Page 42 of The Safest Place She Knows

Tamara noddedand then grinned. “Nice poster posing.”

Lya groaned.“That was a helluva day. My sympathies to anyone who does modellingas a job. Did they keep the one with crossed wrenches?”

“Uh, yeah. Andabout twenty others.”

“Ah. Well, theboys got their own pictures, so how are Merrin’s photos?”

“Everybody whoisn’t you got six.”

“Oh.”

Noh cocked hishead. “You dye your hair?”

“Yeah. It’sjust simpler, and there are so many fun colours available. To savea bit, I use a lot of hair wax. It just brushes in. Not meaning tobe a jerk, but can someone pass me a sandwich?”

Noh came to herside and held the tray for her free hand. “Once you have eaten, weare going on a house tour, and then you are getting some rest.”

“Can I restfirst?”

“No. I need youto be able to find your way around. I don’t want you falling intothe pool.”

Tamara gasped.“We have a pool?”

Venka laughed.“We have a pool, hot tub, and golf course if you are interested.Allor has an archery course. We have woods to run through.”

Tamara’s eyeswere shining. She was getting to the point where her body wanted toexert itself to continue developing. Lya smiled.

She took twosandwiches and parked one of them on her cast while she ate theother.

“That is quitethe elaborate cast.” Allor smiled.

“I woke up withit, and apparently, I will need a replacement in a few days.” Shefelt a throb in her arm and looked at it. “Hm.”

Noh asked,“Pain?”

“No, but thenumbness is wearing off. It’s keeping a beat.”

He got the bagof prescriptions and pulled out a bottle with an eyedropper.“Open.”

She obedientlyopened her mouth, and as he gave her the dose, he was smilingslightly. He got the pills out next and handed them to her with aglass of water.

She put thepills in her mouth and then took the medication. She ate the secondsandwich and started to sway. “Does that med say that it may causedrowsiness?”

Noh nodded.“Absolutely. Looks like we will have to postpone the house tourafter all. Allor, do you want to bring her?”

She was liftedagain, and they travelled through the house and into a warmer areathat had the unmistakable scent of snakes. Lya smiled. She had thedistinct feeling that she was home.

ChapterEight

Iris left the omega’snest, and they programmed the doors to lock open. Ymer explained,“The movers are bringing in the materials and arranging them thisafternoon. I can hear the boys downstairs, so we had better go downand let them choose their rooms up here.”

“Uh, howsoundproofed are those walls?”

“Very.Why?”

“Because if thekids know the adults are occupied, things can invariablyhappen.”

“We have appsthat will allow us to check on the house. If any shouting orscreaming occurs, an alert will sound.” Ymer smiled. “They won’t beunattended.”

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