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“The dearly departed ‘older gentleman.’” Kahn mocked, even as his eyes followed Randa’s graceful movements around the store.

She was holding up shirts in front of Daven, her expression reflecting deep, artistic thought. Daven stood still for the torture, because he didn’t have a choice.

“She wasn’t lying about the ‘older part.’ Hekktor was about six millennia old, when they Phazed. She was only ninety-three.”

Kahn winced. Even for Elementals, that was quite an age gap. “No wonder she didn’t want to share his bed.”

“According to people they worked with, back before the Fall, Randa and Hekktor were an ideal partnership. She couldn’t have been more considerate of his frail health and he adored her. They met while working in the same office, in the Agora. He was a file clerk. She was his secretary.”

“Probably a lecherous old bastard.”

“If he was lecherous, he was allowed to be. Randa was his Match. They could play all the dirty office games they wanted.”

Kahn didn’t like hearing that. At all. Just thinking about it made his energy feel heavy and dark. “A woman who looks like her was Matched to some ancient middle-manager? Does that seem normal to you?”

“No, but I don’t question Gaia’s will.” Julius shrugged. “I’m going to snoop around the Air House tomorrow and see if I can discover anything more concrete. Something to help us find Saxon.” He paused. “Hopefully, Randa doesn’t have more outings like this planned for us, before the singles mixer, and I can sneak away.” He plucked at his not-that-bad human clothing in distaste.

Kahn was still fixated on Randa’s dead Match. “If Hekktor was Saxon’s brother, I’ll bet you he was a dickhead, too.”

“Maybe, but he’s gone. We need to focus on the living.” Julius nodded towards the clothing racks, where Randa was now fussing with Mannus’ collar. “I’m not sure why, but your energy changes around her, Kahn. We all feel it. That must mean something.”

“It means she pisses me off.”

“I don’t think that’s…”

“She says Isaacs, of the Air House is her dearest friend.” Kahn interrupted. “Did I tell you that? She threatened to fire us all and take her chances with the stalker, rather than cancel her plans with that son of a bitch. She wants to cook him dinner.”

Julius cringed.

Kahn grunted in agreement.

“In the Stone House, cooking doesn’t carry the same weight that it does for us.” Julius tried. “Do not take it so personally.”

“She believes that all the Light Phases hate her. I watched her deflect Raj, of the Color House’s anger away from me and onto herself, because he thought I was taking her side in an argument. She assured him that we detest her.”

“Did you tell her that isn’t true?”

“I told her I do not blame her for the Fall. Only for sleeping with Parald.” Kahn lifted a disgruntled shoulder. “After that, we didn’t talk very much.”

He’d attempted some conversation after they returned to her house and put away the food, annoyed with her silence. Randa had answered graciously, with as few words as possible. No one could have accused her of being even slightly discourteous, but that just made him angrier. The woman wouldn’t even argue with him!

As soon as she could, Randa had fled into her room, looking relieved to be free of his savage presence. Like she was scared he’d freak out and assault her. But Isaacs, of the Air House got invited to goddamn Sunday dinner. She’d bought special food for the man. She planned to cook it for him, and serve it to him, and share it with him.

It was infuriating.

The Light energy surged in agitation, causing the store’s overhead lamps to flicker.

Julius sighed. “How do you always manage to say the wrong thing, Kahn? Are you under a curse to be an idiot or something?”

“Sometimes words come out different than they sound in my head! Alright? I’m just trying to understand why Randa was with Parald. It doesn’t make any sense!”

“And you ended up insulting her. Again. Would you have encouraged your sisters to talk to a man who spoke to them like that? No. You would have beaten the dickhead to death and then…”

Kahn cut him off, because that was far too close to his own thoughts. “This is her fault, not mine.”

“How could it be Randa’s fault? She’s been perfectly cordial to everyone.”

“It’s an act. She uses manners like weapons. She hides behind them. I never know what the fuck she’s thinking, because she’s so damn busy being cordial.”