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The guards that watched the gates of Buan Chuimhne waved the Dinghy through, giving Tre a brief nod. Cait and Billy rode in back, sitting across from each other in the tiny seating area. Cait let her head rest against the wall behind her, Billy kept his focus on the drive ahead. As the manor house of the Molyneux estate came in to view, Billy turned to Cait.
“We don’t have to stay, Cait,” he said. “We could deliver the package, and get paid quicker.”
“It’s family,” Cait said. “I have to.”
“Because of Chou’s birthday?”
“Because it’s Chou’s 46th birthday. It’s the start of his third cycle, which means his life is changing. He can no longer afford to be on the Grand Tour. He has a family to take care of now.”
“He hasn’t always?”
“He has,” Cait said. “But life is different for him now. Rules have changed. The time for personal gain is over. It’s now time to give his children a future. It is a very serious time.”
Billy watched out the windscreen, eyeing the ever closer estate. “You don’t like it here.”
“It is only a few days, dear.”
“It’s a few days of ridicule and passive-aggressive disappointment,” Billy said, turning back to Cait. “Home makes you drink really hard, plays with your head. I don’t like how you look when you leave here.”
“Of course not, you are a doctor.”
“I’m also your friend.” Billy followed Cait’s gaze.
Cait exhaled through her nose. Nothing Billy was saying was untrue. She had no answer for him.
“Will you at least get off the estate?” Billy asked.
Cait turned slowly. “And do what?”
“We can go over to Fortress. Go hiking on Moon Mountain. Sailing in the Harbor. You name it, I’m along for it. I’ll throw in a Tre, too.”
This made Cait smile a little. “For my sake? Poor Tre.”
Tre looked back from the driver’s seat, making every effort to lock eyes with Cait. She patted him on his head. “You have places to be, dear: Obligations that are much more important than my silly familial angst.”
“I’m being serious, Cait,” Billy said. “We can spend the rest of the time off the island.”
Cait shook her head. “I appreciate it, Billy, I really do. We have business to take care of, though. We have a boy in need of a passport, and appearances to keep. Not so much you, mind. One of us in this family has to pretend like I’m welcome at these little get togethers, it may as well be me.”
Conversation lost, Billy sat back in his seat, folding his arms over his chest. He furrowed his brow, again watching the manor house loom closer. Cait leaned over Tre’s shoulder as they passed the tea fields.
“Say what you will about the endeavours of the Molyneux family, but getting into tea was the best decision we could have made.” She sat back down in her seat. “Remind me, Billy, to make sure we refill our supply before we leave. I would hate to have to buy some again.”
“I don’t think you need reminding,” Billy said. “What would we do without it?”
—
A circular drive brushed up against the manor house, large, wide stone stairs tumbling down to meet its guests. Tre pulled the Dinghy up into the driveway, and the little van was almost instantly greeted by servants. They opened the doors, removed the luggage, and without any need to sort, matched the bags to their owners. They took the bags inside, Tre and Billy following out of surprise and a desire not to have their clothing lost to the void inside.
Cait was escorted to her old room. It was an image frozen in time, her room just the way she had left it when she had left for the Academy in Archertown, at the age of 15. Posters of Anchorhead movie stars, singers and pop bands, boats — lots of boats — and famous boat racers. Friends from school hugged each other around the shoulders and mugged for the camera. Little clips from the newspapers of her brothers and sisters, or distant members of her family.
Cait moved her bag onto her bed, walked over to the window, and pushed it open. She had spent hours, days at this window when she was younger. Out across the bay was Moon Mountain Island, its old fortress still standing guard over the interior. The city, referred to by it’s guardian namesake, collected around the ruins, small and short at first, but pushing up into the clouds as time went on. One could read the strata of the little city by the buildings, and the fortress was the beginning of it all. “Hello, Caithryn.”
Shanda Molyneux stood in Cait’s door. The current reigning matriarch, Shanda had made her name in the Molyneux family and in the world with her leadership in business. When Amalia Molyneux passed on, Shanda assumed the head of the family business, taking control of her mother’s position from her other children. Within a cycle, Shanda had expanded the family’s shipping holdings, and had started investing in salvage, pulling shipwrecks from the floor of the ocean. She had ushered the Molyneux into a new era of profitability.
Cait turned to her mother. They gave each other a soft hug, and a kiss on the cheek.
“Hello, mum,” Cait said.
“I trust you got in well,” Shanda said.
“Yes, mum,” Cait said. “No problems at all.”
“Have you had your provisions taken care of? Are you stocked well with food?”
“I have just arrived. I have not yet had time to speak to the head steward. I will tonight.”
“Splendid,” Shanda said. “I’m afraid the tea harvest is a few weeks away yet, but we have plenty stored away.”
“That will be more than adequate.”
Shanda took the chair from Cait’s old desk and sat down. She sat rigid, her legs crossed, hands in her lap. She had a stare that appraised everything that fell into its path. “And how is business?”
Cait turned away from her mother, back to looking out the window. “I do not wish to talk business here.”
“It has been nearly two years since you took out the loan with Chou,” Shanda said, tilting her head a little. “It is only appropriate we would want to know how our investment is doing.”
“I’m working on it,” Cait said.
“With little to show for your efforts. Have you passengers? What about cargo?”
“I have a reputation I do not deserve, and a family that seems nearly hostile towards my requests for help.”
Shanda waved this away with the back of her hand. “Chou was more than happy to lend you enough money to get upright again.”
“Chou treated me as he would have any other customer, interest included.”
“It is only fair.”
Cait narrowed her eyes. “As it is, this will not be a problem a ten days time. By then, I will have delivered my cargo, and Chou will be paid in full.”
Shanda softened her gaze. “That is excellent news, Caithryn!” She said. “Very good. It pained me to see you in such a state.”
Cait turned back to her mother, crossing her arms. Her ears flicked. “And how was that?”
“Penniless. A Molyneux should never be close to the poor house.”
“You mean to say, ‘A Molyneux should never publicly be close to the poor house’. Because that is what I have been hearing these last few years.”
“Nonsense,” Shanda said, standing. “Though there is something to be said about discretion. You have finally decided to take responsibility for yourself. You had no excuse for your state, and it is promising to see you have realized this.”
The fur on the back of Cait’s neck bristled. She fixed her stare at her mother, but Shanda was far better practiced at unnerving any potential opponent before he or she chose to become one. Cait started towards her washroom. Shanda took her leave, but turned back to Cait just outside the door. “I shall let your brothers and sisters know you have decided to start contributing to the family again. They will be elated.”
Cait closed herself into the washroom, throwing the little dead bolt with a reassuring ‘click’. She leaned against the door, her head back, letting her eyes wander the ceiling. Taking a few deep breaths, she turned on the cold tap and carefully splashed water on her face. She didn’t look at herself in the mirror.
Billy waited for her in her room, hands behind his back, looking over the newspaper cut outs on the wall. “The door was open,” he said as she stepped out of the washroom.
“Never mind,” Cait said, her voice quiet.
Billy turned, looking over his shoulder. “How was it?”
“Do you remember the report a month back of the ship pulled under by a krakken, ripped in half, all hands missing or dead?” Cait dried her face with a towel. “At this moment, I envy them.”
Billy sighed. “Tre’s getting anxious about getting out to the temple. We’re taking him.”
“I should-”
“This isn’t up for debate, Cait,” Billy said. “You’re getting off this estate, even if it’s for a few minutes. Now come on.”
Cait nodded. She followed him down to the grand entrance of the estate. On her way, she pulled a radio from her pocket. “Cait to Xiphos.”
“Captain?” Xiphos came back over the radio.
“How has Tobias settled in to his room?”
There was a long pause, the hiss of static coming in over the radio. And then, “We’re working on it, sir.”
Cait rubbed the bridge of her muzzle. “She does not have Tobias with her.”
Billy pulled Cait along. “Toby’ll be fine. If he’s not with Xiphos, then he’s with Nina.”
On the drive, Tre stood ready by the Dinghy, a bag slung over his shoulder.
“Are we checking out already?” Cait asked.
Tre looked down at her, pulling his jaw tight.
“I cannot blame you, dear,” Cait said. “I almost wish I had to atone. How are the amenities at the temple?”
Tre shrugged. He opened the back door of the van, letting Cait in first before he squeezed in with her. Cait slumped against the wall of the van, let out a long sigh, and closed her eyes. Tre reached across to her, and patted her on the head.
“Thanks, dear,” Cait said. “It’s just a few more days. And when we are both done atoning, we will set off again, ready to go on with our lives.”
[g]
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