Between Darkness and Light (Sholan Alliance)

by Lisanne Norman

  “No,” said Rhyaz. “I’ll not let you threaten the treaty, Kaid. There’s no way at this time that you can take the cubs home without their identity as ten-year-old hybrids being discovered.”

  “They’ll be safe on the estate,” began Carrie.

  “They can’t come home,” said Konis, with equal finality. “Believe me, I wish they could—they’re my grandchildren, Carrie. I’m sorry, but there’s too much at stake right now.”

  “I’ll find a way to explain them!” snarled Kaid. “They’ve lost enough of their young lives to the Directorate, I don’t intend to leave them on some Godsforsaken asteroid for the next several years! I grew up without parents; it’s not happening to any son of mine or Carrie’s!”

  “No. I refuse to compromise on this,” coughed Rhyaz. “I’ll have guards set on the spaceport, Kaid. You will not leave Shola and that’s an order!”

  “Try and stop me,” he snarled, turning away. “I’m not one of your Warriors, Rhyaz! Carrie, we’re leaving!”

  “Not without an escort,” said Rhyaz, pressing his wrist comm. “I want to know you’re back on your estate.”

  “Kaid, please, accept the escort and go home,” said Konis.

  Getting up, Carrie turned on him. “How could you send Kusac on this mission?” she demanded. “You know what Kezule feels about us! And as for throwing him to Raiban and the newsvids —I can’t believe you did that after everything he’s been through!”

  “Believe me, it was the hardest decision of my life, Carrie,” Konis said, reaching out to touch her.

  She sidestepped him and strode over to join Kaid. “If you don’t have him cleared, by every God you hold dear, I swear I’ll go to my father and have the whole story broadcast from Keiss, treaty or no treaty,” she said furiously. “You find a way to exonerate him, or I will do it!”

  “One last thing, whose idea was it for Kusac to fight with me before he left?” demanded Kaid, looking from one to the other of the three males.

  “Mine,” said Rhyaz. “I told him he had to prevent you from going after him and risking the safety of Carrie and the cub she was carrying. He left immediately your daughter was born, Kaid. He doesn’t know he has a son.”

  “He was almost anxious to go, Carrie,” said Konis. “Perhaps he was afraid that, against the odds, he would Link to you again.”

  Say nothing! sent Kaid, aware of Carrie about to refute this and tell them about the scent marker.

  A tap at the door and three security Brothers entered.

  “Escort Brother Kaid and Sister Carrie straight to their speeder and then follow them back to their estate,” Rhyaz ordered.

  “This is not the end, Rhyaz, trust me,” snarled Kaid as they left.

  On their way down the stairs, Carrie stopped dead as she caught sight of an elderly Human with long gray hair flowing over the shoulders of his black Brotherhood robe.

  “I think I know him,” she murmured to Kaid as he stopped beside her. “But I can’t possibly. There was no one like him on Keiss.” Something deeper than personal memories tugged at her mind as she tried to place him.

  “Master Rhyaz said to escort you straight to your speeder,” reminded the guard behind them as the newcomer approached the foot of the staircase and smiled up at them.

  “You must be the Sister Carrie I’ve heard so much about,” he said as they continued down the stairs again.

  He’s old, she sent to Kaid. He feels far, far older than his years.

  Is this important? asked Kaid.

  She studied the stranger, taking in the long hair, the neatly-trimmed full beard, also gray, and the blue eyes that smiled up at her. His name hovered on the edges of memory, a memory from her part of Earth: not a personal memory, a cultural one.

  As they came level, he reached out to place a hand around her shoulders, and held out his other hand, taking hold of hers when she automatically responded.

  One of their escort moved forward to intercept him but at a glance from the gray-haired male, fell back looking slightly confused.

  “A pleasure to meet you, child,” the stranger said quietly in English, turning them both so they were effectively hidden from the others as he walked with her toward the front doors. “I’m Conner.”

  Her eyes widened in surprise. She knew who he was! “You’re Mer ...”

  No. Never call me that, he sent, pressing something hard into her hand then closing her fingers tightly over it. That was another world, another life, Carrie. I no longer hold that position. Take this, you’ll know how to use it.

  “I’m from England, like you, here as part of a cultural exchange. We must get together someday and chat,” he continued.

  Who is he? demanded Kaid, concerned for her.

  Later, she sent, palming the object, which she suspected was a comm crystal, into her pocket. “I’d like that,” she said to Conner. “You must come and visit our estate.”

  “One day,” he agreed, stopping and releasing her by Chaddo’s desk. His hand briefly touched her cheek and his eyes twinkled in accord with his smile. “I’m looking forward to meeting all your cubs. The Goddess has blessed you in giving you children born of both worlds.”

  Carrie didn’t miss his emphasis of the word all. “We’d be honored to have you visit us, wouldn’t we, Kaid?” she said, turning to him.

  Baffled, but having every reason now to trust her judgment in this, Kaid inclined his head and held his hand out in the telepath greeting. “You’ll be most welcome, Conner,” he said, inclining his head in a gesture of respect.

  “We must leave now,” said the escort, getting decidedly twitchy at this unauthorized encounter.

  Kaid shrugged, his gesture saying volumes. “Another time, Conner,” he said.

  As they climbed into the aircar and shut the door, Kaid asked, “So who is he?”

  “Imagine coming face-to-face with someone who’s a legend in your country’s history,” she began, then stopped dead and groaned.

  “Like Vartra,” Kaid said with a faint grin.

  “Just like him,” she said. “Very like Vartra. I wonder if Stronghold knows exactly who he is.”

  “I suspect they’ll find out,” he said, his tone reverting to one of suppressed anger. “I hope he leads them on many false trails!”

  Something dug into her side sharply as she fastened her safety harness and she remembered the object Conner had given her. Digging it out, she held it in her lap in case anyone outside noticed, and looked at it in surprise.

  “A message crystal?”

  “Conner gave it to me. It’s from him, and Noni. I can feel they’ve both handled it. He said I’d know how to use it so it must be important.”

  “What’s Noni up to now,” he muttered. “Whatever it is, I want none of it.”

  “You don’t know that,” said Carrie, stashing it in one of her belt pouches for safety.

  The Brotherhood craft took up a holding pattern just short of the gatehouse and Ni’Zulhu’s security as they passed over the boundary into their Clan’s land. Their journey back had been mostly silent as they each sat with their own thoughts.

  It was sixteenth hour, past third meal, when they finally arrived, however Kaid had called ahead and they knew Zhala would have a hot meal waiting for them.

  “We need to speak to Zsurtul again,” said Carrie as their speeder finally settled down in the villa’s small parking lot.

  “Agreed,” he said, switching off the engines.

  “Tallinu, the darkness on his soul that Kusac mentioned, it’s Zayshul, or whoever scent-marked him, isn’t it?” she said in a small voice. “Why didn’t he tell us?”

  “It isn’t that easy for a male to admit to having been raped,” he said awkwardly, turning to look at her. “It makes you doubt yourself on all kinds of levels you cannot believe.”

  She leaned forward, cupping his cheek with her hand. “I’m sorry, I forgot you’d been raped as a cub and a youngling.” Something else clicked into place. “That’s why Kusac�
�s accusation in that fake row hurt so much, didn’t it? Oh, I am ...”

  “Sh,” he said, putting his index finger across her lips. “It’s forgotten and forgiven. We both made mistakes that are very obvious now with hindsight.”

  She nodded as he took his finger away. “There’s more, though, to what Kusac said, isn’t there? That scent marker, Zsurtul said it would attract him to the female who put it there. That’s why he didn’t tell us, and why he was willing to go—to see her again. That’s the real darkness for him, isn’t it, and the issue he had to resolve?”

  “What little we know seems to point that way,” agreed Kaid. “Look, there’s no point in driving ourselves mad speculating, Carrie. I fully intend that we’ll find the cubs, then Kusac, and bring them all safely home, no matter what Rhyaz or your bond-father Konis says. Now, they’ll have heard us landing, and Zhala will be getting ready to serve our meal. I need to see the twins and Kashini first, don’t you?”

  She nodded. “I needed to ...”

  “I know,” he said, smiling gently. “There’s no need to say any more. Let’s go in.”

  The cubs were delighted to see them and it was almost half an hour before they were able to escape downstairs to eat. While they ate in the den, and Kaid brought T’Chebbi up to date, Nyan, their main house attendant, called Ruth’s and asked Zsurtul to come over. Carrie shoveled her food down and headed for the workstation on the half level by the door to read the crystal Conner had given her.

  She’d no sooner started it up than she paused it and called Kaid and T’Chebbi over. “You have to see this. Conner and Noni have got hold of a copy of the record of L’Seuli debriefing the cubs at Haven.”

  He bounded up the stairs and grabbed the second chair, sitting beside her to watch while T’Chebbi hovered behind them.

  There was a long shot of all the cubs together. One by one, they were called up to be interviewed by Tanjo and L’Seuli. Several things were obvious within the first few minutes. The cubs were all fully trained and active telepaths, far beyond what would normally be expected of them at their chronological age. They also had obviously formed a bond with Tanjo, especially the one they soon identified as Dhyshac, Kaid’s son.

  “Look how strong and healthy they are,” said Carrie, trying to guess which of them were her two.

  “And how hybrid,” said T’Chebbi dryly, leaning forward to touch the screen and point out their straighter legs and shorter tails. “Keeping their heritage quiet is impossible.”

  “Be quiet,” said Kaid. “We need to hear what they’re saying.”

  They listened to Dhyshac talking about himself briefly, then trying to avoid answering questions about Shaidan, the cub left behind. As they listened, they learned about Gaylla’s slowness and how Shaidan had shielded her as much as possible from the people at the Directorate. Dhyshac added that he was looking out for her and the others now Shaidan was no longer with them.

  “He’s so like you and Rezac,” Carrie murmured, glancing at him as Dhyshac left to be replaced by one of the others.

  “He’s got my father’s coloring,” Kaid replied.

  “But your personality, from the sound of it,” she said.

  “Maybe,” he said.

  T’Chebbi nudged him in the back. “Listen to her,” she said. “She’s right.”

  When they came to the end, Carrie switched it off and put the crystal in her drawer for safety before they all headed back down to the lower level of the den.

  “There’s no doubt Gaylla’s slow,” said Kaid. “Considering how they were bred, it’s a miracle she’s the only one.”

  “She’s not that bad, Tallinu. She seems a happy cub, and kind to the others,” said Carrie, settling herself on the sofa. “That counts for a lot. If we find her the right niche in the clan as she grows up, and keep an eye on the males around her, I think she will have a fairly normal life. What worries me more is what we do with them when we bring them back here. We can’t split them up, and who has claim to them anyway? The mother or the father, since only Gaylla is the child of an established couple? We have to keep them all together.”

  “Ask Ruth,” said T’Chebbi. “Give her one, maybe two permanent staff to help her.”

  “That’s an idea, if Ruth agrees. But parents must also have the right to have them stay over at their homes every now and then, and be encouraged to help out regularly,” said Carrie.

  “Looks like our estate nursery just got fully underway,” said Kaid.

  “Ruth’s will be nothing like the one Dzaka went to on the Arrazo estate,” began Carrie.

  “I know,” he said, interrupting her. “It was only an observation, not a complaint.”

  “I think they’re all still at Haven, Tallinu,” said Carrie. “I didn’t recognize their surroundings, though.”

  “They’re with Tanjo,” said Kaid. “There are several smaller hollow asteroids around Haven, used for stores and as armed posts capable of housing several people. In one of the larger ones, Tanjo runs the resus and briefing center for the newly awakened Sleepers stored at the Haven complex.”

  “I didn’t realize it was more than just the one asteroid. Are they safe with him?” Carrie asked. “I know there was bad blood between you at one time. They did look attached to him, and very settled.”

  “Over and done with,” said Kaid. “The old Tanjo would have been perfect for the job, and I’ve a feeling he’s right for it again now.”

  “Maybe he feels he’s repaying the debt he owes you,” said Carrie shrewdly.

  Kaid thought about it for a moment then nodded. “Maybe he is at that.”

  A knock on the door and Nyan entered to announce Zsurtul.

  The young Prime still looked a little pale from the cold night air and rubbed his hands together as he came down the stairs to join them.

  “Sorry to call you out so late, Zsurtul,” said Kaid. “I forgot your need for warmer temperatures than we get here in winter.”

  “I’m happy to come,” he said, bobbing his head courteously at them each in turn before accepting the other end of the sofa on which Carrie was sprawled. “It is the least I can do to make amends for what happened to you. Did you find out anything of interest at Stronghold?”

  “We did,” said Kaid, and proceeded to tell him.

  Zsurtul nodded his head all the way through the briefing. “Much becomes clear,” he said. “Kezule will likely have made sure the Doctor’s scent was also on the message. This would explain why Kusac would be willing to go—he was drawn by her scent.” He shook his head, a worried expression on his face.

  “So Kezule likely knows about the scent marker,” said Kaid. “Tell us it all, Zsurtul.”

  “When a male is scent-marked, normally they each carry the other’s scent, bound to theirs, but I smelled nothing like that on Doctor Zayshul before I came here to Shola. That is very strange. But then, for a marked male and the female to be apart before the marker is removed is also not normal.”

  “It can be removed?” asked Carrie, pouncing on his words.

  “Oh, yes,” the Prince smiled. “Just as a male’s mating bite can be removed. She can turn it off when they pair. I thought you knew that.” He caught sight of the expressions on the other three’s faces.

  “Is there something wrong?” he asked worriedly, looking at them in turn. “Do you not all have the right to take lovers if you wish?”

  “Yes, we do,” said Kaid quietly. “I think what you’re forgetting, Zsurtul, is Kusac’s physical condition when he was on the Kz’adul. He’d been beaten and tortured and was in no state either physically or mentally to have taken a lover.”

  Zsurtul looked horrified as Kaid’s inference dawned on him. “No,” he said firmly. “The Doctor would never have forced him, I know she wouldn’t! After we found him, he spent most of the time until the exchange under sedatives in the medical section being healed. It was only on the last evening that they stopped the drugs.” He ground to a halt, realizing he’d unwittingly provided
them with an answer.

  “He was still under the influence of drugs when we got him back,” said Carrie.

  “Excuse me saying this, but when you got him back, he’d been controlled by Chy’qui’s implant which had raised all his hormone levels, and he’d been shot by you, Carrie. He also went into convulsions. He was in no state for anyone to tell what had been given to him. The Doctor would not have forced him, nor would she have drugged him, it’s not our way, or hers,” he said, his voice holding an undercurrent of anger. “She might well have tried to persuade him, but nothing more. She had too much to lose personally when it was discovered. He must have been willing.”

  Kaid stirred. “It’s possible he was willing, Carrie. J’koshuk had broken him, we know that, and he’d come close to death. Maybe he needed the physical closeness that was offered to know he really was alive and free. It often happens between sword-brothers after a life and death situation.”

  How could he do that with her, a Prime? she sent to Kaid.

  Don’t jump to conclusions, and don’t grudge him the need to grasp a physical contact that wasn’t full of pain. Remember what happened between us when I was rescued from Ghezu. Pairing with you then saved my sanity. I’m sure it must have done the same for Kusac.

  “I’m sorry, Zsurtul,” she said stiffly. “I accept what you say about Doctor Zayshul.”

  Zsurtul sighed with relief. “Thank you, Carrie. The Doctor is my friend, she listened to me when no one else would. I cannot believe she’d act in such a dishonorable way toward one of her patients, and one as badly hurt as Kusac was.”

  “How strong is marker?” asked T’Chebbi. “Is it aphrodisiac level or just attraction?”

  The young Prime grinned. “Difficult to say. Other females find a marked male very seductive. After all, one female has troubled to mark him out as a good lover and potential mate, so they are interested, too. However, for the male, it focuses their attention on just that female. Only when she removes it can he take up the offers of the others. I asked one of my lovers to mark me once. I found it great fun.”