Chapter 8
Torak was silent on the shuttle ride down to the planet. River glanced at him from time to time but mostly listened to the excited talk around her. The men were excited to finally be back home. Many of them had been away in space for almost a year and were anxious to return to their Houses. Others talked about what had happened in the shuttle bay and how they had all held their breaths when River had issued her battle cry.
Jo and Star sat next to each other and between Manota and Jazin. Neither brother had let the sisters out of their sight since they had appeared in the shuttle bay. Jo looked at River and rolled her eyes then crossed them and stuck her tongue out. River bit back a laugh. She giggled when Torak looked at her before glancing up at Jo. His eyes narrowed as he watched the interaction between them. He said something to Jazin and Manota in a language that didn’t translate in their translators. A moment later all three men had a firm grip on each of the girls’ wrists.
River raised an eyebrow at Torak when he looked down at her with a triumphant smirk. So, he thought speaking another language that wasn’t in the translator was fair? Well, turn about was fair play.
Speaking in Cantonese, River explained her theory to Jo and Star watching the brothers’ faces as she spoke. “I think they are trying something and don’t want us to know about it.”
All three brothers’ heads swiveled around to look at River with a frown. Jo grinned and spoke in Italian, “I believe you are right. I don’t think their translators work on a language other than English since it was the only one we spoke before.”
Star watched as Jazin’s face darkened, speaking in French she added, “Well, if we mix up the languages they are never going to figure out what we are saying. Let’s see if they like to eat crow as much as they like to dish it out.”
River, Jo, and Star all laughed as the men scowled at them. Jazin muttered under his breath, “What did we do to deserve such females?” Causing the girls to laugh even harder.
River was excited and scared at the same time as the shuttle landed. She loved to travel but even this was a little far out for her! She had not really had much time to absorb the fact she was on a spaceship traveling through space before since she was more concerned with just trying to stay alive. Now, she was going to take her first step out onto an alien planet. Glancing at Jo and Star, River could tell they were just as nervous too.
Torak glanced down as River nervously twisted a small knife between her fingers moving it in and out without even looking at it. He had a feeling she wasn’t even aware she was doing it since she kept looking around at everyone and everything. Torak was very proud of his House as it was one of the largest and strongest on Kassis. He had made arrangements for a transport to take them to their House. The House of Kassis consisted of four main buildings. The South building was made up of conference rooms, dining rooms, a medical wing, additional guest rooms for visiting dignitaries, and rooms for entertaining guests. The North wing was the Lead House and it belonged to Torak. The Lead House housed the next leader of the House of Kassis and was Torak’s primary resident now even though his father was still alive and the leader of Kassis. His house consisted of his private armed security force and their families, his private quarters, the quarters for all those who were under his protection, additional guests’ rooms for his private visitors, and numerous common living areas. The East House belonged to Manota and was known as the Second House of Kassis. It was built almost identical to the North house with only the few modifications Manota had done. It contained his personal security force, quarters for all those who were under his protection, and private and common living areas. The last house was the West House which belonged to Jazin and was known as the Third House of Kassis. It was identical to the other two houses. In the center between the houses was a large garden area with fountains and paths leading to each of the three private Houses and the common House. If necessary the entire complex could be sealed off to become a giant fortress.
Torak looked forward to presenting River to his House. He had listened to his men talking about her entrance this morning and the challenge she had presented to Tai Tek. Each tale of her acts from rescuing them from a hideous death at the hands of Progit, to her knife throwing in the training room, to this morning’s challenge to Tai Tek became even larger and grander than the one before.
If he were truthful to himself, he had to admit it was what happened after the council men had left that still bothered him and made him so possessive of keeping River close to him. When he had finally been able to get Councilman Rai Marcs to board his shuttle he had been stunned to find River in the arms of his Captain of the Guard. Fierce jealousy had swept through him at the sight of her wrapped in another warrior’s arms. He had seen the tears glittering in her eyes as she stared up at Mul Kar, her arms wrapped around his neck; but, even worse was the look on his Captain of the Guard’s face. He had never seen emotion on the face of his most trusted guard before like he had at that moment. He knew it had taken everything in Mul Kar’s power to pull and walk away from River.