Page 18 of Dark Voyage Matters of the Mind

"Thank you." Kalugal dipped his head. "I'm well-read, so I know a little, but there is much more to learn, and I wish I had the time, but I'm a father to an infant son who still doesn't sleep well most nights, and my free time is extremely limited." He turned around and wrapped his arm around Jacki's shoulders. "This is the most fun we've had as a couple in a long time."

She settled against him. "We should do this more often. You still haven't taken me to Egypt as you promised."

He winced. "Things were a little iffy in the area, and I kept waiting for them to get better before I took you there, but they just seem to be getting worse."

Jacki frowned. "In what way?"

"I don't want to bore you with the details, love. Let's just enjoy this trip without worrying about things we cannot control."

"I thought that you controlled everything."

"I wish I did, but I'm not there yet, and perhaps I never will be. Have you heard about the law of unintended consequences?"

"Of course."

"It's a bitch, and it has teeth."

Dagor

What had Kalugal's mate meant by her comment about him controlling everything?

It might have been a joke or a tease, but usually it referred to something real.

Dagor hadn't gotten the impression that Kalugal was a pivotal figure in the clan, let alone someone who controlled everything, but he had an arrogant aura about him that reminded Dagor of the royals and other high nobility on Anumati. He mitigated it with charm and humor, and his impersonation of an old German professor had provided comic relief that had eased some of Dagor's anxious energy, but he still didn't like the guy.

"Trouble with InstaTock?" the judge asked.

What the hell was InstaTock?

Kalugal sighed. "The young people of today are too easily impressed by the wrong kind of players, and my platform is being hijacked by promoters of evil ideology. I hate censoring free speech, but I can't condone what's going on, especially since it is so grossly misguided. This generation is figuratively digging its own mass grave and has no clue what is going on. Their ignorance is appalling."

That was a far cry from the levity the immortal had displayed only moments ago.

"What do you mean?" Dagor asked.

Kalugal waved a dismissive hand. "It's not something I want to discuss while we are on our way to a pleasurable treasure hunt. I want to show my wife a well-deserved good time."

Given the tightening of the judge's lips, she didn't like Kalugal's answer. "Is it something we should put on the agenda of our next council meeting?"

Kalugal nodded. "I don't think the clan can do much about it, but I suspect that most of the council members are not aware of what's going on with the human youth of today. If not for my involvement with InstaTock, I wouldn't have been aware of the severity of the problem either and would have continued operating in mindless bliss. I feel that it is my obligation to share what I know with the council."

Jacki rested her head on his shoulder. "You are so wise, my love."

Dagor turned to look at Frankie. "Do you know what he's talking about?"

She shrugged. "I'm not a fan of social media in general, and InstaTock in particular. Those platforms are a mindless time suck. I prefer to spend my time more productively."

"Oh yeah?" He arched a brow. "What do you like to do in your spare time?"

"Visit with family and friends." She grinned at him. "That's what's important in life. Spending time with the people you love and care about is so much better than staring at your phone's screen for hours and reading bullshit that someone or some bots posted. Haven't you noticed how all the articles recycle the same information without even trying to rephrase it? I don't know how they are not sued for plagiarism."

He chuckled. "I did it when we were trying to find hints about surviving gods and Kra-ell. It's frustrating, but how else are we going to find clues that will lead us to the missing Kra-ell pods?"

The smile slid off Frankie's face. "Yeah. How else?" She leaned back and returned to watching the vegetation on her side of the vehicle.

It took him a moment to figure out why she'd gotten upset. Talking about his mission was a reminder of the limited time they had left together, and it didn't make Dagor happy either. He didn't like to think about leaving Frankie behind, and he liked even less the idea of her finding an immortal male to induce her transition. But he had a mission to complete, and as impossible as it was, he had to do it if he wanted to ever get back home.

As the vehicle bumped along the dirt path, the vegetation on both sides was so overgrown that they had to occasionally duck to avoid being hit by branches. He pulled Frankie closer to shield her, and she let him, for which he was grateful.