She did as he told her unhappily, and he stopped her once they were down, brushing away the growing tears. He kissed her, and in that instant regretted everything he’d said, regretted the life he had, regretted a vow he’d taken when he was sixteen years old. She turned from him, and ran to the house.
Viana appeared beside him, startling him badly. She smiled while she looked after her daughter. “I knew you were an honorable man.”
Dynan glanced at her, shook his head, and let out a breath. “Sometimes I really hate it too.”
She laughed. “You are a dear.”
“Viana.” He stopped her from leaving. “I think it’s time I moved on.”
She started to protest, thought about it and then nodded reluctantly. “Probably so.”
“Day after tomorrow.”
She nodded again, and then looked him up and down. “You’ll want to clean off all that hay before Riegle sees you.” She left him, and soft laughter echoed through the barn.
He and Broq spent the next day out at the ship, testing the engines, and checking the other repairs. “I can’t believe you’re thinking of leaving. We haven’t finished half the repairs yet.”
“It’s time I was going.”
“Because of my sister.”
“Yes and no,” Dynan said. “Yes, because you and your brothers, not to mention your father, will end up hating me for what I want to do with your sister.”
Broq gasped, and his eyes widened. “She’s hardly more than a girl. How can you—”
“Have you ever been with a woman?”
The question startled him into silence, but Dynan saw by the color flooding his face that the answer was yes. “What difference does that make?”
“You’re hardly two seconds older than she is. She’s not a little girl any more. It’s time you stopped thinking of her that way. If you don’t, she’ll end up running off with the next man who comes through here, regardless of how she feels about him. I’m pretty sure you’d hate that worse than if I stayed, and had my way with her.”
Broq sat for a moment in fuming silence, but Dynan suspected he was at least thinking about it. “You said yes and no. What’s the other?”
“I can’t stay. It’s not a good idea for me to land in one place for long.”
“Someone after you?”
Dynan hesitated. “Yes.”
“He must be one mean bastard, if you’re running from him,” Broq said.
“He is,” Dynan said, trying not to think more about it. “Come on, we need to see about getting the landing gear down.”
They returned to the farm late day, and while Broq went off to tend the animals, Dynan went inside to make a list of things that he would need from town to re-supply his ship. Elana and her mother were already starting preparations for the evening meal. Elana turned her back to him when she saw him come in, her posture indicating anything but good humor. He supposed he should have expected that attitude from her. Viana made him all the more uncomfortable when she purposefully left them alone. Dynan frowned after her briefly, then decided to see if Elana would ever talk to him again.
“Mother tells me you’re leaving,” she said before he had a chance to speak.
“Yes,” he said, and waited.
“Because of me?”
“I’m leaving because I have to. I can’t stay here, as much as I would like to.”
“If you want to, why don’t you?”
“My life is a little too complicated,” he said, moving to stand next to her. He did like her, more than he should, and her anger with him made him feel worse than he expected.
“You’re in some sort of trouble.”
“That too. I’d like to get away from here before it catches up to me.” He told himself he had time. He reasoned if Maralt hadn’t found him before now, he’d likely lost the trail. And Carryn knew he was missing, and would be looking for him, probably frantic by now. Dynan thought it time he made it a little easier for her. Of course, moving increased the risk that Maralt would find him too.
Waiting behind every thought was the reality of Dain’s death, stalking him, waiting for a time to catch him. He didn’t know how he would face everyone else’s grief when he couldn’t yet face his own.
Elena’s cool fingertips brushing his cheek brought him back, and he managed a smile to ease her concern. “Do you think,” she said, “once this trouble is over with, you’ll ever come back here?”
Slowly, he had to shake his head. “If I could wish for a different life; I’ve been doing that a lot lately, believe me, I would never leave.”
After a time, she nodded and smiled at him, youthful optimism winning out over sadness. For Dynan, it wasn’t so easy. Elana slipped her arms around him, stood on tiptoe, and kissed him. He did smile then and held her, kissing her back, wishing again that he didn’t have to go, wishing for that other life.
“One day, you are going to make some incredibly lucky man very happy,” he said, then let her go.
“Hmmm. I know four at least who won’t be if I don’t get this bread baked.”
“And I have to get my list ready for Broq.” He leaned, and kissed her one last time.
From the back door, Riegle cleared his throat. Elana looked at him. “Just saying good-bye, Father.”
Riegle looked surprised. Dynan thought he saw a brief flash of regret cross his weathered face, and then he grunted. “Really?”
“I thought Broq or Viana would have told you,” Dynan said.
“So am I the last to learn this?”
“Looks that way,” Elana said.
“Have you decided when?”
“Soon. Tomorrow night I think, unless my ship doesn’t make it off the ground. I wanted to ask if you would let Broq go into town for me in the morning.”
Riegle’s frown gave him the answer. “I need him in the fields tomorrow morning. I can’t put it off. He could go the next day, or you can go yourself if you can’t change your plans. You can use Boomer and the cart, of course.”
Dynan nodded, even when he didn’t want to go to town by himself, but he didn’t want to burden these people anymore than he already had. “I think I’ll do that then.”
“That ship of yours safe to fly?” he asked, moving in to sit at the table. Elana served them tall glasses of water, and returned to her bread.
“Yes. Mostly.”
“Maybe you should take it to Central Control. They have pretty good facilities, or so Broq tells me.”
“No, I can’t. I mean, this ship has a few features that Central Control wouldn’t know what to do with.”
“Well, as long as you can fly it to these people who know how to fix it, then you ought to be all right.”
Dynan sat down with his list in hand. “I want to thank you—”
“No need to. Thank Viana if you feel like you have to. I just do what she tells me most of the time. She’s the one who stayed up nights with you.”
“If you didn’t want me here, we both know I wouldn’t be, so I’m thanking you anyway.”
Riegle smiled, and nodded. “Your welcome, Dynan.”
He froze at the use of his real name and Riegle glanced at Elana to see if she’d noticed. All this time, and Riegle had known who he was and never let on. He only acknowledged Dynan’s glance with a slight nod.
“You’ve repaid the trouble over and again with the added help. Smartest thing I ever did, making you get out of that bed and earn your keep.”
Viana appeared in the doorway, her hands on her hips. Dynan glanced back at Riegle. “And all this time I thought I insisted.”
“That’s what I thought,” Viana said, tisking at her husband. “You men move out of here. I’ve got dinner to fix.”
“Yes, Mother. I’ll go call the boys in.”
Dynan headed for the front porch, and finally finished his list. Dinner arrived promptly at dusk, and they all sat down together. He could tell by looking who knew and who didn’t. Everyone but Elana it seemed was aware of who he
was. He found it a little surprising that these people accepted his presence without treating him any differently, as that hadn’t ever been the case once in his life.
He didn’t sleep well that night in spite of eating enough to be completely drowsy and ready for it. Mostly he lay awake wishing Elana would forget everything he’d told her, and come to him, the Gods be damned. He wondered briefly if she was awake thinking the same thing of him. He growled at himself, rolled over, and finally fell asleep.
~*~
Chapter 21
“If I may make a suggestion,” Xavier said as he and Carryn were led to Creal Nyant’s office, “let me do the talking.” He smiled when Carryn glanced at him.
“Think I might lose my temper?” Carryn asked, then nodded. “My diplomatic skills are somewhat strained at the moment. I trust your judgment, and I’ll try to keep my mouth shut.”
Xavier nodded, biting back another smile as they entered the King’s office. Creal stood to greet them, showing far more deference to Xavier, Carryn thought, but rightly so. As Cobalt’s former Lord Chancellor, Xavier deserved the King’s respect. Carryn didn’t really care what Creal thought of her, as long as he agreed to help them.
Creal gestured them into chairs near his desk, and joined them. Xavier began by explaining as Ralion had done before, that it was never Dynan’s intention to involve the Rynald System in his troubles, but circumstances had unfortunately turned against him.
Creal held up his hand. “You haven’t found them yet,” he said. “I know because I’ve got my own people looking for them. What else do you think I can do? Ambassador Prell is in my office daily. The Star Destroyer orbits Rynald. My Governors want this situation resolved. It’s been months now. They’re on the verge of demanding that I hand Dynan and Dain over just to get that damnable ship out of the System.”
Carryn clamped her teeth together, and did her best not to betray the flash of anger she felt rising. Anger and fear. “I have a message from Drake,” Xavier said evenly, his voice never indicating he believed Creal would allow such a thing. “I must warn you that it isn’t meant to allay your fears, but to indicate the seriousness with which Drake is taking the situation. He wants you to know that if the Star Destroyer, or Maralt Adaeryn further hinder our search for Prince Dynan and Prince Dain in any way, he is prepared to launch an attack against it, regardless of its present location. He hopes that you will refrain from becoming involved, and maintain your neutrality in this matter.”
Creal leaned back in his chair, looking at them in quiet amazement. “Has Drake taken complete leave of his senses? Attack the Star Destroyer? And bring the full might of Cobalt’s fleet down on his head? He doesn’t have the strength to withstand such an attack.” He turned on Carryn. “This is your doing. You and Dynan Telaerin, bringing us all to the brink of ruin.”
Carryn looked to Xavier and waited. “That is neither fair, nor true, Your Majesty,” Xavier said calmly. “Kamien is responsible. He should not be using the Star Destroyer as he is. Maralt Adaeryn is an evil man who must be stopped, or our Systems will never have peace again. We have no wish for a System war, otherwise we would have taken our charges against Kamien to High Council long ago. No, such a war would only serve to defeat us all. What we want is to find Dynan and Dain, and bring them safely back to Trea. With the Star Destroyer hovering over our every effort to find them, is it any wonder we haven’t been able to? We’re unable to use our own ship’s tracking abilities because the Star Destroyer continues to prevent the transmission of information. We’re forced to use your inner system transports for fear that we’ll be attacked in our own ships. Our men have been assaulted on your soil, murdered by Kamien’s forces.”
“I ask you again, what do you think I can do about it? The murders at Trophan are being investigated. If I find the men responsible, they’ll face the full weight of the law. Dynan and Dain were there without authority. Kamien asked for, and received permission to patrol my System.”
“Then ask him, tell him, to patrol it,” Xavier said. “The Star Destroyer orbits Rynald. That is not a patrol.”
“And if he refuses? I have no desire to align myself with Dynan’s problems in any way, Xavier. Kamien is already aware that I allowed your men access to System files. If I ask that the Destroyer withdraw to my border, he’ll believe in that alliance more firmly. I won’t take that risk.”
Carryn leaned forward, eyes flashing, unable to contain herself any longer. “You know as well as I the real reason that ship is here. Kamien is using it to hunt Dynan and Dain down, and kill them. Is that the kind of King you want on the Cobalt Throne; one who would use the Destroyer against anyone who gets in his way? If he succeeds in murdering the rightful heirs to the Throne, how long do you think your System will stand independent while Kamien rules? As long as he has Maralt by his side, he won’t settle for anything less than the total subjugation of the entire Brittallia System. With the power of the Star Destroyer, he has the ability to conquer us all, one by one.”
Creal rose stiffly. “I don’t see it in quite that light, Commander. Kamien hasn’t threatened me, or my System in any way, but when Dynan came here, he did both. I gave assistance to your men anyway. I will not do anything more to jeopardize the safety of Rynald. If Drake attacks within my borders, he’ll do so against Treaty, and face Council reprimand. Now, I suggest you stop wasting your time here, find Dynan and his brother, and get them out of my System. If you’re unable to do so within a week’s time, you’ll withdraw your ship from the Rynald System without delay. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have other business to attend to.”
They left the King in stony silence, and walked back to the quarters they’d procured while in Trenmar; a small inn they’d all but taken over that stood conveniently near the Landing Port. “I’m sorry,” Carryn said as they approached the inn, a single story building with barely enough rooms to house their entire group.
“I wonder what Creal meant when he said Dynan threatened him.”
Carryn glanced at him. “He must have lost his temper. Creal seems to have that effect. Ralion and Sheed reported the same thing from their conversation with him.”
“He’s afraid, Carryn, and it’s clouding his ability to reason. He didn’t expect to be caught up in this. Coming so soon after our initial request for help, he probably sees this as Kamien’s retaliation for even considering our proposal.”
“When the two have nothing to do with each other. We didn’t ask Lorton Kyle for help, and the Star Destroyer showed up in Thylin. Maybe if you pointed that out to him.” She hesitated. “You should probably go alone next time.”
“If I’m allowed in again, you mean.” Xavier smiled. “We’ll give him a day to calm down, time to think over what you told him. I’ve never heard you say that you thought Kamien was trying to take over rule of Brittallia before. You were just saying that to frighten Creal, weren’t you?”
“I’ve never said it because I never wanted to believe the possibility, but Xavier, I’m not sure anymore. I never thought he would use the Star Destroyer when doing so is so clearly against System Treaty. A point, I might add, that Creal seems willing to ignore. It’s not so much Kamien that I worry about.”
“Don’t you think it time we told Creal what Maralt is exactly?”
“No. Creal knows that Dynan and Dain are telepaths. It’s doubtful he’d want to replace Kamien with Dynan knowing what telepaths are capable of doing. And it’s no great secret that Maralt’s my brother.”
“All right. Well then, yes, I do think it would be better if I go alone.”
Carryn frowned, but followed him into the room they’d converted into a small Command Center. Allie Ahreld looked up from the comterm screen he studied. “Report please,” Carryn said, and poured a drink.
“I sent a message to the Palace,” Allie began.
“We didn’t get it.”
“I think we found them, Carryn. Ralion and Sheed just got back from Gesta. They have reports of an X-class midrange, which
the XR-30 is often mistaken for, flying erratically in that area, and concur with our data that had the ship heading in that direction. Ralion thinks they crashed somewhere nearby. The XR-9 is due to drop in System in just another moment. We’ll get a surface scan then. I’ve already alerted our extraction team to stand by.”
“Crashed?”
“Afraid so. Ralion is certain of it, judging from the descriptions of the way the ship was flying. Ask him if you want. He’s next door.”
“Any sign of the Zephron?”
“Not yet. I’ll break into Central Con after we hear from the XR-9. They’re likely to trace us this time.”
“Certainly Creal will forgive us that,” Xavier said eyeing Carryn.
“Not these files. These are Star Destroyer files that they don’t want anyone to see.” Allie shook his head. “We were denied access when we asked the first time.”
“Keep me informed. I’ll be with Ralion,” Carryn said, and left them.
In the next room, Ralion stood by a small wall screen they’d installed that displayed a map of the area in question. Red indicators marked the scanned trajectory of the XR-30. Blue indicated the ground sightings.
“What’s this right here?” Carryn pointed to a break in the wooded area.
Ralion pressed a few keys on the screen controls and a homestead appeared. “A farm, it looks like. These fields over here are—”
Carryn straightened. “That’s where they are. Let’s move.”
Ralion stared at him, then hurried to follow. “Carryn, we haven’t gotten confirmation—”
“I don’t need it.”
Allie rushed out of the control room, nearly running into them. “Location is confirmed. We got a trace signature on the XR-30 from recent engine activity. The Zephron is on its way down, and Central Control is on its way here.”
Carryn swore. “Allie, you and Gaden pack up, and move us to our next location. Don’t get caught. Alert the team. Let’s go.”
A few moments later they rushed out of the inn for Trenmar’s Landing Port.
~*~
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