"Mother!" said Kusac, getting anxiously to his feet.
It worked, though. Carrie sat up, glaring angrily at Rhyasha.
"That's better. I thought I'd read you correctly the first time we met," said Rhyasha, giving her a hug before she could back away. "Kusac would leave Shola with you before he would marry Rala, and I don't want to lose my son or you. We'll find a legitimate way to dissolve this betrothal, never fear. Taizia and I have been checking through the Clan laws to find any loopholes."
"I didn't realize," said Kusac, taken aback by the support that he'd never known he had.
"There's a lot you don't realize," said his mother. "Since you met Carrie, I swear you've let your
hormones do the thinking!"
Carrie couldn't stifle her laugh.
Rhyasha hugged her again. "That's right. You laugh at him! My son, the scholar, not really interested infemales, doesn't want to marry, so he runs away. What does he do then? Why, he finds the only femaletelepath on an alien world and bonds to her for life, losing his heart to her in the process!"
This time Carrie found it impossible not to laugh, a laugh born from despair but still a laugh.
"Carrie, I'm sorry," he said, hovering several meters away from her, not daring to come closer. "You had
so many doubts and fears from the start that I didn't dare tell you. It was wrong of me, I know."
Carrie looked at Rhyasha who cocked her head on one side, ears flicking gently. "Well? Have you madehim suffer enough?"
"I wasn't trying to make him suffer," she objected, then saw Rhyasha's eye ridge lift. "Well, not intentionally," she amended as Kusac squatted on the floor beside them. She reached down for his hand and found it gratefully given.
"Kusac, Rala is coming for second meal tomorrow. You will see her, and you will be civil to her. We need time. If you give her any reason to complain, she'll be demanding an early wedding. Playing for time includes taking your tore off so she doesn't realize you've exchanged it with someone else already."
"No. Carrie gave it to me, I refuse to remove it. We've been through this already, Mother."
"I know Carrie gave it to you, and so will anyone else who sees it because of the bands on either side of the em-blem. It looks like exactly what it is—a betrothal tore, not your family tore. At least turn it around so your hair con-ceals the motif."
"If your mother needs the time to help us, then do it," said Carrie. "I don't want you outcast from your
Clan because of me."
He looked from his mother to Carrie and back. "Very well," he sighed. "I'll turn my tore around, butthat's all. I won't lie or mislead Rala about the wedding."
Rhyasha sighed in exasperation. "I've never yet met a male that was any good at dissembling! You're asstubborn as your father!"
Kusac grinned. "Funny, he always says that about you!"
"Insolent cub," she said good-naturedly, getting to her feet. "I think Taizia would like her room back. You two go and get some rest, you both feel like you could do with it, especially you, Carrie. You look as if you could do with sev-eral good meals inside you as well! Tomorrow will come soon enough."
Kusac stood up and wrapped his arms around his mother. "Thank you."
"Good-night Kusac, good-night cub," she said, turning to touch Carrie's cheek. "Don't fret. All will work
out well, I'm sure."
Rhyasha walked along the balcony to her study where Taizia waited impatiently.
"Well?" she asked.
"He'll conceal his tore, but he won't lie to her," said Rhyasha, sitting down at her desk. She tapped her claws thoughtfully on the surface, looking up at Taizia. "We've run out of time," she said abruptly. "It has to be the Chal-lenge. There's no other way."
"I thought so," nodded her daughter. "I've been talking to Meral. He says their training at the Warrior Guild goes well. Apparently Carrie is a natural with a sword. Their encyclo-pedia says it's an old Earth weapon, too."
"So Carrie stands a good chance of winning?"
"From what Meral says, yes."
She shook her head, setting the beads in her hair chiming. "I don't like it, Taizia. It's tempting fate. Thewords she quoted at that reception on the Khalossa were those spoken by Khadulah. I thought then itwas a bad omen, but Miosh assured me it meant Carrie would have to fight her family. Now here we arecontemplating the same Challenge, and us-ing the same weapons that took the lives of two telepaths."
"You're being superstitious, Mother. There's a big differ-ence in what we're doing. For a start, Carrie isn't Sholan and she can fight—has even killed—without the trauma we suffer. That puts her two steps ahead of Khadulah already. She can fight Rala on equal terms. Then, if you want to be religious about it, why would the God put them together just to kill them during a Challenge, a religious Challenge at that?"
"What you say is true, but I still feel uneasy. I can't quite put my finger on it, but something's changed."
"What? A person? Circumstances?"
"That's it, I just don't know and it's annoying me. It's to do with Carrie and I feel it's right in front of my
eyes if only I could see it." She shook herself. "Enough of that," she said, opening one of her drawers and taking out a small box. "Here's the key to the chest in the shrine. The swords and shields that belonged to Khadulah are in there. Make sure you aren't seen with them. Until the Challenge is issued, we can't afford to have anyone else but Carrie and her guard know, or Konis and Kusac will try to stop her."
"What about the political implications of Father's argu-ment?" asked Taizia, opening the box and looking at the simple iron key that lay within. "That the Council are afraid that Carrie's mental Link to Kusac makes him unfit to hold a position of authority? Should we be going against what is a very sound point, namely that we need to prove Kusac is still capable of leadership with the Clan's interests foremost in his mind? I have to admit that that thought worries me."
"There are other ways to achieve the same result, Taizia," said her mother. "I will never let any of you be sacrificed for politics. I will also never let my personal opinions cloud my judgment when it comes to Clan matters."
"Very well. I'll collect the weapons later tonight and con-ceal them. Tomorrow, if Carrie, myself, Meral, and Kaid head off for the coast, we can talk about our plan then and Carrie can start practicing." She leaned forward to nuzzle her mother's cheek before leaving.
Chapter 15
Carrie woke with a start. As always, a faint glow of light filled the room. Beside her she could hear Kusac's even breathing beginning to change, become faster as, aware of her even in sleep, he began towake. Retreating behind a barrier that made him think she still slept, she heard his breathing slow again.
When she was sure he wouldn't wake, she slipped from the bed and padded over to the doorwayleading to the bal-cony. The two moons were still in the sky, the larger one dipping near the horizon. Itwas late, then.
The dream had awakened her again, but this time it had been stronger, less confused. There had been afight, the sound of shots, and the high-pitched yowls of wounded Sholans. Closing her eyes, she tried toconsciously conjure it up. It had begun in the room with the flickering torches. There had been a lonefigure running, then falling. No, not falling, climbing downward. The image faded. There had been more,she knew there had been more! She frowned in concentration, finally catching the wayward thread of thedream. As she relaxed her mind, the images started to form once more. A large room, brightly lit, and thesame male pacing around it.
Too soon. They found us too soon.
She shivered as a breeze swept across her bare skin, ban-ishing the dream images. Opening her eyes,she saw that the larger moon was beginning to dip behind the hill on the headland. For an instant, shethought she saw the ghostly outline of a ruined building thrown into sharp relief, then it was gone. Anothershiver ran through her. One day she'd have to go and look on top of that hill, but it wouldn't be to-day. She turned back to the room and her warm bed.
&nb
sp; * * *
Despite her broken night's sleep, Carrie woke at the same time as Kusac. Seeing a square of white lyingat the foot of the door, she got up to investigate. It was a note. She read it, then put it down on thedresser.
"What does it say?" asked Kusac.
"Don't you mean, who's it from?" she teased.
"It could only come from Taizia," he grinned. "Has she come up with something? She's usually very good
at dream-ing up involved plots to get her own way."
"It just says that she wants me to meet her in her room at the fifth hour, when Rala arrives."
"I've half a mind to leave now," growled Kusac, his grin fading.
"You'd only be using half a mind if you did," she re-sponded tartly, picking up her clothes and starting to
dress. "We need the time this meeting will give us."
He grunted, unconvinced. "Last night I asked for break-fast to be sent up to us. I can't face another mealwith my father."
"Thank God for that," sighed Carrie.
Kusac rose and went through to the small lounge, check-ing the comm unit in the desk for any messages. Carrie fol-lowed him, going across to the doorway that opened out onto the central balcony. She leanedon the balustrade, look-ing down into the courtyard below. The sound of water rush-ing over the smallartificial waterfall filled the air. It was restful even to her raw nerves.
She returned to the lounge as Kusac, now dressed, re-emerged from the bedroom.
"Are all the rooms like this, with no doors?"
Kusac gave her a baffled look.
She pointed to the lounge doorway. "It opens straight onto the balcony, and the bedroom's the same."
Kusac grinned. "I left the doors open last night because it was so warm. During the day, you'd cook inthese rooms if it wasn't for the current of air going through them. There is air-conditioning, but I hadenough of that on the Khalossa."
"So where are the doors then?"
"On the left-hand side, concealed in the carving around the doorway, you'll see the switch mechanism. Do you like the rooms?" he asked. "When Mother heard you'd admired the paintings in the courtyard, she put us in here. Apart from their suite, these have the best paintings in the house."
Where the walls were bare of furniture, they had been decorated with a frieze of wild animals makingtheir way to-ward a seated female dressed in green. Clustered round her feet and hands were thosecreatures which had already reached her.
Perched on her lap was a small, furred animal the painter had caught so well that Carrie held her breath,waiting for it to move. A fine, bushy tail, fully as long as its body, lay across the female's knee. The lithebody was standing bal-anced on its back legs, paws reaching up toward her face. Bright eyes sparkledagainst the almost white fur.
Carrie went over to the wall, gently touching the vibrantly colored birds and animals. "I saw it last night,"she said, "but daylight brings the colors alive. Who is she?"
"She's the Green Goddess," he said, coming over to join her, "the Mother of our world. She looks after
the creatures of nature, and our cubs."
Tracing the outline of the ears and head of the animal on the Goddess's lap, Carrie turned to look at him. "I'm just waiting for her to turn and speak to me," she said. "The art-ist who painted them has a raretalent. Who is he?"
"She, actually. She's a member of our Clan who belongs to the Guild of Artisans. She works from the
estate. Her paintings are very popular and usually command a high fee."
"No wonder," said Carrie.
"The little creature on her lap is a jegget, by the way," he said. "It's the only other truly telepathic species
on our world."
"Apart from me," she said.
"Apart from you."
A noise from the doorway drew their attention. An atten-dant with a breakfast tray stood there castingdubious looks at T'Chebbi who stood beside him.
"Your breakfast, Liegen," their guard said. "I checked him out, he's a member of your mother's
household."
"Um. Thank you, T'Chebbi," said Kusac, at a loss to know quite what to say. "Have you eaten?"
"Three hours ago, Liegen, before I came on duty."
"Was there someone outside our room all night?" asked Carrie.
T'Chebbi looked offended. "Naturally, Liegena. Kaid was on duty. He will go with you today, Liegena,and I will re-main here with you, Liegen."
"Of course," said Kusac. "Thank you. You can bring in our breakfast now," he said to the attendant as
T'Chebbi stepped back out of sight.
Carrie sniffed the air, then followed the tray to its destina-tion on the lounge table. The attendant put itdown and hur-riedly disappeared, glad to leave the proximity of their guard.
Two jugs sat on the tray amidst the bread and sliced meats. Sniffing again, Carrie lifted the lid of thelarger jug.
"Coffee! I thought I smelled it! There's a note here for you," she said, passing it over to him before
pouring out two mugs of the steaming drink.
Kusac read it and put it down on the table. "A peace of-fering from my father."
"Does it actually say it's a peace offering?"
"No, but…"
"Then we can drink it," she said, taking a large mouthful. "Come and get some breakfast before I eat it all." She picked up a chunk of newly baked bread and a knife. "Did you grow up here?" she asked, spreading the dressing on it.
"Yes and no," he replied, piling several slices of meat on his plate. "I went to the guild as a day student until I was sixteen, then the more intensive work began and I had to live in," He looked over at Carrie
with narrowed eyes, the merest slit of black showing in the amber.
"As homes go, I wasn't here much, despite the fact that I was fairly close to my parents. Neither of us
have really had much of a home life, have we?"
"Was your mother's an arranged marriage?" she asked, changing the subject as she sat down.
"They all are in our family. Not out there amongst the Clan," he said, waving an arm in the direction of the
bed-room. "They're free to choose, but in here, it's different."
"Tell me about Rala." She felt his surprise and gave a small laugh. "Know the enemy," she said. She
couldn't keep the touch of bitterness out of her voice though she knew it distressed him.
He flicked an ear, dipping his head to one side. "What's to tell? She's a couple of years younger than me,brought up by her father and spoiled to the point where if she doesn't get what she wants, she throwstantrums. I dislike her in-tensely. She isn't Talented, but her bloodlines match well with mine. They—bothfamilies—expect to strengthen our telepathic gift until it breeds true for every child in every generation."
"I thought both your sisters were Talented."
"They are, but last generation, my mother's, of four chil-dren only she was a telepath. She was one of her genera-tion's candidates for the position my father was finally awarded, Lord of the Clans. She has one of the most pow-erful Talents around, almost the equal of my father."
"Until now," said Carrie sardonically, helping herself to more meat.
Kusac frowned, then picked up her thought. "The gestalt? Yes, it's far more powerful, but to what end? So far it has initiated some minor body changes in us, and made you briefly appear Sholan. That isn'texactly useful."
"Oh, ye of little faith," she said grinning at him. "I'm sure there will be a use for it yet. Wait and see."
* * *
As the fifth hour approached, Kusac became more and more withdrawn. He was only too acutely awareof Carrie's fear that somehow this meeting could make him change his mind about Rala.
"Believe me, it's not what I want," he said, holding her close before she left for Taizia's room. As she
returned the hug and pressed her face against his, he winced.
"What is it?" she asked anxiously, letting him go.
He touched his cheekbone gentl
y with a forefinger. "I think one of your fists made contact there lastnight," he said ruefully.
"Serves you right," she said unsympathetically.
Taizia was waiting for her. She gave Carrie a shrewd look. "I don't need any talent to know you want tosee Rala," she said, taking her by the hand and leading her over to the doorway.
Like theirs, her room had a balcony, but a much narrower one that overlooked the gardens at the backof the house. Below they could see Kusac's parents lounging under the shade of the tree where they'd satthe day before. Beyond them a path led to the less formal area of garden, screened from the house bytrees and bushes.
"He'll probably take her over there," said Taizia, pointing to the path. "Whatever he says, he won't want our parents overhearing him. Sit down on the floor and keep your head back or they'll see us," she advised, demonstrating.
"Won't they sense us?"
Taizia shook her head. "No. They'll be shielding them-selves from casual contacts. Most people do."
Within a few minutes, Kusac's parents were joined by a female elaborately dressed in a long,embroidered robe of blue and gold that contrasted prettily with her pale gray fur. At each step, the panelsof the robe separated to show a brief glimpse of her legs. She was accompanied by a taller male dressedin dark blue edged with the Telepath Guild purple.
There was an ease and a proprietary air about her attitude as she graciously accepted Konis' and
Rhyasha's greeting before she settled down in one of the chairs.
"Typical," said Taizia with a low growl. "Overdressed as usual. That's her brother with her. He's quite
nice."
Carrie leaned forward, trying to assess every detail of the female's appearance, but right now she knewher judgment was flawed. She turned to Taizia, annoyed at her inability to be objective.
"Is she attractive, young, what? Tell me," she demanded.
Fortune's Wheel Page 51
