The Legend of Sirra Bruche (Roran Curse Book 1) Page 17

  To her surprise, Jerrapo befriended her. What a sharp sense of humor Jerrapo had! She was truly a pleasant woman to be around, although sometimes she displayed a haughty imperiousness, a relic of her Royal caste upbringing. Andie ignored it the best she could, and they got along well. The two women were not more than five years apart in age, though Jerrapo’s regal behavior made her seem far older. Jerrapo loved to hear Andie talk about Zenith and Armada life, and once she even brought Andie an Armada pilot’s cap as a present. As Andie stared at it in wonder, Jerrapo merely winked and whispered that it had been a lucky week on the black market. With all her education and poise and courage, Andie was not surprised to find that Jerrapo was a respected leader, even among much older men. She was also almost as talented as Randa in the matter of acting and could ferret out information about Royal and Noble caste members better than anyone else.

  ♦

  The night Randa returned, Andie was sitting on her bed with Jerrapo, describing the Quintan Edge Resort that she had gone to for her Academy graduation. Jerrapo found the concept of such a resort unreal.

  “A business that caters to your very whims whatever they may be?” she repeated incredulously. “I simply do not believe that such a place exists.”

  Andie laughed at her skepticism. On Corizen, where no money was ever spent on entertainment except by the upper castes, the thought was a little crazy. It might be hard to stay in business.

  “But you are a member of the highest caste, Jerrapo. Don’t you have things like that, even if regular Denicorizens do not?” Andie prodded impishly.

  “Not at a business establishment. No decent Royal or Noble would ever go to it,” Jerrapo corrected in a huff.

  Well, Andie still didn’t believe that the Nobility didn’t have some form of entertainment that would compare to the QE. After what she had seen at Jaory’s, she knew that the upper castes on Corizen often found Union customs and items a mark of extreme gentility. But Andie didn’t pressure Jerrapo about it—if she didn’t care to tell, Andie would drop it. She knew that sometimes Jerrapo hated to talk about certain upper caste practices.

  Andie was still floundering for a new subject when Randa knocked and then swept into her room. “Sirra, my dear, it’s so good to see you! Jerrapo, what a pleasant surprise!” She briefly pressed her cheek to each of theirs in greeting.

  “I didn’t know you were home, Randa,” Andie exclaimed pleasantly.

  “I arrived about an hour ago,” she told them, a bit tiredly. “My son in tow,” she added to Jerrapo.

  “Laeren is here?” Jerrapo said in surprise. “For how long?”

  “Oh, just for a visit. Then he will return to Roma. Morek-Li cannot spare him that long.”

  “I am surprised he could spare him at all,” Jerrapo murmured. A significant look passed between Jerrapo and Randa. Andie really couldn’t figure out what was going on.

  Randa turned back to her. “You will have to meet my son, Andie. He is very anxious to meet you since I have told him so much about you.” Andie blushed and shook her head. It made her squirm to think of Randa sharing stories about her with her son. Still, Andie’s enthusiasm was aroused by the possibility of meeting someone new. If Laeren was anything like his mother, he would certainly be interesting to talk to.

  “Well,” Randa stood, “I have a lot to catch up on after the trip so I will see you later. Jerrapo, I need to talk to you sometime later this evening.” Jerrapo nodded.

  Randa started out the door. “Oh, and I will make sure and introduce you to Laeren within the next few days, Sirra!”

  Andie smiled to herself after Randa left. Since Randa was the closest thing Andie had to a family here, it would be exciting to meet her son.

  12. Laeren

  A week went by and Andie still did not have the chance to meet Laeren. One of her students pointed him out to her during class—he was standing in the large room which adjoined the classroom, his back to them while he discussed something with Wassim. He looked tall (though probably only average for a Denicorizen), with shiny black hair just like his mother. He stood straight, obviously confident in the presence of Wassim. Andie was intrigued.

  “He is Morek-Li’s most important assistant,” one of the students explained. “Some believe that it is many of his ideas that guide the Resistance.” Andie took one last look before returning to her lesson. How interesting!

  Late that night she ventured from her room, unable to sleep. The nightmares had eased off—at least she did not have them every night anymore—but some nights she tossed and turned restlessly, her fear of seeing Oanni or Jaory in her dreams leaving her unable to relax enough to drift off. On such nights she always gave up and wandered around until she was too tired to fight it anymore. The halls were mostly quiet since almost everyone had gone to bed or gone home by that point. This night Andie decided to head for the lounge where she knew a fresh air intake came from outside. The room was dark and she walked in without turning on the lights, hoping to just sit on a couch for a while and with any luck, get tired enough to sleep. However, just as she stepped into the room, a voice ordered, “Stop! Stay where you are!”

  Andie froze immediately at the sound of the unfamiliar, precise voice. What was going on? The lights flicked on and she noticed a man on the nearest couch, one hand on the light switch, the other on a diffusing laser. With Andie in full view, he put away the laser, and apologized profusely. “I am so sorry; I thought it might be an intruder.”

  “I’m the one who’s sorry,” Andie broke in hurriedly, “I didn’t realize anyone was in here. I’ll go somewhere else.”

  She turned to retreat quickly from the lounge. “No, wait,” the man called. “Stay here with me. I did not mean to chase you away. Come in and have a seat if that is what you wanted.”

  Andie really didn’t want to bother the man; in fact, walking in on a complete stranger had her acutely embarrassed, but she lingered anyway. She could nearly taste the open air in this room. Finally, the fresh air won and she sat on one of the other couches. Quietly she leaned back and tried to just enjoy the fresh air, hoping the man could go back to resting. Out of half-closed eyes she studied him. He was not remotely familiar; a handsome man with shiny black hair that brushed his eyes. He was dressed in a silky white shirt, dark slacks and leather boots. The clothes of the rich, Andie noted with distrust. What was he doing here among the poor, struggling members of the Resistance? What if he was a spy of Jaory’s? That would explain the weapon. She tried to relax, but more than anything she wanted to go straight to Randa or Jerrapo. She would have to do it casually so the man wouldn’t turn on her. Maybe if she yawned and stretched it would seem natural when she left . . .

  “I won’t bite you, I promise,” the man reassured with a slight smile playing on his lips. Andie shrank back into her seat and he chuckled. “Even now you’re ready to flee at the first sign of danger.” Andie bristled at his teasing tone. Then she straightened. She was not going to let him intimidate her. All she had to do was scream and she would have half a dozen angry people running in.

  “Why shouldn’t I be afraid of you?” Andie challenged boldly. “You’re a total stranger who greeted me with a laser.”

  “You don’t know who I am? Nobody told you?”

  “Well, obviously.” She crossed her arms and waited for him to explain. His smile grew wider and he stood up and offered her his hand.

  “I’m sorry we were not properly introduced. My name is Laeren Bruche—I am Miranda’s son. You are Miss Sirra if I am not mistaken.” Andie’s jaw dropped. This handsome young man in his late twenties was the major power player, Randa’s son? She was simply speechless.

  Her lack of response seemed to make him more timid. For several minutes neither of them said a word. Andie was silently berating herself. What an idiot she had been. She had nearly called in the guards and he was one of the leaders! He probably thought she was such an imb
ecile. Finally Andie broke the silence. “Your mother said she told you about me. I hope she didn’t tell you anything truly awful.”

  Her statement seemed to break the ice.

  “Oh, no, she just told me what an amazing person you are. But she didn’t mention how beautiful,” he complimented. Blushing, Andie looked away for a moment.

  “Still,” he continued, “I wish she would have warned me about your prowling habits. Next time I won’t pull a laser on you, I promise,” he said lightheartedly.

  Andie laughed quietly and leaned back, much more at ease.

  “So what are you doing in here, hanging out in the dark?” she asked curiously.

  “I could ask the same of you,” he returned glibly.

  “Yes, but I asked you first.”

  “Well, I don’t really have a room here, and there isn’t one to spare. So my mother suggested that I camp out in here until they can get a room for me—hopefully by tomorrow, so I will not have to sleep on a couch much longer,” he explained.

  “I can see why they put you in here. It is the most comfortable room in the building,” Andie conceded. “But why didn’t you tell me when I first came in? I would have left you alone so you could get some rest.”

  He looked at her and smiled mischievously.

  “I wanted to meet you, and I haven’t had the opportunity. I was not going to let you get away without at least an introduction.”

  “I’m very flattered, Master Bruche,” Andie said appreciatively.

  “Laeren. Call me Laeren.”

  “I’m very flattered, Laeren. But I still think I ought to leave you to your room now,” Andie told him, starting to rise. “It was a pleasure to meet you. I hope we will have the chance to talk again sometime.” Laeren rose respectfully.

  “The pleasure was all mine, Miss Sirra,” he replied. She nodded to him and slipped through the door.

  Once again she didn’t find it any easier to fall asleep in her room, but for once Oanni’s face didn’t trouble her at all.

  Thoughts of Laeren filled her mind all through the next day. He was such a mystery to her. Handsome, threatening, imposing, yet friendly, and he had even complimented her. Was that just politeness? After much internal debate, Andie decided that it probably was. She knew that “beautiful” was not exactly the word to best describe her. During her classes she absentmindedly tried to concentrate on what she was teaching, but her mind kept wandering to Laeren’s charm, as well as his engaging smile. Secretly she hoped she would get to see him again.

  However, she didn’t see him that day, or that night when she once again roved the halls (although she stayed away from the lounge just in case he was still sleeping there).

  The next day Randa appeared at the door just as she finished teaching her morning class. She smiled and spoke briefly to some of the students as they filed out, but once the room was empty she turned her full attention to Andie.

  “I have some bad news,” she informed Andie heavily. Andie beckoned her into the room and shut the door. She was puzzled. What bad news could Randa possibly have? Unless, she swallowed hard, Jaory had figured out where she was? But that would mean the whole Resistance had been exposed, wouldn’t it? Randa didn’t seem worried enough for that to be the case. Maybe Morek-Li had summoned her and Laeren back to Roma? This seemed far more likely, yet Andie found that this idea bothered her almost as much as Jaory finding her. Now why would that be?

  Randa cleared her throat and took Andie’s hands in hers. “We intercepted a message from Jaory to one of his associates. From the message it is obvious that he hasn’t forgotten about you. In fact, he suspects that members of the Resistance helped you escape, and he intends to stomp us out and retrieve you. Clearly he has no intention of giving up his search for you. I’m so sorry, Sirra. But I don’t think we will be able to get you home any time soon. I’m absolutely certain that no smuggler will cooperate with us on this for fear of bringing down Jaory’s wrath. Not for years maybe.”

  The news struck Andie so hard that her breath caught in her throat. Until that moment she hadn’t realized just how much she was depending on being able to get home quickly. Her expectation of returning to Zenith had been sustaining her all this time. Now she felt cut off, adrift without any hope of a change in her future. Years! How could she live hidden in this basement on Corizen for years?

  That night sleep simply wouldn’t come. She buried her head under her pillow, for a moment fantasizing that this was all a terrible nightmare and she would wake and find herself back at home with her family. Would she ever see them again? Would Jaory ever give up? What if he did find her? Oanni’s face popped into her mind and abruptly Andie threw off her blanket and got out of bed. She needed to do something to banish these thoughts or she would never get any sleep.

  This time the lounge was quite empty and she sprawled out on a couch, trying to focus on the cooler air rather than on the threat of discovery. She was so lost in thought that she did not notice Laeren’s entrance for several minutes. When she finally realized she was not alone, he smiled at her from the doorway. “This must be your favorite room at night,” he observed, gracefully choosing a chair opposite Andie’s couch.

  “I couldn’t sleep,” Andie confessed. “Your mother told me of a message from Jaory Kruunde and . . .” her voice trailed off as she thought of her own mother. What would her mother think if Andie never came home? Maybe there really was a curse on her family.

  “And you are afraid you will never return home,” Laeren finished gently. “And possibly, a little afraid of Jaory as well?”

  Andie nodded. That pretty well summed it up. Then, afraid that Laeren would think she was a coward she added, “But I think it is my helplessness that really scares me. If I could just be fighting someone off, or doing something that would help me get back home, it would be easier.”

  Laeren nodded sympathetically. “It is hard to feel vulnerable. Try to remember that we will never let anything happen to you. You are not sitting around doing nothing. You are teaching people valuable skills that will help them to defend us in the future. We esteem you greatly, Miss Sirra.”

  “Call me Andie,” she told him impulsively. “I miss hearing my real name, and only Randa uses it here.”

  “Andie then. I’m glad you have such a close relationship with my mother. She needs someone like you,” Laeren mused. “I wish I could be there for her more, but Morek-Li needs us in such different places. She has been very lonely ever since my father died.”

  “She never seems lonely,” Andie objected. “Of all the people I’ve met here, your mother seems one of the most content.”

  Laeren sighed. “She’s an extraordinary actress, even with those closest to her.” Andie processed that silently. It didn’t surprise her in a way.

  “Tell me about your family,” Laeren asked earnestly, changing the subject. “You must miss them a great deal.”

  Laeren kept Andie talking for over an hour before she started to yawn, and he sent her back to her room to get some sleep. However, a tradition had been started, and for the next month, Laeren and Andie met in the lounge for an hour or so after most people went to bed. During these weeks they became quite good friends. Andie began to fear that he would leave soon, recalling that Jerrapo had been surprised to hear of his visiting at all. But whenever she asked, Laeren teasingly replied that he would stay a few more days at least, if only to keep her entertained.

  “I have a surprise for you,” Laeren said one night as soon as Andie entered the lounge.

  “A surprise?” she repeated.

  “Yes, a surprise. One I think you’ll like quite a bit.” He smiled and held out his hand. Andie raised her eyebrows but took his hand. He turned and led her out the door. She liked the feel of his hand closed around hers. His hand was warm and strong; inexplicably she felt safer than she had ever before while on Corizen.

  L
aeren led her up one more level of stairs and into a large storage room that she had only seen once during Randa’s original tour of the base. The room was dark. She tightened her hold on Laeren’s hand, trusting him to keep her from tripping over anything. Laeren moved surely through the pitch black space until they reached the wall on the far side. Then he flicked on a small pocket torch. Andie caught a glimpse of a tall wooden cabinet about seven feet tall and perhaps a foot deep. Laeren pulled the doors open and slid his hand in the darkness. For a moment, Andie wondered what Laeren could possibly be keeping in this dusty cabinet that he wanted to give her. But then she heard a soft click and Laeren turned to face her. “After you,” he said courteously, gesturing in the dark. Andie stared at Laeren, but his face was completely dark in the shadows. Did he really want her to walk into the cabinet? Laeren must have sensed her trepidation for he just shone his torch into the cabinet, and Andie could see a crack in the back panel. It was a door, cleverly concealed inside the cabinet. But where did it lead to? She did trust Laeren though. Taking a deep breath she stepped into the cabinet, her arms outstretched before her. When her fingertips brushed the door in the back, she pushed gently and heard the door creak open.

  “We’ll need to oil that,” Laeren commented thoughtfully. His voice startled her, coming so suddenly. She turned back to him but his face was still shrouded in shadow. Her curiosity thoroughly piqued now, she pushed her way through the door. Laeren followed her and behind her the door croaked shut.

  “Where are we?” she whispered to Laeren. Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness already, but still she couldn’t see anything. The air was stuffy and musty and she had a feeling no one had been in here for a long time.