Clan and Crown (44 page)

Yuder turned on Tidro, spittle flying
as he shouted. “And what of us? What of our loss? Why is the fear
of a puling, spoiled child more important than our
pain?”

“She was my mother! Zarl is my father!”
Clajak shrieked.

Yuder screamed back, agony mixing with
his rage. “They were my life!”

Sensing the disagreement was getting
worse rather than tempering, the Royal Guards in the room assembled
in a line between father and son. Half of the grim red-suited
Nobeks faced Yuder. The other half faced Clajak. The guards would
not harm either royal, but they would not allow the pair to hurt
each other either, not while passion held sway.

Egilka pulled at Clajak, his expression
desperate. “Stop it, Clajak. Be quiet and calm down. This isn’t
helping anything. You’re both in too much pain to deal with the
matter sensibly.”

Meanwhile Tidro yanked at Yuder,
dragging him back too as he spoke in a low, urgent voice. The wrath
faded from the Nobek’s face, leaving heartbreaking anguish in its
wake. Seeing the proud Yuder like that made Clajak want to take
back everything.

Yet agreeing to do all Yuder wanted him
to felt too much like giving up on Zarl. Clajak couldn’t do that.
Instead of calling to his Nobek father, Clajak turned away into the
shelter of Egilka’s arms.

He groaned against his clanmate’s
shoulder, “I can’t, my Imdiko. I can’t.”

“Hush. Hush now. Hush,
Clajak.”

Clajak knew he must look like a coward
to Yuder, hiding in Egilka’s comforting embrace as he did. He
didn’t care. Not when his world lay in shambles all around him. Not
when he was being asked to replace the irreplaceable.

The long night wore on. Clajak and
Egilka sat at one end of the waiting room, as far away from Yuder
as possible. The others sat at the opposite end, talking in quiet
voices as they waited for news.

Clajak sat with his head hanging down,
too tired and depressed to hold it up. By turns, he let his
surroundings pass through his senses: the smell of antiseptic, the
soft squeaks of footfalls on the floor when someone stood and
walked to the snack bar, the rise and fall of conversation from his
fathers and their aides, the creaking of Egilka shifting in the
chair on his right and the answering creak of the chair on his
left, now occupied by Korkla.

Guilt came in waves as
Clajak wrestled with the words he’d exchanged with Yuder.
They were my life
played
over and over in his head, despair coloring black his father’s cry
of agony. Had there ever been a more wretched wail?

Clajak wanted to go to his fathers now,
to sit with them and offer the strength they deserved from him. Yet
he didn’t want them to think he accepted the idea that he could
take Zarl’s place. No, that was not possible. Zarl had to know even
in the depths of stasis that he was needed as emperor. Clajak had
already failed his mother and Dramok father once by not going with
them to Joshada. He would fail the Empire as well.

Zarl had to live.

Next to him, Korkla murmured, “Another
message of goodwill and support, this one from Adraf.”

He showed Clajak the message on his
handheld. Clajak looked in that direction and pretended he saw it,
though the readout was only a blur. He couldn’t focus on such
things. He knew his aide was trying to keep him distracted as well
as make it appear to the others that Clajak attended to official
business. Korkla had gotten the story of Clajak and Yuder’s blowup
from Egilka. He had made it his mission to make sure another didn’t
happen.

Clajak was grateful to his aide,
particularly since it seemed Korkla knew he needed the space to
come to terms with Yuder’s demands. At one point Korkla had
whispered to him, “One step at a time, my prince. Try not to think
about anything to do with the Empire until we know how Zarl fares
in surgery.”

As thankful as Clajak was for Korkla’s
understanding, he found Egilka’s presence even more important.
Clajak had not appreciated his clanmate’s strength or how much he
could rely on it until now. It was quiet, dutiful Egilka who held
him together, the warmth of his body like a balm to Clajak’s
shattered nerves. The man was more a support system on his own than
most full clans Clajak had seen.

That thought brought a certain Nobek to
mind. Clajak leaned toward Egilka to whisper. “Have you heard from
Bevau? Surely he knows what’s happened.”

Egilka managed a slight smile. “He
commed yesterday, offering to help in whatever way he could. I
almost told him to come even though there is nothing he can
do.”

“That was good of him.” Clajak drew a
breath. “I wish he was here. You could use a break from my
dramatics.”

Egilka chuffed a weak laugh at the
attempt at humor. “I wouldn’t leave your side for a second, but
yes, I wish he was here too.”

He seemed about to say something else
when Korkla jerked. “Dr. Flencik is here.”

Clajak looked toward the door, noting
that Tidro and Yuder had already gotten to their feet. They rushed
at the huge surgeon just entering the room.

Imdiko Flencik was easily the biggest
man Clajak had ever seen, tall and broad-shouldered. His gentle
nature was at complete odds with his monstrous size. Clajak
couldn’t imagine the man angry at anyone.

Flencik’s corkscrew curls were tied
back in a ponytail, leaving his broad, sweet face open. Normally
all smiles, Flencik looked tired and more than a little careworn.
Blood covered his scrubs, indicating he’d come straight from the
operating theater.

Clajak bolted to his feet and hurried
to Tidro’s side. His Imdiko father’s hand groped for his, and
Clajak took it, squeezing tightly. He felt Egilka’s hand on his
back, supporting him as they all waited breathlessly for the
news.

Flencik nodded, a ghost of his good
humor drifting over his pleasant face. “Emperor Zarl lives, my
emperors.”

Clajak staggered a little in his
immense relief. When Tidro did the same, the Dramok got control
over himself to help Yuder hold the Imdiko emperor up. Father and
son exchanged a glance that was conciliatory. Now that the crisis
was past, they could start anew.

Flencik’s warmth dimmed a little,
caution filling his tone. “He lives, but I cannot guarantee he will
overcome the shock to his system. I have repaired the
life-threatening injuries that I can for now to the best of my
ability.”

“You are known for being among the
best, Flencik.” Yuder swallowed. “How bad is it? Truly? We must
know.”

“He remains critical, my emperor. It’s
now up to him and his will to live. If he does – he will be faced
with continued problems. His spine has received considerable
damage. Much of his legs will have to be reconstructed when he is
better able to withstand the many surgeries facing him. Even once
we’re done, he will not be able to walk without pain. He faces the
rest of his life in a hover chair.”

Clajak tried to imagine his hale and
hearty father crippled. The idea was beyond him. “You believe he
will live? That there is hope, at least?”

Flencik’s gaze was sympathetic. He
shrugged, the motion apologetic. “Again, so much depends on him.
For a man who is used to being strong and independent, this will be
a fearsome blow. Plus with what he has lost—”

For a moment Flencik’s professionalism
failed him. He was clanned to a distant blood relative to the
Imperial Clan and Clajak. The surgeon had been a part of many
family celebrations. Flencik had adored Irdis, and the empress had
likewise held the Imdiko in high esteem.

Flencik recovered himself and
continued. “I wish I could offer you a guarantee, my prince, but I
can’t. For now, we must wait and hope.”

Tidro smiled up at him. “Hope is all I
ask for at this point. Thank you, Doctor. When may we see my
Dramok?”

“He will be in recovery and partial
stasis for some time, but one of you may sit with him for now. He
will probably not know you are there, but perhaps a loved one’s
presence will help.”

Yuder urged, “Go to him, my Imdiko. I
must take care of other matters.”

Tidro looked at him uncertainly. “You
are going to look upon her face and say goodbye.”

There was no trace of anger or sadness
on the Nobek’s face. Only duty. “I must.”

“Alone?” Tidro’s worry was plain to
see.

“I would prefer to. I will return with
you when you are ready to do the same.”

“All right.”

Even then, Tidro hesitated. He turned
to Clajak, touching his face. “Egilka, take my son home and see
that he gets some rest. Do the same for yourself. The days ahead
will be exhausting for us all.”

Everyone bowed their respect as Tidro
left with Flencik. As soon as the two Imdikos were gone, Clajak
realized Yuder stared at him.

His father’s gaze was probing but not
angry. Yuder even snorted, as if finding a mote of humor in all the
angst. “My hair is not all you inherited from me, my son. We are
too similar in temper as well.”

Clajak nodded. “If only you had passed
on that great strength you possess instead.”

“I have seen evidence that I did.”
Yuder took a deep breath. “Clajak, I will not allow our shared pain
to destroy our bond, heated as it may be. Words were spoken that I
regret.”

Clajak bowed his head. “Thank you, my
father. I am sorry I could not control my feelings when you needed
me most. I hope you will excuse me for faltering in
that.”

“We will not speak of it further. Let
it be done and forgotten.” Yuder looked to Clajak’s clanmate and
aide. “Thank you for your help, Egilka, Korkla.”

Both men bowed. “It is our honor to
serve, my emperor,” Egilka said.

Yuder turned to Krus and Slea. “You
have all matters handled for now?”

They nodded. “We do, my
emperor.”

“Very well. You may contact me with any
concerns that arise which you do not feel you can handle. I will be
in the morgue, attending to my Matara.”

With that Yuder left, the Royal Guards
assigned to him flanking him. Clajak felt some tension leave with
the Nobek emperor. All at once, the prince was tired all the way to
his bones. He had the urge to drop to the floor and
sleep.

Egilka took his arm and guided him
towards the door. “Let’s get out of here, Clajak. There’s nothing
more for us to do at the moment.”

“Get some rest, my princes,” Korkla
called after them. “I’ve got everything handled until you
return.”

“For once, I’m going to let you pilot
our shuttle,” Clajak told Egilka as they walked down the hospital’s
corridor.

Egilka chuckled. “Do I get to be on top
in the bedroom too?”

Clajak hugged his clanmate close. “Just
for today and only if you promise not to wake me up.”

As his clanmate laughed out loud, the
Dramok wondered if he’d ever really feel like joking again or if
he’d be pretending to for the rest of his life.

* * * *

Clajak’s teasing comforted Egilka. He
could tell his clanmate’s heart wasn’t truly in the playfulness,
but at least he’d emerged enough from his grief to try. It was a
good sign.

He thought that Govi had been right in
his assessment. Clajak was in no shape to consider taking the reins
of the Empire right now. No matter how much Clajak’s leadership was
needed, it was beyond him. That he and Yuder had come so close to
blows over the matter frightened the Imdiko. Clajak might play
games to get his way, he may have from time to time ducked out of
duty put before him, but before today he had never outright defied
his Nobek father. A mixture of respect and the knowledge that Yuder
could skin him and use him for a throw rug had kept Clajak from
ever confronting the most dangerous member of the Imperial Clan.
The fact that he’d been terrified enough by Zarl’s potential death
to do so told Egilka that his Dramok still had serious issues to
wade through.

That meant Egilka and Korkla would have
to run interference for Clajak. It would be up to them to do as
much as they were able to keep things running in his name during
Zarl’s absence.

Ancestors help us if the
emperor dies. I might never get Clajak back if that
happens.

Thinking about the blank stare his
Dramok had worn for much of the last day made Egilka
shudder.

A loud, grating voice ahead pulled the
Imdiko out of his worried musings. “I insist on being allowed in to
see a member of the Imperial Clan. This matter cannot
wait!”

Egilka started and stared at the
information desk he and Clajak neared as they headed for the
hospital’s in-house transport. Standing there berating the
flustered Imdiko manning the station was Dramok Wagnox. Councilman
Pwaldur’s constant shadow, he had been present when Zarl and Narpok
had been brought in earlier, along with his clanmates Imdiko Stytyn
and Nobek Marzklis.

There was no sign of Wagnox’s Imdiko, a
doctor. Egilka surmised Stytyn was probably attending Narpok.
However, Wagnox’s Nobek was at his shoulder, a particularly nasty
looking man.