Page 27 of Return of the Nine

“Making sure that her way of thinking is accepted. If she is right, the change is permanent. If she is wrong, it wears off in a few hours. Either way, Tiera is in for a hostility-free evening.” She grinned, gave him a peck on the lips and returned to her meal.

She gestured with her elbow. “Eat your dinner, it is getting cold.”

He laughed and followed her instructions. The rest of the gathering was talking in low tones, but no one said anything against Tiera, and so Ziggy simply enjoyed having a meal and discussing the politics of the Nine with those around her.

After dinner, she could find out what the hell Tiera had been thinking.

Tiera bristled with rage and sent her offence, confusion and distress to the woman across from her.

There was some overspill to the woman’s mate, but Tiera kept her cone of irritation aimed at the woman. When her target bowed her head, Tiera winked at Ziggy from across the room and resumed her seat.

Tonos took her hand, “Miss Tiera, what was that?”

She held up her finger against his palm as a plea for patience.

The woman across from her cleared her throat. “I apologise. I am Lady Thenotha of the Forest people, and this is my mate, Lord Arothian.”

“I am Tiera of Gaia. This is Tonos, my companion for the dinner.”

The males exchanged greetings, and Tonos explained to her how to order dinner.

A few heads turned their way while they were eating, but by the end of the meal, everyone seemed to have forgotten her little outburst.

As they sat back and laughed over dessert, one of the Rock Folk next to them told the dirtiest jokes in Gaian that Tiera had ever heard, but it was a good night all around.

The moment that the folks at the head of the table started to drift away, Tiera sighed. Her freaky evening had ended up being fun. Tonos had held her hand at every opportunity, and Warrock had kept them in stitches with his tall tales of sexual exploits.

When Rothaway and Ziggy came to retrieve her, she didn’twant to go, and to her shock, Tonos didn’t want to let her.

Chapter Five

The moment that Tiera stood, Tonos clamped a hand around her wrist. She twisted her wrist in his grip but he held on. “What are you doing?”

Rothaway spoke calmly, “Tonos, unhand her, and get yourself to medical.”

Tiera blinked in shock when Tonos bent forward and his wing swung out toward Rothaway.

The Wilder seemed to be on the lookout for the motion, and Rothaway jumped back, keeping his body between Ziggy and the metallic wing.

“What the hell, Tonos? What happened to your wings? They weren’t like this when we sat down.” Tiera was trying to calm him down, but a red light was glowing in his green eyes.

“They are as they are meant to be, Miss Tiera. Nothing that should worry you. I will protect you. I told you that.”

Rothaway said something to a nearby Wilder, and the other male nodded. “Tiera, I think we should take a tour of medical. You and Tonos can come behind us. We will lead if that is all right.”

Ziggy had a worried expression on her face, and that convinced Tiera that something was beyond wrong. “That sounds wonderful. I am sure that Tonos would be happy to escort me.”

It was amazing when she looked at Tonos that he had completely transformed from the good-natured winged man who had met her at the shuttle. His hair formed a wide halo, his pointed ears were exposed and literally twitching with every sound, his body was more massive and his wings held a metallicsheen that had been absent when she arrived.

Tonos shook his head. “They want to treat me, to make this go away. I won’t let them.”

Ziggy cleared her throat. “No, Tonos. Now that Tiera has exposed her talent to manipulate, she needs to be recorded for the archives of the Nine. It is protocol to record all new psychic evolutions, no matter the race.”

He blinked, and his eyes focussed. “Of course. I will take you to medical and make sure that you are not harmed.”

Ziggy and Rothaway led the way, Tonos and Tiera followed and the Wilder that Rothaway had spoken to made a call on one of the wall terminals.

Their procession was slow, and no one tried to halt them. “Is it normal for the halls to be this empty?”

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