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

Chapter 15.1

When the courier was gone, speeding away with Rayland, Scotty, and Haaron, Sabrina and Therenden went in search of the Protians. Barosh and Usharn were delighted to be reunited, and Shahina promised that they would be returned to their home as soon as possible. Sabrina wanted to return to Khediva, but Shahina informed her that Asnefer did not wish to be disturbed, rejecting her offer of assistance. So Sabrina and Therenden took turns keeping watch over Mara and the thick, opaque shell covering Tirqwin.

Leran reported that the Eye of Miah had identified and retrieved Lieutenant Jsef's remains, and that the courier medics reported that Commander Rayland's condition was grave, but stable, and their prognosis was hopeful. Sabrina adamantly refused to let them take Mara aboard the Praxatillian ship, asserting her authority as Mistress of the Private Household with a claim to know what was best for Mara.

"You are making them suspicious," Therenden warned her. "Why don't you let them at least send a medic?"

"I don't want them to pull something. Mara stays here, with Tirqwin," Sabrina insisted. "She's fine; she just needs to rest."

Therenden had to admit that Mara was looking much better after Sabrina's efforts. She had removed Mara's bloody, torn clothes, given her a sponge bath, and put her in coveralls she had found in the infirmary, then trimmed the singed edges from her long hair, brushed it, and braided it. The familiar actions seemed to soothe Sabrina, and Therenden suspected Mara would feel the better for looking presentable when she woke. Sabrina had changed into coveralls as well, but she still wore her sash of office and orders. 

Therenden suspected she wanted, but could not obtain, a weapon; she seemed to feel a compulsive need to reunite Tirqwin, Khediva, and Mara, and every moment they were trapped here on Shahina made Sabrina more anxious. He wondered what Sabrina suspected Asnefer was doing to Khediva, but knew better than to ask it where Shahina could hear them.

"Mara has to be here with us when she wakes up," Sabrina said, as if she thought Therenden's silence was a sign of disapproval. "Not somewhere where they're going to expect her to give orders. I don't know...I don't know what this has done to her link with Tirqwin. Until I know that she's going to be able to deal with it, I'm not giving her back to them."

Therenden smiled; Sabrina's stance in front of the bed and her fierce tone reminded him of a wild animal standing guard over its young.

"What?" she asked suspiciously.

"King Baldaran chose well," Therenden said, and then wondered if he had been presumptuous.

Sabrina looked down at Mara, lightly stroking the long, thick braid running over Mara's shoulder. Then, to Therenden's surprise, she let out a quiet sob. "He would have done better," she whispered.

"You did a fine job. She's alive, and will soon be well—"

"He would have protected her—would have protected all of them. Not gotten them into this mess. Not gotten them blown up—"

Therenden realized for the first time that Sabrina was deeply dreading the moment Mara woke to discover what had happened to Tirqwin. He went to her and put an arm around her shoulders. "It wasn't your fault."

"Wasn't it?" she cried. "I was the idiot who walked right into Malvarak's hands, gave him the bait he needed to lure them into his trap!" She turned to look at Tirqwin's chrysalis, and wailed, "Oh, Therenden. How did Tirqwin take it?"

He knew she meant the revelation of Malvarak's mad crimes. "He was shocked. I do not think he had fully assimilated it; there was so much to do."

Sabrina returned to stroking Mara's braid. "Poor Mara," she said, swallowing her tears. "She thought so much of him...."