He didn’t answer.
“Jason, do you understand? I don’t want you to die trying to save me.”
“I heard you.” His eyes met hers. “You already know my answer. I gave you that answer back on The Son of Taris during that storm.”
She couldn’t help smiling at him. “Father never listened to Mother about that, either. Jason, please be careful. For me.”
“I will.”
She went inside, closing and locking the door. The room had a single window, which was closed. Kira peeled off the dress, letting out a breath of relief, and then unstrapped the thigh holster, wondering what Jason would have said if he could have seen her wearing it.
Jason…
Kira flinched as her reverie was interrupted by a memory from this evening. She had promised Jason that she would tell her parents about the doppelganger thing. It was silly, but she had promised, and by morning she might have forgotten. Jason probably would have forgotten as well, but that was all the more reason to make sure she honored her promise. Kira had decided some time ago, probably because of the people willing to cut her too much slack because of who her mother was, that promises kept only because you didn't want to be caught breaking them weren't really anything to be proud of.
Kira groaned, not wanting to get back into the dress and have to parade in front of spectators again. Maybe it was late enough that she could get away with her usual clothes. She got dressed, feeling better to be in jeans, the nice shirt, and her boots. Remembering the behavior of the Imperials, she also took the time to put on her shoulder holster and put her pistol in it, then put on her jacket over it.
She paused, wondering why her Mage sense was suddenly active again. What had triggered that?
Kira went to the window, looking out cautiously.
A hand came around from behind her, clasping a wet cloth over her face. Startled, Kira inhaled without thinking.
Her mind fell into a black, bottomless pit.
* * *
Mari bolted awake as someone pounded on the door. She had her pistol in her hand as she called out a reply. “Yes?”
“Lady Mari,” someone called through the door, “my apologies, but I was told to inform you that Lady Kira has left the palace.”
Mari was on her feet as Alain also got out of bed, both of them rushing to the door. Mari took only enough time to ensure her bedclothes covered her decently before pulling the door open.
A major stood there, his face rigid with worry at having woken her. “Kira left the palace?” Mari asked, trying to avoid letting fear into her voice.
“Yes, Lady. Less than ten minutes ago, just before dawn. She asked the guards at the door she left by to, uh, ‘not bother anyone,’ but they informed the guard supervisor who informed me.”
“They did well,” Alain said. “Kira gave no indication of why she was leaving the palace?”
“No, Sir Mage. The guards said she appeared to be cheerful.”
“Cheerful.” Mari ran to the door to Kira’s room and pulled it open. The bed was empty. She searched the room hastily. “Alain, I checked when we got back from the reception and Kira was in this bed. I didn't disturb her. There isn’t any note. Why would Kira leave at this time of the day and not leave us a note?”
“Jason,” Alain said.
“Make sure he’s still here,” Mari said.
She and the major searched Kira’s room more thoroughly while waiting, still finding no clue to Kira’s departure.
“Jason is here,” Alain said, indicating the boy in hastily pulled on clothes who stood nervously by his side. “The guards at either end of the hall saw Kira leave her room a little while ago. She went past one pair of guards, saying she was just going to walk to the nearest east-facing window to watch the sun rise.”
“The guards still should have notified someone,” the major said, his tone promising harsh words later for those guards.
“Something happened to Kira?” Jason asked, his voice cracking with worry.
“She left the palace less than twenty minutes ago,” Mari told him. “There isn’t any note. Alain, her pistol is gone. Jason, did Kira say anything about leaving the palace? I don’t care if she swore you to silence. Tell us.”
“Kira didn’t say anything about that! She didn’t do anything to make me think she was planning to do that!”
Mari glanced at Alain, who nodded to show that Jason was telling the truth. Not that she had needed that confirmation. Jason was obviously upset.
Queen Sien arrived, trailed by two aides. “Kira has left?”
“Yes. But it doesn’t make any sense. She didn’t tell me, or her father, or Jason, anything. She didn’t leave a note. Kira is not so irresponsible that she would just wander off into the city without telling someone first. She knows how dangerous it is. Something is wrong.”
“I agree,” Sien said. She turned to one of the aides. “Notify all police and military forces inside Tiaesun that they are to search for and find Lady Kira of Dematr. Get Colonel Jolu up here with a far-talker.”
“Immediately, Your Majesty.”
As the aide ran off, Sien looked at Jason. “Did you quarrel?”
“No!” Jason protested. “We…we kissed goodnight, and Kira smiled and told me she was glad I’d been there because the dinner and all had been sort of stressful, and…and…uh…”
“Say it,” Mari ordered.
“Kira said she was…lucky to have me in her life. And…”
“What?”
“She tried to make me promise not ever to die trying to save her,” Jason said, looking miserable. “I wouldn't. Then she closed the door and I went to my room.”
“Why would she—?” Queen Sien began.
“It is a family thing,” Alain said. “I would not make such a promise to Mari, either. But it could mean that Kira had a foreboding of danger, one she was perhaps not consciously aware of.”
“That would make her departure alone even less understandable! I was notified that Prince Maxim’s ships left at about midnight. Is that correct?” Sien asked the major.
“Yes, Your Majesty. I can get the exact time.”
“But you are certain it was several hours before Lady Kira left the palace?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I spoke with the late watch when I came on duty, and they reported that the Imperial ships had cleared the harbor and steamed out of sight within the hour of leaving their pier. They were last seen headed northwest.”
Colonel Jolu arrived at a run, trailed by two soldiers. “These are the sentries who saw her leave the palace.”
Queen Sien turned her eyes on the two, who quailed but stood at attention. “Why did you not stop Lady Kira from leaving?”
“Your Majesty,” one of the sentries said, “our standing orders are not to hinder the movements of Lady Mari or any of her family.”
“Those are their orders,” the colonel confirmed. “There was no expectation that, uh…”
“I understand,” Mari told him, trying to remain calm. “Are you certain that it was Kira?” she asked the sentries.
“Yes, Lady,” the second answered. “We were on duty yesterday when she and her young man came back. We saw her and heard her then. The girl who left looked like her and sounded like her. She was also dressed the same as yesterday.”
“This makes no sense,” Sien said. “Kira is not an irresponsible child.”
The colonel listened intently to a call on his far-talker. “What’s that? The east gate?” He looked at Sien. “Lady Kira left by the east gate of the city several minutes before they received word to stop her. They can still see her.”
“Stop her now,” Sien ordered. “Tell them to follow and bring her back.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” Colonel Jolu passed on the orders, frowning at the response. “Are you certain? Wait.” He looked at his queen again, visibly nervous. “Your Majesty, the guards at the east gate report that just outside the gate a Mage was waiting with a Roc. As I was ordering them to pursue
Lady Kira, they saw her climb onto the Roc. It has taken flight.”
Mari stared at the colonel in disbelief. “She’s flying off on a Roc? Alain!”
Her husband shook her head, his expression unusually grim. “I will check with all other Mages in the city.”
“The Roc is headed straight east,” the colonel added. “The guards will lose sight of it soon. What is that?” he added, listening. “You’re certain that she said that? Stand by.” The colonel shook his head at Mari. “Lady, as your daughter left the city, she told the guards at the gate that she was going to Palandur. They say she smiled as she said that.”
“Palandur?”
“This cannot be right,” Alain said. Mari barely heard him through the distress filling her mind. “Kira would not have done such a thing.”
“Alain,” Queen Sien said, “is there any possible way a Mage could have altered Kira’s mind? Put some spell upon her that caused her to do this?”
“It is impossible,” Alain replied. “No Mage has surpassed me in being able to directly affect another person, but nothing I can do can cause any change in the mind of another or bend their will.”
“Drugs?” Sien asked herself. “No. We ate from the same trays as Kira, drank from the same pitchers and bottles. Did Lady Kira look in any way impaired?” she demanded of the sentries.
“No, Your Majesty. She looked bright and alert. I commented on it, saying I wished I felt that good, and Lady Kira laughed.”
“Why would she have left me?” Jason asked, bewildered. “Am I really just dead weight to her?”
By an effort of sheer will, Mari yanked herself out of her own fears. Others needed her, not least Kira, but including those here. “Jason, whatever has happened, that was not the reason. Whenever Kira has talked about you to me she always speaks of the things you did, how much you contributed, and how you saved her life during that storm.”
“Could someone have threatened Jason?” Sien asked. “Done so in such a way that Kira thought only by doing this could she ensure his safety?”
“I can’t believe that she’d do that,” Mari said. “Why wouldn’t she have left a note if that was the case? If Jason was in that much danger, Kira would have let us know. The Imperials have to be behind this somehow. But how?”
“There was that time last night when I was away from her,” Jason volunteered with a miserable expression.
“When Prince Maxim talked to her? But she said nothing to indicate that Maxim had said anything to sway her.” Mari turned to Sien. “She has to be on one of those ships. Or Maxim must know something. Even if the Imperial ships are swinging wide of the coast and moving fast, one of your ships out of Minut would have a chance at intercepting them.”
Sien gazed at her for a moment before answering. “Lady Mari, Sir Mage Alain, let us enter your room and discuss this. The rest of you wait out here.”
Mari paused, seeing the look on Jason’s face. “Queen Sien, may Jason of Urth come inside with us?”
Sien looked Jason over, then nodded. “Jason of Urth as well.”
It wasn’t until the door was closed behind the four of them that Sien spoke in a low voice. “What are you asking me to do, Mari?”
“Stop those ships and find out what’s going on,” Mari said.
“Each of those ships is legally Imperial territory,” Sien said. “The Great Guilds once held themselves above such things, insisting on the right to go where they would and search what they would. You fought to stop that.”
Mari bit back her first response, trying to control her temper. “That’s not what I’m asking.”
“It is. I can send a ship out to look for the Imperial squadron. If it finds them, I can request that they permit a search, and the captain of the ship can request an interview with Prince Maxim. But if they say no, I have no legal right to demand otherwise.”
“They must know what’s going on with Kira!” Mari insisted, knowing how desperate she looked. “You could threaten them!”
Sien bowed her head, then raised it again to meet Mari’s eyes. “I have no dearer friends in the world than you and Alain, but I am the Queen of Tiae. I cannot act without thinking of my people and my country. Even under the laws I have championed to grant more power to my people, in an emergency I can order such an action as you suggest. But I have no grounds for doing so, Mari. There is no evidence tying those ships to Kira’s departure. Eyewitnesses saw her leave this palace long after those ships left, and with apparent good spirits board a Roc! And on that basis you ask me to order an act of war against Imperial ships?”
Alain spoke, his voice heavy. “If Tiae commits an act of war with no evidence to support it, the world will see it as an unprovoked attack. Even the Bakre Confederation might not back Tiae in such a case, leaving Tiae alone exposed to Imperial retaliation.”
Mari closed her eyes, trying to control herself. “Sien, this is Kira.”
“I love Kira as much as if she were my own daughter,” Sien said, her voice strained. “But she knows she is not a citizen of Tiae. I do not even have the justification of trying to protect one of my people. How many might die, Mari? And what would I tell their families?”
“What if Maxim wants this?” Alain asked. “What if the Imperials have arranged this to trigger an attack, knowing that it would leave Tiae alone?”
Mari opened her eyes again, seeing Jason looking at them, miserable. “Jason. Are you absolutely sure that Kira gave no clue as to why she would have left this morning?”
“I’m sure,” Jason said, his voice barely able to be heard.
“Did any of the Imperials say anything to you last night? Did anyone?”
Jason clenched his teeth. “When I was in the bathroom, there were a few officers from different places there and one of them said to me…said to me…”
“What?” Mari pressed.
“That he hoped I knew I was the luckiest guy on Dematr,” Jason said. “I do know. But if something has happened to Kira—”
“Calm,” Alain said. “Maxim made numerous attempts to provoke us. This could be another.”
Queen Sien nodded. “Meaning that Maxim hopes we will act without thinking.”
“What would happen if your ships from Minut intercepted the Imperial squadron?” Alain asked. “And if they attempted to attack?”
“My forces at Minut cannot outgun the Imperial squadron,” Sien said. “There would be a running fight, my forces would take the worst of it, and the blame for the battle would rest at the feet of my country.”
“So it would accomplish nothing,” Alain said.
“Nothing good. But it could accomplish much to further Imperial aims.”
They waited, looking at Mari.
Mari turned away, not wanting to see them. For how many years had people been looking at her to save the day? What do we do, Mari? Can you save us, Mari? We need the daughter. We need you.
She was so tired of it. Tired of endless labor to save others who ended up needing her again. Tired of having to put her family second when duty called. Tired of having her family and friends exposed to danger because of her. Alain knew. He knew how she felt, and she knew how much he was hurting inside right now as well, but he was doing his best to think things through for her, to help her plan, just as they had always worked together.
Mari made a fist and hit the wall hard. She hit it again. And again. And a fourth time, each blow hurting her hand more. She stopped, her head lowered, eyes closed, trying to find inside herself the strength to do the right thing, to not scream in frustration and anger. “I’m supposed to be the most powerful person in the world,” Mari finally whispered. “Something has happened to my daughter, my only living child, and I can’t even find out what’s going on, let alone protect her.”
Alain came up behind her and put his arms about her, holding her. Mari breathed in and out, imagining a world without her daughter in it and rejecting the possibility. “We have to find her, Alain.”
“We will,” he said, m
aking a promise of the two words.
Mari put her hands over his where they met over her heart. “How?”
“We must trust in Kira. Whatever has happened, our daughter will find a way to protect herself. We must not do whatever the Imperials hope we will do, acting in ways that would weaken the authority you have in this world, the authority that has kept the peace for so long.”
“I have to be the daughter of Jules,” Mari said, trying not to feel. “Not a mother. Even when my own daughter needs me, I have to be that other person.”
Queen Sien’s voice was low but firm. “Perhaps what Kira needs is the daughter of Jules, and the power the daughter of Jules can bring to bear to help her.”
Mari sighed, turning to break Alain’s hold and look at Sien. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pressed on you this. You’re right. An act of war would only serve the interests of Prince Maxim. But if he harms Kira, I will make him pay in ways that will cause the world to tremble.” She saw Jason staring at her and wondered if she had ever shown that side of herself to him. “Queen Sien, may Alain and I impose on your hospitality for a while longer? I’d like to stay here while we try to learn what has happened. I’d also like to have the use of your long-distance far-talker so I can speak with President of State Jane in the Confederation.”
“Of course,” Sien said.
“What about me?” Jason asked. “I need to do something. Just tell me. Anything.”
Mari looked from Alain to Sien, then back at Jason. “The attempts on your life here must have been deliberate diversions from whatever the Imperials were planning against Kira. But now that Kira is gone they might try to eliminate you. Jason, as hard as it is for you, I think the best thing you can do is go back to Danalee. We’ll send you with enough guards to ensure your safety. Alli and Calu will make sure you're safe. And when we learn what the Imperials are up to, we will notify you and anything you can do—”
“Lady Mari,” Jason begged. “Please. Don’t just send me off.”
“There is nothing you can do here,” Alain said.
“Sure,” Jason mumbled, his shoulders slumping. “This is adult stuff, and I’m just a kid.”
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