Between Darkness and Light (83 page)

“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.

“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.”

He would!
Carrie sent to Kaid, who decided it was wiser to ignore her.

“If you were Kezule, where would you take your people?” asked Kaid.

“I have no idea,” said Zsurtul. “The General is a Warrior like yourselves. You would know more about the place he'd choose.”

“Are there any inhabitable worlds nearby that your people wouldn't think of searching?” asked Kaid.

“None that don't belong to another species,” said Zsurtul.

“Not a world,” said T'Chebbi, thoughtfully. “Too big to be secure and too many dangers from wildlife. He will think like a General, not a civilian.”

“Somewhere like Haven,” said Carrie. “His ship wasn't big enough to live in with the number of people he took, so that isn't an option. If not a world, then another Outpost fits the bill.”

Kaid flashed her a grin. “You're a genius, Dzinae! Yes, an Outpost would be ideal, but if he plans on expanding, then it would need to be a very large one, perhaps even one of the main ones we know they must have had.”