A Way of Honor (Champions of the Crystal Book 2)

Chapter 4: Truth and Consequences

A moment later they were aboard Khediva. Sabrina sighed in relief—there was no chance of being overheard here, no matter what sort of scene was about to take place. Mara said, "Now, Sabrina. I will hear the truth from you."

"You have never heard anything else," Sabrina replied. "All right. Khediva, jump in if I leave anything out, will you?"

"I will tell it, if you prefer, Sabrina," Khediva offered, unexpectedly compassionate. "I do not fear Commander Rayland's wrath."

"I don't either," Sabrina lied, squaring her shoulders. "Mara, when we first landed, after you left us, Scotty and I were taken away from Tirqwin. We were interrogated about Tirqwin's whereabouts in the past several days."

"How dare they!" Mara flashed angrily.

"Wait, Mara, this is only the beginning. Won't you—won't you sit down, please," Sabrina said.

"No," Mara replied. "Go on, Sabrina."

Sabrina glanced at Malvarak, who was looking back intently. She sighed again. "They showed us a security recording of your father's death."

"But...to what purpose?" Mara asked, puzzled. She sat down, slowly, as her eyes began to darken.

"Mara, honey," Sabrina said, going over to her and laying a hand on her shoulder, "your father was murdered."

"What?" Mara gasped. "They said—they said he died asleep—dozing in the garden—"

"That's what they want everyone to think, while they're investigating."

"And that's what Tirqwin's doing!" Mara exclaimed, her eyes lighting again as she jumped up. "And why it's so secret! But he should have told me!"

"Mara," Sabrina said, "Tirqwin's not doing the investigating. He's—he's the one they've arrested for the murder."

Mara's mouth fell open in shock, and she dropped back into her seat without even seeming to realize it. Sabrina anxiously took the Queen's small, nerveless hands in hers and squeezed them comfortingly. "Mara, I don't have to tell you he didn't do it. I'm trying to find out who did. He's all right, really, they're treating him fine, he's just in a cell, that's all—"

"How could you—" Mara choked. "How could you keep this from me?"

"Rayland said that he didn't want to distress you by telling you before his investigation was complete. He ordered Scotty, and he pressured me, and I said I'd try. But I was going to tell you, anyway, after the funeral was over. Mara, honey, we just didn't want to make it harder on you."

"And Tirqwin?" Mara demanded, tears streaming down her cheeks. There was a little silence, while Sabrina wondered what answer she could give, and Mara's eyes took on a faraway look. Then she cried out. "He would have let them kill him—"

"No! Mara, no, I'd never let him—I'd never let them—Mara, I swear I wouldn't've let it happen!" Sabrina protested.

"It was not yours to control!" Mara shouted, pulling her hands away and clenching her fists. "He is my tutor, and it was my father, and I should have been the first to know! Always it has to be you—what you want, what you think, what you can do!"

"Mara, it wasn't like that—" Sabrina interjected desperately.

"Well, I don't need your help, and neither does Tirqwin! He shall have my help, which is much more to the point!" Mara jumped up and walked a few paces, then whirled and said, "And I will not have an attendant who is more concerned with her own opinions than with my needs! You are dismissed from my service!"

"Mara!" Sabrina gasped.

"I mean it!" Mara said, stamping her foot. The two women stared at each other for a moment; then Mara turned and ran down the corridor to her room.