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© 2008, Rayne Forrest Reviews For THE REA CHEVEYO CHRONICLES Book 1: KIANA by Rayne Forrest 5 Angels! “In Rayne Forrest’s The Rea Cheveyo Chronicles: Kiana, Captain Ian Logan and Adjutant Kiana ni Jamallan expose duplicity and schemes to breed anarchy and turmoil among the League of Aligned Worlds. Rayne Forrest deftly describes the need for trust or love will wither. Kiana wrestles with her cultural imperatives that humans and Adonicans are incompatible; however, when she is with Ian she experiences unparalleled ardor and tenderness. Might she have been taught a lie? Would it be wrong for her to know the love and passion Ian offers? Ian and Kiana’s saga is a touching, heartrending, stunning discovery of the capacity for truth and justice to defeat those who would destroy them and their budding love. Rayne Forrest expressively renders the deceptions and lies that divide people and jeopardizes peace and harmony. I eagerly await the next book in The Rea Cheveyo Chronicles.” Reviewed by: Dena, Fallen Angel Reviews Sample Chapter For THE REA CHEVEYO CHRONICLES Book 1: KIANA by Rayne Forrest Kiana ni Jamallan of Adonica lifted her head and stared about her sterile cubicle, confused. Cromas. She’d fallen asleep at her desk. A quick check of the time told her about thirty deons had passed. She hastily ran her fingers through her hair and smoothed the front of her uniform. She punched in her pass code to reactivate her computer terminal and settled in to wait for the inevitable call from her superiors. Someone would notice the lag of activity and appear to check on her. They always did. The file she’d been reviewing was open, and she forced her mind to concentrate. She’d read this information several times and it made as little sense now as it had the first time. A man was accused of killing his wife. His prefect said he was guilty. The overseeing tribunal of the man’s district agreed. The man’s children had come to Kiana, a journey of over one thousand routi, to ask for her help in proving their father’s innocence. They’d offered her everything they owned in payment. It was not the behavior one would expect from children whose mother had been brutally murdered in her own home by their father. Kiana had taken the daughter aside and gently held her hand while listening to the girl’s story. Then, likewise, she took the son aside. They spoke of loving parents, partners in marriage and childrearing. Of more value to Kiana were the psychic impressions she’d received from touching them. Neither son nor daughter had a duplicitous nature. There was only truth, and desperation, in them. Kiana believed the man innocent. The evidence spoke of his innocence, and of another’s unwelcome coveting of the husband. Now she had to find a way to prove it without her superiors discovering how she’d acquired some of her information. She couldn’t allow them to know the strength of her gifts for fear of what they might do to her and her family if they knew the truth. A soft knocking made her gaze dart to her door. Oh, thank all the gods! Her inquisitor was Najok va Merro. Tall and handsome, Kiana knew she should find Najok appealing, and she did, but as a sort of older brother. She knew he hoped for more. He didn’t make a secret of it, but it would never be. She had a destiny to fulfill. She remembered the urgent, whispered voices of her parents speaking with the Aquene when they thought Kiana slept and couldn’t hear. The memory of those words gave her the strength to endure what she must. The belief something greater than the life she now led lay ahead was all she had to hold onto in her darkest nights. Najok would willingly be at her side, but she wanted to love the man she chose to partner with. Najok was a good man, though, and she greeted him with genuine warmth. “Greetings, Najok.” Kiana stood and welcomed him into her office with widespread arms. “Greetings, Kiana. I am sent to see if thee require assistance. Are thee unwell?” “I thank thee for thy concern. I am fine but perplexed over an accusing. I am sorry thee have been sent out of thy way.” “Thee have sought truth before, and found it. Thee will find it again.” Kiana sighed tiredly. “I truly hope thee are correct, Najok. I am making little sense of the evidence against Panter va Carro. It seems too contrived.” “Thee have applied to Prefect ni Vashin to be allowed to visit Panter va Carro?” “I have. Prefect Eilis has not had time to respond to my request. Thee know her to be a busy woman.” Najok’s dark eyes flashed with understanding. Kiana’s pulse raced as he spoke. “Perhaps Prefect Eilis ni Vashin need not know all thy activities,” he said, his voice low. Kiana sank back into her chair. Najok risked disgrace. “Najok, thee cannot arrange such a thing. Thee know the repercussions if discovered.” Kiana kept her voice equally soft. Najok held out his hand to her. Kiana rose swiftly and took it. Her senses flooded with impressions from Najok’s memory. She saw the room where Panter’s wife was found, his stricken face as the prefects accused him, his children embracing him and giving him comfort. Kiana pulled her hand away. “Thee have access to Panter’s home now?” she whispered. Najok nodded. “Will thee share evening meal with me, Kiana?” Najok spoke in a loud voice. There was always the chance of someone listening. “Najok, thee know I have several files open. I must see to my work.” “Kiana, thee know thee must take care of thy body. Thee are too thin. It is settled. I will call for thee at the sixth sounding.” “Najok!” Kiana did her best to sound outraged. “It is decided, Kiana. We will discuss it no further!” Najok put just the correct ring of authority into his voice. He smiled, nodded, then turned and left. Kiana dropped into her chair. She took a deep breath before muttering about men in general and Najok in particular. She had to play her part, just in case. Inside, she quivered with nerves. Najok knew something, something so important he was willing to risk being cast out to show it to her. She flipped back to page one of Panter va Carro’s file and began reading. Immersed in the file, the chimes of the sixth sounding surprised Kiana. Najok tapped on her door. She shut down her workstation and jumped to her feet. “Thee do not have to do this,” she said again, sounding as annoyed as she could manage. She started down the corridor in front of him. “Thee are a valuable investigator. Thee know this. Thy attitude needs work.” Kiana whirled around. “My attitude!” Najok remained calm. “Once thee eat, thee will be more agreeable.” Kiana turned and stalked off. Najok followed her, staying a few paces behind her. Anyone who listened, or worse, watched, would see only a junior prefect and an investigator at odds with each other, an extremely normal occurrence. Once outside the sprawling complex where members of Adonica’s judiciary system worked, and away from direct observation, Najok called for a public transport. Barely a routi later, their ride ended. Najok tucked her hand in behind his arm, and they strolled like lovers out enjoying the evening. Kiana carefully blocked Najok’s thoughts from reaching her mind, and the awareness of his affection for her. The work she was about to do was too important to allow any distractions to interfere. They’d walked almost another routi, changing direction several times, when Kiana sensed Najok’s tension growing. “How much further?” she asked. “It is the house at the end of this lane.” Kiana immediately separated herself from Najok. Being in physical contact with him would prevent her from receiving impressions from her surroundings. It was this ability, being able to read inanimate objects, which made her such a highly sought-after investigator. It was an ability she allowed no one to know she possessed. She touched the wooden fences that lined the lane. Bending down, she felt the very earth they walked on. There was a disharmony here. The closer she got to Panter’s house, the stronger it became. Najok opened the gate for her, and she stepped into the yard. When they reached the walled courtyard, she placed her hands on the dark green stones warmed by the heat of the sun. She slowly expanded her mind and her awareness outward, beyond herself. Inside. Kiana opened the inner gate, and impressions assaulted her. It had happened here, at her feet. She saw the body of Panter’s wife, the bloodstained terra-cotta tiles beneath her, the spilled black dirt from the brightly painted flower urn she’d been holding, the broken urn itself, the bright yellow flowers crushed and weeping clear nectar. The file said she’d been killed inside the house. She looked at Najok and her heart raced. He knew! He saw it, too! How could he know unless he, too, was Aquene? “Prefect ni Vashin seeks to have thee removed,” he said quietly. “If thee give testimony on this, thy way is clear to escape her.” “And what of thee, Najok? She will remove thee, as well. She is jealous of those whose gifts are greater than hers. What are thy options? Do thee have protection from her?” Najok shook his head sadly. “I do not worry for myself. Thy situation is of greater concern to me. Thee have a destiny.” Kiana turned and stepped away from him, so he couldn’t see her confusion, and fear. If Najok were Aquene, had he been sent to watch her? Guard her? If this were a way to escape the misery of being under Eilis ni Vashin’s tyranny, she would take it. What lay behind the door to the future might be just as difficult, or even worse, but she’d deal with it as it came to her. As for Najok, his candor in admitting he had no family to protect him left him open to attack from her if she chose that path. She did not. Or perhaps he simply sought to move into Kiana’s position as an investigator. She felt sorry for him if he did. But she sensed he did not. No, Najok had protection he didn’t realize he had. He sought the truth, and he sought to do good for those around him. The gods protected those with such purity of purpose. Najok risked everything bringing her here and then confessing his vulnerability. There were still truths for her to uncover. Truths the young man waiting for her decision already knew. She could always go home and accept the aching dullness of the path her parents had selected for her before her psychic abilities were found to be so advanced. Before she’d heard those whispered words in the night. She is Aquene. Right now, she had one choice and that was to tell the truth. What happened next would be as it should be. Oh, my father, my mother, forgive me yet again. She turned and looked into Najok’s worried eyes. “Prefect, I have testimony to give. Will thee hear?” He nodded, and Kiana drew a deep breath and gingerly eased down onto the tiles, positioning her body where Panter’s wife had died. She relaxed and let it come. * * * * “I suppose thee think thyself to be above censure. Thee found the truth, after all.” Prefect Eilis ni Vashin spoke calmly, but Kiana knew that beneath the tranquil, regal appearance, the woman’s heart spewed venom. That she’d come all this way to Kiana’s small, poor rooms meant whatever decision had been handed down was to her liking. “No, Prefect, I do not think to be above censure. I suspect thee are here for that purpose.” “Thee do think thyself to be overly intelligent.” The prefect’s eyes glittered above a feral smile. Kiana knew they were down to it. “Thee have a new assignment, Kiana ni Jamallan. One that will likely test thy opinions on outworlders.” The prefect paused. Kiana knew the woman did it for effect, hoping to unnerve her. It was a game Eilis often played, like a zatta with rodent prey. “I doubt my opinions on offworlders will change, Prefect ni Vashin. The teachings of the Cromas tell us we are all their children. This thee cannot dispute.” “Thee are an insolent little bitch. I weep with joy to be rid of thee. Pack thy bags. Thee have been chosen to serve as representative of our laws on the humans’ space station.” Eilis reached out, grasped Kiana roughly by the chin, and said the traditional blessing. Her fingers dug into Kiana’s tender flesh with bruising intent. “May thee prosper on thy path, and may thee be content.” She thrust Kiana’s chin away, a sharp, jerking move that wrenched Kiana’s neck. Kiana kept her head up proudly, even insolently. “My gratitude, Prefect ni Vashin. I embrace the opportunity to serve. May thee have happiness, and may thee have long life.” Kiana delivered the response perfectly, unflinchingly. She’d burn in a human hell before she’d give Eilis the satisfaction of seeing her lose her temper. “Thy transport leaves in forty deons. I am sorry thee will not have time to take leave of thy family.” Eilis ni Vashin turned and left Kiana’s rooms. The door slammed behind her. Kiana sank onto the edge of her bed and wept silently into her hands. She could see her mother’s stricken face when she learned Kiana had been effectively banished from Adonica. Serving on the humans’ space station would taint her forever. Her mother’s hopes of home and family for her vanished. No respectable family would allow one of its sons to marry her after she’d been among human males. It mattered not; she would not allow any intimacy to occur with one of them. The damage would still be done. There wasn’t even time to call her mother. She had time to record a message, though. She could do it as she packed. Her hands shook as she programmed the little recorder. Her message to her parents was brief. She was sorry. She hoped they could still find it in their hearts to love her. How she kept her voice steady, she didn’t know. It could be years until the opportunity to return safely occurred. It could be years until she’d see her mother again. The only thing that kept her from giving in again to the tears that burned her throat was the certainty Eilis was spying and hoping for just such a weakness. Kiana prepared to call for a courier to deliver the message chip to her parents when there was a light tapping on her door. She opened it immediately. She’d known Najok would come as soon as he could. “I am sorry, Kiana. I wish thee well. Can thee forgive?” “Don’t be sorry, Najok. Thee did what was right. Thee could not let an innocent man be sent to the penal colony, or put to death.” She held out the message chip. “Will thee see my parents get this?” “I would be honored. I will explain to them what happened, what thee dared not commit to this.” He took the chip and slipped it into his pocket. Kiana tossed propriety to the winds and embraced him, a quick hug. He didn’t seem to mind. He reached out and carefully caressed her honey-golden hair. “I do not think Jericho Bruis will be so bad.” She forced a smile to her face. “I have often said I would like to meet the lost sheep the Cromas speak of.” “And thee think to find them on the space station? I will keep thee in my heart, Kiana ni Jamallan.” “I will likewise keep thee, Najok va Merro. I must go. Would thee perhaps have a transport available? If it would not inconvenience thee, that is.” Najok smiled. “It is one of the reasons I came. I knew thee hadn’t time to hire one.” “Watch Prefect ni Vashin well, Najok. Be silent, and be careful. She is evil.” “I know.” They rode to the surface in the same lift. Najok handed her into the transport and tossed her single bag into the back. He paid the operator from his own account, and Kiana said goodbye to her dearest friend. Kiana settled back in the seat, closed her eyes, and reinforced her mental blocks. She didn’t want any impressions coming to her now. A short time later, she boarded the space shuttle, locked herself in the female facilities, and finally wept in her misery. Her parents would not understand. They were no longer young. Kiana’s hope of ever seeing them again dimmed as the aged ship ferried her farther and farther away from them and to a dark future. She found her small sleeping compartment and locked herself inside. There was little she could do, except meditate and sleep in such confined quarters, but she’d not had funds available to travel in more comfort. Perhaps if she could clear her mind and use the long journey for rest, it would help. Seventy-nine grueling hours later, she looked out the viewport and got her first look at the place the humans nicknamed ‘moon mansion’. Jericho Bruis was everything bad Kiana had imagined a space station would be. It reminded her of a lopsided fish with gross fins hanging in space. It had laser cannons for eyes and docking ports for a tail. The ships docked along the edge of that tail looked like parasitic organisms. The large, flat side fins housed communication and sensor panels. From a distance, its lights blinked manically off and on, blurring in one’s vision. Kiana thought it was just plain ugly. And now it was her home. |