There was a roaring in Arissa’s ears. It took her a moment to realize that all of the guards lay stunned and the night was again silent around them.
Lian was already running toward Kemma, who had swung over the wall and now stood inside the courtyard, her heavy weapon trained on the house, still unabashedly bare.
No alarms howled; the shield stayed down. Arissa threw her focus toward the house to find those within undisturbed. Probably the house’s insulation, designed to spare those within from the noise of traffic and shuttles flying overhead, had also blocked the sound of the blaster shots.
Arissa scrambled over the wall. That still left security eyes and the eight – not counting Jolar – inside to be dealt with. Kemma was already heading around to the less populated rear of the house and Arissa followed.
Lian caught up with them as they reached the garden. There was a door to the inside here at the back of the house and a half-floor above stood tall windows.
That was where Jolar was being held.
Arissa frowned but she couldn’t see anyway to climb up there or to signal to him that she was here without also alerting whoever was in that room with him.
“They call Seers dangerous,” Lian hissed, shoving Kemma’s clothes and boots at her. “But in actuality they’re just absolutely insane.”
“It worked, didn’t it?” Kemma whispered, flashing a grin.
“How do you even know how to fight like that?” Arissa asked.
Kemma shrugged. “One of my protectors was an arms dealer and martial expert. He knew a lot, so now I know a lot.”
“You took them all out before I could get off a shot.” Lian shook his head. “Are you two personal friends of Jandar or something?” he asked. “Is the god of war patron god of all Seers?”
“Just for that, I’m going to say an extra prayer to Arrena later in your name,” Kemma muttered, handing her weapon to Lian and shimmying into her clothes.
Apparently Ornaments could dress as fast as they could undress because in mere heartbeats, Kemma was fastening the last closure on her boot.
“Okay, we’re inside the shield,” Lian said. “Now what?”
“Get inside the house,” Arissa murmured.
“Great.” He wet his lips. “How do you—?”
Arissa held her hand up to silence him, and raised her blaster.
Sharply Kemma shook her head and while Arissa caught the lightest touch against her mind she couldn’t tell what her friend wanted her to do.
The door to the house slid open and in that moment Kemma sprung. In the next instant she had the Utavian unconscious. Arissa helped Kemma drag him a few steps back, then they eased the man to the ground.
Biting her lip Kemma signaled to Lian for the weapon she’d taken off the guard. She adjusted the settings and, pressing the muzzle to the guard’s belly, silently squeezed off a shot. The man convulsed for an instant, stunned.
“Okay, Kemma,” Lian whispered, his lips barely moving. “You are really starting to scare me now.”
Kemma gave him a wry look. “Thanks,” she mouthed.
Arissa was careful to keep her footsteps soft on the wood floor as she entered the house. Keeping close to the wall Arissa crept up the stairs, Kemma and Lian behind her.
Arissa slowed her breathing, sending her focus down the hall. Two guards outside the door where Jolar was held. One inside with him.
Closer now she recognized the feel of Rekan d’Barat’s mind, his mood sullen and irritable. He was on the other side of the house with another, a distinctly strong-willed feminine presence who could only be Jasa. They had two guards of their own there too.
Oddly, the house held no servants.
She sought Kemma’s gaze. Arissa held up three fingers and pointed down the hall then pointed to herself. In response Kemma gave a nod, held up four fingers, pointed to the front of the house where Jasa, Rekan and their guards were, then indicated Lian and herself.
Arissa wet her lips and returned the nod.
Kemma gave her a small smile and quickly pressed her hand. The Ornament paused for a moment. Her expression was intently focused then she grabbed Lian’s hand to pull him across the hall at just the right moment so they would not be seen.
Arissa struggled to keep her breath even as Kemma and Lian disappeared around a corner. Jolar’s worry was spiking, frantic to escape.
She longed to reach for him, to try to send him a message of reassurance but she didn’t dare draw her focus from the guards outside his door.
She closed her eyes and opened her Seer senses to them, feeling where they where in relative position to her and her heart sank.
They were next to each other on her side of the hall; that meant one was sheltered from her line of sight by the other. Shooting so precisely, for someone as unpracticed as she, was likely going to prove impossible.
The muffled sound of a blaster shot from the front of the house made both men startle away from the wall. Arissa’s eyes snapped open and without even focusing her vision she fired twice, managing to hit both of them in the back.
Her breath froze at the sudden violence inside the room where Jolar was captive.
No!
She ran down the hall, her legs leaden, the few steps seemed to take an eternity. She threw herself against the door and brought her blaster up to fire.
Thirty-three
“Arissa!” Jolar gasped, quickly raising his blaster. He looked down at her from his place on the windowsill as she wrenched her own weapon aside, the chill evening breeze cooling his face. “Gods!”
He jumped down to the sitting room and pulled her against him with his free hand. He was shaking badly; with his blaster on this setting he’d come a heartbeat from blowing a hole right through her chest. He buried his face in the dark softness of her hair, inhaling her sweet fragrance.
“You’re all right,” he said hoarsely. “Thank the gods you’re all right.”
Her arms went around his waist. “And you.”
He drew back, scowling. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“I should think that’s obvious,” she said, her expression hurt. “I’m rescuing you.” She frowned at the ruined window. “What were you doing?”
“I was escaping so I could rescue you.” He looked past her to the unconscious Utavians in the hall. “Apparently you’re better at this than I am.”
He pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. He wanted so much more but there was no time. He had to get her away from here.
“They said you were locked up at the embassy.” He took her hand in his, pulling her toward the sitting room door. “How did you get here?”
“I had help,” Arissa replied.
Blaster in hand, Kemma appeared in the doorway.
Jolar’s weapon was instantly leveled at her.
“No!” Arissa caught his arm. “Kemma and Lian helped me!”
“Evening Kemma,” Jolar said, lowering the blaster only slightly. “Not to sound ungrateful but I’m having a little trouble today keeping track of who’s on my side and why.” He jerked his chin at her. “Are you republic or monarchy?”
“What do you mean ‘monarchy’?” Arissa asked.
“That’s what this is,” Jolar said shortly. “An revolution to reinstate the monarchy.”
Arissa’s eyes widened. “But you’re a Zartani lord.”
“Yeah,” Jolar muttered. “And a proud day it is to be a Zartani aristocrat.” Jolar looked at Kemma. “So why are you here?”
Kemma hesitated and Arissa spoke quickly. “I went to Bruscan’s but he’s . . .”
“They told me,” Jolar said grimly.
“I didn’t know where else I could go. Kemma’s the only one who I thought might help me.”
Jolar nodded at the unconscious Utavians. “You pick this up from the Ornaments’ Guild?”
“Self-defense training?” Kemma raised an eyebrow. “Are you kidding? Fleet, I could take you down armed with nothing but a caf stirrer.”
&nbs
p; “Now what?” Arissa asked Jolar as Lian joined Kemma in the doorway.
“Now we have to figure out a way to stop this,” Jolar said. “Jasa said her forces had already been ordered to move and I have no idea who we can trust and who we can’t.”
“Her forces?” Arissa asked. “She’s the one doing this?”
Jolar’s face tightened. “Oh, she and my father played me for a fool for years. She is one of the orchestrators of this treason.”
“But where is she now?” Arissa asked.
“Uh.” Lian cleared his throat. “Beautiful blonde, quick temper?”
Jolar gave a short laugh. “That’s her.”
Lian looked chagrined. “I think I just shot her.”
“Did you kill her?”
“No!” Lian exclaimed. “She’s just stunned. I’m doing a lot of that tonight,” he mumbled. “Knocking women unconscious.”
“What about Rekan?” Jolar asked.
“Councilor from Zartan?” Kemma asked, hefting her blaster. “I got him.”
“Anyone else in the vicinity that we need to worry about this second?” Jolar asked.
Arissa and Kemma exchanged another glance.
“No,” Arissa said. “We used the heaviest stun setting so it should be a while before any of them start coming around.”
“Still, we should get out of here.” Jolar looked at the Utavians. “And there’s only one place we’re going to be safe now—the Zartani embassy.”
Arissa blinked. “Jolar, I just escaped from the Zartani embassy!”
“I know,” Jolar said. “But whether I’m their lord or their Commander or their festering prince, everyone there has sworn to obey me. And getting there is only chance we have to stop the Realm from tearing itself apart.”
“I’m not going to help you destroy your father’s life’s work, Jolar,” Jasa said coolly from her chair in the ambassador’s office. Even with Rekan held prisoner in a basement room, with herself helpless and surrounded by guards, she sat with back straight and golden head unbowed.
The Sertarian communications net had been blacked out and the populous of Tano-Sertar even at this late hour were nervous. By Jolar’s order no one was to be admitted to the embassy grounds and none could leave.
“Not to mention my own years of effort,” Jasa continued. “It’s time to graciously accept your place in history.”
Jolar narrowed his eyes. “Like hell I will.”
Jasa gave him a charming smile, tilting her held to look up at him. “You are too well-bred to harm a woman, darling, so you might as well stop looming over me. I am not intimidated.”
“For frack’s sake, Jasa, do us both a favor,” Jolar bit out. “And stop calling me that.”
Jasa glanced at the guards, all Zartani. “Are you aware that half the staff in this building are on my side?”
“That’s funny.” Jolar folded his arms. “I was under the impression it was my side they were on. After all, you did this all for me, didn’t you?”
In truth, Arissa sensed that a great deal more than half the Zartani here would bow to Jolar—if he allowed it. But bow or salute he’d been right, they all obeyed him. Any who might have heretofore followed Jasa or Rekan would not disobey their ruler and take their side against him.
And those loyal to the republic certainly wouldn’t either.
Jasa’s nostrils flared. “Your ingratitude is unbecoming in a prince.”
“And your treason is appalling,” he snarled.
She sighed and gracefully folded her hands. “Jolar—”
“Don’t you mean ‘Your Highness’? I am your prince.”
“Your Highness,” she began again, her voice as cold as her eyes. “This was years, decades, in the planning. All was done with meticulous and careful timing. It is flawless, beautiful and it is unstoppable now.”
“Oh, you’ve made lots of mistakes, Jasa,” Jolar said. “Not the least of which was assuming that you could use me to gain the throne for yourself.”
“There is no one better suited to rule at your side than I.” A confident tilt lifted Jasa’s chin. “I’m like you, Jolar. We are forged of the same noble heritage. We possess the same innate understanding of our place in the order of things. It isn’t an accident that you rose to the rank of Commander, that you longed for a Council seat. This is who you are.” Her eyes flashed blue fire. “A leader born to rule worlds.”
His lip curled. “You have no idea who I am. And no matter what happens I can promise that you’ll never be princess.”
“You’ll need me, Jolar. Things will be chaotic for months, perhaps years. You’ll need a strong and capable consort at your side. One who can forge alliances and inspire loyalty. One who, like you, was born to rule. You will need me to carry on your line. What else can you do? Make her your princess,” Jasa asked with a distainful nod toward Arissa, standing by the door. “And have a nothing, a commoner from Apovia, taint the blood of the next ruler?”
Jolar leaned back against the ambassador’s desk. “If the Zartani crown lands on my head Arissa will be princess, not you. She’ll sit at my side on the Zartani throne and—if I ever do allow you in her presence—I’ll enjoy watching you bow to her.”
Jolar’s baiting worked perfectly. Jasa’s delicate skin flushed, her face became enraged and her hands curled like talons. For the first time Arissa saw that despite the perfection of her face she was very ugly indeed.
“I’ll kill that whore before I ever bend my head to her!”
“You bow to her.” Jolar leaned forward. “Or you tell me how to stop this!”
Her face was still tight and her eyes hate filled, but Jasa gained hold of herself again. “The command to begin the reconquering of the Realm has already been sent out. Communications are blocked except to our forces.”
“These are my forces. I can order them to stand down. Tell me how.”
She gave him a smug smile. “Eventually you might halt the fighting. But not until Zartan is so battered and divided that you’ll be forced to take control just to stop the bloodshed.”
“This is our homeworld you’re talking about!” Jolar snarled. “These are our own people!”
“Then save them!” Jasa spat. “Lead them! Serve them as their prince!”
Jolar’s palm slammed on the desk. “Tell me how to stop this!”
“There is no way to stop this,” Jasa hissed.
“That’s not true,” Arissa said softly.
Jolar head came up. “What do you mean?”
Arissa took a step forward. “There’s something she can do, some way to call it off . . . A code she can transmit in case things go wrong.”
Jasa was visibly startled.
“Can you get the code from her, Arissa?” Jolar asked.
“‘Get the code’?” Jasa mocked. “Will your little whore torture me for it?”
Arissa closed her eyes and reached . . .
“What is she doing?” Jasa demanded.
“Reading your mind,” Jolar said simply.
“Reading my—Dear gods! She’s a Seer?”
Arissa brushed past the shock rolling off Jasa and the Zartani guards. Past Jasa’s heretofore-unshakable confidence in victory now being shaken, her scramble to remember everything she knew about the Seers, her contempt for Jolar to—
A flash of Rekan’s face as they discussed a plan for all contingencies . . .
Arissa broke away, swaying. “I need a datapad.”
Swiftly Jolar handed her one. Arissa carefully wrote the code and the instructions for its use that she’d gleaned from Jasa’s mind.
She offered the datapad to Jolar. “Broadcast this code and their forces will stand down.”
Jolar’s eye ran over the information. “I need to get to the embassy’s emergency uplink.”
“No!” Jasa shouted, rising. “No! Jolar, for the love of the gods, don’t do this!”
“Keep her here,” Jolar ordered.
The ranking ZarSec gave a nod. “Do you want a
guard, Your Hi—uh, Commander?”
Jolar flinched inwardly but his eyes were steady. “No. I’m armed, I’ll be fine.” He nodded at her. “Arissa, come with me.”
“Won’t the communication block affect this uplink too?” Arissa asked as soon as the doors closed behind them. She could still hear Jasa’s shouting. Sella the Ornament, whose room was next to hers in the boarding house on Xan-Tellar, had nothing on that noblewoman when it came to obscenities.
“Gods, I hope not,” Jolar said. “Lieutenant de’Rec said that the embassy’s uplink is on a separate frequency. Besides I can’t imagine Jasa and Rekan not having a way to communicate with Zartan. I think that’s actually why Rekan and Jasa came and stayed after the summit. They needed a safe place off-world where they could monitor everything.”
“Why wouldn’t they do all this from Zartan?” Arissa asked hurrying to keep up as he strode down the hall. “Wouldn’t that make more sense?”
“From what Jasa told me the plan was that Cenon would be crowned tonight. She would have provided a military force for our transport and escort ships to Zartan. Apparently they thought Sertar would fall to them easiest. And with the influence Danlen gathered and the alliances they forged here chances are Sertar would have awoken to a new crowned princess.” He opened the stairwell door for her. “And probably the Sertarians would have shrugged and gotten busy selling souvenir caf mugs with her face on them.”
Arissa frowned as they flew down the stairs. Before she’d come to Sertar she could have argued, pointed out the Articles of the Republic and declared that these people would be up in arms against the loss of their autonomy.
But not now. Sertar ran on putting credits in the right pocket and most of the population wouldn’t have given a frack who was in charge as long as business went on and money flowed.
Jolar nodded to two of the ZarSec guards and admiration glowed in their eyes at the sight of their prince.
“What about the Zartani?” Arissa asked.
She glanced up at Jolar’s sudden flash of pain. “I’m not sure Jasa’s wrong about how easily my homeworld would accept a return to the monarchy,” he said tightly. “Two hundred years ago the Zartani lords struck a deal with the New Order to keep their titles, and most of their wealth in return for accepting the Council’s rule. They relinquished the prince’s crown but they never stopped thinking of themselves as—as—”
The Seer Page 28
