The Power and the Glory

Book 5 Chapter I: Kitri Hears All About It

Lian looked from one to the other, and then to Shizuki coiled around Irímé like a living scarf. "Well, I was planning to go through the Void. We still have that other monster to deal with. But I wouldn't advise bringing a child—"

"Siarvin and Ilaran would murder both of us if you did," Abi muttered.

"—so Shizuki had better stay until the spaceships get up and running again. Irímé, you should stay with him. You can find the survivors and say... well, you can come up with any excuse you like. Abi and I will go back to Saoridhlém."

That was that. It wasn't a time for hanging around for a last minute chat. Who knew what Haliran was doing with that monster? It might have already bitten someone! Abi and Irímé shook hands awkwardly. Abi suddenly found she had nothing to say.

"Well, goodbye," she said.

Irímé looked at her oddly. Did he have the same feeling she did? The odd certainty that they wouldn't meet again?

She took a step towards Lian. Then she impulsively turned and hugged Irímé and Shizuki. Shizuki hissed something that might have been a goodbye or might have been a complaint that she was squeezing him.

Abi let go and backed away awkwardly. She gave her hand to Lian.

"We'll see you soon," Irímé called as the world began to blur.

Then they were in the Void. This time Abi knew to close her eyes.

~~~~

Ilaran had seen so many odd things in his life — and in the last few months especially — that he wasn't even surprised when Abihira appeared in the middle of his bedroom. Annoyed, yes, but not surprised. He was mildly surprised that she'd brought a stranger with her, though. That was the first clue that this time she was physically present instead of just a telepathic projection.

The second clue was that her friend tripped over a chair, staggered forward while waving his arms wildly, and hit Ilaran across the face.

"Oh dear," said Abihira.

Ilaran wanted to use a few stronger words. He rubbed his sore jaw. He'd have a bruise tomorrow. "I take it this is Prince Imrahil. And since you're here, I take it you either dealt with the monsters, or failed and ran for your lives."

Abihira frowned, visibly offended. "We wouldn't do that!"

Considering everything he knew about Imrahil's past, Ilaran had his doubts.

"We're here because... it'll be faster to show you."

A series of confused images ran through Ilaran's mind. A dragon circling overhead, rows of empty seats, zombies burning to ash. Then he saw something that turned his blood to ice.

"That's—"

"Haliran," Abihira agreed. "And she has a zombie."

Imrahil or Lian or whatever he was currently calling himself had regained his balance. During this conversation he did his best to fade into the background. He flinched when Ilaran turned his head to study him.

It was nothing short of a miracle that this man had been able to live in a foreign royal court without being recognised as a Sinistrah instantly. A miracle, or the Gengxin court was spectacularly unobservant. Or they might have noticed and thought it was rude to comment on it. Imrahil's eyes might be his most striking feature, but he also had his grandfather's facial structure, his mother's nose, his father's long and slightly curling eyelashes, and he shared his cousin Fiyanrin's slightly-too-prominent front teeth.

Fiyanrin was the current Saoridhin diplomat to Gengxin. Ilaran wondered how in the world Lian managed that. An image of Lian diving behind a hedge to avoid meeting his cousin came to mind. Ilaran smiled in spite of himself.