Knotted Read Free Page A

Liah all her name.
    “Rowen? I have someone here who wants to meet you.”
    Liah and her friend were in the maze of plants, but Rowen stood and wiped her hands on a towel as she wandered toward the calmly chatting voices.
    Formality between her and the Gezs was gone after her first four days at the greenhouse. They were no longer able to just supply the local area of the gardens, but also plants from across the continents. She had gained them more funding and social standing for their greenhouse. She was now Rowen and they were Liah and Ilo. It made things easier.
    She came around the corner and an older Irudan woman with eyes like a hawk’s fixated on her.
    “Rowen, this is Akadeel. Akadeel, this is Rowen.” Liah looked nervous.
    Akadeel looked her over from head to toe. “Turn around, child.”
    Rowen slowly turned, and when she faced Akadeel again, the woman smiled.
    “You are biddable, that is good. I was worried that my son had picked a half-wit or a riot waiting to happen, but you are very presentable for an alien.”
    Rowen frowned and then caught on with a sinking feeling. “Akadeel Nakkua.”
    The woman extended her left hand and Rowen took it, placing her hand under it as was appropriate for meeting a social superior.
    Her mother-in-law smiled. “Rowen Nakkua. Your work here is done for the day. We have a benefit this weekend and I know that you are not suitably attired. You require clothing and I need to learn more about you. This needs to be as seamless as possible for the family’s sake.”
    Liah looked nervously at the matriarch before she asked Rowen, “How far did you get?”
    “They are ready for transport, I was just chatting with them to give them a boost for the journey. They can go.”
    Liah smiled. “You are a wonder.”
    Rowen smiled. “I am doing what I love.”
    Akadeel cleared her throat. “With me. Now.”
    Rowen followed her and tossed the cloth onto a workbench as she passed. It seemed that she was going shopping.
    She cleared her throat. “I can’t actually afford anything, madam.”
    “You are a Nakkua now with all that entails. I will see that your accounts are set up and you have funds for whatever you wish to pursue.” Akadeel slowed her stride when they exited the greenhouse.
    They paced together for a moment before Akadeel asked, “Do you always get so dirty at work?”
    Rowen chuckled. “Only if I am doing it right. Should I change before we go, perhaps grab a quick shower?”
    “No. We will take care of that at the salon. They are waiting for you and a quick solar shower should do wonders. My pilot is waiting.”
    Rowen was suddenly nervous. “Pilot?”
    “Indeed. We can’t get what I want here in town. The salon is two prefectures over. They are opening exclusively for us.” Akadeel smiled with a definite tilt to her chin.
    Akadeel liked throwing money around and liked being exclusive even more.
    Rowen rubbed her neck. “I am not sure if you know about the situation, but I am not trying to insinuate myself into your family.”
    “I am aware of it. My son thought it would be an amusing out to wed an alien by proxy and carry on with his own affairs. I am not amused, but you are not objectionable and are bringing our research department a lot of fanfare in the community. Without meaning to, my son chose well. That amuses me.”
    “I have only been here a week.”
    “And yet, the ill plants are being returned to the soil and leaving room for more needy vegetation. You know your stuff.”
    The pilot was indeed waiting outside the manor house. The vehicle was tall enough to get into comfortably and to sit upright.
    “In case you haven’t ridden in one, that is a skimmer. Timor is my pilot and he will take us where we need to go.” Akadeel was beginning to brim with energy.
    Rowen had been reading up on talents and psychic energy, and if she wasn’t mistaken, Akadeel had a talent and it seemed to be directed at shopping; either that or shopping was an intimate