The Twisted Way (Champions of the Crystal Book 3)

Chapter 21.3

"I don't know if they're a myth or not, but yes, they were a very old race, older than the Wayfarers if the stories are true, and they had a very bad reputation. They ruled an empire and tyrannized over a large part of the galaxy. They supposedly had mystical powers and strange ceremonies, some of them involving sacrifice—mostly of victims from another race, though I think sometimes they killed their own. The planet's now reputed to be haunted. They say it contains the souls of all those who were killed, captured by the Pharon and left to go mad in bodiless bondage."

Sabrina shivered. "What would make the Wayfarers choose a place like that?"

"I don't know. But there must be some advantage to them, or they wouldn't."

"Imari thinks they did it just to spite us, because they knew we wouldn't agree."

"Do you think that?"

"N...no. They want this meeting. And I don't think Haaron would have passed it on to me if he thought it was really unworkable." She thought for a moment. "They obviously aren't afraid of this haunted planet. We're only to be in orbit around it, anyway. But I want to know why Imari is so dead-set against it. She must have a reason. It's too important for her to do this just to spite me."

"Hm." Tassan continued to massage her shoulders for a while, then stopped to rest his fingers. "Have you asked the Telurians?"

"No. Should I?"

"Well, they're a young race, but they get around," Tassan said. "It might not hurt. If you'd prefer, I can do it for you."

"Looking for an excuse to see Bryncaris again?" Sabrina arched an eyebrow at him over her shoulder.

"Yes, you're boring me," Tassan retorted, smiling as she twisted around to get a good look at his face. "Come on; we should get moving."

"Where to tonight?"

"You'll see." He helped her to her feet and led her toward the secret door to the tunnel system.

_____________

Sabrina spent the night in the huge bed in the rest chamber off the main Crystal chamber in Giandrah. It took her a long time to get to sleep; the energy the Crystal gave off made her hair stand on end, even with two walls between her and it. But Tassan sat beside her and talked softly to her, stroking her hair, until she dozed off, and she never woke in the night. Shortly before sunrise he woke her and led her back to her own rooms, where Darice had spent the night.

That morning she met with Owryden and General Zhahghai again, and then took them with her to the Council of Ministers meeting to present the trade agreement. Sabrina had succeeded in inserting a clause declaring that Praxatillus could choose to renegotiate the treaty when the state of war with Homeworld ended; until then, she knew that the Telurians bore most of the risk in trading with them, and it was only fair that they got the greater share of the profit. Owryden didn't seem to mind the clause. Probably, like most people, they didn't think the chance of peace was all that great. But it was the single biggest goal of Sabrina's life, with all her energies directed toward it, and she still believed in it.

After the trade agreement was signed, Sabrina directed Rndara to organize a special celebratory dinner in the Formal Dining Hall at Dansestari. It would be a treat for the Telurians, who had, with the exception of Owryden, not seen the palace, and Sabrina hesitated to go to Bathir with the possibility of assassins trailing her. Therenden called to say he had a few promising leads but so far had found no storytellers, and Scotty stopped by for a mid-afternoon snack.

"Heard you had another knock-down, drag-out with Imari," he said, toying suspiciously with a hard little biscuit. "Geesh, Rina, these'll break teeth. Why don'tya bake some cookies?"

"Tell me where to get some eggs around here and I will," she replied. "Besides, I'm told that to cook for myself mortally offends the palace chefs. It's all politics. Say, Scotty, when you were on Ariesafal, or any of the other places, did you ever hear anything about Pharo?"

"Don't think so," he said. "Why?"

She told him, and he said, "Want me to go to Lthos and get the scoop from Haaron?"

"No. Only as a last resort, maybe. That's a long way to go, and no guarantee you wouldn't get intercepted."

"By who? Homeworld wants this meeting, right?"

"The Reissians may be after you too, Scotty."

"I doubt it. I'm no threat to 'em. Hardly anybody knows I was even in the fight against them. Well, is there anybody else who might know about Pharo?"

"Haaron told me to ask Chief Councillor Oria."

"Well, want me to go to Deltarr, then? I can tell Mukryilla I wanna pull a duty shift there. We keep a garrison on the surface, you know. It's kinda like gettin' sent to Siberia, but Mukryilla won't mind that." He grinned. "It'll probably make her day."

"If you think it's safe..." Sabrina mused.

"Sure, why not?" he shrugged. "I'll be back for this dinner you're throwin'. That is, if I'm invited."

"Of course. For once, I don't expect you'll be the main source of entertainment," Sabrina said wryly.

"Ooh, now there's a challenge!" Scotty got to his feet. "I'll leave as soon as I get clearance. Don't worry, nobody'll know why I'm goin' except you, me, and Mukryilla. I'm sure she can think up a good excuse."

"Just be careful," Sabrina said.

"Hey," he grinned. "It's me. I'm always careful!"

"Remind me to get a dictionary and show you the definition of that word someday!" she called after him. She heard him laugh from the hallway.