He sipped, sketched a bow. “Forgive the sermon, denubia. Better you than Pat Rin, whatever news.” He laughed. “Gods, only imagine the scene! And you would have had to fine me, too! Or I would have had to fine me—and very angry I’d have been at myself.” He raised his glass. “Brother, I salute you: you’ve saved me a rare chewing out!”
“No less than my fraternal duty.”
“But you didn’t come all this way,” pursued Shan, “just to report Kareen’s opinion of me? If so, a wasted journey.”
“My aunt’s health is in decline from worry over the scandal,” Val Con said. “Fear of the damage you do Korval’s reputation will allow her to neither eat nor drink. One understands the cure for her pitiful condition is for you to come home and behave yourself. She’s been at Nova for weeks—with variations upon the theme…”
“She’s what? At my sister? In my house? By what right? She’s not yos’Galan.”
“For the good of the Clan,” Val Con said, lips twitching.
“Bah, what nonsense!” cried Shan, and fell silent, sipping. After a time he looked up, white brows drawn over light eyes. “And what does our sister say? or you, for that matter? It seems I’ve heard too much of what Kareen thinks and nothing at all of what Nova and Val Con think.”
“Nova has given me a double-cantra to lay upon the race Trilsday—this—Shan yos’Galan to take any of the four highest honors.”
“Did she?” Shan grinned like a boy. “We’ll make a human being out of her yet, Val con. And you?”
“I?” He lifted a brow. “I’d like a ride in your skimmer, please, brother.”
* * *WORDS SCROLLED across the screen set into the table. Nova read and sighed, breakfast forgotten before her.
“Araceli,” the race report continued, “piloted and co-manned by Shan yos’Galan and Val Con yos’Phelium, Clan Korval, earned distinction by turning in the slowest finishing time on the day. Neither team member is a professional racer and the time-loss taken when a nerf from first-placing Tolanda sent Araceli off the course was never regained. It is to the amateur team’s credit that Araceli remained upright during the mishap and, due to a bit of quick readjustment by the secondman, able to return to the course…”