The Twisted Way (Champions of the Crystal Book 3)

Chapter 7.2

Sabrina faced the door and took another deep breath as it slid open. Tirqwin was nowhere in sight, but there was an alarming smear of blood on the floor. She stepped inside and looked around, spotting him on the upholstered bench behind the door. He was half lying on it, his face hidden in his arms.

Appalled at the sight of his burnt sleeve and the smell of charred flesh, she didn't waste time trying to rouse him but went right to work on the wound. When she had cleaned it and sealed it with synthiskin, she examined him for other hurts, and tended to two cuts on his left leg before gently lifting his head and seeing the bruised cut on one cheek. Then she noticed the livid marks on his neck and shivered as she realized Malvarak must have tried to strangle his kinsman. She remembered her own injuries at Malvarak's hands, inflicted in a moment of his madness; the physical pain had paled beside the terror and anguish of what their friend had become. Tirqwin must have suffered far more acutely, sharing centuries more history with Malvarak.

Sabrina gave him a general painkiller, a gentle sedative, and a concoction to help his body replace the lost blood, with Khediva's advice. Sabrina was expert by now in human and Praxatillian medical aid, but she had rarely been called on to administer any to Tirqwin. She wished she knew whether his slow pulse was normal. "Khediva? Is he hurt anywhere else?"

"No; merely some bruised ribs. They will heal themselves," Khediva replied. "I wish you would try to get him to talk to you."

"Isn't he asleep?"

"No."

"Well!" Sabrina said, patting his uninjured cheek lightly. "Tirqwin, come on, show a little life." She lifted his head and let it drop back down gently onto his folded arms. "Khediva, either he's ignoring me or he's in a coma. A healing trance, maybe?"

"If only it were," Khediva sighed.

Sabrina folded her hands on the bench and rested her chin on them, putting her face level with Tirqwin's. Then she waited, breathing as quietly as she could. After what seemed like an hour but was probably less than a minute, Tirqwin opened one curious eye and scrutinized her. "What are you doing here?" he demanded wearily. "You are supposed to be on Praxatillus."

"I am. Or I will be. Mara's promised to put me back just when I left, to avoid giving Rayland a heart attack," Sabrina replied.

"There was no need for her to drag you into this!" Tirqwin said, indignation filling his flat tone.

"No, likely not, but since I wanted to see you both again anyway, it works out."

"Is there something wrong? Do you need something?" he asked, frowning in concern.

"Just to know that all of you are all right," she replied. "Are you?"

"There is no need for you to worry about me," he said. "You have quite enough on your hands."

"Yes. Well, at least now I can begin my peace initiative," Sabrina said.

"You sound as though you're looking forward to it."

"I love a challenge, you know. It's why they send for me when you get in a sulk. Somebody's got to do the dirty work." She shot him her best mischievous look.

Tirqwin's lips quirked briefly into the hint of a grin; then he groaned and leaned his forehead against his arms again. When he looked up, he said, "Whose look was that originally, yours or Mara's? I just realized they are identical."

Sabrina laughed. "I think it was actually Scotty's first."

Tirqwin groaned again and said something that was fortunately muffled against his sleeves. Sabrina cocked her head at him with a fond smile, then sobered. "Tirqwin, none of this was your fault, you know. And even if it had been, you don't get the luxury of wallowing in your self-pitying guilt. You are supposed to be taking care of Mara. I expect you to do a good job of it, too, because I want her ready to come back and take this hideous regency off my shoulders just as soon as it's remotely possible. I'm having a hell of a time. Sometimes I can't even—" She broke off. "Anyway, you've got to handle things a little better than this, okay? And not letting Mara and Khediva tend to your injuries is inexcusable. What if Homeworld had found you while you were in that state? You'd've been useless, and Mara and Khediva would've had to fend for themselves."

Tirqwin's eyes narrowed, but before he could say anything, Mara came in. "I won't have him lectured," the Queen said sternly. "He's still hurting. I'm surprised at you, Sabrina!"

Sabrina noted wryly that Mara seemed to have regained her imperiousness along with her composure. "He isn't the only one Malvarak's hurt. I seem to recall nearly dying because of him, and I couldn't even get treated before I had to drag myself down to the brain core, play football with Khediva's brain, do a crash course in Ship brain connections, and contend with an arrogant High Tirqwin! I think I've earned the right to lecture Tirqwin about not letting things stop him in his tracks. What would have happened to us all if I'd just sat down and felt sorry for myself instead of doing what needed done?"

Mara folded her arms and looked at Tirqwin. "Are you going to let her get the better of you like that?"

Tirqwin grimaced, then shrugged—and grimaced again, this time in pain. "Why not? She has had the worst of me already. Anyway, she is right."

Sabrina grinned. "If only the Council of Ministers could be this rational!"

"And Aunt Imari?" Mara added.

"Oh, I've gotten on her good side," Sabrina said triumphantly. Then she sobered. "And I'm going to need to be, once I break the peace initiative to her. Are you guys all right now? Because I should be back in Control."

"There's no hurry," Mara said.

"I'm sorry, but until I get back there I'll be worried about them. They're my responsibility," Sabrina replied.

"Well," Mara sighed, "that's why we made you regent, after all. But I wish we could have visited awhile."

"When it's safe," Sabrina promised. "I'll see if I can find out whether Homeworld caught Malvarak; Lthos has been keeping an eye on the situation, I know. Nobody likes the idea of a renegade Wayfarer. Check in with me from time to time, if you can do it without giving yourselves away."

"We will," Mara promised. "Take care of yourself, Sabrina. You're losing weight. Try to relax a little."

Sabrina gave her a wry, twisted grin. "Yeah, right. Just take care of yourselves and let me worry about me. And Haaron, and Therenden, and Rayland, and everybody else. Don't worry, I have lots of people to tell me to relax."

"Then see that you do," Tirqwin admonished, getting to his feet. "How is Scotty?"

"Haven't a clue. Rayland's got him running all over the place doing something or other. I think he's sniffing out Homeworld's spy network, though why Scotty should be qualified to do that, I don't know."

Tirqwin frowned. "I hope he does not find any. Those operatives will be dangerous."

"Thanks, that's awfully relaxing," Sabrina said.

"Do not worry," Tirqwin said. "I am sure Scotty will convince them he is not worth their trouble."

"You two have teased each other enough," Mara announced. "Sabrina, we'll be in touch. And the Crystal will alert me if I'm needed at home. Thank you. For everything."

"Try to take care of each other—and to let each other!" Sabrina said, hugging Tirqwin and kissing Mara's cheek. "I'll give your regards to Scotty. Oh, he wants a Big Mac."

"A big what?" Tirqwin asked blankly.

"Tell Uncle Rayland we are well, and Aunt Imari too," Mara said, waving her hand.

Sabrina found herself back in Defense Control. Rayland's expression was just becoming alarmed; at the sight of her, it became puzzled and uncertain.

"I've just been to Khediva," she said. "They're all fine. They ran into Malvarak and sent off the distress call so that Homeworld could find him. But they got away in time. Mara says to tell you they are well."

"You...just seemed to flicker for a moment," Rayland said. He shook his head. "Shariara was sick for so long, I think I had almost forgotten what the Guardian can do. Well, I am relieved." He let out a deep sigh, and some of the lines in his face lightened.

"We'd better continue the alert though," Sabrina said. "Homeworld knows they didn't get Khediva. They may strike again."

"Yes," Rayland said. "Well, at least we should be prepared. You'd better go back to sleep, my dear, if you can."

"I'll try. Good night," Sabrina said, as he kissed her on the forehead.