Slippery Slopes – Book 4

Slippery Slopes

Herta’s sister, Rae-Lynne, comes for an indefinite stay. Herta doesn’t quite know what to do with her. Rae-Lynne doesn’t know about the Tiel and may not understand the situation Herta is in regarding the Tiel. Rae-Lynne is not known for her love of diversity.

Herta’s skiing vacation to Füssen (with Turan, Reikert and Rae-Lynne) ends abruptly because Herta and Reikert are followed as they sight-see in town. Reikert causes Herta to have nightmares about Turan. When she finally figures it out, she berates him mentally to ‘get out of her dreams.’ When Herta arrives back in Kochberg, she is arrested by the German Federal Police, the BKA.

An emergency Council meeting is called to deal with the ‘Herta problem.’ Dekalar and Turan will meet with the Minister of the Interior and come to some sort of a diplomatic agreement. In the meantime, Krista and Karl, with the appropriate paperwork and a sympathetic BKA agent, rescue Herta and bring her back to the hotel where she falls into a troubled sleep.

Back in Kochberg, Herta is bombarded on all sides by complaints and ‘you ought to do this’ advice. Between Turan, Reikert and Rae-Lynne, Herta gets fed up and throws everyone out of the house. Turan denounces her and Herta then realizes that the connection between them is severed. She tries to get to Turan via the Gate, but the Gate is locked. She becomes despondent. Partly to fill the gap and partly to ensure a living for herself should Tielen be forever locked to her, Herta takes German citizenship classes and classes to become a notary public.

Dax alerts Dekalar to the fact that the Gates are locked. Turan and Dekalar find out it’s per Councilor Towse’s orders. He is the incoming Commander of the Guard to replace Reikert. Turan is livid and vows to deal with Towse. Dekalar advises Turan to go see Herta while he, Dekalar, will see what can be done about Councilor Towse.

Herta and Turan eventually make up and enter into a marriage of convenience, of which Talya, Turan’s mother, does not approve. Some of the councilors don’t approve, either, but as they insisted that Turan get married, they can’t do a whole lot about the situation. The ones that do approve of Turan’s choice, and Herta, attend the wedding ceremony. The ceremony is conducted in both Tiel and German. Towse tries to interrupt the ceremony and is too late. Talya insists on a more formal Tiel reception.