Page 79 of Dark Voyage Matters of the Mind

Kian

Kian suspected the reason Aru wanted an audience with Annani was that he had gotten instructions from his counterpart on Anumati or he had a message for her from the leaders of the resistance.

What Kian didn't know was whether he should be excited about that or anxious.

First, though, Aru would have to tell Annani about his ability to communicate telepathically with someone on Anumati and reveal who the message or instructions were from.

"Do you know what Aru wants to talk to me about?" Annani asked. "He promised to tell me more about Anumati, but I doubt he will insist on doing so now while we are dealing with a crisis and getting ready for Amanda's wedding."

"I have an idea what this is about," Kian admitted. "But I don't want to presume. We will hear what he has to say in a few moments."

When the doorbell rang less than a minute later, Oridu opened the way and bowed. "Good evening, Master Aru. Please come in."

"Thank you." Aru walked in with an expression that radiated excitement tinged with trepidation.

That was enough to confirm Kian's suspicion.

"Good evening, Your Highness." Aru bowed to Annani.

"Good evening, Aru. Please, take a seat." She motioned to the armchair across from the couch.

"Thank you, Your Highness." Aru sat on the very edge of the chair.

"Would you like some tea?" Annani asked.

"Thank you. That would be lovely."

The god was definitely nervous, and it was affecting Kian. After seeing the battered and haggard women arrive, Kian had already been in an agitated state, and Aru's energy was just fueling it.

Oridu rushed over with another teacup and saucer for the god, poured him tea from the teapot, and handed him the cup.

"Thank you." Aru leaned back and looked at Kian. "I communicated with my source, and I have a response."

Kian nodded. "You should start by explaining to my mother the method of your communications with the resistance and also why you demanded secrecy from me."

"Of course." Aru turned to Annani. "My apologies, Your Highness, for not telling you sooner, but I had to get approval. Kian guessed how I communicated with the resistance, but I asked him not to reveal it until I was ready. That's why he kept it from you."

Annani tilted her head. "I assume that you are ready to tell me now?"

The god glanced at the Odu, who was hovering nearby. "This requires absolute secrecy."

Annani lifted her chin and looked at the god haughtily. "My Odus would never reveal anything that is said in my presence, and their loyalty is unquestionable. They have been with me for five thousand years and have not betrayed my trust even once. I guess that is their advantage over a fully biological being. Their programming is infallible."

"I believe you, Your Highness, but I would appreciate it if you sent your Odu away and asked him not to listen to our conversation."

"As you wish." Annani turned to Oridu. "Please go to your room, close the door behind you, and do not listen to anything that is said here."

Oridu bowed. "Of course, Clan Mother."

When the Odu closed the bedroom door behind him, Aru's pinched expression visibly relaxed. "I understand that you have a mother and daughter in the clan who can speak mind to mind regardless of the distance between them. I can communicate this way with someone on Anumati. To safeguard my counterpart, I guard this secret with my life, and I beg that you do not tell a single person about what I am about to reveal. Kian knows because he guessed, but it must stay between the three of us. Not even my teammates know about my special connection."

Annani regarded him for a long moment. "First of all, you can drop the 'Your Highness' honorific. I prefer Clan Mother or simply Annani. Secondly, should I assume that you were sent to Earth on a different mission than the one your teammates were tasked with?"

"Not different, Your Highn…Clan Mother, but additional. My team's job was to find out whether the Kra-ell settler ship had arrived on Earth, and we did. My secret mission was to find out whether there were any rebel survivors, and I did that and much more." He grinned. "Your grandmother was overjoyed to discover that she has a granddaughter on Earth. She wishes to talk to you."

Annani

Annani's heart skipped a beat, then another, and then started hammering with such vigor that she lifted her hand and put it over her chest. "You can communicate with my grandmother?"