Salene looked up, waiting for Aisling to continue, but she didn’t. Instead, she was looking at her with a question in her eyes that Salene couldn’t read. “What?”
“Something’s going on, Salene, and it’s more than any of you have let on,” Aisling said. “The four of you have been in love for more than three years, but you’ve been here every day for two weeks and haven’t asked about them once. I can sense your pain, so I seriously doubt you just had a little tiff over whether or not they’d take you into battle. And they…well it’s just not like them, that’s all.”
“They what, Aunt Ash?” Salene asked, every sense she possessed suddenly tense and alert, though she didn’t know why.
“It doesn’t matter,” Aisling said with a sigh. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“It matters to me, Aunt Ash,” Salene said. Something in her tone caused Aisling to look at her sharply for a moment, then nod.
“All right,” she said. “Talus asked about you, and I answered. He didn’t ask anything else, and neither did Jon or Kar. Then Talus changed the subject and it wasn’t raised again.”
“That’s it?” Salene asked, frowning. “Just one question, and nothing else?”
Aisling nodded, wishing she hadn’t said anything. Then changed her mind when she saw that Salene looked confused rather than hurt. Oh, there was hurt there. There was so much hurt that she’d wondered many times over the past two weeks how Salene managed to stand upright, let alone train as hard as she did. But right now she was confused more than anything else, and Aisling found that more than a little interesting.
“What are you thinking?”
“I’m not sure,” Salene said, frowning. “Something is…wrong.” She shook her head. “Do you think Uncle Rand would mind taking me home? I know it’s early, but I need to think.”
“No, I don’t think he’ll mind at all. Are you all right?”
“I am,” Salene said. She saw Aisling’s worry, and sought to ease it. “Aunt Ash, you’re right. There is more to the situation than anyone knows. I ask that you trust me when I tell you that my silence is for the Gryphons’ sake, not my own.”
“You still love them.”
“Always,” Salene agreed. “And right now I have a strong feeling that I...missed something. Something really important.”
“I don’t understand,” Aisling.
“Neither do I,” Salene said cryptically. “I don’t know what it is, or what it means, or even if it means anything at all, but I have to figure it out. I promise that one day, when I can, I will explain everything to you.”
“I release you from that promise,” Aisling said immediately. “You needn’t share your personal business with me, Salene. I just want you to be happy, and if you need to do some heavy thinking on your own, then that’s what you should do.”
Salene got up and walked around the counter to hug Aisling. “Thank you Aunt Ash, and thank you very much for the weapons, and the kevlex too. I hate to run off on you after you’ve given me such extravagant gifts.”
“Nonsense,” Aisling said, hugging Salene back tightly. “I’ll call Rand to take you home, and I hope with all of my heart that you’re able to figure things out for your sake, and the Gryphons’ sake too.”
“Me too, Aunt Ash,” Salene said feelingly. “Me too.”
***
Only after Rand stepped sideways and vanished, leaving her alone in her living room, did Salene allow her feelings free rein. As always, talking about Talus, Jon, and Kar had hurt, but this time something else had happened, too. Something that had stilled the racing thoughts in her mind and made her feel like she’d missed something, just as she’d told Aisling. Something big. Something important.
She climbed the stairs to her room and put the packages from Aisling on her bed before she began pacing, something that always helped her think. She went back, replaying their conversation in her mind. It was when Aisling started to say one thing, then changed her mind, that Salene’s entire being had gone still and quiet, as though on the verge of some big discovery. That part she got. But when she’d asked Aisling to finish what she’d been about to say, the feeling didn’t return.
It was hard hearing that they’d asked one question about her and no more, but that wasn’t what caused her reaction. She sighed and went back to the beginning of the conversation, recreating it in her mind as close to word for word as she could. It was on the fifth try that she realized she’d left the second half of Aisling’s sentence out. When she’d started to say something, then stopped, she’d said something else. But what had it been?
She bit her lip as she paced, ignoring the throbbing in her temples as she walked faster and faster, closing her eyes to help her remember. She was close to picking up the vox and calling Aisling when, suddenly, it came to her. “And they…well it’s just not like them, that’s all.”
Those simple, innocuous words set off an explosion in her head. She fell to her knees without even realizing it as Aisling’s voice repeated the phrase over and over again in her mind. It’s just not like them…it’s just not like them…it’s just not like them…it’s just not like them.
The room began to spin and her vision darkened as that simple phrase, and it’s not so simple connotations, flooded her mind. She fell forward onto her hands and let out a wordless shout to silence the voice in her mind, forcing air into her lungs at the same time. Her dizziness increased and she knew that once again she was in danger of hyperventilating. She forced herself to control her breathing even though a rush of adrenaline had her heart racing. Finally, the dizziness receded enough for her to climb to her feet. She stumbled to the vid terminal on her desk, turned it on, fell into the chair, then focused on her breathing again while it booted up.
“You are so damn stupid Salene Dracon,” she whispered to herself as she looked up Captain Jake’s personal number and tapped it out with shaky fingers. While waiting for him to answer she wiped her face with her hands, surprised to find that her cheeks were wet. She dried her eyes with her sleeve but could do no more than that before Captain Jake’s grizzled image appeared on the screen before her.
“Captain Jake, how long will it take to prepare the Ember for departure?” she asked abruptly.
“I don’t understand, Highness,” he said. “Do you mean to leave earlier than scheduled?”
“Yes, I need to go to Garza,” she replied. “I’d like to take the Ember, but I need to leave first thing in the morning. Is that possible?”
Captain Jake frowned as he considered her request for a few moments. “Yes, Highness, it’s absolutely possible. We’re taking on fuel at the moment, but that’ll be finished in a few hours in any event. If we start right now we can have ship’s stores loaded and stowed by 04:30, and final checks and diagnostics completed by 06:00. Will an 07:00 departure time work for you?”
“Yes, Captain, that’s perfect.”
“Then I’ll get started revising our flight plan and requesting 07:00 JST departure clearances immediately. With a Royal Princess on board, I expect to get quick approval. The Ember will be at your disposal and ready for interstellar travel by 06:00, one hour before scheduled departure just so we have a little leeway.”
“What about you, Captain?” Salene asked. “I don’t want to put you out, but it’s extremely important that I leave for Garza tomorrow.”
“I’ve got nothing else planned, Highness,” he said with a shrug. “Besides, I’m already on board and living in my quarters while supervising the maintenance and making sure this fine little lady is shipshape and squared away in all respects. Leaving early means little to me. For all intents and purposes, I’m already en route to EDU-11.”
“Thank you, Captain Jake,” Salene said sincerely. “I appreciate it more than I can say.”
“You’re welcome, of course,” he said with a nod. “Can you be on board by 06:45?”
“I’ll be there, Captain.”
“Very good. I’ll see you in the morning, Highness.”<
br />
“Captain Jake?”
“Yes?”
“Please call me Salene, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course, Salene,” he said with a smile. “Goodnight.”
Salene disconnected then sighed with relief. Now that she knew she’d be leaving in the morning, she could afford to take a minute and think about what she needed to do next. What she really wanted was to send a message to Tani, now Queen Tanjelia of Garza, but what if she was wrong? What if her sudden revelation was nothing more than extreme wishful thinking? In order to convince anyone to take her seriously she’d have to reveal things that, if it turned out she was wrong, would destroy the Gryphons’ lives. That was a risk she couldn’t take.
She got up and paced for another few minutes, moving more slowly now as she considered what she should, and shouldn’t do. When she was sure she’d considered the problem from every angle, she picked up her vox and called Rayne. Captain Jake might not have noticed her distress on the vid screen, but Rayne certainly would.
“Hi Rayne,” she said when her sister picked up.
“What’s the matter?”
Salene rolled her eyes. “Nothing’s the matter. I’ve just decided to go visit Tani before I pick up the boys, and since Captain Jake has the Ember ready, we’re moving our departure date up to tomorrow morning.”
“That’s a pretty big change,” Rayne said.
“I know, but it’ll give me several days with Tani, and that beats staying here in this empty house.” Salene winced as she spoke. It wasn’t exactly a lie, but it wasn’t the whole truth either.
“Wow, I’m an idiot,” Rayne said softly. “I didn’t even think of you there all by yourself. I’m so sorry, Salene. But you don’t have to leave. You can come stay with us. We’ve got a beautiful guest room that’s never even been used. I should have asked you sooner and I feel terrible that I didn’t.”
“Rayne, it’s all right,” Salene said, feeling so guilty at Rayne’s reaction that she nearly blurted out the truth. She reminded herself of the Bearen-Hirus’ reaction to the Gryphons’ behavior on the Armadura and firmed her resolve. “I thank you for the offer, but you and your Rami don’t need company right now. I want to leave early, and I want to visit Tani, and that’s what I’m going to do. I’m just calling to let you know, and also to see if Jinjie still wants to come.”
“Are you sure, Salene?”
“Positive.”
“All right, just a second,” Rayne said. Salene waited impatiently while the sound of muffled voices sounded in her ear. “Jinjie says yes, he still wants to accompany you, and Landor said that he and Con will speed travel him to the ranch, and then take you both to the skyport. He just needs to know what time.”
“That would be wonderful, Rayne,” she replied. She’d been planning to pack and drive into Badia for the night but speed traveling would obviously be much better. “Captain Jake wants to leave at seven a.m. so any time before six forty-five will be fine.”
After another brief muffled discussion, Rayne was back. “Landor says they’ll be at the ranch at 6:30.”
“Thank you,” Salene said. “Please give your guys a big hug for me, and I’ll thank them myself tomorrow when I see them.”
“All right,” Rayne said. “Have a safe trip and tell Tani I love her.”
“I will,” Salene promised. After she finished speaking with her sister, Salene stood in the middle of her room trying to decide what to do next. After a few minutes she realized she was hungry, so she went down to the kitchen to heat the meal that Suly always made sure was left for her. While waiting for the food to heat, she wrote a note to Suly, letting her know she was leaving early. Then she carried her meal and a glass of wine upstairs to her room, and walked over to the patio door. She considered sitting outside but it was overcast, windy, and looked like rain. She settled in the middle of her bed instead, eating while going over everything she could remember from her conversations with the Gryphons since they’d awakened on the Armadura after their rescue. She was searching for something to click in her mind. Some word or action, anything at all that would tell her positively and without doubt that her suspicions were correct. But by the time she was finished eating she hadn’t been able to remember anything definitive.
She set her plate aside and picked up her wine, swirling the liquid around in the glass as her mind wandered. An odd thought rose insistently to the forefront of her mind. She thought about it, but couldn’t figure out why she felt it was important. The longer she thought, the stronger the feeling got. After a few minutes she decided to act on her feelings and reached for the vox again.
“Aunt Ash,” she said, when Aisling answered.
“Hi Salene, how’re you feeling?”
“I’m good, Aunt Ash,” Salene said. “I called for a couple of reasons. First, I’ve decided to leave early and go visit Tani on Garza. I’m sorry for the late notice, but it was a spur of the moment decision.”
“What’s going on, Salene?”
Unlike Rayne, Aisling Gryphon had very sharp instincts, and she’d know in a second if Salene tried to dance around the true reason for her trip to Garza. She couldn’t tell her what she wanted to know, but she could at least be honest. “I wish I could tell you everything, Aunt Ash. Like I said before, I will tell you, one day. But I can’t do it now. It’s too big of a risk.”
Aisling was silent for a long moment as she considered that. “All right, but this time I’m going to hold you to that.”
“I want to ask you something.”
“Okay, shoot.”
“Do you remember when I told you about that gel I took from the hibernation tanks the Gryphons were in?”
“Of course.”
“Do you know if it’s been analyzed yet?”
“Not specifically,” Aisling replied, “but I assume it has been. Why?”
“If it’s been tested, would you please send the results to me on the Ember? And if it hasn’t, will you send me the results when it is?”
“Yes, I will,” Aisling said, not missing the fact that Salene had neatly sidestepped her question. “I promise, I’ll check on it personally, and the moment I have the results I’ll send them to you.”
“Thank you, Aunt Ash. I wish I could tell you why this is so important, but I just can’t. Not yet. And I’m really sorry about skipping out on you a couple of weeks early, too.”
“I know you, Salene,” Aisling said. “You wouldn’t be doing this if you didn’t have an extremely good reason for it, so I’m not going to ask you any more questions. I’m just going to wish you luck, and tell you I love you, and ask you to remember that I’m here for you if there’s anything you need. Oh, and be sure to take those Kunian steel weapons and the kevlex with you.”
“I will, Aunt Ash,” Salene said, her throat tight. “I promise. I love you, too.”
Salene sat for a few minutes after disconnecting, wondering about the tank gel. Even if her suspicions were correct, there was no reason to believe that the tank gel could have anything to do with it. And yet, for reasons she could not explain and didn’t understand, she’d always had a strong feeling that the tank gel was important. That’s why she’d collected it to begin with.
***
Aisling frowned at the vox in her hand as she considered all that Salene had said, as well as what she hadn’t said. She’d kept her questions to herself while working with Salene over the past two weeks, but her mind had nagged at the problem incessantly. There was so much that made no sense. Too much, really. But she hadn’t had enough information to formulate a theory that fit.
Until now. She didn’t like where her thoughts were taking her, but nothing else seemed to make any sense. She paced the living room for a while, then went to find her men. It took a while for her to lay it all out for them, but they listened to her without interruption. When she was finished, she sat down and let them think about all that she’d said.
“You think they broke faith with her,” Olaf said after a few
minutes, saying the words that even Aisling hadn’t been able to bring herself to speak aloud.
“I’m afraid I do, yes,” she admitted. “I know what a horrible accusation that is to make, Olaf, but I also know Salene. It’s the only thing I can think of that she’d be afraid to share.”
“If they broke faith with her, why would she hesitate to speak about it?” Rudy asked, frowning.
“Because she loves them, and she knows exactly what would happen to them if it got out that they broke faith with her. Salene always protects those she cares about no matter the cost to herself. That’s why she chose to let everyone think she’s a spoiled little princess miffed at not getting her way.”
“No one who knows Salene believes that, Aisling,” Rand said.
“I know that, and I suspect she knows that as well,” Aisling said. “That explains why she wasn’t the one who told the story of that argument on the Armadura. Rayne did. In fact, Salene hasn’t spoken a single word on the subject, not even to me, which effectively prevents anyone from asking her questions without accusing her of being a liar.”
“That’s kind of a stretch,” Rudy said.
“Rudy, this is Salene we’re talking about. She’s always been direct and straight-forward on any and every subject, some would say to a fault. Until now. All of a sudden she’s clammed up tight, and that is not the Salene we know and love. Something’s wrong, and that something is a lot more serious than a little tiff between her and the Gryphons.”
“You’re right, Aisling,” Olaf said with a reluctant sigh. “It’s the only explanation that fits. But we’ve known Talus, Jon and Kar all of their lives. It makes no sense that they’d break faith with her. They love her as much as she loves them. We all know this.”
“Exactly,” Aisling agreed. “Something happened. Something we don’t know about. Something that forced them to break faith with Salene because I don’t believe for a moment that they’d choose to do such a thing without one helluva good reason. Whatever that something was, Salene was just as much in the dark about it as we are. Until today. Something tipped her off while we were talking. I don’t know what, but before she left she said that she’d missed something, and needed to figure out what it was.”
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