The Twisted Way (Champions of the Crystal Book 3)

Chapter 13.1

He frowned at her. "You will outlive me."

"Do you think so?" she said, with a bitter smile.

"Are you unwell?" he demanded.

"What would it matter if I were? I am under a death mark. And when Homeworld decides you must die, it is only a matter of time."

"Not so," he said angrily. "The Lord Consort is a prime example."

"I am not a Tirqwin, with a Wayship and the Guardian to defend me. Oh, let's not talk about this. I simply thought it would be nice...you have become my friend...." She gave up trying to explain.

The movement of the dance separated them again for a while. When they came together again, Tassan said, "I will make a pact with you. Whichever of us lives the longest will sing at the other's funeral."

"Deal," Sabrina said.

"And now," he said, "we will talk of something more cheerful and more immediate. Lord Leran nar Daroun and Lady Selémahs nar Ruschar have been kind enough to invite the Citizens Council to their wedding. Should I attend?"

"Oh yes, of course you should!" Sabrina said, looking up at eagerly. "I'll be there too."

The dance ended, and they found themselves near the little group of officers gathered around General Zhahghai. They politely stopped talking as Sabrina approached. She held out her hand to the General, saying, "General, it is past time we danced, or people will say I've slighted you, and I cannot afford to offend so dreadfully."

He returned her smile. "It will be my pleasure, my lady."

"And you," Sabrina said to Scotty, "better find yourself a partner, or when the General and I are finished, you will have to suffer a dance with me!"

"Aw, geez, Rina, do I have to?" he muttered desperately.

"Come along, Captain," Tassan invited. "I'll introduce you to some of our Citizens Council who are clamoring to meet you."

Sabrina shot him a grateful look. Later in the dance she saw her brother take the floor with Maehr nar Tor, whose somber demeanor, she knew, was not to Scotty's taste; she almost laughed, understanding that Scotty would have preferred almost anything to being forced to dance with his sister. She caught his eye and grinned.

A blinding light exploded into the room, whiting out everything as the floor buckled and swayed. Screams cut through the rumble of a second explosion. As Sabrina tried to pick herself up off the floor, she realized the explosions were coming from the courtyard garden on the other side of the tall glass windows, one of which had shattered.

There was a general, blind movement toward the interior doors, with people scrambling over each other, trying to escape. Sabrina had lost contact with the General; blinking against the harsh light of the flames outside, she tried to pick any familiar form out of the tumbled crowd.

"Sabrina!" someone shouted nearby, and she cried, "Here! I'm here!"

"Don't get up yet!" Tassan shouted. He dropped to the floor beside her just as the third explosion blasted two more windows to bits. A fine shower of debris pelted them.

"Now!" Tassan yelled in Sabrina's ear, pulling her to her feet and propelling her toward the interior doors. She stumbled along beside him, trying to look for Scotty and Rayland over her shoulder. "Don't look, just run!" Tassan told her.

The fourth explosion blew out part of the stone exterior wall and took one of the massive chandeliers with it. Sabrina was thrown against the interior wall; Tassan landed against her, hard, and they fell to the floor.

As she tried to make sense of the blinding, deafening chaos, Sabrina realized that the room had emptied significantly; she had been almost in the middle, and those closer to the exits had already escaped. She heard only a few faint screams and sobs; calm, authoritative voices rose above them, directing the evacuation. She thought she heard Rayland's among them and tried to turn back to go to him.

"No, this way," Tassan said, pulling her toward a pair of doors.

"I have to help—"

"You have to get to safety," he replied, tightening his grip on her arm until it hurt.

A fifth explosion brought pieces of the ceiling down; Sabrina heard them crash to the floor as Tassan pushed her through the doorway and into the corridor full of confused people, some of whom were hurt. She tried to stop and help, but Tassan pushed ruthlessly through the crowd, pulling her along. "Which way is Control?" he asked her.

"I—that way, I think," she replied.

"My lady!" Darice shouted, from down the corridor. She looked relieved. "This way!"

They managed to push through to her, the people around them giving way as they recognized Sabrina. "My father—my brother—" Sabrina gasped out.

"The Commander's directing the evacuation," Darice said. "I haven't heard anything about your brother. Come, we've got to get you to Control." She turned away for a moment to shout to the crowd. "The shelter is at the end of this hallway and down the stairs!"

The mass of people began moving again, but Darice led Sabrina and Tassan into what looked like a little-used parlor. She began pushing the heavy tapestries aside until she found a hidden door panel. "Down here."

"The tunnels?" Sabrina asked, hesitating at the darkness. "But the building may collapse!"

"These tunnels won't," Darice assured her. "But hurry. I'll go first if you like." She dove into the darkness, a small handlamp held in front of her. Tassan almost pushed Sabrina into the tunnel as another explosion shook the building.