Between Darkness and Light (35 page)

“You worry too much. She's also a person in her own right,” said Kholgou. “Master Rhyaz knows her thoughts from moment to moment, as she does his. Yes, she's beautiful, who wouldn't be attracted to her? But there's a big difference between being a friendly admirer and making advances to her. Besides,” he grinned, poking his friend in the ribs, “everyone knows she has eyes for no one but Master Rhyaz since they became Linked mentally!”

“I just don't want you to go getting yourself in too deep. I know how you like to flirt.”

Kholgou laughed. “Forget it, my friend! I have a Human lover back on the estate! I'm not looking for another, even one as tempting as her! Our Leader's Leska is safe with me, though I admit I will enjoy flirting with her.”

The door swung open and Alex came out. “Okay, I have about three hours until I need to return,” she said. “Rhyaz is busy right now, so if you've the time, we can get lunch there too and maybe I'll Challenge you both to a game of darts.”

“Sounds good to me,” said Kholgou, taking her arm again and leading her off toward the Seniors' mess. “What about you, Maikoi?”

“Darts, you say?” he asked, looking more cheerful. “That's the game you and Kai invented, isn't it?”

“Not invented,” said Alex, looking over her shoulder at him. “Imported.”

Consciousness returned slowly, forcing him to leave behind the soft, warm cocoon of sleep. In its wake came remembrance. Conner's eyes flew open and with a start, his hands clutched involuntarily at the light quilt that covered him.

“Hello,” she said, flicking her pale blonde hair over one shoulder. “They asked me to stay with you till you woke. How're you feeling? You've had everyone very concerned, you know.”

He found his voice. “Nimue? Where am I?” he asked, confused. “Why did they wake me? What's happened?”

“Everything's fine,” she reassured him. “My name's Alex. Your Regent Euan sent you to us in exchange for the young man you appointed as your successor.”

Conner struggled to sit up, shocked to discover how weak he felt.

“When we woke you, you went down almost immediately with a twenty-four hour fever,” said Alex, reaching out to pick up a small control unit. Underneath him, he felt his pillows begin to rise until he was sitting up. The girl held the unit out to him. “Press that button to lie down, and the other to sit up,” she said.

Releasing the cover, he took the unit from her, clutching it tightly. “Where is here?” he asked, his eyes drawn toward the window beside him. Outside, he could see the snow-covered rooftops of what he assumed was the rest of the building and beyond it, a mountainside. The sky above was a bright, almost impossible, blue.

“Where is here?” he repeated, looking back to her as he took in the rest of his surroundings.

She hesitated. “May I call you Conner?” she asked.

Conner. It had been many, many years since he'd heard anyone call him by his birth name. He nodded.

“I'm a telepath, Conner, and from what I'm picking up from you, I feel you'd rather be told the truth than have me try to wrap it up more comfortably for you.”

“You're perceptive for one so young,” he said. “I take it your news is bad.”

“Depends on your point of view,” she smiled. “Coming here for me was freedom. You chose a youth called Khyan Rhasho as your successor, so you've met at least one Sholan. You're on Shola, Conner. It was arranged between the Head of our Alien Relations and your Regent as a cultural exchange. You for Khyan.”

“And Khyan? How is he?” he asked, feeling a pang of loss as he thought of the love and life he'd left behind.

“He's fine. The Regent tried to prevent him from contacting anyone outside the college, but a compromise was reached.”

Conner began to smile. “A compromise? I wish I'd been there to hear that exchange,” he murmured. “Euan doesn't like to be bested. I told him he'd not be able to have things all his own way during the Regency.”

“You can talk to Master Aldatan and ask him about it as soon as you're up and about,” said Alex, matching his smile. “I take it you and Euan didn't see eye to eye.”

“You could say that,” Conner agreed, looking out the window again. “Shola. I'm on an alien world,” he said quietly as if he hardly believed it.

You said you're a telepath, child. How many on this world are?
he sent to her.

Not many, but it is an accepted and highly respected profession here, unlike on Earth,
she replied.

Through the Telepath Guild, or here.
“The Leaders of Stronghold would like to welcome you. Do you feel ready to meet them?” she asked.

He reached out to put the control unit for the bed on the night table. “I'd be happy to meet them, child,” he said. “But first, tell me what kind of place this is. Is it a college of some kind?”

“You're in Dzahai Stronghold,” she said. “It's both a college and a temple where elite warrior priests with mental skills are trained. They're the protectors of the people of Shola, particularly the Telepaths.”

Moments later, the door opened to admit two robed Sholans.

“Welcome to Stronghold, Master Conner,” said the first, a dark-pelted male dressed in a flowing black robe, as he approached the bedside. The visitor held out his hand, palm uppermost. “I'm Father Lijou, the spiritual Leader here.”

Instinctively, Conner reached his own hand out, his fingertips just brushing the other's as he took in the long dark hair worn swept back from a face framed by two white streaks.

“And this is Guild Master Rhyaz, Leader of the Warrior side of our establishment,” continued the priest.

“It's an honor to meet you, Conner,” said Rhyaz, holding his hand out in greeting.

The look that Alex and Rhyaz exchanged didn't go unnoticed by Conner. “Pleased to meet you,” he murmured as the two males brought chairs from the side of the room over to his bed and sat down.

“Your partner has been explaining my situation to me,” he said, looking at Rhyaz, who raised an eye ridge in surprise at him before smiling.

“Khyan told us that you had a mind as sharp as a knife,” he said, a purr of amusement underlying his voice.

“You've spoken to him?” asked Conner. “I'm afraid I had no chance to meet him before it was time for me to . . . leave. It's against tradition for the outgoing leader to meet the new one.”

“Not us, Konis Aldatan,” said Lijou. “Head of Alien Relations. Khyan is coping well.”

“When can I get up and see this world of yours for myself?”

“Today, if you feel strong enough,” Lijou replied. “Our physician has asked us to tell you that he's started treating you for the stiffness in your joints that you've been experiencing, but that it will take some time to have its full effect. Until then, though you may feel better, you must take it easy.”

Conner's eyes were drawn to the window again. “It's winter here,” he said. “How long was I asleep?”

“Not long,” said Lijou. “Less than two of your months. You've arrived at a good time, though. We hold our midwinter festival in two days. I'm told that you'll find our religion not too dissimilar from your own.”

Conner nodded, suddenly feeling exhausted.

Lijou stood up. “We'll leave you to rest. There's a buzzer on the control unit that Alex gave you. Press it if you need anything.”

“He needs food and rest,” said a sharp voice from the doorway. “You males have got no idea of how to look after someone who's been through what he has!”

“We're just leaving, Noni,” said Lijou, putting his chair back as Rhyaz and Alex got up too.

“Three of you! No wonder he's exhausted!”

Curiosity overcame his tiredness and he turned his head to look at the newcomer. The elderly Sholan was as striking to look at as her voice had suggested. What she lacked in size, she made up for in presence as she stood there, dressed in a long, dark blue robe, leaning on her walking stick. Snow-white hair, bound in a single long plait, framed her iron-gray face, a face that right down to the angle of her ears was glaring thunderously at his visitors.

“Master Lijou, you've got a call waiting for you in your office. And, Rhyaz, take that young Leska of yours to the refectory and feed her! She's looking peaky again and she's still got a lot of growing to do.”

“Yes, Noni,” said Rhyaz with a grin. “Conner, may I introduce you to Noni, our Healer? She rules this infirmary with a rod of iron.”

“I can introduce myself, thank you, Rhyaz,” she said gruffly as they filed out past her. “As for you,” she said, pointing at him, “I got a nice bowl of . . .”

“Not chicken broth, I hope,” he murmured. “You've no idea how I hate being treated like an invalid.”

“Stew,” she said, moving aside for a nurse carrying a tray. “Broth has its place, but you need building up.” She stood and watched the nurse put the tray on the table at the end of his bed then pulled it up till it was across his lap. “You eat that then get some sleep,” she said, her voice gentler now. “I'll come see you later and we'll talk then about you getting up.”

Left alone, he ate his stew slowly then lay back on his pillows, looking out at the blue sky and the snow-covered mountain. It wasn't the company that had tired him, it was the realization that after composing himself for an eternity of sleep, he was now faced with having to continue living—with the loss of the woman he'd loved as fresh as if it had just happened. And for him, it had just happened. No sooner had Khyan arrived than he'd had to enter the cryo chamber, leaving Nimue to be the youth's teacher and lover. He sighed, knowing there was a right-ness in the ritual of Choosing and of the sleep afterward. Khyan was her age, not an old man like him.

Sending him to Shola was Euan's revenge on him for Choosing a new high priest that he couldn't control. His only comfort was the promise his Gods had given him, that never again would the high priest live alone until the last few years of his term of office. Khyan and Nimue would remain together for the rest of their lives, as would those Chosen after them. His sacrifice meant their happiness. Now he must learn to forget her, as she had begun to forget him the moment she'd taken the ritual drink during the Choosing.

Resolutely he turned his thoughts away from the young couple at the college in Old Sarum. He must embrace this new life, look for the purpose behind it. Euan might think it had been his decision to send him to Shola, but Conner knew he'd been sent here for a greater reason. He let his mind drift, wondering what kind of world this was, wondering what kind of Gods and Entities inhabited it. Presently, sleep claimed him.

K'HEDDUK glanced at the two red-robed Enforcers working their way slowly down the length of the kitchen staff toward him. Once a week, without warning, they came to scan the food in the storerooms, preparation and cooking areas for any traces of poisons. Today, the Head Inquisitor himself had come. He grunted in satisfaction that his message had got through.

The chef came out of the cold store and thrust a small dish of imported chocolate flakes at him. “Here, and see it's all used on her Highness' dessert or I'll have your hide for a floor scrubber! It's too expensive to waste on the likes of you. It's not my job to keep up with all her food fads. The sooner she drops that egg of hers, the better!”

Mumbling assurances, he headed out of the stifling heat back to the coolness of the side room where he was preparing the latest bizarre concoction of fruit, meats and cream—to be topped with the latest delicacy from the Human worlds of the Sholan Alliance—for the pregnant Empress Zsh'eungee.

He took his time, knowing that his dishes were the Empress' favorites, not just because of their taste, but their presentation as well. He had no intention of rushing just because High Inquisitor M'zzik was here.

“You're a person of many talents, K'hedduk,” said a quiet voice from the doorway. “I'm sure the Empress will enjoy your latest culinary creation.”

He looked up at the Inquisitor, not missing the priest's slight emphasis on the word Empress.

“Of course,” he said. He stood back from the table as M'zzik's assistant priest ran the scanner over the nearly completed dish and the remaining ingredients.

“Clear, Inquisitor,” he murmured.

M'zzik waved him aside. “Keep watch in the doorway, Lufsuh,” he ordered. “We must not be disturbed.”

The priest bowed and moved back into the corridor.