"This isn't the hall from your vision," Ghyan said reassur-ingly, drawing her onward with him. "All Vartra's
temples are like this."
The four of them walked down between the pillars, Car-rie's footsteps echoing in the silence. As theyapproached the statue, Kusac could see the small table to the right of the brazier. On it lay the traditionalbook, dagger, and bowl of incense cubes.
Ghyan stopped and turned, waiting for Kusac and Kaid. "You know where you are, don't you?" heasked Carrie.
She nodded, looking up at the statue. "The Temple of Vartra," she said. "I didn't realize it was so near theguild."
Kusac joined them. He wanted to let his barrier down, but his emotions were still too confused, tooangry for her to share, especially now. "Carrie," he said, gripping her hand tightly for a moment. "Ghyan isa telepath. He'll need to probe your mind for a moment. Don't resist him." He gave her hand to Ghyan.
He waited impatiently until his friend had finished and turned back to him, a look of utter surprise on hisface. "It's as you said," he confirmed. "She is indeed expecting your child. In this case my duty is clear. I'llperform the service with pleasure."
Kusac nodded. "Kaid Tallinu," he beckoned him forward, "will witness the life-bonding." He heard Carrie's gasp of shock and turned to her. "It's what you wanted, too, isn't it?" he demanded. "What you Challenged Rala for?"
"Yes, but…"
"Then let's proceed. We've a lot to do tonight. Remember, do what I do." He turned back to Ghyan.
"Wait, Kusac," his friend said. "There's a Challenge?"
"The Life-bond Challenge, yes."
"You know this bonding won't stop the Challenge, don't you?"
"I know, and I also know it may be enough to make Rala cancel the Challenge."
"I can approach Rala and ask her to cancel it," said Ghyan. "She comes to the Temple. She may listen."
"Would you?" asked Kusac, seeing the first ray of hope in the last few hours.
"If Carrie wishes," said Ghyan, looking at her.
She looked at Kusac, then Ghyan, and finally at Kaid. The latter nodded. "Ask," he said.
"Yes, please," she said quietly.
"Do you want to go ahead with the life-bonding now?" Ghyan asked her.
Kusac suddenly found a knot of fear within him as he re-alized she could be the one to change her mind,
not him.
Carrie hesitated, then in the stillness of her own thoughts she heard another mind, a quiet mental voice.
Say yes.
"Yes," she said, with the faintest of smiles.
Kusac realized he'd started to breathe again.
Ghyan nodded. "In that case, I'll perform the ceremony." Turning to Kusac, he asked, "Have you got thebracelets?"
Kusac took a package from his robe, handing it to him.
Ghyan unwrapped mem, laying the bronze bracelets on the table by the book. "Given the hour, and theinformality of our gathering, I'm sure we'd all prefer a short ceremony," he said with a smile, holding outhis hands to them both.
"Give him your right hand," said Kusac, putting his in Ghyan's right palm.
Carrie put hers in Ghyan's left hand, palm up like Kusac's.
"Do you both want to be made one, of one blood?" Ghyan asked them.
"Yes," said Kusac, looking at Carrie, his ear tips flicking gently. Doubt concerning the wisdom of getting
married now had vanished when he'd realized that she might have refused him.
"Yes," she said.
Kaid took up the knife. Before she had time to react, he'd made a small cut first in her palm, then Kusac's. Ghyan pressed their hands together, letting their mingled blood drip down into the bowl ofincense.
"Then you are one," he said, holding their palms together for a moment or two before releasing them.
His palm still smarting, Kusac picked up some of the in-cense and threw it into the brazier, indicating that Carrie should do the same. As she did, the coals blazed brightly, throwing up a cloud of aromatic smoke.
"As an outward sign of your life-bond, here are your bracelets. Wear them with the blessing of Vartra,"
said Ghyan, picking up the bracelets and holding them out to-ward Kusac.
Checking them, Kusac picked one of them up and taking Carrie's right hand in his, he slipped thebracelet on her wrist and pressed it closed until it was a snug fit.
Ghyan turned to Carrie. Hesitantly, Carrie reached for the other bracelet, looking to Kusac forconfirmation.
Impassively, he nodded, holding out his hand to her.
She placed the bracelet on his wrist, trying to pinch it closed as he had done.
With a flick of his ears and a wry smile, he did it for her.
"May Vartra grant you peace and happiness," Ghyan said, pulling his blanket back round himself again. "I
won't ask for the gift of fertility since He's obviously given you that," he said with a smile. "Now if you
and your mate would sign the book, the legalities are over."
Kusac stepped forward and taking up the stylus, scrawled his name with a flourish. He handed it over to
Carrie.
She looked searchingly at his face, still unable to read anything of his emotions. Moving toward the table,she bent forward and added her slightly shaky signature under his.
Ghyan took the stylus from her, handing it to Kaid. "We need your signature as witness."
"Certainly," said Kaid as he signed the book.
"Thank you," Kusac said to Ghyan, relief sweeping over him.
"I'm only glad that in the end I was able to help," his friend said. "Let's hope this is the last of your
problems. I'll talk to Rala for you. I assume your parents don't yet know."
"That's what I've got to see to next," said Kusac. "We must go. My thanks again."
"Don't leave it so long the next time you come to see me," said Ghyan. "But I will insist on a hug from
Carrie." He stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her and lay-ing his cheek alongside hers.
His coldness won't last. He wanted this bonding to you more than anything. Just have faith in him.
He released her, smiling.
"Remember, both of you, the God has blessed you with this child. Trust in Him and all will be well."
"The Gods' help always costs," said Carrie quietly. "They give you nothing for free."
"Good-bye," said Kusac. "I'll be in touch soon."
"See that you are," his friend said.
Meral took off, heading for the Valsgarth Estate this time. The gray light of dawn was touching thehorizon as they landed. Lights began to go on as they got out of the aircar. Kusac led Carrie toward thefront entrance, ordering the other two to stay on board.
His face was grim as he pushed the door open and strode into the center courtyard, pulling Carrie withhim. The argu-ment with his father some four days previously still rankled. Now he needed aconfrontation to get it out of his system.
The night duty attendant hurried forward but was waved back by Kusac. "This doesn't concern you.
Return to your post," he said, stopping by the fountain.
"Father!" he yelled at the top of his voice. "I want to see you now!"
His father hurried to the balcony, still trying to put his arms into the sleeves of his over-robe.
"Kusac, have you lost your wits?" he demanded angrily. "It's the middle of the night!"
His mother joined him. "Kusac, what's wrong?"
"I want to speak to you both," he said, lowering his voice slightly. "Come down to the study. You, too,
Taizia," he added, seeing his sister come running.
"What's this all about?" said his father when they were gathered in the study. "Couldn't you have waited
till morn-ing?"
"No, I couldn't," said Kusac, pulling Carrie out from be-hind him where she was trying to hide. Her face was chalk white. Despite his block, Kusac could feel her fear and knew that his family could, too. All to the good, he thoug
ht. Let them realize what she's suffered since she found out about the betrothal.
"You wanted me to life-bond and get legitimate heirs on my mate. Well, here she is, as of an hour ago." He pushed her forward, holding up their arms so both their bracelets were visible. "As for heirs, she's carrying your first grand-child now."
He paused, enjoying the shocked silence from his father as a recompense for his refusal to cancel themarriage con-tract with Rala.
"Our Link has changed us to the point where we're infer-tile with our own kind. The only heirs you'll ever
have from me will be Carrie's children, too."
Feeling Carrie's mind begin to swirl, he grasped her around the waist with both hands. "Don't you darefaint on me," he growled in her ear, giving it a sharp nip with his teeth.
She gasped at the sudden pain and straightened up again.
"Kusac," said his father, sitting down in the nearest chair. "This just isn't possible."
Kusac's anger abruptly evaporated and he put a hand into his pocket, bringing out the cube. "Read thisfor yourself. All Vanna's tests, kept secret even from us, are there. Check Carrie, you'll see I'm notlying," he said tiredly, throwing the cube at his father.
Konis made no effort to catch it and it fell to the floor at his feet. He shook his head. "I don't need tocheck," he said. "I believe you."
"Have the data as a present anyway. You'll need it. There's going to be more of us. You've got a new
species on your hands, Father. I hope you know what to do with it," he said.
He looked at his mother and Taizia. "An hour, maybe two, and the Challenge would have beenunnecessary. Why couldn't you have waited?" Strangely he wasn't angry with them, only confused as towhy they had rushed everything.
His mother came forward to put an arm around Carrie. "You were so determined to collide head-on withyour father and Rala that you left us little choice. You're right, the Chal-lenge is our responsibility," shesaid, "but because of your actions you bear as much responsibility for it as we do. Carrie is the innocentone in this tangle, so why are you hurting her? This isn't like you, Kusac." She frowned at him, beginningto turn away.
"We can argue this later if you're so minded. I'm taking your mate to the kitchen. She's had a bigger shock than any of us over the last few days and right now she needs some-thing to eat, then rest, not to mention a small dressing on her palm." With that, she ushered Carrie out of the room.
Kusac sat down in the nearest chair, suddenly feeling drained. "That Challenge has got to be stopped, Father," he said tiredly. "I'm getting images of it going wrong, but they're so vague I can't pinpoint aprecise cause."
His father stirred, bending to pick up the cube. "Precogni-tion? A Terran ability," he said thoughtfully,turning the cube over in his hands.
"I don't care what you call it," Kusac snapped, "I just keep feeling a sense of danger. Whatever it is, I
don't want it to happen!"
"With the genetic changes, all the reasons for your bond-ing to Rala are gone," said his father. "Not just that, you're already life-bonded," he said dryly. "Given those two facts, I can't see Rala's family objecting to my officially breaking the contract. The Challenge is another thing," he sighed. "In my position as judge, unless Rala agrees to canceling it, I can't do anything. Only the Temple can order her to drop it since it's an En'Shalla Challenge. I have a feeling that Rala will not cooperate."
"Just try, that's all I ask," Kusac said. "There are three lives at stake now. Ghyan has said he'll speak to
her. Appar-ently, she's been going to the Temple during her stay at Valsgarth."
"In that case, he might be able to sway her. I can't under-stand why Carrie didn't tell you before now that she was pregnant," said his father. "Or why she issued the Challenge, knowing she was putting the child at risk too."
"Did she know?" asked Taizia. "We've been fairly close and she didn't mention it to me. Mother and I would never have suggested the Challenge if we'd known. As you've said, there would have been no need for it."
"I don't understand it either," muttered Kusac, rubbing eyes that felt like they were full of sand. "I picked up some-thing from her about having no control over when she be-comes pregnant, but I don't know." He shook his head and looked over at his father. "I was sure she couldn't be mine at first, but she is."
"An impossible pregnancy. This is where your Link with her has been leading all along. How do you feel
about this child?"
"She's ours," Kusac said fiercely. "I want her to live."
"You two have given us a pretty problem to sort out," his father said with a sigh. "The Terrans will have
to be told, in-cluding her father. What his reaction will be, I shudder to think."
"He doesn't concern us," said Kusac. "He's far enough away not to be our problem; he's yours, and you're welcome to him. We've got enough to do just trying to live our own life. The main problem at the moment is stopping the Chal-lenge."
"We can do nothing about it until morning. I suggest you go to bed and get some rest. Are your people
still out in the aircar?"
Kusac nodded.
"Then tell them to turn in for what's left of the night. They can use the same rooms they did before. Now
go and collect your mate and let's all get some sleep."
Taizia jumped to her feet. "I'll go and tell them," she said, heading off.
Kusac caught his father's thought and gave a little smile. "She'll be all right with Meral," he said. "He's agood male, and at least you know she'll be safe with a Warrior."
Kusac collected Carrie from his mother and took her up-stairs, still keeping the block up. He couldn'tface the pros-pect of opening their Link again until he'd come to terms with all his own conflictingemotions. What should have been a time of wonder and joy for them was being marred by the specter ofthe Challenge, and that still angered him.
He left her at the bedroom door, unable and unwilling to explain. "I'll see you in the morning," he said,closing the door behind her.
Taizia caught up with her mother on the stairs.
"I should have realized that she was pregnant," said Rhyasha. "It was staring me in the face."
"Who'd have believed it was possible?" said Taizia. "We ignored all the signals because she's a Keissian,
not a Sholan. We couldn't have known, Mother." She stopped, reaching out to catch hold of her.
"Their cub, what will she look like, can you tell yet? Will she be one of us or a human? The Gods grant
she isn't mal-formed, a grotesque creature that has no chance of survival!"
Rhyasha's ears flicked backward in distress. This was no time to hide her feelings from her daughter.
"It's too early to tell anything but her sex. Carrie's not yet halfway through her pregnancy. In a week or two I'll be able to sense their cub properly. Even though they can breed with each other, so much could go wrong because they're from different species! Just pray your brother keeps his head if the child doesn't survive to be carried full term, or if she has to be terminated because she's nonviable. I can't begin to guess how Carrie would react to either of those situations! One of us would remain clearheaded enough to make the right deci-sions, but Carrie?" She shook her head, ears flattening backward.
"How do humans relate to their cubs?" Rhyasha contin-ued. "Are their males as possessive and foolish over their pregnant mates as ours? We don't know enough about them as people!" She clenched her hands in frustration, claws pricking her palms.
"We have Carrie here with us," said Taizia. "There will be other humans soon. We can learn! At least we know what knowledge we lack. Gods! If only I'd never suggested that damned Challenge! There was no need for it."
"There's no point in self-recrimination, Taizia. As you've just told me, there was no way we could have known she was pregnant. The trouble now is we don't have the time to learn what we need to know. We need to know it now if we're to help them."
"Perhaps we're looking into too
dark a cave," said Taizia, giving her mother a hug. "Everything may go
wonderfully well for them."
Rhyasha took a deep breath, concentrating on pulling her ears upright again. There was nothing to gainfrom letting herself get so agitated now. "Perhaps you're right," she said, forcing a smile for her daughter'sbenefit. "Let's take things as they come rather than plan for a disaster that may never happen. You go andsee your Warrior," she urged, gently pushing Taizia away. "I'm fine."
"Mother!"
Rhyasha gave a low chuckle. "I didn't pry," she said. "Your interest in him hasn't been exactly subtle."
Chapter 17
Having informed the Protectorate of their location, Kaid ini-tiated the securing of the perimeter of the Valsgarth Estate. No one, not even a jegget, could get into the grounds with-out security being aware ofit. That done, he settled down on the balcony outside Kusac's and Carrie's suite.
Kaid knew what neither Kusac nor the rest of his family had yet realized, namely that each one of themwas at risk as a potential hostage or worse. The missing dissident from the Khalossa had no scruples
about using whoever he could to get close enough to Carrie or Kusac to kill them. As far as Kaid was
concerned, he'd rather have them all safe under one roof.
Left on her own again, Carrie began to pace round the room. She felt trapped, caged by the very life shehad left Keiss to escape. Though her cage was one of flesh and blood, no bars could have been stronger. With a sharp pang she envied Kusac his ability to run free as the wind across the estate. That was whatshe needed, to run and run until she collapsed from exhaustion, too tired to think. With an ef-fort shepushed these thoughts and memories aside as she felt her own panic beginning to build inside her mind.
Her footsteps took her to the exterior balcony, and as she looked across the grounds to the woodedland, T'Chebbi stepped out of the shadows. No escape that way either. No matter how grand the jail,unless one wanted to be there, it was still a prison.
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