeka laughed, realizing he'd asked his question out loud. It
appeared as if Sniffer and Snuffles had taken him literally. He
let them lead him for a short distance. As long as he moved

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with care and didn't venture far, Teeka could navigate back to
the tent.

Teeka smiled as the truffles pulled at their leashes. The

sand kicked under his feet as they trundled up another dune.
Squinting against the sun, he looked around as they reached
the rise. Both Sniffer and Snuffles seemed determined to
head in this direction. Looking down, he realized why.

Quill stood at the bottom of the hollow created by the

dunes. Without the truffles scenting him with their keen
trunks, Teeka would have never found his Intended. He
panted, trying to catch his breath. Before he could call out a
greeting, something odd made him hesitate.

Quill stood with his back to them and his robes billowed,

but no breeze stirred Teeka's hair. Quill stood with one hand
to the side, palm up and the other outstretched before him. A
glow appeared and a beam of light shot from the Hunter's
outstretched hand to explode a rock dozens of steps away.

Teeka gasped and dropped to his knees in shock. Sniffer

and Snuffles escaped from his slack hands, their leashes
trailing behind them as they raced down the slope. At their
approach, Quill turned. His eyes glowed, matching the
sunstone in his hand.

Through the numbness filling him, Teeka's mind became

clear on one thing. Quill was a Shiner. How could he not have
known? How could Quill have not said anything?

He stared down at his lover, robes fluttering from the

energy he harnessed. The alien glow hid the familiar gaze.
Shock swirled through Teeka.

A Shiner.

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Extremely rare, legends surrounded them, filled with tales

of extraordinary feats. But the power they wielded always
proved to be unstable, even dangerous, and horror stories
often shared that aspect as well to avid listeners. Not much
was known about them now; the few born were scooped up
to live and train cloistered in seclusion, deep in the
mountains.

Except, it seemed, for one that lived in the desert.
In Teeka's tent.
He watched, dazed, as Quill pocketed the fading orb and

reached down to pet the truffles at his feet. His lover started
the laborious trek up through the deep sand. Too soon, Quill
stood over Teeka and a tanned, calloused hand reached to
him, offering to help him up.

Teeka stared at it for a moment. This hand had stroked his

body just hours ago to delight, and this morn had handed
Teeka his tea mug while he lingered in the bedsilks. It had
also caused a rock to explode mere moments ago.

He met Quill's gray gaze, the color back to the way it

should be, and accepted the Quill's hand. The deep sand
shifted under his feet, and Teeka couldn't stop the step back
to regain his balance. Quill's face darkened, and his jaw
tightened. He released Teeka's hand.

Teeka knew that look.
Every time Quill doubted his appeal because of those

blasted scars, that expression shadowed his face. Teeka
refused to let this new discovery come between them—or any
imaginary ideas Quill might be dreaming up and crediting to
Teeka, unfounded.

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Reaching out, he grabbed the tan robes and jerked Quill

towards him. He gave his lover a short, fierce kiss before
releasing him.

"We will talk about this back at the tent, Senior Hunter."
"Of course, Keeper."
"There are a few details of which you neglected to inform

me during Contract negotiations. Not as vital as your inability
to make decent tea but still worth knowing."

He watched Quill's confused expression as he shuffled his

boots in the sand. "Perhaps one or two."

As they fell in step to return to the tent, Quill walked next

to Teeka but made no move to touch him. The line of his jaw
was set like a closed door and his muscles seemed rigid
enough to snap.

Teeka stroked his hand down Quill's forearm and under his

palm, and laced their fingers together. Quill's palm radiated
warmth but no more than when they'd made love.

But he destroyed a rock with that hand.
Teeka squeezed the calloused skin and rubbed small circles

with his thumb.

"You're not afraid of me? Of it?" Quill's voice sounded

tentative and unfamiliar.

"No."
Quill digested that. The damned implants over his eyes

made his expression impossible to read.

"Does it hurt?"
Quill flicked a glance at him. "Does what hurt?"
"When you hold a sunstone. Does it hurt? When you throw

energy like that?"

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Quill shook his head. "It hurts if I don't."
"What do you mean?"
"It builds up, and I have to let it out or I get sick with it."

Quill sighed. "And I don't mean when I hold them."

Teeka frowned, puzzled.
Quill gestured, waving his arm around at the desert. "I can

feel them, all around us, under the sands. All the time. If I
don't let them talk to me, it makes me ache." He looked
away, expression bitter and ashamed.

Teeka's eyes widened. No wonder Quill stayed away from

the city. He'd have a horrible time trying to keep a secret like
this there.

The tent appeared, and the truffles started cheeping at the

same moment, as though talking to each other. As suddenly
as they'd started, they fell silent. Teeka grinned at their
antics, and Quill chuckled, but the smile didn't reach his
eyebrows. They stayed drawn, as though in pain.

How long had the taciturn Hunter lived alone with his

secret? No wonder he seemed withdrawn and quiet. Had
Brant known?

Had Dekka?
As they entered the tent, Teeka's gaze fell on his case that

held his precious tea supplies and knew, without question,
what would reassure Quill.

He touched Quill's shoulder and drew the taller man

around to face him.

Landing! Without the implants in place, Teeka could clearly

read the pain and confusion in Quill's gaze. "We need to —"

"Talk?" Quill interrupted in a bitter tone.

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"Bathe."
Teeka wanted to laugh at the confused expression on

Quill's face.

"Come," Teeka coaxed. "We have much to do."
"Much— what?"
Teeka touched Quill's lips to silence him and led the way

out to the sluice. He set the tub to fill and disrobed, leaving
his clothing in a little pile by the tent flap. Quill watched him,
a lost expression on his face.

That meant Teeka could help him undress.
Quill froze when Teeka reached for his robes, and he

watched Teeka with large, pain-filled eyes. Teeka smoothed a
hand across Quill's jaw, cupping it. "It's all right. I promise."

Some of the look faded as they got into the tub, the water

covering them like a warm blanket.

When Teeka scooted closer to rub Quill's shoulders, Quill

caught his hand. "I don't understand."

"I know. It's all right."
"Teeka—"
"When you offer Contract, there's a traditional Contract

Ceremony. We're not at the Keep, but that's no reason to be
uncivilized."

"But..."
When Quill trailed off, Teeka used his indecision to move

him to reach the muscular shoulders. He dug into the tense
muscles, roped and knotted from tension and fear. It took a
while, but they responded by loosening.

Quill must have a horrible headache.

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Finished at last, Teeka soaped himself. Quill mimicked him,

and they sluiced together. Teeka let the water out to filter. He
followed Quill into the tent and set his clothes down while
Quill gave the truffles more water and some kibble.

Teeka gathered his nightsilks, the ones he'd planned for

Brant's yearday. It seemed like ages ago, now. Brant's death
had paved the way for a new life for Teeka. With shock,
Teeka felt his grief ease and marveled. He sent a little prayer
of thanks to Brant's spirit for that gift and turned to the living,
breathing Hunter beside him. He missed Brant but knew now
that Quill fulfilled his dreams.

But now, to show the Hunter.
"Here," Teeka murmured. He spread out a set of intimate

bodysilks on the bed. "Wear these."

Quill eyed them and lifted the topmost, and it fell from his

hands like a cascade of water. The confused expression in
Quill's eyes made Teeka laugh. "I'll help you."

The elaborate ties confounded Quill, but Teeka got

everything settled. Like a Sultan, Quill reclined on the bed
with a smile playing around his lips. "I feel ridiculous."

"Well, you look sexy, so hush."
Quill's mouth quirked up even as his eyebrows drew down

in a frown, but at least he smiled again. Teeka set the water
on to boil and got out his teacakes. He got his special
enameled tea canister, where he kept the precious blends
used for special occasions.

Quill's nostrils flared. "What is that?"
"Tea."

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Quill took the canister from him and inhaled. "Landing,

that smells good."

Falling into the familiar rhythms of the tea ceremony,

Teeka kneeled before Quill and set up a low box as a table.
He laid the woven runner with its special needlework across
the top and Quill's fingers twitched, as though stopping
himself from touching it.

Teeka caught his fingers and laid them on the fabric, and

Quill ran the fabric through his hands. "This is amazing work.
You can't see the joins on the reverse."

Teeka smiled and nodded, but said nothing. Instead, he

prepared the tea, allowing his breath to deepen and the
tension to flow from his body.

Teeka poured the water from the kettle over the herbs in

the pot, and the aroma of the special ceremonial tea filled the
small space of the tent, the scents intensifying. Quill inhaled,
his eyes widening as he caught the scent, and Teeka smiled
at him. He closed his eyes to focus and took several deep
breaths. His palms grew warm and he opened his eyes,
relaxed at last. While the tea steeped, he arranged the
teacakes on the plate and set it on the box-table.

The Hunter slid from the bed to the floor next to it.

Kneeling on the other side of their makeshift table, Quill met
Teeka's gaze. He leaned forward to retrieve a pastry and
nibbled at the corner. His eyes crinkled with pleasure. "Your
teacakes are the best I've tasted, Teeka."

Teeka preened, satisfied with his plans. By then, the tea

finished steeping and he poured Quill a cup and set a teacake

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on his own plate. Sitting back, he gazed at his Intended. Now
or never.

"Now. Tell me about this secret of yours."
Quill flushed, a dull cherry color that looked good against

his black hair. He dropped his eyes to the teapot and sighed.
"I don't know where to start."

"How did you find out you were a Shiner?"
Quill shrugged, peeking at him. After a moment, he raised

his head and met Teeka's gaze, though the flush still stayed
on his cheeks. "It came on me young. My da knew, and he
helped me hide it." He paused. "My mother died because of
it."

Teeka hid his start of surprised shock by dint of long

practice at Keep, but a voice in the back of his mind
murmured that maybe he made a mistake, trusting Quill like
this. Shiner power, legend said, could be unstable and
unpredictable, though Quill seemed neither. "How did it
happen?

"Another Shiner brought the roof down over us. We lived

in Bitek Stronghold. He had come to kidnap me, but she hid
me away, and it angered him."

Teeka gaped at him in shock, his mouth open. He'd read of

the cave-in at Bitek Stronghold, of the deaths and destruction
it caused. How could one man, even a Shiner, cause that?
After a moment, he swallowed. "You're not serious?"

"I watched him do it. He held a sunstone the size of my

head. The stones of the cavern made an ugly sound before
they fell. I only had enough strength to protect myself." He
swallowed and looked away. "She died when the roof fell."

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"Landing!"
"I lived with my father and Tybinia after that. Tybinia

never knew, though I think he guessed. My father never told
him, not up to the day he died."

"How lonely for you." Teeka gazed at him, in awe of the

strength he must have to survive such an experience. "Did
you have training?"

"In what? Killing?"
Teeka frowned. "It's not an evil thing, this power. The

Citybuilders of old had it."

"Tell that to Bitek Stronghold!"
Teeka flushed. "I didn't mean an insult."
Quill took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I know you mean to

help." He closed his eyes and ran a hand across his face. "I
can't believe you found out. Careless!"

"The truffles led me right to you."
Quill narrowed his eyes and glanced at them. They sat on

either side of the table, watching them. "Did they?"

"I said out loud, 'Where is Quill?' and they took off over

the sand dunes. We came over a rise, and there you were."

Quill digested that. "I thought..."
"What?"
"I assumed you followed me."
"What, across the desert?"
Quill nodded. "Dekka would worry. I had to be careful

when I went out, to keep him from suspecting me."

"You can't live that long in a tent with such a secret. It's

not healthy, even if you manage to keep the secret."

Quill sighed. "I would have tried."

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"And it would have been false." Teeka took a deep breath.

His gut told him now was the time. "Don't you trust me?"

Quill stared at him, the expression in his eyes something

between horror and pain. "It's not like that."

"How is it?"
Quill opened his mouth to retort and stayed there, his lips

parted, looking off to the distance over Teeka's right
shoulder. He exhaled and met Teeka's gaze. "All right. You're
right."

Teeka wanted to crow with delight, but he contented

himself to smile a tight little smile of triumph. "We're
partners, Quill. You don't have to hide from me."

"I hide for my own survival!"
"What can you do with it?"
"I can throw the energy of the stones a fair distance and

explode smaller rocks. I can make a shield over me, and I've
gotten it big enough to enclose several people." Quill's
chiseled face seemed more remote now, and melancholy. "I
saved a family at Diggertown Three from a cave-in. I swore
them to secrecy and left. But I don't think they'd tell anyone
anyway, because of who they are."

"They're Diggers," Teeka finished for him. He smirked.

"Best place for a secret is in a Diggertown. They'll gossip
among themselves like little old ladies but to an outsider they
won't even answer a request for directions. "

"Indeed." Quill cocked his head. "It doesn't bother you?"
"I trust you."
Quill digested that, his eyes drinking in Teeka's face. They

leaned forward at the same moment and met over the table

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in a brief but intense kiss. Teeka smiled against Quill's mouth
and the Hunter's lips moved against his, turning up in a smile
to match. They pulled away and Teeka kissed Quill's nose.
"See? All better."

"I love you."
Teeka froze, a happy little electric buzz firing along his

skin. "And I, you."

Quill sat back down and sipped his tea. "This is the oddest

day I've spent in a long time."

Teeka had a thought. "Do Ming or Feyl know?"
Quill shook his head. "None at Kotek City, save perhaps

Tybinia. But I have told no one."

"What about Feyl? Could that be why he acts strangely

now? Maybe he found out and sees you as some threat?"

"Impossible. We were boys together; we grew up as a

family."

"But he might know?"
"If Feyl did know, he'd confront me to my face. He may be

one for the parties, but he's honest. If he thought he had a
reason to censure me, he'd say it openly."

What Quill said earlier, about why Feyl hadn't yet been

chosen as Senior Hunter, floated back to mind. Feyl seemed
like the type to be vocal, rather than hide things behind his
robes.

"Besides, he did not fake the sickness." Quill shook his

head. "He doesn't know."

"Maybe he came out here to confront you," Teeka said in a

reasonable tone.

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Quill appeared to think a moment and shook his head. "No.

It's not him."

Teeka shrugged. "I believe you."
"I wish I did know what was going on."
Teeka nibbled his teacake and watched his Intended. The

awful tension left Quill's shoulders, and he moved more
freely, though he still had a tightness around his eyes.
Teeka's birthmother always said work cured a sad heart;
maybe it would work now.

"Are you going to get some more work done on the

Stake?"

Quill nodded. "I want to catch up. I don't want to bring

others here to help me finish the Stake, but if I don't get
more done, I'll have to." He chuckled. "I don't want to share."

Teeka grinned. Hunting for sandcats with roast sandboar,

eh? "That sounds like a good plan."

If Quill suspected Teeka of trying to cheer him, he said

nothing. They finished their tea in a companionable silence
and Quill rose to get dressed for work.

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Chapter 20: Contract Witness

After the Winds on Minahday morning, Teeka tidied the

tent. He eyed the laundry pile, and his heart sank. Large
enough before the dust devils, it was now of epic proportions
and promised to make his back ache.

"You want some help hanging the lines?"
Teeka frowned. "I should do it myself."
"What are you always badgering me about? Oh, yes, not

pushing yourself so hard."

Teeka flushed, prickles going up and down his chest.

"Hush!"

Smirking, Quill sipped his tea.
"Fine, you can help. I'm surprised you're not itching to go

to the Stake."

Quill shrugged. "I'd just be interrupted when Tybin's

messenger arrives. It's a pain to reset the shields." His
expression grew sly. "Besides, I'm not going to let someone
be alone with my brand-new Intended."

Teeka, of all things, blushed. He turned away and set his

dishes in the wash basin and dried his hands. "All right. Let's
get this laundry set up."

Quill's help made short work of what would have been a

large project. In half the time it would have taken him to do it
alone, the laundry was flapping in the breeze, drying. They
retreated into the gloom of the tent, and Teeka got them
some chilled juice. After a short break to enjoy it, they
continued their chores.

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Who would the Elder Hunter send? The expected clap

outside their tent sounded and in spite of himself, he jumped.

"Come in," Quill called, winking at Teeka but not outright

teasing him.

He stuck out his tongue at the Hunter and continued to

fold their laundry.

Ming stepped in, slipping out of his outer robes and letting

his red eye implants recede. "Harsh morning."

"We have tea. Come in, sit down."
Ming smiled with gratitude and took the cup Teeka handed

him. "I have news of Feyl."

Teeka sank to the bed. "How is he?"
"Ill," Ming said. "Sun fever. The Healers say he's not

responding to the treatments and are wondering if there's
something else going wrong."

"Like what?" Quill demanded.
"Some say it might be poison."
Quill whipped around, his tool pouch in his hand as he

restocked it. "What?"

Ming nodded, expression grim. "It's got all the earmarks.

Alkaloids in his blood are fighting the Healers. It's Alwyn's
chief theory. The only question is, why."

"What does he have that someone wants?" Teeka asked.
Ming studied him. "I don't know. He's been prosperous of

late, and he is the son of the former Chieftain."

"Who could benefit from his death?"
"His heirs," Ming said, sounding confused.
"Closer to Kotek City," Teeka prompted. "Who here could

benefit from his death?"

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Quill stirred, sighing through his nose with a loud

exhalation. "It could be revenge."

Ming frowned, a line between his brows. "How so?"
"Anyone jealous of his success?" Teeka asked.
"Me," Ming grumbled in a sour tone.
Quill chuckled but sobered, staring at Teeka.
"You don't think..."
"He's the one who asked you about his knife." Quill's eyes

widened as he thought about it. He gestured with both hands,
spreading them away from his body. "Maybe he did it to keep
attention from himself."

"No," Teeka disagreed. "It isn't him."
"Who?" Ming demanded.
"Ezek," Teeka said. "He wouldn't do something like that!"
Ming didn't agree. If anything, he seemed to be

considering it. "You don't know him as I do, Teeka," Ming told
him in a serious tone. "I've known him since he arrived here."

"Arrived?" Teeka asked. "He's not from here?"
Ming shook his head. "Where's his family from?" He looked

at Quill.

"Darius," the Hunter answered. "He told us Darius."
"Did anyone verify it?" Teeka demanded. "He told me

Cyrus when we spoke of Ruby Keep."

Quill eyed him, unsettled. "Teeka—"
"We verify all such information at the Keep, it's part of the

admission process," Teeka explained.

"I shouldn't like to think that's necessary here," Quill

muttered.

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"But if we seriously contemplate Ezek's involvement,"

Teeka pointed out, "surely something like it would be wise?
This might be murder."

Ming paled but didn't speak.
"I'm sorry, Ming; I don't mean to be unfeeling," Teeka told

him.

Ming shook his head. "It's a long walk here and alone. I've

thought of little else. I lose my best friend and a comrade,
together in the same event. There's something else."

Quill's gaze sharpened and he set down his tool pouch.

"Tell me."

"Ezek wasn't at his Stake."
Teeka set down his tea, unsettled. "Maybe he was

checking somewhere else in his Stake?"

"You don't even believe that," Quill muttered.
"It may not be him," Ming pointed out. "He made an offer

of Contract for you. Murderers wouldn't take a Keeper; it
would be too hard to hide their guilt from someone living in
the same tent with them."

"Which would be lovely, if it were true," Teeka told them.

"But I know for a fact it's not."

Ming eyed him, unsettled.
Quill laughed. "He doesn't mean he murdered anyone,

Ming."

Teeka's eyes widened and he laughed. "No, of course not!"
Ming flushed.
"Come, we have news. More cheerful than this, as well."

Teeka grinned at Ming and winked at Quill.

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Ming watched as Quill handed over the Contract, sealed in

its distinctive tube.

"That's a Contract offer!" Then his eyes widened. "Oh!"
Teeka laughed. "Quill offered, and I accepted."
"Congratulations!" Ming crowed.
"Well, let's go look at the Stake, since that's what you're

here for." Quill gave Teeka a look. Teeka, confused, raised his
eyebrows, but Quill didn't explain.

They dressed in their gear, and Quill led the way to the

Stake. Ming asked him a series of questions of a technical
nature, confusing Teeka, but Quill answered with no trouble.
They stopped where the path branched, before it crested the
rise and led down to the Stake.

Quill glanced at Teeka. "It's Teeka's insight."
Ming gazed at him, his eye implants flashing a coppery

red. "Oh?

Teeka nodded. "Look there, how the yingtzao grow."
"Yes."
"There's no sand there."
Ming stared a moment and swung in a slow circle. He saw

the side trail leading to the next yingtzao-filled hollow, as
Quill had, and Teeka watched him pause as he considered it.

He was a Hunter. It wouldn't take him long.
"That's incredible," Ming murmured. "All this time."
"It probably doesn't always work," Teeka said. "But the

yingtzao turn that shade of orange when the mineral content
of the soil is right. That's what to look for. I think," he added.

"I suppose I should get back to Kotek City." Ming sounded

distracted, still staring at the path.

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As they walked back, Teeka noticed the fingers of Ming's

right hand fidgeted with the edge of his daysilks.

The motion reminded Teeka of sorting lodesand. With luck,

Ming would take the Stake and pull himself out of his funk.

Ming left them without taking tea, and as he disappeared

along the trail, Quill chuckled. "Well played, Keeper. Ming
scented the trail you left."

"Thank you," Teeka responded. He went inside the tent,

pleased with himself.

[Back to Table of Contents]

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Chapter 21: The Hunter's Life

Twoday morning, the Winds howled around the tent with

extra force, rattling the frame and setting the fabric to
thrumming. Teeka eyed the walls with apprehension, but Quill
didn't react. Teeka tried to stay calm, focusing on washing
the dishes, but a loud slap of the tent wall nearest him caused
him to jump.

"Easy," Quill soothed, looking up from a leather pouch he

repaired. "We'll be fine, it's just the Winds."

"They seem aggressive today." He shivered. "Like they're

trying to take the tent apart."

"Some say the Winds are alive and they try to

communicate with us. Some say they are the natives of the
planet, a kind of intelligence we haven't the technology to
understand."

Teeka gaped at him. "Ming told me the same thing. You

don't believe that, do you?"

Quill shrugged, cutting a thread with his teeth. "I've seen

stranger things out in the desert. I don't know for sure. But
the Winds sometimes have a strange feeling to them, and
some are better able to detect it than others."

Sniffer trundled over to Teeka as they talked and looked

up at him, her face serious. She wrapped her trunk around
his wrist and tugged on him. He scratched her with his free
hand, and she curled up, wedged against his thigh, and
sighed with contentment.

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Once the Winds had calmed, Quill rose and put his gear

on. The truffles cheeped at him, and Snuffles started hopping
with his front legs, bouncing in place. Sniffer made a noise at
him and slammed his shoulder with hers, causing a brief
squabble. Teeka separated them and got them harnessed
while Quill finished, and watched the Hunter disappear over
the ridge.

The dishes took very little time to clean, and nothing in the

tent required his attention. He finished the second sock in
under an hour and wove in his yarn ends. He laid the socks
across Quill's pillow as a gift and stretched. He stowed his
needles in their case, fingering the fabric as he did it. He'd
made the case one Daymonth from a length of plainweave
he'd produced in class, and each of his needles had their own
slot, ordered by size. He played with his largest diameter
needles, the ones he used to make blankets. He had some
heavy gauge yarn in one of his trunks, after all.

He eyed the tent flap.
He could always go help Quill on the Stake.
But the Hunter didn't want him there. Said it was hard

work.

What, Teeka wasn't able to handle hard work?
Before he could have second thoughts, he gathered his

gear and set it out on the bed. He tightened his bodysilks and
leggings, making sure everything lay flat and well-fitted. He
chose his buttercup-yellow daysilks, the ones he'd bought for
Brant, and tied his turban around his head. Kneeling in front
of the spare solar panel, Teeka used it as a makeshift mirror
to apply kohl around his eyes. He got his eyeshields and

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heavy hide gloves, and fitted his feet into his boots. He
couldn't think of anything else to add and left, tying the tent
flap behind him.

Sol beat down with relentless heat, and gratitude filled him

for his faceshield, no matter what it made him look like. He
would have preferred simple sunshades, but Brant had
insisted on the face shield to protect his skin as well as block
the glare. He fitted it to his turban to cover everything but his
sunshield, and made his way toward the Stake. Teeka patted
his pocket, the small laser pistol there a reassuring weight.
The sands shifted under his boots, sparkling in the sunlight,
and he watched the trail with care.

A short rise appeared, and he toiled up it, pausing at the

rim. The dig appeared, a sturdy squat scaffold of metal poles
holding the hoses in place. Quill disturbed as little of the
ground as possible around the yingtzao. Teeka couldn't see
his turban in the shaft, but it only went down about twelve
feet. Teeka edged closer, unsure of his footing or the solidity
of the sands beneath his feet. How deep did the pit extend
under the sands?

Quill appeared on the ladder as Teeka got close. His hand

flashed to his dagger hilt before he saw Teeka. "Is everything
okay?"

"Yes. I came to help." Teeka walked up and set his hand

on the scaffold, but pulled back with a hiss. Even through his
glove he could feel the heat. "It's hot!"

The Hunter chuckled. "It's been baking in Sol's radiance all

day. I use kiln gloves when I'm out here." He hesitated, then

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pointed at his pack a short distance away. "I have a spare
pair in my pack. You'll need them."

Teeka's face felt like it would split in two from the grin,

and he scrambled to the pack.

"Slow down, Teeka, you'll overdo it. The heat can kill you

out here."

He flushed but did as Quill asked, trying to contain his

excitement. "What do you need me to do?"

"I have the hoses set up to take the sand and put it there,

in the barrow." Quill pointed at a squat wheeled cart full of
sand. "It needs to be emptied when it fills up. I also have
bags of stones I need to bring out. If you come halfway, I can
hand them up to you."

"I'll start with the barrow, then."
"I'll get you some bags."
Quill disappeared into the shaft, and Teeka stopped to

scratch the truffles. They woke up and blinked at him, still
sleepy. "Okay, you two, you stay there while I dump this
barrow."

He walked over to take hold of the handles, and Sniffer

started cheeping at him. He tried to lift it and gasped. It was
heavy!

After he struggled and shoved and cursed at it, the barrow

started moving. He manhandled it over the uneven ground,
grunting and cursing under his breath. Just as he got even
with the truffles, close enough that Sniffer could reach his leg
with her trunk, the heavy thing started to wobble. Sniffer's
cheeps got louder and Snuffles joined her.

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"It's all right, guys, calm down," Teeka grunted, trying to

manhandle the barrow to the sorting area Quill set up.

The barrow unbalanced and dumped its contents right in

front of the truffles.

"Damn it!"
"You okay?" Quill's voice came out of the shaft.
"I'm fine!" Teeka shouted back, heart pounding.

"Everything's fine!"

Snuffles pounced on the sand, rooting through it with his

snout. Sniffer eyed Teeka with every appearance of
intelligence, cheeped at him, and started rooting around too.

Teeka kneeled by them and started scooping sand and

depositing it in the barrow. The truffles watched him in
seeming amazement, and Snuffles scooped up a snoutful and
blew it into the barrow, dust puffing up. Sniffer matched him
a moment later. Teeka, gaping at them, laughed in delight.

They got the thing half full, and he rose to take it to the

sorting area. He returned in time to see Sniffer find a small
sandstone and put it on the ground in front of Snuffles. He
nosed it with his snout and made a snuffling noise at his
sister, and they went back to rooting in the sand.

"What are you doing?" Quill asked, appearing on the

ladder.

"I gave some to the truffles to sort through," Teeka fibbed.

"They seem ecstatic."

Quill eyed the happy truffles and grinned. "I never thought

of that. Good idea. Other Hunters have told me theirs can
sort, but I considered them to be too young to start." He

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handed over a bag of lodesand and went back down, whistling
to himself.

Teeka put the barrow back under the hoses and set the

release valve to "on," backing out of the gout of dust that
sprang up as the sand tumbled into the bucket.

Teeka set the bag of lodesand by Quill's pack for them to

take back to the tent and tried to move the barrow. Less than
half full, it gave him very little trouble this time as they
moved across the sands. The truffles still sifted through the
sand piled near them and Teeka gave them each a scratch
before returning the barrow to its spot under the hose.

After another hour, though, his body fought him. His arms

trembled as he moved the barrow, and his legs burned with
exertion as he went up and down the ladder, carrying bags
for Quill of the valuable lodesands. Quill came out of the shaft
and set the sunstones in the processor, checking on the
others.

"What runs the machine?" Teeka asked, watching as Quill

set the stones inside a squat box and closed the lid.

"No machinery," the Hunter answered. "It's a chemical

reaction."

Teeka bent closer and could hear a slight hiss in the

container. "My goodness!"

"They're still soaking. They'll be ready to take back in

another day. Those," he pointed, "are ready now. They're just
storing."

Teeka hefted one of the two bags of lodesand and waited

while Quill gathered the rest of his gear and got the truffles

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ready. He handed their leashes to Teeka and got the other
bag of lodesand.

Teeka clicked his tongue to catch the truffles' attention,

and they set out for the tent, the truffles trundling along with
him. It got harder to walk as they got closer to the camp site
and the terrain changed. By the time they reached it, his
muscles trembled with exhaustion. The sand seemed to fight
him, squishing out from under his feet and threatening to
turn his ankle or wrench his knee. Sniffer and Snuffles helped
pull him along, their wide feet walking over the crust of the
dunes.

The tent appeared, and relief loosened Teeka's muscles.
Quill laughed. "Tired?"
"Like I've never been!" Teeka agreed. "You do this every

day?"

"Well, because of that, it's a little easier. My body is more

accustomed to the labor."

"Good point."
Thank the Winds he'd already prepared their dinner, and

he had little to do other than to heat the water for tea and
put the greens on the plate. He let Quill sluice first and then
washed himself, deciding to tackle his hair later. He came in
as Quill set food down for the truffles and watched as the
Hunter held out his hand in front of Sniffer. "Hand it over."

Sniffer's ears fell, giving her a dejected cast. She laid her

snout in Quill's waiting palm and handed him a sizeable
goldstone. "That's my girl," he murmured, giving her a fat
ball of suet.

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Snuffles rooted for a treat, but Quill showed him empty

hands. "Sorry, my son, but fresh out."

Sniffer cheeped and Snuffles turned away, ignoring Quill.
"They seem to have distinct personalities," Teeka noted.
"They do. Sniffer tends to hide her stash, but she likes

suet balls too much. Snuffles uses his pouch more."

Quill showed him the open pouch on Snuffles' harness,

already filled with several small stones and what looked like a
mangled flower.

Snuffles watched him with close attention, and Teeka

petted the truffle's head. The fur slid under his palm like
moss-silk, only warm and alive. "Good boy." It was a shame
the truffles didn't like life in a city; his sisters would love one
as a pet.

Snuffles curled up and exhaled a loud blast of breath,

ready for a nap.

Quill laughed. He turned to the bed, reaching for a pillow,

and stopped. Teeka waited, holding his breath, as his
Intended lifted the socks and stared at them. He didn't speak.

Unable to stand the suspense, Teeka moved closer. "Well?

Do you like them?"

Quill turned to gaze at him with large gray eyes. "They are

gorgeous."

"Put them on!"
"I couldn't."
"I want to see if they fit."
"My feet are dirty."

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Teeka glared at him. "Hunter Quill, put those socks on this

minute! I want to see if I made them the right size. You can
always wash them."

"I'll put them on when my feet are clean," Quill insisted.

He held up a hand as Teeka started to argue. "Truly. But to
wear them with dirty feet would insult your work."

Teeka subsided and handed him a plate with salad.
The Hunter sat down and ate half his salad, but set the

plate aside. "I'm full."

"You need to eat!" Teeka protested.
"I'm full, Teeka."
Teeka sighed. "All right."
"Don't worry, I'll have more tomorrow."
Teeka washed their dinner dishes and set some grains on

to soak for breakfast, determined to feed the Hunter a
substantial meal for that occasion, at least, since he seemed
disinclined to eat lunch or dinner.

They laid down after dinner, and Teeka didn't wake until

dawn. Quill, already up, prepared the water for tea. Teeka
rubbed the sleep from his eyes, disgruntled. He could not
believe he had fallen asleep early last night. He'd only
planned to doze while Quill tied the tent down for the night.
They only just Contracted, after all.

Teeka rolled out of bed and froze, hissing. His legs had

stiffened up during the night and pained him. Perhaps his
plans for the night before would have been for naught, as his
body seemed to have had enough physical exertion.

"Stiff?" Quill guessed. "If you sort the lodesand this

morning, you can join me in the afternoon."

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Teeka sighed, frustrated with himself. "Very well."
"Don't push too hard, Keeper," Quill murmured, winking.
He started to doze off after Quill left. Annoyed at himself,

he rose and did some Tai Chi. His training with the
Weaponsmaster floated to mind and guilt pricked him. He
should have been doing his exercises daily, as well as dancing
stretches. The movement revived him and loosened his leg
muscles somewhat, and he finished the lodesand in short
order. He prepared lunch and got everything set up to go
back to the Stake as Quill appeared.

"I'll meet you there, okay?" Quill stretched. "I want to

finish the area I'm working on."

"Not a problem," Teeka told him. He finished straightening

up and rummaged for dinner. He pulled out some sandboar
strips to prepare with sauteed moss bulbs, and set them
under the coals of their cooking fire to bake. He checked their
laundry, but it would wait until the morning. Seeing
everything in order, he set out for the Stake.

The Winds had reconfigured the desert during the

morning, but he concentrated and followed the truffle tracks.
He arrived at the Stake in time to empty the barrow. He did
that and scratched the truffles. They seemed happy for the
attention and went back to playing with each other. Teeka
laughed, and they both turned to gaze him.

He knelt and scratched them both on the head while they

wrapped their trunks around his wrists and tugged. "You two
are adorable."

"What?" Quill hollered.

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"Nothing!" He walked over to peer down at his Intended.

"Just talking to the truffles."

"Do they answer back?"
"If I say yes, are you going to call the Healers?"
"I might!" Quill's grin flashed at him. "Here, I've a bag for

you." He handed up a heavy sack, and Teeka grunted, his
muscles sore. He carried it over to the preparation area and
set it down.

"We'll be done soon," Quill said from right behind him and

Teeka jumped. Quill smoothed a hand down his arm. "Sorry,
didn't mean to startle you."

Teeka grinned. "It's okay. But are we doing well?"
"I'll say. We'll be done on time."
"Is it a good Stake?"
Quill blinked. "That bag is three fullweights, Teeka."
Teeka felt his eyes widen. He'd taken two such bags

yesterday, not to mention all Quill had done before Teeka got
there to help. "Landing!"

"I won't need to work for a while," Quill murmured.
"You can get us a hostel room for Daymonth!"
"I could. Would you like that?"
Teeka laughed. "No, I'm teasing. I have a suite at the

Keep. Besides, my brother would never let me stay there
during Daymonth, he's too crowded. He'd want me to stay at
home, since we live so close."

"We could go somewhere else. Darius, perhaps."
Teeka stared at him. "You're serious?"
Quill fidgeted with one of the bags. "If you'd like to travel."
"I'd love to!"

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Quill's head came up and he gazed at Teeka, eyes wide.

"Truly?"

"Of course."
Quill's grin appeared growing wider as he saw Teeka's

answering smile. He disappeared back down the ladder and
they worked for a few more hours until Quill called a halt.

"Finally." Teeka let the handles of the barrow fall and it

landed with a heavy, dull thud.

The Hunter's dry chuckle made Teeka grin. They gathered

their things and trudged back to the tent, and even the
truffles seemed glad to rest.

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Chapter 22: The Serpent Dance

In the sluice, Teeka caught his second wind. As he

finished, washing without wetting his braid, he had a plan.

Quill looked up when Teeka walked in, pausing in the act

of carving a small bit of goldstone. "You look good enough to
eat."

All in good time. Teeka bit his lip. "Um, could you leave the

tent for a bit? Maybe take the truffles out, so I can set up a
surprise?"

Quill chuckled. "I could stretch my legs a bit; take the

truffles with me for company."

"Good, but no wandering down to the Stake. I want you

back soon, not at dinnertime."

Quill nodded as a laced up his boots. The truffles frolicked

as the Hunter lifted them out of their pen and connected their
leashes. They left the tent together, Snuffles cheeping with
excitement.

As soon as the flap flipped down, Teeka burst into motion.

He lit some incense cones in the brass truffle-shaped burner,
the smoke wafting from the uplifted trunk. He tidied the tent
and then ran out to straighten up around the sluice, careful
not to get wet.

Back inside, he rummaged through his bins until he found

his teal silks and veils. His belled jewelry joined them. He re-
plaited his hair, adding more bells along with matching teal
ribbons. He patted essential oil on his pulse points, the heady

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aroma of spice filling his lungs. It mingled with the subtle
vanilla already in the air.

A few extra scarves tossed over the lamps gave the tent

subdued colored lighting. He folded up the chairs and pushed
the low table to the side, clearing a space in front of the bed.
Teeka ran over his mental checklist. Was he forgetting
anything? Yes!

He got a platter of finger foods ready and sorted through

his music for the perfect composition. Now it was time to
dress in his dancing silks, the filmy fabric settling around him
as he finished the intricate ties. He knelt in front of the solar
panel and applied kohl around his eyes, adding blue color as
well. As he swiped gloss over his lips, Teeka heard the truffles
chirping outside. On his way to the middle of the room, he
flipped on the music.

Teeka kneeled in the center of the rug. "Come in."
Quill paused after he stepped inside. The truffles halted,

eyelids blinking. Sniffer's chirp roused Quill. The tall Hunter
managed to unclip the truffles, remove their harness and
scoop them up and into the pen without removing his intense
gaze from Teeka. Teeka hid a grin when the handful of kibble
missed the truffles' dish. He could clean that later if the
truffle's trunks didn't find them all.

Teeka swept his arm in the direction of the bed. "Why

don't you take off your outer silks and sit?"

"Sure."
Teeka smiled at the rough note in Quill's voice. The Hunter

stripped off his robes and hung them on a peg, still watching

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Teeka. The music swelled in the silence that stretched
between them.

Teeka turned on his knees as Quill circled him to reach the

bed. Quill settled among the pillows. He gripped one, fingers
white with pressure.

Teeka waited until another music interlude began. With the

first few notes, he started to sway. The bells tinkled with the
music as he snaked his arms up. He undulated while still on
his knees with the beginning sequence of the Serpent Dance.

He rose to his feet in time to the music. In the piece that

Teeka had picked, bass drums rolled with the higher notes of
flutes and recorders.

The bells he wore added to the music. He matched the

rhythm of the music, letting his body dip and twirl. As Teeka
moved, the Hunter's intense gaze never wavered from him.

Teeka slinked forward until he stood in front of Quill. He

placed his hands on Quill's knees and pushed them apart.
Standing between Quill's spread thighs, Teeka reached out.
He pushed the Hunter's silks aside until they puddled around
Quill's hips. Quill tossed the mangled pillow side in favor of
resting his hands on Teeka's swaying hips. The warmth of
Quill's calloused palms burned through the gauzy fabric.

As the Hunter's tanned skin was revealed, Teeka let his

fingers explore. A low moan erupted from Quill's chest,
making Teeka smile. He loved making the tough Hunter lose
control.

Quill's grip tightened when Teeka tried to step back.
"Quill."
A low growl was the reply.

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"I need to finish the dance. It gets better," he promised in

a sing-song voice.

Teeka placed his hands on Quill's strong wrists and tugged.

Quill moved his fingers, only to switch his grip to Teeka's hip
scarf. Teeka loosened the knot so he could spin away. He left
the swath of fabric in the Hunter's hands.

The Serpent Dance did not require him dropping his silks,

but Teeka decided to improvise. With each piece of material
that drifted down, Quill's breathing grew more labored.
Teeka's excitement increased, watching the Hunter's reaction.

When only his bells remained, Teeka danced back to Quill.

The Hunter's warm hands returned to his hips, pulling him
closer. Teeka pushed on Quill's shoulders and the Hunter fell
back on the bed. Teeka moved so he could straddle Quill's
thighs. He plucked and pulled at the Hunter's remaining
clothing until he could curve his fingers around Quill's cock.
He shimmied forward until he grasped his own cock along
with Quill's.

Quill's grip tightened. "Winds, yes."
Teeka began a pulling rhythm that matched the music still

playing around them. He ground his hips into Quill's groin,
making them both moan.

Teeka fumbled and found the oil and added it to his

ministrations. He used both hands to pull on their shafts.

Quill began thrusting up, matching Teeka's rhythm. The

Hunter reached up and buried his fingers in Teeka's hair. A
strong grip pulled Teeka's head down. Quill arched up and
captured his mouth in a long kiss. Teeka abandoned his grip
with one hand so he could cup Quill's jaw. Trapped between

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their bodies, their cocks rubbed against their bellies as they
continued to move. Sweat and precome mingled with the oil,
and they slid against each other. Hungry kisses matched their
bodies. Teeka could not hear the music anymore; his ears
were filled with the sounds of their harsh breathing.

Teeka tried to use his hand to still pleasure them, but

there were moments when his mind blanked as his senses
were overwhelmed.

Quill pulled his mouth away to groan and Teeka buried his

face in the curve of the Hunter's neck. Wetness flooded
Teeka's hand, making his grip slick.

With a sobbing cry, Teeka followed Quill in pleasure.

Release made his body limp and Teeka collapsed on Quill's
chest. Quill's hands ran over his back, and Teeka cuddled
closer. The chest under Teeka's ear rumbled when he spoke.

"Teeka."
Teeka smiled. "Yes?"
"You dance much better in person than on a vid."
Teeka pinched Quill, making the Hunter chuckle. Teeka

levered himself up on his elbows, ignoring the stickiness
trapped between them, to look at Quill's face. Quill's features
softened, making him look years younger.

"Thank you, Intended."
Quill met his gaze. "No. Thank you."
After dinner, Quill went outside to set up some rugs and

pillows for them to watch stardawn. Teeka set the dishes in
the basin to soak and brought the dessert out with plates and
a pot of tea.

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Quill sprang up the moment Teeka appeared. "Here, let me

help you." He took the pot and cups from Teeka and set them
down.

Teeka curled up on the pillows and leaned back, staring up

at the sky. The bright stars captured his attention, and it
wasn't until some time later that Quill's quiet chuckle broke
his reverie.

"You forgot dessert." Quill rubbed Teeka's thigh with a

gentle hand, his warmth sinking into Teeka's leg like warm
water. "I shall starve, Keeper!"

Teeka snorted. "Hardly." He served Quill some of the cake

and poured tea before settling back. "The sky is like nothing I
could imagine. The vids don't do it justice."

Quill grunted. "I've seen little of the vids."
"What about in school?" Teeka rolled to half-straddle the

Hunter's body and laid his head on Quill's shoulder.

"What makes you assume I went to school?"
Teeka frowned. "Education is a right of all on Persis!"
Quill laughed. "For the wealthy, perhaps. But for those in

the Strongholds and Diggertowns, it depends on whether
there is money for teachers, not to mention qualified people
to teach."

"I thought—" He stopped, his protest sounding silly to his

own ears in the face of Quill's sardonic smile.

"I was taught, Teeka, just not with vids or lots of

equipment. My father and Tybinia made sure I learned my
letters and numbers."

Teeka snuggled closer, and Quill squeezed him. They fell

silent, watching the stars, until Teeka fell asleep. He didn't

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wake until the chill crawled into his robes and he started to
shiver.

"You're freezing!" Quill rubbed Teeka's arms with vigorous

hands.

Yawning, Teeka sat up. He collected their dishes and the

pillows while Quill grabbed the rugs. They piled everything
inside the door, setting the dishes in the basin, and crawled
into bed together. Quill started snoring almost before his
head hit the pillow. Teeka listened to the song of the evening
Winds, letting them lull him to sleep.

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Chapter 23: Water in the Desert

Humpday morning, Quill left as usual. Teeka poured water

for tea and the pipe spat at him with a rush of air. He cut off
the flow and checked the gauge. They neared twenty percent,
only enough drinking water for a day, maybe two—not
enough to reach the end of the sevenday.

He traced the lines around the perimeter of the tent and

out into the antechamber, around to the heating unit. There,
he discovered the culprit. He stared at the leak in the pipe,
dripping their precious liquid into the sand. He felt as though
the air escaped from his lungs. Sitting through the morning
Winds did not ease his worrying. Each gust evaporated more
of their supply.

"We have a leak," he told Quill when he returned for lunch.

"By the bend of the pipe out near the necessary. I put a
container under it, but the heat is evaporating our water
almost as fast as it drips."

"How bad?" Quill asked.
"We've lost a sevenday's worth of water already," Teeka

told him. "We'll be lucky to last two days."

"Show me."
The Hunter's jaw set when he saw the pipe. He fingered

the edges but didn't say out loud what Teeka suspected: the
break looked too regular to be a fault in the pipe.

The pipe had been cut.
Quill glanced at Teeka with a grim expression and leaned

over the unit to check the waterstone. Teeka didn't need to

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ask whether something was wrong; Quill's body language
spoke louder than anything he could have said.

"I'll start mining for a new waterstone. Ours is cracked."
Teeka bit his lip. "We can go get water. Kotek City isn't

that far away."

Quill laughed, a bitter sound. "That is true. But I do not

want to be known for the rest of my life as the Hunter that
ran out of water. Or worse, the Hunter that lost his Honor."

"What do you mean?"
"If a Hunter is forced to abandon his Stake, that puts it up

for grabs. The minute my banner is lowered, our good
neighbor Ezek will pop over that dune to Claim it. The fact
that Kotek City can be walked to and back in one day is a
fluke due to your insight. In any other instance, running out
of water means disaster for a Stake. I can't ignore that. So
we have to harvest a new waterstone."

Teeka's stomach clenched but he tried to make his voice

sound calm and supportive. "I'll make us some lunch to keep
up our strength."

They ate a subdued meal. As Teeka collected the plates

and handed Quill his tea, the Hunter met his gaze. "I'll start
mining the waterstones this afternoon. It's heavy work, and
I'd hoped to finish the lodestones first. But we need it. Do you
have the skill to repair the pipe?"

"Of course. I wanted you to see it before I fixed it."
Quill sighed. "Very well. You might as well wait until my

return. I feel a waterstone in this vein; my concern is
reaching and extracting it successfully at this point of the
harvest."

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The Hunter rose to slip back into his outer robes. Neither

one vocalized the reality: that if Quill couldn't get the
waterstone, they would need to return to Kotek City and risk
losing the Stake.

Teeka sighed and stacked their dishes, unable to wash

them without sufficient water. He'd need to save what they
had for drinking. Sitting on the bed, he tried to focus on
designing another project to knit, but couldn't calm himself.
Instead, he got up and tidied the entire tent, then went out to
the necessary and reorganized everything there.

Moving through a Tai Chi routine centered him somewhat,

but he still found it hard to relax. He should have been doing
them every morning, but he'd gotten too caught up with
being on Stake to maintain his daily practice. He picked up his
knitting needles again and got a couple of inches done on a
simple baby blanket for his sister before Quill returned. The
Hunter set his back harness with its precious cargo of
waterstone on the ground by the entrance and stepped out of
his robes, face tired.

"You got it, I see." What he wanted to ask was whether

Quill had used his abilities as a Shiner to find the stone, but
was afraid to. "You look tired."

"I am. It was a tough dig." He stretched, tendons popping.

"I could use a bath."

"Well, hand over the waterstone, and I'll set it up."
"You know how to set up a waterstone?"
"I've done it in training but never in the field."
"I'll guide you."

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Teeka lifted the heavy back harness and half-carried, half-

dragged it out to the necessary. He opened the condenser
and donned his gloves. Disconnecting the old, cracked
waterstone took all his strength. The hoses settled and some
suction in the pipe fought him, but it came free all of a
sudden with a shower of fine white dust.

"Here," Quill murmured from the other side of the unit.
Quill reached in and lifted out the waterstone, then helped

steady the new one as Teeka opened the cradle and bolted it
in. The hoses needed some scaling. He got his knife and
cleared the white mess off the threads. They tightened down
with much less hassle. The condenser belched, air still in the
pipes, then started up with a soft whirr as it drew moisture
from the water table around the yingtzao stands. What they
would have done out in the Great Valley, Teeka didn't want to
speculate.

"What's it say?" Teeka asked as Quill bent over the gauge.
"It's filling properly," the Hunter responded. "We'll be at

half-capacity in an hour."

"I'll start dinner." He pointed at Quill. "You get out of those

robes and just wear a bathing sheet; you can sluice before we
eat. I'll set the tub to fill after that."

When Quill didn't return after going outside to shake out

his robes, Teeka set aside the salad greens he had chopped.
Outside, he found the Hunter sound asleep against his pack,
his leg in a pool of water from his canteen.

"Quill." Teeka stroked his hair, letting loose a puff of dust.

"Wake up, love."

"What?" Quill straightened, blinking at him. "I'm awake!"

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"Liar." He kissed the Hunter's forehead. "Come, dinner is

ready."

Quill let him take the robes from his hands and hauled

himself up. "Teeka."

"Yes?" Teeka distributed more greens onto Quill's plate

and stopped when the Hunter kneeled next to him. He turned
to find Quill's face inches from his.

The kiss took his whole attention. Quill cupped the back of

his head in a warm hand and explored his mouth. By the time
the Hunter let him up for air, Teeka panted.

"I couldn't have done this Stake without you."
Teeka flushed, prickles going up and down his body.

"What?" His voice came out breathy.

"I mean it." Quill kissed his forehead. "You've helped

immeasurably."

Cupping the Hunter's cheek, Teeka leaned is forehead

against Quill's. "That means a lot."

Quill released him, and they moved to the rugs to eat,

then Teeka collected their dishes.

"I'll go to the Stake in the morning." Quill smoothed his

hair away from his face. "I want you to pack up everything
we don't immediately need."

Teeka stilled, looking up at the Hunter. "Why?"
"I'm concerned. We're out here alone. I want to finish what

we have and go back. We're too exposed out here. I did a lot
of thinking while digging for that waterstone. Our safety is not
worth the profit."

"Should we call for help?"

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"Not yet. I haven't seen anything, and if there were

bandits, they'd have made themselves known. The truffles
would smell them and sound the alarm. They're very sensitive
to strangers." He came over to Teeka and slid a warm hand
into his hair at the base of his neck. "I'm not trying to scare
you, I just want to be cautious."

Teeka sighed. "I hate to abandon the Stake like this."
"Nor do I. If it was just the sabotage, I'd stick it out, but

we can't forget that Brant's death was most likely murder."

"All right. I'll start packing. Some is already done, and I

can get us ready to leave very easily; we can take what we
need out of the luggage rather than the furniture simply
enough."

The Hunter nodded and got his gear together, then

harnessed the truffles. Teeka held their leads and walked
them outside as Quill put his gloves on. The truffles seemed
as excited as always, gamboling together on their leads and
rooting in the sand. The three of them disappeared over the
rise.

Teeka stretched and whirled, hearing the agitated cheeps

of the truffles erupt behind him.

Snuffles appeared first, Sniffer zooming along behind, their

trunks bouncing as they ran. Sniffer cheeped at the top of her
lungs, her eyes wide and sunlids up. Snuffles kept his head
down and headed straight for Teeka. He hid under Teeka's
dayrobes, trembling.

Quill appeared before Teeka could take a step forward.
"What happened?" Teeka cried, heart pounding. "Sniffer,

back, you silly thing!"

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"We are under threat." Quill strode past Teeka and pulled

his spear out of its scabbard, strapping it on his back. He
followed it with a long-bladed knife and an ugly-looking
handblaster.

"What happened? Quill, you're scaring me!"
"I'm calling for help," Quill told him. "Pack the tent. I have

to go retrieve the sunstones in the processor, and then we'll
head back. The dig has been sabotaged, like the water was."
He turned without another word, the tel in his hands.

"Quill!"
Teeka spoke to empty sands. The truffles cheeped and

then trotted over the dune to follow the Hunter.

Teeka whirled and got the travel cases out. He started on

the bed, rolling the bedsilks and lining the bottom of the case.

He heard a step outside and straightened. "That was fast."
"You're alone." Ezek stepped inside.
"Ezek!" Teeka's eyes widened. "It is you!"
Ezek laughed. He grabbed Teeka's arm and yanked him

toward the door. Teeka tore free and whipped around in a
roundhouse kick. Ezek staggered but caught his leg when
Teeka tried to strike a second time. He brought his elbow
down on Teeka's thigh, but Teeka dropped to the rugs before
he could connect. Ezek lost his grip, and Teeka rolled away.

The Hunter came forward much faster than Teeka

expected and his fist slammed into Teeka's face. Teeka
collapsed to one knee but lashed out to slam his open palm
into Ezek's stomach. The Hunter grunted and whipped a knife
from a sheath inside his robes. He sliced across Teeka's

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chest. Teeka fell back with a cry, the skin pulling where it was
split.

Ezek dove forward and pinned him against the rugs.

Holding Teeka's chin with one arm, he pressed the knife
against Teeka's throat. "Yield, or I won't bother with keeping
you alive."

Teeka froze, heart pounding. "Ezek, this is unnecessary!"
When Ezek backhanded him, he tasted blood. "I know

what training you're given, little Keeper, and I have much
more experience fighting than you. I wouldn't try anything."

The Hunter pulled Teeka upright by his robes and dragged

him to the tent flap.

"Where are you taking me?" Teeka held the fabric to keep

it from choking him, but he wasn't strong enough to fight
Ezek's grip.

The Hunter showed him the knife again. "We'll collect the

sandstones first. You'll make a fine ransom, I think. Your
family would pay handsomely for your return, as would
Emerald Keep." He laughed when he saw Teeka's expression.
"You think I didn't know who your father is? You may have
hidden your family sect from your Contract, but I'm not so
easily fooled. Get moving!"

"I wasn't hiding anything!" Teeka blurted the first thing

that popped into his head. "I wanted to be considered for
myself and not my father!"

"But the Minister loves his second son, doesn't he?" Ezek

sneered. "So pampered. You have no idea what it's like to
work for every scrap you have!"

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The minute they exited the tent, Sol seared Teeka's vision.

"I need my eyeshields!"

"You should have thought of that before! Move!"
Teeka closed his watering eyes against the light, his

temples pounding. Ezek yanked him along the sands toward
the Stake, his grip so tight that Teeka's hand went numb. The
sands burned against the thin soles of his slippers and his
arms stung without his day robes.

"Ezek, I can't stay out in this! I'll burn before we get a

mile!"

"It's fortunate we don't have to go that far, isn't it? I'd

keep quiet, though. The more you talk, the more you
dehydrate."

Teeka's stomach clenched with fear. The air that went

down his lungs felt like an oven chute and burned every bit of
saliva he had without the filter of his faceshield. The heat
made him dizzy and sick to his stomach, the sting in his skin
getting worse as they went. The sand dust whipped against
him like scouring powder, taking any moisture almost before
it could be produced.

Ezek pulled him to a stop, and Teeka tripped over a buried

rock. Something stabbed his knee when he landed, and a
sound escaped him.

"Teeka!" Quill's hoarse shout echoed up out of the pit.
"It's a trap!" Teeka screamed.
Ezek backhanded him with such force he lost his balance

and tumbled halfway back down the slope away from the
lode. The searing heat of the sand confused his body and it

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felt cold under his hands. His head whacked against a rock
and dizziness overwhelmed him.

He managed to shade his eyes enough to see and wished

he hadn't. Quill was locked in combat with Ezek, the younger
Hunter's long blade already blooded and angling toward
Quill's throat. Ezek pulled back, causing Quill to stumble, and
stabbed forward. Quill moved, but not quite fast enough, and
the blade sank three inches into Quill's thigh.

The truffles trumpeted, straining at their leashes. The

scaffold groaned, taking their weight, but held fast.

"Quill!" Teeka struggled up, holding his silks over his

hands. He searched for a rock to throw, or a tool, anything.
He tried, but the rock he'd landed on was too big to lift.

Ezek turned and saw him, and the smile that lit his face

chilled Teeka to the bone. The Hunter started forward, the
blade held low.

"Quill would not survive the inquest of your death, you

know," Ezek murmured. Saliva appeared at the corner of his
mouth as he spoke and sweat streaked his sunshades.
"Imagine: a Senior Hunter, driven mad by the heat, kills the
Water Minister's son —"

Quill slammed into Ezek from behind, taking him to his

knees. He snarled, an animalistic, almost feral sound, and
landed three sharp jabs into Ezek's face. The blade flew away,
end over end, to land point-down in the sand several feet
away. Quill slammed his elbow into Ezek's face and dove for
the blade. Ezek scrambled after.

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Ezek punched Quill in his wounded thigh and the Hunter

faltered. Ezek scrambled for the blade. Flourishing it in Quill's
face, he forced Quill to back away.

The Hunter bent and grabbed his handblaster. "Ezek,

stop!"

Ezek laughed. "There's a reason Hunters hate guns. Sand

gets everywhere. Go ahead, I'll take my chances."

Teeka watched as Ezek edged backwards towards where

he lay. The handblaster made a whirling click, and nothing
happened. Quill grunted and threw it down while Ezek's
laughter rang around them.

Ezek knelt next to Teeka, brandishing the blade near his

face. "So Senior Hunter, go fetch me your cache!"

Quill stepped back and scooped up a cloth bag. Through

the burlap, a glow appeared. Teeka watched as Quill raised a
hand and white light shot from his palm. Ezek collapsed in the
sand, a sickly sweet burnt odor filling Teeka's lungs. Teeka
gagged and tried to roll away.

"Teeka!" Quill shouted. He ran up and skidded to his knees

beside the Keeper. "Can you hear me?"

Teeka fell back when Quill touched him, flopping into the

sand. "It doesn't burn anymore, Quill. I'm all right." The
words came out slurred.

"No, no, no, no," Quill whispered, his breathing loud and

agitated. He scooped Teeka into his arms and ran for the
tent.

Teeka passed out before they'd made it even ten yards.

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Chapter 24: The Seeker

Teeka floated in and out of dreams. He had no notion of

time. He woke several times, screaming with a hoarse voice,
only to be once more consumed by dreams of fire and sand.
Quill tried to soothe him, but Teeka couldn't hear him through
the rushing in his ears. He felt hot and cold by turns, the
sweat that drenched him sour and uncomfortable.

He woke, at last, and found himself in a darkened tent with

few lamps lit. No dayglow fell against the tent walls, and a
hush filled the air that only the dark brings. He moved his
arm and found both hands bound in burnrags, the gauze
spotted here and there with blood.

"You wake!" The relief in Quill's voice sounded loud to

Teeka's ear.

"What happened?" Teeka tried to clear his throat and a

painful fit of coughing grabbed him and wouldn't let go.

Quill sat on the bed and held him upright until the

paroxysm eased. "Drink this," he told him in a gentle voice,
quite unlike his usual forceful tone. "It's laced with sleeping
juice."

It tasted foul, the honey unable to entirely mask the

sleeping juice. The thick liquid soothed his irritated tissues,
though, and calmed his cough. He lay in Quill's embrace,
head spinning.

Quill set the cup down but didn't release him. Instead, he

wrapped his arms around Teeka's body, laced his fingers
together, and rested his chin on the top of Teeka's head.

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"Where are we?"
"What do you remember?" Quill asked, tone devoid of

inflection, as calm as if he discussed the weather.

"I was packing? I don't know!" Teeka's voice held a

plaintive note he never heard from himself before.

"Shh," Quill soothed.
The tent flap parted and Healer Alwyn stepped in. His

jade-green robes appeared dark gray in the dim interior.
"How is he?"

"He says he doesn't remember anything," Quill whispered.
"Be calm, Senior Hunter," the Healer admonished. "Sun

fever plays tricks with the mind."

"Sun fever?" Teeka echoed. "How?"
"Shh," Quill said again, stroking his hair and rocking back

and forth.

Healer Alwyn came over and felt Teeka's forehead, then

checked the bandages on his forearms. "Those will need to be
changed in the morning." He straightened, face sober. "He
should sleep."

"I gave him a draught."
"Very well." The Healer left, making very little noise.
A soft cheep from behind Teeka warned him of the truffle's

presence, and Sniffer climbed onto his lap. She gazed up at
Teeka, her little face wrinkled with worry, and reached up
with her snout.

"No," Quill admonished, brushing it away. "Behave, or it's

the pen for you."

Sniffer eyed him with a baleful expression, then sighed and

curled up against Teeka's legs. Snuffles peeked over the foot

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of the bed and, seeing Sniffer ensconced, made his way onto
the bed with much grunting and pulling of the bedsilks. Teeka
could see why Quill's linens were in such sad shape. The
truffle made it and curled up around Sniffer, his head facing
away from Teeka.

Quill sang a soft lullaby, still rocking Teeka like a baby,

and the sleeping juice swirled across his mind like a hand
across the sand, wiping his thoughts away.

He woke some time later, pre-dawn lighting the side of the

tent. Quill lay above him, reclined against the pillows, his
hand on Teeka's shoulder. Teeka tried to sit up but lost his
balance. His flailing jarred Quill awake.

"What?" Quill demanded, sitting upright. He saw Teeka and

he calmed. "Good morn."

"I have to use the necessary." Teeka swayed, clutching the

bedsilks for balance. "I'm dizzy."

"It's the sleeping juice." Quill steadied him, the scent of

soap on his hands. "You've been sick awhile."

"How long?"
Quill hesitated. "It's Sittingday." He exhaled, his face

drawn. "You've been ill since Humpday."

"Landing! Ezek!" The fight, the sun, all of it whirled at him

out of his memory like a sandstorm and he clutched Quill. "He
could have killed you!"

"Me!" Quill burst out. "He very nearly did kill you, and we

don't know yet about Ming. Feyl, too. Ezek is well punished,
trust me."

Teeka went cold. "What? What are you talking about?

What happened to Ming?"

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"Come, before Healer Alwyn whips me for exciting you.

Let's get you up and take care of things. You need some
broth." Quill overrode Teeka's protests. "I'll tell you what's
happened. But you mustn't excite yourself; you've had the
sun fever."

Teeka subsided. He let Quill lift him to his feet and clung to

the taller man until the tent stopped spinning. Landing. Would
he be able to use the necessary alone? His feet hurt to walk
on, making his gait ungainly and slow, like one of his sisters
right before she gave birth. The dizziness did fade enough by
the time Quill brought him to the waterspout for him to retain
some dignity, at least.

"I wish to wash," he called when he finished.
"Your dressings need to be redone anyway." Quill came

through the tent flap. "It will sting, but if you can manage it, I
see no reason not to. Here, let me help you."

"No, no." Teeka made a shooing motion with his hands,

wincing when sharp little needles raced up his arms. "I can
handle it fine."

Quill frowned. "I'd use the stool," he advised and

disappeared inside.

Teeka pulled the stool over and sat down with a heavy

thump. He tried to undo his braids but his hands refused to
cooperate. Small sounds of pain escaped him as he worked at
the plaits. The longer he held his arms up, the worse they
burned.

He gave up with a whimper. He unwound the bandage on

his right arm and the sight of the blistered flesh nearly made
him sick to his stomach. He felt tears surge out of him and

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tried to muffle the sounds, but Quill must have been waiting
on the other side of the flap.

The Hunter said nothing, just came out and stroked his

head. He unbraided the tangled mass of hair and unthreaded
the beads, leaving them in a dish on the table. He even
soaped up the heavy mess and washed it, squeezing the soap
through the strands like another Keeper. Teeka surrendered
and closed his eyes, leaning against Quill's muscled body.

By the time they were finished, Quill's robes dripped

water. He stripped out of them with simple grace, sluiced
himself off, and disappeared back into the tent.

Teeka, though, couldn't stop his tears. He switched off the

water flow and dried himself, the skin of his face smarting
and the burns on his arms igniting like an oil lamp.

Quill appeared with some fresh bandages and numbing

gel. "I put it in the cooler. It may startle you." With that
warning, he squirted it first on Teeka's left arm and his right.
The cold sent Teeka's heartbeat slamming against his ribs.
Quill took Teeka's chin in one hand and smoothed more gel
on his cheek, ear, and throat.

"I don't know what to say." Teeka cleared his throat, the

tissues raw and sore. "You don't have to do this."

The Hunter shot him a glare full of such heat Teeka pulled

away a little.

"Do not ever say that to me again, Teeka."
"I—"
Quill gripped his chin, forcing Teeka's gaze up to meet his

own. "I mean it."

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Teeka's heart swelled and fresh tears spilled down his

cheeks. "Quill..."

Quill kissed his forehead with feather-light lips. "Hush.

Come inside and I'll help you dress. I need to redo those
bandages. I wouldn't touch the skin, if I were you; the new
skin hasn't come in yet, and you'll damage it, even with the
numbing gel."

Teeka got to his feet and limped back inside. His feet

ached from the sands; the soles burned even through the
slippers. Quill pulled out his bedsilks and helped him dress,
making sure his arms didn't brush the armholes.

"Lie down." He narrowed his eyes. "I don't want to put

your robes on; the sleeves will only get in the way."

Teeka nodded and got on the bed. His dizziness came back

with a vengeance and he lay against the pillows, staring at
the ceiling while Quill rewrapped the bandages on his arms,
taking care not to jar any of the blisters. He reapplied the
bandage on his chest, examining the stitches with a serious
expression.

"Tell me what happened to Ming." Teeka tried to sound

firm and awake, though he felt neither.

Quill exhaled, a loud sound through his nose. "Ezek knifed

him before he could return to Kotek City and left him in the
desert. Mizi found him and went straight to Feyl. Feyl didn't
understand right away, but she wouldn't settle down and got
off her leash. When he tried to catch her, she led him out into
the desert. Alwyn saw them and stopped them, so Feyl didn't
overdo it. Mizi led Alwyn right to Ming. Thank the Winds he

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did, because Ming needed his Healing by the time he got
there."

"Landing!"
"Tybinia registered Ming's Stake, but Ming won't be well

enough to work it before Daymonth, so we do not know how
it will be harvested. Tybinia might be forced to give it to
another."

Teeka digested that, but couldn't think of anything to say.

He didn't realize he'd dozed off until Healer Alwyn's voice
woke him. The tent walls glowed with Sol's light, and the
walls thrummed in the Winds.

"We can move him after the Winds," the Healer told Quill.

"Driver Sami is coming with his sandsail."

"Thank you."
Alwyn hesitated. "I can't put him off much longer, you

know."

Quill sighed, and looked over at Teeka. "Very well. Send

him in, let's get it over with."

The Healer gripped Quill's arm above the elbow before

leaving. As the tent flap opened, the patterned roof of
another tent appeared beyond it.

"Where are we?"
"Still at the Stake." Quill inhaled through his nose, the

sound loud in the stillness. "We added to the tent for the
others to stay."

Teeka couldn't ask who the others were, since just as he

opened his mouth a clap sounded outside the door.

"Come," Quill called.

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A strange man stepped into the tent, and Teeka stared; he

couldn't help it. His blood ran cold at the sight of the Seeker's
badge embroidered in silver on the black robes.

"I am Seeker Kashaynu," he said in a deep baritone. "You

are Keeper Teeka of Emerald Keep, are you not?"

Teeka swallowed. "Yes."
"I'd like to ask you a few questions," the Seeker told him,

and sat down on a folding chair without waiting for an
invitation. He took out a noteplate and stylus and looked at
Teeka with shadowed eyes. His turban, also black, hid his hair
from view and gave him a sinister cast. "How long were you
Contracted to Senior Hunter Brant?"

"Two months, Your Honor."
"And when he was found dead, why did you not return

immediately to Emerald Keep?"

He flushed. "I wished to settle the estate, Your Honor."
"I see." The Seeker made a note with careful hashmarks.

"How well did you know Hunter Ezek?"

"I met him only recently, after Brant's death, Your Honor.

He made it known he wished to make an offer of Contract for
me."

"Did he now?" the Seeker intoned. "And your response?"
"I could not negotiate Brant's Contract," Teeka responded.

"Ezek wished to buy it out. That is for my Keep grant."

"You do not deny that?"
"I've never denied it!" Teeka said with some heat. "Only

recently did Senior Hunter Quill become my Intended, starting
the process for being in Contract with me. Until then we were
only sharing the Stake and settling the estate. In truth, I

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wished to see the Great Valley and experience it for myself.
We asked the Elder Hunter for permission, which he granted!"

"But the Elder Hunter does not oversee your Contract."
"No, I do!" Teeka snapped. "Do not seek to tell me my

Contract, Seeker Kashaynu. I know my rights."

The Seeker eyed him with an expression of faint surprise

on his face. "I see." He made another note. "A different
question, Keeper Teeka. With what do you roast breakfast
grains?"

"Sire?"
"Breakfast grains, Keeper Teeka. With what do you roast

them?"

"I use sweetener, spices, and sometimes baku seeds."
"And savory?"
"I have several recipes. Do you wish me to recite them for

you?" He couldn't keep the edge out of his voice, and Quill
stroked his shoulder, trying to calm him.

"Do you use the yingtzao, Keeper Teeka?"
"For what occasion?"
"Pardon?"
"For what occasion am I making the grains, Seeker

Kashaynu?"

"For your Hunter while on Contract."
"At Kotek City or on Stake?"
"On Stake, of course."
"Then of course not, Seeker Kashaynu. Yingtzao are

dangerous when cooked away from the City."

The Seeker studied him for several long moments. "I see."

He stood. "I've taken enough of your time, and you are

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convalescing. I shall require more of your time back at Kotek
City before you return to Reghdad, Keeper Teeka."

"But..."
The Seeker waited, watching him.
If he hadn't drunk the sleeping juice, or if he hadn't been

sick, he never would have asked the next question. But as it
was, he felt tested beyond endurance by the events of recent
days. "Why do you ask me such basic questions about food
preparation?"

"One of the theories, Keeper Teeka, about Senior Hunter

Brant's death is that his new Keeper gave him yingtzao."

"But that would have attracted the sandboar right to him!"
"Exactly."
Teeka stared at him. "And you think I did that? You think I

killed him?" His voice rose, a wild note to it. "I would never
do that to him!"

"Hush," Quill soothed. "Your Honor, please."
"I have upset you. For that, I am sorry. But I had to ask

the question." He hesitated at the door and turned back. "You
should know, there was talk. The young Keeper, the Senior
Hunter. Some wanted to know why he died on such a routine
Hunt. Before we suspect murder, we must examine all other
possibilities. There are some who said it was an accidental
death by an inexperienced Keeper. There are some who said
you killed him for the Stake."

"I swear it, I did not!" Teeka shouted, tears coming into

his eyes. "I would never hurt him!"

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"Knowing who you are now, I can see the weakness of

such claims," the Seeker admitted. "I would have come to
you well before now, had I known it sooner."

With that, he exited the tent.
"I would never hurt Brant!" Teeka burst out, tears spilling

down his cheeks. He clutched at Quill as the Hunter stood.
"Please, you must believe me!"

"I do. I do, Teeka. Hush now. You mustn't excite yourself."

He caught Teeka's hand in his own and eased him onto the
pillows. "We'll leave soon, and I must pack. Please, try to
calm yourself."

"Quill, I..." Teeka trailed off, a wave of dizziness swelling

over him.

"Landing!" Quill moved, settling Teeka against the pillows

and feeling his cheeks and forehead. "You're burning up!"

"Here," Alwyn said, slipping into the tent with a cup. "He

should drink this. It will break the fever. It tastes foul, and I
couldn't find the sweetener."

"It's in the locker," Teeka managed to say around the

rushing in his ears.

Quill laughed. "Hush. Drink this."
"Oh." Teeka pulled away, gorge rising. "Landing. That is

terrible."

"Please, just drink it."
"It tastes like truffle droppings!"
"Teeka, please," Quill begged, his eyes haunted.
That, more than any wish to get well, prompted Teeka to

get the awful stuff down. A few moments later, he collapsed

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against the pillows. All of the pain, everything from the sting
of the burns to the aching in his temples, evaporated.

He wanted to tell Quill, but couldn't get his eyes to open or

his voice to cooperate.

"Sleep now, Teeka. Get well. Please." Quill's voice sounded

near tears, and Teeka wanted to reassure him, but he
couldn't rouse himself. He floated away, the feel of Quill's
gentle caresses on his cheek and hair soothing him.

[Back to Table of Contents]

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Chapter 25: Settling In

Teeka's awareness faded in and out. First, they were in the

tent at the Stake, and then on the sandsail. The next time he
woke, the walls of Brant's tent surrounded him. Night lay
heavy against the walls of the tent and the atmosphere
exuded the silence that only deep of the dark could give.

"You're awake," Quill murmured from nearby.
Teeka moved his head, cradled in the pillows, and Quill

appeared over him and sat on the bed.

"How do you feel?"
"More clear than I did," Teeka admitted. "I don't really

remember the ride back."

Quill stroked his face and reached for a jar of ointment. He

dabbed it gently on Teeka's face, his own eyes haunted. "You
could have died."

"But I didn't." Teeka caught Quill's wrist. "I'm not made of

glass."

"I know that," Quill snapped, pulling his hand free. "That's

not my point!"

"Well, Ezek is dead. What more do you want? Do you want

me to leave?"

"Of course not!"
"What is it?"
Quill balled his hand into a fist and dropped it into his lap.

"Teeka."

"I'm relieved that you saw us before Ezek could hurt you. I

tried to fight him, but he won."

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"You're serious?"
Teeka nodded. "I knew if I couldn't stop him, he'd have

the element of surprise." He cleared his throat. "I didn't
expect the sands to be as hot as they were."

Quill chuckled. "It is nearly Daymonth." He dabbed more

ointment on Teeka's chin.

"I don't understand how my face isn't burnt worse, though.

My arms are a mess." He glared at his bandages in
annoyance. "At least my hands are fine."

The Hunter looked down. "That is a good thing, isn't it?

You need your hands." He paused. "I couldn't shield more,
not and fight Ezek. He fought faster than I expected him to."

"You shielded me, even while fighting?" From Quill's

embarrassed expression, Teeka could see that he'd guessed
the truth. "You saved my hands and face, Quill, while fighting
a madman to save us; I couldn't ask for more." Teeka
watched as Quill fiddled with his robe sleeve. Perhaps it was
time change the topic and his stomach growling gave him the
perfect excuse. Teeka struggled up on the pillows. "I'm
starving."

Quill frowned. "That's a good thing as well. You have eaten

very little for days."

"No wonder I'm hungry. You haven't been feeding me."
The Hunter eyed him, but with a grin somewhere in the

bottom of his glare. "I'll get some grains for you." Quill stood
but turned back. "Seeker Kashaynu is here and wants to
speak to you when you're well."

"The Seeker frightens me."
"He's a Seeker."

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"Is he here for you?"
Quill ladled some grains into a bowl and sprinkled

sweetener on them. "Why?"

"Because you killed Ezek!" He took the grains. "These

aren't bad."

"Thank you." Quill sat down, his tea in his hands. "Ezek

invaded the Stake. It's expected that if that happens, death
will follow. The Hunter isn't out of bounds if he kills a rival on
a Stake. That's why we're careful about who goes where."

"Why is Kashaynu here, then?"
"Because the suspicion fell on you. The Keeper is an

entirely different matter. You lose your immunity if you attack
one of us, particularly out on Stake. I suspect Kashaynu
stayed because it didn't add up."

Good point. Keepers had immunity from legal prosecution,

even if their Contract committed a crime while on Contract,
unless the Keeper themselves attacked someone outright.
Then Quill's comment registered. "What didn't add up?"

"I suspected you as well, remember?" Quill rubbed his

cheek and settled against Teeka's legs. "But I didn't need to
be long in your presence to see you're not a murderer."

Teeka stared at him, unsettled. "I suspected you, too, you

know."

Quill cocked an eyebrow but didn't comment right away.

"Kashaynu said something that interests me." Quill paused.
"As did Ezek."

"What?" When Quill didn't answer right away, he put his

spoon down. "What is it?"

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Quill looked up and his gaze pierced him. "Who is your

family, Teeka?"

Teeka swallowed and broke eye contact. "I wanted to be

here on my own skills, not my father's."

"It's true, then."
"My father is Minister Josvin Kendrickson of the Water

Authority."

The Hunter's eyes widened with incredulity. "Minister?"
"Quill, I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to hide it, I swear to you. I

just wanted..."

"To be taken on your own merits." Quill didn't move from

his place leaning against Teeka's legs, though his face
seemed angry.

Teeka took his body language to be a good sign, at least.

"I worked hard at Emerald Keep. My family wanted me to
stay, take a posting in Reghdad. But I wanted to travel, to
see the desert, and be independent."

"I can understand that."
Teeka sat back.
"I don't understand why you didn't tell me."
He flushed. "I didn't want to discuss it, to be honest.

Keepers drop their family name when they join the Keep. I
don't walk around every day saying to myself, 'I'm Teeka, the
Water Minister's son: all fear me and obey.'"

Quill bit off a loud bark of laughter. "Well, why not?"
"I wasn't trying to hide it from you." He squeezed Quill's

leg for emphasis. "I promise."

"Did Brant know?"

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Teeka shook his head. "I never got a chance to tell him. If

he had come with me to Reghdad for Daymonth, I would
have."

"Brant? In Reghdad?" Quill chuckled. "You overestimate

the appeal of even your family."

"He might have!"
"And truffles might fly! Brant hated the city. Why do you

think he stayed here? He could have retired years ago."

"Oh." Teeka took a bite of grains. "I didn't think of that."
Quill rubbed his leg. "Come. I'll wash your hair."
"You're my Keeper now?" Teeka grumbled.
"Maybe. If so, I'll let you finish the Stake."
Teeka laughed and handed the bowl to the Hunter. Getting

up proved more difficult than he anticipated, as his body
seemed unused to being upright. He tottered into the
necessary and took care of that, and made it to the sluice to
collapse on the stool. Quill entered in and started up the
water, keeping the noise muffled so they didn't wake their
neighbors.

Quill's fingers unbound Teeka's braid. No beads adorned it,

since he hadn't put them back in, but several knots had
formed. It took a while but Quill finished, wet the heavy mass
and squeezed the soap through it, massaging Teeka's scalp.

"Did you do this for Dekka?"
"I did," Quill murmured. "His wasn't as long as yours, but

he taught me to care for it. Mine was long as well."

"I was going to cut mine, when I got the Contract," Teeka

admitted. "But our first night together, we talked long into

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the dark. When I mentioned it to Brant, he seemed... He
didn't seem to like the idea."

Quill chuckled. "He was very fond of your hair. He would

stroke it when you slept, he told me once."

Teeka turned around to stare up at Quill. "Are you

serious?"

"Oh yes. Brant cared deeply for you, you little peacock.

Your earnestness amused him, but your strength impressed
him. You never complained. Not of the heat, the conditions,
the sand, nor even going out to the desert. He planned to
take you out on Stake one day. Even if it was hard work, you
did your best."

Teeka leaned against Quill's side, a few tears for his first

Contract falling from his eyes. They stayed like that for some
time, Teeka pressing against Quill's skin and Quill massaging
oils into Teeka's hair.

"Come," Quill murmured. "You should dry."
Teeka let Quill towel him off. His arms ached, as did the

soles of his feet, and he stumbled when he tried to walk
across the grates to the carpet.

"Here." Quill stopped him and lifted him into his arms like

a toddler, perched on his hip. "Let me carry you so you don't
damage your feet. They were burned, though not as badly as
your arms."

Teeka leaned his head on Quill's shoulder, enjoying the

feeling of being pampered. Quill set him on the bed and got
the ointments from the Healers, and applied it first to his feet.
He wrapped the burn bandages, light enough to feel loose
against the skin but secure enough to stay put, and bid Teeka

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lay on his back. Quill applied the ointment to all the burns on
Teeka's arms and face, and got the body oils.

By the time Quill finished, Teeka neared sleep.
"Sleep well, peacock," Quill murmured, kissed his neck.

"I'll be right here."

Teeka wanted to respond, but he floated away.
Jebbynk's morning sluice woke him and he lay blinking at

the patterns on the ceiling. Quill lay next to him, a light snore
betraying him, his back against Teeka's body. The truffles
snuck in and curled up on the bed by Teeka's legs, Sniffer's
snout facing his feet but not touching.

Quill told him the truffles could tell when he'd been

injured, and treated his injuries like something to pay
attention to. As he watched her, she swiveled her eyes up
and blinked at him, moving her snout toward his hand. He
petted her and she closed her eyes, snuffling into the silks.

"Sleep well?" Quill murmured, rolling over.
"I didn't mean to wake you."
"You didn't. The sluice did. I'm not used to city noises yet."
Teeka sat up and got his slippers on. Experimenting, he

stood and held his own weight on his feet. He waited for
Jebbynk to finish and limped out back to use the necessary.
When he came in, he found Quill setting water on for tea.

Teeka's arms refused to be held up for any length of time,

and he couldn't braid his hair. He tried, instead, to run a
brush through it and ended up dropping it. It bounced against
his forearm, igniting fire along the skin, and he hunched over
it in pain.

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"Let me help you," Quill murmured, kneeling next to him.

"You don't have to be so independent."

"I can't even brush my hair!"
"You will soon," he soothed, drawing the brush through the

heavy mass over Teeka's ear. "But come. Drink some tea.
You always feel better after tea."

It reminded him of his birth-mother, and he laughed in

spite of himself. "I'm not being cranky!"

"Yes, you are." Quill gazed at him with serene calm. "It's

endearing. Otherwise you'd be the perfect Keeper, and I'd
have to look elsewhere. After all, the perfect Keeper would be
far too expensive for a simple Hunter like me to Contract."

"Don't push your luck, or I'll double my fee," Teeka

grumbled.

As Quill predicted, Teeka did revive after tea, even the

bitter stuff Quill made. He set the pillows in a mound at his
back and watched Quill work on carving a small figurine of a
sandmouse out of a nugget of goldstone. He used a delicate
motorized awl and focused with such attention a crease
formed between his brows.

He glanced up to find Teeka watching him and blushed.

"What?"

Teeka laughed. "You are cute when you focus like that."
Quill snorted and set the tool down. He stretched, the

tendons popping, and stood. "I should prepare some lunch for
us."

"How is Ming?"
Not answering right away, Quill got out the grains and set

them on the table. "He will recover, Alwyn thinks."

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by A. Catherine Noon

291

"'Thinks'? Landing!"
Quill shrugged and measured out the grains. "He was

badly injured."

"Can I see him?"
"I don't know, to be honest. We'll have to ask Alwyn."
After that, Teeka didn't know what to say and watched

Quill as he worked, resting against the pillows.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Emerald Fire

by A. Catherine Noon

292

Chapter 26: Together At Last

Bandages swathed Ming from neck to pectorals, rounding

his throat and halfway down his left arm. His face seemed
smooth in sleep and much younger than when he was awake,
no tension lines creasing his eyebrows or cheeks. It unsettled
Teeka to see him devoid of his usual personality.

"He woke and had some broth earlier." Alwyn set some

fresh bandages on the table near Ming's bed. "I think he's out
of the Winds now."

Quill grunted. "He looks..."
"Vulnerable?" Alwyn nodded. "He was. Ming was returning

to Kotek City after Claiming a new Stake near yours. Ezek
ambushed him and stabbed him in the chest before Ming
could react. I'm surprised he managed to fight at all, not to
mention get to shade. It missed his heart, at least."

"Thank the Winds the Herders found him where they did."

Quill shuddered. "Otherwise..."

"What happened?" Teeka hated being out of the action,

recovering from his own injuries.

"The Herders took their animals to the side pasture and

found him on the trail, covered in blood. They carried him to
their daycamp. Mizi led me out and I was able to stop the
bleeding. It took three days for him to wake, though." He
turned to Quill. "Feyl is beside himself."

"I don't wonder." Quill sighed. "If only..."
Teeka and Quill returned to their tent after staying a little

longer. There wasn't anything they could do to help, though

Emerald Fire

by A. Catherine Noon

293

Quill extracted a promise from Alwyn to let him know the
minute Ming woke.

As they walked into their tent, Teeka sat down on the edge

of the bed. He hoped he succeeded in hiding his exhaustion;
he needed to appear more recovered than he was in order to
have this conversation with his Intended. "What about the
Stakes?"

"What about them?" Quill rummaged in the locker for

something or other.

"Well, they'll go bad unless you work them."
"Teeka, you're hardly in any shape to go on Stake."
"I know that!" Teeka flushed. "But you can."
"I'm not going to leave you while you recover." Quill

straightened, glaring at him. "You shouldn't be alone."

Teeka reached for Quill's hand, and the Hunter crouched

next to him, sitting on his heels. "Look. I did need you, you're
right. But I'm better now, and strong enough to take care of
myself. You don't want the stones to get brittle or, worse,
have Tybin assign someone else to take the Stakes. You said
it yourself, Ming needs the money even if we don't."

Quill dropped his voice. "I can always get us another

Stake."

"But you don't want to lose this one, do you?"
Hesitating, Quill looked down. "Teeka..."
Teeka stroked his face. "You don't want to let your hard

work go to waste because of Ezek's jealousy, do you? You
can't let him ruin what we created together. This Stake is
what brought us together."

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by A. Catherine Noon

294

Quill didn't respond right away, chewing his lip. After

several long moments, he looked up and met Teeka's gaze, a
wry expression on his face. "You're not going to let this go,
are you?"

Shaking his head, Teeka grinned. "And you wouldn't

either, if our positions were reversed. Besides, we will have
Daymonth together."

Narrowing his eyes gave Quill a sinister cast. "All right.

Fine. I'll go in the morning."

They ate a quiet meal of leftover grains, and Teeka curled

up on the bed to rest. He didn't realize he'd dozed off until
Quill woke him, breaking up a scuffle between the truffles and
depositing them in their pen.

"Sorry. They were fighting."
Teeka sat up and yawned. "Over what?"
"Sniffer discovered you'd left a suet ball out on top of the

supply box. She was trying to stand on her brother to reach
it. He objected to being her stepping stool."

"But they both got one each earlier."
"Yes, but Sniffer's a little greedy monster, aren't you?"

Quill patted the truffle on the head and turned away. Sniffer
regarded him with sad eyes and curled up with a grunt, giving
every appearance of pouting.

Quill disrobed and got into bed next to Teeka. "How are

you feeling?"

"Sleepy, but the pain's a lot less. I'll be fine, Quill, I

promise."

The Hunter nuzzled his ear and nibbled his earlobe. "You'd

better be, Keeper."

Emerald Fire

by A. Catherine Noon

295

Teeka smiled against Quill's cheek and circled him with

both arms. Quill settled against him with a sigh and stroked
his stomach with gentle fingers, avoiding the stitches on his
chest. As it continued, Teeka rolled onto his side to allow Quill
to reach his back.

"Glutton."
"Mmm-hmm." Teeka nudged Quill with his hip. "Come on,

I'm convalescing."

"Right." Quill got some oil and made a production out of

slicking his hands.

Teeka moved to see Quill's eyes and they gazed at each

other a moment. When Quill touched him, his hands radiated
heat. Teeka's body thrummed with the movement and he
closed his eyes, luxuriating in it. Quill worked at his back for
quite a while, massaging all the kinks out of the muscles. He
moved to Teeka's legs, covering his back with the bedsilks to
keep him warm. By the time the massage finished, Teeka felt
like a puddle.

"There." Quill set the bottle of oil on the bedside table and

curled up around Teeka's body. "That's better, isn't it?"

"I just wish..." Teeka rolled onto his back, cradled half

under Quill's body with Quill's arm under his head. "I wish I
were up for more."

Quill kissed him, tasting of the spices from the grains and

the tea. His tongue teased Teeka like a sunrise, igniting all
the nerves from his chest on down. Quill lipped his chin and
moved back to Teeka's ear. "Well, you'll have to rest up.
When I get back from the Stake, I fully intend to take such
advantage of you that you can't walk for a week."

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by A. Catherine Noon

296

"Quill!" Teeka laughed, delighted. "When did you become

such a seducer?"

"Since meeting you." Quill nipped his shoulder. "Since you

corrupted me."

Teeka sobered. "What of that?"
Quill frowned. "What of what? Trust me, you didn't seduce

me unwilling, Teeka."

"But what about what people were saying?"
"I don't care." Quill shrugged. "We're Intended now. Let

their tongues wag all they like. It makes no difference to me."

"But..."
Quill squeezed him and stroked his cheek. "Teeka, I

promise you. They'll find some other poor soul to gossip over
soon enough. Don't let their bitterness affect you. You can't
control what they say and you aren't acting with dishonor. No
matter what they say."

Teeka sighed. "I suppose you're right."
"There is one problem, though." Quill sounded thoughtful.
"Oh?"
Quill stroked a warm hand across his stomach. "You're

going to get fat with all this inactivity."

Teeka gaped at him a moment and slapped his arm. Quill

let out a full-throated laugh and nuzzled his shoulder,
brushing the emerald in Teeka's belly button with his fingers.

"I helped Brant select this." He spoke in a soft, gentle

voice, as though reminiscing. "I always thought it would look
well against your skin, even when all I had to go by was your
audition vids."

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by A. Catherine Noon

297

Teeka flushed. "You never told me that." Embarrassment

made his face heat.

Quill laughed and stroked his cheek. "You blush?"
"Yes, Quill, I blush."
Quill chuckled, still petting him, and Teeka stretched into

it. He tipped his mouth up to Quill's and they kissed again.
Teeka lost himself in it until he tried to stroke Quill's back.
The skin on his arms twinged and sent pain down his arm
clear to his ass. He couldn't hide the wince, since their bodies
pressed together.

"Winds, Teeka. Stop trying to pretend you're well when

you're not!"

Teeka laughed with helpless embarrassment. "I just

want..."

"Me."
Flushing, Teeka swatted Quill's side. "You make it sound

salacious."

"I certainly hope so." Quill's eyes twinkled. "Come. Let's

get some rest. We're together. That's what matters."

Teeka settled against the pillows, his body cradled by the

warmth of the bedsilks and Quill's body heat. The Hunter
curled around him, their legs entwined and torsos touching.
As Quill's breathing deepened, Teeka watched the patterns on
the tent walls with drowsy contentment.

He still missed Brant. But now, the future glowed bright

with promise. Together, he and Quill would build a home
here, a home carved out of the harshness of the desert.
Better than any vid of the First Hunter or stories of Chebek

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by A. Catherine Noon

298

the Bold, Teeka knew his own small corner of the Great Valley
held all he wanted or needed.

He closed his eyes and nuzzled Quill's ear, a dream of

goldstones and sunstones filling his mind's eye. He sent a
silent prayer of thanks to Brant's spirit. If it weren't for him,
Teeka would never have met Quill and had his dreams come
true.

END.

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