Zhalmo looked up at him through bleary eyes. “He’s not one of us, M’zynal, that’s the point. This isn’t normal for his kind. As for the Doctor!” She hissed a few choice swear words. “If she hadn’t marked him in the first place ...”
“Enough of that!” he said sharply. “I’m ordering you to go and eat then sleep for at least eight hours!”
She glanced at her wrist. “It’s breakfast time already?” she said, getting up. “I’ll fetch him fresh food and water from the mess. Then I’ll eat,” she added, seeing her brother’s look. “I promise.”
“And sleep. Take your meal to your room,” he said.
Deep though he was in his trance, he sensed her presence and was surfacing even as she put the tray down beside him. With consciousness came a sharper awareness of the constant agony from his leg. When she tried to help him to sit up, he couldn’t move—all the aches caused by his earlier fight with Kezule had stiffened up and as for his injured leg ...
She fetched a pillow off his bed, and the one from the other bed and tried to prop him up enough so that she could help him drink. It wasn’t easy because the blanket he’d been lying on was now stuck firmly to his body from his shoulder to below his groin. In the end, he was whimpering in such agony that she gave up trying to separate it from him and just placed the pillows under it.
He was so thirsty, he almost snatched the cup from her. When he’d finished the second bowl, M’zynal called her from the door.
“That’s enough, Zhalmo. He can help himself now.”
“I have to go,” she whispered, filling the bowl a third time, making sure it and the food were in easy reach. “Force yourself to eat, Kusac.”
Too weak to speak, he grasped her hand in thanks, startling her as she was getting to her feet.
The temptation to drink all the water was intense but he forced himself to only sip it as he ate all the food. Finished, he turned his attention to his leg.
He’d been trying to ignore it despite the constant awareness of the fluid slowly oozing down his thigh. Pushing himself slightly nearer a sitting position, he leaned over to look at it again. His leg felt as if it didn’t belong to him, like a huge, swollen and rigid appendage. When he touched it, the skin was tight and hot with the fever. The fluid oozing out from under the loose dressing had changed color and was now tinged with a musty brownish-grayness. A sudden dizzy spell claimed him and he slumped back on the pillows.
His vision was shrinking again as unconsciousness claimed him, but he knew he had to fight it and try instead to go back to the trance he’d been in. Every instinct told him that he was actually beginning to heal despite appearances.
Shola, Dzahai Stronghold, same day
“Alex has translated the first message,” said Rhyaz, entering Lijou’s office with a comp pad in his hand. “I’ve just come from crypto. It’s bad news, Lijou.”
“I may have an idea of what it is,” said Lijou, getting up from his desk and going over to the sideboard. “Tell me your news first,” he said, taking out a couple of glasses and a bottle of strong spirits.
“Then the coup on the Prime world has succeeded, hasn’t it?” he said, walking toward the chairs set round the fire.
“You know? Yes. The Prime Ambassador was called back last night. He and his staff have already left Shola. The new Emperor is demanding we hand Prince Zsurtul over to him or he’ll kill our Ambassador and our two surviving agents. Everyone at our Palace is in a blind panic right now.”
Rhyaz sat down and watched as his colleague came over and handed a glass to him.
“Thank you. The message was to tell the M’zullian Emperor that they were attacking yesterday,” said Rhyaz, taking a welcome sip of the drink. “Seems this Emperor K’hedduk is the brother of the M’zullian one.”
“Worse still, he’s the one who headed the Directorate,” said Lijou. “Ambassador M’szudoe told the Governor that much before he left in the middle of the night.”
“We’ve a powerful enemy on the Prime throne, in that case,” said Rhyaz, ears flicking back in distress. “But why is he on the Prime throne if the plan was to take it for his brother?”
“Excuse me?”
Rhyaz handed him the comp pad. “The message clearly says he’s taking the Throne of Light for his brother.”
“Looks like K’hedduk has greater ambitions. I wonder how much support he has at home?” said Lijou thoughtfully as he read the message.
“I want to know how he hid his paranoia of Sholans from the Primes when he was on the Kz’adul!”
“We know K’hedduk passed as a Prime, which means he isn’t the darker green of the M’zullians,” said Lijou, taking a sip from his glass. “Likely their royal family, like Zsurtul’s, had to breed where they could to survive. Maybe that gave him the same response to us as Kezule and the Primes have rather than the paranoia of the ordinary M’zullian warriors.”
Rhyaz nodded. “Makes sense. Obviously it didn’t affect his ambition, though, if he’s taken the Throne of Light for himself. Talking of Prince Zsurtul, he’s still on Kusac’s estate, isn’t he?”
“Apparently not,” said Lijou. “He was, but he can’t be found.”
“Would they lie about that?”
“No,” said Lijou firmly. “You know as well as I that if he was there, they’d admit it and refuse to hand him over. Governor Nesul’s position is we don’t negotiate with K’hedduk, the Prime Prince stays with us. He asks if we’ve any news on Kezule’s whereabouts. The Council wants to approach him with an offer of help to overthrow K’hedduk as quickly as possible. We may even be able to save our Ambassador and the two Brothers.”
Rhyaz raised his eye ridges. “That’s predictable. Suddenly he’s our savior? He’s the one person who can retake K’oish’ik and put Zsurtul on his throne and prevent the M’zullians combining forces with the Primes?”
“He’s more than that,” said Lijou quietly. “Think about it, Rhyaz. K’hedduk had the cubs bred, he had Kusac and his people tortured on the Kz’adul. He’s now killed the rightful Prime Emperor and taken his throne. If we made this known, and that Kusac was on a secret mission to get Kezule’s agreement to help us against K’hedduk, then it would solve all our problems. The cubs could go to their parents without danger to our Treaty with the Primes, and Kusac wouldn’t face prosecution or Raiban’s wrath when he returns.”
Rhyaz sat back in his chair and gazed thoughtfully into the flames. “In principle, yes, but the timing is out. We’d have to get Nesul to agree to say we had secret information about this possible coup at the time Kusac left.”
“No, we wouldn’t. We say what happened; the cryptic message for Kusac which resulted in the return of all the cubs but his son, and his need to go back to help Kezule. He’d left Shaidan with the Valtegan because he knew he was returning.”
“We can sort those details out later,” said Rhyaz. “They are only details, after all. Our main problem is we don’t know where Kezule is. And we don’t know if he’d be willing to retake the Prime world, or put Zsurtul on the throne. He might just decide that with the Emperor dead he wants it for himself. Couldn’t we retake K’oish’ik ourselves?”
Lijou shook his head. “It’s not what the Council wants, unless Kezule refuses to help. You have to admit if he throws his lot in with us he’d be the ideal one to contact the M’zullians, far better than the late Emperor was.”
“So long as we’re not handing him an Empire on a plate,” said Rhyaz dryly. “But you’re right, we have to contact him. And though it sticks in my throat to say it, we have an ideal team sitting at Haven right now. If Kaid can’t find Kusac, I don’t know who could.”
“Nesul will be pleased to have the Touibans off his back,” said Lijou with a smile. “Since the Tooshu parked outside Haven, they’ve been lobbying him to accept that Kaid and Carrie are diplomats on behalf of the Touiban government on a legitimate mission to find Kezule. They say we have no right to be holding them, and their cubs, prisoner on Haven.”
“I have to admit that was a very creative move on Kaid’s part,” said Rhyaz. “Perhaps letting them find Kezule officially will ease their anger with us over this whole issue.”
“It’ll assuage it, certainly, said Lijou. “May I suggest we contact Konis and tell him what we plan to do? He’s suffered a great deal over his decision to send his son on this mission. Rhyasha has, too.”
“You do that, I’ll contact L’Seuli,” said Rhyaz.
Haven Stronghold, same day
Kaid sat silently through L’Seuli’s briefing. “No,” he said finally, getting to his feet.
L’Seuli looked at him, surprise writ large on his face and in the set of his ears. “I thought you’d leap at the chance to exonerate Kusac.”
“I came here to find my sword-brother and Triad partner, and our cubs, L’Seuli, not go on a mission for anyone,” he said, turning and walking to the door.
“You talk as if the two were mutually exclusive,” said L’Seuli. “That needn’t be the case.”
“I don’t need you, you need me,” he said coldly, hand on the door activator. “And I’m not for hire.”
“I wasn’t suggesting you were. We protect, Kaid. Protect Shola and her people, which includes your Clan. A Prime and M’zullian alliance would be disastrous for us all. All we’re asking is that you approach Kezule for us.”
He turned slightly. “I’m En’Shallan now, L’Seuli. My loyalty is to my Clan and Vartra.”
“Then ask Him.”
“Vartra’s been unusually quiet these last few months.”
L’Seuli looked surprised. “Not here, since Kusac brought His relic here.”
“Relic?”
The Priest nodded. “Vartra’s head. It’s in the base of our Shrine. He brought it for Father Lijou at Vartra’s own request.”
Kaid hesitated. “I’ll think about it,” he said, opening the door.
“Before you go,” began L’Seuli.
“What now?”
“You and the cubs are free to leave Haven,” L’Seuli said, getting up and coming over to him. He held out a piece of paper. “These are the coordinates of the original rendezvous.”
Kaid took it from him, glancing at it as he put it in his main jacket pocket. “Neither Lijou nor Rhyaz told you to do this,” he said, searching the other’s face.
“I’m in command here, Kaid, not Rhyaz. I make my own decisions,” he said softly. “As a gesture of my good faith, I’m giving you what I can, with no strings attached. All I ask is you think about talking to Kezule for us.”
Kaid nodded and left.
Get ready to leave, he sent to Carrie. We got what we came here for.
And their request?
I’m going to the temple, he replied.
He crumbled the incense in the brazier, enjoying the scent as it began to burn.
So you’ve been freed from Shola, he thought, going past the brazier to the statue of Vartra. It might only be half life-size, but it was still imposing in the dim light of the Shrine.
I’ve neglected the estate Shrine lately, and I know I haven’t been much of a priest. I’ve been too angry with Kusac to ask for your help for either of us. He touched the sword lying at the feet of the statue, letting his fingertips run down the bronze blade. Too proud to admit my fears for his safety. He looked up at the face of the crouching God. I’ve had enough of politics, Vartra, I don’t want another mission. I just want Kusac back safe with us.
“A good priest looks after his family, Kaid,” said a familiar quiet voice from above him. “Cubs are a blessing to us all, and you’ve been busy with them.”
Startled, he looked up, stepping back from the statue as its eyes blinked slowly at him.
“For the sake of Shola, and him, there must be an alliance between you and the Liege of Hell,” continued Vartra’s voice. “No matter what you discover when you reach him, let nothing stand in the way of that.”
His blood ran cold as he stared at the face of the God superimposed on His own graven likeness. “Has something happened to Kusac? Is he safe?” he demanded.
“He’s alive, the rest is in his own hands. There’s no place for revenge, Kaid, no matter the circumstances.”
He stepped forward again, grasping hold of the statue by the arm. “I won’t lose him again, Vartra! He means too much to me, to Carrie!” He could feel tears stinging his eyes.
“I’ve done what little I was able to do. Forces beyond your understanding prevent me from doing more. When you meet, you must look beyond the changes that you see and only remember what you share.”
“I’ve done nothing but remember for months! He’s never been far from my thoughts.”
“Pray for him, keep him in your thoughts, and remember, you must make that alliance with the Liege of Hell,” said the voice as it faded into silence.
When Carrie joined him, he was leaning against the statue weeping quietly.
L’Seuli joined them at the shuttle ramp as they were leaving. “Have you thought over what I asked?” he said quietly, folding his arms inside the sleeves of his robe.
“Bring me a signed statement laying out exactly what Kusac’s mission was, and exonerating him and his crew from any culpability in following the orders of the Brotherhood and the government, then I’ll do it,” Kaid said.
L’Seuli pulled out an envelope and handed it to him. “Already done,” he said with a smile. “And signed by Master Rhyaz and Father Lijou as well as myself.”
Kaid took it from him and nodded. “I want one more thing,” he said.
L’Seuli held up his hand to silence him then triggered his wrist comm. “Tell Instructor Tanjo we’re ready for him.”
Kaid raised an eye ridge. “I’m impressed. How did you know?”
“Father Lijou gave me very good advice,” he smiled. “And it was obvious you’d want written assurances after the secrecy of the original mission.”
“And Tanjo?”
“You live for your family now, Kaid. The cubs will need a familiar face to look after them while you see to other matters. Tanjo is the obvious choice. I’ve also seen that when you forgive, that person has a second chance.”
Carrie came down the ramp, smiling. “Take care of yourself, L’Seuli,” she said, hugging him.
“And you, Carrie,” he said, returning the hug as Tanjo came out of the elevator and headed toward them. “See Tanjo starts enjoying life, will you? He’s been out here too long. He refused a posting back to Shola because he felt he hadn’t paid his penance over the Guild Master incident, but believe me, he has. I had to persuade him that working with the cubs would be continuing it!”
“We will,” said Kaid, clasping L’Seuli by the arm in a warrior handshake.
Litany to banish Pain
By the Power of Vartra’s Word
No pain I feel
Is greater than my will.
No pain I feel
Is stronger than my heart.
No pain I feel
Is brighter than my soul.
No pain I feel
Is more than I am.
No pain I feel,
Is too great for Him to ease.
—Attributed to Sister M’Nokada,
from the Brotherhood’s
Book of Pathways
CHAPTER 20
The Tooshu, same day
THE cubs clustered together in awe as Toueesut and his swarm met them in the main lounge of the Tooshu. Surprisingly, it was Gaylla who was the first to leave the group and go up to Toueesut, reaching out to touch his brightly embroidered jacket as he instantly stood still for her.
“Pretty,” she said, smiling at him. “I wish I had one like that. I’m Gaylla.”
Trills of pleasure filled the air and Toueesut’s face became wreathed in smiles.
“A great pleasure it is to be meeting you, little one of the Sholans,” he said as his swarm mates swirled off out of the room. “Most welcome you are all to be here as our honored guests on this vessel. Fo
od and refreshing drinks are waiting for you on the tables over there if you would be willing to come with me.”
The Touiban held out his callused hand to her and without a second thought, she placed her small hand trustingly in his and followed him across the room.
“Looks like Gaylla’s made a conquest already,” said Carrie as they took the other cubs over to the table.
While T’Chebbi and the males were seating them on the cushions, Carrie and Jo helped Toueesut pour out the sparkling cold drinks.
Holding her glass carefully in both hands, Gaylla sipped it cautiously then beamed up at T’Chebbi.
“This is very good! You must taste it, T’Chebbi!”
“Later, chiddoe,” she said, ruffling her hair gently. “Food looks good. You eat now, we got business to attend to. Valden will look after you all.”
Valden threw her a pained look.
Gaylla nodded solemnly, putting the glass down to take a warm meat pastry off the plate Dhyshac was holding out to her.
Toueesut’s swarm mates returned, weaving and dancing their way across to the low table, stopping at Gaylla.
“This have we for you,” said Etishu, holding out a brightly embroidered blue jacket. “Our size you about.”
Gaylla’s mouth dropped in a large “Oh!” of pleasure, and almost upsetting the table, she leaped to her feet and held out her arms for it to be put on.
While Etishu helped her, Carrie took advantage of the moment to draw Toueesut aside.
Taking her by the hand, he patted it, smiling broadly. “Is all right, Carrie, we are understanding of the little one. The harmonies of her mind may not be as complex as those of your other cubs but they are so sweet as to be a wonderful pleasure for us to be sharing. While we are away on the Couana, she will be a great favorite with the crew here.”
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