“I shan’t allow that.”
“I just want to get some proof of the existence of that bedamned evil from Khan-Gor to take to Gio that he will believe me. Leastways, I sound as though I’ve gone mad without proof to back up my claim! What do I say to him? ‘For a certainty, Gio, we must kill your sire afore he kills another,’” Dari said, mimicking herself in falsetto. “’Oh—you knew naught of your sire’s many murders? ‘Tis sorry I am, but aye.’” She shook her head. “As I said, I’ve the sound of what mymanicalls the village idiot.”
“Dari,” Kari said patiently, “we won’t even breech Khan-Gori airspace for another full day. It’s okay to take your time while telling Klykka your story. Unfortunately, time is all we have right now.”
“So let us make the most of it.”
* * * * *
Meanwhile, also in Zyrus Galaxy…
Gio sat entirely still, staring at Dari’s form through theholo-screen. He could hear the Emperor barking orders in the background, could feel the footfalls of warriors running to meet his demands, yet he felt disconnected from all but Dari. He had naught but herholo-imageto hang onto, yet somehow she felt more real than the goings on about him.
His beloved Dari. She hadn’t betrayed him. Quite the contrary, his future Sacred Mate thought to save his very life. Never had he felt more blessed—nor more wretched—in all of his life.
There was no denying his sire had changed mightily. Gio hadn’t known what, or as it turned out even when, the change had been, yet there it was. Neither had he known that his sire had taken the lives of innocents.
“’Tis no wonder she ran from Arak,” Gio murmured to himself. “’Twas all she could do.”
He couldn’t seem to blink. He simply stared at Dari’sholo-image, hoping against hope that he got to her afore she got to Khan-Gor.Khan-Gor…
Every warrior aboard ship had gasped at the information for none had believed of its existence. ‘Twas evident in the extreme that Dari had quite a head start on theirgastrolight-cruiserfor no such ice planet had made it on their radar as of yet.
Gio was grateful that his betrothed had not betrayed him, yet the knowledge she might face something on that bedamned planet he knew naught of had him even more anxious than he’d been afore.
“Call off the warriors!” Zor bellowed. “We do not want anyone interrupting Dari’s speech with The Gy’at Li!”
“There it is!” King Kil called out. “It’s not showing on radar, but I can see the ice planet!”
“By the sands,” King Rem said softly, clearly taken aback. “He’s right.”
“My hatchling,” Gio heard King Dak mutter. “Goddess, I beg you to take me o’er her. I will gladly meet theRahin her stead.”
Gio closed his eyes. Let it not come to that. Dear goddess, let it not come to that…
Chapter Four
King Elian’s temper grew more ferocious with each new moon-rising. In truth, Dari hadn’t any notion what had caused the change in him, but there it was. Both his speech and his behavior grew increasingly aggressive, nigh unto the point where Dari could scarce stand to endure his presence. Leastways, she took more of her meals in her rooms and spent less of them with the Z’an Tars.
One eve, the eve afore her eighteenthYessat-Year, Gio knocked on her doors and asked if he could speak with her. Knowing ‘twould not be proper for him to enter her rooms, she had Qenda inform Gio that the princess would meet with him in the gardens at their usualvesha-bench.
“Thank you for coming,” Gio said, rising to stand.
Dari waved away the formality. “No need to stand upon ceremony, milord.” She took the seat next to him under a swath ofkrosisplants. “You wished to speak with me?”
Silence.
“Milord?”
Gio stared at the ground. “I will be pleased indeed when the morrow arrives. Leastways, finally will you call me by my name. No more of this ‘milord’ nonsense.”
Because she’ll have turned eighteen. “Is that not what the Holy Law requires of me, milord?” She didn’t want him to feel disrespected. “Until I’ve seen eighteenYessat-Years?”
“I will not pretend to know if ‘tis the Holy Law or mere tradition.”
“Oh.”
“But just once how I wish to hear my name on your lips.”
