Laura Jo Phillips Read Free

and pushed the sleeves of her nightgown down to her wrists, then reached for the bedside lamp.
    The door opened and Hope stepped in, still wearing her robe.  Berta glanced at the clock, surprised to see that it was still very early.
    “What’s the matter?” Berta asked, tossing her blanket aside and turning herself slowly and carefully so that her legs hung over the edge of the bed.
    Hope dragged a wooden chair from the far side of the room over to the side of the bed and sat down in front of Berta.  Her long blonde hair hung loose down her back, past her hips, and Berta stared at it for a moment.  She’d never seen Hope without her hair in a thick braid over her shoulder, and had no idea that it was so long. 
    She realized that she was afraid of whatever had brought Hope into her bedroom in the middle of the night, and was searching for other things to think about.  She looked up, meeting Hope’s clear, turquoise eyes with her own slightly rheumy dark blue eyes.
    “What is it?” she asked, wincing slightly at the tremble in her own voice.
    “Berta, I hardly even know how to tell you this,” Hope began.  “It’s just so...unexpected.”
    “Is someone sick, or hurt?” Berta asked.
    “No, nothing like that,” Hope said quickly.  “Everyone is just fine.”
    Berta blew out a sigh of relief.  “I don’t have a lot of people in my life to care about, Hope,” she said.  “So long as those people are okay, nothing else is going to knock me off my pins.  So go ahead and spit it out.”
    Hope smiled reluctantly.  “I’m not so sure about that, but here goes.  You already know that you’re a berezi , Berta. You told all of us that when we first met you, back on Earth.”
    Berta frowned as she tried to understand what her being a berezi could have to do with anything.  “Yes, I’m a berezi ,” she said.  “Worst thing that ever happened to me.”
    “Did you know that the word berezi is actually an ancient Jasani word?” Hope asked.  Berta shook her head.  “It was originally used to indicate an Arima that was not yet mated to her Rami, either because she was too young, or because she had not yet been found.”
    Berta gasped.  “Oh crap,” she said softly, her lips numb with shock.  “You can’t mean...not really...oh crap.”
    “Yes,” Hope said, relieved that Berta had, apparently, understood before she’d had to explain in detail.  “They’re Falcorans, a younger male-set, but highly respected warriors.  Their names are Merrick, Torrick and Jerrick.”
    “And they’re here now?” Berta asked, her heart thumping uncomfortably in her chest as she struggled to absorb such impossible news.  “How?  Why?”
    “They scented you on the sweater you made for Aisling,” Hope explained.  “At first, they thought Aisling was their Arima, which I’m sure didn’t go over good with the Gryphons.  Once they realized that the scent of their Arima was on the sweater, Aisling told them your name, and where to find you.  They came here straight from Berria.”
    “It’s not even dawn yet,” Berta objected.  “How inconsiderate of them.  Did they wake the babies?”
    Hope smiled.  “No, Berta, the boys are still sound asleep.”
    “But they woke you, and the Bearens,” Berta said.  “Did they have a reason other than that they wanted to see me?”
    “No, they didn’t,” Hope replied.  “But Berta, don’t forget, for them, finding their Arima is a very big deal.  They aren’t really in full control of their emotions right now.”
    “That’s no excuse,” Berta said stubbornly.  “Do they know how old I am?”
    “Yes, I think that Aisling told them, but I’m not sure they understand what that really means for you.”
    “Well, they’re about to find out,” Berta said.  She reached for her cane beside the bed and shuffled slowly toward her closet.  “Please tell them I will be out in a few minutes.”
    “I will,” Hope said.  “We’ll wait for you in