Chapter 62

Mica then explained the slave trade as far as he understood it.

He personally wasn’t happy that Fiaz traded in humans. But there was little he could do as long as he was married to Susa. The auctions didn’t happen in his hotel.

He’d had a hard time convincing Fiaz that the hotel must appear squeaky clean because the UNSEC Inspectors stayed there. He told Dusty and James that there was a farm, which Fiaz had established ten klicks from the city to the northwest.

Fiaz had his own breeding stables there and it was used as one of his drop-off points and clearinghouses. He also used a second farm in the small neighbouring Kingdom to the north that was owned by his cousin Ishmael Merat.

“Did you know Ishmael Merat was on my father’s ship?” James asked Mica.

Mica was shocked. “No, they just said Fiaz’s ship was hit, and it was believed that he and his son were on it. I assumed Bali Mohd was on it, too. He was Fiaz’s gopher. A detestable man. Ishmael rarely travelled with Fiaz. He had come here on his own in the past. I wonder why they were coming together,” Mica pondered.

“UNSEC was making things hot for them on Earth. My father had learnt that Queen Lee had turned her attention to them. They were both very fearful of her getting involved.”

“I was to take over here, and father was going to semi-retire and only travel to Mars. If one could believe that,” James said dryly as he repeated Patty’s words.

“I don’t think he would have retired for long,” Mica agreed. “I heard that he had acquired a special shipment that had some exotic beauties in it from a magical community. I think he planned to use them to improve his health,” Mica added.

Dusty thought at James, ‘Ah, that makes sense, James. Demetri had said they had just about gone to war with the pirates when they realised, they had shipped some of their people off the planet. Farah killing Yafi had appeased the peace, and she had promised to try to get them back. It was a hollow promise.’

‘We need to go to that farm,’ he sent back.

Dusty agreed.

Their conversation was interrupted by Dusty’s food arriving.

James asked Mica to join them, and they were soon seated at the small dining table and helping themselves from the mountain of food on offer. James had dismissed the staff who had intended to wait upon them.

Mica chuckled, “You haven’t changed that much, huh. You still hate being waited upon.”

James gave him a blank look and then a tight smile. “Yes, you can be served anything and are expected to politely accept it.”

Mica nodded, “We do like our poisons in the East.”

“Very true,” James replied as he looked over the selection and dithered as to what he would eat.

“It’s okay, sweetie, the food doesn’t contain anything it shouldn’t. You may wish to avoid the Fesenjan, as I know you hate pomegranates. The Sabzi Khordan and stuffed fish are excellent,” Dusty added as she piled her plate high after tasting the dishes herself.

Both men watched in fascination as she began shovelling the food into her mouth as if she hadn’t eaten in days. She looked up after a couple of minutes and giggled.

“Sorry, but I must eat. In private, I can forget my manners,” she smiled at them brilliantly and then went back to eating.

James and Mica both had to shift in their seats after that smile.

James noticed Mica’s discomfort and said, “Don’t stress, Mica, she has that effect on everyone. Even women are not immune to my beautiful wife. She can even make me behave like a love-struck puppy.”

“I had noticed that Hasid. I had thought that you had forgotten how to smile with real joy. Susa will not believe me until she sees Donia herself. My Susa has had three children, and she ate voraciously during each pregnancy. Hasid, you have chosen well. Do you know the sexes of the children?” he asked them.

James looked at Dusty as she froze.

She glared at James. “Bastard,” she hissed. “Bloody twins, I’m having bloody identical twins at that, the egg split. The boys are fine, and damn, they have grown so big already. I’m going to be huge,” she wailed and burst into tears.

Mica chuckled at her outburst and the look of shock on Hasid’s face. He had never thought to see such a look on the man’s face. He had thought that nothing could shock him.

“Fatherhood is full of many shocks, my brother,” Mica could not help saying.

Mica watched as the mask slipped back into place on Hasid’s face. It had always made him sad to see that mask. Susa had told him he had not always been the super under-control man that he knew best.

He had only seen glimpses of the boy she had described. Perhaps with his father gone and this woman in his life, the real Hasid would return, at least a little.

Mica watched as Hasid’s chair slid back, but before he could stand, the woman was in his arms. Hasid pulled her onto his lap and hugged her while she sniffled, and her tears abated.