My Enemy's Son (The Two Moons of Rehnor, Book 2) by J. Naomi Ay Read Free Book Online Page A

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Translator in his hand.  He brought it up to his mouth like a microphone and
spoke into it.
    “Hello,” he called.
    “Hello,” I replied and the translator
repeated it back to him in whatever language he was speaking.  “You don't have
to hold it and speak into it.  Just put it in your pocket and it will hear us
and translate out the speaker.”
    “Thank you,” he said and did so.
    “Can I help you?”
    The man cleared his throat.  He pulled at
his collar and I could see he was sweating heavily under his suit jacket.
    “Why don't you take off your coat?” I
suggested.  “It's much too hot here to be dressed like that.  Did you just come
out of a dome?”
    “Thank you,” he said again and slipped off
the jacket.  “And no, I am not from a dome.”
    “Have you come to see Dr. Kenak?” I asked.
    The man looked around the office as if
Kenak might be hiding under the sofa.
    “I'm Dr. Mattson,” I said.
    “Hello Dr. Mattson,” he replied.  “I am
looking for someone and I believe you know him.”
    My heart froze mid beat.  He was looking
for Senya.  Maybe this man was his slave-owner.  This man must have come from
Rehnor and he was here to take him back.
    “Let me ring Dr. Kenak.”  I turned toward
my vid to think.  Kenak might turn Senya over.  As proud and happy as he was
with Senya's accomplishments this last year, he fervently believed that other
societies were to be studied and not interfered with.  If the Rehnorians wanted
their runaway slave back, Kenak would return him.
    Speak of the devil, the door opened again
and Kenak and Donak came in.  They were arguing about something as they usually
did after lunch.  I could see them doing this forever, even when all they had
to argue about was whether they should nap or play pinochle and in which order.
    “Dr. Kenak, Dr. Donak,” I jumped up. 
“This is…”
    “Good day,” the sweaty foreigner said and
held out his hand.  “I am Captain Loman of the Royal Mishnese Guards.”
    Kenak's eyes immediately flew open.
    “Good day, good day,” he cried,
enthusiastically pumping the man's hand.  Donak raised his eyebrows and glanced
over at me.  I frowned.
    “How can we help you, how can we help
you?” Kenak practically begged.  “Please sit down.”  He led Captain Loman to
the sofa.  “Donak, get the Captain something to drink.  What would you care for
Captain, water or soda?  We have this wondrous drink here now from our friends
on Earth.  It’s called Coca Cola and it’s quite tasty.”
    “Water would be fine, please,” the Captain
replied.
    “The Royal Mishnese Guards,” Kenak sighed
happily and sat down on the sofa next to the Captain.  “The Mishnese are still
a monarchy then?  Are you still ruled by the descendants of Mishka Kalila?”
    “Yes,” the Captain replied wiping his brow
with the water bottle Donak handed him.  “Yokaa Kalila is our King.  I am the
Captain of his guards.”
    “And do the de Kudishas still rule
Karupatani?”  Kenak anxiously leaned toward him.
    “Yes,” Captain Loman said.  “Merakoma de
Kudisha is the King of Karupatani.”
    “Ha!” Kenak exclaimed.  “I have attained
more information in these five minutes from Captain Loman than in nearly two
years from…”
    “Don't say it!” I screamed.
    Everyone looked at me.
    Captain Loman chuckled.  “So you do know
him, Dr. Mattson?”
    “We're not going to tell you where he is,”
I said.  “He's a citizen of Rozari now and you can't take him back.”
    “You don't need to tell me where he is,
Dr. Mattson.”  Captain Loman smiled.  “He is listed on the staff roster of your
medical centre.”  Twisting the cap off of his water bottle, he took a long
drink.  “I do not intend to take him back at this time,” he said, again wiping
his face with the sweaty bottle.  “I am merely here to check on his health and
his progress.  You are his personal physician, yes?”  He turned to Donak.
    "I suppose so,"