The Song of the Jubilee (The Phantom of the Earth Book 1) by Raeden Zen

party.” She waved gently. “Follow me.”
    She took them through passages lined with golden palm trees and clear streams. Connor was breathing deeply and, judging by his stride, starting to relax. It pleased Hans to see his reticence melting. He hated to leave his brother while he underwent the fever and preferred the chance that he might at least enjoy the atmosphere of his new home.
    When they arrived close to the cliffs above the spas, Connor halted. “Gods,” he said, “I never expected this.”
    Hans gave his brother a cautious look, then pushed his consciousness into the hostess’s. When she beamed and did not try to send a message to a spa manager, Hans exhaled. He didn’t want to kill her.
    “These are the finest spas in all the Great Commonwealth, my lords,” she said. “We have over a million cabanas behind the falls.”
    Hans believed her. He knew it had taken his father’s research team decades to fully terraform the spas. Water cascaded down the sides of cliffs in what looked like an oblong canyon. At the bottom of the canyon, fields with flowers and trees of every type and color intermingled with walking paths. At the far end, an archway broke through the falls, leading to a corridor that Hans knew elevated to a ramp, up and up to House Thuddan. The lady and lord of this house developed candidates for the Harpoons. Friends of the Front, they had offered to aid Connor’s advancement with the ZPF and transhuman capabilities, a sizeable risk, for development was heavily regulated by the Masimovian Administration. They’d not dare use developmental synisms on someone unregistered in Marstone’s Database, and they also wouldn’t like that Hans induced the fever in Connor. Hans hoped they’d understand that after Jeremiah’s arrest, he had to.
    Now the hostess took them to a cutout in a garnet stone pathway, down marble stairs to an archway of polished mantle stone covered with holographic letters that read REGISTRATION. An usher in a sleeveless tunic and maroon cape stood behind the counter, surrounded by representations of the spa’s services. Everything from natural currents to ponds to robotic masseuses to aromatherapy shoals to sparkling water was available.
    “Welcome to Natura,” the usher said, “the place of leisure. Where is it you wish to escape?”
    “We’re here to meet with the Anemone party,” Hans said.
    The usher moved as if to adjust the holograms, but his fingers spread shadows on the wall that formed a flapping phoenix.
    “Thank you,” Hans said.
    He recognized the BP signal for Janzers, and tried his best to steady his singing heart. How could Lady Isabelle know? He’d told only Maribel, Arturo, and Murray of his plans to leave Connor in House Thuddan. He hoped this signal didn’t mean Lady Erelah and Lord Turi Thuddan had been arrested. It would be another blow to the Front’s network in the underground. Hans didn’t have time to enquire and wouldn’t risk contacting them telepathically. He searched the ZPF for Janzers, and though he did sense their presence at the spas, he couldn’t tell how many, or where they were. Something, or someone, was interfering with his mind-body-cosmos interface.
    “We’ll be on our way.” He bowed to the usher, as did Connor. Hans leaned next to Connor’s ear. “We have to go.”
    “What’s wrong?” Connor said softly.
    “A problem. Stay close.”
    They moved through the crowd, and Hans took note of the eyes following him and his brother. Developers and district overlords didn’t typically arrive and leave the spas so fast. At Gzhela Station, Hans found an empty interterritory transport and commandeered it the way he did the one at Piscator Shore. He directed it through the supply tunnels.
    “Where’re we going now?” Connor said. He sat with the alloy latch firmly set over his shoulders.
    “Ypresia Village,” Hans said. That village held the largest market in Gaia.
    “Why there?”
    “We will meet with Murray, now be