"Please, no. Not now. I want to see Sheyda. Where is Sheyda?"Two more women came up behind Cassie's back, and gently wrapped their arms around her tor...o."Cassie, you want a master. I can tell that you are ready for your master. We will take you to Sheyda. But we will prepare you first."Yes?"Cassie hesitated, but nodded.As the four pairs of hands lightly held her, she felt the tendrils move across the back of her neck, where they rested.She didn't struggle."Please," Cassie said, "I want to see. Brightly colored fish, angels and butterflies and damsels, fluttered about, generally ignoring him. A low, narrow coral reef ran for maybe a hundred feet along a ridge to the northeast. An impossible-to-describe pallette of living coral polyps, brain corals, anemones, nudibranches, shrimp, crabs, and fish made it look as if a paint truck had crashed. A moray eel lunged from an opening beneath a brain coral and impaled its lunch with needle teeth, a reminder that danger lurked with the beauty. "She selected a wedge of cheese, and fed it to me. "May I ask you for a big favor?" There's nothing that I wouldn't do for you. Your wish is my command," I said, smiling to show that I was being sincere."Will you go with me to my brother's house during Christmas break?" I don't know how much time I can get off from work, but sure, I'll go with you if I can." It only needs to be a few days." I'm sure I can manage a few days." I want you to meet Brian and his family. I want them to meet you,. It's positive. I'm expecting again. It'll be due in another six monthstime," I said, looking at him expectantly, not yet sure of what his reactionmight be.How could we afford another child? He had been working so hard to supportus, doing a part time job in the evening as well as his day job, and I feltso sorry for him. All I wanted to do was to care for him and look after ourfamily. I didn't want to be a part-time mother like I was now, playingoffice politics instead of caring for Maggie. I.