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

Chapter 20: Beginnings

The entire wedding party followed the couple up to a ceremonial room near the Main Gate of the palace, where a large balcony faced the outer courtyard, the traditional gathering place for the people of Praxatillus. Mara and Tirqwin paused to sign a large, decorative-looking book laid out on a table, and Imari and Rayland led the others onto the balcony to cheers from the small but vocal crowd below. Sabrina and Scotty hung back behind the others, not wanting to do anything wrong and acutely aware that they were aliens. The loudest cheering was for Rayland, who smiled and nodded, unable to wave because he needed his one good arm to lean on his cane. After a few moments he looked around, then nodded for Scotty and Sabrina to come forward.

"Come," he said, his voice barely cutting through the noise of the crowd. "They will want to see you. Let them see you as part of us."

They stepped up beside Rayland, looking uncertainly at the sea of faces below. The crowd's noise dropped away as people looked at the aliens who had made such a mark on their world; then the cheering began again, at a lesser volume than before, but still strong and hearty. Sabrina and Scotty waved hesitantly, then moved aside as Tirqwin and Mara emerged.

The cheering rose to an almost unbearable pitch as the people hailed their Queen. Sabrina knew there was, despite everything, an enormous amount of public sympathy for Mara; her story as the captive princess, then the youngest Guardian, and now the new Queen had tremendous appeal, and if people deplored that she had fallen in love with a Wayfarer, they were proud of her for being special enough to make him fall in love with her.

Mara smiled and waved, completely in her element; Tirqwin looked acutely uncomfortable but smiled gamely at the crowd. At least they weren't booing him, Sabrina thought. It had been a possibility discussed over and over again while planning the wedding; only Mara's insistence had made them include the traditional balcony appearance after all.

Tired of smiling and waving, Sabrina slipped to the back of the group again, leaving the public display up to those who enjoyed it, such as Rndara and Imari, or at least those brought up with it as a duty, like Rayland, Leran, and Selémahs. The crowd was shouting variations on, "Long live the Queen!" with the occasional cheer for Rayland; Tirqwin's name was notably absent, but no one expected the people of Praxatillus to cheer their ancient enemy, a man with whose people they were technically at war.

"Man," Scotty muttered in Sabrina's ear as they slipped back into the open doorway to the ceremonial room, "I need a drink!"

"Preferably followed by a nap in a nice, quiet place," Sabrina agreed. "Well, I didn't trip over my hem, or—" She broke off as she caught a flash against the glass doors, a reflection of movement that startled her. She started to turn as Scotty yelped, "Hey! What're you—"

The masked stranger raised his arm, and Sabrina saw the glint of light off his weapon even as she and Scotty ducked, launching themselves toward the nearest cover. Scotty toppled a nearby table, and the assassin's shot slammed into it, sending splinters everywhere.

On the balcony, Leran and Selémahs heard the shot and hurriedly ducked out of view of the crowd, drawing their weapons and covering the doorway. Sabrina fumbled with what seemed like miles of skirt until she yanked her blaster free of her ankle holster; by that time, Scotty had pumped four shots at the assassin, who kept moving, heading for the door into the palace.

"Get him!" Scotty yelled, racing for the door and dodging into the wall as the assassin fired one last shot over his shoulder. He recovered and continued the chase, Sabrina on his heels, her skirt whipping wildly after her.

They chased their quarry down a short hallway that ended in a barred door leading to the small walkway over the Main Gate. Sabrina saw the sign on the door and knew it was a warning; she guessed the Main Gate walkway had been damaged and was not repaired, and that was why the door was sealed. The assassin aimed a shot at it, but it was obvious it would take more than a hand weapon to free the door, so he whirled and pointed his weapon at the Devons.