Crystal Enchantment

by Unknown

  They boarded the tiny craft and strapped themselves into the big, comfortable seats. While he checked the systems, she craned her neck to see the rest of the tiny craft. There was a small galley and a closed door that was probably a bathroom. A third seat was behind the co-pilot's seat that she occupied. Apparently, passengers were supposed to sleep in their seats.

  The sleek craft taxiied only a short distance, then swept into the heavens at a steep angle that pressed Jalissa deep into the heavily padded seat. A moment later, the information Miklos had requested came over the comm.

  "The scanners showed that a small craft broke through the atmosphere thirty-five minutes ago," reported the disembodied female voice. Miklos muttered a curse under his breath before acknowledging receipt of the information and hanging up the mike. She noticed that he still didn't look at her as he spoke.

  "That's him. Wherever he had it hidden, he got to it quicker than I expected."

  "He would have 'ported," she said in a neutral tone.

  "How far can . . . they 'port?"

  Jalissa heard the slight hesitation and knew that what he'd almost said was "you." She shot him a quick glance, then looked away as he started to turn toward her.

  "There's no limit," she replied. "At least as far as I know. It isn't like jumping or running. It doesn't require any physical energy. You just think yourself somewhere elseand you're there."

  "What about in space?" he asked, his tone cold and clipped.

  "I . . . I don't know," she replied. It was true. She'd never thought about it. As far as she knew, her people had never tried it.

  Then she glanced at him, belatedly realizing that he probably wasn't asking because of Kavnor. He was wondering if she would be able to do that.

  "Hasn't anyone ever tried it?" he asked, still avoiding her eyes.

  "Not that I know of. The Coven never traveled much, and when they did, they traveled mostly on Tevingian craft."

  "Then it must be dangerous."

  "Perhaps."

  A heavy silence fell between them. She wondered if he was waiting for her to promise that she wouldn't suddenly 'port herself out of the craft. She opened her mouth to promise him that she wouldn't, then closed it again, unable to take that final step.

  He busied himself with the various controls and screens, then made a sound of satisfaction. "I think I've got him!"

  After watching the one screen for a moment, he turned very briefly to her, his gaze meeting hers for one brief, electrifying moment before sliding away again.

  "This craft has a very sophisticated tracking device, but even so, I wasn't certain that we could follow him. It's still experimental, and hasn't always been effective with the smallest craft. But I think it's locked onto him."

  "Will he know that?" she asked.

  "No. With the crude system on his craft, he wouldn't know if he was being followed by a T-." The T- was a giant cargo freighter, the largest of the space-going craft. A civilian version was used for the most popular inter-planetary passenger routes.

  "What are you planning to do?"

  "For now, I'm just going to follow him. Then, when I'm sure where he's headed, I'll contact the base there and have them waiting for him. There are only two possible destinations: Gavon or Ker."

  "Ker?" She echoed. Ker was the crystal world. She recalled the conversation with Danto about the possibility of the Warlock's going there. "Surely he wouldn't go there? Doesn't it have the largest Federation base in the Outer Ring?"

  "Yes, but of all the worlds of the Outer Ring, it's the one he must want most. I ran a check earlier on the civilian and military populations there. The civilians are almost all from Outer Ring worlds, and most of the military are from worlds that are sympathetic to the Coven. At least a third of them are Tevingian."

  So Danto had been right, she thought. The most important world in the Outer Ring could easily be taken over by the Coven, who would then be able to hold its precious resource hostage. She fingered her crystal nervously. He apparently saw the movement, even though he wasn't looking her way.

  "There's only one way he could know how important Ker is," Miklos said in that cool, formal tone. "He's had some assistance from Tevingiprobably from Danto Kendor."

  She noticed that he didn't say "from your uncle," and wondered if it was deliberate. The air in the confined space seemed to be draining away, drawing them into a dark vacuum. ''He's the one most likely to have kept in contact with the Coven, wherever they are," Miklos went on. "We know that he makes occasional trips in a craft similar to this oneone he's had specially adapted for longer voyages. We haven't followed him, because we're sure he also has the new tracking system and would be able to spot us.

  "After I talked to him, I ordered the base to keep an eye on him and follow him if he left again. But he hasn't. I suppose that he's able to contact the Coven through . . . other means."

  She said nothing. Her heart seemed to have leapt into her throat, and she was certain that she wouldn't be able to speak even if she could find the words.

  "Now I want the truth, Jalissa."

  Chapter Nine

  Two powerful emotions tugged at Jalissa simultaneously: relief and fear. A part of her was relieved that the deception would be over. But an equally strong part felt a paralyzing fear. Her feelings, she knew, came from the two parts of her. The Witch wanted to tell him proudly of her heritage, while the Whisperer wanted desperately to deny it and continue to conceal it.

  The question, of course, was what he would do with the knowledge. Would he immediately regard her as the enemy, or would he understand that she too wanted to save the Federation?

  The difference between them was that in order to save the Federation, he would be willing to destroy the Coven, while she still sought a way to save them regardless of their foolishness.

  There are very few times in an individual's life when a step taken instantly becomes irrevocablebut Jalissa knew that this was one of those moments. She was convinced that he didn't want to believe she was a Witch, and therefore she could probably convince him that she wasn't, despite the evidence.

  Even her disappearance from the cabin could probably be explained somehow. She could tell him that she swam to shore and went into town, and if he found the cabin door locked from the inside, then it must be because the lock was defective. He might even believe that, given his desire to do so.

  And she could admit to being a Tevingian sympathizer who'd known all along about the existence of the Coven. He'd believe that too, since he already knew about her uncle's activities.

  Jalissa weighed all this in her mind in the tense seconds following his demand for the truth, and thought as well about his statement that trust might never be possible between them. And finally, she knew that she wanted to prove him wrong.

  "You already know the truth, Miklos, although I think you would prefer that I deny it."

  They were seated side by side in the cramped confines of the craft, both of them staring straight ahead into the blackness of space: ancient enemies from different worlds. He existed solely in the Vantran world of science and reason, while she teetered precariously between that world and another darker, magical world he could neither understand nor accept.

  "You're a Witch," he said, his voice so devoid of emotion that she knew it concealed something.

  "Yes."

  He was silent for a long time, and she risked a quick sidelong glance at him. His profile revealed nothing.

  "I think I knew that on a subconscious level when I first saw you on Temok. Something happened that day. I . . . felt something."

  Her mind went back to that time. "It's possible that you felt something because I was just about to 'port myself out of there when you used the stunner on me. In the old days, Tevingians and others often said that they could 'feel' our magic.

  "You see, I very nearly forgot that I could take myself away from the danger. I left the Coven when I was twelve, and from that time on, I never used my powers except to communi
cate with my people."

  "Why did you leave?" he asked, still not looking at her even though she had now turned to face him.

  "I didn't have a choice. The priests had determined that I had an affinity for the crystals, so they decided that I should become a Whisperer."

  "But surely your parents must have protested. Are the priests that powerful?"

  "My parents didn't protest," she replied, finding it hard to keep the bitterness from her voice. "Children are raised communally in the Coven. They don't live with their parents, who often don't live with each other either. I never knew it could be any other way until I went to Tevingi. But later, when I thought about it, I realized that it must be because they wanted us to see the whole Coven as being our family, not just our parents and siblings.

  "It wasn't as bad as it sounds," she said hurriedly when he turned to her and she saw the look on his face. "We were treated well, even though we weren't indulged the way Vantrans and others indulge their children."

  And now she was the one who refused to meet his gaze. He couldn't understand, and hearing this must only add to his disgust with the Covenand with her.

  "Were you the only one who was sent away?" he asked after a brief silence.

  She shook her head, growing sick at the thought of giving him information that could destroy so many lives. She shouldn't have told him the truth. She'd been selfishand foolish as well. She'd wanted him to understand her and accept her, but he wouldn'tand now others would suffer as well.

  "But the others aren't Whisperers, are they?" he asked. She was surprised that he would know that, and turned to face him again. Still, she saw no hint of his feelingsnot even in those green eyes that were fixed so steadily upon her.

  "I think that's why you're so much better than the others at your profession," he went on. "I've seen other Whisperers working, and there's a definite difference with you. You're using your . . . talents."

  She winced at his hesitation, but nodded. "You're probably right. I don't consciously use my talents, but I could be using them subconsciously."

  "So the others are in administrative positions in Trans/Med and other agencies?"

  "Yes, but please don't ask me to name them. And don't think that every Tevingian in Federation Service is a Witch or Warlock. There aren't many of usand I don't even know who they are. Until recently, I thought I was the only one."

  She took a deep breath, then went on. "Miklos, you must trust me and believe that I don't want war between the Coven and the Federation. I know I could have convinced you that I'm not a Witch because you didn't want to believe it anyway. But I told you the truth."

  He merely nodded, and his gaze strayed to the small screens before him. After watching one of them for a few seconds and then keying up a display, he told her that it looked as though the Warlock must be headed for Gavon. She breathed a sigh of relief that Kavnor wasn't going to Ker. Perhaps he hadn't yet realized the significance of Ker to his plans, or maybe he didn't know that the population there would be sympathetic.

  Miklos picked up the mike and contacted the base on Gavon. She listened as he ordered them to capture the Warlock and warned them that he wasn't to be harmed.

  "If you can't capture him unharmed, then let him go and just keep an eye on him until we get there."

  Jalissa was relieved to hear his instructions about not harming Kavnor, but as soon as he finished his conversation with the base, she asked him what he intended to do.

  "I don't know yet. I'm hoping that we can capture him and keep him drugged so he can't escape while I have a talk with your priests."

  "You won't be able to do that if he's drugged," she pointed out.

  He turned a stern expression toward her. "You're going to take me to the Coven."

  "I can't, Miklos. I don't know where they are." And then, when he gave her an incredulous look, she explained.

  "How long did it take you to reach Tevingi?" he asked.

  "I don't remember. It seemed to take a long time, but I was so unhappy and scared. I was only twelve." "Think, Jalissa! Twelve isn't so young that you wouldn't have had a good concept of time."

  She disliked his peremptory tone of voice, and wanted to tell him that. Instead, she focused on his intention to go to the Coven.

  "They could kill you, Miklos. If the priests believe that the gods have ordered your death, they will kill you."

  "You can contact them and tell them that I come in peace."

  "I'm not sure that would make any difference, because I don't think they really trust me."

  He stared at her in silence, and for the first time during this conversation, she thought she detected a softening of his attitude. Was it possible that he could understand the position she was incaught between two worlds and trusted by neither one?

  "Try to remember that journey to Tevingi," he said in a much gentler tone. "It could help us find themand we have to find them."

  She nodded and turned away from him, then adjusted her seat into a near-reclining position. How she wanted him to trust her. Never before in her life had Jalissa wanted to cling to someonebut she wanted that now. She'd hoped Miklos could be the one sure thing in her increasingly uncertain worldand yet, by telling him the truth about herself, she'd destroyed that hope.

  >

  Miklos glanced at her as she reclined in the seat, her eyes closed. Then, fearing that she would feel his gaze on her, he turned away again. He wanted desperately to know if she'd cast some sort of spell on him, but he couldn't bring himself to askand in any event, if she had, she wasn't likely to admit to it.

  His thoughts churned sluggishly and he seemed unable to focus them. Through his brain whispered every dark story he'd ever heard about the Coven. He stole another quick look at her, and saw in the very desirable body of Jalissa Kendora weapon of unbelievable powera power that terrified him because he couldn't understand it.

  A long time ago, Miklos had seen the weapon that had been used to destroy the Coven's old home. It was hidden away at the most secure and secret base on Vantra, in a compound where the security was the strictest his people had ever devised. He could still recall the thrill he'd felt at seeing the most awesome creation of Vantran science, even though he deplored the purpose for which it had been invented.

  But he had understood it. He was conversant with the science that had allowed it to come into existence. He knew how it worked and why, and his awe had been tempered by that knowledge.

  Jalissa Kendor was altogether another matter. He had no understanding at all of the magic weapons she possessed because they had noth- ing at all to do with science.

  And yet he wanted her still. Surely that meant that she had cast a spell on him. How else could he account for the fact that even though he now knew what she was, his hunger for her hadn't lessened?

  He tried to force himself to consider what he must do, but found that he could not get beyond the moment. He knew that he should contact his superiors at the Agency at the first opportunity and tell them about Jalissa and the others who'd infiltrated the Federation. He knew it and yet he also knew that he wouldn't do itat least not yet.

  He felt an overwhelming need to protect hera ridiculous urge, given the fact that she was quite capable of protecting herself. And yet, as he glanced at her again, all he could see was a small, beautiful and vulnerable woman who was walking a dangerously fine line between two worlds.

  He was still staring at her when her eyelids fluttered open. For a long moment, they simply stared at each other, and then he looked away, fearing that she would see his confusion.

  "I think it was four daysmaybe five," she said into the charged silence.

  His gaze swung back to her. It took him a moment to recall the question he'd asked her, and she apparently saw his confusion.

  "You asked me how long it took to reach Tevingi," she prompted. ''Do you remember anything about the type of craft? he asked, relieved to be back on firm ground again, back to something he could understand.

  She no
dded. "It was the same type that Danto still uses to travel thereperhaps an older model."

  Miklos nodded and keyed up the computer, typing in the data as she raised her seat up again and watched. "That narrows it down," he said with satisfaction. "But it could still be any one of four worlds. What do you remember about the place itself?"

  "We lived underground," she said, her voice muted as though her thoughts were far away. "It's not a large world, and its surface is totally barren and mostly flat."

  He asked more questions: about gravity, about moons, about the temperature on the surface. She answered them all, but he found her responses perplexing. The computer showed no match with any of the uninhabited worlds.

  "I don't understand," she said, leaning close to him to stare at the screen herself. "Maybe your information is inaccurate."

  He shook his head. "None of those worlds has been fully explored, but we know the basic information about them. Could you be wrong about the length of the journey?"

  "I don't think so, but I suppose I could be."

  Miklos continued to study the data, frowning. None of the worlds in that region seemed a likely home for the Coven. In fact, not one uninhabited world within a two-week range of Tevingi fit the description she'd given him.

  "I'm telling you the truth, Miklos," she said quietly.

  He turned to her in surprise. "I believe you."

  She gave him a tentative smile, then lapsed into silence again. After a while, she said, "I wonder if . . ." Her voice trailed off uncertainly and he could see unshed tears glittering in her eyes.

  "What is it, Jalissa?" he asked gently, barely able to resist taking her into his arms.

  "I wonder if they stole my memoriesand replaced them with false ones."

  "Could they do that?" he asked, not even trying to hide his horror at such a possibility.

  "Maybe. I don't know. There . . . there are secrets known only to the Priests."

  Miklos could actually feel the struggle going on within her, the battle between her birthright and the world into which she had been thrust at an early age. The urge to take her into his arms now overwhelmed him, and he reached out to her.