Building on Promise - Chapter 14 - A'mara Books

viking-ventures (69)in #writing • 6 years ago (edited)

14

Tirry served the final pizzas to Yewan and Lataya before grabbing her own. The spot remaining was the one on the couch next to Yewan. She suspected that it had been left that way on purpose. Just thinking about it made her blush slightly. Still, she felt Lataya’s silent encouragement.

She put her food on the coffee table in front of the couch and sat next to the man that her heart kept wanting to run to. She listened to the conversation which was currently about various people in far off places like Kasago and Irola.

“You had the best training, Yewan,” Tle-sun said. “Being chola to the abári himself must have given you so much experience to help prepare you for being abári here.”

“Perhaps,” Yewan admitted. “I should finally put that book into writing though.”

“What, ‘101 Reasons Not to be Abári?’” Tle-sun asked. “I thought that was just a joke!”

“Only a little!” Yewan chuckled. “I think I can say it in this company, but before I left Irola, Derick Aiden was hanging around the Complex. Remember him, Tle-sun?”

“Derick Aiden? As in the actor?” Tirry asked, surprised.

“The very one,” Yewan said. “Thank the leya I was able to remember to call him by his alias!”

“He was with us, what, 5 or 6 years ago?” Tle-sun asked. “Shortly after the first time we had major troubles with the Neví.”

“I think that might have been what inspired him, actually,” Yewan said. “We had just lost Marosio, my poor chola. And Jilia… poor woman. Tirry, Jilia was the wife of Jerreck, who was my maqla. She was very dear to me for many reasons.”

Tirry touched his hand in comfort as he had done for her previously.

“What happened?” she asked.

“No one completely knows, just like no one completely knows what happened with my poor chola. He had his own chola by then… Ek-ul who visited you briefly last summer and now works with Mikor and Garian.” Yewan drifted off. “The message of a young boy… Ek-ul stood out even then.”

“Even I’m lost now,” Tle-sun said.

Tirry returned to eating, unsure how much her touch might have helped – if at all. Was that the type of encouragement Lataya had hinted at?

Yewan was still talking. “I think you were still in Iloren at the time, Tle-sun. It’s nothing huge, just a lesson that I participated in to help Jerreck understand what he had in Jilia, right beside him for 20 years. Ek-ul saw it for what it was and called him on it too. Outstanding boy. I was proud to help him finish his training after Marosio died.”

“I’m glad someone got through to Jerreck. I wasn’t there, but I’ve heard all the stories,” Tle-sun said.

“Is lesson many should learn from,” Lataya said quietly. “Loyalty of dat nature is rare gift.”

Tirry wondered if that remark was about her and felt her face redden again. She wished she could be like all the A’mara in the room – able to keep the flush under control.

“So, what was Derick Aiden doing at the Complex?” Jenna asked, possibly to rescue Tirry.

“I’ve heard he’s had to go into hiding due to his new film,” Yewan said.

Tle-sun nodded. “‘Between Friends’ is the name of his new movie. Apparently, it’s an exposé about the Neví from the inside. He won’t say how he knows all he knows, but it’s made him some enemies, as you can imagine. But I can’t imagine the Complex being a great place to hide him for long.”

“He’s moved on already,” Betel reported. “He left even before you did, I think, Yewan. Thing is, even our receptionist is gone. There are rumors that she went with him. But rumors can cause safety issues, so Saraca is quick to hush them.”

“I hope he can stay safe,” Yewan said. “I quite like the guy.”

Tle-sun nodded.

“We need to get going,” Tle-sun said awhile later. “These late nights have been rough on Jenna recently.”

“There are more of those coming,” Tirry cautioned with a smile.

“I’m well aware of that,” Jenna said. “I’m taking your advice though – we’ll keep him in bed with us as long as we can, to help him be better adjusted.”

“Good. I think you’ll find that everyone sleeps better as a result! Since neither of you smoke or drink alcohol or things like that, there really isn’t any reason not to have him in bed with you,” Tirry advised.

“I also must go sleep and be ready for tomorrow,” Lataya said rising. She looked meaningfully at Yewan then at Mikor.

“Garian and I will accompany you,” Mikor said, also rising.

“I will be along soon,” Yewan promised to the others. “But I’m going to do my part of tonight’s cleanup.”

“Thank you for coming,” Tirry said to those who were leaving. She gave a hug to Lataya and Jenna.

“You don’t have to clean up,” Tirry said to Yewan when they were alone. “I have a dishwasher, it’s no trouble at all.”

“I insist. I brought in a huge crowd. You’ve been a marvelous hostess. But it’s only fair that I do my part now.” He started loading the dishwasher.

Tirry stopped protesting and started putting away all the fresh ingredients, finding the containers she needed.

It only took a few minutes to get everything done. “Thank you,” she said to Yewan.

“Thank you for hosting. Don’t think I don’t notice all that you do for everyone. You’re an amazing woman,” Yewan said. “I will see you in the morning.”

Then, he was gone.

After locking the door and closing her living room curtains, Tirry readied slowly for bed. She wondered about so many things… what Yewan had said, the things that Lataya had told her. She wondered about her heart and whether it really could be trusted. She wasn’t used to this sort of thing. She had never fallen before – not this hard and definitely not this fast.

She thought about how his hand felt under hers, how his warmth felt next to her. Before long, she had fallen asleep, dreaming about the man she had spent so much time with the past few days.

NEXT CHAPTER

Other Chapters of this set

Acting the Part - chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Building on Promise - Chapter 1

Maps and Guides

continents of Alacantis and Kranisis (five maps)
continent of Almara (five maps)
countries of Kri'enden and Yezi'im (four maps plus "other places")
characters, pronunciation and glossary

PLEASE CATCH UP!	LINKS TO BUY! (in chronological order)
	Brighid's Blood 2006 and 1200 B.T.C.E. Katja and Rachel are so desperate for love that they cast two love spells one night. But the Guardians do not consider spells "fun", but rather as cries for help from the very depths of your soul. Certainly Katja and Rachel could not have possibly imagined where these spells would take them!
	Birth of the Neví 829 T.C.E. It is a tumultuous period of Terrenden history. As is all too common, there are those who wish to profit from the misfortune of others. Some of these come together in a new "charitable organization" and step on the toes of the notorious Uugli. Combine this with draconian new measures to combat pollution and Terrenden has a situation ripe for a power struggle.
	Rebound of Power: 850 T.C.E. Collection of Romance Terrenden is being terrorized by a previously underestimated Neví who, through the mysterious “Curator,” have been controlling elections all over the planet. In this collection, we meet some interesting women. Iyva - a homeless teenager in Irola whose untrained power leaves her close to death; Marc’la - a breeder of prized caballus in Kasago whose heart lives in the past; Zukie - an abused widow whose heart is afraid to try for future happiness; Jenna - an elections assistant manager and masseuse who has a prejudice against A’mara; Kami - a chola student in Varkevand who has been assigned to protect Ardin, a man who has his own reasons to distrust A’mara.
COMING SOON	TO AN EBOOK STORE NEAR YOU!!!
	Rise of the Neví - 830 T.C.E. The Neví begin their rise in power with the completion of several large housing projects that seem totally charitable, but also hide a great evil within. The draconian measures brought in the previous year has caused major distress throughout the world, perfect for giving the Neví a further foothold on the Terrenden stage. Will the A’mara, now removed from the Council of Peers, be able to shut down the Neví?
	Acting the Part - 851 T.C.E. Collection of Romance The Neví have infiltrated the Terrenden Freedom Party. Dr. Jarly is on the run and the Curator still dominates the Terrenden stage. Famous actor, Derick Aiden has released his Neví expose film and now the Neví want him dead... In this collection, we meet more interesting women. Kauri - a simple receptionist who doesn’t realize one of her wildest dreams has come true; Tirry - an elections manager who is always the bridesmaid and never the bride; Zara - a chef who has all but given up on finding love for herself; D'zani - who isn’t even looking, but has to chaperone her more vulnerable roommate; Soala - an heiress who is expected to marry, but refuses to marry someone she doesn’t love; Moxara - one whose past griefs have locked away her heart. We also get updates on some of the lovely ladies we met previously.

Lori Svensen
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