Page 18 of The Bride Auction

My uncle shook his head. “Renick, I don’t think that’s a good idea. No one needs to know that. Remember your father as he was, not for the way he died.”

“I do.” My voice brooked no argument. “I need to know.”

“Fine.” My uncle ran his hands through his hair and tapped a couple keys on his tablet. He thrust the tablet into my hands. “I’ll be outside when you’re done. I can’t bear to watch it again, not here. Do me one favor?”

“What?” I arched my eyebrow.

“Don’t tell your mother you’ve seen it. It’ll destroy her.” Uncle Sabulk walked out the door, giving me privacy.

I watched the news reports of the building catching on fire and then collapsing in on itself. I flicked my finger up to exit out of the vid. I brought it outside and handed the tablet back.

“I needed to see that. Thank you.”

“How long are you on Tenap for?” Uncle Sabulk asked.

I raised my head to meet his gaze. “Oh, I’m staying.”

“You are coming home right?” he asked. “For good I mean?”

“I am after the funeral tomorrow. We’ll have the ceremony, and I will take my father’s place on the council.”

“You’ve mated? Uncle Sabulk asked. “When did that happen? Imoa never mentioned your mating. Is it new? Seems like work has kept me so busy, I’ve missed out on a lot.”

My hearts sang when I thought of Summer. “I have. She’s a lovely female.”

“Is she here?” he asked.

“She’s out with Mother shopping for funeral clothes. I’m sure they’ll be home soon if you’d like to wait to meet her.”

“Unfortunately I can’t stay right now. I came to drop off some papers to your mother, but I can hand them to you. They’re about your father’s current projects and some meetings he was due to work on. I didn’t know that you would be coming home so soon from your post, so I brought them for your mother to peruse.”

“What would she do with them?” I mused.

“She would appoint someone, probably one of your brothers, to take over for your father temporarily. If she didn’t feel that they were ready, I offered to take your father’s place until the military could get in touch with you.” He cleared his throat. “She was adamant you’d be home. I’m glad to see she was correct.”

“Thank you,” I said.

“Anytime. That's what family does.” He handed me a tablet and some data discs as well as old fashioned paper and a briefcase. “They’re your problem now. Less work for me.” He smiled. “I would say enjoy getting caught up, but you know politics. Nothing is enjoyable about it, especially the mandatory meals. I have a few meetings of my own and I need to press my outfit for tomorrow,” he said. “Please let your mother and brothers know I stopped in. I’ll see you soon.”

I walked my uncle out to his private flyer, one of the newest models on the market. I stood on the safety pad waving as he took off.

Though he was never one for a flashy presence, the shiny black conveyance took to the sky lane in a matter of seconds, and I wondered how many credits he paid for the luxury. Once the engine’s noise faded, I stared at the low hanging clouds in the otherwise clear sky for a few minutes, unable to voice my grief. I wound up pushing it aside before walking back into the office to complete paperwork my father never had the chance to finish.

There’s always work to be done.

Chapter 13

Summer

Imoa and I arrived home to find Renick pouring over paperwork in his office. He had multiple screens on, and paper, real wood pulp paper, littered his desk. Stress lines creased his forehead, and he huffed in frustration.

Renick flipped through paper after paper muttering to himself. Locks of deep purple hair flopped in front of his eyes. He shook his head, His eyes lit up when he noticed me leaning in the doorway. “Summer! Have you been there long?”

“Nope. You look busy.”

He fumbled with the papers, stacking them in a neat pile in the center of the desk. “A little frustrated, that’s all.”

“Your mother’s invited me to eat dinner with her. Care to join us?”

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