Page 43 of Owned By Two

Then I went to the G'kood stable and told the stable master we would be requiring two of the G'kood this morning.

I hesitated when it came to choosing one for Lizzy and decided to opt for the most sedate female we had.

Her name was Adik and she was docile and easy to control.

I had no idea of Lizzy’s riding ability and decided to play it safe.

I then returned to the mansion and threaded my way into the dining room.

I didn’t see Lizzy there.

Worried I might have missed her, I approached the nearest kitchen staff member and asked if she had come down yet.

They told me she hadn’t even come from her bedroom yet.

Breakfast time had already passed and the kitchen staff would soon begin to prepare lunch.

I informed the servant to keep whatever breakfast ingredients that had been cooked warm in case Lizzy wished to have a traditional Earth breakfast rather than lunch.

She’d had a long and emotional day yesterday and must be exhausted.

She would get all the rest she needed and was not to be interrupted under any circumstances.

I went into James’s office and conducted some basic administration duties.

With James’s chair empty, someone had to step in — at least temporarily — until Lizzy had taken up his position or hired someone to take it for her.

James’s secretary informed me the Hive were on the line and demanded to speak with whoever was now in charge.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head.

No matter how many times I told them, they simply could not understand James was now deceased and that it would take time for a replacement to be chosen.

They did not understand because they were a hive mind and so there wasalwayssomeone in charge.

A death in a hive meant nothing.

Still, they were an important business partner, so I instructed the secretary to put them through.

On the screen was a member of the hive.

It always perturbed me that each time they contacted me, it was with someone different.

In truth, as a hive mind, it wasn’t important who I spoke to.

As the hive could assimilate almost any alien species into its ranks, virtually every species in the galaxy was accounted for.

Today I spoke with an Elkik — which I assumed was an attempt by the hive mind to make me friendlier and more at ease, and therefore more likely to share any information I might have.

But it wasn’t going to work.

Therewas nothing elseI could tell them.

“We wish to speak with James,” the hive said.

“As I already told you, he’s no deceased. He’s no longer able to speak to you. His replacement is being chosen as we speak.”

The hive cocked her head to one side. “If James had chosen to become a member of our organization, this never would have happened.”

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