Part I, IV

  Ariyah watched the captain.  The sister of Jeremy Velose.  Her familys’ mortal enemy.

  Mary-Ann Velose obviously had no clue who Ariyah was.  Of course, her name was different, but that didn’t hide her looks.  Twitchy might be a slight problem, but as long as she kept her thoughts in Kichwa, not English, it would be fine.

  Why did your brother kick you off his ship? Ariyah asked silently.  Mary-Ann shifted uncomfortably, but didn’t move like she would have if she had heard the words.  What trouble did you get into?  Who did you hurt, and where?

  “Have you ever worked with a telepath before?” Twitchy asked them, looking at her feet.

  “Yes,” they both answered.

  “And I can tell when someone is reading my mind,” Ariyah added.  Twitchy twitched.

  “Sorry,” she muttered.

  “It’s not your fault,” Mary-Ann Velose said, shrugging.  “You can’t help what you are.”

  “Indeed,” Ariyah said.  Twitchy smiled slightly.

  “Where did you get that scar?” Velose asked suddenly, turning towards Ariyah.

  “Which scar?”

  “The one you’re rubbing.”

  Ariyah slowly put her hand down.  She hadn’t realized she was rubbing it.  “It’s just one of those scars that all children get.  For some reason it never went away,” she told her evenly.

  I think she’s a bit crazy, Twitchy thought to Mary-Ann.

  I agree, Mary-Ann thought back.

  Yes, Ariyah thought to herself.  And I may be a bit telepathic, too.