 
Nexus Point

The Fall of the Altairan Empire: Book One

Jaleta Clegg

Second Edition: Copyright 2014 Jaleta Clegg

Smashwords edition

(First edition copyright 2009 Cyberwizard Productions)

©2014

Please do not copy or distribute this book without the permission of the author.

A complete listing of works can be found at http://www.jaletac.com

Praise for The Fall of the Altairan Empire:

Jaleta has managed to create one of the strongest female characters I have ever read.

Well written, with an unpredictable plot and well-rounded characters.

Fans of science fiction novels should love this book.

I enjoyed the Priestess of the Eggstone and would recommend it for anyone seeking a fun 'Indiana Jones' style adventure through space.

This is a good adventure series with strong male and female characters.

This was a fun Sci-fi read, and I will be looking for the other books to read as well.

For Genny, because you believed.

Table of Contents

Author Bio

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 1

"Dace? We really need to talk."

I hunched my shoulders. I doubted Jerith wanted a discussion. He much preferred lecturing.

"Oh, Captain?" He leaned over my chair; the stench of old sweat filled the tiny cockpit.

"What?" I kept my back to him, choosing instead to watch the interplay of colored light across the viewscreen. I wrinkled my nose.

"The ship needs a week in drydock. Everything is falling apart. See? The coolant levels are spiking again." He reached over my shoulder to tap the indicator.

I pushed his hand away. "The ship is fine. That's just an air bubble. It will work itself through the system soon enough." Less than three weeks out and I wished I'd never signed his contract.

"We need to put the ship in drydock, Dace." Jerith swung my chair to face him. "I'm telling you as your engineer that this vessel is unsafe. The whole hyperdrive system could fail at any moment. It needs repairs and adjustments. As the captain you should take responsibility. If you won't, I will."

I ignored his juvenile attempt at intimidation. I could play that game better. "You can check the coolant on the ground at Thurwood if it will make you feel better. The hyperdrive system is fine. I checked it myself. I'm paying you to be the engineer, not some drydock tech company."

"You haven't paid me anything. And coolant systems that old are not my job."

"You said they were when I hired you." I suspected he just didn't want to crawl through the access conduits. If I hadn't been female and young besides, he might have shown me at least a little respect. But he'd probably still insist that I crawl into the conduits.

He snorted, crossing his flabby arms.

I was the captain. It was his job to fix the engines, not mine. "Scared of tight spaces? Or are you just incompetent?"

"How come there isn't any soup left?" Flago smelled worse than Jerith. Neither cared much about personal hygiene. "All we got are two week's worth of breakfast cereal."

"You ate the soup already," Jerith said.

I rubbed my forehead. Tempting as it was, beating them into submission would only make matters worse, though the strategy had worked on the bullies at the Academy. "So eat cereal. It was the only thing I could afford on Beccurot." This wasn't what I'd envisioned two months earlier when I'd graduated from the Patrol Academy.

Flago sniffed. He stalked all four steps to the galley.

"Drydock, or I won't fly with you. This ship isn't safe." Jerith slapped my chair.

"Feel free to leave anytime." I turned back to the controls as he left the cockpit.

He muttered in the galley with Flago. I didn't care. Let them plot. When we made port, they were both getting off. Permanently.

My board erupted in red lights. Sirens screamed. Alarms shrilled. The ship shuddered violently. I froze for a split second before the Academy training kicked in. The autopilot flashed. We weren't at destination. The engine whined as the temperature shot up the scale. I flipped the board to manual control and slammed the hyperdrive shutdown switches initiating an emergency downshift. Lost and drifting in normal space beat the alternative which involved exploding.

The bubble of normal space generated by the hyperdrive collapsed. My vision blurred as three dimensional space twisted into seven. If we weren't close enough to a large gravity well, we were about to be smeared across the transect boundary of hyperspace.

The ship lurched and shook. The universe flipped right side out. I sucked in a breath. Every indicator glowed red when the sublight systems tried to boot.

Something in the engine room exploded with a loud bang. The ship started tumbling.

"We just lost half the coolant system," Jerith shouted. "The core's redlining."

"Where are we? Flago?" I barely heard myself over the screaming alarms.

The ship rocked as an escape pod shot away. Flago was gone. I swore under my breath as I wrestled with the controls. I slammed switches like mad, trying to stabilize the ship.

"The core is redlining, Dace!"

"I know!"

"Cut it loose!"

I didn't want to. If I dumped the core, we would be stranded with only emergency power. It might be weeks before anyone found us. If ever. I hit the override buttons. It didn't help. The indicator crept closer to the red zone.

Jerith reached over my shoulder to punch the button that should have jettisoned the core. Nothing happened. I slapped his hand away from the controls. He shoved me to the side, then slammed his fist into the eject button. The core didn't eject. Jerith scrambled out of the cockpit to the second escape pod.

The ship shuddered as his pod shot away. I couldn't leave, not yet. Not until I'd tried everything. Star's Grace was my life, my soul, my dream. I hit the reset switches. Nothing happened. I cut all power, then sat in the dark and counted to five while the alarms screamed. I hit the switches to turn everything on again. Nothing changed. A new alarm hooted over the chorus of sirens. Less than ten seconds before the core overloaded.

It was still a hard choice. I scrambled through the galley to the last escape pod. I pulled the hatch shut and sealed it, abandoning my ship.

The pod launched itself automatically. I buckled the restraints, blinking back tears. The last time I'd cried was when I'd lost my first and only toy at the orphanage. Beido had been a scrap of cloth with a clumsy face, but she'd been my doll. The director had thrown her out when I made the mistake of showing I cared.

The shockwave of my ship exploding spun the pod out of control. Everything vibrated. I clung to the webbing as it tumbled.

The autosystem finally stabilized the pod and stopped the tumbling. I freed a hand to wipe my face. I'd just lost everything, every credit invested in my ship and cargo. I reached for the hatch release. Dying in vacuum would be quicker than dying slowly in a lost pod. I couldn't do it. The will to keep going was too ingrained, too many years of fighting everything and everyone. I slumped against the webbing. I'd just have to start over, wherever I landed.

The pod's simple controls should have come on automatically but the guidance screen stayed dark and blank.

I hit the power buttons again. The screen fizzed gray and white. I flipped the switches and adjusted the settings. The screen flickered to static before returning to black. I jiggled the frame. It cleared, briefly. I shouted curses at it.

The profanity didn't help. I popped open the access hatch above it, then wiggled my hand through the tangle of wires inside. Everything seemed to be connected, although the wires were old and brittle. Insulation crumbled off, leaving bare metal. I accidentally crossed the wrong two. I yelped and jerked my hand free as the system shorted. Static filled the screen before fading completely.

I'd have to hope the emergency beacon still worked. I reached for the small storage locker. It supposedly held a water supply and emergency ration cubes. They would never go bad, or at least never get any worse. The door of the locker stuck. I squirmed around to bang on it, twisting myself in the webbing.

The controls beeped, a very insistent noise. I glanced at the dead screen. It hadn't magically started working. The lights flashed on the guidance system, indicating a planet close by. The pod was landing, whether I wanted it to or not.

I tried to untangle the webbing but panicked and only twisted it more. The beeping increased in pitch. Atmosphere screamed past. An access panel banged loose. The pod shuddered.

The pod's angle was too steep. I fumbled my arms free to hit the thrusters.

The pod spun. I hit the controls again. The thrusters fired erratically. I had to think, not panic. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

"I am Dace, I am strong. I can do this." It calmed my nerves enough so I could function again.

I tried booting the screen one more time. Nothing happened. I'd landed a dead pod at the Academy, once, in a simulator where the worst that could happen was a bad score. I'd die if I messed up this time. I sucked in a deep breath of stale air, blowing out the panic that nibbled at my mind and tied my stomach in knots.

"First thing, straighten it out. Left thruster, just a bit. Ease back, Dace. Nose up, but not that far."

I talked myself through the procedure. The pod quit spinning. I feathered the controls, lifting the nose, keeping the tail down. Now I just had to wait. The braking thrusters should come on automatically. I stared at the dead screen.

"No radar, no way to know how close—"

I was beyond swearing. I closed my eyes and sweated. I guessed blindly and hit the braking thrusters when the pitch of air changed.

The old fuel burned unevenly. The pod lurched, slamming me against the webbing. The pod fell like a rock. The thrusters kicked in, shoving me against the webbing. They sputtered a final time. Crash foam gushed from nozzles, partially filling the space.

The pod slammed into the ground, hitting hard and rolling. I ground my teeth, fighting nausea and glad I hadn't eaten lunch.

It finally crunched to a stop, tilted on one side, nose down. The controls died with a mournful beep. The lights faded, their power expended. I felt along the webbing for the release clasp, then shoved my fingernails under the release and pried up. I broke one nail before the webbing popped loose. I landed on the controls. The storage locker opened, dumping its contents on my head.

I twisted my hands around the hatch release lever and yanked. The hatch popped free, landing outside with a dull clank. Wind scoured the inside of the pod, smelling of mud and animals and rain. I thumbed the heater on in my suit as I crawled free.

I'd crashed in the middle of a muddy field, dotted with tangles of bushes. Clouds scudded across a gray sky. Rain spit in intermittent bursts. The ground dropped into a shallow basin. A line of trees marked a path at the bottom.

I reached into the pod to gather supplies. I had no idea how long I might be stuck on this planet. No one would look for me. I had no family. Someone might look for Flago or Jerith, though after living with them for three weeks, I couldn't understand why unless they owed that someone money.

I sorted through the jumble that had fallen from the storage locker, none of it what I expected. I found a bar of very old chocolate, two screwdrivers, a small wrench, and a nice set of lockpicks. Everything else in the pod was junk, not worth salvaging.

My pockets contained my ship ID chip and an assortment of wire connectors. I dropped the connectors into the pod. I couldn't think of any possible use for them. I took the chocolate and slid my ID chip in my pocket along with the tools.

The lockpicks posed a problem. They were illegal anywhere in the Empire. Toiba, the junkyard dealer I'd bought my ship from, had taught me how to use a similar set although admitting that would earn me a prison berth from the Patrol. I slipped the lockpicks into my left boot. I could always ditch them later.

I nibbled on the chocolate as I picked my way across the mud towards the distant line of trees. I rounded a bush to find a huge creature munching the foliage on the other side. It caught sight of me and brayed, its eyes showing white all the way around. I dropped the chocolate. My heart thumped triple time.

The creature lowered its massive head and brayed again, showing me lots of very big, very square teeth. I retreated a step. It snorted, blowing strings of mucus from its nose. I edged back another step. It stamped enormous feet, churning up the mud. I stared into its dark eyes certain I was about to be eaten.

The animal tossed its head. I screamed and ran for the dubious safety of the trees.

A whole herd of similar animals joined in the chase, tails high and hooves squelching as we ran across the muddy field.

They chased me around a bush, barely missing with their square teeth and stomping hooves. I ducked my head and ran for the trees and the road. They brayed behind me.

I slammed into a fence, knocking myself flat and sliding under it into a dirt path. The creatures stopped on the other side, flapping their tails and blowing bubbles in the green slime dripping from their noses.

I wiped mud from my face as I crawled backwards away from them.

Footsteps smacked on the muddy path as people ran towards me. I sighed with relief. They must have seen my pod and come to offer help.

My relief died as they came closer. They waved the sticks and shouted at me, not the beasts.

The lead man stabbed his stick my way. I rolled to the side, scrambling to my feet. The others circled, watching. I raised my fists, ready to attack. I'd lose the fight, but at least I'd get a few blows in.

The rain picked up, drenching all of us. I wiped water out of my face. Movement flashed behind me. I twisted around. One of them whacked me over the head. Blinded by pain, I landed in the mud face-first and passed out.

Chapter 2

I sniffed and gagged, woken by a vile stench worse than Flago's socks. I lay on a pile of dried grass that stank like an overgrown algae tank. I sat to get away from it despite my head spinning and my body aching. I had a big lump over one ear that ached horribly, but everything else seemed to be intact.

The only light came from around the door, a pale halo that barely lit any of the room. Rough stone chilled my hands and knees as I crawled over to investigate. It was real stone, complete with chips and cracks, but that couldn't be right. No one built with real stone. Plascrete was much cheaper and easier to shape and didn't have all the defects.

The door was a big slab of real wood. I got slivers trying to pry it open. It wouldn't budge when I shoved it. I hammered on it and shouted. No one came.

I slumped with my back against the wall next to the door, resigned to waiting. The cell held no answers for any of my questions.

The door swung open with a massive creak, jerking me out of a doze. I tried to shield my eyes from the sudden brightness, squinting at the wavering light.

"Fire?" Who used torches for light? This planet was getting weirder and weirder.

A man in a garish robe studied me, hands on his hips. A fierce bird embellished with polished stones and metallic embroidery screamed on his chest. I'd studied enough textiles to recognize the fabric as coarse, but the quality of the embroidery belied that. He curled his lip in distaste.

I pushed myself to my feet, leaning on the wall as the room spun. I barely came to his nose but that wasn't much of a surprise. I'm pretty short by Imperial standards. The man was about average height.

The other man, a big bald man wearing only leather pants and big boots and holding the torch, loomed over us both. His face showed nothing but vague boredom.

Everything reminded me of a Dariana Grace vid. I'd watched every one I could find at the Academy. I'd named my ship after her. Someone had gone to a lot of trouble to recreate one, like a very elaborate joke. But why me? I had no money, no family, no connections. It couldn't be for me.

The bird man asked a question. I'd never heard the language before.

"Do you speak Basic?"

He said something else, waving his hand impatiently.

I shook my head. The room swirled. I grabbed for the wall and missed. They let me fall on my face in the doorway. I lay still, my cheek pressed to the gritty stone while I waited for the dizziness to pass.

Bird man asked me another question. He kicked my ribs when I didn't answer. I curled around the pain.

The bald one picked me up, tossing me over his shoulder. Bird man led the way down a hall.

They carried me into another room lined with more burning torches. I coughed on the smoky haze in the air. A huge brazier sat in the middle of the room, coals glowing red like evil eyes. The bald man dropped me onto a table. I swallowed bile as the lump on my head connected with the dense wood, waking stabbing pain behind my eyes.

Baldie grabbed my arms, yanking them out to the sides of the table where he clipped my wrists into metal cuffs. He grabbed my feet and did the same with my ankles. I couldn't have fought him if I wanted to.

Bird man leaned over the table. Bald man stayed by my feet. Bird man asked me a question.

"I don't understand anything you're saying."

He gabbled more questions.

"Try Basic."

He slapped me.

"I don't understand."

He slapped the other cheek. I screamed at him. He hit me until I shut up. My nose dripped blood across my cheek. Bird man turned away.

I looked at bald man. He may have been bigger, but he felt less threatening. "Who are you? Where am I?"

Bald man folded his arms over his massive, naked chest.

"Why are you doing this? My name is Dace, captain of the Star's Grace." I stopped. He obviously didn't care who I was.

Bird man smiled serenely as he lifted a metal rod in his hand. The tip glowed red, the light reflected in his eyes. He stroked my cheek with his free hand. I cringed at his touch. Not even at the orphanage had things been this bad. I'd been beaten, but not with hot irons.

"What do you want from me?" My voice cracked.

He reached for my face, cradling my chin in his palm. He aimed the rod at my eye. I tried to bite him. He squeezed my bruised jaw and lowered the rod. Heat sizzled across my face.

The door behind him slammed open, booming off the wall like the crack of a blast rifle. Bird man jabbed the metal rod into the table next to my head, frying off a strip of hair.

He uncurled his fingers from the rod, his face set in an angry scowl. I shifted my head as far from the smoking metal as I could get.

Bird man shouted at the newcomer. Baldie pulled out a huge knife. A new voice, a very authoritative and commanding voice, said something in their weird language. Baldie put the knife away. The newcomer shoved bird man aside.

His expression was cold enough to freeze methane. His icy green eyes were harder than emeralds. He touched the patch on my left shoulder, the red triangle of the Guild of Independent Traders. One eyebrow lifted. He flicked the gold bars and crossed comets on my collar. "Captain and pilot. Interesting."

"Who . . ." His frozen glare silenced me more effectively than bird man's slaps. I snapped my mouth shut.

He gabbled in the strange language. Bird man answered with a lot of arm waving and pointing. Baldie ignored me, intently watching the argument between the other two. Cold man won. Bird man backed off, muttering darkly to himself. Cold man snapped his fingers and turned, his white robe swirling around him.

Baldie unfastened the cuffs. He slung me over his shoulder, like before. Bird man fixed me with a glare of such hate that I shuddered as Baldie carried me from the room.

Baldie lugged me outside, dumping me into a rickety wooden cart like a bag of cargo. Early sunlight stabbed down, mercilessly exposing the mud and blood on my shipsuit. The breeze, though fresh, still reeked of animals and even less pleasant odors.

"Why didn't you report earlier?" the cold man demanded of the bald one.

I kept my mouth shut, wondering if they'd say anything important in front of me.

"I let you know as soon as I could. Baron Molier wasn't going to wait."

"Demons again. It's taken years to convince him demons don't exist. She just convinced him otherwise, falling from the skies in a ball of fire, bringing punishment on him for his sins. Killing his precious cows. Idiot." He shot a glare my way. "He won't let you work for him now, he knows you answer to me."

"We could have left her. The Baron would have killed her soon enough."

"And left an even bigger mess to clean up. You," the cold man addressed me. "You have a name?"

"Dace, of the Star's Grace."

"Trouble, Leran." Baldie gestured behind us.

Leran, the cold one, glanced behind. "Get her to the mansion, Ky. Tell Ameli to have her ready to ride tomorrow morning. I'll convince Baron Molier the demon won't bother him." He leaned over the edge of the cart. "Give me any trouble at all, Captain Dace, and the Patrol will get nothing more than your body."

Relief washed through me. The Patrol meant rules. The Patrol wouldn't let people torture me with glowing metal rods. I ducked my head.

Leran nodded, apparently satisfied. He strode into the mansion, his white robe swirling dramatically.

Ky climbed into the front of the wagon. He whistled. The cart lurched into motion. I clutched the side to keep from bouncing out. Hoofbeats squelched in mud. I craned my head to look.

An actual, real, not-hologram horse pulled the cart. I gaped. Horses were very rare, very expensive, and very delicate. This horse didn't look delicate. It resembled hologram horses the way an ore freighter resembled a yacht.

More horses worked in fields along both sides of the track. I stared, curious about the planet I'd crashed on. Primitive conditions prevailed, dirty people and animals worked in fields that looked tilled by hand. The people stopped grubbing in the dirt to stare as we drove past.

"You're like a blasted freak show." Ky grabbed a blanket from under his seat. He threw it at me. "Get under that and don't show yourself."

The coarse blanket stank. I held it out, away from me.

"Do it now, or I'll tie you and then do it."

He didn't look like he would be gentle. I gave in. I lay down in the creaking cart, pulling the smelly blanket over me. I waited until Ky turned around before I lifted the edge to peer out.

Even on the frontier worlds of the Empire people used machines, built buildings with plascrete. People didn't live in mud hovels. They didn't use horses to plow fields. I knew very little about agriculture, but this planet didn't resemble anything in the documentary vids. This was a Dariana Grace fantasy come to real, stinking life.

I saw fewer fields the longer we traveled. The cart bumped over a series of small hills. The day grew hot. Air lay like thick syrup over the landscape. Insects buzzed as they crawled next to me. The hay I lay on crept into my suit.

The cart jerked to a stop. Someone yanked the blanket away.

"What is this? A joke?" A head of elaborately braided yellow hair appeared over the edge of the cart.

"Leran says you are to make her ready to ride by morning," Ky said.

"Look at the mud on her!" She flipped my shoulder.

I slapped her hand away.

"Ky, you can't leave me with her," the woman complained, her voice shrill.

"Your problem, Ameli." He unhitched the horse.

I climbed out of the cart. The world slipped sideways. I leaned against the back panel.

Ky led the horse around the far side of a stone mansion.

Ameli planted fists on hips, her blue skirt flaring around her ankles. She would have been pretty if her face wasn't twisted in a scowl. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"

"No."

"You've disrupted fifteen years of field research. You ignorant, stupid spacer! You have no concept of the damage you've caused."

"I'm sure you'll tell me. Where am I?"

She smiled smugly. "You are at the residence of Leran, the Lord High Enchanter, he who commands even the demons of the sky to obey him."

Cold man's house. "That was really helpful."

"You're on Dadilan," she said, as if that would explain everything.

"And where is Dadilan?"

"You can't have landed here without knowing. It's not even on the official nav charts."

"I had to make an emergency downshift out of hyperspace. We were supposed to be on Thurwood."

"We?"

"I had two others on the crew. I don't know if they made it down or not."

"Your ship? A toy your rich daddy bought you to play with. You are way out where you don't belong."

"Star's Grace is a fully registered and licensed cargo ship. Or it was."

"You're too young to own a ship. Unless someone bought it for you." She folded her arms and cocked her head, a calculating look in her blue eyes. "Dadilan is restricted to protect its culture. Leran will take you to the Patrol base. The charges he'll press against you will get you a thousand years prison time. You'll have the entire Antiquities Research Division after you. If there's anything left, the Xenoarcheaologists will have their turn. They think the people on this planet are from a lost colony ship from before the Empire. They might even be from the mythical homeworld of humans."

I groaned. I'd be lucky to ever live free again. Criminal charges for interfering with a protected culture, even by accident, carried stiff penalties. I belonged to the Independent Traders Guild, but I wasn't authorized for contact on a world like this. I would have a hard time justifying my presence. Stupidity wasn't usually accepted.

Ameli tapped her slim fingers on her embroidered sleeves. "We can't have you inflicting any more damage. Bath first. I believe we can find suitable clothing for you in the storage chests. Then, I think the language and culture tapes. You're going to have to pass as native, at least until the Patrol arrests you."

"Hypnoteacher?" I shifted away from her.

"But of course." Malice lurked behind her words. I wondered exactly which tapes she'd use.

"I don't tolerate them well." The drugs necessary for the knowledge transfer made me ill for days afterwards. I used hypnoteachers only when I couldn't avoid them.

"Too bad," she said. "It's that or the Baron's dungeon."

"I'd almost rather take the dungeon."

"You don't have a choice." Her voice grew hard. "Strip everything off. Now. I won't have you leaving mud all over Leran's mansion." She smiled sweetly as I stared at her. "Should I have Ky help?"

I stripped my shipsuit off, hating her perky smile and smug attitude. I didn't see I had any choice, at least not until I had more information. I'd find my own way to the Patrol once I knew enough.

Chapter 3

Ameli jabbed needles into my arm before hooking me to the hypnoteacher. The drugs worked their way through my system. I slid into sleep, the hypnoteacher whispering in my head like a chorus of ghosts.

Ameli woke me the next morning.

"Another glorious day," she said cheerfully. "The sun is about to rise."

"Go away," I said as forcefully as I could. My brain was like an overstuffed cushion pressing on my skull.

"Rise and shine." Ameli jerked the blanket off.

I shivered in the sudden chill.

"You've got five minutes to use the facilities." She nudged a pot on the floor with her foot. She left, taking the blanket with her.

I stared at the pot. The lump of knowledge in my head unfolded slightly. This was the epitome of bathroom facilities on Dadilan. It smelled like it had already been used. I resigned myself to living like a primitive and used the pot.

I stood by the hard, narrow bed and shivered until Ameli returned. She dropped a pile of clothing beside me. I shook it out to reveal an underdress of stained yellow with an overdress in faded gray. Native dress for a servant, the lump of knowledge in my head informed me. The information would unfold on its own, sooner or later, and I'd pay a price then, but for now I knew a little about Dadilan and could speak the language if I concentrated. I put the outfit on.

Ameli yanked the laces in the back as tight as she could then tapped her foot as she looked me over. She frowned at my hair. "It should be much longer."

I kept my hair shorn to less than an inch. It didn't stick up as noticeably and didn't remind of the orphanage on Tivor every time I looked in a mirror. Ameli solved the problem by tying a scarf over my head. It itched.

"My boots?" I asked. They were specially fitted and very expensive spacer boots.

She handed me a dainty pair of slippers.

I refused to take them. "I want my boots."

"And the lockpicks in them? So sorry, Dace. I think you just added another fifty years to your prison sentence."

"They aren't mine." I bit my lip when I realized how stupid that sounded.

"They're part of the evidence against you and your meddling. Leran has them." She smiled brightly. "Enjoy your life, Dace, what's left of it. Don't come back into mine." She swept out the door, hips swinging.

I jammed my feet into the slippers as I hurried after her.

"Ameli, wait, please." Maybe if I told a good lie, I could convince her to help. And maybe I'd be invited to tea with the Emperor's mother. I was a terrible liar.

I tripped over the slippers and tumbled down a short flight of stairs. I landed on my butt at the bottom. I winced as I hit bruises.

Leran, Ky, and several other men stood by the front door. They watched impassively as I collected what remained of my dignity and got to my feet.

"If you are quite finished?" Leran asked politely.

"Yes, quite."

Leran gave me a look I couldn't interpret.

Ky opened the front door. Sunlight poured into the room. The men walked outside. I followed.

At least a dozen horses dozed in the area right outside the door. I stopped in the doorway.

"Oh, no." I backed away. "I am not riding one of those things." I liked my animals in a zoo behind force screens, not up close and personal.

"Yes, you are," Ky said.

"No." I dug my fingers into the door frame.

He leaned over me, drowning me in his shadow. "I could give you to the Baron. He'd be more than happy to see you again."

I swallowed hard. Riding a horse or certain death involving hot iron? The choice wasn't that difficult. I unpried my fingers from the door frame. Ky nodded and stepped out of my way. I walked over to the tamest looking horse. It tried to bite me.

I retreated a step. "This isn't a good idea."

"Get on the horse," Ky said. "Show her how, Vin."

One of the men took a horse by its harness and swung onto its back. He made it look easy.

I glanced over my shoulder at Leran, weighing my chances of escape. The odds weren't high enough yet. I grabbed the hair growing on the horse's neck and pulled myself onto its back, lying on my belly. The animal promptly jogged away. I slid off, landing in the dirt. One of the other men caught the horse.

"You have to hang on," Ky said.

I stood, brushing dirt off my backside. "Hang on to what?"

"It also helps if you sit."

"We could always tie her on," the man holding the horse suggested.

"Not a bad idea." Ky flexed his fists.

"Move," Leran ordered.

Ky picked me up and dumped me on the horse. He shoved my foot into a loop of leather hanging to one side. My other knee went around a knob just behind the horse's neck. I grabbed big handfuls of neck hair as the animal started walking.

One of the men led the horse on a long lead rope. We rode away from the house to the wild hills beyond. I hung on, gritting my teeth against a growing ache in my backside.

We rode through widely spaced trees alternating with grassy meadows. Lacy leaves tossed in a light breeze. The land appeared wild, completely uninhabited. Leran called a halt in the shade of an extra big tree.

I slid off the horse. The sound of water running woke thirst. I hobbled to the stream, crouching to scoop up a handful of icy water, drinking despite the things floating in it.

The men watered the horses, then staked them out where the grass grew high. Ky walked over to me. He dropped a chunk of coarse bread and greasy cheese into my lap.

"Thank you," I said. If I could convince them I was harmless and friendly, maybe I could get more information out of them. Maybe they wouldn't mention the illegal lockpicks when they turned me over to the Patrol.

Ky glared before turning away.

And maybe not. I ate the bread and cheese. Shadows of fish darted past my rock. Once I got my bearings I would slip away. They couldn't watch me all the time. So far, they hadn't done more than threaten to turn me in on criminal charges. It was lightyears away from torture with hot iron. Maybe I should stay with Leran.

"What are you really doing here?"

I glanced over my shoulder at Leran's white robe. "It was an accident."

"No one lands here by accident." He stepped around me, pausing just at the edge of the water. Sunlight and shade dappled his robe.

"We had to make an emergency downshift. We were supposed to be at Thurwood."

"And what is an honest, law abiding captain doing with these?" He held out the lockpicks.

The truth sounded stupid even to me. Leran would never believe it.

"Ameli said you were going to press charges against me," I said instead.

"Me personally? No. I'll let the Patrol decide what to do with you." He tapped the lockpicks against his palm. "Unless you tell me who you really are and why you're here. I'm sure we can come to some sort of understanding."

I stared at him, confused. "My name is Dace. I'm captain of the Star's Grace."

"And owner? Your lies need work, Captain." He tucked the lockpicks into his robe. "Convince me, Dace, or I'll give you to the Patrol without a second thought."

He walked away, signaling the men to round up the horses. I sighed and got off my rock. My legs locked. I limped to my horse. It rolled its eyes, sidling away from me. I grabbed the leather straps buckled around its head.

"I don't like you, either." The horse bared its teeth. I yanked on the strap.

Ky slapped my hand away from the horse. "Get on."

I didn't want to, but it was Leran and the horse or the unknown. I scrambled onto the horse. It snorted and tried to walk out from under me. I found the loop for my foot, settling into the seat.

Leran watched, his face inscrutable. Once I was on, he wheeled his horse, kicking it into motion. The others followed. We left the stream, striking out across a series of hills. I bounced on my horse, trying to ease the cramps in both legs.

My head ached; whether from the crash, the subsequent beating, or the hypnoteacher, I couldn't tell. I poked at the knowledge in my head as a diversion. It didn't help.

Dadilan made Tivor, the planet I'd grown up on, look like a paradise. Women on Dadilan had no rights; they were the property of men. My escort made more sense after I digested that. As far as anyone was concerned, I belonged to Leran. I hated the thought.

I eyed the beefy men surrounding me. They were scarred and tough looking. My chances of a successful escape were slim to nonexistent. If I did leave Leran, I might land somewhere even worse.

Time crawled past in a sticky haze of sweat and aching muscles. We climbed steadily as the day wore on. Mountains rose above the hills, tall monoliths of gray stone dotted with dark green. The smell of growing things filled the air. Small birds flitted between the wide branches of scattered trees.

Leran finally called a halt late in the afternoon when we reached a wide flat bordered by thick trees and a high cliff of gray stone. Water dripped down the wall of stone, forming a pool at the base. A thin stream cut through the meadow.

I stayed on my horse. My legs tingled from lack of circulation. I wriggled my toes in an attempt to wake muscles. Leran spoke to Ky. They gathered two of the men and the horses carrying packs. The group rode away at an angle to the path we'd been following most of the day. The three men still in camp ignored me. One of them started a fire while the other two cared for the horses.

I pried my knee off the knob, losing my precarious balance to slide down the side of the horse. I grabbed for its neck hair. The horse shifted away, heading towards the pool of water. I fell onto my face.

I hobbled across the meadow, wincing as I picked my way across rocks, cursing Ameli for taking my boots and leaving me with useless slippers. I found a spot to sit and watch the man cook.

He glanced across the dancing flames. "Who do you work for?" He stirred a handful of leaves into the pot.

"Myself." I sniffed appreciatively.

He grinned, showing a missing tooth. "Leran might deal, if you offered good enough. He's not bad to work for, not like the others."

"What are you talking about?"

He laughed. "Play innocent, Captain Dace, and you won't live three days here. They play for keeps."

I waited for him to explain. He didn't. He whistled while he stirred the soup.

My eyes grew heavy. I wanted a hot bath and a pain patch. I slumped against my rock, shifting a bag to use as a pillow. The sky faded into deep blue. A handful of tiny moons glowed over the far horizon.

I fell asleep listening to the crackling fire and the whistling cook.

I woke to shouting and screaming and confusion. Men wrestled over the fire, stepping into it and scattering burning branches. I scrambled away from a shower of sparks.

A man swung a long knife at me, the edge glinting orange in the light of the fire now burning the surrounding grass. I blocked the blow, kneeing him in the belly. He dropped the knife.

I rolled under his feet as another man jumped to attack. The knife glinted. I dove for it, but another tangle of fighting men kicked it away. I scrambled on all fours, heading for the darkness under the trees. A large man loomed out of the shadows, swinging his fist. I grabbed a branch from the ground, wielding it like a club. I connected with his ribs. He lurched away.

The horses broke from their makeshift pen, crashing through the camp to run down the hills. The men shouted louder. I paused near the trees, the branch clutched in my hands. At least a dozen men still wrestled near the fire, too many for me to fight. I ran downhill, after the horses.

I meant to circle around, to head back to camp and hide until the fight ended.

The tiny moons overhead gave little light; the stars gave less. I stopped in a clear space to catch my breath. The hills looked the same in every direction, trees and grass and nothing to indicate where the camp lay. I picked a direction at random, hoping it was the right one.

I stumbled into a stream. The cold water soothed my bare feet. Ameli's slippers were somewhere in the grass by the camp. I wriggled my toes, wishing I had my boots and my ship and that this world would just be a bad dream.

Eyes glinted in the shadows. Something growled. I splashed out of the stream. The creature growled again, sounding big and hungry. I ran, my heart pounding in my throat. Animals belonged in zoos, not out in the open.

It crashed through bushes behind me. I ran faster, blindly, through the dark woods. I slammed into a tree and skidded to a stop. I hung on to the trunk, shaking hard. I looked behind me, searching for eyes in the dark. I saw hundreds of them. I panicked, running again.

I clawed my way through thickets and brambles. I dodged past barely seen trees. I splashed through streams and tore my feet on rocks. I ran until my side ached and I couldn't breathe, then stumbled to a stop. Grasses waved in a light breeze. Mist rose from a stream, thin streamers of white that faded only a few feet above the ground. I dropped to my knees, trembling from fear. My stomach heaved. I retched up nothing.

The grass in front of me slowly parted. I stared into a wide face of evil green eyes and huge fangs. The animal snarled, showing more teeth. I didn't have the breath to run any longer. I scrabbled through the grass until I found a big rock. I staggered to my feet, hefting the rock in shaky arms.

"Go away." My voice squeaked with fear. "You aren't going to eat me."

The creature licked its fangs and came closer, moving on stealthy paws.

"I mean it. Don't mess with me." I lifted the rock to my shoulder. My muscles protested.

The creature shot a look over its shoulder, then bounded away into the night.

I let out a slow breath. Something had just scared the creature. That something would be bigger and meaner. Fear shivered along my spine. I held the rock higher, ready to throw it at the new threat.

He came out of the mist like a primeval god in a really bad romance vid–dark hair, darker eyes, and a face stolen from my most secret fantasies. He wore a leather vest with no shirt, tight pants, and tall boots. He stopped on the other side of the stream, muscles flexing as he folded his bare arms across his chest.

I swallowed hard, wondering if he was just a dream. I shifted my feet on the stream bank. "What do you want?"

He looked me over, not answering.

I lifted the rock, trying to appear as threatening as possible. I lost my hold on it. It fell into the stream with a loud splash.

His lip twitched as he smothered a chuckle.

Having a complete stranger laugh at me was the final straw. I thumped down on the stream bank, dropping my head into my hands.

The man splashed across the stream, his touch gentle on my shoulder. "Are you hurt?"

I shook my head. I'd felt worse and lived.

He watched me a moment longer, then put his arm around my shoulders.

I stiffened at the unexpected touch. No one had ever tried to comfort me. I surprised myself by bursting into tears. I hated the feeling of losing control. I struggled until I finally fought the tears back. Only the occasional hiccuping sniffle escaped.

"Feel better?" he asked, just a trace of sarcasm coloring his voice. He shifted away, leaving me cold.

I couldn't look at him, embarrassed by my outburst. I stared down at his vest, at his muscles, at his hands, anywhere but at his face.

"You want to explain why you're out here?" He waited, still as a statue.

I finally looked up, at his face. It was a mask, giving nothing away. "I got lost?"

He raised one eyebrow. "Lost from where?"

I dug through the information Ameli had dumped into my head. I found little of any help. "My father's house."

He shifted position slightly, enough to change from sympathy to threat. "You're no native of this planet. You want to try again?"

I edged away. "No. How do you know I'm not native?" My curiosity got the better of me.

"You're speaking Basic."

I hadn't realized it. I repeated one of the more colorful expressions I'd learned from Toiba.

The man raised his eyebrow higher.

"You aren't native, either." I sniffled, wiping my nose on the back of my hand.

He stood. I glimpsed a tattoo on the inside of his wrist, an intricate black diamond that only one group in the Empire had.

I froze, not knowing if it was good or bad. "You're a Patrol Enforcer."

"Give me one good reason I shouldn't shoot you."

"You aren't carrying a blaster."

He moved fast. He knotted his fist into the neck of my dress, his face barely an inch from mine. "I don't need one. Who are you and why are you here? Don't even try lying."

"Leran . . ."

He shoved me to the ground, on my stomach. His hand pinned me to the bank. I struggled to keep my face above the rippling surface of the stream. I planted my hands in the icy water and shoved. His hold didn't budge.

"You work for him?"

"Leran? No. He was taking me to the Patrol." I shut my eyes and waited for the man to drown me.

"Why would he do that?"

I gave up on lying. Maybe the truth would win me help. "Because I ruined his research. I crashed in Baron Molier's cow pasture. He was going to kill me. Leran decided to take me to the Patrol base and turn me in instead."

The man's hold relaxed. I shifted back an inch from the water.

"Keep talking," he said.

"We stopped somewhere in the hills. The camp was attacked."

"And?"

"There were too many to fight so I left. I got lost."

"You still haven't told me who you are."

"Dace. My name is Dace."

He rocked onto his heels, letting me go. I scrambled away from the water.

"I don't think you heard me." He flexed his hands. "What's your name, your full name?"

"Dace." I wasn't about to use a name I'd discarded six years previously.

"I'll let that pass for now. How did you come here?"

"My ship exploded. The core redlined. The escape pod landed me here."

"In Baron Molier's cow pasture, you already said that. What ship?"

"Star's Grace, Independent trader registered out of Eruus."

"What was your position, ship's idiot?"

I'd already embarrassed myself, I wasn't about to let him insult me. I sat, sticking out my chin. "I'm the pilot. And I'm telling you the truth."

He gave me a look that said he didn't believe it.

"I'm also the captain and owner."

He laughed, a short bark of sound.

"Believe it or not, it's the truth." The anger drained away, replaced by fatigue. I wrapped my arms around myself, wishing I was at the Academy where I could ignore the humiliation the other cadets dished out.

"You aren't going to cry again, are you?" He looked afraid of the possibility.

I shook my head and sniffled. I'd wait until later, when he wasn't looking. He watched me fight with myself. He finally sighed.

"My camp is just across the stream. You look like you could use something to drink." He stood and offered me his hand.

I stared stupidly at it. He confused me. He wasn't threatening me, not now. I took his hand. He lifted me without effort. I couldn't hide my wince when my feet hit the rocks.

"This way," he said, pulling me after him.

I limped across the stream, soaking the bottom of my skirt. He pushed me down onto a rock before poking a small fire. My stomach growled. I rubbed my arms, shivering in the night air.

Firelight danced across the man's face. His hair was longer than mine, very dark with reddish highlights. It curled just slightly where it brushed the back of his neck. He stirred the pot steaming on the fire. The tattoo on his wrist caught the light and my imagination. What was a Patrol Enforcer doing here? Why try to drown me when I mentioned Leran's name? Something was rotten on Dadilan.

Not my problem; I was leaving. I would face whatever criminal charges were levied against me. I would give them the truth. The Patrol would have to believe me. But this man was Patrol and he didn't believe me.

The man handed me a steaming cup dipped out of the pot. I wrapped my hands around it and sipped the hot drink. It wasn't enough to counterbalance the cold night air and my wet skirt. My teeth chattered. The man fetched a blanket out of a neat pack on the ground. He dropped it over my shoulders. I clutched it tight. He loomed over me. I felt even shorter than I usually did.

"Try again." He sat on a rock nearby. "Start at the beginning."

"I was born . . ."

"Not that far back." He shot me an impatient look.

"I told you. My ship was en route to Thurwood with a load of machine parts. Something went wrong. I had to do an emergency downshift out of hyperspace. The core redlined and the ship exploded."

"Not very professional of you." He poked the fire with a stick. "You say your name is Dace and you own your own ship."

"It's the truth." My ship was a cloud of radioactive debris. I sighed.

"No crying." He pointed the stick at me. "That isn't fair."

I wiped my nose on his blanket.

"What were you doing with Leran?" he asked casually, studying the end of his pointy stick. I sensed the answer I gave would determine how he used it.

"He pulled me out of Baron Molier's dungeon and offered to have me arrested. It was better than being skewered by hot iron pokers."

"Why are you speaking like a native now?" The man touched the pointy end of his stick.

"They used a hypnoteacher. It doesn't work right on me." I sipped the drink, watching him carefully. The stick was still very evident. "It usually takes me a week or two to get all the information straight again. It's easier just to learn it the old way. What's your name and why are you out here?"

He studied me, the stick waving in the air between us. After a moment, it went into the fire, pointy end first.

"Malcolm Tayvis," he said. "I'm looking for my partner. He was supposed to meet me here two days ago. I don't think he's going to make it. So tell me what to do with you."

"Leran was going to let the Patrol at the base deal with me. His assistant explained at length about Dadilan's protected status."

"And you were dumb enough to believe them?" He scraped a section of dirt flat, then stabbed his finger into it. "That's Baron Molier's keep. That's Leran's mansion." He stabbed the dirt again right next to the first stab, then drew a curved line. "These are the mountains. We are somewhere about here." Another stab to the left of the first two. He moved to the right of the first marks, away from the end of the curved line, and made another mark. "That's the Patrol base. Leran was taking you in the opposite direction."

I was lousy at maps, but even I could tell Leran had lied to me about our destination.

"Gragensberg is here." Malcolm Tayvis made another mark above the others. "Big city and home to a second group of researchers led by Shomies Pardui. I doubt he was headed there. They hate each other. I would guess Leran was taking you here." Another mark, far to the left. "To the slave market."

He couldn't possibly have said slave market. Slavery was illegal. "But Leran said the Patrol tracked us in. Is that why you're here, to investigate the pods?"

"Pods?" Tayvis brushed past my question. "How many of you are there?"

"I had two on my crew. I don't know where they ended up. They jumped ship as soon as they could." I frowned at his map. Why had Flago abandoned ship as soon as we were through the jump point? Before the core redlined, before we knew our position. Jerith showed no surprise over the engine problems, but he had been surprised the core wouldn't eject.

"What?"

I shook my head. I didn't have more than a tickle of suspicion.

Tayvis backtracked to my previous question. "If that fireball two nights ago was your pod, then the answer is no, the Patrol wouldn't send someone out looking for you. I'm surprised you survived the crash."

"The radar system died. I had to guess."

"You're in remarkably good shape." Tayvis didn't need a pointy stick to look dangerous. I swallowed a new knot in my throat. "Who are you really working for? Who's paying you to smuggle shara?"

"What?" Fear lost out to confusion.

He stirred the fire with another stick. "You are where you don't belong. Which means you're up to something illegal."

"Flying my ship from Beccurot to Thurwood is perfectly legal."

"How old are you?"

"None of your business."

He grinned. He looked younger and a lot less dangerous. I reminded myself he was a Patrol Enforcer, undercover on this planet for a reason. He could kill me and no one would question him.

"Did you run away from the Academy on Eruus or did they kick you out?"

"I graduated two months ago."

"Ah."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

His grin faded. He dug through his pack, pulling a length of rope free. "You don't give me a lot of options. I'll sleep better if I know you're not going to try to kill me."

"You're going to tie me up."

"You have a better suggestion?"

"What if I promise?"

"I don't know if I can trust you."

I gave in, too tired to fight. I held out my wrists. He tied them together, then fastened them to my ankles. I didn't tell him I could have untied myself in less than two minutes. I rolled into his blanket.

He leaned over me, a shadow in the fading firelight. "If you aren't here in the morning, you'd better run as far as you can. Because if you've lied to me, no one is going to ever find you." He moved away, across the dying fire.

Sleep was a long time coming.

Chapter 4

I blinked my eyes open. They were crusted and raw, as if I'd been crying. I raised my hand to wipe them, then frowned at the ropes on my wrists. It took a moment for my muddled memories to clear.

I looked for my rescuer and captor. He was nowhere in sight. I sat. The knots took only moments to pick loose. He'd left me plenty of wiggle room. Either he didn't know how to tie someone or he was deliberately testing me. I coiled the rope and left it on top of his pack. I wrapped his blanket around me, chilled by the early morning air. I poked at a pot of porridge set to one side of the fire. I licked my lips and thought about eating it, but decided I'd better wait for an invitation.

I sat on a rock, hiking up my skirt. A huge bruise ran down my thigh. Itchy welts covered my legs. I scratched a patch of red skin.

"What did you do? Run through every briar patch in the forest?"

I jerked the fabric down.

Tayvis put a pot of water on his fire before turning to study me.

I stole glances at him while I hunched under his stare. It was worse than the time the commander of the Academy hauled me into his office and reamed me out for fighting behind the barracks. I'd learned to do my fighting during hand combat training. I didn't think fighting Tayvis would solve anything. I'd lose before I even began.

He stepped close, touching a spot just above my ear. I jerked away. He grabbed my ear, pulling just hard enough to keep me in place.

"That needs cleaned before it gets infected." His fingers gently examined the other lumps on my head. "These aren't too bad. How are your feet?"

I didn't know how to handle him being nice. No one had ever been nice to me before, not like this. I sniffled, blinking rapidly. I shifted my toes in the dirt, scratching my leg.

Tayvis lifted my foot out of the dirt, revealing a rash spreading down both legs. He dropped my foot and dragged me off my rock, his hand around my arm. "If you don't wash it off soon, it will spread."

"Why do you care?"

"Who said I did?" He pushed me into the stream. "Well?"

"The water's freezing."

"You won't get it off standing there." He waded into the stream. "Do you want to do this the easy way or the hard way?"

"You're giving me a choice?"

"No, not really." He pushed me down to my knees.

I struggled, but he had leverage. He clamped the back of my dress in one hand and shoved. He had no right to treat me this way. I didn't care that he was a Patrol enforcer. I kicked him. He shoved my head underwater.

He pulled me out, yanking me to my feet. I coughed, sputtering cold water.

"Were you telling the truth last night?"

"You think I'm lying? Still?"

"Convince me you aren't."

"Or you'll drown me?"

"I could shoot you if you prefer."

"I'd rather you didn't do either."

"Then tell me why you're here. Who are you working for?"

"Myself."

"Not Leran? Not Pardui? Not the freebooters?"

"I don't know who you're talking about."

He turned me around to face him. The water rushed past our feet. I couldn't read anything in his face. He finally hauled me out of the stream, dragging me back to his camp.

I stood next to the fire, dripping water. I watched his every move, trying to figure out what he wanted from me.

"You aren't going to cry, are you?" Tayvis asked.

I shook my head, angry now, at him, at Leran, at my crew, at my own stupidity. I wanted to lash out and fight, I didn't have a target handy. I was smart enough to realize Tayvis might be my only chance off this world. He could get me out of this mess, if I could convince him he wanted to. He had power as a Patrol Enforcer to get all sorts of mistakes forgiven.

He stirred the pot near the fire. He scooped out a dish of the porridge, then set the bowl on the rock next to me. "Shall we start over?"

I picked up the bowl. The porridge tasted bland and pasty, but I'd eaten worse.

He ate out of the pot. "How's the rash?"

"Better." I watched him warily as I licked the spoon. "Why are you bothering with me?"

He shrugged. "Maybe because I believe your story, wild as it sounds. And, because I really could use a second pair of eyes and hands."

"What are you offering me?"

"A way out, eventually. Isn't that what you want? If you are telling the truth, then you are here by accident. Your only way off is through the Patrol. If you are lying to me, I'll find out eventually. And then you'll wish you'd never set foot on Dadilan."

I put the bowl aside. His threat left me colder than the water dripping on my bare feet.

Tayvis tapped his spoon against the pot, watching me. "How do I justify your presence? It will take a least a week if we go straight to the Patrol base, but since I have other things to do, it's going to take a lot longer. It would simplify things if you really were Patrol."

I kept quiet. I'd been offered a posting in the Patrol when I had graduated, but told them no. I didn't want anyone dictating my life, I wanted to be free. I'd made a mess of that.

Tayvis collected my bowl. He seemed ten feet tall. "Your choice, Dace. Either I swear you in as an adjunct officer, or I shoot you. Which will it be?"

"It's temporary, right? Joining the Patrol?"

"Just until I'm through with my investigation and I can get you on a shuttle, yes. However, I won't guarantee your safety. And you will have to help me."

"You're swearing me in as an officer of the Patrol. What rank?" Anything to delay the inevitable.

"Are you certain you wouldn't rather be shot?" He glanced at me as he rinsed out his bowl. His lip twitched in his version of a grin. "If you're lucky and you help me out, you might get a commendation from the Patrol before they kick you out."

"If those are my choices, then I agree."

"To being shot?"

He was going to make me say it, out loud. "To joining the Patrol. Happy?"

"Not really. You might prove more trouble than you're worth." He put the dishes aside to dry. "Raise your right hand."

I gave him a flat stare. He wasn't serious. Was he? I lifted my hand.

"Now, repeat after me. I, Dace . . ." He drawled my name as if he still didn't believe it.

"I, Dace," I repeated dutifully, hating every word he forced out of me.

"Do solemnly swear to uphold the laws of the Empire."

"Do solemnly swear. Do I really have to do this?"

"Say it."

"Do solemnly swear to uphold the laws of the Empire."

"To obey the directives of the Emperor."

"To obey the directives of the Emperor."

"To do whatever my commanding officer tells me to do."

"That isn't in the oath."

"It is now."

"To do whatever you tell me to do."

"To cook and clean and scrub his boots."

I lowered my arm. "I am not going to say that. I don't have to."

He shrugged as he picked up the bowl and spoon. "It was worth a try. I hereby declare you an official officer of the Patrol for the duration of the investigation, with no pay, except for food and your ride off this planet when the investigation is complete. Any questions?"

"Yes, sir. What is my rank? There isn't a category for none."

"I'll have to think that one over."

"What are you investigating?"

"Smuggling." He gathered the rest of his belongings, packing them neatly.

I squeezed water out of my clothes and watched him, waiting for him to explain.

"Anywhere but Gragensberg, you are going to cause problems. You'll have to keep your mouth shut. Women are to be seen, but not heard. The only way to explain your presence is that you are officially my slave. If anyone asks, I bought and paid for you." He jerked the top of his pack closed.

"Slavery is illegal," I objected.

"Not on Dadilan." He kicked dirt at the fire. "I have to find my horse." He walked into the bushes.

What had I just agreed to? I didn't see how I could help. Did he suspect me of lying? Still? Why agree to keep me with him? It made no sense.

He returned, leading the biggest horse I'd ever seen. He swung his pack onto the horse.

"Am I expected to salute, sir?"

"I don't think that will be necessary." He pulled cords tight across his pack, fastening it to the seat strapped around the horse. "I'd prefer it if you didn't call me sir, either. It might sound suspicious."

"Then what am I supposed to call you?"

"Lord and master?"

"Over my dead body." I stalked towards the trees. I made it two steps before my feet reminded me they were bare and the ground was painful. I stopped, my back to him. I hung onto the few small shards of pride I had left. I expected him to find some new way to humiliate me.

"Then just call me Tayvis," he said, surprising me.

I glanced over my shoulder. His eyes were the color of melted chocolate. I couldn't read his expression.

"We've got a long way to ride." He slapped the horse's shoulder. "He's big enough to carry us both. Well? Do you want help?"

"No, I can do it myself," I snapped. I'd spent too much time feeling helpless.

He stood next to the horse's head and waited.

I looked the horse over and tried to find the information in my head. I could fly a ship across the galaxy, I could figure out how to get onto a horse. Eventually.

Tayvis took me by the waist and lifted. I snagged my skirt with one foot, almost falling off the other side. The horse stamped its feet and snorted. I grabbed a fistful of hair and the seat edge to pull myself up. Tayvis swung on behind me.

I wiggled, trying to pull my skirt free.

Tayvis grabbed my arm. "You're scaring the horse."

I squirmed, looking for the knob to hook my knee around.

"What are you doing?" Tayvis didn't sound at all patient now.

"I am trying to sit."

"It isn't that hard."

He shoved my knee down. I straddled the horse, one leg down each side. It was much easier, but it left a lot of my leg hanging bare. I tried to pull the skirt lower.

"Dace, sit still for a minute."

His horse danced sideways. He fought it one handed. His other arm held me in place. "I don't care how much of your legs are hanging out. Just sit still."

I sat, my ears burning with embarrassment.

He ran his hand down the impressive collection of bruises on one leg. "What did you do to yourself?" His voice rumbled in my ear.

I shrugged, trying to hold on to anger. It was better than hurt and humiliation. "I think I got those in the crash."

"That makes your story a little more believable."

His horse settled down into a steady rhythm. My legs reminded me that I'd done this most of the day yesterday. I shifted, trying to ease the cramps.

"Just relax and move with the horse." He pulled me against him, his arm warm around me.

I forgot all about my aching behind and mostly naked legs. I'd never been this close to anyone. None of the men at the Academy had ever looked at me as more than competition for grades and placement.

I leaned forward, away from him. He didn't trust me. He didn't know me and I certainly didn't know him. I felt twisted and strange inside. It had to be the stress. I told myself that very firmly and pretended my odd feelings had nothing to do with his arm around me.

"Relax, Dace." His breath tickled the back of my neck. "You're too tense. The horse picks up on that."

I settled gingerly, sliding closer to him.

His arm tightened around my middle. "Better." He kicked the horse into a faster pace.

I grabbed handfuls of horse hair and hung on.

Chapter 5

Tayvis kept up the tooth-rattling pace the rest of the morning. I couldn't talk without biting my tongue off. I had a lot of questions, but by the time Tayvis finally slowed the horse, I didn't care. I just wanted him to stop and let me off.

He slowed the horse to a walk as we approached a rambling village.

"Don't say anything," he warned. "Keep your mouth shut and do what you're told."

"Yes, sir," I muttered.

"Watch the attitude." He patted my leg as he slid off the horse in front of a large building.

I felt stupid when I realized he waited for me to dismount. I felt even worse when I realized I couldn't, not without help. Every muscle ached. I sat on the horse and waited. He raised one eyebrow, watching me sit. We stayed that way for a long moment in the hot sun before he moved. He grabbed me around the waist, lifting me off the horse as if I weighed nothing, then dropped me on a bench next to the door to a large building.

"Don't leave."

"I don't think I could if I wanted to. Not that I'd want to," I added hastily. He frightened me, but he hadn't actually hurt me. I almost felt safe with him.

He shook his head as he walked into the building.

I gingerly massaged my legs. Riding horses was not romantic, not the way Dariana Grace vids portrayed it, not at all.

Heat rose in waves from the dusty road. Men lounged in the shade of a large tree. I licked dry lips as I watched them drink.

One of the men ambled over to my bench. He squinted, eyeing my bruised legs and bare feet. "So, you'll be setting up shop here tonight?" His foul breath washed over me.

I pointedly ignored him.

"It's been a long time since we had a good woman," he said. "You're a bit thin for my taste, but when there's nothing else available, I'll take whatever I can get." He reached one dirty hand toward my leg.

My fist caught him under the chin, knocking him into the dust. He came to his feet, growling as he lunged for me. He stopped short as Tayvis stepped out of the building.

Tayvis shot a glance at me before turning to the man. "Touch what is mine again, and I'll remove your hand." He pulled me into the building by my wrist.

An older woman planted herself in front of me, arms folded over her bulging chest. "Who'd she run away from?" She rolled her eyes at Tayvis.

He dropped my wrist, leaving her question unanswered.

She shrugged. "What happened to her hair?"

"Lice," he answered.

I wondered what lice were. I was smart enough to keep my curiosity to myself, for now.

"I can't promise much." The woman grabbed my shoulder and shoved me towards a back doorway. "I'd say you were cheated. This one isn't worth a single coin."

Tayvis shrugged.

I twisted out of the woman's reach and shot a questioning look at Tayvis.

He nodded towards the room.

"Well, come on," the woman said impatiently.

He settled onto a bench in front of a plate of food.

The woman herded me into the room. She slammed the door behind us. She opened a cupboard to pull out a coarse cloth.

"You won't get clean looking at it," she said, jerking her head towards a tub resting in the center of the room. "Your man paid enough for a bath. I think he's wasting his money, if you want my opinion." She set the cloth on the bench then waddled from the room.

I pulled off my dress, shivering despite the heat. The light came from a row of unpaned windows high along one wall. A polished strip of metal, a mirror of sorts, hung on the wall. I leaned forward, inspecting my distorted and fuzzy reflection.

Huge bruises covered my left leg, continuing up my hip and back. Scratches covered my arms and legs. The rash still itched around my knees. I leaned closer to study my face.

It was too thin, my chin coming to a point, my eyes too big and a muddy shade of brown. I saw no noticeable bruises. I felt along the side of my head, wincing as I touched a tender spot just above my left ear. Overall, I was in remarkably good shape, considering what I'd been through.

I stepped into the tub. The warm water soothed stiff muscles. Floating leaves added a pungent scent. I relaxed, closing my eyes.

The door slammed open. I jumped, splashing water over the floor. The fat woman waddled in. She slapped a plate on the bench. The scent of stew filled the air, mixing pleasantly with the biting scent of the leaves.

She looked me over and sniffed. "Too thin. You'll get sick and die come winter." She shook out the cloth. "You've been in long enough."

I stood, dripping water and leaves. My aches barely registered, my muscles refreshed by the brief soaking.

"Orris leaves work every time." She wrapped the cloth around me. "Not much for talking, are you?"

I shrugged, suddenly dizzy, a delayed reaction from the hypnoteacher. I couldn't trust myself to speak the right language. I pulled on my clothes. Dried mud splotched the skirt. I hated wearing dirty clothes, but it beat going naked.

"Too thin, much too thin. Men like a bit of meat on their women, take it from me. You'd do well to plump up a bit." She bustled out the door.

I stirred the thin stew, speckled with unappetizing greasy lumps. It was food. I ate it before leaving the room.

Tayvis waited by the far door, sunlight glinting red gold on his dark hair. He flipped a coin to the woman, who simpered at him as she tucked it into the ample front of her dress. He turned without a word.

I crossed the room, the skirt swinging around my legs. Skirts reminded me too much of my life in the orphanage, of the expectations Tivor placed on women. I hadn't worn skirts since I'd left Tivor.

Tayvis tightened a strap on his saddle, then tossed me on. This time I made it without landing on my stomach. He swung up behind me. The horse snorted and trotted down the road.

I tensed, expecting aching muscles, but whatever was in the water had worked a minor miracle. Tayvis slid his arm around my waist, holding me on. The villagers ignored us as we left their rambling town behind.

I relaxed, enjoying myself as we rode up a hill and into the woods beyond. The warm air played across my face, the bright sun lighting the open forests and wild lands, so different from anything I'd ever experienced. This was more like a Dariana Grace vid.

"You throw a mean left hook," Tayvis said.

I glanced over my shoulder, enough to see his chiseled profile.

"No comment?"

I didn't know what to say. His breath brushed across my shoulder. I was acutely aware of just how close he was, of the warm weight of his arm around my middle.

"Why stop at the village?" I asked after a while. I couldn't make sense of his actions. Why didn't he just arrest me? Why say he wanted my help?

"Orris leaves work wonders on sore muscles."

"You were trying to keep me out of the way. Why not just leave me there?"

His lip twitched. "I was trying to be nice."

"You didn't want me to know what you were doing."

"You might be a dangerous spy."

"Then why keep me with you?"

"If you went to the Academy, you should understand."

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. He wanted me where he could watch me.

"I don't know how to convince you I'm not lying."

"It was easier to negotiate without you. I needed supplies. Nothing more sinister than that." He clucked to the horse, ending the conversation and leaving me unsatisfied with his answer.

The horse trotted along the trail, under the shade of the trees as we climbed higher into the hills. My head spun, my eyes refused to focus. The forest blurred. I blinked repeatedly, trying to clear my vision.

"We should be in Gragensberg tomorrow," Tayvis said, startling me. "If you're going to be any help at all, you need to know what's going on."

Delayed reaction to the hypnodrugs kicked in, all at once. I fell down a long, gray tunnel. His voice faded. I thought I heard him call my name as the grayness swallowed me.

I opened my eyes onto twilight and firelight. I felt as if someone had twisted me into a knot and then untied me, every muscle lay limp. Any movement took enormous effort. I rolled my head to the side, looking at the fire.

I lay on the ground, wrapped in a blanket. Water trickled nearby. The fire crackled and popped. The horse grazed in the shadows across the fire.

Tayvis sat on a rock, poking the fire with a stick. He watched me with a stone face. "Feel better?"

"No," I whispered. I had no energy. Even blinking took a major act of will.

He jabbed the fire, sending sparks spiraling into the darkening sky.

"Reaction to hypnodrugs." I tried to explain. The words came out slurred.

The lump of knowledge and the drugs had knocked me senseless. But once I woke completely, all of the information from the hypnoteacher would be accessible. Judging from past experience, I would sleep for at least another twelve hours.

Tayvis watched, his eyes hooded and dark. Firelight sparked across his face, dancing yellow and orange in the fading twilight, turning him into a stranger.

I stirred, muscles barely responding. Tayvis sighed and shoved his stick into the fire. He scooped his cup through the pot next to the fire, then brought it over to me. He lifted my head and helped me drink.

"More?" He held the cup up.

I nodded, my head barely moving. He cradled me against his chest. I wondered about him as I sipped broth. Why was he being so patient? Why hadn't he dumped me? I'd been left behind, left on my own, my whole life. I wasn't sure how to interpret his intentions. I slowed him down. He didn't trust me. Why help me?

My ear pressed against his chest. His heart beat slow and steady. Being this close turned me all quivery inside. I tried to sit, to move away, unsure how to interpret the way he made me feel. I couldn't move. I silently cursed my weakness.

He took the empty cup from my hands, setting it aside, but he kept his arm around me, holding me against him. His breath stirred my hair. He sighed.

"I wanted to get out of these woods before dark."

"Then why didn't you leave me behind?" My voice slurred.

"You're Patrol now. We don't leave each other behind."

"You don't trust me."

"Not any farther than I could throw you."

"So you trust me quite a bit."

He went still. I'd spoken before I'd thought. I wondered if I'd pushed him too far.

"Until you give me a reason not to," he said.

He laid me down on the blanket. I shivered in the evening chill. He pulled the blanket over my shoulder before crossing to his tiny fire. It burned low into a nest of tiny red coals. I didn't know how to read him, whether he told truth or lies.

"How are your feet?" he asked. "Any better?" He sat next to me, pulling my feet from the blankets. He wiped my feet clean then rubbed on ointment with a gentle touch.

"Go to sleep," he said as he put the ointment away in his pack. "You look beat."

I blinked, trying to stay awake, to watch him. I wanted to ask him why he trusted me. I wanted to know if I could trust him.

He stood next to the horse, brushing it and talking softly.

I frowned. Disconnected thoughts roamed through my head. I slipped into the tangled fog of drug reaction.

Chapter 6

Stifling hot and cramped, I clawed my way up the engine access tube. It narrowed even more. Fire burned through the engine room. The heat crept through the tube. Someone shouted. I struggled to crawl forward. If I could reach the controls, I could shut it down, activate the emergency fire suppressant. I couldn't move. I was trapped, my arms pinned next to my side. The heat built. I couldn't breathe.

"Dace!" An urgent whisper tickled my ear.

I fought against the walls of the tube, strangely flexible. Something blocked my mouth. I smelled smoke.

"Dace!" The whisper came again.

That wasn't right. No one could be next to me. It had to be air escaping the ship. Hull breach? My panic reached new levels. I wriggled, trying to free myself. Something clamped over my face. I couldn't get my hands free to pry it off. I was wrapped tightly, not by tube walls but by fabric. The smoke smelled of wood, not charred plastic and metal. I didn't hear alarms, only someone breathing.

I fought to open my eyes, to wake from my nightmare. I couldn't breathe. Whoever held me in the blanket had a hand clamped over my mouth.

"Hold still," Tayvis whispered in my ear. "Dace?"

I went limp, wondering why he had his hand over my mouth, why he'd immobilized me with the blanket, and why he inched his way backwards into the bushes, dragging me with him.

He turned my face using the hand clamped over my mouth. When he saw my eyes were open, he eased his grip.

"Keep quiet," he said, his voice no more than a breath across my cheek. He waited, studying my face in the broken moonlight. His hand slipped to my shoulder. He looked past me, out of the bushes.

"He was here." The rough voice spoke the language of Dadilan with a coarse accent. "Looks like he packed up and moved on, though. The fire's cold."

"He was alone?" Ky, Leran's second, spoke.

"Looks like," the first voice answered. "Though I can't be sure, not in the dark."

"They were together, in the village," Ky said. "I want her found. I want to know who this man is. I want to know why he's helping her."

"And you want the truth about her," the first man said.

"You're being paid to track them, not make comments," Ky snapped.

"There are tracks back there. One horse, headed northeast."

"Gragensberg." Ky swore softly. "We have to move quickly."

"You aren't paying me enough to go there. I'm not having anything to do with the Duchess or her sorceress."

Footsteps crunched away. Silence fell.

Tayvis relaxed. "They're gone. Do you have nightmares like that often?"

I shrugged, loosening the blanket. "I was trapped in an engine tube during a fire drill once."

Tayvis twisted the blanket, trapping me again. His face was cold in the moonlight. "Who were they? Why do they want you?"

"One was Ky, Leran's assistant. I don't know the other one." I sensed anything less than full truth would get me killed. "I don't know why Ky's looking for me."

"Leran's smuggling," Tayvis said. "Convince me you aren't involved."

"How?"

His teeth gleamed in the dark as he grinned humorlessly. "That's the problem, isn't it? You don't have any proof."

"You can't prove I'm lying. And I can't prove I'm telling the truth. You said you trusted me, at least as far as you could throw me."

"That was before they hired a tracker to follow you. Now they know I'm with you."

"I'm not lying, Tayvis. I've told you the truth."

"You really have no idea what you've fallen into." He sighed and let go of the blanket. "Your story is wild enough it just might be true, although it's hard to swallow. If you lied, your story would be more believable."

"So you trust me?"

"For now." He slithered out of the bushes.

I followed, pulling the blanket free.

He dug through a different bush to pull out his pack. "Dawn isn't too far off. We're walking for a while. At least until I catch up with my horse."

I folded the blanket over my arm, shuffling my bare feet in the dirt. Tayvis slung the pack over his shoulder. He walked off, his boots silent.

I could stand where I was and wait for Ky to find me or I could follow Tayvis. I didn't want to walk barefoot through the forest. Tayvis offered me a better choice than Ky and Leran.

I picked my way after Tayvis, wincing at each step.

It was brutal, walking in the dark. I managed to step on half a dozen thorns within the first few minutes. I stubbed my toe on a rock. I stopped to pull a thorn out of my foot. Tayvis waited, not saying a word. He pushed through the bushes when I finished. I stifled a groan as I followed.

We crossed over a hill, into a rocky valley. I stumbled down the slope, splashing into a stream at the bottom. The cold water froze my feet, but it took the sting out of the thorn pricks and scrapes.

Tayvis waded through the stream to dump his pack on the far side. He put his finger in his mouth and let out a piercing whistle. He looked upstream, waiting.

He whistled again. Hoofbeats echoed off the rocks. His horse trotted down the stream bank, bobbing its head. Tayvis stepped towards it. The horse snuffled into his hand, allowing him to catch hold of the reins.

"Are you coming?" he asked as he slung the pack onto the horse.

My feet hurt too much. I couldn't go farther. The water rushed past, wetting the bottom of my skirt. I bit my lip. Tayvis might leave me behind if I stopped. I stumbled my way out of the stream. When I stepped onto the bank, I couldn't stop the gasp of pain. I limped over to the horse.

Tayvis caught my arm. "How bad are your feet?"

"Does it matter?" I didn't look at him. I stared at his horse instead.

"You must have a very good reason to want to stay with me. Are you spying on me?"

"Would I be this obvious if I were? Leran and Ky threatened to kill me. You say they were headed for the slave market, probably to sell me. You're my best way out of here. Whether you trust me or not, that's the truth."

He studied me for a long moment. Birds chirped sleepily in the trees. The stream gurgled over rocks. The horse snorted and chewed grass.

"We've got a lot of ground to make up." Tayvis released my arm. "Do you want help getting on?"

I expected him to throw me on the horse, like before. I folded my arms through the blanket and waited.

"Put your foot in here." He touched a loop hanging from the seat. "Step up and swing your other leg over. It's easy."

"The horse is taller than I am."

"Left foot. Use the front of the saddle for leverage."

The loop hung at least three feet off the ground. He helped me slide my foot in. I grabbed the seat and pulled myself on. The horse sidled away. Tayvis shoved me the rest of the way over the horse. The horse tossed its head. I grabbed handfuls of hair.

Tayvis pulled the reins over the horse's head. I moved my foot out of the loop so Tayvis could mount. The horse grabbed a last mouthful of weeds before walking down the trail.

I looked down at Tayvis' arm around me, browned by sun. Why hadn't he left me behind?

He didn't trust me. I had my selfish reasons for sticking with him. What were his reasons for helping me? Did he think I knew something I wasn't telling him? He'd been nice, but he'd also threatened me. I had no idea what he thought.

I could puzzle out his motives later. All of the knowledge Ameli stuffed into me was finally accessible. Dadilan was primitive, but it hadn't always been. Two thousand years had passed since settlement, long enough for technology to have been discarded, abandoned, or just plain forgotten. Ameli had filled my head with information on the social structure of Dadilan but only sketchy generalities of technical details.

Why was Dadilan important enough to rate an undercover Enforcer? Tayvis mentioned smuggling, but not even the Patrol took protected status that seriously. Nothing in Ameli's information indicated what could be of such importance.

Tayvis pushed the pace until the sun rose well clear of the horizon. We left the mountains mostly behind us, skirting the tallest. Land sloped towards a flatter valley glimpsed only through trees. Tayvis stopped the horse in a broad meadow dotted with white flowers.

I gingerly picked my way to a rock. I was exhausted and the day had barely started.

"Hungry?" Tayvis tossed me a dried bit of fruit that might have been fresh several months earlier.

I fingered the unappetizing snack, but it was all I had. I nibbled off a corner.

"How are your feet?" Tayvis asked.

I wondered idly if he had a foot fetish. "Sore. I never really appreciated boots before."

"Not many people on this planet can afford them. You would look suspicious if you had a pair." He sat on the grass near me.

"Because I'm supposed to be your slave?" I couldn't help the edge in my comment.

"Exactly. I'll see what I can do when we get to Gragensberg."

He reached for my foot. I pulled it away. He shot one unreadable glance my way before watching his horse instead.

"We should get to Gragensberg this afternoon, if your friends don't catch us first." He chewed on a piece of the dried fruit.

"Ky is not my friend. I think he hates me, though I'm not sure why." I picked off another bite of fruit.

Birds cheeped in the trees. Something small and brown scampered across a rock near the horse.

"Why aren't you asking me questions?" Tayvis leaned on his elbow.

"Would you answer any of them?"

He frowned as he bit off another piece. "If you were a spy, you'd be asking me all sorts of questions, trying to find out what I know. But since I suspect you, you'd sit quiet and wait for me to talk. If you aren't a spy, then you should be at least a little curious."

"Maybe I'm just tired and hungry and want to get off planet."

He chewed his fruit. I finished mine. The horse ripped up a clump of weeds. Green goo dripped off its lips. The small brown animal came back, perching on a rock to watch the horse suspiciously.

"You aren't going to ask me anything?"

The brown creature darted away.

"Why don't you just tell me whatever it is you think I need to know and save us both the bother."

"And accidentally say something I shouldn't?"

"I don't think you do anything accidentally."

His face went blank, his mask fully in place. I looked down at my bare feet, uncomfortable in his stare. He stood, brushing grass off his pants.

"We should be moving again," he said.

I wanted more breakfast. He wasn't offering. I followed him to his horse. He watched me with his chocolate eyes that gave nothing away.

We mounted the horse again. I managed to do it without help. The horse moved away from the stream. My muscles protested, but not much.

"Leran is one of three researchers with a grant to study Dadilan."

I glanced over my shoulder and got a good view of his chin. "Why are you telling me?"

"Because you need to know. Before you blunder into something."

"And screw up your investigation."

"And get yourself killed."

"Why would you care?" I faced forward, watching the horse twitch its ears.

"I didn't say I would. It would cause a lot of paperwork and I don't like paperwork."

Even though I barely knew him, it still hurt to have it put so baldly.

"Leran is only one of three," he said as if he had never been interrupted. "We're going to Gragensberg to check out the second."

"We?"

He let that slide. "Shomies Pardui is working with the Duchess Karoni, ruler of Gragensberg and the surrounding area. The third researcher is Barricion Muir. I'm supposed to bring him in on charges of voiding his research contract. He's set himself up as a social reformer, interfering with the native culture."

"How is that different than Leran? He's set himself up as a wizard."

"Or Shomies Pardui? They're both working through a native ruler. Barricion Muir isn't. He calls himself Robin Goodfellow. He's running a criminal organization in the woods north of here. That's about all I know. The files were sketchy on details."

"So he's the smuggler?" I remembered him mentioning smuggling earlier.

"I don't know. It could be all three of them or none of them."

"I haven't seen anything on this planet worth trading legitimately. What could be worth enough to risk smuggling?"

"You really don't know?"

"Would I ask if I did?"

"Possibly."

"Are you going to tell me?"

"They're smuggling shara." He waited for me to react. "Shara's a drug that enhances psychic abilities." He waited again.

I frowned, trying to figure it out. I'd never heard of shara.

"Were you raised in a creche somewhere? You have no idea what I'm talking about."

"I grew up on Tivor, in an orphanage," I admitted. "My first and only encounter with psychics was testing at the Academy."

"Tivor?" He sounded surprised. "The food riots twenty years ago?"

"That Tivor, yes." When the other cadets at the Academy had found out where I came from, I'd been the butt of every cafeteria joke. I hunched forward, expecting the same reaction from Tayvis.

His arm squeezed me sympathetically.

"You aren't going to make fun of me?" I squirmed around so I could see his face, sliding both legs down the same side of the horse.

"Is there a reason I should?"

"Because I'm from a backwards world. Because I'm from Tivor, the armpit of the Empire."

He just watched me, his eyes unreadable.

I turned away. It was old pain.

"Shara is dangerous." He slid past my comments. "The Patrol controls all shipments."

"So someone in the Patrol is smuggling?"

"No." He shook his head. "The shipments are all accounted for. The problem is that unauthorized shipments of shara were confiscated on several planets six months ago. I'm here to find out where they came from and how they got off Dadilan."

"So what is shara? You said it enhances psychic abilities."

"The stronger the psychic, the more the drug affects them. Someone scoring a ten for telepathy would be boosted to fifteen or higher. They wouldn't be limited to reading your surface thoughts. They'd be able to plant thoughts in your head and you wouldn't know. They'd be strong enough to take over a weaker mind completely. Now imagine that in the hands of the crime syndicates."

"Oh," I said, finally understanding.

"Oh is right. And that's just one aspect of the drug. It's even more potent for an empath."

Empaths were rare, even more so than strong telepaths. Few people scored over a four for either. True telepathy, reading thoughts, required a seven or better. Empaths could only read emotion unless they rated at least an eight. Twelves could project emotion, but not far and not focused. If they boosted to eighteen, empaths could wreak havoc on a world. Mental shields could block telepathy, but no one had a shield for blocking empaths.

Shara in the wrong hands could bring down the Empire; destroy civilization on thousands of worlds. If I thought my life on Tivor was rotten, this would be a million times worse.

"I'm here to stop it," Tayvis said. "If I can't, the Patrol will quarantine Dadilan." He didn't say that the Patrol might decide to sanitize the world, burn it off completely to neutralize the threat. Shara was that dangerous, if what Tayvis said was true. "A single shipment of shara could buy an entire planet. The syndicates are involved, although the Patrol has no proof. Someone wants me to fail. My partner is missing and your presence was just a bit too convenient."

"You trusted me enough to swear me in to the Patrol."

"You took that seriously?"

I blinked back tears, shifting to sit facing forward. It was all a joke? It was a cruel one. What did he want from me? I'd told him the truth.

"Dace, I do need the help. Tell me I can trust you and make me believe it."

"I've tried."

"And I'm suspicious by nature. You've stumbled into a highly classified mess. Clearance level ten."

I swallowed hard. Level ten meant that ninety nine percent of the Patrol wasn't allowed to know and none of the rest of the Empire could even guess.

"They'll kill to keep their secrets."

"And you don't know who they are."

"Which is why I'm gathering what information I can about all three suspects. From what you've told me about Leran, I'd guess he's involved. Why else would he send his assistant to kill you? You may have seen something dangerous and not realized it."

"They know you're with me," I said.

"I hope they don't know who I am. From what I overheard, they just know you met with someone."

"They'll figure it out. They know you were headed for Gragensberg."

"And they won't make a move there. All three researchers guard their turf jealously." He glanced at the sun. "We've got to move faster." He pulled me against him as he kicked the horse into a gallop.

I clenched sore muscles.

"Move with the horse and it isn't so bad," he said into my ear. His arm was like a steel band around my middle, holding me in place. The trail leveled out. The horse ran faster. I leaned forward and enjoyed the ride.

Chapter 7

By the time Gragensberg came in view that afternoon, I bounced limply, too exhausted to even swear. A huge, ugly castle dominated the city, which looked like a tumble of rocks spilled down the hill.

"They close the gates at sundown," Tayvis said.

He slowed the horse. We joined herds of squalling animals and wagons loaded with vegetables headed to the single gate in the city walls. The breeze stank of unwashed people, animals, and a thousand other things.

Tayvis slid off the horse, leading it to the gate. Two bored guards eyed me before waving him through. Their looks made my teeth itch.

People crowded the narrow streets, shouting at each other over the bawling of animals. The twisting streets were a maze of filth and noise.

Gragensberg was nothing like any city I'd ever been in. Cut stone dominated the buildings, gray and crusted with grime. Tiny windows peered across the narrow streets. Signs, painted with the most incredible pictures I'd ever seen, hung over doorways. Animals and plants and articles of clothing in a variety of glaring colors passed overhead. I looked into an open door underneath a picture of boots but saw nothing inside that resembled shoes.

Tayvis stopped under a sign showing a grotesquely fascinating donkey doing something anatomically impossible with a bunch of grapes.

I slid off the horse. Tayvis untied his gear, carrying it into the building.

Smoke hung in a haze, turning the air blue. Men sat at tables, drinking and smoking. A group in the corner sang drunkenly. A few women flirted with the men as they served drinks.

"This way." Tayvis crossed the room, then climbed a narrow flight of stairs. He opened a door at the top. I followed him inside. The room was barely big enough for a narrow bed.

"One of their larger rooms," Tayvis said. "I'll arrange with the owner to bring you a meal. I'm meeting someone. Don't leave this room until I come back. Do you understand?"

"What if you don't come back?"

"Then you're in no worse shape than you already are. This city is dangerous enough if you know what you're doing. If you get yourself in trouble, I'm not coming to get you out. Lock the door behind me. Don't let anyone else in."

"Except my dinner."

He shut the door in my face.

I crossed to the tiny window at the back. It opened into an alley reeking of sewage. I wrinkled my nose at the stench. I poked the bed, feeling lots of hard lumps. I closed my eyes and wished I were flying my ship somewhere lightyears away.

I remembered Tayvis' warning about locking the door too late. A girl, no more than ten, entered carrying a tray and a candle. She put the tray on the bed, the candle in a holder on the wall, then scurried out.

I wolfed down the greasy unappetizing slop, hungry enough to ignore the odd texture. I set the tray outside the door.

Laughter rose from the common room below. Yellow light filtered up the dim staircase. I hesitated. It was either the stuffy, smelly little room with the lumpy bed or downstairs where people laughed. It was still the same building, I rationalized. How dangerous could it really be? I spoke the language. I might actually prove my usefulness to Tayvis. Maybe he'd trust me if I found information for him. I stepped off the bottom stair into a spreading quiet.

"Will your man mind if I buy you a drink?" one man offered. He slid over on his bench, making room. He looked young and fairly clean.

"I doubt it," I answered, sitting down.

He signaled a bar maid. She flounced across the room, carrying a tray of mugs. She set one in front of me.

The conversation and drunken singing resumed.

The man sipped his drink, his eyes appraising me. "What business brings you here? I heard your owner was a mercenary, looking for work. The Duchess is always looking for new men."

"He isn't my owner." It slipped out before I could think better of it.

"Then you're free for the taking?" The man's eyes grew bolder.

"He'll probably object if you try." Maybe Tayvis was my owner. I picked up the mug. The brown liquid had small bits of wood floating in it. It smelled sour.

"Hari's best ale." The man raised his own mug.

I sipped. It burned when I swallowed. I put the mug aside.

"Not very adventurous," the man said. He drank half his mug.

"Not my taste."

He smiled. "Perhaps wine would suit you better? They don't serve any here. No, I'm afraid you're stuck with Hari's ale. Unless you wouldn't mind accompanying me somewhere classier?"

I'd made a mistake. I pushed to my feet. The man caught my arm, stopping me.

"Caution is good, an admirable trait in a woman. I mean no harm. I'm Acer." He smiled. "Stay, please."

I sat down.

"Your name?" he prompted.

"Dace." I saw no reason not to tell him. Maybe I could get information. "Do you work for the Duchess?" I smiled my most winsome smile. I hadn't had much chance to practice.

"It's only rough the first few sips." He nudged my mug.

If I played his game, maybe he'd let something slip. I forced another swallow. Tingling numbness rippled over my tongue. I avoided intoxicants as a rule. I never had the pleasant side effects, only unpleasant ones.

Acer laughed at my grimace. "A slave of refinement and quality. I wouldn't have guessed from your dress."

"I keep the nice dresses for when I'm not traveling."

"And a sharp tongue." Acer drained his mug. "So, tell me about your owner. Who is he? Where do you come from?"

I pasted a smile on my face while I racked my brain for answers. Ameli's information contained all sorts of trivia about social classes but precious little about geography. I hazarded a guess. "South, far south."

"Tribidia, perhaps? Or maybe the Duchy of Keris?"

"Something like that. Where do you come from?"

"Gragensberg is my home, always has been. It's a pleasant enough city. The Duchess keeps things fair. Some say she gives women too much freedom, but I say it only makes life more challenging. I like a good challenge." He ran his finger around the rim of his mug. "What is your business in Gragensberg?"

"I really don't know. You'll have to ask my owner."

"I will." Acer planted his elbows on the table. "I'll make you a wager. I ask you a question and you either answer or take a drink of Hari's ale. In return, you ask me any question you like."

"And you'll drink the ale. I don't see any advantage here."

Acer grinned, winking. "I pay for the drinks. If you really don't care for ale, what's the harm in answering a few simple questions?"

"I think I'm done. Thanks for the drink."

Acer reached across the table, grabbing my arms. "I can have you arrested on suspicion of spying on Her Grace. Her sorceress will pry the answers from you fast enough. Or you can play my little game."

"Drink or answer."

Acer nodded. "My turn first. What is your business in Gragensberg?"

"I don't know."

Acer shook his head. "Not an answer. You'll have to drink twice."

I picked up the mug. Maybe I could still find a way to twist this to my advantage. I drank. "What business are you in?"

"Guard duty when needed. What does your owner do?"

"He's a mercenary."

"What kind?"

"I don't know."

"Penalty for you."

We went back and forth with questions and vague answers. I didn't have enough background to know what to ask. I probed any opening Acer gave. I took the smallest sips Acer allowed. Hari's ale was deceptively strong.

"Your turn." Acer didn't look drunk in the least.

My thoughts spun hazily. I couldn't remember what I'd already asked. Acer glanced over my shoulder. I twisted around, sliding off the bench. I caught myself on the edge of the table.

"I told you to stay in the room," Tayvis said.

I pushed to my feet, feeling like a chastised cadet. Acer saluted me with my mug before draining it.

I climbed the stairs to our room. Tayvis dogged my heels. He shut the door firmly when we were both inside. The stale stench of the mattress, combined with the greasy dinner and Hari's ale, sent me diving for the porcelain pot under the bed. I was noisily sick into it.

Tayvis dropped on the bed, tucking his hands behind his head. "I'll have to bust you a rank for disobeying orders."

"I'm already a slave, how far can you bust me below that?" I got to my feet to dump the pot out the window. "I did learn something useful; at least I think it's important."

"Are you sober enough to tell me?"

I sat on the floor next to the pot. "I don't get drunk, just sick. The Duchess works with a sorceress. They say she came from the sky and brings magic with her."

"Shomies Pardui. She's a noted anthropologist. I've already told you about her."

"She is rumored to be selling shara to the unbelievers." I leaned against the wall.

Tayvis rose to rummage through his pack. He pulled his waterskin out, tossing it to me. I drank a mouthful. It was better than Hari's ale, but not by much.

"What you did was still stupid, although you learned more than I did. Feeling better yet?"

"No."

"Then you sleep on the floor. Right next to the chamber pot in case you need it again." He lay down on the bed.

I stoppered the waterskin, then wiped my face on my skirt.

"I'm meeting someone else in the morning. Are you going to stay in the room this time?"

"Yes, sir."

He closed his eyes.

"What are lice?"

"Go to sleep," he ordered.

"You said I had them, I want to know what they are."

"You'll probably have them before you leave this planet, especially if you spend time drinking with strange men."

"What are they?"

"Bugs."

"Oh."

"Go to sleep."

"The floor's hard."

"Do you like complaining?"

"I'm not complaining."

He sighed heavily before shifting to the side, making room. He spread the blanket over us both. "If you throw up on me, you're sleeping on the floor."

I snuggled next to him. I didn't care if he didn't like me. It didn't matter that he was a Patrol Enforcer and would probably arrest me sometime in the future. I finally felt safe.

Chapter 8

I woke slowly, rising out of a deep sleep. My fingers twitched through soft fur. I scrambled awake in a panic. Where had the fur come from?

I lay in a soft bed with a painted canopy overhead. My mouth fell open as I took in the pictures. I didn't know people could do that to each other. My face flushed with embarrassment as I looked away from the paintings.

The room was huge, bigger than my entire ship. Filmy strips of cloth waved in a sluggish breeze. Sunlight filtered through two wide openings, floor to ceiling arches lined with carved pillars. Ornate furniture glittered gold. I hadn't been in a room that screamed feminine so strongly since I'd last been in the orphanage director's office.

I slipped from the bed, my head spinning. The floor continued beyond the openings to a balcony. I pushed a filmy strip of cloth away from my face to look out.

Urns of flowering vines lined the balcony, tiny white blossoms poured out scent like a perfume factory. I inhaled deeply, glad to have found something pleasant, and leaned on the metal railing.

Uniformed men paraded across the pavement below. I shifted uneasily. I had no idea where I was or how I'd gotten there. The men carried swords and spears, not blasters.

Three girls wearing little more than the draperies fluttered through the door. They surrounded me, patting me with soft hands as they tugged me out of the bedroom and into the room beyond. They pushed me into the center of the room then fluttered away, chirping like birds.

I faced a woman seated in a heavy wooden chair that dripped gems and gold. She studied me, pursing her full lips in disapproval at what she saw. I straightened, all too conscious of my dusty skirt and bare feet.

The woman's smooth face looked artificially young. Tiny lines around her eyes hinted at her true age. Her sheer robe emphasized full curves beneath, ones that were too smooth and symmetrical to be real. She had to have been biosculpted, a very expensive procedure that required sophisticated medical tech, something I suspected didn't exist on Dadilan. She smiled a reptilian smile, cold and full of pointy teeth.

"Acer couldn't stop talking about you." Her throaty voice hung in the air. "I was curious. I hope you'll forgive my method of bringing you here."

She spoke Basic. I kept my face blank, pretending I didn't understand. This had to be Shomies Pardui, noted anthropologist and social researcher and possible drug smuggler.

Her eyes narrowed. She steepled her hands, pressing index fingers against her deep red lips.

She gave me cold shivers, worse than Leran. I kept my expression neutral. It was like playing Comets, you made a bet and bluffed your way into winning. If you were good enough. I hoped I was good enough.

"Acer." She snapped her fingers.

My drinking companion of the night before stepped out from behind a set of draperies.

"Is this the woman?" Shomies asked.

Acer nodded.

"You are certain of what you heard last night?"

Acer bowed, curling his hands in front of his face. "I know what I heard, your Grace."

What had I given away? My memory was hazy. Had I said something I shouldn't?

Shomies tapped her fingers against her chin. "You may go."

Acer scurried from the room. His footsteps faded in the hallway.

"It's no use hiding, pretending you don't understand." Shomies spoke the language of Dadilan now. "Acer knows what he heard you say last night."

Shomies stood, every move fluid and graceful. She took four steps, measured like a dance, to a tiny table with a decanter and goblets.

"Perhaps some wine would loosen your tongue." She pulled the stopper from the decanter. The glass chimed as she poured. The liquid inside glistened like blood. She held the goblet out.

I took it, then ran my finger around the rim, hesitant to drink.

"Perhaps the wine is too refined for you." Shomies sat in her jeweled chair. "Would you like me to send for ale?"

I set the goblet on a table. "I'm not thirsty."

"Then food?" She clapped her hands.

The almost-naked girls reappeared, carrying trays of fruits and cheeses. They set the trays on tables, then drifted out of the room.

I wondered what move I could make that would get me out alive.

"It isn't poisoned." Shomies leaned back, appearing relaxed. The long nails of one hand tapped on the arm of her throne.

Her nervousness gave me confidence. I picked a small red berry from the tray but hesitated to eat it. Her mention of poison hung in the air between us.

Shomies sighed before picking a berry from the tray. "If I'd wanted you dead, you would already be a corpse on the walls." She popped the fruit in her mouth.

I ate my berry, the tartness unexpectedly strong.

Shomies crossed her perfect legs, swinging one shapely foot.

I sat in a chair upholstered in red velvet. The silence stretched into long minutes. Shomies' fingernail ticked off time.

"Why are you here? What purpose do you have in Gragensberg?"

"My owner brought me here." I stuck to the native tongue and Tayvis' explanation.

Her nail tapped faster. "I am not stupid and neither are you. You are no one's slave."

I popped bite of cheese in my mouth.

Shomies tugged her lip. "I could have you beaten."

I swallowed the cheese. "Why not just ask what you want to know?"

She threw her head back and laughed. It rang false. "Refreshing bit of honesty. I hadn't expected that from you, Dace."

I smiled, returning her reptile's smirk. "Why are you here, in Gragensberg?"

"Research. I have official authorization to be here. But you don't."

"I'm a native. I can go where I please."

"You're not native, not to Dadilan." Her false smile never touched her eyes.

I sighed dramatically. "What gave me away?" Play her for everything and maybe she'd give me a way out.

"Small things." She shrugged, a delicate lifting of one shoulder. "Your mannerisms, mostly. And your accent. You slipped last night with Acer. He said you were the possession of a barbarian mercenary from the far south. There are no settlements, barbarian or otherwise, to the south." She picked up a grape, biting it neatly in half.

I ate another berry, chewing slowly. "Why does it concern you, Shomies?"

"Anything happening in Gragensberg concerns me. Why are you on Dadilan?"

I smiled, showing my teeth.

"Who are you working for?" Wrinkles marred her artificially-smooth brow.

"Who pays you?" Answer questions with more questions and maybe she would slip.

"The Department of Xenoarchaeology."

I shifted in the chair, draping one bare foot over the arm. "And they want shara?"

She cocked her head, her dark red hair slithering over her shoulder. "So that's why you're here. Competition?"

"Not if your offer is good enough."

"Why should I trust you? I'm surprised Gerant Clyvus hasn't had you killed."

My mind spun in circles. Who in blazes was Gerant Clyvus? I waited for Shomies to make the next move. My ignorance might kill me.

"Tell me, Dace, what makes you think you can replace Gerant? He's the only one that can ship shara off world. He's got the contacts. What guarantees can you offer?"

"What guarantees are you looking for?"

She watched me, her eyes slitted and cold. My turn to make a move or risk losing.

"I'll offer you the same deal I cut with Leran," I said, shooting in the dark, hoping I'd hit the mark.

I didn't get the reaction I expected. Shomies actually snarled.

"That self-righteous pig! I should kill you right now. Leran is the one who sent the Patrol after me. Six months of investigation nearly destroyed my reputation. Leran is jealous. He'll only succeed over my dead body. Maybe I'll send him yours as a warning."

I smiled calmly even though my insides churned with fear. Don't let it show. "We didn't come to an agreement. He offered, but I told him no. I didn't like his attitude. He did say my rates were better than Clyvus offered." I let the comment trail off suggestively.

Her nostrils flared. She smashed her hand against the tray, sending fruit flying across the room. The tray clattered onto the floor.

"I take it Clyvus double crossed you." I picked a grape from my lap.

"I'll pay you five hundred credits if you bring me his head. And another five if you bring me Leran's."

"I'm not in the assassination business. But for that amount, I'll think about it."

"Gerant promised I was his only source. No one crosses me."

"I'll keep that in mind." I shifted on the chair. I wanted out. Now. Shomies scared me.

"If I hear you've negotiated with Leran, I'll kill you myself. Very slowly."

"I strung him along. I didn't deal with him."

"You're lying."

"And you're paranoid." I stood, brushing my skirt straight. "I'm done here."

"You aren't done until I say you're done! You want to replace Clyvus? Fine. I'll pay you to kill him. But only if you can guarantee my shipments of shara will still get delivered, that I'll still get paid."

"They will." I examined my ragged nails, pretending I wasn't afraid.

"What delivery guarantees are you offering?"

"I won't touch Clyvus until you get paid for your first shipment through me."

She backed off, as if I were diseased. She finally nodded. "Bring me proof that Leran's dead and I'll consider dropping Gerant."

"I don't kill without money first." I wouldn't kill at all, but she didn't need to know that.

She pulled a ring off her finger, dropping it into my hand. I held it to the light, admiring the ruby as big as my thumb.

Shomies slammed open the door. Acer stepped in.

"Take Dace to her inn. Make sure she doesn't get lost on the way."

Acer nodded.

"We have a deal, Dace. I never forget betrayal. Remember that." Shomies pointed one blood red fingernail.

I flipped the ring into the air, pretending confidence as I caught it and tucked it into a pocket. "Nice doing business with you." I turned to leave.

"Dace," Shomies called just before I reached the door, her voice smooth and pleasant. "Your owner, who is he?"

"Just a native. He was convenient."

"There's a Patrol agent rumored to be in Gragensberg."

"And I'd hate to have him find me."

Her fingernail tapping faded as the door swung shut. I repressed shivers.

Acer sauntered through the halls. I trailed him. The castle sprawled like a stone spider over the top of the hill. Half a dozen men guarded the exit. They nodded to Acer, opening a narrow door to the outside.

Hot sunlight beat down on the narrow streets. I stuck to Acer's heels through the noisy city. He led me to the inn of the anatomically impossible grapes.

"Shomies doesn't forget anything." He leaned close. "Watch your back and be careful who you choose to drink with, Dace."

He strode away. I clutched the ring in my fist, his warning echoing in my head. I pushed the door open.

The man in the dirty apron gave me a single uninterested look. I crossed the room to climb the stairs.

I opened the door to the sleeping room, half afraid I'd find Tayvis and his things gone. I sighed with relief when I saw his pack still on the floor next to the bed. He hadn't abandoned me.

Someone grabbed me, locking an arm around my throat. I kicked backwards. Cold metal pricked against my neck. I froze.

"If you scream, I swear I'll use the knife." Tayvis jerked me around. "What did you tell your mistress? Don't try lying to me. What did you tell her?"

"Shomies Pardui? She had me kidnapped."

"You expect me to believe that?"

He shoved me at the bed. I sprawled across it. He knelt over me, the knife in his hand.

"It's the truth, Tayvis. Her spy, Acer, was here last night. He told her about me."

"The man you were drinking with? Very clever, Dace. I almost trusted you."

"I didn't tell her about you. She thinks you're a native."

"Not the Patrol spy? She knows I'm here, in Gragensberg. My contact disappeared two days ago. No one's seen him. You sold me out."

I shook my head. "I don't know why she kidnapped me."

"And then conveniently let you go again." He leaned down, the knife in his lifted hand.

"She paid me to kill Leran."

"So now you're an assassin." The knife twitched.

"No." I flinched.

He slowly lowered it. "Explain yourself."

"She thinks I'm trying to take over the shara smuggling from someone named Gerant Clyvus. He double-crossed her by smuggling for Leran. She was mad enough to spit." I pulled the ring off my finger, holding it out. "She gave me this. I guess she's smuggling because she needs to pay her doctor. She's biosculpted more than any vid star."

Tayvis turned the ring in his hand. The ruby glowed even in the dim light creeping through the tiny window.

"I was stupid last night," I said. "I shouldn't have gone downstairs."

"How else could you have passed the right message to your mistress?"

"No. I've never met Shomies Pardui. I'm not working for her."

"She paid you this." The ruby winked red.

"So take me to the Patrol base. Arrest me. Just get me out of Gragensberg before Shomies figures out I lied."

"I should leave you here." He got off the bed, sliding the knife into his boot.

I wrapped my arms around myself.

"We're leaving. You make one wrong move, say anything to anyone, and I'll leave you in an alley for whatever or whoever finds you. Is that clear?"

"Perfectly," I said, my voice small.

He picked up his pack. He took my elbow in his hand, hard enough to leave bruises.

Tayvis pushed me through the inn, out into the street. We walked quickly down a side street to a separate building that smelled of horses. He paid a boy to fetch his horse. He gave me a stony look before throwing me into the saddle. He swung on behind me, then kicked his horse into a walk. I sat stiffly upright, as far from him as I could get.

The guard at the gate stopped us. "It will be dark soon. The road can be dangerous."

"So can I," Tayvis said.

I shivered in agreement.

We rode into the countryside. Tayvis kicked the horse into a hard run, his arm holding me tightly. He didn't give me a choice about sitting against him.

I should have been angry. I was scared instead, frightened and alone and very much missing the orphanage. At least the beatings there hadn't actually killed me.

We passed through the cultivated lands around Gragensberg and into a row of low hills, leaving the farmlands behind.

Tayvis slowed the horse to a walk. His arm relaxed. I inched away from him. He studied the woods to either side. He finally stopped the horse. I stayed on its back while he dismounted.

Tayvis led the horse into a bank of bushy trees. I ducked under branches. The ground dipped into a broad hollow. A stream trickled across one side and out the bottom. Tayvis pulled the horse to a stop.

"Get off."

I slid to the ground, then stepped back, out of his way.

He unsaddled the horse, tying it to a tree. He stalked over to his pack. He looked me over in the last of the sunlight. "Were you telling me the truth?"

"I haven't lied to you, Tayvis. Except when I said I was lost from my father's house. My father's been dead for years. I never even met him."

Tayvis bent down to his pack. "Convince me I can trust you."

"How?"

"That's the real problem, isn't it? The innkeeper told me you'd been taken to the castle, that the sorceress wanted you. What was I supposed to think? It was too convenient."

"So you assumed I worked for Shomies Pardui."

"Wouldn't you, if you were in my position?"

"Probably. What are you going to do with me?"

"I don't know." He pulled a pot from his pack. "Fill the pot with water. I'll get firewood." He shoved his way into the thicket.

Was this his idea of an apology? No one had ever apologized to me before, not unless I'd forced them into it by pinning them down and squeezing a few nerves. I picked up the pot.

I knelt by the stream, shoving the pot into the trickling water. The horse lowered its head, snuffling warm breath over my hands. I pushed it away. I carried the full pot over to the pack, setting it on the ground.

Tayvis dumped an armload of branches near me. "Go find some twigs."

I flipped a salute before turning away. I was angry at myself, and more than a little scared of him. I hadn't asked to be stranded here. I only wanted to get off Dadilan and back to what was left of my life.

I stopped near the thicket, glancing back. He looked up from the pile of wood as if he could read my thoughts.

I pushed past the first screen of bushes. What choice did I have? I could run away and be alone in the woods. Or I could face the other people who wanted to kill me, like Ky. Tayvis had been nice, for the most part. My best chance to get off Dadilan was with him. I'd have to convince him to trust me, somehow. I scraped a handful of twigs from under a spiky bush.

I dropped them next to Tayvis.

"Thanks." He sifted through the twigs, adding them to his pile.

I found a seat in the grass.

Orange flames danced above the pile of twigs. He fed sticks into the fire, watching it grow. He set the pot of water on the fire. He studied me by its light. "Do you want me to apologize?"

"You think I'm working for the smugglers. I don't have any way to convince you otherwise."

He pulled a smaller bag out of the pack. "Dace."

"Are you tying me up for real tonight? Because last time you left the knots loose where I could reach them."

"No, I'm not tying you up." He emptied the smaller bag into the pot.

"Then what? You're going to kill me before you go to sleep?" I wrapped my arms around my knees.

He pulled a spoon from his pack.

"Are you going to sell me as a slave? Or are you hoping I'll just disappear?"

"Are you going to?" He stirred the soup.

I shrugged, wriggling my bare toes in the dirt. "Where would I go? I'm not working for any of them. I'm definitely not smuggling. I don't belong here."

"You look hungry." Tayvis held out a piece of the coarse bread they served at the inn. "Truce? I'll trust you until you give me a reason not to."

"That's what you said before. You didn't trust me about Shomies and Acer."

"I believe you, Dace."

"Why? Why now and not before?"

He shrugged.

I picked bits off the bread.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry."

"So am I."

He smiled, firelight etching his face. "That's a start, isn't it?"

Chapter 9

When I woke the next morning, Tayvis lay next to me, his back keeping me warm. I slid out of the blanket, heading for the bushes. His horse snorted. I paused near the edge of the hollow, looking back.

One arm curled under his head. Why had he apologized? I couldn't figure out what he wanted. Why hadn't he left me behind? I turned abruptly, pushing into the bushes.

He woke when I returned, rolling onto one elbow to watch as I splashed cold water on my face. I dabbled in the stream, reluctant to talk to him, not until I figured out more answers.

Tayvis rose, shaking out the blanket before he sat by the fire, poking sticks into it. He leaned over to blow onto it. A thin tendril of smoke rose from the wood.

I stayed at the stream, stealing glances at him while he built up the fire. His profile reminded me of a vid star, too handsome to be real. He looked more human this morning, less polished with his hair mussed from sleep. He was dangerous, he'd threatened me with a knife, but he was my ticket off Dadilan. He made me feel safe, despite everything. I scooped icy water, splashing it across my face. The chill barely countered the strange heat in my cheeks.

I'd delayed long enough. I had to face him eventually. I crossed to the fire, my skirt swinging around my legs. Tayvis held a chunk of bread in my direction.

"It tastes better warm," he said.

I took the bread, holding it in my lap as I sat in the grass.

"My contacts in Gragensberg were compromised." Tayvis toyed with his bread. "If it wasn't for your friend kidnapping you, I wouldn't have learned anything."

"Acer isn't my friend. I don't work for Shomies." I'd given him the truth. Why wouldn't he believe me?

He ignored my protest. He stabbed a chunk of bread with a stick, then held it over the flames. "I'm not getting the information I need. I've got one more contact. If he's gone, then I have no choice but to go to the Patrol base."

I picked at my bread. He planned to leave me, sooner or later.

He ate the half-toasted chunk of bread. "Do you want more? Because if you're done, we need to be moving."

"You trust me now?" It was like picking at a scab. I couldn't stop myself even though I knew it would bleed.

"You agreed to a truce last night. I trust that."

"Until when, Tayvis?"

"Until you break it."

"How do you define breaking the truce? I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know who to trust, who not to trust. How can I trust you to be what you say you are?"

"Same way I have to trust you."

"You could just kill me."

"Except I'm not an assassin. Are you?"

That hit too close to home. I was very good at shooting things. I never wanted to shoot anything but a practice target, one reason I'd refused to join the Patrol when I graduated from the Academy.

"No." I left it hanging in the morning air.

"It might help if you told me something easier to believe."

"You want me to lie to you now?" I shook out the blanket, then folded it.

"You grew up on Tivor and somehow got admitted to the Patrol Academy on Eruus. That by itself is almost impossible to believe. No one leaves Tivor."

"I did."

"You aren't lying, are you?"

"I changed my name as soon as I figured out how. That's why it's Dace, just Dace and nothing more."

"So what was it before?"

"None of your business." I stuffed the blanket into his pack.

"Dace," he knelt down next to me, grabbing my wrist. "I already apologized for yesterday. I really could use your help."

"Aren't you afraid I'm going to kill you in your sleep? Or sell you out to whoever offers me the most money?"

"No. I'm not afraid of that. Not from you."

"You don't trust me. How can you say that?"

"Gut instinct." He let go of my hand.

"What if I am plotting with Shomies Pardui?"

"Then I wouldn't be here. I'd be dead in an alley in Gragensberg."

He stood, jerking the strings on his pack tight. He saddled the horse, tying the pack on behind.

I had never trusted anyone, not really. He asked a lot from me that I didn't know how to give. I wasn't sure I wanted to.

"Coming?" He looped the reins over the horse's neck.

"I hate horses." I eyed the horse's back. I shoved my foot into the loop, hauling myself onto the horse.

Tayvis swung up behind me. The horse whuffled, shifting its feet. Tayvis kicked it into a walk.

We didn't head to the road. He sent us cross country.

"Where are we going?" I asked. Not that it mattered.

"Welcome to Sherwood, at least I think we're far enough north. Barricion Muir is here somewhere."

"So we just wander around until we find him."

"Or until his men find us. He isn't going by his name. He's calling himself Robin Goodfellow."

"And he's in trouble for trying to reform the government. You told me the other day."

"Shomies Pardui and Leran Sovalis both hate him. That's enough reason for me to go looking for him."

"So how does Gerant Clyvus fit in?" Talking about anything other than trust was better than brooding.

"Never heard of him until you mentioned his name."

"So are you supposed to arrest Robin Goodfellow?"

"He is breaking the law."

The horse paused in a stream to drink. Tayvis swung down, following the horse's example. I stayed put. It was the only way I didn't feel terribly short next to him.

"Why doesn't the Patrol just pull all of them off Dadilan and arrest them?"

"It isn't that simple." Tayvis shook water from his hands.

"Obviously, but explain it to me anyway."

"The people on Dadilan don't know about space travel, or other worlds. The Empire, in all of its collective wisdom as embodied in the Xenoarchaeology Council, decided they won't find out from us. Everyone on the planet is supposedly undercover."

"Including everyone at the Patrol base."

Tayvis mounted, then kicked the horse. The horse splashed through the stream, lunging up the far bank.

"They're supposed to be mercenaries from the far east, here to establish a trading post."

It sounded contrived, even to me. I didn't say anything. I didn't want to pick another fight.

"What about you?" I asked after a long silence.

"What about me?"

"I've told you all about me. What about you?"

"I work undercover for the Patrol."

I waited for more, but he stayed silent.

"That's hardly fair."

"Quiet," he ordered.

The horse pointed its ears forward. Tayvis muttered swear words under his breath. He wasn't very creative about it.

"I think they found us," I said.

"The question is who." Tayvis eased the knife out of his boot.

The horse snorted, dancing sideways when Tayvis tried to pull it back.

"I don't see anyone."

"They're here."

I squinted at the bushes and trees around us. I saw no sign of anyone hiding. The horse whinnied loudly and shook its head.

They came out of the woods silently, their dull green outfits blending with the bushes. They trained arrows at us. I'd always thought the idea of wooden arrows a bit silly in my ancient weapons classes, but not now. I swallowed a knot of fear.

Tayvis slid his knife into his boot. "I want to talk to Robin." The arrows shifted his way.

"Robin doesn't want to talk to you," one of the men answered.

"Take me to him and let him decide."

They didn't move. The sun beat down. I swatted at a flying insect. The men trained the arrows at me. I very carefully lowered my hand.

"Get off the horse," the lead man ordered.

Tayvis hesitated before sliding off.

I didn't want to hike barefoot through the woods. I stayed where I was.

"Not her," the lead man decided. "You, up here with me." He jerked his head at Tayvis.

Tayvis followed him into the woods. The other men melted into the trees.

I didn't want to be left alone. I leaned forward, reaching for the reins. Maybe I could ride to the Patrol base, except I had no idea which direction to go. "Stupid idea, Dace."

The horse jerked its head, pulling the reins out of my reach before stepping on them.

"Stupid horse." I drummed my heels on its sides. It ignored me.

A man in green appeared out of the trees, his hat perched cockily on blond hair. "Makes me wonder who is really in charge, the horse or the rider." He gathered the reins. "This way, my lady." The man bowed mockingly before leading us into the trees.

"Where are you taking me?" I might have half a chance if I surprised him.

"Robin's camp. Don't worry. You aren't going to be mistreated in any way. Robin won't stand for that. He holds women of all sorts in the highest regard." The man grinned over his shoulder. "But your owner doesn't know that. If you want asylum, Robin will find you a place."

"Not anywhere close to where I want to be."

"Pardon?"

"Nothing."

The man's grin faded as he studied me. "Something tells me this isn't as simple as it appears."

"Nothing ever is."

"A philosopher!" He smiled with delight. "Not what you expect from a mercenary's woman."

"And what are you? Besides green."

"Will Scarlet, at your service." He flourished his hand.

The horse nipped at him.

"Critic." He tugged the reins.

I laughed, a release of tension more than humor. Maybe Robin and his men weren't going to kill me. But, maybe they would when they found out who I was with. My smile faded.

"The lady has a most enchanting smile," Will said to the horse. "What will it take to bring it back, do you think?" He winked.

I looked away, at the deceptively peaceful forest.

"You won't be harmed. And neither will your companion. How did you come to meet him?"

"I ran into him in the woods."

Will studied me, head cocked to the side. "I would be most interested in your story, lady."

"I'm not a lady."

"If you say so."

He picked up the pace, pulling the horse into a trot. I gritted my teeth to keep them from snapping together.

Chapter 10

Will led the horse over the top of a hill into a small cup of a valley. Shaggy bushes and lacy trees dotted the bottom. A stream ran through the middle, dammed into a pond at one end. A large fire sent lazy spirals of smoke into the air. Men in green outfits lounged near the fire.

Will stopped the horse by one of the bushes.

"Your lodgings, noble lady."

I glanced around. "Where's Tayvis?"

Will's grin widened. "Is that who he is? I was wondering when he'd show up. He's probably meeting with Robin. And no, you can't join him until and unless Robin agrees."

I sat stubbornly on the horse.

"You can wait there as long as you like, except the horse might object." Will scratched his ear. "Or you can come down and wait in comfort. Lunch will be served soon."

Food brought me off the horse. Will caught my elbow. I tried to shake him off. His grip tightened.

"You will either wait here in the hut, or you will be escorted. Is that clear?"

"Very."

"I'll be happy to escort you. And maybe we can drop the act." He switched into Basic.

"And maybe you'll let go of me." I shifted my stance into attack mode.

"I wouldn't advise you to try that." Will's grin never wavered. He pinched a nerve, before he let go. "Let me take you to the cooking fire."

"And if I don't want to go?"

"Then you can sit in the hut." He gestured at the bush beside us. The branches had been woven together into a rounded enclosure.

"Lunch sounds good."

"This way." He sauntered across the clearing, my arm firmly in his grip. "If you're with Malcolm Tayvis, that means you must be Nuris Heydon. Except you aren't fifty, bald, and male. You want to explain who you are?"

"Are you Patrol?"

"Are you?"

I didn't know how to answer. If I said I was and I wasn't, I could be charged with impersonating an officer. Tayvis hadn't clarified my status.

Will jerked my elbow, spinning me around to face him. "Tell me your name and I'll talk them into feeding you."

"Why don't you ask Tayvis?" I rubbed my elbow.

"Because he isn't here and you are."

"Dace."

Will frowned thoughtfully. "Nope. Never heard of you."

"I'm not surprised."

"I know everyone who comes and goes from this planet and you aren't on my list. How did you get here?"

"I crashed. How did you get here?"

"I'm one of Robin's graduate students. I've got three degrees in ancient languages. Dadilan seemed the perfect place to earn another one. How did you crash?"

"My ship exploded and I landed in an escape pod. Should I be telling you any of this?"

"What is it going to matter? The truth will come out sooner or later."

I waited for him to say something that made sense.

"No philosophical statements on the nature of truth? You disappoint me."

"Good."

He laughed. "Maybe if I feed you, it will loosen your tongue."

"Will Scarlet!" The newcomer to our very odd conversation exited from one of the huts. He held his slender frame elegantly, his beard trimmed to frame his mouth. His shoulder length hair shone with cleanliness and brushing. His clothes were very tidy and very green. "Is this the charming lady I've heard so much about?" The man bowed. "Master Tayvis spoke highly of you."

"I rather doubt that," I muttered.

"Forgive my bad manners, but it is a necessary precaution. I'm sure you understand." He took my hand, his manicured nails in sharp contrast to my raggedly chewed nails. "I am Robin Goodfellow, and these are my men. We are here to change this world."

"Right." I pulled my hand free.

"You are going to help us." His blue eyes glowed with fervor. "You are going to help us bring peace and harmony to the people of Dadilan."

"And hygiene?" I knew a lot about hygiene; it had been the favorite topic of the orphanage director.

Robin blinked rapidly, his smile blank. Will stifled a laugh behind his hand.

"Come, eat with us. Grace us with your presence." Robin waved expansively at the smoking fire, skipping past my comment. He took my arm, leading me through a screen of bushes.

The air smelled of roasting meat. Men in green sat on rocks and stumps in the clearing. Tayvis sat on the far side talking intently to several men. He didn't look up, though most of the other men did.

"Best manners, gentlemen," Robin called out, "we have a lady present."

Robin seated me at the only real table in the clearing.

"So, Lady Dace."

"What did you call me?"

"Lady Dace. It is your name, is it not?"

"Dace, just Dace. Not lady anything."

Robin's eyelids fluttered rapidly. He studied my worn peasant outfit. He chewed his lip, then smiled, beaming brightly. "All women are ladies, even those who happen to be slaves." His smile stretched wider, as if he had just spouted off the most profound comment ever uttered.

I shook my head. My stomach growled. Robin pretended he hadn't heard.

"All women possess virtues and grace. Some have just forgotten it."

"What do you want me to do now? Embroider for you?" He reminded me too much of Miss Hadley, the orphanage director.

Robin cocked his head. His hair flowed perfectly, a shining wave of brown. I was acutely conscious of the messy state of my short hair.

"You embroider?"

"Not if I can avoid it." I shuffled my feet through the dirt under the table. I could embroider tiny little stitches, despite my resistance to Miss Hadley's tutelage. She won through sheer persistence.

"Then what do you do? Sing? Play an instrument perhaps?"

"She's a philosopher," Will Scarlet said as he rejoined us. He set two platters of food on the table.

"A philosopher." Robin chewed thoughtfully on a piece of fruit. "What university?" He switched to Basic.

"I never claimed that." Was Will trying to get me in trouble?

Will winked. "Tourens University."

Robin's eyes widened. "You're on the philosophy board at Tourens? Why didn't anyone notify me?" His eyes narrowed. "Why are you traveling with the Patrol?"

"Protection," Will said. "You know what the situation here is like, Robin. Do you think she'd get far by herself?"

"Will's lying," I said. This had gone far enough.

Robin ignored me. "What research is Tourens doing here? Strange. Dadilan doesn't have much of an organized religion. A few priests and a general taboo against the usual things. Demons are a problem, true." He frowned as his voice trailed off. He stared for a long uncomfortable moment before his smile suddenly reappeared. "The monks! Of course. It makes sense now."

"What?"

"The monks. The Order of Myrln. A very obscure sect, I'm sure there must be something about them in your records at Tourens. You're here to study them."

"I'm not here to study anything."

Robin's smile never wavered. It was like talking to a thruster gasket except they made sense. I gave up, turning to the food instead.

I understood food. I'd worked in the cafeteria at the Academy, not because I'd needed money, but because the cooks didn't care where I grew up. They were more than happy to educate me about spices and cooking. I figured eventually I'd find a spice trade route. Lots of money, and the cargo didn't weigh much. It was perfect. It was also difficult to find such a route unless you had the right contacts. I hadn't been around long enough to acquire any.

I took a bite of something that resembled a roasted lizard. The skin crackled, the meat tasted of unfamiliar spices. I savored it, enjoying the tender juiciness. I took another bite.

"It is to your liking?" Robin asked, slipping into the formal speech of Dadilan.

"It's very good."

Will took a seat beside me, helping himself to vegetables on my plate.

"Bad manners, Will." Robin pursed his lips.

"You said I was to keep an eye on her, Robin. I'm just staying close."

"A noted researcher from Tourens does not need you shadowing her."

"I'm not from Tourens."

"She wants the company, Robin. John asked to speak with you. Something about the slave caravan due through here tomorrow?" Will shot me a warning glance.

"It completely slipped my mind." Robin stopped short of kissing my hand when he saw the grime under my nails. "Please. Pardon me, Lady Dace." He dropped my hand.

I smiled stiffly.

Robin dashed away leaving me alone with Will.

"Eat your lunch, Dace." Will pinched another bite.

"Before you finish it for me? I'm not a philosopher. I'm not from any university."

Will shrugged. "Robin might take you a bit more seriously now."

"And he might not if he finds out you lied."

Will grinned, unrepentant. "I'll admit I was mistaken. That should smooth it over." He waited until I took another bite before stealing the rest of the lizard leg. "So come clean and tell me the truth. What are you doing here?"

"You mean what am I doing with the Patrol undercover agent."

"That, too."

"Why don't you ask him?"

"He's busy. Your lunch is getting cold. And I'm asking you."

"What does a graduate student in linguistics care?"

"A pretty lady like you? You expect me not to take an interest?"

"Why don't you go away like Robin told you to?" He thought I was pretty? He was either blind or he hadn't seen many women.

"What are you trying to hide, Dace?"

"Nothing."

"Then you shouldn't mind telling me who you are and what you're doing on Dadilan."

"I crashed and I'm trying to live long enough to get off this lovely planet."

"Sarcasm doesn't become you."

I sighed. "Tayvis doesn't believe me either."

"Eat your lunch. You look like you could use it." He stood, patting my shoulder.

"Aren't you supposed to be escorting me?"

"Be a good girl and eat your lunch. I'll be back in a jiffy." The pat turned into a squeeze. "If you don't, you'll go hungry and Robin will find out you lied about your credentials." He stole a last bite. "Behave yourself, Dace." He walked jauntily away, nodding to the other men.

I watched Tayvis while I picked over my food, my stomach twisting in knots of tension and nerves. Secrets inside secrets, who was I supposed to trust? I wasn't very good at this kind of bluffing. I much preferred Comets. At least with cards I could guess what the other players held. I understood the rules.

Tayvis laughed. He leaned forward, speaking quietly. The whole group moved close, heads together. They stood as a group, walking off through the bushes.

I stayed at the table. It wouldn't do any good for me to follow them. It would only confirm Tayvis' suspicions.

I mentally shelved the tangle of deceit and lies and concentrated on the food. The meal was the best I'd had in weeks. I tried to place spices and couldn't. Dadilan had its own seasonings, different from any I'd ever tasted. The other cadets had made fun of me for thinking the cafeteria food was good. This was better by far, much better.

I polished off my food, then eyed Robin's plate. He hadn't eaten more than a few bites. I pulled his plate over.

I licked my fingers clean when I'd finished his meal.

"I hope you saved room for dessert." Will set two plates on the table. "Berry scones. They're delicious."

I helped myself to one of the crusty, lumpy things. It was good, sweet and crisp. I ate a second.

One of the green men stopped in front of the table. "Will? We've got three new recruits down by the pond. Robin said you were in charge until he gets back."

"Excuse me again." Will nodded to me before leaving with the other man.

He'd left half a plate of food behind. I studied it for only a moment before sliding it in front of me. Who knew when I'd get another meal this good? Fair was fair, I thought as I ate Will's lunch.

I broke the last berry scone in pieces, nibbling at them. My belly was much too full, but it was a good feeling. I'd been hungry too often in my life.

Will returned. He eyed the empty plates. "I don't know how you keep your girlish figure. Do you want more or are you finished?"

"Is there more?"

"Later. Robin wants you suitably attired by the time he returned. He wants you looking the part for tonight's dinner."

"What part?"

"You're going to play Marian to his Robin."

"Who?"

Will tilted his head, pursing his lips. "You've never heard of Robin Goodfellow and Maid Marian?"

"Would any of this make sense if I had?"

He shook his head. "I am astounded at the lack of basic education given to young people in the Empire these days."

His comment stung. I ducked my head. When I left Tivor, I spent two years catching up on the basics: reading, writing, science, math, history, everything I should have known but didn't. I learned barely enough to get me into the Academy. I still had too many holes in my knowledge. Tivor wasn't big on teaching anything to orphans, especially female ones, except for domestic skills. And hygiene.

"Is it something I said or did the scones disagree with you?" Will leaned over the table.

It wasn't his fault. He didn't know my blind spots.

I lifted my head. "What is it I'm supposed to know?"

"I'll tell you on the way." He held out his hand.

I let him help me to my feet. He headed through the bushes, pulling me behind him.

"I know the perfect gown for you. Lots of lace."

I dug in my heels, dragging him to a stop. "Why don't you just throw me in the river? Or make fun of me some other way?"

"Robin insists on it, Dace. Why do you object to wearing a dress? Most women like them, especially the lacy ones."

I pulled at my stained skirt. "Isn't this bad enough?" Dresses reminded me too much of the life I thought I'd escaped.

"I could have Big Robert carry you. Or you can come on your own feet." He grinned. "It isn't that bad. I promise. I'll even tell you the legend of Robin Goodfellow and Maid Marian."

"I don't have a choice, do I?"

"Not really."

Chapter 11

Will took me to a storage cellar built into the side of a hill. It was surprisingly dry and clean inside. Barrels and baskets of food lined the walls. Stacked chests filled the center of the room. Will lit a candle, sticking it in a holder on the wall. He rummaged through one of the chests, pulling out a dress the color of spring grass. He held it up, then shook his head. "Too big. And the wrong color."

I folded my arms as he stuffed the dress back into the chest. "I thought you were going to tell me about Robin."

"Robin Goodfellow." Will sat on his heels, his hands full of purple lace. "Most worlds have their own version of his legend." He put the dress inside, then slammed the lid of the chest shut. He moved on to a larger trunk. "Robin Goodfellow is one of the more common names. Rogier of the Green, Robin of the Hood, Robert Greene, even George Longshanks. None of them ring a bell for you?"

I shook my head.

"The plight of education today." He pulled out a pink dress with huge bows tied across the front.

"I would rather die than put that on." I shuddered at the fluff of ribbons.

"I think it's lovely."

"Then you wear it."

"Robin might question my sanity if I did." Will tossed the dress on top of a barrel. "To get back to the story—"

"You haven't started it yet."

He grinned. "I can get Big Robert and a couple of his friends to put you in the pink dress if you aren't nicer."

"I'd like to see them try."

"Is that a challenge?"

"It's a statement of fact. Just tell me who I'm supposed to impersonate tonight."

"Maid Marian, part of the elite. She's aristocracy in most versions. She gave away everything to help Robin bring justice and equity to the downtrodden poor."

"She sounds stupid to me." I shifted my bare feet on the cold floor.

"Don't let Robin hear you say that. He takes the story very personally. Someone will become Maid Marian and help him lead the people of Dadilan to freedom and peace. He thinks it might be you."

"I'm not planning on staying on Dadilan long enough to bring anything to anyone."

"Then what are you doing in the middle of a Patrol investigation?"

"I told you. It was an accident."

"According to the tenets of most major religions, accidents aren't accidents. They're fate."

"And I'm the Emperor's mother. I didn't plan any of this. I'm just trying to survive."

"I could make some very deep observations about your choice of words and religious motifs involving wheels of life, but I won't. You wouldn't appreciate them."

"More slurs on my lack of education?"

He stirred through the chest once more before slamming it shut. "Why is that so touchy to you, Dace? I was under the impression that the Patrol Enforcers required their agents to attend at least a few years of college level education, if not obtain a full degree in some field."

"I am not Patrol."

"Ha! I got you to admit it. Now explain why you're with Tayvis."

"Like I said before, I ran into him in the woods. Nothing more."

"And your education? You've got me curious why you're so touchy about it."

He opened another chest, rummaging again. I stayed silent. My educational credentials were none of his business.

"You may as well answer, Dace. If you don't, it will be lots of ribbons." He pulled out a pouf of yellow satin.

I looked out the door, watching a man in green saunter through the bushes. "How do you know Tayvis?"

"I don't, except by reputation. I really am a graduate student, here to earn a degree. I just happen to be helping out the Patrol in a small, insignificant way. How about you?"

"I crashed here. I had no idea Dadilan even existed."

"Now we're getting somewhere. Keep talking."

"You were the one who promised to tell me a story."

He waved at the fluffy ribboned dress. "Think pink, Dace. Tell me enough of the truth and I'll find something much more suitable for you."

"Do they teach this kind of torture to all undercover operatives?" Anything to stall him, anything to avoid answering. I wanted Will to like me. He'd called me pretty.

"The pink dress torture is reserved for very senior agents." Will kept a straight face. "What are you hiding?"

"Nothing."

"Then why won't you answer?"

I shifted my feet again, looking down at the stone floor. "Because I don't want to."

"That's an intriguing answer." He pulled out a white blouse with a delicate wreath of flowers embroidered around the top. "There's a skirt to match."

"You don't have a flight suit and a pair of boots in there, do you?" I couldn't help the plaintive note creeping into my voice.

"Robin would never approve." He held out the blouse and a dark blue skirt.

I took them reluctantly. The soft fabric smelled of herbs and the wood of the chest.

Will studied me. "Would it help if I turned around?"

"I'm supposed to change now?"

"Change is a lifelong process. Change comes to us all," he said in a fruity voice. "Embrace the change and it will embrace you."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Was he flirting?

"I honestly don't know. One of my professors used to have it hanging on the wall in her office. I always meant to ask her, but I never found a good opportunity. I'll be right outside when you're done."

He sauntered out of the storage room, stopping just outside the door. He put his hands in his pockets and whistled, bouncing on his toes.

I pulled off my dusty dress then slipped on the blouse. The sleeves were long and full. The cuffs had flowers done in pale lavender and blue. I fingered the embroidery.

"Are you finished yet?" Will asked.

"No." I quickly pulled the blue skirt up and tied the waist.

"Women take forever to change their clothes. Are you going to spend an hour on your hair next?"

"You don't have any shoes, do you?" I stepped out of the storage room into the sunlight.

Will looked me up and down, his eyes lingering. "Not quite Marian, but it suits you."

"Shoes?" I asked.

He looked down at my feet. "Sorry. Anything we've got is probably too big. The bare feet work with the outfit."

"I'm not worried about fashion, Will. It hurts to walk."

"I believe you. I really don't have anything even close to your size."

He lifted his gaze to my face. I shifted nervously.

"What?" I finally asked.

"You still haven't answered my questions." He folded his arms over his chest, all trace of teasing gone.

I wrapped my arms around myself, a gesture of protection. "I really did crash here. I was pilot on a trading ship." I hesitated. The rest of my past wasn't important.

"Yes?" Will wasn't going to let it go.

"I grew up on Tivor. I was sixteen when I left for Eruus. I spent two years learning enough to pass the entrance exams to the Academy. I didn't have time for stories."

"That explains a lot." Will uncrossed his arms. "Do you want an afternoon snack or are you good until dinner time?"

My face flushed.

He laughed. "You only ate enough for three at lunch. I'm assuming you have a very high metabolism and need to eat frequently."

"I haven't eaten a full meal in days. That was the first real food I've had in several weeks."

"They didn't feed you on your trading ship? You haven't been on Dadilan that long or I'd have heard about you."

"I couldn't afford to buy more than cereal. All my cash was tied up in the cargo."

"I'm a little confused. You said you were the pilot."

"And captain. And owner. It doesn't matter. My ship is dust now. Along with all my cargo."

"And all of your cash. I was paying attention."

"I don't see how any of it matters."

"What was the name of your ship?"

"Star's Grace."

"What's your connection to Shomies Pardui?"

"What?"

"You heard me. What's your connection to Shomies Pardui?"

"I don't have a connection to her."

"Then what were you doing with her in Gragensberg?"

"Trying to get away. I was stupid. I had a few drinks with one of her men at the inn. He told her about me and she kidnapped me."

"What did you tell her?"

"As little as I could. You can tell Tayvis everything I've said. It's the truth." Tayvis must have sent Will to question me.

I pushed past Will. I ducked my head and just walked. Anywhere was as good as nowhere.

He followed. I stopped on the bank of the stream. He put his hands into his pockets, standing close enough to send the message he was still my escort.

"You are working with Tayvis," I said. "Are you his partner?"

"Me? No." He shifted closer. "As far as anyone on Dadilan knows, you're his partner. I'd watch my step. Most of the people who know what the Patrol is will try to kill you."

"Thanks for the warning."

"You're welcome."

"Are you going to follow me everywhere?"

"It's my duty and my pleasure."

"Then show me where the bathrooms are." I expected him to blush. His grin grew wider instead.

"Right this way, my lady." He pointed off to his right.

I spent the afternoon wandering around with Will. We toured the whole camp, every single insignificant detail. He showed me the sanitary facilities and the laundry area. He demonstrated the water filtering system. We toured all of the huts and the cooking area.

Will took me to the upstream end of the camp, telling me it was where they caught fish. He handed me a pole with a string and a hook attached to one end. We sat on the bank, dangling hooks in the water. I dipped my aching feet into the cold water.

"So what do you think?" Will asked.

"Of the camp? I'd trade it in a heartbeat for my ship."

"It's state of the art for Dadilan." Will watched his string intently, bobbing it up and down in the stream.

"Tayvis said Robin was in trouble for interfering."

"Noninterference policy? True. Robin's trying to teach the people a better way of life. It is stretching the terms of his research grant." He shrugged. "Who's going to enforce it? Patrol noninterference keeps them in their compound. They can't interfere if the natives aren't complaining."

"But they don't know where to complain."

"Now you're catching on."

"Patrol Command sent Tayvis here to gather enough evidence so they could justify interfering." My string twitched.

"You've got a bite. Pull back on the string." Will grabbed my pole. The string jerked, then went slack. "You lost it. It was too small anyway."

"How do you know?"

"It got away, you can claim it was as big as you want. The fish don't seem interested. Shall we tour—"

"No. I don't want to see it, whatever it is. Tell me about Robin Goodfellow, the whole story."

He lay on the bank, looking at the leaves dancing on the branches above us. Just when I thought he wasn't going to answer, he started his story.

"Robin Goodfellow was a thief and a liar. He stole and cheated and made himself rich on other people's money. Then one day, he held a merchant at knife point. The man begged for his life, he had nothing to steal but food. Thieves had driven the ruler into raising an army. The local ruler taxed his village into poverty, then took whatever crops they could grow. It wasn't the ruler who suffered, but the innocent peasants. Guilt overcame Robin. His band of thieves were at fault. He let the man go, vowing to change his ways. Two days later, the ruler's mansion burned to the ground. The villagers found gold and gems on their doorsteps. Robin Goodfellow stole only from the rich from them on. He gave away his ill-gotten fortune to help those who needed it the most. He fought against the unjust rulers. He was a champion to the poor, their defender.

"He lived a simple life in the woods, recruiting other men to his cause and teaching them the ways of truth, justice, and equity."

"And hygiene?" I couldn't help asking.

"What is it with you and hygiene?" Will tucked his hands behind his head. His fishing line trailed forgotten in the stream.

"It was an obsession with the orphanage director where I grew up."

Will closed his eyes. "To get back to the story, several years later Robin relocated to Sherwood Forest. The local ruler spent years traveling abroad. His brother mismanaged affairs so badly even Robin took pity on him. The ruler returned to find his coffers empty, though the peasants prospered. His brother blamed Robin and his thieves. The ruler turned his anger on Robin, raising an army to hunt him.

"When Robin heard, he decided to teach the ruler a lesson. He crept into the man's house one night to steal his treasure. He found the man's daughter instead. She was as beautiful as a sunrise, her hair the color of gold, her skin as fine as silk, her eyes like sapphires. You get the picture."

"Marian."

"Maid Marian, yes. Robin carried Marian off to his forest camp. She was kind and gentle and believed him when he told her about his mission to bring justice and equity to the poor. She helped him defeat her father. He fell in love with her. In some versions she refused his offer of marriage and broke his heart. In others, they married, but she was killed by her father. None of the versions end happily."

I sat, resting my chin on my knees. "So why does Barricion Muir want to live Robin's story? Why pretend?"

"He started using it as an example, a story people could relate to. It grew out of control. He almost believes he is Robin Goodfellow now. He wants to find a Marian for his Robin. Someone good and pure, true and virtuous. Someone beautiful and gracious."

"Then he doesn't want me."

"Don't be too sure, Dace."

I stood abruptly, yanking my string out of the stream. I dropped the pole on the bank next to Will.

"Done fishing?" Will reeled in his string.

"Are you?"

"I think I've got everything I need from you, yes." He stood, tucking both poles under his arm.

I walked into the camp. Will followed at my heels.

"I believe you should rest before the feast tonight," Will said. "Your hut is this way. Or if you prefer, I could give you the long version of the tour."

"I'll pass on the tour." As charming as Will was, he was still trying to pry information out of me. I'd given him more than enough. And my feet hurt.

He led me to a bushy hut, bowing as I ducked into the cramped interior. He sauntered away after warning me to stay put.

I sat on a blanket inside. I picked dirt from my bare toes and thought over what I'd learned from Will. For all his talking, he hadn't told me much.

Sweat crawled down my neck, sticky and hot. The air hung too close. I crawled to the entrance, peering out between leafy branches. I saw two men carving sticks with knives. The others must have found somewhere out of the afternoon heat, leaving the camp deserted. I crawled from the hut. The two men didn't even glance my way.

I wandered towards the stream, finding a secluded spot where two bushes grew next to the water. I lay down in their shade, trailing one hand in the water.

"She isn't what you think." Will's voice came from the far side of the bush. I froze, straining my ears to hear.

"She's dangerous, to both of us." Tayvis' voice was softer and deeper.

"I don't think so. I think she's telling the truth."

"How do you know?"

"Her story sounds implausible, true."

"Try completely unbelievable, Will. No one could possibly have strung together that many coincidences. I want to know what she's hiding. I want to know who she really works for."

So much for trusting me. All of Will's flirting had been a trick, a way to get me to talk, to tell him the truth. It hurt.

"I'm telling you, she's not lying." At least Will believed me.

"She's lying, she has to be. She's too young to be anything except a plant, a ringer for the syndicates."

"Your paranoia is legendary, Tayvis, but this time I think you're wrong. She's exactly what she says."

"She has you convinced. What did she do? Smile at you? Your reputation as a fool for anything in a skirt is legendary, too, Will."

"She didn't even try." The bush rustled. "I'll get Commander Nuto at the base to pull her records. What are you going to do about her?"

"I really don't know. I want to keep her where I can watch her."

"You could leave her here."

"Not a good idea, Will. If she's working for Shomies or Leran, you're only giving her a free pass to spy on Robin. She's either telling the truth or she's very good at acting. I can't figure out which."

"So you're taking her with you. Where are you going to wait until you know?"

"I can wait at the base. I've got time."

"Maybe. Rumor has it Leran is pushing his influence. He's working up to something big. The number of men in his pay tripled over the last two weeks."

"I'll keep an eye on him. Thanks for the warning."

"Tayvis, it isn't that simple. Leran and Pardui have both been building a power base."

"So has Robin."

"He's not smuggling shara. They are."

"Give me proof, Will. I can't arrest them on suspicion or I would have already."

They moved away, their voices fading into indistinct murmurs. I stayed on my belly next to the stream. So Will believed me but Tayvis didn't; no surprise. Maybe I could convince Tayvis to leave me here, in Robin's camp. I could live with that as long as it came with a ticket home. But if Robin was breaking his research terms, he wasn't going to leave Dadilan, not unless the Patrol arrested him. All of his students were stuck here with him, which meant they weren't leaving Dadilan, either. If Will worked for the Patrol, he could get me away, he believed me. But he said he didn't work for them.

It was like a giant knot. I could pick at it for hours and still not unravel any of it.

I stayed by the stream, thinking in circles, until the sun dropped behind the trees.

Will found me when I emerged from my busy hiding place. He smiled brightly, but with an edge. "There you are. I've been looking for you."

"It was hot in the hut. I went for a walk."

"Really." Suspicion lurked in his eyes. "Robin wants you at the campfire."

I waited for him to lead me. The silence between us stretched uncomfortably.

"Which way, Will?"

"You didn't find it when you were out for a walk?"

"I went to the stream and rested there." I studied my toes.

"You should be more careful, Dace. Not even Robin can keep you safe."

If he meant it as a warning, it was a strange one. Will smiled blandly as he led the way to the eating area.

Robin held court at his table. He frowned when he saw me. "Will Scarlet, I thought I told you to find her something suitable."

"The dresses didn't fit. This was the best I could find."

Robin looked me over, standing to study every detail. He clucked his tongue and shook his head. "Your hair is much too short and too brown. I'm afraid you just won't do, Dace. You aren't Marian. No, you won't do."

Relief mixed with indignation. I was relieved not to have to play Marian, but his comment still stung.

The plentiful food tasted even better than lunch. I ate as much as I could. I ignored the looks from Robin's men.

Robin waxed eloquent on the subject of governmental reform and the mythical importance of Robin Goodfellow. I had enough when he started lecturing me on the symbolism of wearing green.

"Green is the color of the common man," he said, after spending at least fifteen minutes telling me it represented a fresh beginning and agriculture and half a dozen other unrelated topics. "We wear green to symbolize our kinship with the common man. Just as Robin in the legends."

"Maybe his men wore green because it was easier for them to hide in the woods."

Robin blinked very slowly. His eyes narrowed as he digested my comment. "I see that you truly do not understand. I am surprised. A researcher with a prestigious university such as Tourens should be more versed in symbology."

"I never claimed to be a philosopher. Will said that."

Robin ignored me the rest of the evening. I didn't mind.

Chapter 12

Someone nudged me. I pretended to be still asleep. The nudge came again, harder this time. I rolled onto my belly, wrapping the blanket around my head. The blanket was yanked off.

"You've got exactly five minutes to be ready to move," Tayvis said.

"Or what? You'll leave me here?" At least the food was good at Robin's camp.

"I'll tie you over the saddle." Tayvis flipped the blanket over my head.

I pried one eye open. The early morning air smelled of breakfast and smoke. I sat, yawning and stretching, before stumbling out of my hut to the cooking area. One of Robin's men slopped a scoop of scrambled food onto a plate, then shoved it my direction. I took it, finding a seat on a nearby stump.

Tayvis looked different this morning. He'd added a shirt under his vest, one with long white sleeves. He had on leather wristbands, probably to cover the tattoo on his wrist. If I saw it and recognized it, someone else would, if they hadn't already.

Tayvis and Will had their heads together over a map spread on Robin's table. I ate the greasy mess on my plate, wondering what they planned. Tayvis wasn't going to arrest Robin for breaking his grant conditions. On the contrary, he appeared to be working with him. Tayvis tapped the map, nodding at Will.

Will rolled the map. Tayvis crossed to stand by my stump.

"No thirds or fourths this morning?"

"You didn't exactly feed me much."

"I wasn't planning on feeding two."

"I wasn't planning on being here at all."

He folded his arms, towering over me.

I hated feeling so short. "We're leaving now?"

"That was the general idea. Robin's sending several of his men with us, at least until we're out of the woods."

"How nice of him."

"He said you were too prickly to make a good Marian. Are you usually this grouchy in the morning?"

"No one ever complained about it before." I got off the stump.

He strode across the clearing like he owned it. I picked my way after him, envious of his boots. His horse waited near the pond, already saddled. Tayvis took the reins, looking over his shoulder to where I stood.

The horse seemed bigger than ever. I stuck my foot in the loop, heaving myself up.

Tayvis pulled on the reins, walking in front of the horse. Four of Robin's men fell into step with him.

The horse's gait was slow enough I didn't bounce. I expected Tayvis to get on once we were out of the camp, but he just looped the reins over his arm and kept walking. Three of the men with him fanned out into the woods, disappearing into the surrounding growth.

The last one walked beside Tayvis. "You'll want to watch out for the river. The only bridge is down by the main road. If it's low enough, there are a couple of fords higher up, but they can be tricky."

Tayvis asked questions. The man answered. How big are the villages? How many people? Any soldiers? Who controlled the lands? I tuned it out, watching the trees as the sun rose. I had bigger worries, like whether or not I would find myself under arrest when we reached the Patrol base. Tayvis didn't trust me. I had no proof, nothing but myself and it wasn't enough.

The sun woke red-gold highlights in his dark hair. It curled slightly, brushing the collar of his shirt. He walked easily, graceful and smooth. His actions made no sense. He was almost nice to me at the same time he thought I was a hired smuggler, or killer, or worse. I wondered what he really thought of me, deep down inside.

"Not that I care," I muttered.

"Did you say something?" Tayvis glanced over his shoulder.

"Lovely day, isn't it?" I smiled brightly.

"It is, rather," Tayvis answered, just as false.

The man in green gave us both suspicious looks. "Robin's lands end here, at the stream."

The horse stopped, lowering its head to bite off a mouthful of weeds.

"Tell Robin thanks for the help," Tayvis said.

The man waved as he trotted back the way we'd come.

Tayvis studied me. "We should reach the base by tomorrow afternoon."

"Walking or riding?"

He turned his back to lead the horse down the bank's short slope. He knelt down, scooping water to drink. I licked dry lips and decided I was thirsty. I swung one leg over, sliding down the side of the horse.

The water in the stream sparkled in the sunlight. It tasted of rocks.

"Do you want lunch now?" Tayvis asked.

I shrugged. I wasn't hungry, not yet.

"Are you sure? Robin packed extra after he saw the way you attacked the food. For someone so short you eat a lot."

"After three days of practically nothing, I was hungry."

He could be teasing me or he could be serious, I couldn't tell which. His face gave nothing away.

I drank out of my hand, taking my time. "Do you want me to thank you?"

"For what?" He looked genuinely puzzled now.

"You could have left me behind in Robin's camp. He has more than enough men to keep an eye on me." I couldn't help the sour note that crept into my voice.

Tayvis stilled, water dripping from his fingers.

"You're taking me to the base to arrest me, aren't you?" I knew his answer. The real question was whether he was going to lie to me.

"I thought you wanted off Dadilan."

"I do. But not if it means spending what's left of my life in prison."

"That depends on whether you can prove you're telling me the truth or not."

"How am I supposed to do that? I don't have a ship, I don't have cargo to show you, I don't have anything."

"Except your word. What is that worth?"

"I don't lie." I said it flat and hard.

He gathered the horse's reins. "We should be moving."

My comment hung in the air between us. I walked to the horse. I jammed my foot in the loop and grabbed the saddle.

The horse tossed its head and squealed. It danced to one side, dragging me on one foot. I hopped madly to keep from spilling onto my face in the dirt. Tayvis pulled on the reins, trying to calm the horse. I yanked at my foot twisted into the loop.

Answering horse squeals came from the bushes downstream.

Tayvis jerked his head around, staring at the bushes. "Get on. Now."

I jumped and landed on my belly across the horse. My foot slid free of the loop. The horse waved its head, dancing in circles. I barely stayed on its back.

Horses thundered out of the bushes towards us. Tayvis yanked the reins over the horse's head, then threw them at me. I grabbed with one hand, missing completely. The horse pranced, squealing nervously.

Tayvis pulled his knife out of his boot. The approaching men waved swords. Tayvis crouched, his knife in one fist, as the riders slowed. I recognized the shiny bald head of Ky. He didn't look happy.

Fear gave me enough impetus to get seated on the horse. The reins dangled out of my reach. I wrapped my arms around the horse's neck, grabbing for them. The horse tossed its head, pulling the reins farther out of reach.

Ky charged, his sword glittering as it carved air. Tayvis dodged out of the way, rolling under Ky's horse. The horse reared and dumped Ky in the dust. He stood, brushing dust from his backside.

I stretched forward as far as I could to grab the reins. The horse jumped sideways into the stream. I slid off the saddle, landing with a splash.

Ky sidestepped Tayvis, leaving him for the other three men. Ky came towards me with murder in his eye. I backed away, my heart thundering. Ky hated me, his eyes burned with it.

"You scheming witch! You work for Pardui. Leran hates being made to look a fool. You'll pay." He came towards me, one heavy step at a time. His sword caught the light.

I backed away, my sodden skirt tangling my legs.

"Get Robin," Tayvis shouted. He fended off three swords with his knife.

Ky snarled as he waded into the stream. I thought I recognized a break in the bushes on the other side of the stream. When he raised his sword, I dodged under his arm, running for the bushes. His sword ripped through my skirt. His snarling curses gave wings to my feet. I flew out of the stream into the forest.

Tayvis could hold his own, I told myself as I ran. I hoped it was long enough.

"Robin?" My voice squeaked. "Robin!" I didn't know what else to shout.

The bushes behind me rustled. Ky's bald head gleamed evilly as he hacked his way through.

I twisted and dodged through the bushes. I ran until my breath ripped raggedly in my chest. I staggered to a stop against a tree trunk. I held my side, breathing hoarsely until the spots quit dancing in front of my eyes.

"Robin," I wheezed. There was no answer.

I turned back the way I'd come. I saw no sign of a pursuer. I slowly sank to the ground, propped up by the tree trunk. Ky prowled somewhere behind me. He wanted to kill me. I had no idea where Robin and his men were. I had no idea if Tayvis still lived.

The thought of Tayvis lying on the ground in a pool of his own blood made my heart ache. He didn't trust me, but he'd been my best hope of getting out in one piece.

Robin's camp couldn't be far. Will might help. I studied the hills and saw nothing familiar. The sun stood straight overhead. North, south, east, and west were vague concepts that didn't translate to the trees and hillsides I saw.

"Face it, you are lost. Utterly, completely, hopelessly lost."

Ky's snarling face and bald head haunted me. He wouldn't give up easily, if at all. I shivered despite the heat wavering over the ground.

I hunched my shoulders and wrapped my arms around the coldness inside. I picked a direction at random. Maybe someday someone would find my bones and wonder who I was and why I'd died in the forest. Maybe I'd get lucky enough to find Robin before that happened.

Luck was all I had left.

Chapter 13

I jerked out of a light sleep peopled with snarling bald men. A small brown creature nipped my finger. I jumped, snatching my hand clear. The creature darted into a bush, chittering angrily. Blood welled slowly from the tiny bite.

The sky glowed lavender. All but a few stars had faded into dawn light. I shivered in the chilly air, taking stock of my situation. Dirt smeared the once white blouse. The delicate embroidery hung in uneven loops. Dead leaves crunched in my hair. I was barefoot and without supplies.

I was thoroughly lost. But I was still alive.

Gold light crept over the hills as I stumbled aimlessly. Moving kept me warm. I splashed into a bare trickle of water. I crouched down, scooping up a handful. It tasted of moss.

I eyed the bush next to me. Most worlds grew an abundance of edible plants. I hadn't taken that survival course, though. With my luck, the first bush I tasted would poison me.

Something hit me in the back, knocking me flat. I squished into wet moss. Water seeped into my clothes. I heaved, trying to dislodge whatever it was.

It was someone who knew about fighting. I was pinned, despite my struggling.

"Congratulations, Dysun," a cultured voice spoke in Basic, "you've found a woman. She is not what we're looking for. Please put her back where you found her."

The man rolled me onto my back. He pinned my arms to either side, his hands digging my wrists into the moss. He planted his knee firmly on my belly.

A scar writhed across his cheek. His eyes were russet, match to his long hair. He shoved my hands farther into the moss. I winced.

"She doesn't belong here." Dysun kept his grip firm.

"Let her go. I'm positive she isn't involved. Dysun, put her back. We aren't here to collect women."

I wondered just how much trouble I'd be in if they knew I wasn't native. The risk might get me killed, but it might improve my situation. Anything beat aimless wandering. "Yes, Dysun," I said in Basic, "let me go."

Dysun's eyes widened. His grip on my wrists tightened. A second face appeared over his shoulder.

This man was older, his hair streaked with silver. A tiny mustache curled across his upper lip. His shocking blue eyes gave him an innocent look.

"She's trouble, Blake." Dysun shifted his wiry frame. His knee jabbed into my belly.

"Are you?" Blake opened his blue eyes wide.

Dysun glared. "They sent her to look for us. They had to have. No one was supposed to know we were here."

"Well then, kill her, but don't make a mess of it." Blake's face moved away. "And do please hurry. We're already far behind schedule."

Dysun leaned lower, his face an inch from mine. "I like killing women." A hint of uncertainty flickered across his face. He may have known how to fight, but I doubted he had ever deliberately killed anyone.

I got my knee up. He sprawled into the moss beyond my head. I jumped to my feet and waited for him to charge. He didn't disappoint. I threw him again, rolling him over my shoulder. He grunted as he landed flat on his back. He rose to his feet, wheezing.

He feinted. I dodged. We circled, water squelching under our feet. He swung. I ducked under his arm, shoving him with one elbow. He scrambled to keep his feet as his boots slid out from under him. He landed face down on the moss, swearing a blue streak.

Blake planted his hands on his slender hips. "Enough, children. Really, Dysun. Perhaps it would be best if we didn't kill her. She might even be of some use." He cocked his head and studied me with his bright blue eyes.

Dysun brushed at the wet streaks of green on his sleeves. His look promised he'd get even. He deliberately turned his back, squishing his way out of the water.

"Ricard Blake." The older gentleman held his hand out, smiling politely. His impeccably white shirt glowed in the morning sunlight.

I wiped slime off my hand, then took his gingerly.

"Your name, miss?"

"Dace."

"Charmed." Ricard Blake bowed over my grimy hand. He let go, casually pulling a cloth from his pocket with his other hand. He wiped his hand clean. "My associate with the atrocious manners is Dysun Farr." Blake tucked the cloth into his pocket. "Dace is an odd name, can't say I've ever heard it before. Are you from these parts?"

"Dadilan? No. And you?" If I could keep them talking, maybe I could convince Dysun not to try killing me.

"Heavens, no, we're not from this primitive world. We're here seeking the Fountain of Youth. Do you know of it?" Blake had steel in his deceptively innocent eyes.

Lying might get me killed. "Never heard of it."

Dysun Farr opened a pack, pulling out several self-heating cans of food. I wondered if Blake would consent to feed me or if I'd have to fight Dysun for it.

Blake's smile gained even more wattage. His white teeth glinted. "My life's quest. I've spent decades gathering legends and hints. I've read books older than the Empire." He leaned close. "They led me to this world. The Elixir of Eternal Youth is here." He rocked on his heels, smiling proudly. "I traced the legend of Ponce Delyon here, to this lost colony. He taught them the secret."

"Elixir of Eternal Youth?" My skepticism ran too deep to mask. Who would want to be young forever? Being young took a lot of work.

"A drug the monks make can keep one young forever, yes." Blake's smile was blinding.

"Shara?" I hazarded a guess.

The smile disappeared, replaced by a wrinkled frown. "That detestable concoction? Heavens, no. The monks only make that to keep the population under control. Their true secret is eternal youth. There are stories of monks living more than a thousand years. I've come to beg them to teach me the secret, to initiate me into their order if necessary."

Dysun snorted.

Blake sighed theatrically. "Don't be such a cretin, Dysun. He thinks I'm wasting my time. I can't seem to find the monastery. Do you perhaps know its location? The map I purchased appears to be rather vague about directions."

I took his comment as invitation. I found a rock near Dysun and the food.

Blake unrolled a brown sheet of paper that smelled of mildew. He laid it across my lap. "Perhaps you'll have better luck. See this?" His finger traced a wavy line on the map. "Follow the River of the Moon to the clearing where the satyrs dance. I've looked and looked but haven't found anything that would be the River of the Moon. And I doubt satyrs are native."

I tapped the squiggles on the paper, frowning and pretending I understood. My stomach growled.

"Oh, my apologies." Blake jumped to his feet. "Here I am forgetting my manners. Do forgive me, I get so caught up in my pursuit I forget others have needs. Please, you must be famished."

He pulled the moldering paper away, then froze, mouth open in shock, when he saw my bare feet.

"Oh, my dear, whatever happened to your shoes?" He looked at me, really looked, for the first time. "Are you lost? Dysun, fetch my spare pair of boots. I'm certain they are about your size, although your feet are so dainty, they must surely be too large."

It was my turn to have my mouth hang open. I didn't care if his feet were twice as big. He offered me boots.

Dysun dug through the pack, pulling out a pair of boots and a can of food. He dropped them on the ground next to me, then turned away, dismissing me entirely.

I wiped slime from my feet, then slipped them into the boots, sighing with pleasure. I had boots again.

Blake patted my shoulder, shuddering delicately as he watched. "No need to return the boots. Just keep them, my dear."

I popped open the can, then wolfed the food down, half afraid I imagined Blake and Dysun, the food, and the boots, that if I blinked they'd be gone.

Dysun shot furtive glares at me while he ate breakfast. I suspected he feared I'd steal his place in Blake's affection. Dysun finished, chucking his can into a bush.

"We should be moving." Blake spread his map on a rock. "I have a feeling we are close, very close indeed. Somewhere that direction, I believe." He pointed, then frowned. "No, that can't be right. Perhaps you would look at the map. You do have some familiarity with the area."

Every direction looked the same, but I didn't have to let him know. Blake had food. He gave me boots. I would pretend if it kept me alive and fed. I leaned over the faded map, running my finger along a jagged line.

"I do believe you're right!" Blake bounced on his toes. "Yes, that does resemble the ridge we've been following. You know, Dysun, I believe I've had this thing upside down. Thank you ever so much, my dear." He beamed as he carefully rolled the map.

Dysun rolled his eyes as he shrugged the pack onto his shoulders.

"Yes, I can see the shape there." Blake bounded up the gentle hill into the trees along its crest.

Dysun hiked after him. He glanced back. "If you don't hurry, you'll lose track of him. He's more than half mountain goat. And more than half crazy," he added in a mutter.

I scrambled after Dysun, catching him as he crested the low hill. Blake stood halfway down the far side, studying an outcropping of gray rock. He waved excitedly before dashing away in a new direction.

"How did you do that?" Dysun asked suspiciously as he followed Blake.

"Do what?"

"Find the satyr." He jerked his head towards the outcrop of rock.

I shrugged. Dysun increased the pace. I marched behind him. Having boots was pure luxury. Nothing jabbed my feet. I deliberately crunched rocks, smiling at the lack of pain.

Blake paused in the center of a meadow. He turned, surveying the surrounding area. Dysun rested in the shade of a tree, hitching the pack higher on his shoulders.

"There!" Blake pointed to a rise of hills not far off. "Those have to be the Mountains of Eternal Mist!" He took off at a very fast trot.

Dysun followed, picking up his pace to keep Blake in sight. I hurried after him.

The row of hills didn't look like mountains to me, eternally misty or otherwise. Ricard Blake loped towards them, waving impatiently. His face glowed as he scurried over the first hill.

We followed him for over an hour as he scampered up one hill and down the next. Dysun muttered curses every step of the way.

Blake darted into a grove of prickly trees growing close beside a rocky ridge. Dropped leaves choked out any other growth, muffling our footsteps. Dysun slowed, following the trail of scuffed ground Blake left.

"Here! I've found it!" Blake's voice drifted to us, echoed by a squawk of bird calls.

"What did he find?" I asked.

"Another rock, probably," Dysun said.

We came out of the trees. A deep cut in the rocky ridge led back into a shallow cave. Water dripped and trickled across the rocks. Ferns nodded in the dampness. Blake popped out of a hole, halfway up the cliff face.

"It's here!" He disappeared into the cave.

Dysun dropped the pack, then settled onto a rock. He leaned back, closing his eyes. "He'll be up there for a while. You may as well get comfortable. Unless you want to try following him."

I sat down on another rock. The chill of stone crept through my skirt. I stayed on the rock. I wasn't about to lose my meal ticket by looking for a sunnier spot to wait.

Time passed. Birds squawked in the trees. Water dripped. A breeze drifted through and died. I shifted my feet. Dysun popped one eye open.

"You recognized my name." I kicked a pebble. "Where did you hear it?"

He grinned lazily. "I saw it in a report. When your ship exploded it made me curious. I knew I'd heard your name before. Captain Dace of the Star's Grace. Clever of you to blow up your ship on purpose like that."

"How do you know about my ship?"

"I picked up the explosion on my scans. Rather a nice diversion. Thanks for that. It made slipping in here that much easier."

"You aren't authorized to be here, are you?"

He shrugged. "That depends on who's doing the authorizing. Ricard Blake is quite good at paying people to look the other way. He has more money than the Emperor. And about as much sense," he added as Ricard Blake came into view on top of the jagged cliff.

We both watched as Blake crawled his way into another cave.

"What is Blake really doing here?" From Blake's reaction earlier, I doubted he was part of the shara smuggling ring. That reminded me of Tayvis. How would I get off Dadilan without him? I eyed Dysun Farr. If I could worm my way in close enough to Blake, maybe he'd keep me with him.

"Like he said earlier, he's on a quest to find the fountain of youth." Dysun watched Blake pop out of the cave again to dig through a growth of ferns.

"How did you get here? Where's your ship?"

"Which question do you want me to answer?" Dysun relaxed against the rock. "And how much are you going to pay me? I don't give out anything for free."

Blake climbed on an extremely narrow ledge that dripped moss and ferns. He looked like a spider as he climbed up the face of the rock.

"Idiot. I hope he doesn't fall and break his neck."

"You care?" I doubted very much Dysun cared about anything except himself.

"He dies and I won't get paid the rest of my fee."

"That explains why you're helping him."

"He's paying me a very nice sum. Enough to keep my ship flying. Repairs are expensive, as I'm sure you know." He grinned, a nasty showing of teeth. "Although I doubt even the best shipyard could fix your ship now."

I turned away. I wanted to smack him, to beat him until all the pent up frustration and anger was satiated. I didn't because he carried the food.

"Did I hurt your feelings? I am so sorry. Looks like Blake hasn't found what he wanted here." Dysun stood, swinging the pack onto his back.

I thought about tripping him but decided against it.

Blake emerged from the rock cave, shaking his head. Even though he'd been climbing around on slimy rocks, his shirt still shone spotlessly white. He shook out his cuffs, flicking dust off one. "This is part of the mystery, I'm certain of it. There is a trail of sorts above the cliff. Perhaps it was made by the monks as they procured the ingredients for their elixir. I felt something in the cave, some force I cannot explain. This might be the source of the mystical waters the text spoke of."

The look Dysun shot me said Blake was totally nuts. Dysun showed nothing but blank good humor when Blake turned to him.

Blake tapped his chin with one finger. "We should follow the trail."

"Lead on," Dysun said.

"Right." Blake clapped his hands decisively. He circled around the cliff, finding an easier way to the top.

Dysun fell in behind him. I followed.

Blake was confident the narrow dirt track would lead us to the monastery. I didn't care where it led. Dysun and Blake had food and a way off planet.

Chapter 14

By that evening, Blake still bounded like a spring, as bright as he had been that morning. Dysun and I dragged, worn out trying to keep Blake's insane pace.

We set up a camp in a small meadow ringed by white birch, one of the few trees I knew. The Academy on Eruus had a grove of them behind the cafeteria. I plopped tiredly on a rock. Blake paced the clearing, babbling about the fountain. He spread his map over a rock. Dysun pulled out a warmer and packets of food.

I stirred off my rock, stopping beside Dysun. "Do you want help?"

Dysun leveled the warmer. "You could go feed his obsession. Listen to his ramblings and pretend you care. I'm tired of it." He kept his voice low. "Or you could get lost, disappear into the bushes." His accent was odd, not one I'd heard before. He rolled his vowels, his consonants slurred.

"You aren't getting rid of me that easily, Dysun, not when you have a way off this planet."

"Are you certain you want to take it?" He returned to his cooking.

"Young lady, miss," Blake snapped his fingers. "Daina, was it? I find myself embarrassed to admit your name has quite slipped my mind. What should I call you?"

"Try captain." Dysun smirked.

Blake blinked rapidly. "Captain?"

"Just Dace is fine."

"Dace." Blake rolled my name over his tongue as if tasting it. "So informal. Are you quite certain? We have, after all, just made our acquaintance, although in a rather odd manner."

"Dace is fine," I repeated. "I'm not big on formality."

"We do seem to be in rather an informal setting." Blake smiled, a very charming, sweet smile. "Now, my dear, if you wouldn't mind, take a look at this map."

I bent over the scribbles. I could barely see in the fading light of evening.

Blake waved a handlight back and forth as he talked, sending random beams over the paper. "We passed the Crystal Spring this morning. I believe this is the trail we've been following." He ran his finger across squiggles.

I made affirmative noises, wondering when the food would be ready.

"We've made very good time." Blake blathered on.

I nodded, pretending interest. The food smelled better by the minute.

"Yes, I believe that by noon tomorrow, we should arrive at the monastery." Blake sat on his heels. "And there we should find the secret to the Elixir of Eternal Youth, the secret Ponce Delyon sought so fruitlessly for so long." He rubbed his hands together. "So close, yes, thanks to your invaluable help reading the map."

Dysun rolled his eyes behind Blake's back.

Blake carefully stowed his map, still babbling about his quest, Ponce, and the Elixir.

Dysun shook his head as he dished food. "Blake, we didn't plan on three. It's going to cut into our rations considerably if we have to feed her."

"Then be a gentleman, Dysun, and eat less. She's proven quite adept at reading old maps." Blake picked daintily at his food.

"We don't have gear for three. I'm not giving her my bedroll. I'm not that much of a gentleman." Dysun slapped food onto a plastic plate, shoving it my direction.

Blake stopped eating. "Yes, that is rather a problem. It would be unseemly for me to share mine. My health is such that I can't risk taking a chill. No, my dear Dysun, the best solution is for you to share."

"What?" Dysun's glare should have melted me on the spot.

"It's rather obvious, isn't it? Your reputation will not be damaged if it is known you shared your bed with an unattached young lady. I think it would rather be enhanced."

Dysun choked on his food. "What of her reputation?"

Blake looked up, eyes wide. "I hadn't considered that. Hmm." He pursed his lips. "We shall just have to keep very quiet about this irregularity. No one will know from me."

Dysun slammed his plate onto a rock. He yanked the pack open. He pulled out a small packet, tossing it at me. It was an emergency blanket, thin and crackly and not much comfort. "She can use that."

"Dysun, be a gentleman."

"You be the gentleman. As you so bluntly pointed out, I have no reputation of gentility to protect. You give her your bedroll if you're that worried."

"But my condition."

Dysun told Blake exactly what he could do with his condition.

Blake's eyes widened. "Language of that sort in front of a lady? Shame on you, Dysun."

"If I guess correctly, she's heard worse and probably used worse." Dysun flicked a hard look my direction.

"I will hear no more of this." Blake collected his plate. He settled several feet away, his back firmly to us.

I fingered the emergency blanket. "Thank you."

Dysun shrugged. "You owe me a favor, Dace. Don't forget it."

"I won't."

I slept poorly. The emergency blanket provided warmth but no protection from the hard ground. Blake snored like a drunken dock worker. Dysun slept with ear plugs. I tried covering my ears. It didn't help.

Morning came too soon. Blake bounced from his bedroll well before the sun rose. Blake's hair lay perfectly combed and neat, his clothes unwrinkled. He looked as if he'd just stepped out of a travel brochure.

"Rise and shine." Blake clapped his hands. "We have miles to cover. This is the day. I feel it in my bones."

I stumbled to my feet, the emergency blanket wrapped around me.

Dysun grumbled as he packed everything away. "Do you always sleep with your boots on, Captain?" Dysun hitched the pack onto his shoulders.

"Just lately." I didn't want to admit the answer was usually yes. It was the only way to be sure no one would steal them.

"A lovely morning." Blake breathed deeply before striding into the hills.

Dysun trudged after Blake without comment.

I stumbled behind him, yawning.

Blake strode up a long slope, stopping at the crest. He turned, looking carefully in every direction. He frowned as we joined him. I saw nothing except waves of hills and trees.

Blake pulled out his map, spreading it on the ground. "This should be a valley. And there should be a river there." He pointed past my ankles. "No, this can't be right." He turned it a different direction.

I scratched my head, still mostly asleep. I slid the emergency blanket off my shoulders. The rising sun warmed me nicely. Dysun snatched the blanket away. I didn't have pockets or I would have fought him for it.

Dysun glowered as he handed me a fruit bar. I chewed it, savoring each bite. Blake ate his without noticing. Dysun could have handed him a stick and he probably would have eaten it.

"I am afraid we are completely lost." Blake lifted his map. "This must be a fake, a hoax perpetrated on a very gullible man, me."

"You assured me it was genuine," Dysun said. "Maybe it's just old. Some of the landmarks may have changed."

"I do believe you are correct." Blake twisted the map with more purpose. He finally shook his head. "It's no use. I am completely lost. And you, Dysun, are not much for reading maps."

"Let me try." I was more lost than they were, but Blake didn't know that.

Blake beamed. Dysun narrowed his eyes suspiciously. I pretended to study the squiggles.

"That way." I pointed at the easiest path down the hill.

Blake leaned over my shoulder, studying the route. "I'll be smuckered! Pardon my language, I believe you are correct. How did I miss it? Obvious now that you've pointed it out." He took the map, rolling it as he strode down the hill.

I picked my way after him, hoping I'd pointed out the right direction, although the definition of right was extremely negotiable. I wanted a way out. Blake might provide it for me if I gave good enough reason.

The steep hill provided uneven footing. I stumbled on a rock that Blake bounced over without effort. Dysun caught my arm and steadied me. I glanced over my shoulder. He snatched his hand away, glowering. He wasn't as tough as he wanted me to believe.

Blake had more energy than people one fourth his age. He went up one hill and down another all morning. He paused only long enough to consult his useless map.

We stopped for lunch near a tiny stream. Heat shimmered over the hills. Insects buzzed in the plants. I pulled off my boots. They fit just loose enough to rub my feet wrong. I dipped my feet in the stream, enjoying the cold water.

"Three days, Blake." Dysun handed out instant meals. "If she stays with us, we have to turn back in three days whether you've found the Elixir or not. We can't risk staying longer."

Blake pretended he hadn't heard. He smiled, turning on all of his considerable charm. His hair shone white as a halo in the noon light. "Which way now, my dear? I confess the hills rather confuse me. I'm afraid I may have led us astray again. Nothing matches my map." He spread the worn paper across the ground.

I smiled smugly at Dysun. I'd wriggled my way into Blake's reality. I pretended to study the surrounding hills while I ate my lunch.

"That way." I pointed randomly.

Blake frowned at the hill I'd pointed to. "Are you quite positive? It doesn't seem right somehow."

I turned the map the other way. "That way." I put as much confidence into my voice as I could. I pointed at the hill.

Blake squinted at the map. "Perhaps," he said doubtfully.

He stowed the map while Dysun cleared away our lunch. I pulled my boots on.

Blake headed up the hill, posing with his hands on his hips at the top. He pointed down the slope. He broke into a bounding run that carried him quickly out of sight.

Dysun shot a glare at me as he followed Blake over the hill. "I don't know how you did that. That map is gibberish, a total and complete fake!"

"Does it matter as long as you get paid and I get off this planet?"

Dysun grinned with a rakish charm all his own. "Not really. Lead on, Captain Dace. And hurry before we lose our meal ticket."

We scrambled over the hill after Blake.

The older gentleman climbed over a pile of rocks, exclaiming about everything he saw. He paused on top of the tallest boulder. "This is it! The ancient dancing circle. That means the monastery should be close. And at the monastery, the Elixir of Eternal Youth!" He slid down the side of the rock.

Dysun hurried to catch him. He shouldn't have bothered, Blake landed on his feet, then sprinted down a narrow track beaten into the dirt between the rocks.

Blake finally slowed down several hours later. Ricard Blake was the last person in the universe who needed an Elixir of Eternal Youth. He stopped to consult his map. Dysun dropped his pack on the ground, collapsing next to it. I limped into the shade, my feet blistered from the boots.

Blake clucked at the two of us. "You rest. We should be almost there. I'll just check behind that row of fir trees." His words faded as he disappeared into the forest.

Dysun got to his feet, leaving the pack behind.

I was ready to drop, but I followed Dysun through the trees.

We arrived just in time to see Blake stride into the center of a village nestled at the bottom of the hill.

Dysun swore as he started down the slope. "The idiot can't speak a word of their language."

"Can you?"

He shook his head. "We weren't supposed to make contact with anyone but the monks. Blake never thought it would be a problem. Can you speak it?"

"If I get him out of trouble, will you promise to take me off this planet?"

Dysun studied me. "I could always use another pilot, although you'd have to promise not to blow my ship."

I resisted the urge to smack him. "If I didn't think I needed your help—"

"You'd do what? Leave? Be my guest, Captain."

"Just follow me and keep your mouth shut." I marched into the village.

Two dogs lay in the middle of the beaten dirt track that served as a main road. They growled halfheartedly. I stopped near the center of the village. Blake had left no trace.

Three old men sat on a bench in front of the biggest building in the village. One spat into the dust, then grinned toothlessly. "You looking for something?"

I hesitated. What lie would they accept? "My father isn't right in the head. He came this way. Have you seen him?"

"You come sit in my lap and sing for me and I'll tell you where your da went." The old man leered.

Dysun shifted closer to my shoulder. "What are they saying?" he whispered.

I edged away, debating how far to push the issue. The old men on the bench looked harmless. I changed my mind when I got a whiff of them. Their stench was lethal. I tried not to gag as I leaned over the one who spoke.

"Tell me where he went."

The old man swung his arm behind me, knocking me into his lap. I shoved myself away as fast as I could. I sprawled in the dirt while they cackled and wheezed.

"Your da's up there," the one on the end said, pointing to a squat castle looming on a hill not far away.

I brushed dust off my skirt as I got to my feet. "He's there," I told Dysun, jerking my head at the castle.

Horses pounded into the village. The old men on the bench vanished, leaving nothing but their smell.

Dysun bolted for the edge of the village with me at his heels. He leapt across a stream, stumbling in midair. He landed bonelessly in the water. Metal flashed in one of the horsemen's hands. A split second later I sprawled on the bank, completely numb.

The men leisurely swung down from their horses. They slung us over the backs of two horses.

"Take them both to the base," one of the men said. "I suspect Commander Nuto has more than a few questions to ask."

The men spoke Basic. I'd found the Patrol base. I didn't know whether I should be happy or not. I hung limply as the horse trotted along the road to the squat castle.

Chapter 15

The numbness from the stunner beam gradually wore off, leaving behind a tingling pain. The horses clattered through a gate into a courtyard. One of the men pulled me off the horse. He slapped a pair of force cuffs on my wrists before hustling me into a room at the rear of the castle.

The battered desk and chair in the room looked very familiar, Patrol standard issue. I almost felt as if I were back in the Commander's office at the Academy. The force cuffs pinched, reminding me this wasn't school. This was serious.

The thin, dark man behind the desk studied me coldly. His silver uniform and commander's clusters caught the light. He sat forward, pulling a hand scanner from his desk. He placed it on top, nudging it my direction. The man watched me suspiciously, his slanted eyes narrowed.

I put my hand on the plate. It glowed red. "Dace, of the Star's Grace." The light flickered green. I lifted my hand.

The commander frowned, tapping his fingers on his desk. "What are you doing here?"

"Trying to get off planet," I said honestly.

"What were you doing in this system in the first place? I know about your ship and the escape pods."

"I had to do an emergency downshift. This is where we came out. The core redlined and wouldn't eject. We had to abandon ship." I blinked rapidly. I was not going to cry over my ship, even if it still hurt.

The commander tucked the scanner into a drawer. He lounged in his chair, his hands folded across his flat belly.

I shuffled my feet.

"We'll try to verify your story," he said finally. "Lock her with the other one," he said to the guard behind me.

The man marched me through the castle. We went down a flight of stairs that led to an uneven stone hallway and three barred cells. Tiny windows high in one wall let in faded sunlight.

My guard unlocked one of the doors. He snapped off my cuffs, then shoved me inside. The door clanged shut. The guard left. I sighed and rubbed my wrists.

The room was about ten feet long and maybe fifteen wide with a dirty stone floor and a pile of straw to one side. Compared to Baron Molier's dungeon, it was a luxury hotel.

I sat on the straw and eased my boots off. I rubbed the blisters on my heels.

The door opened. The guards shoved Dysun inside, slamming the door as they left.

Dysun turned immediately to the lock. "Unpickable." He kicked the bars on the door.

He prowled around the room, testing every corner, shoving at every stone. He tried jumping to hang from the bars in the windows even though the openings were too small to squeeze through. He crouched over a small drain in the floor to poke his fingers through the grill covering it.

"You wouldn't fit even if you could get it open," I said.

"We have to get out of here." He slammed his palm against the grate.

"Why? Blake should be able to get you out before long. You might have to pay a few fines."

"Are you really that stupid? They're going to upload our scans. Once they find out who we are, do you think they're just going to let us waltz out of here?"

"So who are you, Dysun Farr? I'm exactly who I said I was."

"They're still going to throw the book at you, Dace. What do you think they'll do to me?" He prodded the grate again. "I'm a Federation Free Trader. It's only a matter of time before they find out." Federation Free Trader was a nice way of saying Dysun was a pirate. He grinned his rakishly cocky grin. "I told them you were my pilot."

I called him every nasty name I knew, then made up more. The Patrol would throw the entire penal code at us both.

He grin never wavered. "I could almost admire your vocabulary." He prowled the cell, testing and retesting every possible exit.

I used every swear word I knew then started over. Anger beat crying. I finally curled up on the dirty straw to sleep.

I woke in the middle of the night to find Dysun snuggled next to me, his arm around my waist.

"Tomorrow," he breathed into my ear, "you distract the guards when they bring us breakfast. I'll knock them out and we'll run for the woods. My shuttle isn't far."

"That is the dumbest plan I've ever heard."

"You have a better idea? I can't just wait here until the Patrol decides what to do." He pulled me closer. "You could make this much more pleasant, for both of us."

"Dysun, go away." I elbowed him.

He rolled over, clutching himself and muttering darkly.

I went back to sleep.

The door clanged open, startling me awake. One guard set down two bowls before stepping out of the cell. The other stayed outside, hand on his stunner. The door banged shut. The guards left without a word.

The bowls held porridge, bland but still warm. I ate one bowl. I left the other for Dysun.

Dysun finally twitched awake. He pulled a face at the porridge, then spent the rest of the morning pacing the room, testing every bar and every window.

I did the exercises I'd neglected. The exercise routine, taught at the Academy to all cadets, was designed to be done in a very small space, such as a cabin on a ship. I worked my way through the routine and then did it again.

I sat on the straw when I finished, catching bugs to squish between my fingers. Time passed. Dysun dumped his porridge on the floor, then retreated to a corner with both bowls. He twisted and tore at them. They were paper, useless for anything.

I wandered over to the lock. It wasn't unpickable. It just required a number twelve sonic probe and some luck. I could have opened it in less than five minutes, with the right probe.

Dysun gave up on the bowls, chucking them through the bars into the hall. He banged on the bars, shouting for a chance to make a deal. No one came.

Dysun leaned against the door. "They should at least give us a deck of cards or something."

"Where's Blake?"

"Probably charming the base commander into giving him a ride home."

"Not charming him into letting us out?"

"Are you joking? Ricard Blake is the most self serving, impossible man I've ever met."

"But he pays well. Or so you said." I unfastened the catches on my boots then redid them. "Maybe he's locked up, too."

"You can bet he isn't in a dump like this. He's probably sleeping in a real bed and eating real food." Dysun sat on the straw next to me. "I should never have taken this job."

"Then why did you?"

"Same reason anyone does. I needed the money. Dadilan isn't far from the border. I wasn't supposed to get caught."

"But you were."

"And so were you, pilot."

"I'm not your pilot."

He gave me a nasty grin.

"The Patrol won't believe you. I've got records."

"Really? And what else, Dace? Why should they believe you? You've got membership in the Guild of Independent Traders?"

"Yes."

His face froze, his mouth half open. His sneer faded. "You aren't lying. That changes things a bit, doesn't it?"

"Not that I can see."

Dysun picked at straw and didn't talk for a long time.

I went back to sleep.

He shook my shoulder, a shadow in the dim room. The window behind him showed dull gray.

"They'll be here soon. You distract them. I'll jump them. We'll get clear of here and then we can negotiate."

I yawned, still half asleep. He crouched near the door.

The guards came. The one set two bowls inside the cell. Dysun sprang. He jumped on the guard's back, wrapping his arms around the man's neck. The other guard shot him with a stunner. Dysun sprawled on the floor, twitching. The guard kicked him once before leaving.

I picked over the chunks floating in my bowl of stew.

Dysun groaned as he woke. "Stupid woman."

"I'm not the one who got shot. We don't have a chance of getting out. Not your way."

He crawled to a corner to sulk.

I finished my dinner and most of his. He didn't seem to want it. I eased into my exercise routine again.

I'd worked up quite a sweat when the guards returned. Dysun flicked a sideways glance at them, his eyes glittering like a rat's in the shadows.

"Dace." The guard jerked his head as he unlocked the door. "You're wanted upstairs."

I walked out of the cell. The guard with the stunner slammed the door. The other guard slapped a pair of force cuffs around my wrists. He took my arm, leading me up the stairs to the office.

The commander wasn't at his desk. Tayvis leaned on it, one hip cocked against the edge. The guard shoved me into the room before shutting the door.

"You're alive," I breathed.

Tayvis didn't answer. He leaned on the desk, not moving.

I shuffled my feet, glancing away from Tayvis' cold, measuring stare.

He folded his arms across his chest. Silence stretched between us, tense and hostile.

"You want to explain yourself?" Tayvis finally asked.

"Will you believe me if I do?"

"That depends on your story." He shifted his weight. The desk creaked. "Why did you run?"

"You told me to go for help. So I did."

"The wrong direction. Tell me something I can believe."

I hated the angry twist to his words. "I thought I was headed for Robin's camp. I tried to turn back when I realized it was the wrong way. I got lost. How did you get away?"

He ignored my question. "How did you get mixed up with Ricard Blake?"

"I ran into him. Dysun jumped me and tried to kill me. Blake stopped him. He thought I could read maps." I shuffled my feet again; acutely aware I wore Blake's boots. "I didn't know Dysun was a pirate until after we got here."

"What did you think he was?"

"Lost. Like me. They gave me food and were mostly nice to me. What was I supposed to do? Keep running until Ky caught me? I hoped to find Robin's camp. Or that his men would find me."

Tayvis drummed his fingers, once, twice, and then stopped. He opened a drawer, pulling out a small package. My heart sank as he unwrapped it. It contained the lockpicks from my pod.

"Commander Nuto said one of Leran's men left these with a warning about you. He claims you work for Shomies Pardui. Commander Nuto had no reason to doubt his story. Do you want to explain?" He fanned the lockpicks on the desk.

"I found them in my pod."

His look told me he didn't believe a word.

"The pods were original to the ship. I hadn't got around to refitting them. I didn't have time or money to do the pods when I did the engine."

"Dace, at least tell me lies I can believe."

"I thought you wanted the truth."

"You're telling me these lockpicks aren't yours. We'll let the bit about your ship slide."

"It's the truth, Tayvis."

"Next you'll be telling me you got a scholarship to the Academy."

"I did."

"Do you really want to end up on a prison planet?"

"Why won't you believe me?"

"Would you believe it if you heard it?"

"No," I reluctantly admitted.

He stroked one of the picks, spinning it through his fingers. "Do you know how to use these?"

I didn't want to answer that question. It would definitely get me prison time. The cuffs sizzled on my wrists.

"Dace?" Tayvis waited, just like the Academy Commander. I'd almost lost my scholarship that first year, until I figured out how to fight without getting caught. I only did it to stop the bullies.

"Yes, I know how to use them. It doesn't mean I've ever done it."

His angry scowl melted into a satisfied smirk. He put the lockpick down. "That wasn't in your file."

"You read my file?" I'd given too much away.

"Very entertaining. And verified." He reached across the desk to unlock the cuffs. He tossed them next to the lockpicks. "Although I'm curious why someone so intelligent would make so many stupid mistakes. You should have smelled trouble a lightyear away when you interviewed your crew. Jerith has ties to the Federation. I suspect he meant to disable your ship and leave it for the pirates to collect."

I cursed under my breath.

"That isn't all, Dace. Flago belongs to one of the crime syndicates. No one has quite figured out how they're involved here, not yet. You hired a terrible crew."

"So I made a mistake." I rubbed my wrists.

"It wasn't the only one."

"I know. You believe me now?"

His lip twitched. "Are the lockpicks really yours?"

"They were on my ship, even though I didn't know about them."

"We can always say Leran planted them. It will make things easier." He slid them into their case. "Any tool that might come in handy." He tossed them to me.

I caught the bundle by reflex. "I'm in enough trouble without these."

"Special rules. You have my permission to use them any way you see necessary." He lifted a handcomp from the desk. "I need your signature on this. Even irregular agreements have to follow protocol." He held out the handcomp.

I read through the document. My hands shook. He'd formalized my enlistment in the Patrol. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He'd even included the terms of our agreement. He'd made my presence on Dadilan legal.

"Why?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

His eyes were the color of warm chocolate. He leaned on the desk, his hands planted on either side. "Because of what I didn't find in your file, and because of what I did."

"Thank you."

He handed me a stylus. I signed the agreement.

"A copy will be sent on the next shuttle." Tayvis put the handcomp away in the desk. "You'll be on the shuttle with it if everything goes as planned."

"What about Blake and Dysun?"

"What about them? Blake is being held until his family can collect him. He's a swindler and a cheat, but he's well connected. This isn't the first time he's shown up where he doesn't belong. He's got a lot more money than sense. You're better off not worrying about Dysun. He'll get exactly what he deserves."

"He was only helping Blake for the money."

"And you believed him? You haven't learned your lesson yet, Dace. Dysun Farr is wanted for smuggling, piracy, extortion; you name it and he's done it."

"He isn't a murderer."

"Not yet. I can't believe you're defending him."

"He isn't that bad."

"You want back in the cell with him?"

I shook my head. "He didn't kill me when he had the chance."

"I'll make a note of that for his trial. Is there anything else you want to confess?"

"I think you know all my secrets." I rolled the lockpicks in my hands.

"Then, Special Agent Dace, I suggest you get cleaned up and get what sleep you can. You're leaving early in the morning."

"To do what?"

He sat down behind the desk. "I'm sending you and Will Scarlet to the monastery. Robin's agreed to lend him to me for the investigation. I need a list of everyone who's bought shara in the last year. I'm headed south to dig deeper into Leran's activities." He tapped busily on the handcomp. He glanced up. "What are you waiting for, Dace?"

"I don't know where to go, sir." I snapped a salute at him. "I've only been in the cells here."

"Will!"

The door opened. Will Scarlet sauntered in. "Definitely not a Marian." He picked a bit of straw from my hair.

"She's going with you in the morning," Tayvis said. "Make sure you don't lose her."

"Like you did?" Will teased.

"You've got your orders, Will."

"You want me to salute and snap my heels?"

Tayvis shook his head.

"Come on," Will said to me. "Commander Nuto's got an extra room. I see you found a pair of boots."

I glanced at Tayvis as we left the office. His dark head was bent over the handcomp.

Will took me on a twisting route through the castle.

"He likes you," Will confided as we crossed the mess hall.

"Tayvis? No, he doesn't."

"Don't fool yourself, Dace."

"I heard the two of you talking about me at Robin's camp. He doesn't trust me."

"Yes, he does. If he didn't, you'd be in the cell with Dysun Farr." He pushed open a door. "And he does like you. I can tell. Welcome to the showers. I'm sure the others will understand if you lock the door. Women aren't usually posted to Dadilan."

"What happened to him, when Ky attacked?"

"Robin's men heard the fight and went back. They were in time to finish off the last one. Ky got away."

I swallowed hard. Tayvis was a paid killer, he just fought for the Patrol not the criminals.

"He isn't bad, Dace. He only does what he has to."

Will's comment didn't help, much.

"You're Patrol, aren't you?" I asked.

"As much as you are. I'll go stoke the fire so you can actually have warm water."

He pushed me into the room.

Will left a pile of clean clothes for me while I showered. I wasn't surprised the skirt and blouse matched.

Chapter 16

I followed Will into the courtyard the next morning. Tayvis waited for us, saddling his horse. Puddles gathered underfoot from recent rain. The air smelled of damp earth.

"Reporting for duty, sir." Will saluted, slapping his hand against his forehead.

"You know what to do?" Tayvis yanked a strap tight. His horse snorted, stamping one foot.

"Of course," Will answered. "You can trust me."

Tayvis buckled the strap. "Keep your ears open. And be careful."

I crossed my arms, hunching my shoulders. "Why don't you just leave me here, Tayvis? Lock me up if you want. It's safer than out there."

Tayvis shook his head. "Go with Will and justify that agreement we both signed. It isn't just your neck on this one."

"If you don't trust me, why stick it out for me?"

Will nudged me. "Don't wake the sleeping bear."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You're the philosopher, you figure it out."

"I am not a philosopher."

"Are you going to argue all morning? You've got ground to cover." Tayvis pulled a small pouch out of his pocket, tossing it to Will. "Don't spend it all at the same place."

"Yes, sir." Will opened the pouch and frowned. "Not much to spend."

"You aren't traveling first class."

"Nobody told me the Patrol was so cheap."

"You're less noticeable walking." Tayvis swung onto his horse. "And don't call me sir."

"Yes, sir." Will snapped a perfect salute.

Tayvis shook his head. "You're going to get yourself killed."

"And the Patrol will send a very nice letter to my family expressing their sympathies. Ready, Dace?"

"Tell me again why I have to go anywhere." I glanced up at Tayvis. "I get into trouble no matter what I do."

Tayvis grinned. "Very useful trouble. Go stir up trouble at the monastery." He looked over at Will. "I'm taking the mountain trail to Leran's territory. I want to find out what he's been doing."

"Remember what I told Dace about waking a sleeping bear?" Will shook his head. "You be careful, Tayvis. They know who you are now."

Tayvis kicked his horse into a walk. We followed. The path skirted the castle, bypassing the village entirely. By the time we reached the main road at the bottom of the hill, Tayvis was long out of sight.

"So if you aren't a philosopher, what did you study?" Will asked.

"You read my file, you should know."

"You aren't a sleeping bear, by any chance?"

"I think working for Robin has affected your brain. What have you been smoking, Will?"

"Nothing." He sniffed his shirt. "Well, maybe a bit of wood and grass. And the fish last night. Ha! Got you to smile."

"Why are we really going to the monastery?"

"Because Tayvis needs the information and it should be fairly safe. Two pairs of eyes are more likely to spot truth than one."

"Another one of your philosophical statements?"

"Stole it from a book I read. Most of it was rather tedious, but every once in a while, I found a statement that begged to be quoted. That one actually made sense."

He told me stories about his studies while we walked. I never guessed that linguistics researchers led such thrilling lives. I suspected he exaggerated. His jaunty attitude lasted only until we reached the crossroads. The track we'd been following met a much wider road.

Will looked both ways down the deserted road. "This is where we have to be careful. Remember, we're displaced peasants. Step aside for everyone. Don't look anyone in the eye. Don't say anything. Leran and Pardui have spies everywhere." Will turned his back, pulling his hat low.

Any hope I had of the journey being enjoyable died. "There isn't anyone on the road, Will."

"We're way beyond Robin's influence. There are eyes everywhere. Keep your place, woman. And don't call me Will."

I called him names under my breath as I trudged after him.

We arrived at a bustling village about midmorning. Vendors advertised merchandise at the top of their lungs from their roadside stands. Will pulled me into a space between two booths.

"I'm going to buy supplies. Stay here and don't get into trouble." He disappeared into the crowd.

I shifted from foot to foot. The hot air tweaked my curiosity with the scent of cooking, spices, animals, and a thousand other things. The stall next to me sold textiles. A piece of embroidered fabric caught my eye. I stepped close to stroke the flowers and animals, wondering who had taken the time to paint a fantasy in thread.

"You like it?" the stall owner asked.

"It's lovely."

"It's more than you can afford." The man moved the piece out of my reach.

I tucked my hands under my elbows. Nothing else in his stall was worth a second glance. The merchant across the narrow alley sold trinkets, bits of jewelry to catch the eye of someone without much money. Polished glass and stone sparkled in the morning light.

"That's her!"

I turned towards the shout. A burly man pointed at me.

"That's the demon what caused my cow to go dry!"

"She soured the milk on all the cows!"

"Demon!"

I darted out of the alley, hiking up my skirts as I ran. The crowd shifted away, leaving me facing a line of soldiers, Baron Molier's men with screaming birds embroidered on their tunics. They circled, closing me in. I jumped at an opening, aiming a kick at the nearest soldier.

One caught me from behind, slamming his arm across my back, knocking me to the ground. The others jumped in, flattening me in the dust. Two of them hauled me to my feet. I used them as leverage to kick the one in front in the teeth. The soldiers yanked me backwards, twisting my arms behind me.

"This is the demon?" one of the soldiers asked the crowd.

"She fell from the sky in a ball of fire," the farmer said. "She cursed the cows. None of them will give milk now."

"Old Betsy's cat had puppies instead of kittens the next morning."

"She made me lame. She just looked at me and I couldn't walk."

"She's a demon." The first farmer nodded his head.

The soldiers shoved me to my knees.

"What do you have to say for yourself, demon?" The lead soldier loomed over me.

"I'm not a demon."

"Liar!" He slapped me.

I tasted blood.

"I saw you in the dungeon. You've cursed the Baron. He can think of nothing but you." The man slapped me again.

"What do we do with her?" The soldier behind me spoke. "Ride all the way to Ravensholt? It's three days if we push the horses."

"I'll kill her now and save us all the trouble." The man I'd kicked in the teeth spat blood.

"We'll take her to the priest in Islington," the commander decided. "He can lift the curse and cleanse us of this evil. Tie her up."

The villagers produced an amazing amount of rope. The soldiers trussed me until I could barely move. The leader twisted a gag in my mouth. It tasted like old shoes and horse sweat. The soldiers tossed me onto a horse, tying me in place.

I caught one glimpse of Will's astonished face as we thundered down the road, leaving the village behind.

I wondered what the priest in Islington would do. My imagination conjured all sorts of gruesome images, most involving hot iron pokers.

We reached Islington midafternoon. The village was built around an open square. The ugliest building I'd ever seen squatted on one side. A symbol of interlocking circles decorated the walls. The lead soldier swung down from his horse, hammering his fist on the door. He stepped to the side as the booming echoes died.

The horses shuffled their feet as we waited. The villagers gathered, staring curiously. The door to the building finally creaked open.

A man in a black robe peered out. "Why do you disturb our meditations?"

"We've brought the demon that cursed the Baron. We want you to lift the curse and cleanse us from her touch."

The man flung the door wide, then strode out, his robe flapping dust clouds around him. He squinted, poking me with a bony finger. "This is a demon?"

"Fallen from the sky, cast out in a ball of fire. We have the sworn testimony of three witnesses." The soldiers nodded in agreement.

The priest frowned, pinching his bottom lip. "Demon, you came in fire, so in fire you shall be cleansed."

The villagers cheered.

The priest raised his hands to the sky. "We shall cleanse this earth of evil! We shall burn the demon!"

The crowd shouted. The soldiers backed their horses, leaving me in a clear space.

I had no intention of letting them burn me. I took the opening, kicking the horse, hoping it would run. It planted its feet, stubbornly lowering its head. I flinched as a pungent tomato splattered my face, its stench worse than the taste of the gag still in my mouth.

The crowd flung limp lettuce and spoiled cabbage my way.

"We shall burn the demon tomorrow morning," the priest shouted when the rain of rotting produce ended. "Build the pyre high. Use only the driest wood. I must prepare myself to fight such a great evil." He flapped into his lumpy gray building like a big black bird.

The soldiers untied me just enough to get me off the horse. They shoved me into an iron cage set under a flat roof on the far side of the square. I fell in a heap, unable to move because of the rope still wound around me. The cage slammed shut.

I curled up in the straw at the bottom and pretended to be somewhere far away. Even the orphanage was better than this.

The soldiers taunted me, jabbing me with sticks. I hunched into a tighter ball. They gave up when I didn't respond.

Blood caked on a dozen different scratches. I smelled like a garbage dump. The taste of the gag turned my stomach and dried my mouth. The ropes pinched and rubbed my skin raw.

All of that paled as I watched the villagers pile wood.

They were going to burn me alive. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the horrible sight.

Chapter 17

The soldiers settled down to drinking and playing dice. The villagers continued to pile the wood higher.

I wriggled my hands, working at the rough ropes. My wrists stung and bled. If I could get them off, I could pick the lock on the cage. I could run for the woods to hide. It was a futile hope, barely better than giving in to despair.

A guard kicked my cage. I quit wiggling. He returned to the game.

I chewed on the gag until I finally shifted it out of my mouth. The guards didn't notice.

The afternoon crawled. The pyre grew huge, at least five feet of dry wood surrounded the center stake. A man attached a tiny platform on top of the wood pile, hammering it in place. Each slap of his hammer echoed in my head.

I tried looking away, but morbid curiosity kept pulling me back. I stared at the pyre while daylight slowly faded. I was too scared to be hungry or thirsty. I wanted Tayvis to rescue me. I wanted Will to sneak in and free me. I wished and waited, wiggling my hands in the ropes.

The guards lit a lamp when it grew dark. The dice game continued.

I don't know how, but I dozed off. I dreamed of Miss Hadley, the orphanage director. She stood over me, her face set in a permanent scowl. I knelt on the floor surrounded by buckets and rags.

"You were never any good," Miss Hadley said in my dream. "I can't say I'm surprised. I always said you'd come to no good end."

She leaned over me and pinched.

I startled awake, sitting with a gasp. My hands were numb from the ropes. I lay down in my cage. A single guard watched me suspiciously, his sword out and ready. I closed my eyes, turning my head away from him. I didn't want him to see my fear.

I drifted off again, plagued with fragmented memories of my past, of people telling me I was nothing, worthless, less than garbage. Life in the orphanage had been hard. Being the daughter of a failed revolutionary leader hadn't helped. Miss Hadley wasted no opportunity to remind me how utterly revolting she found my very existence. She told me repeatedly I would come to no good end.

I was almost relieved to see dawn light creep across the sky.

The guards kicked the cage a few times, then ignored me when I didn't respond.

Sunlight painted the wood pile gold. People gathered in the square. Music drifted through the morning air, bright and happy. Children laughed as they played tag. They squealed when they saw me watching, running to the far side of the square.

Would anyone mourn me? Commander Nevis, the man who pulled strings to get me off Tivor, had been reassigned to a post clear across the Empire while I was still at the Academy. If I never wrote him again, he might wonder what happened to me. No one else would even notice. That thought hurt more than I expected.

The cage door rattled and clanged as the soldiers opened it. They grabbed my ropes, hauling me out.

"I've never seen a demon burn before." The young guard, his beard a sparse sprinkle of down across his chin, smiled brightly.

"They burn same as other people." An older guard lifted me by the ropes. "Maybe a bit hotter is all. The screams are the best part."

They dragged me into a glorious morning, bright and golden and full of life. The villagers cheered. The soldiers shoved me to the huge pile of wood.

I stared at the big center stake. How much would it hurt to be burned alive? I hoped it would end quickly.

The soldiers lifted me to the tiny platform. One climbed the woodpile behind me. He wrapped ropes around me, tying me tightly to the stake. The villagers shouted advice, telling him to tie it tighter. He yanked the knots firmly, then climbed down.

I stood alone, balanced on the tiny platform. The rope holding me to the pole pinched. I wiggled my hands. It was no use. I was tied too tightly to escape. I looked at the incredibly blue sky. I didn't want to die, not this way.

The villagers lifted their children to their shoulders. One young child, too young to talk, sucked his finger as he stared. He smiled shyly, waving one tiny hand.

"Fire?" Another child clapped his hands and smiled at his mother when she nodded.

I swallowed bile.

The priest flapped out of his ugly building. The villagers quieted. He preached a long, rambling sermon on the evils of just about everything. I wished he'd keep talking forever. He pointed a long finger at me.

"Behold evil incarnate!"

The villagers gasped.

"The demon witch from the sky has bespelled our benevolent Baron Molier with a most vile curse!"

The villagers booed. A rain of rotten vegetables squelched around me.

"I'm not a demon!" I twisted my head as a cabbage pelted the pole. It did no good to protest.

When the villagers ran out of rotten ammunition, the priest continued. "We must lift the curse. We must burn the evil!"

"Burn the demon!" the villagers chanted.

"Bring forth the holy fire!" The priest gestured dramatically.

The guards looked at each other. One of them ran into the building. He trotted out a moment later with an unlit torch. He knelt at the base of the woodpile to light it with a knife and a stone. Sparks flickered and died around it.

"The holy fire," the priest prompted.

The guard swore as he tried to light the torch. The villagers shifted restlessly. The guard swore more creatively. Sparks flickered violently around it, but it remained unlit.

The priest rose on his tiptoes. "Behold the power of the demon! She is very strong."

One young mother picked up her child, hiding his face under her shawl. The child screeched in protest.

"It's her evilness," one of the villagers said loudly.

"I'm not evil. I'm not a demon!"

"Shut up!" The lead guard poked his sword my direction.

A tendril of smoke rose from the torch. Sparks flew more vigorously as the guard redoubled his effort to light it.

"I didn't do anything to your Baron!"

"Then why does he lust for your flesh, you evil demon wench?" The priest raised his skinny arms to the sky.

"I don't know!"

The torch flared into burning life.

The priest smiled. "Burn the demon! Cleanse us from her evil powers!"

"No!" The cheering of the villagers drowned out my shout of protest.

The guard swung the torch around. Flames flared. He grinned, his face on a level with my knees. He waved the torch closer.

Horses clattered into the square. Someone shouted a warning. Villagers ran every direction, screaming as they tried to avoid the horsemen. Children wailed, adding to the confusion. The priest screeched sermons, his robe flapping out clouds of dust. The soldiers drew their swords.

The guard with the torch shoved it into the woodpile under my feet as the horses thundered through the crowd.

Flames licked through the wood. I yanked at my ropes, trying to tear myself free. The thick ropes held me fast to the pole. A flame curled around the platform. I tried to spit on it, anything to slow it down, but my mouth was too dry.

"Hold still!" The shout came from behind.

Tayvis had found me. I sagged with relief. He had come; he would save me. His horse danced around to the front of the pyre. His sword flashed as he swung it right towards me.

He was going to kill me. I froze completely. The sword's sharp metal edge rose high. Time slowed to a bare crawl. The sword sliced the air. I flinched.

The ropes parted. I staggered, falling off the pyre. Tayvis grabbed me, pulling me across his saddle. His horse jumped forward, away from the fire. His sword flashed as he blocked a soldier's attack. The man reeled as Tayvis' horse crashed through his defense to run into the fields beyond the village. Other horses pounded behind. We raced into the woods.

Tayvis slipped his sword into a sheath, trading it for a knife. He slit the ropes around me, tossing them away.

I clung to his vest, burying my head against his chest. I couldn't believe I was still alive.

"Dace?"

I shook with shock and relief.

"You're on fire." He pounded at my skirt. "Are you hurt? Dace?"

I kept my head down. My fists clenched so tight in the leather of his vest, my knuckles turned white. I didn't want to let go, ever.

"Dace?" He slowed his horse. He put his hand under my chin, forcing my head up. Worry lines creased his forehead. "Other than the smell, are you all right?"

"They were going to burn me alive," My voice cracked. "They brought their children to watch." I couldn't stop shaking.

Tayvis picked a clump of rotting lettuce from my hair, shaking it off onto the ground. I ducked my head down, tucking it under his chin. He put his arm around me, holding me close despite the stench.

We rode over a steep hill. He pulled his horse to a stop just the other side of the ridge. A horse with a familiar rider pulled up beside him.

Will gave me a worried look. "The guards aren't more than ten minutes behind." He lifted the bag slung over his shoulder. "You'll need this before I will. We'll cover your tracks, keep them off your trail."

"Three days, Will. You'd better be at the base with the list by then."

"Then what, Tayvis? You don't have any proof. The list won't be enough."

"Just get the list from the monastery. It will have to be enough. We'll let the ground troops deal with the rest. I'll tell Admiral Tuong what he can do with the policy of noninterference. This whole investigation was compromised from the beginning."

"You'll be all right?"

"As long as you're as good as you say."

"We're Robin's men," Will said. "No one will find your tracks under ours. Go."

Tayvis nodded. "Three days, Will."

Will's answer was lost in the pounding of hooves as Tayvis urged his horse into a run. I slowly quit shaking. I was safe. For now.

We rode into the hills, picking a way next to a meandering stream. Flowers nodded in a light breeze, white and pink.

Tayvis pulled his horse to a stop next to a shallow pool. Sunlight sparkled across the water. He slid off the horse, allowing it to drink. Tayvis fingered a scorch mark on my skirt. The smell of smoke haunted me, mixing with the smell of the rotten produce splattered over me. My stomach heaved.

I slid down from the horse, staggering a few steps before I lost control. I landed on my hands and knees, retching up nothing. Tayvis' hands warmed my shoulders. I closed my eyes and shivered. Flames danced in my mind, their heat burning in memory.

"Dace." Tayvis waited until I opened my eyes. He handed me a cup of water from the stream, watching until I drank. He knelt in front of me pulling my skirt aside to check my legs.

"Mild burn. Not much more than a sunburn. Anything else?" He patted my leg gently.

I stared into the cup of water, shaking my head. I didn't know how to react. I didn't know why he cared. I didn't know what to do.

"That perfume you're wearing is a bit strong." His joke landed as flat as his smile. His lip twitched as he handed me Will's bag. "I hope you aren't too attached to that outfit. I doubt it will ever get clean."

I peeked into the bag. Inside was a pair of the green leggings Robin's men wore and a yellow shirt.

"They'll probably fit you better than mine will."

He led his horse a few steps away to tether it in a patch of grass. He walked a few steps more, staying just in sight next to a bush covered with tiny white flowers.

I fingered the clothes. Water splashed into the pool. Tayvis wasn't going to leave me. He'd just rescued me. I forced myself to believe it.

I stripped off the filthy skirt and blouse, throwing them into a bush. I kept the boots on and waded into the water.

The pool was shallow, just deep enough to wash in. I sat in the frigid water, scrubbing hard. Bits of vegetables and fruit floated downstream. Death smelled of rotten vegetables and wood smoke. I scrubbed until my skin hurt. I still saw the children smiling as the soldiers tied me to the stake. I shivered again but not from the cold.

I waded out of the stream, wiping water off before dressing in Will's borrowed clothing. The clothes hung loose. It didn't matter. They were clean and didn't smell like death. I slung the empty bag over my shoulder as I made my way around the bush.

"You'll get blisters walking in wet boots." Tayvis leaned against his pack, typing notes on a tiny handcomp. "I left your lunch out."

He'd left bread and cheese on a nearby rock. I sat on the ground. I couldn't find much appetite. I picked at the bread.

He snapped the handcomp shut. "You should let them dry out a bit."

I shook my head. "I don't want to be caught barefoot again." It made me feel too vulnerable. I already felt too vulnerable. Besides, they were spacer's boots, designed of a very tough, flexible fabric. They'd be dry within minutes. I wriggled my toes inside them.

Tayvis tucked the handcomp inside his vest. "Where did you get those?"

"Ricard Blake gave them to me."

"That explains a lot."

I looked at the food in my hand rather than at him.

"Eat your lunch," he said. "We've got a long ride ahead of us."

"Where are we going?"

"You're going to help me find Leran's secret stash of goodies."

I shook my head. "I don't want to go anywhere near him."

"His stash, Dace, not him. He's safely in the Baron's castle supposedly doing research."

"Why do you think I know where his stash is?"

"Because you were with him when he collected his latest shipment from it." He picked up his bag. "Right before you met me. Remember the camp you ran away from?"

I nodded.

"Think you'd recognize the campsite?"

"Maybe." I picked off a crumb of bread, crumbling it in my fingers. "Someone attacked Leran. Who?"

"Half a dozen candidates come to mind. It was most likely bandits."

"How do you know they won't attack us?"

"We'll be careful. You've got until I get the horse saddled to eat that."

I ate, my appetite restored. If anyone could keep me safe on Dadilan, it would be Tayvis.

He whistled as he saddled his horse. I wondered what he really thought. Will said he liked me. I didn't know how to handle that thought, so I ignored it, shoving it to the back of my mind. I could deal with it later. If I could figure out how.

Chapter 18

Tayvis found a hollow at the base of a cliff hidden behind a pile of boulders. He set up camp while evening light turned the tops of the mountains to gold.

I dropped on a rock, exhausted. The minor burns on my legs reminded me constantly of what had almost happened, adding their own layer to my misery.

He tethered his horse in a thick growth of grasses. It munched happily, green slime dripping from its nose. It flapped its tail, moving deeper into the grass.

Tayvis stacked wood in a neat pile on the ground, building a pyramid of the smallest bits before striking a spark into it. A thin tendril of smoke reached lazily into the air. Tiny flames flickered into life, licking eagerly over the wood.

As I stared at the flame, feeling it grow in my mind, the burn on my leg throbbed. I couldn't look away. Flames ate the wood, reaching hungrily for more. Heat washed over me, stifling and oppressive. I was going to burn.

"Dace." Tayvis crouched, his leg brushing mine.

The flames trapped me, I stared, my eyes watering. I shivered despite their heat. A gust of wind carried smoke into my face. I coughed. The smell terrified me to the point I couldn't breathe.

Tayvis turned me to face him. He cupped his hand around my cheek, blocking the sight of dancing flames.

"They were going to burn me alive. They brought their children to watch." I closed my eyes, tears burning behind my lids.

Tayvis pulled me against him. "It's over. You're safe now."

I shook my head.

"You're right, it isn't over yet. I'm sorry. I thought you'd be safe. Maybe I should have left you locked up with that pirate."

His breath stirred my hair. His heartbeat echoed in my ears. The warmth of his arms sent my emotions tumbling in ways I'd never experienced. He made me feel warm and safe at the same time his proximity triggered nervousness and fear. I'd never let anyone get so close before. I pushed away, afraid of the emotional maelstrom.

He shifted his hands to my shoulders, letting me have a little distance. He waited until I met his look.

"You're going to be all right, Dace. You're tough. You'd have to be to get off Tivor."

"Tivor was easy. They weren't trying to kill me." My voice trembled, a pale reflection of the emotional turmoil inside.

His lip twitched, a small smile for him. He squeezed my shoulders before stepping away.

I faced the darkness, away from the fire. I pulled my knees up, wrapping my arms around them. The stars slowly appeared. I tried not to think. All of my thoughts were disturbing, frightening, confusing. I only wanted to fly, I wanted nothing more. I thought once I got through the Academy and bought my own ship, I'd have it made. I sighed. My ship was gone and I was stranded on a world trying to kill me.

"Dinner." Tayvis handed me his bowl. He sat near me to eat his own dinner from the pot.

I picked at mine. It tasted like smoke. I put it aside.

"Did I miss on the seasonings? You can cook next time," he said, his tone light and teasing.

"I'll burn it," I answered, trying to be just as teasing. I didn't succeed.

"It isn't that difficult."

"I burn water." Even Miss Hadley at the orphanage had excused me from cooking after the first few disasters.

"Burnt water is actually quite a delicacy. Eat it, Dace. There isn't anything else and we've got an early start tomorrow." He moved into the shadows behind me.

His teasing comment helped. I ate his cooking, despite the bland taste. I kept my back to the fire. I didn't care if I froze, if I didn't look, I could pretend it wasn't there.

Stars burned, small and impossibly far away. They gave me some comfort. Each night at the orphanage, after Miss Hadley locked me in my drafty attic corner, I'd pull aside a bit of loose siding to stare at the sky. As long as I could see stars, I could dream of a better future. It wasn't helping me here.

Tayvis sat beside me, wrapping a blanket around us both. "There's only one."

He lay against the rock, pulling me next to him. His touch warmed me, gave me an illusion of safety. I fell asleep listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

I woke alone, wrapped in the blanket next to the rock. Dawn light seeped across the sky, pale rose and peach. I sat, rubbing at bruises. Tayvis cared for his horse on the other side of the hollow. The gear jingled as he buckled it on.

I eased into stretches, habit from the Academy. By the time Tayvis finished strapping gear onto his horse, I had the worst of the kinks stretched out.

"I figure we can be at Leran's camp by midmorning." Tayvis led his horse over. "If my map checks out."

I shoved my boot into the loop, swinging myself onto the horse. Tayvis mounted behind me. The horse snorted.

We ate while we rode, stale bread and greasy cheese. The sun crept from behind the rugged cliffs, bathing the land in golden light.

We stopped at a stream to drink and rest the horse while Tayvis checked his handcomp. He squinted at the surrounding terrain.

"Any of this look familiar?"

I glanced around, then shrugged. "Maybe."

Tayvis snapped the handcomp shut. He walked around, studying the ground intently. "This way." He pointed towards more hills and mountains.

We both walked. The horse followed Tayvis, towed by the reins. Tayvis paused every few steps to study the ground. I couldn't tell what he was looking for but he seemed to find it.

We climbed a ridge to a wide meadow next to a cliff of blocky gray stone.

Tayvis tied his horse to a tree branch. "Look familiar to you?"

"Maybe."

"Is this the campsite?"

"I don't know."

"Nothing looks familiar?"

"I don't know," I said again. "I didn't take wilderness survival or ground tactics or map recognition at the Academy. I didn't think I'd ever need them."

He turned away, walking slowly and studying the ground.

I hated the hot tightness in my chest. I folded my arms defensively as I walked the other direction. Tayvis had no right to make me feel stupid for not knowing. I worked up a good dose of anger. It helped mask the hurt and confusion underneath. Tayvis made me feel too vulnerable.

I peered through a break in the bushes. A narrow path cut across the dusty ground beyond.

"This is the camp." Tayvis stood right behind me.

I jumped at least a foot, my heart hammering.

"Leran took the pack horses that way." I waved at the path through the bushes.

"How long was he gone?"

"A couple of hours maybe. I don't know. I was asleep."

"It can't be far. We'll walk from here." He stripped his horse, hiding the gear under a bush, then staked it out on a long length of rope.

I kicked rocks, feeling even more stupid. I'd seen enough vids to suspect what was happening. I liked Tayvis, more than I wanted to admit. But what future could I possibly have with a Patrol Enforcer? I found it easy to forget, here on Dadilan, who he really worked for. I shoved all of those dangerous thoughts to the back of my mind. It wouldn't matter soon. I'd get off Dadilan, go my own way, and never come anywhere near him again.

"Are you coming?" Tayvis waited on the path.

I kicked a last rock before following him.

"You seem distracted. Want to talk about it?"

"No." It came out short and angry.

He let it drop. We walked in silence.

The path led up a long slope, twisting between outcrops of stone and bushes taller than my head. The steep climb left me panting when we finally came out on top. Tayvis barely sweated.

The slope flattened into a wide ledge at the base of another cliff. Spiky trees grew in sparse clumps. Yellow and orange flowers grew everywhere else. Tayvis squatted, studying the dirt in front of us.

"This way." He headed to his left.

I crunched after him, my boots loud on the rocky ground. Tayvis walked almost silently. I sounded like a herd of horses in comparison. I trudged after him, sweating and hot and trying to hold onto the anger I'd worked up earlier.

I really did like him. I hadn't had to beat him to get him to be nice. I didn't think I could if I tried. At the Academy, I'd had to pound the bullies into the ground before I earned their grudging respect. They ignored me after I proved I wasn't an easy target. Tayvis was different. He scared me, but not the way I expected.

The ledge wound around the side of the mountain. The rocky cliff stretched overhead, offering at least the illusion of shade. The other side dropped away, the steep slope turning into a sheer drop. The ledge narrowed and ended at a wide tumble of rocks. I studied the precarious slide of stone, hoping Tayvis wouldn't try scrambling across it.

He paused, hands on hips as he looked around. A gnarled tree stood right at the edge of the drop down. Dense bushes hid the base of the upper cliff. Water seeped from the face above the bushes.

I sat down on a boulder, fanning my overheated face. Tayvis handed me his canteen. I drank the warm water without comment. He walked towards the bushes, disappearing into their leafy tangle. I groaned as I followed, unwilling to let him out of my sight.

I shoved leafy branches out of my way. The trickling water had undercut the base of the cliff, creating a shallow cave. Tayvis knelt, brushing his hands through the sand of the cave floor. He stood, dusting his hands on his pants. "We're too late. Leran's cleaned it out. There's nothing left here to find." He ran a hand through his hair. "I need something solid against him."

"Suspicion isn't enough?"

"I need hard evidence or the charges won't stick. I hoped to catch his shipment here."

"Does this mean we aren't going to the Patrol base?"

"You're going, Dace. This isn't your mess."

"You swore me into the Patrol." I didn't know why I argued to stay on Dadilan one second longer than I had to.

"And now I'm ordering you back to the base."

"I haven't done anything to help. That was one of your conditions."

"You caught the notorious pirate, Dysun Farr, and the misguided swindler, Ricard Blake. Single-handedly, too."

"Now you're just trying to make me feel better about deserting you."

"Is it working?"

We walked out into the sunlight.

"Seriously, Dace, you don't belong here. I should never have sworn you into anything."

I shrugged, uncomfortable with his caring.

He found a shady spot to sit. I sat near him. We ate in silence, listening to distant birdcalls. A breeze tickled through the flowers and sighed in the tree shading us.

"Well, well, isn't this the picture of sylvan tranquility?"

I shot to my feet, my hands balled into fists ready to fight.

Ameli stood behind us, her hands on her hips and a smug smile on her face. Her blond hair blazed in the sunlight. The two men with her aimed stunners our way.

I slowly lowered my fists. "You don't want to do this, Ameli."

"Why not? Leran wants you dead, after you made him look like a complete and utter fool. I wasn't too pleased, either." She lifted a hand, studying her nails. "Are you enjoying slumming with the peasants?"

"Are you?"

She polished her nails on her bodice. "Shoot her."

The guard on the left obliged. My legs numbed. I collapsed.

"And the muscle," Ameli added.

Tayvis dove over me, tackling one of the guards. The stunner flew wide. The other guard waded into the fight. They wrestled on the ground, crushing the flowers. Ameli rolled her eyes as she picked up the stunner. She shot all three of them.

I inched my way across the ground away from her.

"Not smart, Dace." Ameli shot me again.

Tingling pain raced through my nerves. I swore silently.

Ameli frowned as she bent over Tayvis' body. "Sleeping with the Patrol?" She lifted his limp wrist. The diamond tattoo showed clearly. "Why am I not surprised?" She dropped his arm. "Get up." She kicked her guards.

They muttered as they got clumsily to their feet. Their glares were divided equally between me, Tayvis, and Ameli.

"Bring them both. I've got an idea." Her smile gave me shivers.

They dragged us to the gnarled tree leaning over empty space at the edge of the cliff.

"Tie them together." Ameli waved her stunner.

With Tayvis unconscious and me unable to move, they had no trouble. The guards rolled me next to Tayvis, wrapping rope tightly around us.

"Were you stupid enough to think Leran wouldn't keep this area monitored?" Ameli kicked my leg.

I twitched, my leg too numb to move. My mouth still worked, though. "So you're going to drag us to Leran?"

She smiled again, her blue eyes deceptively innocent. "That would require work. No, you are going to die slowly. It's so much more fun."

The guards hauled us to our feet, shoving us into an embrace. Tayvis leaned heavily on me. He wavered unsteadily but at least his eyes were open again. I wrapped my arms around him, hoping my mostly numb muscles would support us both. My legs itched as the stunner gradually wore off.

Ameli adjusted the ropes, yanking at the knots. She shook her head at the guards. "Use these on him. He's more of a threat than she is." She pulled out a pair of metal cuffs.

They pulled his hands behind me. The cuffs snapped closed. Tayvis winced.

"You make such a cute couple." Ameli wrinkled her nose.

Tayvis staggered. I stumbled, pulled by his weight. The guards shoved us upright.

"Tie her hands behind him," Ameli said.

The guards dragged one of my hands over Tayvis' shoulder, tying it into the ropes twisted around us. My other arm was already around his waist, holding him up. The guard jerked my hand farther around him, then tied it to the ropes. The guards tied the last rope, a very old one, around Tayvis, then snaked it between us to the spiky tree. The guard pulled a last knot tight.

"Sweet, isn't she?" Tayvis said.

I told him exactly what I thought of Ameli. Sweet wasn't remotely part of it. He raised his eyebrows.

"Now I believe you went to the Academy. Although those terms are usually heard from the engineers, not the pilots."

"Neither skill will help you here," Ameli said. "Push them over, boys."

Tayvis planted his feet as the guards approached. The guards eyed him warily.

"I said to push them over." Ameli tapped her foot impatiently.

"But," the first guard objected.

Ameli cut him off. "They're tied up and still half stunned. What are you waiting for?"

Tayvis tensed, his muscles bunching.

Ameli lifted her hand, showing us a second weapon, not a stunner, but a blaster. At this range it would take off both of our heads.

"Don't even try." She waved the blaster at Tayvis. "Step back, now, or I'll kill her by shooting off bits."

I glanced at the drop, swallowing nervously. "Just shoot me, Ameli. You're going to kill us anyway. I'd rather die quickly."

"But this way is so much more entertaining. The rope only reaches halfway. Eventually, either it will break or you'll die of thirst. Unless, of course, you give me what I want."

"And what would that be?" Tayvis asked.

"I'll have to think about it. Three steps back. Now."

A streak of energy scorched the rock next to my foot. I flinched. Tayvis took a step towards the edge. Ameli raised the blaster, pointing it squarely at my face.

Tayvis' arms tightened. "Ready?"

We jumped together. A blaster shot ripped the air where I'd been standing a second before.

Ameli's laugh followed us as we fell.

Chapter 19

Air rushed past. Tayvis and I hit the end of the rope with a jerk. The knots creaked but held. We dangled fifty feet from the sharp rocks below. I swallowed hard and twisted my hands into the ropes.

"Don't get too clever," Ameli called from the top of the cliff. "I'll check on you tomorrow. Perhaps then you'll be ready to cooperate. And Dace, I hope your knots slip first." Her footsteps faded.

The rope creaked as we dangled. I tried not to think about the sharp rocks below us.

Tayvis tilted his head, studying the rope. "Give me some slack. I can just about reach the knots. If I get my hands free we might be able to climb."

"You think we can make it?"

"Would you rather just hang around until Ameli returns?"

"I'd rather beat her senseless."

"I'll hold her down while you kick her." He plucked at the rope pinning his arms. "Give me some slack."

"How?" We dangled in the air, unable to even reach the cliff which curved inwards.

"Get closer."

He was already much too close, but I squirmed even closer. I pressed my cheek against his neck, stretching my arms farther around him. My heart raced. I'd never been so close to anyone. Ever.

His shoulders shifted, muscles moving under the thin cloth of his shirt. He jerked the knot behind my back. The rest of the rope pulled taut, squeezing me against him. I closed my eyes and pretended we were on the ground. It didn't help. I opened them again.

He fumbled with the knot. The cuffs on his wrists clanked. Sweat trickled down his face, sticky against my cheek.

"Your training didn't cover this situation?"

"Being tied up and shoved off a cliff? No." He jerked at the knot, swearing under his breath. "It didn't include untying knots, either. That was Ameli, Leran's assistant?"

"Yes." His pulse beat against my cheek.

"She's a sadist. Why does she hate you so much?"

"She didn't appreciate me landing in the Baron's cow pasture. She claims I destroyed decades of research."

"Decades of smuggling, more likely."

"I think she's in love with Leran." Idle speculation helped distract me from the rocks and my overactive imagination.

"That would put an intriguing twist on it. Ha! I think I've got this figured out."

The rope suddenly loosened. It twisted away, falling onto the rocks below. I tightened my hands on the other ropes snaked around and between us.

"Now we're getting somewhere." Tayvis lifted his arms over his head, clamping them onto the thick rope leading up the cliff.

He kicked, swinging us in towards the cliff and then out again, like a pendulum. The rope creaked alarmingly. His feet hit the cliff wall. He pushed off, lunging up the rope to grab a higher handhold.

The rope popped and slipped, dropping us a foot before catching again. I squeezed my arms around him. "You're crazy, Malcolm." We were about to die; we were way beyond using last names and formal titles.

"Don't call me that." His grin was gone, replaced by strain. Sweat dripped off his chin. He shoved us another two feet higher.

"Why not?"

Tayvis kicked off from the cliff again and gained another few feet.

"It is your name," I added.

"Because I don't want you to."

"Why not?"

He pulled us up hand over hand. The cuffs slowed him. He paused to catch his breath. "Because I don't like it."

"I like Malcolm. It's a good name."

"No, it isn't."

We still had a long way to go. I tilted my head. The spiky tree leaned out impossibly far above us.

"Why don't you like Malcolm?" I thought light thoughts; I was too tied up to help any other way.

He dragged us up the rope, his muscles bulging. "Because I don't," he said, punctuating each word with another lunge.

"Malcolm is a strong name."

"Why don't you like Zeresthina?"

"How did you find that out?"

He grinned and hauled us up another few feet. "I read your record, remember?"

"That's not fair. Malcolm," I added just to see what he'd do.

"Don't call me that." He lunged up the rope.

"Malcolm."

"Zeresthina." He panted, his face red with strain. He hung for a moment, just breathing.

The rope popped. We dropped a few inches. He swore in earnest and hauled us up. The rope broke one strand at a time. I silently urged him on.

We reached the rocky bulge where the tree grew, a good six feet of solid rock.

"You get us over that and I won't call you Malcolm ever again," I said.

"If I don't you won't be calling anybody anything." He took a deep breath, then climbed the rope, hand over hand.

The rope creaked, frayed strands unraveling. Tayvis scrambled up the rope, leaving bloody handprints behind. My back scraped over the rock.

The rope gave with a final pop. Tayvis shoved his feet against the rock, pushing upwards with everything he had. He caught the root of the tree, pulling us over the lip of stone. We rolled away from the edge.

We came to a stop with me on top, my hands pinned under him. The thick rope tangled our legs. He dropped his hands over his head and let out a long sigh.

"You owe me for that, Dace," he said.

"Whatever you say, Malcolm." I smiled.

"Zeresthina." He grinned teasingly.

His smile faded as he studied my face, an odd look in his eyes, intense and serious.

A warm fuzziness spread through me, scaring me. I wanted distance, but the ropes held us too closely. I couldn't look away from his eyes, drawn in by new feelings I didn't understand.

He shifted his gaze to his cuffed hands. "Think you could untie a few knots?"

I wiggled my fingers, more than willing to let the strange moment pass unremarked. "Not from here."

"This is going to be tricky." He brought his hands behind me. "Roll to your right and then try to stand."

We fell several times, tangled in each other and the ropes. We finally managed to gain our feet. I looked at his chin because I didn't dare look into his eyes. That odd look might still be there.

He dropped his arms around me. The cuffs clanked together. "I hope you can reach the knots, because I can't."

"I need a little slack."

He tucked his hands under my back end and lifted. It gave me slack in the ropes, but it also put me even closer to him. The fastest way to get some distance between us was to untie the ropes. I wriggled my hands, working the rope up my wrists until I could reach the closest knot.

The rope was rough, a tough twist of fibers that gouged and cut my fingers. My fingernail caught in the knot, ripping off the end. I swore under my breath.

"What?" Tayvis asked.

"Just a nail. Why do you hate your name?"

"Why do you hate yours?"

I jerked viciously at the knot. I didn't want to be reminded of the orphanage, of being helpless, of my name dripping with contempt when anyone said it. I ripped off another nail. I let loose with swear words that would make any engineer proud.

Tayvis laughed. "You should wash your mouth out for that."

"There are no Patrol regulations against swearing." The knot slipped free. "One down, and about four more to go."

I worked in silence. Tayvis shifted his hold, his shoulder muscles tensing. I inched higher to get a better view of the knots. My cheek pressed against his neck. His sweat mingled with mine, faintly spicy under the scent of wood smoke.

"My mother named me Malcolm after a vid star," Tayvis said. "He was dashing and heroic and my mother was more than a little romantic. When I was thirteen, Malcolm Davies announced he was really a she and had been all along."

"So?"

"So every other cadet made certain I'd never forget it."

"I don't see what the problem is." Another knot slid free. The rope hung marginally looser. I shifted into a better position to reach another knot.

"It was a problem for a thirteen year old boy. Can you hurry on those knots, Dace?"

"I'm working as fast as I can."

"We have to leave. Sooner rather than later."

"I know." I was acutely aware of how close he was. I'd never been so close to anyone, physically or otherwise. The sooner we were untied, the sooner I could put space between us again.

The last knot came loose; the rope slid free. Tayvis dropped his hands, letting me down. I pulled my hands free of the tangle of ropes. I stepped away. His arms stopped me. I didn't look at him even though I knew he watched me. He lifted his arms after a moment, the chain between the cuffs rattling. I turned to look down the slope.

"Do you still have those lockpicks?" Tayvis asked. He waited for me to look at him. "Show me how to use them." He lifted his wrists.

I fished the picks out of my boot. Tayvis held out the cuffs. I pulled the biggest, stiffest pick from the packet. The simple lock was crudely made. I wiggled the pick into it. The cuff clicked open.

"Neat trick," Tayvis said.

"One worth a minimum ten years prison time somewhere very unpleasant." I reached for the other cuff. "This isn't going in any official report, is it?"

"What isn't? I did not see you pick any locks or do anything else even remotely illegal."

The cuff opened. He threw them off the cliff. "We've got to move. I hope they didn't find my horse."

He didn't need to tell me to hurry. I didn't want Ameli to find me again. Next time she wouldn't hesitate to shoot first.

Chapter 20

Tayvis found a chewed rope and tracks heading off into the hills instead of his horse when we reached the camp. The horse had left. Tayvis pulled his gear out of hiding.

"Do you think you could ride bareback? That is, if we can catch my horse."

I shrugged. "How far is it to the base?"

"Three, maybe four days of walking."

"You told Will to meet us there in three. Will he come looking for us?"

"He's an idiot if he does." He tied a few items into a bundle, leaving most of the gear behind, including the saddle.

"Will works for you, doesn't he?"

Tayvis shouldered the makeshift pack. "As much as you do."

"Then he isn't Patrol."

"Why does it matter, Dace?" He walked away, following the horse tracks into the hills. "He's not officially Patrol, no. He's a student working on field research with Barricion Muir."

"Robin Goodfellow." I followed Tayvis, picking my way through the conversation and the rocks that lined the trail.

"Who is exactly what he pretends to be, a researcher turned crusader."

"So Will can't bring the Patrol looking for us."

"He'll bring something better, Robin's men." Tayvis looked at the sun which slipped far to the west. "We need to pick up the pace. Ameli can still catch us."

We traveled too fast for talking. Tayvis' assessment of Will gave me at least a taste of hope. The Patrol might be stuck inside their walls by regulations, but Robin and his men weren't. Will was one of them, one on our side.

Tayvis stopped near a stream and let out a piercing whistle. He waited, expecting something to happen. Nothing did. He whistled again.

Hoofbeats approached. Tayvis whistled again. The horse whinnied in return. Tayvis grinned, his teeth flashing white in the darkness.

"Well trained horse," he said.

"Horses are rare and very expensive. How did you learn to ride one?"

"A course I took at the Academy."

"Along with wilderness survival and sword fighting?"

"It didn't include knot tying."

The horse trotted into the stream, lowering its head to drink. Tayvis picked his way carefully towards it, talking softly. He stretched his hand towards the animal. The horse stamped its feet, splashing water around before it lowered its head to breathe into his hand. Tayvis swung himself onto its back, using handfuls of the horse's neck hair. He held his hand down.

I took Tayvis' hand, trusting him. He pulled. I scrambled onto the horse behind him. It was harder to stay on without the saddle.

"Hang on," Tayvis said.

He kicked the horse. It leaped forward. I wrapped my arms around Tayvis' waist. The horse galloped into the woods.

We didn't stop until the moons were well up. The horse walked slowly, ears pricked forward as it picked its way through the trees. Tayvis finally stopped the horse in a small clearing. I let go of Tayvis to slide down from the horse.

Tayvis dismounted, holding onto the horse's neck. "Get the rope."

I fished through his bundle, searching by touch, until I found a length of rope. I handed it to him. He tied the horse to a tree.

"How do you know it won't chew its way loose again?" I asked.

"It's a herd animal. As long as we're here, it'll stay."

"Is there any food in here?" I rummaged through the makeshift bag and found something squishy. It smelled like a very ripe cheese.

Tayvis sat next to me. "We'll have to get supplies soon."

"Unless you like living on old cheese."

"The way you eat, it won't last more than another day."

I threw the cheese at him.

He caught it, then broke off a chunk, holding it out to me. "Sorry, Dace."

I took the cheese. He broke off another piece for himself. We ate in silence, in the dark. It wasn't much. I pretended it was enough.

"You take the blanket." He unwrapped it from the bundle, handing it to me.

"We could share."

"I'll be fine." He moved into the shadows.

I watched him. Something had changed, but I was clueless to figure out what.

I spread the blanket on the least rocky bit of ground. I pulled the edge over me, leaving plenty of room if he changed his mind.

I dreamed of being chased and falling from a cliff into a fire. Ameli's face hung over everything, laughing maniacally. I woke in a sweat, fear closing my throat. I scrambled up, thinking for a second Tayvis had left me behind.

His horse was a shadow in the night. Tayvis hadn't left. I pulled the blanket over my shoulders. My nightmares were still too close. I didn't want to be alone.

The night breeze whispered past, blowing clouds across the sky. Moonlight spilled into the clearing. Tayvis lay under a tree on the other side. I picked my way across the clearing towards him. He could make the nightmares go away.

"Something wrong?" he asked sleepily as I approached.

"No, I was just . . ." My voice trailed off. I had no idea what lie he would believe, if any.

I settled down next to him, offering the blanket. He pulled it behind him, wrapping it around us both.

"Nightmares?"

I nodded, already falling asleep. Just before I did, he brushed his cheek over my hair.

He shook me awake what felt like seconds later, but dawn already lightened the sky. He waited only until he saw my eyes open before turning to his horse.

I yawned widely, my jaw cracking. Some people fantasize about living on a primitive world, becoming one with nature. I'd never thought that. Food was scarce and the sleeping accommodations left much to be desired. I'd be happy to leave Dadilan behind.

I stumbled out from under the tree, trailing the blanket. The horse stamped one foot.

"You aren't much of a morning person, are you?" Tayvis asked as he took the blanket.

I yawned, shaking my head.

He spread the blanket over the horse's back, then boosted me on. I straddled the blanket and grabbed handfuls of hair. Tayvis swung up behind me. The horse shook its head. He kicked it into a walk.

Tayvis' arms around me gave me at least the illusion of safety. I dozed off.

I jerked awake when the horse's pace changed. Golden sunlight spilled across a long downward slope. The forest changed from spiky trees to lacy ones that cast light shade.

We paused at the bottom.

Tayvis slid off the horse, then consulted his handcomp. "If we push it, we can be at the base tomorrow. We should reach the edge of the hills by late afternoon. It's probably safest if we avoid the villages, which makes the trip a bit longer."

He stopped abruptly, on alert like a hunter sighting prey. The handcomp disappeared into his pocket. I wrapped both hands into the horse's hair, ready for trouble.

"Over there." He pointed to the left under the trees.

Sunlight flashed on metal.

"Who attacked Leran's camp?" He slipped the knife from his boot.

"I don't know. It was dark. I didn't stay to ask questions." I groped for the reins.

Something zinged out of the trees, a length of wood that stuck in the ground, quivering. More followed, zipping past. The horse bolted. I tried to pull it to a stop. I caught one glimpse of Tayvis, a knife in his hand, before the horse carried me out of sight.

"Stop!"

It ignored me and kept running. I drummed my feet against its sides. It ran faster, swerving and dodging through the trees.

I tried to get it to turn, yanking on the reins and the hair growing down its neck. Nothing helped.

"You stupid horse," I shouted when it slowed.

The horse tossed its head and sped up again. I hung on.

I swore at the horse, using every cuss word I'd ever learned and a few I'd made up.

The horse scraped me off into a thorny bush. I landed hard, sprawling through the tangled branches. Thorns jabbed into every exposed inch of skin. I crawled out of the bush, gathering more stickers and tearing my clothes.

The horse snorted before trotting away. I scrambled to my feet to run after it. The horse stopped to eat a mouthful of grass. I snuck up on it. It waited until I could almost reach its rope, dangling enticingly, before it trotted away.

"Come back here, horse!"

It laid its ears back and showed teeth. I stopped. The horse bent its head to the grass again. I took a step forward. The horse jumped, flicking its feet out in a lethal kick. I watched helplessly as it disappeared into the woods.

I tried whistling. The horse didn't come. A bird mocked me from a bush. I gritted my teeth. I wasn't going to die, not here. Horse or not, I was going to the Patrol base. Tayvis had survived before, he'd find a way to survive again.

I picked stickers out of my hands as I walked. I headed downhill, the same general direction the horse had gone. Maybe if I were incredibly lucky, I could catch it again.

I found a path and followed it because it was easier than pushing my way through brambles. I crossed a stream, stopping to drink.

I reached a narrow spot between two steep hills. Bushes and trees choked the hills, forcing me to the path at the bottom. My skin crawled. I didn't like the way the valley looked. I picked up my pace, running for the more open area I glimpsed ahead. Three men stepped out of the bushes in front of me. They had long knives and evil grins.

Four more waited behind me. Seven of them and one of me. I wondered how many black eyes I could dish out before they beat me senseless or killed me.

A horse trotted out of the bushes, a black one, not Tayvis' mottled brown. The man on its back wore a uniform of purple and green. He stopped his horse, leaning across the saddle. "Well, well, what have we caught today? Not the bandits we laid our trap for."

I bolted for the bushy hill. Two men tackled me. I sprawled in the dirt, rolling to my back. I kicked one man and got a stranglehold on the other before two more joined in. They hit me until I quit struggling. They tied my hands before dragging me over to the man on the horse.

The man swung down.

I lifted my tied hands to wipe blood from my nose.

"I think we've caught more than we anticipated." He swaggered over.

I twisted my wrists in the ropes. Dadilan had too much rope for my taste.

The man slapped me, knocking me into the dirt. "A runaway from Robin's camp perhaps?" He pulled leather gloves off, flexing his fingers. He tapped the gloves against his palm. "The clothing would suggest such, but I think not."

The gloves whipped across my face. I licked blood from my lip.

The man grabbed my face in one hand. "I think the Duchess would be interested in this one. Very interested." He let go of my face, pushing me away. "Bring her," he snapped to his men.

They dragged me after the man. Their horses waited just beyond the narrow valley. They tied me on top of a packhorse, facing backwards.

The soldier shoved a knife under my nose. "Just give me an excuse to use this."

I sat very still. He shook his head in disappointment as he tucked the knife into his belt. I silently plotted all sorts of escapes, waiting for an opportunity to put one into action.

The land around us flattened. We passed farms and a few villages. The people stared at us. One or two stopped to spit after the horses.

The horses clattered into a paved courtyard. The immense building surrounding it was ornamented with stone carvings that would make anyone blush. Stone people and animals did things I hadn't even imagined possible.

I fell off the horse when they cut the ropes, landing on the stone paving. I scrambled to my feet, bolting for the closing gate. The soldier with the knife grabbed my hair, dragging me after his commander.

They marched me into the building. The huge rooms inside were decorated with more carvings and paintings along the same theme. Panels of filmy material floated between pillars. Several young girls in scanty outfits scurried away from us. The soldiers dragged me through a door into a garden filled with flowering plants and the sound of trickling water. More of the statues stood among the plants. The soldier planted his hand into my back, shoving hard. I landed on my hands and knees.

"We found her in the hills," the commander said. "I thought you might be interested, my lady."

"You did well, Jerusha. See my steward to claim your reward." The woman spoke behind me, out of sight.

The soldiers marched off, their boots clicking loudly on the stones.

I stared at the ground between my hands. I knew that voice and it wasn't good news. "Shomies Pardui."

"We meet again, Dace. Only this time, you aren't going to lie to me, are you?"

I looked at her perfect smile and wished I hadn't. The promise of pain glinted in her eyes, lots of it, with my name all over it.

Chapter 21

"Where shall we start?" Shomies circled me, her revealing dress flowing in a wave of red light. Every inch of her was biosculpted to absolute flawlessness. Her doctor was good.

She grabbed my hair, pulling my head back. She stroked her perfectly manicured nails along my throat.

"Who are you really working for?" She pressed her fingernails into my skin.

"Myself."

"Liar!" She shoved my head to the side.

I stayed on my knees. Her garden gave the illusion she rested alone, but I knew she'd keep her guards close.

She arranged herself on a padded couch, spreading her dress across the cushions. Every move was artificial, calculated to show off her body. She sipped golden liquid from a cut glass goblet while she studied me.

The garden reflected her obsession with perfection, every plant sculpted into shape. Waxy white flowers bloomed, filling the air with a cloying perfume. Sparkling water spilled down an artificial waterfall, tinkling into ever larger basins.

A boy lounged near her couch, holding an intricate, stringed instrument across his lap. He plucked the strings, the music mixing pleasantly with the murmuring water. His blond hair trailed in long curls across his bare shoulders. He caught me watching and smiled seductively.

Girls fluttered in, their gauzy dresses floating around them as they arranged trays of food. They flitted away once their task was done.

The boy ran one hand over the strings, a lilting trill that caught the essence of the girls. He glanced sideways. His smile widened as he met my gaze. He played another mocking snatch of melody, pompous and fruity, his mocking smile now aimed at his mistress.

Shomies carefully selected a single grape, biting it delicately in half. She ignored the boy and his music, swinging one foot languorously off the couch as she ate the fruit.

"You still lie," she said when she finished. "Try again, Dace. Who do you work for?"

"You?"

She signaled. One of her guards stepped forward, looming over me.

"Try again." She toyed with another grape.

"What do you want me to say? I work for Leran? Or Clyvus?"

"How about Barricion Muir and the Patrol." Shomies smiled, like a reptile preparing to eat a very tasty meal. "Who is he? Your partner? Your lover?"

I didn't bother to answer. She wouldn't have believed me. I knelt on the hard stone and watched the boy play his instrument.

Shomies frowned as she threw the grape into the flowers. "Perhaps torture will loosen your tongue."

"Baron Molier already tried."

Her mouth twisted, ugly and hard. She snapped her fingers at the guard.

He dragged me into the mansion by my arm, his fingers digging deep enough to leave bruises. He kicked open a door, then threw me into the room beyond. I rolled to a stop on more bare stone.

"Shomies leaves all of her messes for me to clean up." A woman leaned over me. She tilted my head and examined my face clinically. She would have been beautiful if she had any life in her face. She touched a bruise below my eye, clucking her tongue. "Fetch some water," she ordered the guard.

"Yes, Lady Vunia." He marched from the room.

Vunia stepped away. The door hung open. I shifted, ready to bolt.

"I wouldn't try," Vunia said, her back to me. "Unless you really enjoy pain."

She turned, her face just as emotionless, but I sensed something else hiding below the surface. "Sit up." She held a metal cup.

"Why?" I studied her face, trying to guess her motives. I read nothing in her brown eyes.

A slight smile curved her lips. "Because it would be difficult to drink lying on your back. The odds of choking are much greater."

I didn't trust her in the least. She stood like a statue, holding the cup and smiling faintly. She was ice to Shomies' fire. I pushed myself into a sitting position.

Vunia knelt beside me.

I took the cup clumsily in my bound hands. I sipped, then spat out the bitter liquid. "You're going to poison me?"

"As amusing as it would be, no. It isn't poison. It's merely a restorative, juice from a plant native to this world. It won't harm you." Her faint smile never wavered. "Drink it, Dace."

"No." I spat again, trying to rid my mouth of the lingering taste.

"Then I will have Melio help you. He likes his women feisty. I promise it won't stop with drinking the juice. He can keep you conscious for hours, days possibly. Shall I send for him?" Her bland expression never changed, making her threat all the more chilling.

I drank it.

"Very good choice, Dace." She stood, graceful as a dancer, busying herself at a counter that ran along one side of the room.

Time passed. I sat on the floor and watched Vunia measure blue liquid into tiny vials. I eyed the open door again. "Is this some kind of torture?"

"Would you like it to be?" Glass clinked against glass as she continued to work.

I levered myself to my feet, then bolted for the door. I didn't make it. I fell onto my face on the cold floor, muscles loose and rubbery. Numbness crawled up my spine.

Vunia smiled, wide and cruel. "The juice of the grinacht causes paralysis of voluntary muscle systems." She rolled me onto my back. "If I dosed you correctly, your lungs and heart should still function. If not, you'll die quite painfully. You see, grinacht doesn't dull pain. Not in the least."

I tried not to gulp air. I didn't want her to see my panic.

She patted my cheek. "You really should have told Shomies the truth. But then it would have robbed me of my fun." She stepped away, her skirt rustling. "Melio, take care of her."

Chains clanked. A very large, very dirty man dangled a pair of metal cuffs connected by a rusted chain. He locked my limp wrists into the cuffs, then used the chain to drag me across the floor to the opposite wall. He looped the chain over a hook set high into the wall, lifting me as if I weighed nothing.

"Now, Dace," Vunia said, "you will answer my questions."

"No, I won't." It came out slurred. My head floated like a bladder full of air.

"Who do you work for?"

"Me. I'm an independent trader, registered with the Guild." My tongue answered while my brain screamed at it to shut up.

"Then why are you here?"

"Guards caught me." It was the truth, it answered the question. I had to concentrate to keep the rest of the answer from leaking out.

"You think you're being clever?" Vunia raised her eyebrows.

"Yes."

The huge man grabbed my chin and slammed my head against the wall.

My vision blurred. I hung limply from the chain.

"Why are you on Dadilan?"

"It was an accident." I couldn't stop myself from answering.

"So that much is true." Vunia folded her arms. "What of Leran? Tell me everything you know."

"His taste in clothing is awful."

She laughed. "Go on."

"He hates me. He sent Ky to kill me. He promised to help me but he never intended to. He's smuggling shara."

"What do you know about shara?"

"It's a drug. Tayvis told me." I bit my tongue. I tasted blood.

"Tayvis? Who is he?"

I chewed on my lip. I wasn't about to give him away if I could stop myself.

The giant shook me around. The world slid sideways.

Vunia crushed a plant under my nose. The acrid smell snapped me back to consciousness, but it didn't do anything about the fuzziness from the drug.

"Was he the man with you when you came to Gragensberg?" Vunia's voice was sharp as a knife, cutting through my mind.

"Yes." I ground it out through my teeth.

"Who is he?"

I fought to keep my mouth closed. The drug won. "Malcolm Tayvis."

"Who does he work for?"

I bit my lip again.

The giant pinched nerves in my neck. I let myself scream. It helped.

Vunia waited for me to finish. "You will tell me, one way or another. Who is Malcolm Tayvis? Who does he work for?"

The giant twisted my thumb. I screamed again. Vunia repeated her question. I refused to answer.

"He can bite off an entire digit," Vunia said calmly.

The giant raised my hand to his mouth, licking my thumb. Chills raced down my spine as I imagined his teeth sinking into my skin, of blood spurting free. His tongue ran across my thumbnail, wet and warm and sickening. I swallowed bile.

"Tell me now."

"Malcolm Tayvis works for the Patrol." I hated myself for betraying him.

"Why are you with him? Do you work for the Patrol?"

Once I'd given in, I couldn't stop. "Technically."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Whatever Tayvis decides it means."

The giant let go of my hand, a look of disappointment on his face.

"Do you work for him?"

"Yes." I gave up. I couldn't fight the drug any longer.

"What are you doing on Dadilan?"

"Looking for evidence."

"Of what?"

"Smuggling."

Vunia questioned me, verifying every detail. I answered because I had no choice. The numbness grew. I hung from my wrists, unable to stand. My words slurred. Vunia finally stepped away.

"She doesn't know anything useful," she said to the giant. "Take her to Aberius. I'm certain he has a use for her."

I was barely conscious as the giant carried me out of the room. I passed out before he put me down again.

Chapter 22

A rhythmic creaking slowly penetrated the fuzziness in my head. I swayed back and forth, back and forth. I fought the urge to vomit as I woke from my drugged sleep. My eyes wouldn't open yet. I listened, trying to place where I was.

A soft hissing of whispers and a muffled whimpering, like something in pain and afraid to show it, were all I heard over the creaking. I smelled sun-baked canvas and unwashed bodies. I shifted my hands. Chains rattled.

I blinked the crust off my eyes as I lifted my hands. Iron rings circled each wrist with a length of thick chain between. I shifted and heard more clanking. I had another set on my ankles. I dropped my hands with a groan. Vunia had taken my clothes, leaving me in nothing more than a sleeveless shift and bare feet.

I lay in a small wagon. A canvas cover enclosed it completely. I had four companions, crammed against the far side. They hunched their legs, avoiding me as if I carried some foul disease. The whispering came from two young girls, maybe fourteen or so, who looked alike. They had their arms wrapped around each other. The whimpering came from another girl at the rear of the wagon. She was even younger, crying mindlessly as she stared at nothing. An older woman sat in the front corner of the wagon, by my head. She plucked at her baggy dress. None of them wore chains.

My queasiness increased with each lurch of the wagon. I rolled to my knees, reaching for the canvas covering the side of the wagon.

"No." The older woman grabbed my hand, jerking it away.

"I'm going to be sick." I swallowed bile.

My green face must have convinced her. She quickly lifted the cloth. I crawled across the straw in the wagon, then stuck my head out. The fresh air cooled my face. The woman pulled me back into the stifling air of the enclosed wagon before I could glimpse more than a few trees. She pushed me away.

I leaned against the side of the wagon, my stomach settling, and jingled my chains. The locks on the cuffs were simple, easy enough to pick if I had a piece of wire or a file, but I had nothing. I shifted restlessly on the straw. It crept into all sorts of intimate places.

The twins combed each other's hair and whispered. The girl at the rear continued her mindless whimpering. I sifted through the straw, looking for something to pick the locks.

"It's no use," the older woman said. "Aberius paid money for you. He won't let you go until he's made a profit. He has twenty guards with him on this caravan." She sounded smug.

"So I'm his slave now?"

She frowned, unsure of my reaction.

I wanted off Dadilan. I didn't have Tayvis anymore, but I did have the official backing of the Patrol. If I could get free and find my way to the base. I had to get free. I'd had enough of Dadilan. I scraped at the wooden panel, trying for a splinter sturdy enough to pick the lock.

The woman watched me peel one loose. It caught under a nail. I muttered a curse as I plucked it free. I wiggled the splinter into the lock. It bent, too flimsy to turn the sturdy mechanism inside. My finger throbbed; blood pooled under the nail as I dug for a fresh splinter.

"You are very stubborn."

I shoved the splinter into the lock. Too big. I picked another free. A line of fresh wood showed along the side of the wagon.

"Why can't you just accept your fate? What else is there? Aberius is a fair enough master. Perhaps he would consent to keeping you."

"Maybe I don't want kept and maybe I don't want a master."

"Would you rather be put on the auction block like those?" She nodded at our companions.

A whimper, trapped by the hot air, sounded loud in the quiet. My splinter snapped.

"Blast it," I muttered in Basic as I shook the pieces out of the lock.

The woman's eyes went round. She made a sign over her face. The whisperers scooted farther away.

I picked splinters from the wagon side.

We traveled for an interminable time, the wagon creaking slowly along, the air stifling and muggy. I picked at the wood until my fingers bled. Try as I might, I heard nothing beyond our canvas prison other than the sounds of the wagon itself.

The wagon jolted to a stop. Muffled voices called out. Metallic clankings moved past our wagon. Fresh air drifted sluggishly into the wagon, marginally cooler. Guards pulled aside the canvas covering, tying it before they lowered the rear panel.

A bearded man stuck his face into the wagon. I almost wet myself until I realized it wasn't Baron Molier. The man had the same mad look in his eye and the same dark beard.

"Out." He jerked his head.

The woman herded the girls from the wagon. I followed. Maybe I could steal a horse.

The guards kept a close watch on us as the bearded man led us around the wagon. The caravan sprawled across a dirt road in a little dip between steep hills. A stream trickled next to the track. Lines of chained men sat on a grassy bank across the water. They slumped defeated, dusty, and beaten. Chains connected them in rows.

A guard shoved me to the stream. I stumbled over the short chain between my ankles. I knelt down, pouring as much water over my head as down my throat.

"Aberius, why is that one in chains? Is she really so dangerous that you have to chain her?"

I looked up. Aberius was joined by half a dozen men. I choked on the water when I saw their shipsuits. I ducked my head to hide my reaction.

"I was told she was a thief, good at picking locks and sneaking around. I didn't want to lose a valuable slave. It seemed prudent." Aberius sniffed.

"What have you brought me this time, Aberius?" the first man spoke.

I watched from the corner of my eye as I pretended to be absorbed in drinking water. I caught a glimpse of a red ship patch on his shoulder. Captain's bars glinted on his collar.

"A few things, mostly slaves. The bazaars have been scant lately, Gerant," Aberius said, with a note of apology in his voice. "The caravans have not been coming as often and plague is keeping people away from the cities."

My ears pricked up. Could this be Gerant Clyvus, the mysterious smuggler? All I had to do was escape, get to the Patrol base, and tell them where to find Gerant Clyvus. Great plan, except I didn't know my location, I wore chains, and lots of guards patrolled the area. I bent my head over the stream to hide my frustration.

"I do not like excuses, Aberius," Gerant said, his calm voice more threatening than a blast cannon at short range. "You know I have no use for slaves."

"Perhaps one of the women? The one in chains might suit your tastes."

A guard jerked me to my feet.

I studied the men openly. Seven of the spacers, all wearing shipsuits, circled Aberius. Aberius' guards carried about fifty pounds of sharp metal each. Another half dozen men waited farther back, wearing the native style tunic and breeches. One of them caught my eye. I'd seen him at the Patrol base. I felt a surge of hope until he pushed his way towards Gerant. I didn't think he was there with Commander Nuto's knowledge.

"I don't have time for this, Aberius. I don't want your women. Show me something worth my time." Gerant stalked across the stream, followed by the merchant who looked so much like Baron Molier.

The man from the Patrol stopped, looking me over. He laughed softly as he turned to his friends.

I sat on the ground, wrapped in my misery. My chains rattled with every movement.

I ignored the guards' chatter, until a familiar name caught my attention.

"Flago can't pick his nose without help. Don't know why Clyvus thinks he needs that weasel."

"He promised Clyvus a ship, a legit trader. You heard how the incompetent idiot destroyed it. Double bypassed the emergency overrides. Any fool knows that's a sure way to overload the reactor."

My misery turned to burning anger. I cursed my navigator under my breath. Flago had sold me out to Gerant Clyvus. I'd kill him, very slowly, and with much pain when I caught him. The idiot had destroyed my dreams and my future. I dug through the stones in the creek, searching for something to pick the locks. I was not going to rot on this planet; I was going to get free so I could wreak vengeance.

The guard hauled me away from the stream before I found anything useful, shoving me into the wagon. I fell on the straw, my chains tangled. The girls climbed in. The young one sat, staring blankly. The whisperers huddled together, arms entwined. The older woman spat. The guards tied the canvas shut. The wagon creaked and swayed as the wheels splashed through water.

"Sky demon," the woman hissed softly. "Your kind defiles our world."

"Not all of us. Personally, I would be very happy to leave."

She looked shocked by the venom in my voice. She frowned, perplexed. "You do not work for Lady Pardui?"

"Not really. Do you think she'd sell me if I were her loyal servant?"

"What are you doing here? Why are you on our world at all?"

I studied her face and picked my words. If I played my cards right, she might help. "I'm working for the people trying to catch that man, Gerant Clyvus, and the other demons."

"What will happen to the demons when you catch them?" She leaned towards me, eager for their blood. I wanted some myself.

"The best they can hope for is life in a prison with no chance of escape." I told her the most gruesome stories I knew about the prison planets, worlds too dry and barren, or wet and savage, to settle. No one escaped them except by dying. She smiled viciously as I talked.

We were let out briefly when the wagon stopped for the night. We washed in a crude trough of cold water. The guards fed us a thin stew, then shut us into the wagon.

I settled into the itchy straw, my chains clinking.

The woman leaned close. "Did you speak truth? You would rid my world of demons?"

"Get me free and I can."

"My name is Irina. I will help you escape if you will remove Gerant. I would kill him myself if I could."

"Irina." I impulsively grabbed her wrist. "Are you happy with Aberius?" It was none of my business, but it could be one more card that might help convince her to be on my side.

"I would be happier to be his wife, to be free. He was not always a slaver." She pulled her arm free, then slipped out of the wagon.

I sat in the darkness, listening to the girls whisper, the younger one sobbing in her sleep. This planet was screwed up, but it wasn't my job to fix Dadilan.

I tugged at my hair. I'd agreed to help Tayvis, but he was most likely dead. I flinched away from that thought. Once I got the information to the Patrol base, I was through. The Patrol could deal with it from there. But they weren't interested in internal matters like slavery. They'd deal with the shara smugglers, the offworlders, but not the natives. The Patrol wouldn't help Irina, or the poor girls in the wagon.

What could I possibly do to help them? It had always been me against the universe. Not now. I'd found people with worse lives than mine. I had to find a way to help them, even if it meant giving up my chance to help myself. When you picked up a distress call, you answered. Spacer's code. It had never meant so much to me as it did now.

I rattled my chains and wrestled with my newly grown conscience.

I honestly couldn't think of a way I could help, though I promised myself I'd at least try. Maybe Robin could do something. I added talking to him to my list of things to do, right after removing my chains and escaping from Aberius.

I slumped against the side of the wagon, the chains resting heavily across my lap.

"Face it," I whispered. "It's hopeless."

Chapter 23

"You, wake up." Irina poked me, touching me as little as possible.

"I'm awake," I whispered.

She held a key. "It's an hour to dawn. The guards outside the wagon are drugged. I slipped it into their wine last night." She wiggled the key in my cuffs until they opened. She muffled the chains in her skirt. "You'll have to be careful of the other guards." She unlocked the chains from my ankles, moving carefully to keep them from rattling.

The youngest girl in the wagon stirred.

"Take her with you," Irina said as she pulled the chains free.

"I can't." I didn't need someone else to slow me down.

Irina held up one cuff. "Then I'll lock you back up. You said you'd help. Aberius is going to give her to his guards when we get to the market. She isn't worth much on the auction block."

She faced an awful fate, but I couldn't run with her tagging along. "I can travel faster by myself. I'll bring help. I promise."

"Her family sold her. Too many mouths to feed, her father said. He sold her without a second thought." Irina's face twisted bitterly. "She has nothing to live for, not here. You take her with you." She left no room to argue.

"All right." With or without her, my chances of escaping were next to nothing anyway. "What about them?" I waved my hand at the twins. They slept wrapped around each other in the straw.

"They'll be fine. They'll fetch a good price and be well cared for."

I didn't understand how she could be so concerned for the one girl and then so callous towards the others.

She handed me a dark bundle. "It's all I could take. Head west. I've heard there are people in the forests who will help."

I nodded and took the bundle. Irina lifted the canvas flap. I peered out. The nearest guards sprawled on the ground, snoring. I stealthily lowered myself to the ground. The girl followed. Irina stuck her head out, watching to be sure I took the girl.

I shook out the bundled blanket, then wrapped it around us both. The girl clung to me as we picked our way through the unconscious guards.

Two stood watch just beyond the camp. They yawned, relaxing, as dawn colored the sky. We slipped past them unnoticed.

The rough stones of the road bruised my feet. The girl didn't complain. She didn't even whimper. We hurried across the open ground near the road. The trees on the other side hindered us, their dark shadows slowing us to a crawl.

We hadn't gone far when the girl stopped.

"We have to return. They'll know Irina helped us. They'll beat her." Her voice was thin and childish.

"She knows that."

"They'll know she unlocked you and let us out. They'll beat her." The girl tugged insistently at my shift.

"She did it so we could get free. Irina knew the risk."

The girl shook her head. "They'll hurt her. We have to return. They can't know."

"They'll hurt us worse."

She turned, picking her way through the night-shadowed forest to the lights of the camp.

I hesitated. I could leave, go for help. I'd get lost and never return in time. Irina made me responsible for the girl. It was a new feeling, a very uncomfortable one. I swore silently as I caught up with her.

"You do know what they're going to do to you." I caught her arm.

"They'll beat her. It will be my fault." She wasn't listening, in a world all her own.

She was taller, not by much, but enough that I'd have to hurt her to stop her. I raised my hand. I couldn't do it. I couldn't hit her. She pulled free, running to the wagon.

I followed right behind her as she lifted the flap and crawled inside.

"Irina!" The shout came from outside, loud and angry.

Irina flinched.

I fumbled through the straw for my chains.

"Why didn't you run?" Irina glared.

"The girl insisted we come back. She didn't want you to be beaten." I couldn't make myself lock the chains around my wrists and ankles.

"Too late for hiding now," Irina said.

The canvas covering ripped open. Aberius scowled ferociously. The girl flung herself into the straw, burrowing under it.

"What treachery is this, Irina? Where are my keys?"

"Aberius, I don't know what you're talking about." Irina smiled nervously. Even I could tell she lied.

Aberius climbed into the wagon, towering over us. His guards stood behind. Aberius kicked the unlocked chains out of the wagon. He threw me towards the guards. I landed halfway out the back of the wagon. The guards grabbed me, dragging me the rest of the way. They dumped me on the dusty road.

I rolled to my feet, ready to fight. I was outmatched. I faced four of them and they beat people for a living. I got in one hit before they had me pinned. They locked the cuffs on my wrists and ankles.

Aberius screamed profanities at Irina as he dragged her out of the wagon by her hair. The slaves watched with dull eyes. The guards made bets over how badly Aberius would beat her. The girl whimpered, a mindless, hopeless noise.

A guard shoved me onto my knees. The chains on my wrists clanked. He twisted his hand into my shift, holding me in place.

"Aberius, please," Irina begged.

"I'd expect her to try to escape," Aberius said, pointing to me. "Why help her, Irina? What spell did she cast on you?"

Irina's eyes were cold and angry in the dawn light. She straightened in Aberius' hold. "She told me she could kill the Sorceress, and the other demons."

Aberius laughed, letting her go. Irina's face flushed red, her mouth pinched tight.

"You believed her?" Aberius kicked me. He grabbed an ear, jerking my head up. "You really thought she could defeat the Sorceress?" He shoved my head away as the guards laughed again. "You will have to be punished. Both of you."

He signaled a guard to tie her to a fence post. Aberius hefted a thick length of knotted rope. He swung it around before hitting Irina.

She flinched. "Aberius, haven't I made you happy?"

"Not enough to overlook betrayal. You have to pay the price." Aberius toyed with Irina, hitting her just enough to ensure bruises but not enough to damage her.

My guard held me in the dirt. Rocks dug into my bare knees. I shifted my weight. The guard shoved me in warning. The sun rose, bright and golden and uncaring. The girl whimpered in the wagon. I knelt in the sunlight and wished I had run. Barefoot and lost in the woods would have been better than this, but I couldn't have deserted the girl. Having a conscience hurt.

Aberius finally tired of Irina's sobbing. She hung from the post, pleading with him and pledging her undying love and devotion. He ignored her as he stood over me, frowning. He swung his knotted rope. I tensed in anticipation. He tossed the rope to one side and turned away.

"Tie her to the back," he ordered. "Move out."

The guards shoved Irina into the wagon before jerking me to my feet and tying me to the rear. My chains dangled and clanked between the ropes as the wagon lurched into motion. I shuffled awkwardly, stumbling over the short chain between my ankles.

The guard behind me laughed and hit me with his stick. I stumbled again, stubbing my bare toes on a rock. The other guard laughed. They took turns tormenting me as the caravan moved slowly higher into the hills.

I tripped over the chain, falling to my knees. The wagon kept going, dragging me until I finally managed to get to my feet. Blood trickled down my legs. My knees stung. The rough rope and the metal cuffs gouged my wrists, adding another level of pain. I stumbled again.

Arrows suddenly filled the air, zipping around me. The caravan ground to a halt. The guard screamed, blood spurting around an arrow stuck through his arm. The other guard yanked out his sword, running away from the wagon.

The slaves shouted. Men darted out of the forest, attacking the guards and unlocking the slaves. The guards fought back, but they didn't stand a chance against the newly freed slaves.

I chewed on the rope between my wrists, trying to untie the knots with my teeth. More arrows rained down on the caravan. One stuck in the ground by my foot. I bit frantically at the knot.

A group of slaves ran past, a guard caught in their midst. They beat him with their chains. I ducked out of the way

The canvas flap lifted. The girl crawled out, huddling against my side. More gangs of fighting slaves and guards charged past. Smoke filled the air as the wagon caught fire. The horses screamed and kicked. The wagon shook. I yanked at the rope.

The girl patted my hands, stopping my frenzied pulling. She quickly untied the knots. I scrambled to my feet, pulling the girl with me. I grabbed the dead guard's dagger, then ran for the woods, the girl at my heels. My ankle chains slowed us only a little.

The whole caravan was in chaos. Flames licked around the wagon. The horses bolted for the woods, dragging smoking bits of wood. The guards ran from the slaves.

We paused near the trees to catch our breath. I glanced at the girl.

"You don't want to return now, do you?"

She shook her head. Her hair, long strands of limp gold, hung lankly around her face. "We have to run now, before they find us."

I didn't know if she meant the guards or the mysterious attackers shooting arrows.

I lifted my wrists. The chains clanked. "I'm not going to get far with these."

"Irina has the key." The girl stood, starting uncertainly towards the destroyed wagons. Smoke trailed into the sky.

I grabbed her skirt. "We aren't going back for it."

"But it's the only way. We must."

"Maybe not." I studied the narrow tip of the dagger I'd stolen. It might work. I wiggled the tip into the lock on my right ankle, trying to pop the lock.

The girl crouched, shivering nervously.

The dagger was the wrong shape. I twisted it, forcing it deeper. The sounds of fighting escalated. The girl clutched my arm, her fingers digging in.

Feet crunched through the bushes next to us. I yanked the dagger out of the lock, ready to fight even if it was hopeless.

Two men in green pushed the bushes aside. I lowered the dagger. They whispered to each other. One of them ran off through the bushes.

"We mean you no harm." The man knelt down. He glanced at my chains before turning his attention to the girl. "Are you hurt?"

She shook her head, her glance flickering across his face.

He brushed her hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear. He didn't ask me how I felt, his attention focused on the girl.

I shoved the dagger into the lock, snapping the tip. I muttered swear words under my breath. Blood trickled from around the cuffs. They'd scraped my skin raw. I wanted the chains off.

The man in green pulled the girl to her feet. She wrapped her fist into my shift, twisting it tightly, refusing to leave.

"I'll take care of them both." Will Scarlet knelt next to me, gently pushing my hand away from the dagger stuck in the lock. He frowned at it. "This may be a bit tricky."

"It isn't safe here," the man protested.

"Then stand watch." Will wriggled a piece of stiff wire from one sleeve. He poked it into the lock on my wrist. "I'm not sure I want to know how you got here."

The girl hid her face against my shoulder.

"We can see that she gets home safely." Will nodded at the girl as he pulled the cuff free.

"She doesn't have a home to go to." I thought Tivor was bad, this girl had it much worse. "Her parents sold her."

"What's your name?" Will asked her while he worked on my other wrist.

The girl buried her face deeper into my shoulder.

The chains dropped into my lap. He moved to my left ankle, working on the locked cuff.

I examined my scraped wrists. Deep gouges seeped blood. I fingered the cuts. They looked worse than they were. I flung the wrist cuffs into a bush.

Will worked on the last cuff, the one with the jammed dagger. He twisted and pried until the dagger popped free. I bit my lip to keep from swearing; after all, he was trying to help.

"You were trying to pick the lock with this?" He held up the dagger.

"I didn't have the key. Just get it off. Please." My voice came out strained. I was afraid if I stopped to think, I'd start screaming and wouldn't be able to stop. I'd been beaten and sold as a slave. I'd been drugged and tortured. I'd almost been burned alive. I wanted off Tivor, before I went mad.

Will jiggled his wire in the cuff, twisting and prying, until it finally opened. I kicked my foot free, then stood. The girl rose with me. Will straightened, eying me as if I were a dangerous and unpredictable animal.

"I need a horse!" he shouted over his shoulder. "Unless you'd rather walk?" He grinned, a wary edge to his smile.

"I'd rather have my ship back," I answered.

Chapter 24

Robin's camp bustled with activity. I slid down from the horse, more tired than I've ever been. Every bruise ached ferociously. The scabs on my wrists and ankles itched. The girl dismounted, landing beside me. We leaned on each other.

"What have you brought, Will?" Robin asked, as clean and elegant as ever. He planted his fists on his green-covered hips as he surveyed us.

"I found her with the slave caravan," Will answered.

Robin frowned. "No, I won't ask how you ended up there, miles from where you were supposed to be." He turned to the girl. "Who is this?"

Her hand clutched my arm. I could almost taste her fear. She hesitantly lifted her head.

Robin's face paled. He dropped to his knees. "Marian," he whispered. "I dreamed of this moment. I was beginning to doubt you would ever come. You do remember, don't you? You've dreamed of me as I've dreamed of you. Haven't you?" Robin lifted his hands in supplication, his eyes begging her to believe.

She tilted her head to one side. She dropped her hand from my arm. "Say my name."

"Marian, my lady, my shining love," Robin answered fervently.

The girl smiled. "Maid Marian of the forest, so shall I be from this moment forward." She held her hand out to Robin. He took it, letting her lift him to his feet. "And you shall be my champion, Robin Goodfellow."

All trace of the frightened slave girl was gone, erased by Robin's fanaticism and belief in the legend. The girl was Marian. Even I could believe.

Robin beamed. He stood taller with her at his side. "Will, escort Marian to her new home and see that her needs are met."

Marian turned to me. "You must come, too," she said, taking my hands in hers. "You have hurts that must be tended."

I nodded dumbly, astounded by her complete transformation.

Will took us to Robin's own hut, bigger than the others and built of cut wood, not live bushes. It had a floor that wasn't dirt. It had chairs. With cushions. I collapsed into one.

Robin's men scurried around, falling over each other in their desire to grant Marian's every whim. They dragged in a large tub, filling it with steaming water. They fetched food. They raided the storage room for gowns and dresses. One of them brought in a large clay jug filled with wildflowers. Marian finally shooed them out, claiming the need for privacy.

I dozed off in the chair while she bathed. She shook me awake some time later. Her hair shone like spun gold. She wore a flowing dress of bright green. She smiled, beautiful and poised. "I had them fetch fresh water for you, and a salve for your wounds."

"What was your name before?" I couldn't stop myself from asking.

"I have always been Marian. Here, in my heart, I know the truth of it." She leaned towards me, earnestly holding one slender hand over her heart. "Whoever I was before no longer matters. I am Marian now." She leaned closer. "But I won't forget your help in that bad place," she whispered. She straightened, smiling warmly. "I will leave you to your bath." She danced out of the hut, closing the door behind her.

I stood wearily, every aching muscle protesting as I stripped off the filthy slave tunic. I sank into the tub, sighing with pleasure. Flower petals floated across the water. I slipped down until only my face stuck out.

I hadn't been clean, really clean, since I'd crashed. I heard Miss Hadley in my memory complaining about filthiness. At the orphanage, she had insisted that even I bathe every day. It was the one area where she held me equal with the other girls. Hygiene was of utmost importance. I wiggled my toes in the water and wondered what she'd say if she saw me now.

I soaked until my bruises quit complaining. I found a pot of sweet smelling soap and used it liberally. I rinsed off and settled into the tub. The warm water felt good. My eyes drifted shut.

"You might drown if you aren't careful."

I jumped, splashing water onto the floor. "Will Scarlet, get out of here. Now."

He grinned. "Then you don't want these?" He held up a pair of boots.

The door opened behind him.

"Out, you ruffian!" Marian's tone was stern, but she smiled as she spoke. She took the boots as she pushed him out the door.

He winked as he let her shove him outside.

She shut the door. "He is sweet on you."

My face flushed red. Marian's smile turned into an impish grin.

"Don't even suggest it," I warned.

She smiled innocently as she held out a towel.

I stepped out of the tub, rubbing myself dry before pulling on the clothes, an embroidered blouse and a pair of leggings to go with the boots.

Marian's eyes widened. "There are more gowns. You are welcome to them."

"No, thank you." I stamped my feet into the boots. They were actually the right size. I wrapped the belt Will had provided around my waist. No skirts or dresses to tangle my legs and remind me of Tivor, I was myself again, the person I'd chosen to be.

"Perhaps a skirt?" Marian suggested.

"Not if I can help it."

Marian handed me the pot of salve and left, murmuring about seeing to the feast.

I smeared thick green paste on my wrists, covering the worst of the chafing from the slave cuffs. The salve smelled mildly of leaves and rain. I stretched out my bruised muscles. I was safe, for now.

Only one problem remained. I'd left Tayvis behind, unintentionally, but I'd still left him facing bandits in the woods. I had to get to the Patrol base, to pass on his report. I would leave in the morning. Maybe Robin would allow Will to go with me.

I could admit that I'd liked Tayvis. There might have been something like friendship between us, someday. That opportunity was lost, gone when his horse ran away and forced me to desert him.

I left the hut, walking out into a warm, golden evening. The thought of Tayvis being dead lay like lead in my gut. I went to the stream, watching it ripple past in waves of silver.

Hooves pounded into the camp. I turned to look. And then stared.

As if my thoughts had summoned him, Tayvis swung down from a horse. He stretched wearily as he handed his horse off to Robin's men. The two men with him looked just as tired. They started up the hill towards the cooking area. Tayvis glanced at me, then away. He stopped, then pivoted slowly to face me.

"Dace?"

I took a single step towards him, uncertain. "I thought you were dead."

He took one step towards me. "You ran away from me. Again."

"Your horse ran off. I just happened to be on it at the time. I tried to stop it." My stomach twisted into nervous knots. "I fell off. I was going to come back, but I didn't know which direction to go. Shomies caught me. Her assistant, Vunia, drugged me. I woke in a slave caravan. And this morning, Will rescued us."

He walked towards me while I babbled.

"I told Vunia everything. She knows all about you and me and everything. I'm sorry. I tried to stop myself." I'd betrayed him. I stared at his face, waiting for his anger to show, for him to turn away.

"You say she drugged you. It isn't your fault. She would have found out sooner rather than later anyway."

"You aren't mad?" My voice was small, like a child's.

He pulled me into a hug. "I'm glad you're still in one piece." His voice rumbled in his chest, deep and soothing.

"How come you aren't dead? You fought at least six of them."

"Once I convinced them I was with Robin, they helped me. Mutual assistance agreement." He held me at arm's length, his hands warm on my shoulders. "They were helping me search for you." He frowned, brushing one hand over a bruise on my cheek.

"I'm fine." I pushed his hand away, acutely aware of the audience surrounding us. I took a step away, self-conscious of how close we'd been standing.

He caught my wrist and folded the cuff of the blouse back, exposing the new lines of scabs. "What did they do to you?"

"Nothing much." I tried to pull my hand away. He wouldn't let go.

"That doesn't look like nothing much."

"They didn't try to burn me alive," I said. And then wished I hadn't. Tears burned my eyes. "They chained me up."

"And beat you?" Tayvis sighed. "Don't bother answering that, you don't need to. It's clear on your face. Dace, I'm sorry."

"You didn't do it, Tayvis. You don't have to apologize." I blinked the tears away.

"I didn't stop it, either."

"As if you could. It won't stop until I'm either off Dadilan or dead."

"Tomorrow, you and I are going to the Patrol base. You're leaving on the next shuttle, Dace. I promise."

"You don't have enough evidence yet."

"That isn't your problem."

I shook my head, grinning. He was alive, and so was I. Something would work out.

"Tomorrow morning, we're going straight to the Patrol." He squeezed my hand.

I nodded.

"I see you found each other," Will said as he joined us. He winked behind Tayvis' back. "Robin says he put extra food on the fire just for you."

I blushed.

"Big feast tonight," Will said to Tayvis. "It seems Dace saved Marian from the slavers and Robin wants to celebrate."

"You did what?" Tayvis asked me.

"It's a long story." I hadn't done anything, not really.

"I've got all night," Tayvis answered.

"Only if you feed her," Will said. "Did you know she gets really cranky when she hasn't been fed?"

"What would you know about it?"

They kept up the bantering argument all the way to the eating area. I didn't listen. I was too focused on Tayvis' hand, warm around mine.

Enormous platters of food covered every table. Men in green lounged everywhere, laughing and singing, eating and drinking. Robin himself lorded over the festivities. He beamed, his smile stretching from ear to ear. Marian sat next to him, smiling like a queen at her subjects. Even a blind man could see Robin was head over heels in love with her.

Robin dragged me into the spotlight despite my efforts to stay in the background. I retreated to the shadows as soon as possible.

Tayvis followed. "You want to tell me now?" He sat near me in the shadowy woods.

"There isn't much to tell."

"Tell me anyway." Tayvis poured a cup of sweet juice, handing it to me.

I sipped. I didn't want to remember, I wanted to forget. "I think I met Gerant Clyvus."

Tayvis sputtered juice. "The elusive smuggler? I was beginning to doubt he existed."

"He met the slave caravan. He does business with them."

"As well as smuggling for Shomies and Leran. I'll have to send someone to track him down. After I get you to the Patrol base."

"That may not be safe, Tayvis. One of Nuto's men was with Clyvus. He recognized me. He isn't working undercover, is he?"

"The smugglers have an inside man. Nuto didn't know who, which is why they sent me."

"Flago worked for them, too. I heard them mention his name."

"Your crewman?"

I nodded. We drank juice in silence.

"You're still going to the base," Tayvis said. "You can trust Nuto. Point out the man you saw and he'll see he gets arrested. Something big is happening. Shomies' and Molier's soldiers are everywhere. And others I didn't recognize. This whole planet's going to pieces."

I agreed wholeheartedly with his statement. Maybe Robin could pull something good out of the situation. I didn't want to be there to see it, though. I was leaving in the morning. Dadilan was not my problem.

Chapter 25

I had a very strong sense of déjà vu the next morning. Tayvis and I rode the same path as before, only this time it was just the two of us and we both rode horses. Robin offered to send an escort. Tayvis declined. He argued we would travel much faster and be less conspicuous on our own. Robin reluctantly agreed, especially after one of his scouts returned with news that the Duchess' guards had sacked a town supporting Robin and his men.

The horses trotted quickly down the path. By midmorning we reached the place where Ky attacked us before. We stopped to water the horses.

"How are your bruises?" Tayvis asked.

"Sore."

He staked out the horses to let them graze. I rested next to the stream. Water flowed in shallow ripples over a bed of rounded rocks.

"We should be at the base by tomorrow afternoon," Tayvis said. "As long as the weather holds."

I looked skeptically at clear blue sky.

"Thunderstorms," he explained. "Will says the weather will turn soon."

Tivor's climate, at least in the main port city, didn't include thunderstorms. The Academy at Eruus didn't either. All I knew about thunderstorms I'd learned from vids. Lights flashed, lots of rain poured down, the storm ended quickly. No problem.

"You're quiet this morning." Tayvis sat near me.

"What am I supposed to say?" I twisted my cuff back to examine the healing sores on my wrist.

"What are you planning on doing when you get off Dadilan?" He trailed his fingers in the stream.

"I haven't thought that far ahead. I'm just trying to survive until then."

"You don't have a ship." He said it nicely, but it still stung.

"Everything I owned blew up with my ship. Why are you bringing this up?" I didn't want to face the fact that I owned a grand total of twelve credits and a bit of change. If my account was still valid. I had no life waiting for me.

"You could always join the Patrol, Dace."

I stood abruptly. "I'd rather stick my head in an engine exhaust port. While the engine's running."

"You already joined."

I clenched my fists. "You were going to shoot me if I didn't."

"You really believed I would?"

"How was I supposed to know you wouldn't?"

"Point made."

"This is temporary. Isn't it?"

"What is so objectionable about the Patrol?"

"I've been taking orders my whole life."

"Be quiet." He lifted his hand, his whole body listening.

I snapped my mouth shut.

Horses squealed, out of sight down the main road. Tayvis grabbed ours, tightening the saddles. I ran to help.

Horses crashed into the clearing. Sunlight reflected off a familiar bald head. I fought panic at the sight. Ky had found us again.

Tayvis pulled a sword out of his gear. "Get on and go!" Tayvis held his sword high.

"I'm not running away again."

The men charged. Tayvis blocked their clubs with his weapon. I grabbed the reins to keep our horses from running away. They fought my hold, rearing and squealing. I couldn't hold them. They galloped into the woods.

Ky dismounted from his horse, bypassing the men fighting Tayvis.

I squeezed my hands into fists, waiting for an opening.

Ky scowled ferociously. "Leran wants your head. He doesn't appreciate you making a fool of him."

I flexed my fists. I had one punch; I wanted it to hurt as much as possible. If Ky noticed, he didn't show it. I ignored his angry words and waited.

"You made me look a fool." Ky glanced at the fight.

Ky's men knocked the sword from Tayvis' hand, then clubbed him into submission. He sprawled on the grass next to the stream, blood caking in his hair.

"Not even your lover can save you now." Ky smirked.

I put every ounce of anger and fear into my swing. He blocked it with his arm. I felt a fleeting moment of satisfaction when I saw him wince. He grabbed my arm, twisting it behind my back. I kicked his shins. He twisted my arm farther, forcing me to my knees.

"Leran wants the pleasure of actually killing you, but he won't mind if I do a bit of damage first. Resist, Dace, fight me. Give me an excuse to beat you senseless."

More horses pounded into the clearing, slowing near the water. Ky yanked me to my feet. Vunia frowned as she pulled her horse to a stop.

"She's Patrol. Just kill her," Vunia ordered Ky.

He growled and shook me. "I don't take orders from you. Leran knows she's working for the Patrol. He wants his satisfaction."

"We don't have time for petty revenge," Vunia snapped. "Just kill her."

"As I said, Leran wants that pleasure. Five men less won't affect your plans. Tell your mistress we'll be at the monastery at the proper time. We'll dispose of the Patrol agents."

Vunia didn't argue. She wheeled her horse and rode away. Horses and men trailed after her on the path to the Patrol base. Ky jerked me out of the way.

Once they passed out of sight, Ky dragged me over to a horse. "You're going to pay a visit to Leran. Along with your partner." He shoved me at one of his men. "Tie her on."

The man picked me up, throwing me onto the horse. I kicked it, hoping it would run away. It jumped to the side. The man grabbed the reins. Ky slapped me hard across my face. My nose dripped blood. Ky tied my hands to the saddle. They tied my ankles with a length of rope that ran under the horse's belly. The horse snorted and sidled. Ky tugged at the ropes and nodded. He slapped me again, smiling as blood dripped from my lip.

"Tie him on the pack horse," he ordered his men.

I twisted enough to watch. They picked up Tayvis, slinging him across a horse. He hung limply. Blood matted the back of his head. If he were dead, they'd leave him.

Ky slapped me again. "Worried about your lover, are you?" He jerked my horse around, so I couldn't see Tayvis. "Leran should have let me kill you. We should have left you in the Baron's dungeon. It's a mistake I intend to remedy. Move out!" Ky grabbed his horse, swinging onto its back.

Ky rode down the road next to the stream. His men followed, my horse led by one in the middle and Tayvis at the rear.

We rode hard through the rest of the day. We crossed from the hills of Sherwood to the wide valley. I saw Gragensberg in the distance. We kept going, into the hills on the other side. The few villagers unlucky enough to see us pretended they didn't, one glance at me and then back to their fields and animals.

We rode high in the hills, away from farms and villages. Tall pine trees covered the slopes. The sun set as we rode into a wide clearing dominated by a single building with a squat, round tower at one end. The rest was a tall rectangle built of huge logs. The windows blazed with golden light from inside.

Ky got off his horse. He stalked over to me, pulling out his knife.

I gingerly licked my swollen lip, tasting dried blood.

Ky chuckled as he played with his dagger.

His men cut Tayvis loose. He fell to the ground, groaning when he hit. Ky's men dragged him into the building. I took small comfort in knowing he still lived. From the look in Ky's eyes I wouldn't for much longer.

Ky's knife flashed, severing the ropes. He pushed me from the horse.

I sprawled in the dirt at his feet. I gathered myself, ready to fight.

He grabbed my shirt, yanking me to my feet. "Enough games." He shoved me through the door into the building.

Animal heads decorated the walls. Glass eyes watched without pity.

Two windows in the opposite wall showed nothing of the night outside, reflecting instead the light of the lamps burning between heads. A small fire burned sullenly in a space big enough to roast a whole horse. The flames flickered as the front door shut. Two chairs sat in front of the fireplace occupied by men I never wanted to meet again.

Leran lifted a single eyebrow, sipping from a glass of amber liquid.

Baron Molier rose from his chair. "The demon? What spell did you cast? Since you came into my dungeon I have been unable to think of any other woman. So plain." He stroked my cheek with his hand. "It isn't your beauty that holds me since you have none. What evil magic did you work? No matter, now that I have you again perhaps I can break your spell."

I shuddered at his touch, backing into Ky. I didn't know who scared me more. Ky used my shirt to jerk me away from the Baron's hand.

Leran chuckled. "She's too dangerous for you, Baron. Leave her to me."

Baron Molier snaked his hand out, grabbing the collar of my shirt. He glared at Leran. "I have been well versed in dealing with demons. I will take great pleasure in breaking the spell myself."

"She is more than you believe." Leran carefully set his glass on the arm of his heavy chair. "This is a matter best left to expert knowledge."

Molier yanked my collar. I staggered towards him. Ky grabbed my shirt. Molier growled softly.

"Should I be flattered you're fighting over me?"

Ky slapped me across the back of my head with his free hand.

"You forget your place, sorcerer," Molier told Leran. "I dealt with demons long before you came to my lands. I will attend to this one personally."

Leran stood, drawing himself to his full height. He looked impressive in dark green and silver. Molier didn't flinch.

"You threaten me?" Molier said.

The tension in the room tightened. Leran's men fingered their weapons.

"A voice of warning, Baron," Leran said. "Nothing more. The demon has proven herself cunning and devious."

"She is still a woman." Molier turned his predatory smile on me.

I shrank away from him as far as Ky's fist would allow.

Ameli entered, her skirts swishing in a sudden silence. "Leran? I can't find the blankets. What is she doing here?" She planted her fists on her hips and glared. Her blond hair coiled in tidy braids around her head, like a crown.

Leran's smile spread over his lips like oil on water. "A trade, Baron? A woman for a woman."

Molier cocked his head, studying Ameli, his eyes cold and calculating. His fingers rubbed absently over my collar. "You will break her hold on my soul?" He let go of my collar.

"But of course." Leran gave Molier a half bow. "Your soul is always in my care, Baron."

Ameli paled. "Leran? You can't do this."

Molier advanced on her. She backed away from him.

"Leran! The terms of my research contract were very clear." She switched to Basic, her eyes focused on Molier, though she begged Leran.

"And who is to know, Ameli my dear? Think of the opportunities for field research."

"You speak the demon tongue!" Molier shot a suspicious glare at Leran.

"The lady Ameli is part demon," Leran said, "on her mother's side."

Baron Molier took another step towards Ameli.

"Leran? Please don't do this." She flattened herself against the wall.

"I will see that your reports are published," Leran assured her.

She stretched her hands along the wall, fumbling for a weapon. She came up empty. Molier leisurely plucked pins from her hair. It slithered down around her face. She whimpered.

Leran lifted his glass, studying the liquid inside.

"Leran!" Ameli called desperately.

Molier kicked open the door into the far wing of the lodge, shoving Ameli through. The door shut with a bang, muffling her pleas.

Tayvis groaned.

Leran's gaze flickered to where he sprawled on the floor. "Chain him."

His goons dragged Tayvis to the wall. They snapped iron cuffs around his wrists, leaving him hanging under a row of especially gloomy animal heads. He sagged, still barely conscious.

"I will get answers from you," Leran threatened. "No lies this time. Tie her," he snapped at his men.

They shoved me into a chair. They tied my wrists to the arms, my ankles to the legs, my waist to the back. By the time they finished my head was the only part that could move.

Part of me still plotted escape. I would take any opportunity Leran gave me, though I doubted he would be that sloppy. The rest of me wondered what torture he would use and how much it would hurt.

Chapter 26

"Wake him." Leran sipped his bloody drink.

Ky slapped Tayvis, splitting his lip.

Tayvis coughed. He looked awful with one eye swollen shut and blood trickling over his chin.

Leran rose leisurely from his chair, sipping his drink. He twisted Tayvis' wrist to the light. The diamond tattoo showed clearly. Leran sniffed disdainfully.

"Patrol Enforcer." He dropped Tayvis' wrist, turning to me. "And which branch do you work for? You're good, Dace. You almost had me convinced of your wild story."

A piercing scream echoed from beyond the closed door. I shivered.

Leran finished his drink. He held the glass out. One of his men took it away. "Tell me everything you know and I might let you die quickly. Not painlessly, though. You've cost me too much." He folded his arms and waited.

Tayvis watched me over Leran's shoulder, licking fresh blood from his lip.

"Everything?" I stalled, still trying to find a way out.

Leran planted his hands over my tied wrists. "Everything."

My mind raced. "Hyperdrive theory was first postulated by Maricus in the year . . ."

Leran backhanded me across the face. I tasted blood.

"You said to tell you everything I know." I deliberately goaded him. It was the only strategy I had.

Leran hit me again.

I put on the best card-playing face I had. I hoped I was good enough to bluff my way past Leran. His hard gaze gave me little hope. I couldn't guess what lies he would believe, what lies would keep me alive. The truth wouldn't help.

Leran raised his hand. He smiled coldly when I flinched. "Which one will break first? I wonder." He folded his arms. "This is your last chance, Dace. Tell me exactly why you're here, who you're working with, and how much they know."

I kept my mouth shut, staring at Leran with the blankest look I could manufacture.

Leran drummed his fingers on his sleeve. "Bring in the monk."

I risked a glance at Tayvis. He shook his head, just a little. Whatever Leran planned, Tayvis didn't like it. I probably wouldn't, either.

Leran's man escorted a short man in a ragged brown robe into the room. The man bowed to Leran, then fidgeted nervously with the ends of his rope belt.

"You have it?" Leran asked.

The man dipped his hand into a pouch hanging from his belt. He held a tiny glass vial. Oily blue liquid shifted sluggishly inside.

Leran watched me as he took the bottle from the monk. I didn't have to fake confusion.

"Don't tell me you don't know what this is. Pure shara. The most precious substance I've ever found. With this, a man could rule the universe."

I covered my fear with bravado. "You're delusional, Leran."

He didn't hit me. He held the vial in front of me, tilting it so the liquid swirled inside.

"This bottle contains ten normal doses. A normal dose usually doesn't leave permanent damage. A dose five times normal causes much pain. Madness is common. Most of the time, it passes. Eventually." He twisted the seal from the bottle. "Last chance, Dace."

I didn't say a word. He'd picked the one drug, the one torture, that would have no effect. I had a psychic rating of zero. The testers at the Academy hadn't believed it. They repeated the tests numerous times, always with the same result. I was as psychic as a rock.

"How much do you care about your partner?" Leran turned to Tayvis, holding the shara high. "Talk and maybe I'll let her die easily."

The man in brown glanced between me and the bottle Leran held. "It is not right."

"You object, monk? You're a bit late. I bought the drug; it's paid for in full. You should have spoken before you took my money. Not that it would have done you any good."

Leran grabbed my face. I clamped my mouth shut. He expected me to fight. It would make him suspicious if I didn't. He squeezed my cheeks, digging in with his thumb and finger. He dribbled some of the blue liquid between my lips. He shoved my chin up, holding it until I swallowed.

Its acrid taste left an unpleasant tingling in my mouth. The shara slid down my throat, thick and slimy, burning coldly all the way to my stomach.

Leran stepped away, holding the bottle, still two thirds full. "Shara works rather quickly. I will pull the information from your mind, whether you wish it or not. Fight me. Make it hurt, Dace."

My belly rumbled. I swallowed gas that tasted the way engine coolant smelled.

Leran's smirk slipped. He snapped his fingers. One of his goons pried my mouth open from behind. Leran poured in another dollop.

The bitter taste was stronger than the first dose. I gagged. Leran grabbed my jaw in his fist. I had to swallow or choke. I swallowed the shara.

Tayvis jiggled his chains, rattling them against the wall. Worry lines creased his bruised face.

Leran leaned over me, waiting for something to happen. I belched loudly. He jerked back, whirling on the monk. "What have you done with this? It's useless. You watered it down."

The monk raised his hands. "It is the same as always."

"Then prove it! Take it yourself." Leran shoved the vial under his nose.

Leran's goons stepped closer, hedging the monk in. He swallowed nervously before taking a tiny sip. He shuddered. Leran snatched the bottle from him. The monk grabbed his head and winced. Leran held the vial up to the light. It was half empty.

"More, Dace? Even an implant won't protect you at that level. Although I thought the Patrol did not use implants, considering they are highly illegal. Just who do you really work for?" He held the bottle in front of me. The shara glistened.

"She isn't Patrol," Tayvis said. "Let her go, Leran. I'm the one you want."

"So predictably noble of you. Was she correct in saying you were just the muscle for this operation?"

Ky yanked my head back, his hand tangled in my short hair. Leran squeezed my face, pouring the rest of the bottle down my throat. The shara landed in my stomach, oily and slick. I burped.

Leran dropped the empty bottle on the floor. His icy green eyes stared into mine. Nothing happened, at least not that I sensed. Leran snapped his fingers at the monk.

The monk shook his head. "The dose is too much already."

"I'm not paying you to advise me."

The monk pulled another vial from his pouch. Leran snatched it, jerking the cork from its mouth. He held it over my face.

"This will drive you mad, regardless of your safeguards. This is your last chance."

Tayvis yanked at his chains.

Leran held the bottle in front of my face. He grabbed my cheeks and squeezed. This time he didn't hesitate. He poured the whole bottle in, then jammed my chin up, his hand covering nose and mouth. The bottle tinkled as it hit the floor

The shara slid down my throat, oily and cold. Leran let go of my face. I gagged and coughed, my stomach roiling. Leran lifted my chin, searching my eyes. He stared in disbelief. He whirled on the monk.

The monk flinched.

"Why doesn't it work?" Leran turned to Tayvis. "What is she? A new kind of android?"

Tayvis stared with the same disbelief.

"You didn't know?" Leran's eyes showed dark, fully dilated by the drug, as he turned yet again.

The monk groaned. Ky doubled over, holding his head. Leran's goons stumbled away. Tayvis winced. I felt nothing from his psychic attack.

The monk writhed on the floor, holding his head and moaning. Leran tore the pouch loose. He pulled out two more bottles of shara.

My insides clenched. I would be very sick if he made me drink any more.

Leran uncorked both bottles and forced shara down my throat. I gagged and tried to spit it out. Leran jammed his hands over my mouth and nose. The biting taste of shara stung the back of my throat.

Leran cradled my face between his palms, his pale green eyes boring holes into my head. His goons retreated to the far side of the room. The monk on the floor groaned. Tayvis shuddered, jingling his chains against the wall. I deliberately gathered saliva.

I spit into Leran's face.

He swore, wiping his face with his sleeve. He stumbled into the wall. Ky slowly collapsed. The monk curled into a ball.

My stomach twisted with cramps. Everything in the room seemed to rotate in slow motion, unreal and strange. I burped. The taste of acid and shara filled my mouth. I swallowed it back down.

Leran glared. One eyelid twitched rhythmically. The color drained from his face. "Hrissia'noru," he breathed.

He whirled, his robe flaring dramatically. "Bring him!" Leran shouted at Ky as the bald man struggled to his feet. "Get the baron. We're leaving the witch to burn. We can't leave any evidence behind."

He was afraid of whatever he'd seen in my face. I had no idea why. I'd never heard the name. He stumbled out the door.

His goons lurched into the Baron's wing.

Tayvis sagged in his chains, suspicion in his eyes.

"Trust me, Tayvis," I whispered and hoped he heard me.

Ky's boots scraped loudly across the floor as he fumbled to drag Tayvis from the building. The door slammed, leaving me alone, tied to the chair.

"Unh."

Not quite alone, I amended. The monk sprawled on the floor near my feet.

I wriggled in my nest of ropes, flinging myself forward. The heavy chair scraped across the floor.

The monk's eyes blinked open. He stared at the animal heads on the wall. "They wish to be released. Their souls are trapped in torment."

"They're dead." I jerked my wrists, trying to loosen the knots.

His head snapped around. His eyes stared blankly, the pupils dilated until the iris was hidden. He slowly crawled to his knees. He knelt in front of me, searching my face.

I sniffed, catching a hint of a teasingly familiar smell, engine lubricant and paint fumes, but not quite.

"Soulless One." The monk bowed his head until it rested on the floor.

The smell grew stronger. My eyes watered from the fumes. "What can I offer you to untie me?"

A smile spread across his face, like sunrise across the sky. "All my life I have longed for this. I never believed it possible. The Soulless One has returned. Myrln will speak again."

"Nobody's going to speak unless you untie me." I finally recognized the smell as afletane, a chemical notorious for spontaneous combustion. "You'd better move fast."

"I have beheld the Soulless One. I shall die happy." The monk grinned like an idiot as he lay down at my feet.

"I don't want to die yet." Judging by the smell, the afletane concentration was rising. I slammed side to side, rocking the chair.

The monk rose to his haunches, his idiot smile morphing into a puzzled frown. "Why do you fight? The infidels have gone."

"But they left . . ."

The main door exploded into flames.

"That," I finished.

Chapter 27

The glass eyes of the dead animals glittered madly in the light of the fire. The monk scrambled away, backing for the nearest door.

"Hey!"

He stopped, staring blankly.

"Untie me? Please?"

His eyes shifted between me and the fire. He muttered, his forehead pinched in worried lines. Metal glittered in his hand. I flinched as he brought the knife close. He took a bit of skin from one arm when he slashed the ropes, but I wasn't about to complain.

I shoved myself from the chair, sprawling on the floor. Shara may not have affected my mind, but it hadn't left me untouched. My head spun dizzily.

The monk sank down next to me, dropping his knife. It landed with a clatter I barely heard over the roar of the fire consuming the far side of the room.

"We have to go." I crawled away from the flames. The cut on my arm stung. Blood oozed.

"The way out is through the flames," the monk said.

"Is that supposed to be mystical?"

He gestured. Flames licked up the walls, eating the animal heads one by one. The main door burned merrily. The door far to my left was the only one that didn't involve immediate incineration.

"This way," I said.

The monk shook his head. "It leads nowhere. I have beheld the Soulless One. It is enough. I can die in peace."

"Later." I grabbed his robe with one hand. "I can't get out by myself, not with this drug in me."

"But it has no effect on you." His dilated eyes burned with reflected firelight. "I cannot sense you."

"It's making me sick." I clenched my teeth on a wave of nausea. "You may be ready to die, but I'm not. I'm getting out of here." Tayvis had one hope of rescue—me. I wasn't about to let him down. I owed him.

I twisted my hand into a fist in the monk's robe. I crawled for the door, dragging him along. The fire paced behind us, crackling greedily through the wooden floor and walls.

We reached the door. I collapsed, fighting another wave of nausea. The monk rattled the door handle. He shook his head and sat down, his back against the wall. He watched the fire, looking only slightly disappointed. I wanted to slap him.

"It is locked," he said as I reached for the handle.

I leaned my face against the door, sobbing with frustration. My lockpicks were somewhere in Vunia's possession. I hadn't come this far to be stopped by a lock I could have picked in less than two seconds.

Baron Molier's men had tried to burn me alive. Tayvis rescued me then, now it was up to me to rescue myself. No door would stop me, not now. I banged my head, gently, against the door.

The fire raged closer, licking like a hungry beast over the floor. A flaming animal head crashed down, spraying a shower of sparks across the room.

"The hinges!" I could cut through the leather hinges easily enough. "Give me your knife!"

The monk glanced over his shoulder to the chair. His knife glittered on the floor, surrounded by flames. I slumped against the door, defeated.

"Would this be of any use?" He held a slender utensil that vaguely resembled a fork.

I grabbed it, jamming one thin tine into the lock. I twisted savagely, shattering the inside of the lock. The latch gave; the door swung open. I tumbled into a relatively cool room ringed by stone.

The monk shoved the door shut, leaning heavily against it. The temperature dropped a bit. I lay on the stone floor and tried to breathe through cramping pain.

The monk knelt beside me. "There is no other way out. The fire will prevail."

"We aren't dead yet." I shoved myself to my knees.

We were inside the round tower that I'd glimpsed outside. No windows, no doors, only stone walls and a flimsy, wooden stairway curling around the wall.

"Up," I said as I staggered to my feet.

My knees buckled. The monk caught me. His gentle hands guided me to the stairs. I had to stop, fighting cramps from the shara. I didn't have time to be sick. Smoke filtered through a crack under the door.

The monk watched me intently, his eyes less dilated. "We should climb, if you are ready."

"I thought you were content to die."

He grinned, an impish smile. "You are the Soulless One. That is one miracle. You believe we can escape from an impossible room. Perhaps that will be your second miracle."

I wished I had his faith. I'd never known faith. Whatever I had, I'd earned, except for the gift from the father I'd never met that allowed me to escape Tivor and buy a ship. I had to believe I wasn't going to die here on Dadilan.

I levered myself onto the first step. My legs shook, my head spun, my intestines cramped, but the monk's expression was contagious. I grinned madly while he helped me up the stairs.

We climbed, spiraling around into the second floor room. I saw stars through a hole in the roof above us. They were almost obscured by smoke, but as long as I had that faint promise, I could believe.

We climbed the last round of stairs, staggering onto a narrow platform of wood. We crawled to the side opposite the raging inferno. We both watched flames reach for the stars. Sparks flew into the air like swarms of miniature stars.

"It's a long way down. And I do not have a rope long enough to reach." He flipped the ends of the rope belt he wore.

"Just give me a moment." I doubled over with cramps.

"Sometimes the shara affects the insides as much as the head," the monk observed.

"And sometimes more." I clutched my middle, waiting for the cramp to ease.

The monk laughed, bright and happy.

I wondered how he had ever come to be a drug pusher for Leran. For now, I had no choice but to trust him. I wasn't going to make it away on my own.

"How high are we?"

The monk gave me an answer in units that meant absolutely nothing. My tired brain wouldn't translate. I pushed myself to the edge to look into the darkness below us.

I saw bushes about thirty feet down. I looked at the monk, then at myself. I had a crazy idea. It just might work.

"Take off your clothes." I pulled off my shirt.

His eyes widened. "I hardly think this is an appropriate time or place. And we haven't been properly introduced."

I paused, my blouse around my neck. I realized what the monk insinuated and blushed. We were about to be burned alive and he was worried about that?

"I've got a way down. I need your belt and your robe."

"Oh." He untied the knot in his rope belt. "Just to satisfy propriety, I am called Roland."

"Dace." I tried not to let my lack of underwear bother me as I stripped off my breeches. I shivered in the night breeze.

Roland was downright skinny. He kept his eyes carefully averted as he handed me his clothes. I knotted them with mine to make a rope.

"Do you wish my loincloth as well?"

"I think it's long enough." I ignored the embarrassed flush burning across my face. It helped keep my mind off the cramps ripping through my belly.

I tied the end of his belt to a beam sticking out of the wall. The clothing rope dangled into space, almost reaching the bushes.

The main roof collapsed in a roar of flame. Heat washed across the tower. We were running out of time.

"You go first," I said.

"Gladly." Roland blushed furiously. He kept his eyes on the rope and the ground below.

I leaned over the edge, watching him climb down his belt, my belt, my breeches, my blouse, and finally, his robe. The rope wasn't long enough. Roland closed his eyes and let go.

He landed in the bushes, then cursed loudly.

Flames licked over the edge of the tower. I started down, Roland's rope belt coarse under my hands. I lowered myself as quickly as I could.

I clutched the fabric of my breeches as my head spun. My stomach cramped, worse than ever. I fought to hang on.

"You must hurry!"

I nodded, though it made my head spin worse. The tower creaked, stones popping from the heat of the fire. I unclenched my grip. Hand over hand, I fought the crippling nausea. I no longer cared that I was naked. I got to my blouse and couldn't go any farther. I clung to the makeshift rope, sweating through more cramps.

"Dace, you must keep going!"

Cloth ripped. I dropped several inches. The rock under my foot popped. I jerked away, dangling in open air only halfway down. I clung to the makeshift rope, fighting more cramps, stronger than any before. Sweat dripped from my face, stinging my eyes.

My breeches split sending me tumbling, tangled in what was left of our rope. Half my breeches waved as I fell.

Roland tried to catch me. We both sprawled into the bushes. I found out why he swore. Thorns ripped my tender skin. I hurt inside and out, but we were alive.

Roland gave me only a moment. "We must go. The tower will collapse anytime now. I would not want to be buried."

I nodded, squeezing my eyes against the pain.

Crawling naked through a briar patch would have been bad enough without the cramps. With them, it was an absolute torture. I had thorns in places I didn't want to think about.

I collapsed to relatively thornless ground. The tower crumbled, falling into itself with a loud crash. The fire roared momentarily higher. I curled around my burning gut.

Roland touched my shoulder. I wasn't capable of responding. I stared blankly at the fading fire. He ran his hand down my bare back.

I reacted without thinking. My fist caught him across the face. I didn't hit him hard, I was too weak and in the wrong position to get much leverage.

He looked more surprised than hurt. He held up his hand. "The thorns must be removed. They will fester otherwise."

I closed my eyes, feeling like an idiot.

"The cramps, are they bad?" He plucked thorns from my backside.

"I'll live." I had my doubts, though. I wasn't sure I wanted to. The cramps felt like knives slicing through my gut.

"They usually pass within a day or so."

"Thanks for the encouragement." I curled up, fighting nausea. I barely noticed when he left. "Roland?" I tried to roll over and groaned at the pain.

"Your clothing," he said, kneeling next to me again. "What's left."

He had his robe back on. He held me against him, pulling my shirt over my head. The coarse cloth of his robe was oddly comforting under my cheek.

"There's a place not far from here where we'll be safe for a while."

"No." I pushed myself away from him, sitting up, then wishing I hadn't. "No waiting. Leran has Tayvis. I have to rescue him."

Roland grinned ear to ear. "Then he is your partner?" The inflection he used gave the term a more intimate meaning.

"I owe him, Roland. I have to help him." I gritted my teeth as I tried to stand. "He's my way off this planet."

"Then you are truly from another world?"

Vague recollections of Ameli warning me about interference in the culture of Dadilan swam through my head. Had I said too much?

"I'm a demon who fell from the sky in a fireball."

Roland snorted. "That is what the uneducated believe. You are no more a demon than I."

He helped me to my feet. I hated how much I needed his support. We walked away from the tower, into the woods.

"How much am I not supposed to tell you?" I asked as we crossed a slight rise and left the remains of the lodge behind. Anything to distract me from the constant pain.

"Tell me about your world. Tell me about your ships, how you cross from star to star."

"How do you know that?" I leaned on a tree and waited for the cramping to subside.

"The order of Myrln is dedicated to preserving knowledge." Roland kept his arm around me. "Two thousand and seventy three years ago, our ancestors landed here and established what they hoped would be a perfect world. They had Myrln to guide them. But, over the centuries, there were fewer and fewer who could speak with his spirit. Only those who could drink shara with no effect, at least to their mind, could channel his words without going mad."

"The Soulless One?" I barfed up oily liquid.

"Precisely." He pulled my arm over his shoulder.

I leaned heavily on him, unable to walk on my own. I no longer cared I wore only my blouse. I would be happy if the cramps would only stop.

"We have not had a Soulless One for over two hundred years. There will be great rejoicing at the monastery."

"I'm not going there, I'm going to the Patrol base."

"But Leran was taking your friend to the monastery. If you are going to rescue him, you must go there."

I had to stop. I dropped to my knees and retched, over and over. The shara tasted much worse coming up. Mixed with stomach bile, it burned horribly. I vomited shara while Roland patted my back.

"Perhaps we should delay going to the monastery. You should wait until the shara has passed through your system. Besides, I have stickers in places I can't see. You owe me at least that much." He grinned broadly.

I would have slapped him if I could have moved. Instead, I crouched on the ground, retching up nothing, wishing I had never heard of shara.

Chapter 28

I leaned on Roland, stumbling through the dark woods. We'd walked most of the night.

"I have to stop, Roland."

"Again?" He looked around at the trees and hills. "I think we're just about there. Just let me check a few things."

He set me down next to a thick growth of vines draped over a steep bank. He poked at the hillside, muttering.

I leaned against the vines, clutching my belly. Why was he helping me when he was the one who had provided the shara in the first place? If he had any morals at all, why was he selling drugs to Leran? I needed Roland's help. Rescuing Tayvis by myself was impossible. I needed firepower. I needed backup. Roland knew the area, knew who to ask.

"Ha!" Roland crawled into the hillside, disappearing behind the vines.

I rubbed my eyes. "Roland?"

"In here." Roland popped out of the vines.

He pulled me to my feet. I sagged, dumping my whole weight on him. He stumbled.

"Just a little further," he coaxed.

Roland crouched, pulling me into a dark tunnel that smelled of earth.

The dirt floor was rough and moist under my hands. I crawled towards the faint glow at the end of the tunnel. It came from a candle set on a big rock in the center of a room dug in the hill.

"Just over here." Roland dragged me to a basin of stone filled with loose sand.

I collapsed onto it. He tucked a blanket around me that smelled of summer, dried grass and sunshine. My eyes closed before he finished despite my resolve to stay awake until I knew why he helped me.

I dreamed strange dreams that seemed significant at the time but when I woke, stirring out of a restless sleep, I couldn't remember more than flashes. I woke only enough to register that Roland hadn't left, then slipped once more into twilight sleep full of ominous dreams.

I snapped awake, gasping.

Roland slept, his head pillowed on his arms on the big rock. The candle guttered.

My mouth tasted like something small and furry had crawled inside to die. I sat, glad the cramping had finally passed.

Roland stirred, lifting his head and yawning. His hair stuck up in odd places. "Are you feeling better?"

"Some." I would feel a lot better after a bath and a real meal and a shuttle ride off Dadilan. I couldn't see any of it happening anytime soon. I shifted uncomfortably.

"Try behind the screen," he suggested, as if reading my mind. He gestured towards the rear of the cave.

I stumbled across the cave, leaning on the wall for support.

The wooden screen hid a bathroom consisting of a large basin full of water and a bucket.

"This might help." Roland's hand appeared around the screen holding a towel and soap. "There are spare robes in the trunk."

"Thank you." I meant it, even if I wondered about his motives.

I washed in the cold water. The soap smelled of herbs.

Roland waited next to the big rock. Dried fruit, meat, and crackers were spread on a cloth covering the rock.

"What is this place?" I sat next to him.

He handed me a strip of meat. "A hiding place. For times when those of us who follow Myrln need to disappear for a while." He chewed a handful of fruit. "We are sometimes hunted by the others. If it weren't for shara, the order of Myrln would have been destroyed a long time ago."

I bit off a chunk of meat. It tasted like salted leather. We ate in stiff silence.

"You wonder why I would sell shara to someone like Leran or the Baron." Roland sighed and shifted position. "We discovered shara by accident. The monks use it to communicate, to focus their meditations, to dream of the future. We tried to use it to teach. Others weren't as selfless. They found its effects very useful. We trade in shara to keep political stability. At least we did before your people came. They've tipped the balance.

"It's not just Dadilan. The researchers are smuggling shara offworld."

"You and your partner are working to stop them."

"Tayvis is trying to stop them, yes." I twisted the meat strip, ripping off a more manageable bit. "I don't know what I'm doing on this planet."

Roland frowned. "I thought you were working with him, that you were part of the Patrol."

"It's complicated." I didn't know what I could and couldn't say to Roland.

"I'm listening."

"We should be moving. I'm feeling much better."

"It's evening and pouring rain. I'd prefer to travel in daylight. Much easier to see where you're headed."

"Much easier for the people chasing you, too."

He grinned. "You do have a point. Traveling in the rain is wet and most uncomfortable."

"You win." I shifted restlessly. Would Leran kill Tayvis quickly or torture him first?

"So tell me." Roland picked apart dried meat.

"Tell you what?"

"How you came to be on my world, how you are partners and yet not, about the Patrol, about your world, about flying between stars."

"So pretty much everything."

"If you would."

"What about you, Roland? Why should I trust you?"

"You are the Soulless One, the Voice of Myrln. The monks of the order of Myrln will help without question once they know."

"But?" I sensed that he held something back.

"But we are few. And we are usually peaceful."

"So no weapons?"

He shook his head.

"I don't understand why Leran would go to your monastery. Or why he's teamed up with Vunia."

"Who is Vunia?"

"She works for Shomies Pardui."

"The sorceress? She hates the Enchanter. The Baron and the Duchess are blood enemies. We've kept it that way on purpose. If they are working together it is not of their own doing." He chewed thoughtfully, a frown wrinkling his forehead. "Why would they want the monastery? We have no treasure, no weapons."

"You have shara."

"Your people have been here for years, trading for shara. We sell to all who come. It keeps the balance. Why has it changed?"

I shook my head. "Why are you really helping me, Roland?"

He rearranged a stack of thin crackers.

I waited. I wanted an honest answer, a full answer, before I trusted my life to him any farther than I already had.

"When you leave, take me with you. I have always dreamed of seeing the worlds spoken of in Myrln's records. You come from those worlds. You can take me with you."

"I can't, Roland. There are rules, regulations I have to follow."

He looked like a kicked puppy.

"Roland, I'm sorry. You'd have to appeal to the Patrol."

"But you're Patrol. You could ask them."

"I'm not Patrol. I fly a merchant ship. I'm here by accident." I nibbled dried fruit. "Besides, I don't have a ship anymore. For all I know, I'm going to prison myself. I told you it was complicated."

"So explain it to me as we travel," he said, gathering the food on the rock. "If what you have said is true, then we have little time. Brother Anselm must be warned. These people must be stopped. And we must rescue your partner."

I stood, pulling the brown monk's robe straight. I didn't examine my motives for wanting to rescue Tayvis. I was afraid of what I'd find if I honestly looked. I just knew I needed to save him. Soon. "I thought you said it was raining."

"I thought you were in a hurry to rescue your partner. Leran will not kill him. He is too valuable as a hostage. But the sorcerer won't hesitate to torture him. There may not be much left to rescue."

"Then why are we still waiting?"

Roland tucked the sack of food through his belt. "If we meet anyone, just pull your hood low and don't say anything. You might be able to fool a half blind beggar at night in a dark alley if he doesn't look too closely." He blew out the candle.

I groped my way out of the cave into a very wet evening. Roland pulled the vines over the entrance.

We slogged through wet forest. The light slowly faded. We huddled under a tree when it got too dark to see. Rain dripped from broad leaves.

"How are we going to sneak into the monastery?" I asked.

"We aren't, not yet." Roland pulled the hood of his robe over his head.

"You said you have to warn Brother Anselm."

"Dace, it's been two full days since you were caught. Warning Brother Anselm isn't going to help, now that I think about it. It's too late for any of the monks still there. We need to find more help. We go to the Patrol."

"They can't interfere, Roland. Your planet is protected. No one can interfere."

"Then why are Shomies Pardui and Leran interfering?"

My stomach dropped as I realized the full extent of their treachery. I remembered lessons from a civics class at the Academy, ones I never thought would apply to me. "They are taking over your world. If they can set up Baron Molier as the world's ruler, the Patrol can't touch them. The rules will protect them."

"Baron Molier? He is ruthless. Evil. None of the monks will cooperate with him. He'll kill them."

"He won't kill them until after he knows how to make shara. It's too valuable."

Roland didn't answer. I shifted closer to him in the dark shadows.

"The Baron will never believe them," Roland whispered.

"Then we have to stop him. And the others." I tucked my hands into my sleeves. "I think I can convince the Patrol to help. There are some obscure provisions in the rules that might justify an exception."

"What of Robin Goodfellow? Isn't he one of your people?"

"He's a researcher, yes. He hates Shomies and Leran. There's a man in his camp, Will Scarlet. He'll help us." I tried to sound more confident than I was. I didn't know what agenda Will followed.

"What is it like? To be up there, between the stars?"

"Quiet, usually. You can hear your ship's engines, like a heartbeat. There's no one but your crew." I sat up straight. Pieces clicked together.

"What?"

"My crew. I'm going to kill both of them, very slowly and painfully, when I find them." Flago set the course. He knew where we were headed, he'd set the course. Jerith hadn't counted on the core redlining, but he had planned on the ship shutting down. They'd both betrayed me. I was an idiot.

"Dace." Roland put his hand over mine.

"They both sold me out. It's their fault I'm here. They tampered with the engine. Both of them."

Roland patted my hand in sympathy.

"Everything I had was in that ship. When I do get off Dadilan, I'll be flat broke and very lucky not to be sentenced to a prison planet."

"You could stay. As the Soulless One, you would be an honored member of the Order of Myrln."

"I want to be free, Roland."

"So do I." He squeezed my hand.

Chapter 29

The rainy night had given way to a steamy, muggy day. Roland and I spent most of it crossing the wide valley to the hills near Sherwood. The trail we followed forked.

I collapsed in the shade of a tree. "Which way now?"

"Robin's camp is this way." Roland nodded down the left fork.

I groaned as I followed him along the path.

"You are certain Robin will help?" Roland glanced over his shoulder.

"I don't know, but I do have some good arguments to convince him."

Our simple strategy hinged on Robin's assistance. While he organized his men, I'd travel to the Patrol base. Roland would go ahead to the monastery. We'd meet there in two days.

"Halt!"

We halted under a big tree. Men in green dropped like rotten fruit. They waved knives our direction.

One swaggered forward. "What business do you have in Sherwood Forest? We do not recognize the monks of Myrln here." His dark hair hung in greasy ringlets. He needed to shave.

"We are merely travelers," Roland said meekly.

"Then you won't mind if we relieve you of your possessions?" The man smirked.

The other men in green shifted nervously.

"They don't have anything worth stealing, Robert," one of them objected.

"They've got shara," Robert said. "And if they don't hand it over right now, I'll cut it out of their skin." He twisted his knife suggestively.

Roland spread his hands. "We have no quarrel with you. And we have no shara."

Robert grabbed for Roland. My foot caught him in the groin. My fist connected with the side of his head. He crashed into a bush.

I pushed the hood of my robe back. "We want to talk to Robin. Now."

The men in green shifted nervously.

Will sauntered into the shade of the big tree. "If I were you, I wouldn't make her angry." He kicked Robert's limp foot. "I'd leave if I were you. Take this with you. We can't be littering the forest, now, can we?"

They collected Robert, dragging him away.

Will waited until we were alone. "You're supposed to be on a shuttle by now. Why are you impersonating a monk, Dace?"

"It seemed like a good idea at the time. We need your help, Will."

"We?" He shot a warning glance at Roland.

"This is Roland. We don't have much time. Leran has Tayvis at the monastery. Shomies and Baron Molier and their people are with him. We need Robin's help."

"That's going to be tricky. Robin disappeared three days ago. I suspect Shomies' men captured him."

"So much for our plan," Roland said.

"What plan?"

"We were going to ask Robin to help us take back the monastery."

"And stop your people from taking over," Roland added.

"They are going to set up Baron Molier as the ruler."

"And use shara to make the people accept him."

Will raised his hands. "I get the picture. I've suspected something like this for some time. So they've finally made their move."

"They have Tayvis," I said. "We were ambushed. Leran took him."

"And left us to burn," Roland added.

Will frowned. "Why didn't he take you, Dace?"

"Because she is the Soulless One," Roland said before I could stop him.

Will stared, goggle-eyed.

"Four bottles, and not even a trace of her mind," Roland said in an awed voice.

I cringed. "I'm a natural zero. Shara doesn't work on me."

"How can I help?" Will asked Roland.

"We need Robin's men to take the monastery."

"Two problems." Will raised a finger. "With Robin missing, John Littlebottomford has taken over. John won't help. He's too set on building his power base in Sherwood." He raised another finger. "And second, I've heard the monastery has never been taken by force."

"There are secret ways in," Roland said. "Getting into the monastery won't be a problem."

Will nodded. "Then we just need to convince Robin's men."

"You could have Dace strike Robert again," Roland suggested.

"Not a bad idea, but we don't have time. I'll see what I can do." Will glanced my way. "You were at the base. Commander Nuto knows you."

"We've got a plan, Will. You get Robin's men, I get the Patrol, and Roland gets the monks. We meet at the monastery in two days."

Will nodded. "Good plan. If we can get enough help. And if you don't get lost again, Dace."

I stuck my tongue out.

Roland looked past Will to me. "Do you trust this man?"

"This is Will Scarlet. I trust him, yes." I trusted him to help me rescue Tayvis. I wasn't sure about anything more.

"I shall expect you in two days."

"Then good luck," Will said. He sauntered into the woods, whistling.

We headed down the path we'd just climbed.

We made it to the stream where I'd been attacked twice. Roland stopped to drink. I splashed through the stream and kept going. Roland hurried to catch up.

"You're tired," Roland said. "It was a good spot to rest."

"Ky's attacked me twice there. I'm not waiting for a third time." I pushed my pace.

It didn't matter how tired I was. Tayvis could be in pain. Leran might cut his fingers off. Or worse. I had to save him.

Roland didn't try to talk. He used his breath to keep up. He finally tugged at my sleeve.

"The trail." He pulled me to a stop.

The wide trail I followed wound along the hillside. "What about it?"

"That goes to Franshire." He pointed at a narrow trail leading off to the side. "That goes to your base. It's another hour's walk. You should be there by sunset. I will watch for you at the monastery." He waved as he trotted along the broad path.

I swallowed sudden nervousness at being alone. I could do this. I had to do this or Tayvis didn't stand a chance.

Plants crowded the sides, hedging me in. I kept a careful eye on the trail, glad it didn't branch.

The path dropped down a ridge, petering out in a meadow of knee high grass. The Patrol castle lay halfway down the hill past several stands of trees.

My unease grew the closer I got to the base. Something was off. Armed guards patrolled the walls; I could just make out the spikes of spears in their hands. Torchlight gleamed on the battlements.

I couldn't quite place my finger on what bothered me. I crept across the meadow, all my attention fixed on the guards pacing the walls.

Someone hit me from behind. We both rolled downhill. I slammed into a rock. My attacker grabbed my hair, jerking my head up. He pressed a knife into the soft skin of my throat. I swallowed very carefully.

"Cooperate and I might let you live," he said. "If you can even understand me."

He rolled me onto my back, then shoved me into the dirt. The knife wavered over my throat. Leaves matted his hair. I barely recognized him.

"Dysun?"

His eyes narrowed. "Dace? What are you doing here? I should kill you now. You were Patrol all along, weren't you?"

He looked ill, his face too pale. He dripped sweat.

"You dirty little sneak of a spy." He pricked my neck with the knife. "It's your fault. They've got my ship. Now I'm stuck here."

"So am I." I pushed gently on the knife hand. "Tell me what happened, Dysun."

"Why? So you can laugh at me with your Patrol friends?" He spat the words. The knife twitched.

"Who has your ship? It isn't the Patrol and it definitely isn't me." I talked slowly, the way people talk to lunatics and angry dogs. "If I had your ship, I wouldn't be on Dadilan. I'd be long gone."

"Without me!"

Wrong thing to say, I chided myself silently. "Dysun."

"We had a deal! You were going to help me, until your Patrol lover showed up." The knife trembled in his hand. He showed every sign of being halfway delusional with fever.

"Let me help you, you don't look very good."

"That's a laugh. Give me one reason I shouldn't slit your throat and leave you here."

"Because I'm the only one who might possibly help you."

"I don't need your help."

"You're right. You don't need me. You need a medic."

He swayed. I pulled the knife from his hand.

He growled. "Patrol spy." He pawed feebly after the knife.

"Not really, but nobody seems to believe it." I put the knife out of his reach. A dark stain seeped through his sleeve. "What happened, Dysun?"

He sighed and let me rip open his sleeve. He had a nasty gash on his upper arm. It looked red and infected. I prodded his arm. He hissed in pain.

"It needs cleaned. There's a stream not far up the hill."

He nodded, his teeth clenched against the pain. He shivered with fever.

I helped him to his feet. He swayed unsteadily. I pulled his arm over my shoulder. We stumbled up the hill to the tiny trickle of water. I set him down near a large boulder. He slid against the rock, his breathing shallow.

I ripped a strip from the bottom of my monk's robe, dipping it in the stream. Dysun looked like he'd been living in the trees for several days. I wondered if he'd had anything to eat. Roland had left me a bit of the dried fruit and meat, tied in a small bundle. It lay in the grass not far away. I went to fetch it.

"Dace? Don't leave me."

"You were going to kill me, slit my throat," I said as I gathered the bundle.

"But at least you understand. You can talk to me."

"You aren't going to be slitting throats for a while." I knelt beside him.

His eyes drifted shut. I dabbed the cut with my wet strip of robe. He winced and grabbed my hand.

"Don't leave me," he begged.

I pulled my hand free. He wasn't that bad of a person, not compared to most of the people I'd met recently. "I'm not leaving you, not yet."

He nodded. I washed what I could out of the cut. It started bleeding again. I took that as a good sign. The shallow cut was ragged and infected. If I'd had a full medkit, I might have been able to do more.

If I'd had a full medkit, I'd probably still have my ship and wouldn't be on Dadilan at all.

I sat against the boulder.

A door opened in the wall of the castle. A group of young women walked out, headed to the village. They looked tired, heads down as they trudged home.

I studied the soldiers on the wall. They leaned on their spears, watching the girls. Torchlight painted them with lurid yellow light.

I was so blind. The Patrol wouldn't guard the wall because they didn't need to. They had sensors, force screens, all sorts of tech. They wouldn't be on the walls with spears and torches.

"Thirsty," Dysun croaked. His eyes glittered through slitted eyelids. He moved feebly. "Pack, down there." He waved vaguely at the trees where he'd jumped me. "Going to go myself." His voice trailed off into muttering.

"I'll look for it." If he had supplies, it would help us both.

Dysun grabbed my arm. His eyes burned with fever. "Don't leave me!"

"I'll be back, Dysun. I promise." I pried his fingers off my arm.

"Dace?"

I patted his good arm. "I'll be back, Dysun."

I headed towards the trees. I hoped he hadn't had the sense to actually hide his pack. I searched through half the grove before I finally found a bundle stuffed under a bush.

Dysun shivered next to the rock when I returned. I undid his bundle. He had some food, another knife which I tucked in my boot, and a few odds and ends, nothing really useful. I wrapped the blanket around him, then used a battered cup to get him a drink from the stream. He closed his eyes. I leaned on the rock and tried to figure out a plan.

I needed to get into the Patrol base, find out what happened. I needed to get Dysun talking first. I sighed and watched him twitch in his sleep.

He woke when the moon rose a short time later. I filled the cup and helped him drink again. He seemed to hate being helpless as much as I did judging by his irritable grumbling.

I put the cup aside. "Your fever is down a bit. I hope that's a good sign. Tell me what happened."

"Promise you'll help me."

"I already did."

"Then I wasn't dreaming that part." He grimaced as he shifted. "They attacked several days ago. I don't know who they are. I was still locked in that cage, all by myself."

I let his accusation slide.

"The guard outside my cell was shot with an arrow. He conveniently fell near the door. I got the keys and let myself out." He shrugged. "They must have thought I was native. They didn't chase me. Everyone was running, except the Patrol. Honor and duty. Stupid idiots. As far as I know, they're all dead."

"So who's in charge now?"

"No idea."

I had to get inside the base. My whole plan to rescue Tayvis, such as it was, depended on the Patrol.

A dog barked in the village. Lights glowed in most of the cottages. I studied the village and the castle, a nebulous plan forming. I stood.

"So much for promises," Dysun muttered.

"I have to get inside. You aren't in any shape to help. If I'm not back by tomorrow night, I'm dead and you're no worse off."

"They're probably all dead. What's so important, Dace?"

"I have to stop Leran and Shomies. They're trying to take over the planet."

"So? Let them have it, I say." He plucked at his bandaged arm. "Could it be they've got your lover?"

"Shut up, Dysun."

He chuckled. "If that's what you're looking for, I'm available."

"Not interested."

I crept down the hill, away from him, skirting the castle. With some help from the villagers, I could get inside. After that, I'd have to trust to luck.

Chapter 30

Dogs barked as I skulked through the narrow alleys between the cottages, looking for a clothesline and someone's forgotten clothes. No one would believe I was a monk, despite Roland's optimism.

I tripped over a girl huddled in a dark alcove. My boots tangled in her skirt. She batted at me with her fists. I grabbed her arms, pinning her to the ground. She stopped fighting. Her tear-streaked face caught the faint gleam reflected through a nearby window.

"Oh," she said in a small voice. She glanced down at the monk's robe I wore. "Oh." Her eyes widened. "You aren't a monk!" She tried to kick me.

I blocked her legs with my knees.

"I'll scream," she threatened.

The dogs barked, working themselves up. She shut her mouth.

"I don't think you will." I rolled off her, crouching in the shadows.

She sat, tucking her skirt around her legs. "Who are you?"

"Who are you?"

"Librette. If you aren't a monk, why are you dressed like one?"

"It's a long story and I don't have time to tell you." I stood, searching the alley for something more useful than Librette.

"You're going to burn as a heretic."

"They already tried that. Twice."

She gasped, staring with her mouth hanging open.

The volume of barking increased. I muttered swear words under my breath.

"Why are you pretending to be a monk?"

"It was better than going naked. Besides, a monk gave me the robe." I searched for a way to rescue my half-baked plan.

"Then that's all right." Librette stood, dusting off her skirt.

I caught her arm. "I need your help." I couldn't see anything else that might be even a tiny bit useful.

"I can't help you." She pushed my hand away. "I'm going to climb to the top of Bracken Falls and throw myself off the cliff. I have to hurry to be there by sunrise."

"What?" I blinked.

"I'm throwing myself off the cliff. It's more dramatic if you do it just as the sun rises."

"You'll get hurt." It the only thing I could think of to say.

"I'm hoping to die."

"Why?"

She gave me a look that said I was incredibly stupid. "Because. It's traditional. Besides, sunrise is when they're going to kill Chey." She paused to sob. Tears squeezed from her eyes to trickle down her cheeks.

"Who's Chey?"

"The love of my life, the man who has captured my heart. They're holding him prisoner in the castle. He told me they were going to execute them all in the morning." She wiped a tear from her cheek. "I have to go now. I want to die with him."

"Wait a minute." I took her arm again. "Chey's in the castle. As a prisoner."

She nodded. My plan might not be totally dead. Chey had to be Patrol. Why else lock him in the base? Why else would he be executed in the morning?

"They're going to kill him at dawn."

"Then we have to move fast."

She gaped. It was her turn to look stupid.

"Chey doesn't have to die, Librette. We can rescue him." I mentally crossed my fingers, desperate enough to try anything.

She nodded, wiping away a last tear as she squared her shoulders. "There's a sword in my mother's cottage. I don't know how to use it, but if it is for Chey, I will fight."

"I don't think we'll need swords. I have a better plan. You work in the castle, right? I saw you coming out this evening."

"We cook the food. I thought about poisoning it, but they watch us too closely. It would mean poisoning Chey, too." Her lip trembled.

"Can you get me inside? What time do you go in the morning?"

"Just before dawn." Her eyes went wide. "We'll have to hurry. They're going to kill him at dawn."

"Not if we can help him," I said, trying to convince her and myself I was telling the truth. "How many guards are in the castle?"

"Twenty seven. The rest left yesterday morning."

"How many prisoners are there?"

A door opened farther down the alley. A man shouted at a barking dog. Librette grabbed my sleeve, pulling me close beside a makeshift fence.

"Hush," she whispered. "We're going to need more help. My sister, Tisa, knows all sorts of things. The others in the village say she's going to burn for what she does at the inn. Momma hates it, but she doesn't complain when Tisa brings home extras. With poppa gone, every bit helps. Shh."

The door closed. The dog barked a few more times. Librette pulled me along the alley to a tiny cottage. She eased the door open.

The cottage had two rooms. I caught a glimpse of several people sleeping in the back room before Librette shut the connecting door. A single candle burned on a rickety table where a very pretty girl sat, carefully washing cosmetics off her face.

"Momma was worried sick about you, Librette," she said in a quiet voice. "Who is this?" She shot a suspicious look my direction.

"She isn't a monk, not really." Librette paused, mouth open. "What is your name? You never told me."

"I doubt you gave her a chance." The other girl pulled a clip from her dark hair, letting it fall around her face.

"My name is Dace. I hate to ask, but I need your help."

"She's going to help me rescue Chey," Librette said. "Tisa, they're going to kill him in the morning."

"Good," Tisa said flatly. "He never meant his promises, Librette. I've told you over and over not to trust him."

"You don't believe in love." Librette stuck out her bottom lip.

"Go wash. And find our guest some decent clothing." Tisa gave my monk's robe a disapproving frown.

Librette flounced outside, leaving the door open.

Tisa sighed and wiped a last smudge from her eyes. "What exactly do you want from my sister?"

"A way into the castle, nothing more."

Tisa cocked her head. "Why?"

"I need to rescue the men inside. I need their help."

"You're one of them, aren't you?"

"One of who?"

Tisa smiled, a cynical twist of her mouth. "The sky demons, or so the priests call them. The monks tell a different story." She flipped her hand at the brown robe I wore. "They're involved in this, aren't they?"

"Just about everyone is involved."

"Except my sister. She isn't part of this."

"She wants to rescue Chey."

"Chey is using her and she's too full of fantasies to realize it. He never intended to marry her. Librette stays here. I'll help you. It will probably curse my soul, but since most of the village is convinced I'm cursed already, it won't hurt."

"Why?" I couldn't help asking.

"Because of what I do at the inn. I make more money there than I could anywhere else. I was never going to marry anyway."

"I don't understand."

"You can't be that innocent. I sleep with the guests, when they want it."

"So?"

"They pay me to do wicked things with them," she said mockingly. When I didn't react, she narrowed her eyes. "Is it so different where you come from?"

"I really don't know." The whole topic made me squirm. I'd never even been kissed.

Tisa laughed. "You aren't any older than I am. Much younger in some ways."

Librette returned, carrying a bundle of clothing.

"I'll go with you," Tisa said. "Librette is going to stay here and help Momma." Her flat statement left no room for argument.

Librette sighed and nodded.

"Go find Miri and Veronica. It's for your own good, Librette."

"Chey is going to marry me." Librette tossed her hair as she left.

Tisa shook her head. "What do you need?"

"A way in. I don't really know after that."

"You aren't much good with plans, are you? Have a seat." She nudged a chair out from the table. "We have only a few hours."

"Librette says the men are going to be executed at dawn." I watched Tisa. I wasn't sure how much I trusted any information that came from Librette.

"I doubt it's at dawn. Their leader, some witch from the south, doesn't usually stir until noon. She'd want to watch."

"Then if we move fast enough, we can break them out before she wakes. What does she look like?"

"Tall, slender, brown hair, very quiet, like a snake."

"Probably Vunia." The description didn't fit Shomies. "Snake is a good description. We're going to have to be very careful."

"The men are locked in the dungeons. I can arrange to have you take them breakfast. I can get the key from the guard."

"We're going to need weapons." I shook out the clothes—skirt, blouse, and underdress, patched and faded but wearable.

"Like this?" Librette hiked her skirt up to her thigh. She pulled out a nasty little blaster and set it carefully on the table between us. "A very drunk customer left it behind a few days ago."

I picked it up, flipping the charge strip. It showed yellow, enough for three or four shots, no more. It might be enough.

"You obviously know how to use it," Tisa said. "Go ahead and change. I've got a few friends who will help. We'll see what ideas they can add."

When Librette came back, I hid the blaster under the skirt. Tisa pushed her into the back room, shutting the door. Hushed whispers came from the alley. Tisa said nothing as she walked outside. The whispers intensified.

I pulled off the robe. The underdress was short, mid thigh; it was more underwear than I'd had for days. The clothes Librette brought fit well enough. I tore a strip from the robe, then used it to tie the blaster to the inside of my leg, high enough to be out of sight, but not too far out of reach.

Tisa and her two friends came in. Tisa looked me over and nodded. "You'll need a scarf to hide your hair. We've got a plan for you."

We didn't get any sleep. They spent the rest of the night preparing. After hearing their plan, I wondered who was crazier, them for thinking it up or me for thinking it would work.

Chapter 31

My stomach filled with knots as I walked to the castle through the gray dawn light. Birds quarreled in the trees. I sweated heavily, though most of it was nerves.

The chattering girls seemed happy and excited until we reached the castle. The gate opened. Rope nooses on a scaffold swayed ominously in the muggy air. The girls filed solemnly past, their chatter silent.

The guards stopped us in the courtyard.

"Who's she?" One of them pointed. "I've never seen her before."

I raised my head so he could get a good look at the fake sores Tisa had spent hours painting on my face. He shrank away with a snort of disgust.

"She's my cousin," Tisa said. "She hasn't been well."

"Keep her away from my food," the guard growled. He laughed as he stepped out of my way.

I lurched past. I stumbled a lot and tried to look stupid. Their rude remarks followed us across the courtyard.

Girls worked everywhere in the spacious kitchen. We threaded our way through the busy maze. Tisa handed me a heavy pot.

I didn't have to fake stumbling after that. The lumpy porridge in the pot slopped over the sides with every step. Tisa led us to a well in a back courtyard. She filled a bucket with water. She nodded at three girls waiting nearby. They nodded back. We had about fifteen minutes before they started their diversion.

I followed Tisa down a stairway. I recognized the rough walls and the worn steps of the base dungeon.

One guard lounged in a creaking chair. He took one look at my face and waved me past, wrinkling his nose in disgust. Tisa stopped to flirt with him while I lurched down the passage to the cells.

I passed three empty ones, including the one I'd occupied with Dysun. I turned a corner and found what was left of Commander Nuto's men. Quite of few of them sported grimy bandages. I set the pot on the floor. The men stared sullenly. I lifted my skirt, rolling it up to get to the blaster.

"Do we get breakfast before or after the show?" one of the men grumbled.

I brandished the blaster.

"She's threatening you, Fisher," one of the other men joked.

I studied the lock. I needed the key. The blaster would make too much noise. I was suddenly aware of silence. I looked at a ring of faces clustered around the door.

"Anyone have a spare key?" I asked.

"It's the Enforcer spy," Fisher said. "Are you here to break us out?"

Shouts and screams sounded from beyond the tiny windows. The diversion had begun.

I rattled the lock and swore.

The guard rushed around the corner, tying his breeches shut as he ran. "Hey, what are you doing there?"

Tisa smashed his abused chair over his head. I rolled out of the way as he collapsed.

"He doesn't have the key." Tisa kicked him.

"Stand back." I pointed the blaster at the lock. I sincerely hoped the explosion wouldn't be noticed. I squeezed the trigger. Energy arced, smashing into the lock.

It held, a bit soft on the edges but still in one piece. The bars weren't as strong. The door slowly tilted out, then crashed on top of the guard. The men swarmed out of the cell and down the passage, Tisa at the front. I ran after them, the smoking blaster in my hand.

The castle was in utter chaos. Vunia's men took a sound beating from the village girls. The Patrol dished out their own punishment. I ran past the fighting mobs. Good thing I hadn't spent half the night planning an attack, no one would have listened to me anyway. I ran into the courtyard.

The gates exploded. I ducked into a doorway. Splinters of wood and bits of iron shot past. Screams echoed across the courtyard. Villagers brandishing pitchforks streamed through the smoking remains of the gates, followed by a team of horses and a wagon. I stifled the urge to laugh hysterically when I saw their leader. Dysun posed dramatically on top of the wagon holding a sword in the air.

"Save your daughters!" His accent was atrocious. "Eat the daisies!"

The horses bolted across the courtyard. Dysun waved his arms for balance. Turnips spilled across the pavement. A blaster shot came from a window high on a side wall, striking the wagon and setting it ablaze. The horses ran faster, barreling over knots of fighting villagers and Vunia's men. Dysun tumbled from the bed of the wagon, rolling out with more turnips.

He scrambled away, diving behind a stack of crates. The blazing wagon tipped over in front of the gates. The horses disappeared down the road outside.

Boots pounded across the floor behind me. I darted into the courtyard. A blaster shot seared the flagstones in front of me. I hid behind a row of barrels.

The man firing wore Pardui's uniform. I took careful aim with my blaster. Three men and an older woman tumbled over me, knocking me down. A blaster shot hit the barrels. We scattered to new shelters.

I skinned my knees as I skidded behind a stack of crates. I rolled backwards as more blaster bolts scored the cobbles. Answering fire came from the roof. Dysun slid behind the boxes, grinning like a maniac through the soot on his face.

"What were you thinking?" I shouted.

"I was helping you." A belligerent frown replaced his grin.

"How did you ever get the villagers to follow you? You don't even speak their language!"

"He helped me do it!" Dysun pointed over his shoulder. "It was actually his idea."

Will sprinted towards us. Shots traced his boots along the cobbles. He dove, landing neatly next to Dysun. More blaster shots took off the top layer of boxes.

"Through that door, now!" I pointed at the doorway to the stables.

Glass exploded in the crates. The three of us scrambled for the dubious shelter of the doorway.

The door was barred. I took my blaster to it, then kicked it open. Panicked horses danced and squealed.

"Go let them out, Dysun," I ordered.

He glared, but went to do it.

"Should I help Dysun?" Will Scarlet asked. His green outfit looked rather worse for wear.

"Who are you really?"

"Robin's assistant professor of linguistics," he said cheerfully. "I really don't think we should stay here much longer."

"Do I dare ask how you got mixed up with Dysun?"

"I was looking for you and found him instead. He told me you were going to pull some harebrained scheme so we decided to help."

Dysun herded horses into the courtyard.

"Eat the daisies?"

"His accent is terrible. He was supposed to say attack now. All a matter of vowels. The villagers think he's a mercenary from far-off Slovania. I had to teach him a few phrases. We didn't have much time to work on pronunciation."

The horses added considerably to the confusion. Smoke and flames filled the air. Blaster shots arced across the courtyard from time to time. People ran back and forth, screaming and beating each other.

"Main hall." Will pointed across the courtyard at a building just beginning to spew smoke. "That's where they are gathering."

"Those doors, the ones with the big ugly men in front of them?"

Will nodded.

Pardui's men edged out. They dragged three of the girls through the doorway, shoving them to the front.

The courtyard stilled. The horses broke through the gate and galloped away. The men held the girls as shields.

"We want out," one said loudly. "Let us pass or they die."

One of the girls was Librette. Bruises colored her face. She whimpered.

I stepped away from the stable, the blaster hidden in my skirt.

The men pulled the girls closer. Knives glittered in their hands.

"Let them go." I had to stop them. It was my fault for getting Librette and her friends involved.

"Why?" Vunia stepped through the crowd of men. She aimed a blaster at my head. "This time, Dace, you are going to die."

"Not before you do." I pulled the blaster out of my skirt and fired.

Vunia stared in disbelief as she crumpled to the cobbles, her middle burned away. The men stared in shock.

I turned the blaster on them. "Let the girls go." The blaster's charge flickered red.

"She can't kill us all," one of the men muttered.

"No, but I can kill quite a few before you get me. Who wants to be first?"

They hesitated. I aimed the blaster, pointing it at one and then another of them. One of the men finally swore and dropped his knife. The girl he held scurried out of reach. The other men followed suit.

"Drop the knives, then kneel down with your hands on your heads." I had no idea what to do with them. I hoped someone would enforce my orders. How long before Pardui's men realized I held them hostage with an empty blaster?

Will and Dysun came to my rescue, using rope from the stable to tie the men. The Patrol rounded up the rest, helped by villagers and the girls, adding them to the string of prisoners.

"What do we do with them, sir?" one of the Patrol asked as he saluted me. "Ma'am," he added uncertainly.

"I don't know." My arm sagged; the blaster dropped to the cobbles. "What do you want to do with them?"

"We have control of the base." He wiped soot from his cheek. "What's left of it. The com unit is destroyed. The rest of the buildings are on fire."

"Give them to the villagers. Let them hand out justice. Most of the men are natives." I'd just shot someone point blank and faced down a mob with a useless weapon. I stared at Vunia's body sprawled on the cobbles. She had been a rotten person, but she had still been a person. I'd never shot a person before. I didn't like the sick twisting in my belly. I closed my eyes and still saw Vunia's body on the cobbles.

"Dace," Dysun said urgently.

I opened my eyes, blinking them into focus. The Patrol tied Dysun and Will to the string of prisoners.

"Tell them, Dace," Dysun urged.

The fog around me snapped. Vunia was dead. I killed her in self-defense. I could pity myself later. "They are both with me. Let them go."

"This one is a known pirate, sir." The man dragged Dysun into the line of prisoners.

"I know. He also happens to work for me."

"This is highly irregular," the man objected.

"Everything on this rotten planet is irregular. Let him go. Let them both go."

The man slowly untied the two of them. Will smiled wryly.

I looked over the string of Pardui's men, I had an idea. "Ensign."

A trooper looked up from his knots.

I deliberately spoke Basic. "Take them outside and shoot them all."

He nodded. Five of the Patrol came over, three holding blasters.

"Untie this one, and this one," I said as I walked the line of prisoners.

"You told us to shoot them," the ensign objected.

"Only the ones who speak Basic. The others you can untie." I pointed out more.

"You're dangerous when you get ideas, Dace." Will slouched nonchalantly, hands in his pockets.

"Take those men out and shoot them. Give the others to the villagers." I waved my hands. I didn't want to be in charge. All I could think about was Vunia's body on the cobbles and Tayvis in Leran's hands. The gates collapsed, sending sparks shooting off in all directions. "Gather everyone and meet me in the meadow." I pointed randomly.

Men bellowed my orders, herding people different directions. They formed several squads, then swept the burning buildings for any survivors. The villagers marched to their village, half of Pardui's men dragging in their wake.

"We ought to go before the other gate burns down." Dysun tugged my elbow.

We found a patch of shade under the only tree on the north side of the castle. Streamers of thick smoke poured into the summer sky. Dysun and Will found me a big rock to sit on. I tried not to think about Vunia.

The Patrol mustered around the tree. Some of the men were detailed to go find water, others sent to carry supplies salvaged from the wreckage of the castle.

"Sir? Ma'am?" The Patrol officer saluted. "What are we supposed to call you?"

"Captain Dace?"

He snapped to attention. "Lieutenant Harborl reporting, Captain."

"Forget that. Just tell me how many men are left."

He stayed rigidly at attention. "Eighteen men are fit for duty. Another twelve are injured seriously enough to need care. Five are dead."

"Only five? I'm surprised. What about the villagers?"

"What about them, sir?"

"Send someone down to find out how many of them are missing or dead." I looked behind me at my shadows. "How about you two brave mercenaries?"

Will flipped a salute, then sauntered off. Dysun shot suspicious glances at me as he followed.

"You really shouldn't trust them, sir."

"I don't trust anyone," I answered.

"I'm curious, sir. How did you get our message so fast?"

"I didn't, Lieutenant. I came because I need your help. Where is Commander Nuto?"

"Shomies Pardui has him. If he is still alive. He was wounded pretty badly in the fighting. When she came and took over the castle." He watched me a moment. "Sir," he added.

"How did I end up in charge?"

He shrugged, uncertain.

I sighed. It wasn't worth the arguments if I tried to put someone else in charge. I wanted their help, now all I had to do was order it.

"Lieutenant Harborl, is there a Chey in your men somewhere?"

"The dark one, down there." He waved at the men sorting supplies.

"Good. Have the men gather the supplies and the wounded and transfer everything to the village." I stood. Harborl hadn't moved. "Did you hear me?"

"Why, sir?"

"There's an inn where the wounded will be much more comfortable. There's some other business that needs attended to as well. And then the rest of us are leaving. Do I have to be more clear or will you just do it?" I tilted my head, looking up at him. Did the Patrol recruit tall men on purpose? "Am I in charge or not?"

"Yes, sir." He snapped another salute. He marched away, shouting orders in a crisp voice.

I walked to the village. The men rigged litters and carried those too hurt to walk. Others carried awkward bundles of supplies.

People bustled through the village. Those of Pardui's men who hadn't been executed by the Patrol were tied in a long line in a field. They looked hot and thirsty. I couldn't feel much sympathy. Let the villagers decide what to do with their own countrymen, I told myself. I'd dealt with the ones Pardui had imported. Now I had their deaths on my conscience. The sight of Vunia's body would haunt my dreams. It was self-defense. I didn't feel any less guilty.

The villagers muttered together as the Patrol arrived to set up camp in the main square. Lieutenant Harborl strode over to me, every inch the proper Patrol man, except for his dirty, tattered uniform. He saluted crisply.

"Don't do that."

He ignored my comment. "Where do we station the wounded, sir?"

I turned to the nearest villager. "Where's the inn?"

"You can't put demons there," the villager protested. By some lucky chance, I'd grabbed the innkeeper out of the crowd.

"The demons have been executed. Where is the inn?"

The man grumbled and pointed to a large building at the end of the main street.

"Put the wounded there."

The innkeeper's face flushed red. He glared angrily.

"You'll be paid a fair price." I glanced around. "Will Scarlet, pay the man."

Will held out his empty hands. "With what?"

"That's your problem, isn't it?" I smiled brightly. "How many of the villagers were hurt?"

He shrugged as he dug through his pockets.

"You," I pointed at a man at random, "have the villagers gather here and the men muster in ranks. You have fifteen minutes."

The man protested.

"Just do it," I said, cutting him off.

He looked at the men around him. They grumbled and got to their feet.

"You really should pay attention to rank if you're going to lead them." Will sifted through a handful of coins. "That should be sufficient."

The innkeeper bowed, smiling, as he clutched the money. He trotted to his inn, bellowing for his cook to start the fires.

"Did you overpay him?" I asked.

"Of course. That's the only way to guarantee the men will actually get fed and looked after properly. You owe me for that. Dace, I have news you aren't going to like."

"Well?"

"Not here, it's too public."

I glared at the men around us. They found things to do farther away.

"Give it to me. Just talk quietly." I was tired, hungry, and through playing games. I'd just killed a person and ordered a dozen more executed. I wanted to go back to my sane life; away from the madness that got worse the longer I stayed on Dadilan.

Will shuffled his feet. He spoke quietly. "Pardui has Commander Nuto and most of his officers in custody, as you have already found out. She also has someone named Blake. I don't know if he's a prisoner or not."

"Probably not." Knowing Ricard Blake's silver tongue and charm, I guessed he had talked himself into Pardui's confidence.

"I don't think you know about Gerant Clyvus. He's holding Robin and most of his leaders. John Littlebottomford sold us out. That should void his research assistant's contract."

"Leran, Pardui, and Clyvus? What are they doing?" All three of the villains together, could I ask for better luck? Or worse?

"Arguing, mostly."

"You got word from the monastery. Is Tayvis . . . And Commander Nuto," I added hastily, as my face grew hot, "are they all right?"

"They're still alive and breathing. That question seems like a lot more than professional interest."

"It's none of your business." Knowing Tayvis still lived made me all the more impatient to be moving.

Will winked. I turned away. The men mustered in the square. The villagers gathered on the opposite side. The old geezers who had teased me before sat on their bench.

I sucked in a breath. I was about to really break protocol. "Which one of you is Chey?"

"I am, sir," A man stepped forward, tall, dark-haired, and handsome, of course.

"Congratulations." I smiled at him.

"Sir?" He swallowed nervously.

"You're getting married."

Chapter 32

Librette rushed past, throwing herself on Chey with a squeal of joy. He tried to push her away, his face blanching.

"You aren't serious," Chey protested in Basic.

"I am very serious," I replied in the native language. "You are either going to marry her or you are going to explain, in full detail, why you can't. I'm sure her mother would love to hear it."

"But."

"You promised her, didn't you?"

"I didn't, that is not quite." He babbled in Basic. "It's just something that, you know." He wilted. "I can't stay here for life and she can't come with me."

"You should have thought of that before you promised her anything." I had no sympathy for him and too much for Librette. "Start talking, Chey."

Librette's mother beamed proudly, though her eyes betrayed worry.

The troopers grinned, chuckling over Chey's misfortune. They shifted nervously as I smiled at them.

"Does anyone else have a sweetheart in the village? Did anyone else promise anything to these innocent young girls?"

No one spoke.

"I'll just ask the girls, then. Did these men promise your daughters anything? Because if they did, they are going to keep their promises or find a way to make it even with you."

Several girls stepped forward, claiming sweethearts from the troopers. The rest of the Patrol whistled and shouted catcalls.

"Enough of that," I shouted. "Those who were smart enough not to promise anything foolish, gather the gear. We're moving out in half an hour. Those of you with girls had better start talking."

"And say what?" Chey demanded. "Clause six of paragraph four, article sixty-two, states—"

"I don't give a fig what the rules state. These people already know all about other worlds. You tell these girls the truth or I'll let them beat it out of you. With my help." I stalked to the shade of the one limp, dusty tree. The morning was hot and I wanted to leave.

"Do you know how many regulations you just broke?" Will leaned against the trunk.

I deliberately unclenched my fist. I wanted to beat the grin off his face, but I needed his help and I'd had enough violence for one day.

"I don't care." I really didn't. "Did you talk with Roland at all? These people know they aren't native to this world. They know about other worlds and other people." I waved vaguely at the sky.

"I've been tracing rumors for two years without any luck. How did you do it in less than two weeks?"

"Stupid, blind luck I guess." I closed my eyes. "I hate this planet."

He patted my shoulder and made some excuse of finding Dysun.

Boots crunched across the dusty road. I opened my eyes again. All I saw with them closed was Vunia.

"I was sent with breakfast for you, sir." Lieutenant Harlborl had tidied his uniform and washed his face. He set a tray next to the tree on the dry, dusty grass that had somehow survived. He stood stiffly, as if waiting for permission.

I sighed and motioned that he could sit.

He sat. "Beg to report that the wounded are comfortable in the inn. The men are being fed. We'll be ready to leave within the hour."

I ate the bread and cheese. He'd even found a bottle of wine. It wasn't very good, but it didn't matter. I drank it. Anything to blur the memory of Vunia's body and the smell of charred flesh.

"The men are a little upset about this marriage business," Harborl said after a moment.

"Their problem. They shouldn't be promising things they don't mean."

"It's the way soldiers are," he said earnestly. "We make promises, have a little fun, and then, move on to the next assignment. There's no harm done."

I choked on my bread. "No harm done? Did you know Librette was ready to kill herself when she thought Chey was going to be executed? It does all sorts of harm to the girls you leave behind. Did you ever think of that?"

"They're thinking of that now," another soldier said as he sprawled in the shade near me. "Sergeant Clay." He was older, his hair grizzled with gray. He wore an impressive set of bandages. "Other than the Lieutenant here, I'm the highest ranking officer still around." He picked grit from his ear.

"And what am I supposed to do about that?"

"Give me orders." Sergeant Clay grinned, showing me his teeth. "You're supposed to be a major or something, so you outrank the rest of us. What do you want us to do?"

"Invade a monastery. The monks will help. There's a man there by the name of Robin. If we can rescue him, he has enough men for the rest of it."

"What rest of it?" Harlborl asked.

"Getting Nuto and Tayvis free and putting Pardui and Leran where they belong."

"What about the noninterference clauses?" Harlborl's face pinched with disapproval. "We can't interfere in matters of planetary politics. We're here to monitor the trade in shara."

"Then you're doing a lousy job. Pardui and Leran are both smuggling it and have been for years. And I don't care about any of your clauses."

Sergeant Clay laughed.

Harlborl stared. "You aren't really Patrol, are you?" he accused me with just enough doubt in his voice that I knew he wasn't sure.

I gave him my nastiest smile. "Let's move out. We have a long march." I stood, leaving the remains of my lunch under the tree.

The villagers watched me, faces grim, as I gathered the Patrol.

"They really ought to marry before they leave," Librette's mother announced firmly. "Who's to say they'll come back and honor their promises later?"

Chey sweated buckets. He swallowed hard and gave me a pleading look as he tried to pry Librette's possessive hands free of his arm.

"Who has the authority around here?" I asked.

"The Father comes through twice a year," one of the old geezers said, leaning forward to spit a glob of snot.

"That's a problem, isn't it?" I frowned.

Chey pulled Librette's hands loose. "I have to go."

She pouted prettily.

"Captain Dace!"

Two of the Patrol carried Roland, his robe stained with blood and dirt. They dragged him into the shade, then let go. He sagged to the ground. I moved to catch him, but Will got there first.

"Get a medic and something for him to drink," I ordered.

Will set him gently under the tree. "What happened, Roland?"

Roland moaned. "There are a dozen more monks on the hill. When we saw the smoke from the castle, we feared the worst."

"I did it," I admitted. "Pardui's men had taken it. They aren't a problem anymore. The fire was a bit of an accident."

Roland wheezed. I pounded his back, concerned, until I realized he was laughing. The medic hurried over with his kit.

"What of the others?" Roland said as the medic cleaned his cuts. "Some of them are hurt badly."

"You," I pointed to a random villager. "Fetch more of the village men and go rescue the monks."

The man nodded and waved to others in the crowd.

"They are near the ridge top, on the deer trail." Roland winced as the medic scrubbed his head.

The villagers hurried away.

The Patrol waited for orders, including Chey, still trying to pry Librette's hands off his arm.

I grinned at Roland. "Can you perform marriages?"

"But, of course. Why?"

"It's for a good cause. How soon? By lunch?"

"Give him an hour to rest," the medic said.

"Two," Will said over my shoulder. "Politics, Dace. Just trust me on this."

Roland performed a simple ceremony mid-afternoon.

The villagers insisted on serving a wedding feast for the five newly married couples. Chey hardly ate. He picked at his food nervously. Sergeant Clay sat beside me during the feast. He slapped me on the back several times, congratulating me on my cleverness.

We finally got everyone organized. We left several weeping, but ecstatic, girls behind. Librette kissed Chey good-bye, quite thoroughly, to his embarrassment. The villagers waved as we marched up the hill in parade ground ranks. Our company consisted of twenty three troopers, Will, Dysun, me, Roland, and four monks. We left the wounded in the care of the villagers.

Once over the top, out of sight of the village, we lapsed into a less orderly group, spreading along a trail winding through a stand of trees. It forked into three trails leading off in different directions.

"Which way, Roland?" I asked.

He led us down the left path. I edged my way forward to walk with him. We had to plan something and he knew more than the rest about the monastery.

"How far away is it?" I asked.

He squinted at the sky. "Another three hours of walking at this pace. Sunset is in about an hour. How are you going to free them?"

"I don't know. I've been making it up as I go. Tell me what to expect."

"The prisoners are in the storerooms on the lower floor of the east side. There's a passage into that general area from a set of caves. The entrance is halfway up a cliff to the north."

"How many guards do they have?"

"A hundred or so."

I looked at my thirty and wondered how effective we could really be. Maybe if we had surprise and lots of luck.

"Sergeant Clay," I called. "What weapons do we have?"

He hurried forward. "Five blasters, most of them more than half discharged, a dozen swords, and some knives."

I swore.

Sergeant Clay grinned.

"Bad?" Roland asked.

"Are there any weapons in the monastery?"

"None, except for what they brought with them." He frowned. "There are some things in the room with the Voice. No one really knows what they're for. They might be weapons from the Landing time."

"We really need to talk," Will said, edging between me and the monk

"I get to talk with him first." I nudged Will out of the way. "So far I've got a possible secret passage through a cave. What does the monastery look like?"

Roland described it in minute detail. With each sentence, I grew more depressed. The place was built like a fortress. No one had ever taken it from the monks until now.

"How did Clyvus manage?" I asked.

"Trickery. He bribed one of the monks. The man was excommunicated yesterday. He sold us out for mere money." Roland kicked a rock into a bush. "He could have at least sold us out for a trip to the other worlds."

"How did Leran and Pardui get in?"

"They blew the gates apart."

"Then we can get in that way."

"They have some sort of device that shimmers and blocks the entire front of the monastery from attack. Nothing can get through."

I swore again. They had a force field generator. "Did you notice a box? It would be silvery with buttons and lights on top, about this big." I held my hands out.

Roland nodded. "I think I saw something like that in the bell tower."

The bell tower rose maybe a hundred feet and housed the bell and not much else, the perfect place to put a generator. A set of rickety stairs gave the only access to the bell. The force field could easily shroud half the monastery. Brute force and direct frontal attack would be suicide. We would have to be sneaky.

"Sergeant Clay, pick out four men to serve as squad commanders. I want men who can think for themselves. If they need to be promoted, I'll promote them." I was screwing the whole military system, but I really didn't give a half-cooked rat about it.

"Right away." Clay saluted.

I was honored. I ignored the shocked glare from Harborl.

"What are you going to do?" Will asked, watching the sergeant move among the men.

"Set up camp and think of a way to get the monastery back that won't get us all killed."

We stopped in a tiny valley that Roland assured me was only a short walk from the monastery. Sergeant Clay brought three men to my fire. Harborl wasn't one of them. He sulked alone next to what he termed the officer's fire.

"I want to be one of your commanders," Clay said as he and the others sat.

"Fine, as of now, all of you are Lieutenants, first class, or whatever."

They traded grins.

"What's your plan, sir?" Clay asked.

I explained my plan. It had a lot of holes.

They chewed it over and made their own refinements. The depth of their deviousness impressed me. With Roland's help, we devised a way of taking the monastery. Whether it would still be standing when we finished was a matter of debate.

Clay plucked his lip. "It would be certain if we had twice the men."

"What of the rest of Robin's men?" I asked Roland. "Aren't they in the hills above the monastery?"

"We met them coming to the village." Roland stirred the campfire, adding more wood.

I shifted away. The dancing flames gave me the shivers.

"John Littlebottomford said they were going home to Sherwood where they belonged."

Will cursed. "John Littlebottomford is a sniveling weasel with all the morals of a lizard. I thought I discredited him with the men."

"Would he have sold out to Pardui?"

"No, he sold out to Clyvus. It makes sense. He was always off on solitary gathering trips. He'd come back with a purse full of money and contraband from off-world. I didn't think much of it until you and Tayvis came to our camp. John was conveniently absent for quite a while."

I stood, brushing leaves from my skirt. "Come on, Will. You, too, Roland. We have to find that weasel and convince Robin's men to help us."

Sergeant Clay lifted a blaster in one hand and a pair of cuffs in the other and winked. I nodded. It would be nice to have real authority on my side.

"Lieutenant Harlborl, you're in charge. If I'm not back in three days, find some way to get Patrol reinforcements and burn the monastery down."

"Captain Dace." Harlborl stood stiffly at attention, his hand to his forehead in a crisp salute.

We headed out of the camp into the dark night. Dysun appeared at my elbow, his chin set stubbornly.

"Their camp was over those ridges." Roland waved at the vague outline of mountains in the distance.

We picked our way through bushes and over rocks. We climbed cliffs and waded rivers. The moons were well overhead when I finally called a halt.

"Just where are they?" I winced as I rubbed the scrapes on my hands. Climbing mountains in the dark in a dress was not one of my better ideas. I'd have changed earlier if I'd thought about it. I hadn't and now I was stuck in a skirt.

Sergeant Clay clambered up a tree.

"We passed their old camp an hour ago," Roland said. "We shouldn't be far from their new one."

"It's over the next ridge." Sergeant Clay slithered down. "I saw camp fires."

"With our luck it's someone else," I muttered. "Let's go."

We scrambled over another dozen cliffs and forded more streams. We entered a forest of pines so thick the moonlight couldn't penetrate, leaving us in complete darkness.

"Hold hands," Will whispered.

"Who's leading?" I asked.

"Sergeant Clay. He has a pair of goggles." Will took my hand.

"Why didn't he tell me?" With the goggles, he could see with the faintest trace of light.

"Watch out for the log," Will warned.

I tripped and would have fallen if he hadn't caught me. He wrapped his arm around my waist.

"I think I see what Tayvis finds so attractive," he whispered as he squeezed me close.

I shoved him away. He took my hand, pulling me farther into the dark forest. I promised I would find some way to humiliate him later.

We finally broke through into a meadow, bathed in silvery moonlight. We paused at the treeline. Fires burned low on the far side, outlining sentries standing watch.

"What now?" Sergeant Clay whispered in my ear.

"Will, can you get us an audience?"

"John would happily stick a knife in my ribs."

"What if we woke the whole camp? How loyal are they to John?"

"Not very."

"Permission to proceed." Sergeant Clay didn't wait, he pulled something from a pouch, tossing it into the meadow.

We waited, holding our collective breath.

The flash and boom of a flare disrupted the peaceful night. The camp came alive. Someone stirred the fires; flames danced high. Men ran back and forth, shouting.

"Was that really necessary?" Someone else might have detected the explosion.

"Woke them up, didn't it?" Sergeant Clay scrambled away before I could catch him, running across the meadow. He stopped near the blinding flare. "Men of Sherwood!"

The men in the camp stopped, swords held ready.

"You are about to be visited by a great wizard!" Sergeant Clay paused, then added, "Wizardess!"

I groaned. I looked like I washed dishes in a bar.

"Does he know that these men have met you?" Will asked.

"Would one of you please go stop him?"

"I think you need to go," Will said. "We're right behind you."

He and Dysun hustled me into the light of the flare. Roland followed, chanting loudly. Robin's men stared as if we were all completely insane. Their swords lowered. A few of them laughed.

"On your knees, dogs," Sergeant Clay bellowed.

I caught him in the ribs with an elbow. "That is enough. Thank you, sergeant."

He rubbed his bruised ribs.

Robin's men howled with laughter.

"Show some respect!" Sergeant Clay planted his fists on his hips.

"Give it up, Clay," Will said, not unkindly, "They've already met her."

Puzzled, Sergeant Clay looked from me to the hysterically laughing men.

"Come on," I said, pacing forward. "They are definitely awake now."

The laughter died abruptly as a man shoved his way to the front. He towered over the men, posing at the edge of the flare's light. He was covered with dark hair. Everywhere. It grew out of his open shirt front like a trapped animal. He glared. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" His deep voice made Clay sound high-pitched and weak.

"Hello, John," Will stepped in front. "This is Dace, of the Patrol Enforcers. We're here to arrest you and rescue Robin."

The night erupted into total chaos.

Chapter 33

The men were more loyal to Robin and Will than to John, but they still needed convinced. John fought hard, dishing out plenty of black eyes and bloody noses. I found myself back to back with Dysun, beating people over the head with branches. Sergeant Clay arrested anyone and everyone who tried to belt him. Roland chanted hymns while he bashed heads. He grinned like a maniac.

The men surrendered before too long, those who still supported John. The others enthusiastically trussed John head to foot in rope. The sheer volume of rope available on Dadilan amazed me. Sergeant Clay, proudly sporting a black eye and a split lip, produced a pair of force cuffs and slapped them on John's wrists.

"John Littlebottomford, you are under arrest for violation of your research grant, ordinances sixty-three through seventy-eight, fourteen, twenty-seven, forty-two, eight, and three subclauses of thirty-four. And," Clay yanked the cuffs savagely, "For being in the company of men who can't be described except in language unfitting for a woman's ears. Even if she swears like an engineer herself."

"Who wants to help us rescue Robin?" I shouted over the hubbub. Instant silence fell. "I'm busting him out and I need help."

They shouted, waving swords and bows in the air, all of them except John. Even his supporters cheered, switching loyalties. They scrambled to pack their gear.

I realized just how tired I was when I sat down on a handy rock. I'd been going since dawn the day before. I yawned widely. Despite the urgent need to rescue Tayvis, I couldn't go any farther. Leran hadn't killed him yet, if I believed Roland's report. Another day wouldn't make much difference.

"Sergeant," I called.

"We'll be ready to march within the hour, Captain." Clay crouched by my rock.

"What will Lieutenant Harlborl do if we don't show until sundown?"

"Probably sit around and wonder what to do."

"Good. I'm going to sleep. Find me a blanket."

"We'll leave later?"

I didn't answer. I slept, leaning against the rock.

As Clay predicted, Lieutenant Harlborl hadn't done anything when we finally returned to camp late that afternoon. I'd slept most of the morning and felt much better for it.

We walked into camp without any trouble. Harlborl hadn't even posted a sentry. Sergeant Clay lit into him, lecturing him on safety procedures for a hostile world.

Robin's men materialized from the trees. They'd been invisible on the hike back, fading silently into the woods. John appeared, wrapped in ropes and cuffed and looking even more battered. Robin's men seated him on a log with lots of branches poking up.

I called the leaders Clay had chosen and held a quick meeting. Will Scarlet became the leader of Robin's men. We revised our plans.

"Unless someone knocks out their force field, none of this will do any good. It has to be done from the inside," one of the leaders pointed out. "We did some scouting today when you didn't come back. The field covers the entire outer wall."

"We could send someone in through the tunnels to knock it out," Clay said.

"I could go in." Roland volunteered.

Neither plan had much chance of working. I chewed my knuckle while they debated other ways to knock out the generator.

We finally decided to send Roland in the front and three others through the tunnel. Roland drew maps of the caves.

The plan left me uneasy. The chances of anyone, even Roland, sneaking around the monastery unnoticed were very low. I couldn't think of a better plan, though.

We turned in for the night. Sergeant Clay ensured the sentries knew the penalty for falling asleep at their posts. I rolled in my blanket on the lumpy ground and had nightmares.

Dysun shook my shoulder urgently.

I groaned, rubbing eyes that ached from lack of sleep. "It's still night, Dysun."

"There's something you have to see."

"All right, I'm awake." I followed Dysun through the sleeping camp.

He spoke to one of the sentries as we crossed out of the camp into the woods.

I followed him silently, my brain still sleeping. He led me up the ridge, then down the other side. We followed it around a valley before climbing another ridge.

"Where are we going?" I asked, stopping for breath. The sky was streaked with pink and orange. I shivered in the cool dawn breeze.

Dysun grinned over his shoulder, walking down the far slope. I sighed and followed.

The monastery came into view, cupped in the valley below us. Smoke rose lazily from a chimney. The bawling of goats carried faintly on the breeze.

We stopped at the edge of the trees near the bottom of the slope. I turned to Dysun, waiting for an explanation.

"Sorry, Dace." He leveled a blaster at my belly. "Down the road and right to the front gates."

I walked; he gave me little choice. I fumed over his betrayal. "Do you know what a snake you are?"

He pushed the blaster against my back to keep me moving. I swore under my breath as we approached the monastery walls. I stopped when I heard dust sizzle from the force field.

"Clyvus!" Dysun shouted. We waited for a response.

"You're going to pay for this," I said.

Dysun shoved me. "I've got something you want!"

A head peered over the wall. We waited. After a while, the shimmer of the force field died. A smaller door, set into the gate, creaked open.

"Trust me," Dysun whispered as he pushed me through the door.

I stared down the barrels of a dozen blasters. Dysun grabbed my hair. I kicked his shins until he shoved his blaster muzzle into my face. The door behind us swung shut, latching with a loud thump. The force field sizzled.

"If it isn't Dysun Farr." Clyvus looked as arrogant and conceited as he had when he had eyed me as potential merchandise on the slaver's wagon. "And just what have you brought that I want so badly? I do admit the woman does look slightly familiar."

Despite the earliness of the hour, people congregated around us. The first light of day touched the bell tower.

"You vermin!" Pardui shoved her way past the gunmen to slam her hand across my face.

My head snapped to the side. I tasted blood.

Dysun pushed Pardui away.

"Give her to me!" Pardui's perfect skin wrinkled in anger.

"I demand my share." Leran's icy voice cut across Pardui's. "The woman has caused me much trouble and inflicted considerable cost."

"She is a demon! I demand the right to burn her at the stake with holy men present so she cannot escape her rightful death." Baron Molier pointed, his eyes gleaming with righteous fervor.

"We left a priest with her the last time." Leran eyed me with his glacial green eyes.

"You burned my lodge," the Baron said. "You assured me that she could not escape. She is indeed a demon with all the powers of darkness at her command."

"She is a spy and a thief," Pardui interrupted. "It is my right to behead her. And my pleasure."

I should have been flattered to have people fighting over me. I wasn't.

"Enough of this," Clyvus finally said. "You brought her here, Dysun, tell me why I should care?"

"She's Patrol. She's the Enforcer's partner."

He could have dropped a bomb. It wouldn't have had a greater effect. Clyvus' eyes narrowed nastily.

"Here's my deal," Dysun continued. "You give me my men, what's left of them, and my ship. I give you the spy."

"Here's my deal," Clyvus countered. "You hand her over anyway or both of you die."

Dysun raised his blaster, aiming at Clyvus' head. The gunmen raised their weapons. We were seconds from being incinerated.

"I want my ship," Dysun said, his voice as cold and hard as the blaster he held.

Clyvus studied Dysun and his blaster. Then, he laughed. "You can have your ship and your men, on one condition."

Dysun tightened his hand in my hair.

I winced at the pain.

"You work for me," Clyvus continued. "I run a large smuggling operation. I could use another captain of your skill."

"Under what conditions?"

"You give me the spy, first of all. You get a thirty percent split of all profits on cargo you run."

"I get one hundred percent now, why should I work for you?"

"Bigger cargoes, higher profits, and protection from Patrol hassling. You also get to leave this world. Alive."

Dysun lowered his gun. "Accepted." Dysun released my hair and stepped away.

I hoped he and Clyvus strangled on their agreement.

Pardui and the Baron lunged at the same time. I dodged them both and came up against Clyvus.

"She is mine to dispose of." Clyvus hauled me to one side.

Leran and Pardui exchanged cold glances. Baron Molier stamped his foot in frustration.

"Good morning," a cheerfully refined voice chirped behind Clyvus. "What's the noise about, Gerant?"

Clyvus dragged me around to face Ricard Blake.

Ricard's smile brightened. "If it isn't the charming young woman with such skill at reading maps. Why are you dragging her around like that, Gerant? Are the guns really so necessary?"

"She's Patrol, sir," Clyvus said, trying to sound polite and barely succeeding.

"Bad joke, Gerant." Blake frowned. "You did send me straight into the Patrol headquarters, didn't you?"

"An accident," I said and got shaken for it. Clyvus wasn't gentle.

Blake's smile perked up.

I angled for his sympathy. "Did you find your fountain?"

Blake glanced around, trying to hide a guilty start. "Obviously she's been a bit touched by the sun. You ought to put her somewhere nice and cool for a while."

"What fountain, Ricard?" Clyvus didn't need a knife, his voice sliced through the morning air like a razor.

"Only an old legend, my friend. Dysun, my old companion, it is good to see you again." Ricard brushed past.

All hope of escape drained away.

Clyvus escorted me through the monastery buildings, trailed by his men. Pardui and Leran sauntered off in a different direction. I smelled a conspiracy brewing, but I wasn't about to help Clyvus by pointing it out.

We passed through halls and climbed multiple sets of stairs before exiting onto a roof. Clyvus dragged me across it to the outer wall. We walked along the top to another building.

"This place needs more cells," Clyvus complained.

We entered a squat tower that boasted a rickety ladder rising to a hole in the ceiling.

"Up the ladder."

I climbed. Clyvus yanked the ladder away when I reached the top. I scrambled through the hole, then peered down. It was a long way to try jumping, but not impossible.

"Don't think of trying," Clyvus warned as if he could read my mind. "Not unless you want me to turn you over to the Baron. I've always wanted to see someone burned alive on purpose. Is it the same as getting caught in an engine flare? I'd imagine it would be much worse, slower and more painful."

I drew back from the hole.

"There will be guards around to see you if you try." Clyvus gathered his men and left.

I lay on my belly, studying the room below. The only exit was the doorway onto the roof. Even if Clyvus hadn't left guards, I would be awfully exposed.

Waist high walls circled the tower. Slender wooden pillars supported the peaked roof. I leaned out. Long shadows stretched across the valley below. A herd of goats milled outside the monastery walls.

The view out the other side wasn't nearly as attractive. Clyvus drilled his men in the main courtyard. They had more weapons than an illegal mercenary bazaar, everything from blasters and rocket bombs to swords and arrows. I hoped Sergeant Clay could work miracles. He was going to need one.

I leaned against the wooden wall. My cell contained a bucket of tainted water, a few dusty leaves and twigs. Three birds nested in the roof, watching me warily with beady eyes. I wondered if Clyvus meant to starve me to death. It didn't matter. I was dead as long as I was in his hands. I had to escape. I racked my brain all morning, but couldn't think of any way that didn't involve me getting shot or burned alive.

Robin's men should be stationed on the slope, just beyond the goat pasture. Clay and three teams should be entering the caves soon. The others should be constructing catapults and battering rams for the gates. I paced across the tower to watch Clyvus' men, but they had retreated inside to escape the afternoon heat. I slumped against the wall.

A ladder slammed into the opening. Roland's shaved and balding head appeared. Three men with nasty looking knives guarded the exit below.

"Company for you," one of the knifemen said. He kicked the ladder away just as Roland's hand touched the wood of the floor.

The ladder tumbled over. I hauled Roland into the tower, twisting my fists in his robe.

The men laughed, shouting crude jokes before leaving.

The birds flew out with a rustle of wings.

"So, this is where you went." Roland leaned against the opposite wall. "We wondered when you and Dysun didn't return."

"He sold me out. What happened to you?"

"I came as planned, only the men were suspicious. They allowed me to see Brother Anselm. They tortured him for the secrets of brewing shara."

"Did they learn?"

He shook his head. "They didn't believe him, especially after he recited the forty-seven psalms that must be sung while you gather the herbs and the seventy-six recitations that accompany each ritual stirring while it cooks. The recipe for shara is still quite safe."

We sat in silence.

"This is the old meditation tower," Roland said, gesturing at the open room. "Monks were sent here to meditate, sometimes as punishment, sometimes for enlightenment."

"And were they enlightened?"

"Occasionally. Especially after dark." He signaled with his eyes.

I got the message. Knowing Clyvus, the tower was bugged. We spent the afternoon discussing the habits of the birds that nested in the tower. Roland knew all about them. I was bored after the first five seconds, but kept asking questions anyway. It passed the time.

"The other monks are coming tonight," he whispered after he had just finished a long commentary on the uses of bird dung. "Clay is moving in the morning."

I nodded and asked about the goats. The volume of their cries increased during the long afternoon.

"They need to be milked," Roland said. "Poor creatures haven't been properly cared for."

We discussed goats until the sun set, watching them from our tower perch.

The goats milled, then headed into the woods. Their insistent noise gradually faded.

Roland nodded. "Robin's men. They'll be cared for now."

No one brought us dinner. No one even came to check on us as night fell. The sky grew long streamers of orange and rose before fading to deep blue. Stars winked. The larger moon rose. We waited. My stomach growled.

"There's a trapdoor in the room below. It leads into the loft over the main hall. From there we can get almost anywhere in the monastery." Roland shifted closer. "Shall we try your rope trick again?"

We stripped our outer clothes and tied them into a lumpy rope.

Roland peered down into the room. "It's clear." Roland lowered the rope through the hole. "You brace me while I climb down. You drop the clothes and I'll catch you."

If it had been any other man, I would have protested, violently if necessary, but I trusted Roland. I wound the sleeve of his robe around my arm, then braced myself as best I could.

Roland climbed down the makeshift rope. His naked back gleamed in the moonlight. I did my best to ignore my own state of undress. At least I had underwear this time.

Roland tugged twice. I let the clothes slither down. I wiggled through the hole, hanging by my fingers. I took a deep breath and let go, trusting Roland to catch me.

We landed on the floor with a thump.

Roland rubbed his side and winced. "At least there aren't any stickers here," he whispered as he untied his robe and pulled it over his head.

I fumbled with the knots in my clothes. Roland froze, staring out the door. He scrambled quickly over the floor and scrabbled at the corner. I heard whistling outside and hurried after him, dragging my clothes. Roland pulled loose a square of the floor. It squeaked loudly. The whistling stopped.

"Who's there?" a guard shouted.

Roland urgently waved me through the hole. I threw my clothes down, then dropped, holding my breath. I landed on something that splintered and gouged my leg. Roland landed on top of me. The trapdoor slammed shut. I fumbled in the dark, but couldn't find my clothes anywhere. The guard's boots thundered almost as loud as my heart as he checked the tower. We heard his shouts as he ran onto the roof.

"This way." Roland grabbed my hand. We stumbled and banged our way past furniture. "I hope they blame the noise on rats. It won't take them long to find the trapdoor. We have to find a better place to hide. Wait here a moment." He dropped my hand.

I waited impatiently, each second dragging like hours. Blood trickled down my leg.

A faint light flared, illuminating Roland's face from below like some grotesque caricature. I picked my way over to him. He pulled aside a stack of tapestries to reveal a narrow door. He put one finger over his lips and leaned his ear against the panel. He took my hand and eased the door open.

"Quickly," he whispered. He darted into the dimly lit hall.

I brushed a hand over my shift, tugging the skirt lower. At least I still had my boots. I followed him as quietly as possible.

Chapter 34

The dust on the floor held only mouse tracks. Dim light filtered through cracks in the planking. Roland paused at the top of a narrow flight of stairs.

"I grew up here," he whispered. "I know every nook and cranny in the place."

We ran lightly down the steep stairs to a door at the bottom. Roland motioned me to be silent. We spent a heart-pounding few minutes crouched behind the door. Someone shouted orders in the hall beyond. I closed my eyes and breathed carefully. I was sure they would find us.

The voice moved on, accompanied by the heavy tread of boots. Roland waited a moment longer before he eased the door open a crack. He shut it again, shaking his head. We heard more boots thunder past. Roland checked again. This time he pulled the door open.

We bolted across a hall and through another door. Leather bound books lined the walls of the room, all but one. Windows, floor to ceiling, gave a clear view of the night beyond. The room held several chairs scattered over the floor and one large couch.

Roland pushed the shelves. "Maybe it was the other library."

I made violent gestures at him. We weren't alone. A man slept on the couch.

"There was a passage from one of the libraries," Roland continued, oblivious to my hand waving. "I remember how much trouble I got into when I surprised Father Bleverd one afternoon." He tapped a shelf. "I was trying to find a way to sneak extra sweets from the kitchens. I was always partial to a good sweet. I still am."

"Roland," I managed in a strangled whisper.

The man on the couch snorted and shifted to his back. He snored.

Roland snapped his mouth shut, tapping shelves in earnest. He worked his way past the books, then shook his head in frustration.

"Must be the one at the other end," he whispered.

We moved to the door. Roland pressed his ear to it before easing it open. I stumbled into him when he stopped. He muttered a curse.

Roland and I pelted down the hall, sliding around a corner, as men chased us. We surprised another group of men who shouted as they joined the chase.

"Stairs," Roland gasped as he yanked a door open.

I darted through after Roland. The door slammed shut. We ran down the stairs, two or three at a time. Roland hauled himself around a corner. We dashed down another flight of stairs. Roland slammed open the door at the bottom, leaping through another squad of Clyvus' guards. We ran right through them, leaving confusion behind.

I stumbled in the dimly lit halls, my side aching. Roland twisted through the passageways, cutting through rooms, taking stairs sometimes. He knew those halls better than I knew my ship. He finally pulled me into a dark room, easing the door closed.

"Quiet," he whispered.

I did my best to stifle my gasping.

Footsteps thundered by. They returned a moment later.

"Where are they?"

"We lost them, over by the kitchens, I think."

"Start searching, room by room." The bootsteps marched away.

The door to our room opened. A guard stuck his head in, glancing around.

We flattened ourselves against the wall.

"Not in here," the man announced. He slammed the door.

I sagged with relief. Roland crossed the room. He did something to the wall. Part of it swung open with a faint creak. I didn't wait for his invitation. I followed Roland into the dark opening.

The cramped, dusty passage rustled with the sound of unseen rodents. Spider webs caught in my hair. Beams of weak light from spyholes gave us some light. I stumbled after Roland, following him by clutching the back of his robe.

Roland paused at each opening, peeking into the room beyond. We crossed an extra long dark stretch. He peeped into the next hole, then stepped away, a satisfied smirk twisting his lips. I peered through.

Clyvus himself stood in the room, hands on hips, glaring at the men dismantling boxes and barrels. The room was an absolute shambles.

"I want them found, no matter what it takes," Clyvus said, his voice nasty. "How incompetent can you be? They were shut in a tower thirty feet from anything, guarded by a dozen men with a clear view of everything. They had nothing, and yet they managed to escape and elude all of your men."

The man Clyvus berated scowled. Clyvus eyed him contemptuously and snorted, then stalked out. The man smashed two barrels before he got himself under control.

Roland laughed soundlessly. He led me into the maze of secret passages. I didn't feel like laughing. I felt like hiding. They had guns, they outnumbered us two hundred to two. I wore only my underwear.

Roland searched the passages, peering through each spyhole. I followed him, hungry and tired and shaking with nerves. We heard more rooms being searched. Roland grinned and kept moving. The halls grew quiet, then finally, completely silent. Openings showing light came less frequently. We stumbled down a long, winding stretch with no light at all. Roland fumbled with the wall at the end. I leaned against him, shivering. The wall swung open, spilling us into the room beyond. I landed in Robin Goodfellow's lap.

"Am I hallucinating?" Robin asked.

I slid out of his lap onto the floor, my face flushing with embarrassment.

"We're here to rescue you," Roland said. He'd landed on his feet. "Keep it quiet, though. How many guards are out there?"

Robin shrugged. "Maybe one."

I pulled my shift into a more concealing position, then wrapped my arms around myself, rubbing my goosebumps. The storerooms were chilly.

"Where are my men?" Robin looked hopefully at the secret passage.

"In the woods." Roland dug through a box at the back of the room. "Your man, John Littlebottomford, was taking them home to Sherwood. Dace convinced them to come rescue you instead. Things didn't quite work out the way she planned."

"What plans? It really is Dace, isn't it? I wasn't sure for a moment."

My stomach chose that moment to protest not being fed for much too long a time.

Robin laughed. "It's her."

Roland dropped a cloak over me.

I grabbed it, wanting to hide in embarrassment. No, I wanted to eat and sleep and wake up without someone trying to kill me.

"I'll be back." Roland disappeared into the secret passage. The panel swung shut behind him.

I wasn't sure how to open it again. I sighed and pulled the cloak tighter around me.

"Could you possibly do something about these?" Robin lifted his wrists linked by chains that passed through a heavy metal loop cemented into the floor. "You didn't happen to find a set of keys?"

I shook my head. "If you have something long and slender, I could pick the locks."

"You are a wealth of surprises. Where did you acquire that skill?"

I opened my mouth to answer, then froze as boots thumped in the hallway. The door across the hall slammed open. I scrabbled at the door to the secret passage. Someone bellowed orders in the hall. Barrels and boxes smashed. I jabbed at the wood, pleading with it to open. Keys scraped in the lock. I slammed my fist into the wall. The panel swung loose. I darted in, jerking it shut behind me.

The door to Robin's cell crashed open. My curiosity got the better of me. I peered through the spyhole. The man Clyvus had berated earlier glared at Robin. Other men dumped the boxes and barrels at the far end of the room.

Robin rattled his chains. "So nice to see you haven't entirely forgotten me. I've been sitting here talking to myself for three days, or has it been four? It's so hard to keep track when meals are irregular and I have no window to watch the sun."

The man kicked Robin's leg. "Where are they? These friends of yours that are causing so much trouble?"

"I have absolutely no idea what you are grumbling about," Robin said. "I'm the one chained. How should I know what you beastly men are up to?"

When the man kicked Robin again, I winced in sympathy. Clyvus' man growled and stomped out, followed by the rest of the troop. The door slammed shut behind them. Robin sat alone in the flickering light of a single candle.

I groped around the edge of panel, looking for the release.

The door opened, Ameli slipped inside then pushed the door shut. She looked awful; the whole left side of her face was bruised and swollen. Blood spattered her pink dress. She pulled out a knife as she knelt beside Robin.

The catch on the panel gave way, spilling me into the room. I got tangled in the cloak, sprawling on my face.

Ameli whirled, her face white with fear. She tackled me, shoving the knife at my throat.

I caught her wrist, holding it tightly.

Her eyes widened. "You're dead. They burned you with the lodge." She shuddered.

"Where's the Baron?" I asked.

"I killed him. I took my knife and I stabbed him over and over and over until he quit squealing." She giggled, high and thin. "He was a pig, I butchered him. We'll fry him for breakfast." She swayed, the knife waving in front of my face.

"Ameli." She made me very nervous.

"I stabbed him, just like this." The knife plunged towards me.

I rolled to the side. It caught in my cloak, ripping a long tear.

"He was a pig. I'm going to butcher Leran next. He shouldn't have sold me to the Baron." She sobbed once, her left eyelid twitching rhythmically.

I unfastened the cloak, then slid away. "Ameli, listen to me. Let me help you."

"No one can help me," she wailed, clutching my cloak. "I'm lost. Lost and alone. Leran will pay. I am no one. I am the wind. I am the song of vengeance." She babbled off into nonsense.

I took the knife from her limp hand. She buried her face in the cloak, shoulders shaking.

The knife blade was a bit wide, but I made it work. By the time I had both cuffs off Robin's wrists, Ameli was coherent again.

"Give me my knife." Her voice made ice seem warm. Her eyes glittered wildly. "I won't hurt you. Not now. Not until Leran has paid. Then it will be your turn."

"Leran is upstairs, with Pardui." I didn't care if I lied, I wanted Ameli as far away as I could get her.

Ameli snarled and snatched the knife. "Don't try to stop me." She dashed into the hall.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Robin said softly as the door slammed shut again. He rubbed his wrists. "She was promising once. I almost hired her."

"Leran traded her to Baron Molier for me."

Robin swallowed hard. "I don't want to know what she went through, poor girl."

The secret door clicked open.

"Anyone hungry?" Roland set a lumpy bag on the floor. He studied us for a long moment. "What happened?"

I picked up the cloak, poking my finger through the jagged rip.

Robin reached for the bag.

"Somebody talk," Roland said, pulling the bag away, "Or no one eats."

"Ameli came to visit," Robin explained. "She's quite lost her mind."

"What shall we do now?" Roland asked, sharing the food from his bag.

"We can't stay here." I yawned widely.

"Why not?" Roland asked. "It's already been searched; it's as safe as anywhere. We can rest for a few hours. Dawn is about five hours away."

"We have to find a way to neutralize the force field before then." I rubbed blearily at stinging eyes. I didn't want to be in charge. I didn't want to be responsible for anything except me. I wanted my ship and my life back.

"She's practically asleep," Robin said.

"I'll think of something." Roland tucked the cloak around my shoulders.

"Good." I curled up to sleep. It was the only escape left.

"Things will look better after a few hours of rest." Roland patted my leg.

He shook me awake what seemed like only moments later. I grumbled, stiff and cold.

"Dawn is about two hours away," Roland said.

"Where's Robin?" I asked.

"With his men who are locked up. We need your skills with the locks."

"I need something long and thin. A piece of wire would be perfect."

"Something like this?" Roland handed me a lockpick, top quality and barely used to judge by the shine on it.

"Where did you find that?"

"One of Dysun's men. We have to go. If you're ready?"

"Dysun's men? Are they here, too?"

"Their door was only bolted from the outside, so I let them out into the passages."

"You haven't found Commander Nuto yet, have you?" Or Tayvis, I added silently to myself.

Roland shrugged. "I haven't seen your partner, either. We should be going."

We squeezed into the dusty passage. Roland led me on another tortuous path through the walls of the buildings. We exited to another ransacked storeroom. Roland crouched by the door.

"Robin's men are down that hall," he whispered and pointed out the door. "Fifteen of them in four rooms. There aren't any passages that connect directly."

"Where's Robin?"

"Down the hall, preparing a diversion for you."

I peeked over his shoulder. One guard slouched in a corner, snoring. The other two played cards. A single torch burned in a holder above them.

"I'll give Robin the signal," Roland whispered. "Wait for a count of one hundred, then go unlock the doors." He slipped through the door, disappearing into the gloomy hall.

I crouched behind the door watching the guards. Nothing happened for a long time. I carefully stretched out cramped muscles.

An unearthly howl rose out of the dark hallway. Guard one yanked his blaster out, scattering cards across the floor. Guard two kicked the sleeping guard. The howl built in volume before shivering away. The echoes had barely faded when it rose again, even louder. All three of the guards stared nervously into shadows.

"It's the beast they warned us about," sleeping guard said. "It's come to eat us."

"Shut up, Boris." Guard one aimed his blaster down the corridor.

"Why would it want to eat you anyway? You'd kill it for sure." Guard two sniggered.

"And why is that?" Boris demanded.

"Foot odor, most likely. Possibly your taste in clothes. Terminal bad taste." Guard two laughed at his own wit.

"Shut up, both of you."

Boris glared at guard two.

Howls echoed through the halls.

"Go see what it is." Guard two returned the glare.

"You go," Boris said. "You've got a blaster."

"It's dark out there. Why don't we wait here until whatever it is comes out, then we blast it."

"We're supposed to conserve power. Clyvus said there weren't any more recharge packs for a while. You want to talk to him? I can report you both." Boris drew his knife.

Screams added a new level of terror to the howls. All three guards waved their weapons. Boots pounded in the darkness around the corner. Someone shouted for help.

"Go on, both of you," guard one said, shoving the two reluctant men towards the screams.

I saw the look they exchanged. Somehow, I didn't believe they would follow orders. They looked like they were going to find a safe corner to hide in. The last guard backed to the wall, pointing his blaster down alternate hallways.

The howls raised the hair on my neck. I started counting; I'd almost forgotten that part.

An explosion rocked the floor. Flames roared from the left, dying quickly. The guard galloped away from the smoke pouring down the hall.

I took it for my cue and dashed across the open space, into the short passage. I stopped at the first door, pick out and ready. The simple lock clicked open easily. I shoved the door open.

Five men pushed through the door.

"Robin's wolf is hunting tonight." One of them snickered.

I moved to the next door. Robin's men were already gone. I unlocked the other doors. The rest of Robin's men ran off into the shadows where the sound of fighting replaced the weird howling. I crouched in the shadows, wondering what to do next.

"This way." Roland grabbed my wrist. "Robin and his men will keep things stirred up for a while."

We darted to the storeroom and into the maze of secret halls.

"Where are you taking me now?" I panted as we hurried through the narrow space. I coughed on the dust we kicked up.

"We need weapons to fight Clyvus. I know where we might find some. They'll be a bit old, but they have been well cared for."

I eagerly followed Roland. He took so many twists and turns, I had no idea which way was what when he finally opened a door. We stepped into darkness. Roland dropped my wrist. Something clicked. The room flooded with steady, white light. I stared in shock. Artificial light, I thought dumbly. I hadn't seen it since I abandoned my ship. It felt so normal it was alien.

Then I caught sight of the objects lining the shelves. I'd died and gone to Wonderland with Alice and her white poodle.

Chapter 35

On second glance, the room was just plain odd. Strange equipment filled the shelves, most of it so archaic I didn't have any idea what it might have been. Each piece looked as if it had been repaired many times, each time more creative than the last. I blew a thick layer of dust off something that resembled a blaster.

"Myrln's workshop," Roland said happily. "All of this was his."

I choked. Everything was at least two thousand years old. I seriously doubted if any of it worked.

"I would have brought you here anyway." Roland took my elbow and pulled me through the maze of junk. "This is where the Voice is. You are the Soulless One. You can wake the Voice of Myrln." He pushed me towards a contraption stranger than the rest. Straps and manacles festooned the front.

I twisted out of Roland's grip. "You aren't hooking me to that thing." I pointed a finger at the monstrosity.

Roland fingered a strap lovingly. "I've waited my whole life to see someone channel Myrln."

"It could kill me! Or scramble my brain!"

He sniffed.

I rolled my eyes. "Let me look it over. If it looks safe, then I'll let you strap me in."

Roland smiled, the kind that grew until it took over his entire face. He dropped the strap. "I will see what weapons the workshop has to offer." He disappeared into the jumbled shelves.

I shook off the cloak, eyeing the enormous pile of haphazard circuits. I fingered a wire, tracing the circuit into the center. I could fix a sublight engine; I could figure out an overgrown hypnoteacher.

Roland returned an hour later. I crawled out of the belly of the contraption, wriggling my way carefully through the tangles of wiring. I had no idea what most of it did. The part I could figure out appeared to be a weird configuration of power sources. I found several broken wires and a cracked, discolored crystal buried in the thing's guts.

"It's hopeless, Roland," I said, holding the dirty gray crystal. "It won't work anymore."

"Well, at least some of the weapons still do." He shrugged as if it didn't mean anything. He turned away, shoulders sagging.

I couldn't disappoint him. I owed him. "There are a couple of things I can try. There's a board in back for input. Maybe we can talk to Myrln that way."

"We don't have much time. It really isn't important."

"Don't lie to me." I wiggled my way through the wiring, seating the crystal in place. I bent the contacts around it before reconnecting the wires, then crawled out.

An antiquated input keyboard dangled out of a hole in the casing. I balanced it on my knee and pushed the reset button. Roland peered over my shoulder.

Lights flashed. The wiring buzzed. A screen glowed green, a square of blinking light flashed in the top corner. The air smelled strongly of fried dust.

"Booting," the screen read.

I wondered what in blazes that meant. Roland breathed in my ear. The machine whirred and creaked for several minutes.

"Initializing Myrln sequence. Enter password." The blinking square flashed accusingly.

His fingers dug into my shoulder.

"It wants a password," I said.

"What's that?" He stared at the screen, in a religious trance.

"A code word. Something that lets it know we belong."

"Excalibur is the key." It sounded like a quote. "The holy word of knowledge."

"How do you spell it?" I tried spelling it the way it sounded. The machine beeped angrily. I typed it in again, changing the spelling. It beeped again.

"Ee-ex-see," He chanted, using a very old form of the Basic characters. One of the researchers, like Robin or even Ameli, if she could find her mind again, would have appreciated it a lot more than I did. I hunted over the archaic keyboard, punching in the letters as I found them.

"Ay-ell-eye-bey," Roland continued, his eyes shining. "Ewe-ir."

I hit the enter key. The blinking light faded. We waited, but the screen remained blank. I set the keyboard aside.

"It's broken. I'm sorry."

"It's been too many years." He sighed heavily.

I stood, brushing dust from my shift. "Show me the weapons, Roland. Maybe Myrln left something we can still use."

He led me away, shoulders slumped, each step dragging across the dusty floor.

The machine beeped, chimed, and whirred. Every piece of it came alive. Lights flickered and glowed. The screen swirled with colors that resolved into the face of a stern, old man with a long, white beard.

"Welcome to MYRLN," he intoned in a voice that skipped like a bad recording. Words scrolled below his beard. "Fatal programming error in block 22."

The screen faded to black. The crystal in the center cracked, shooting pieces like shrapnel. Smoke erupted from the wiring.

"Myrln is going out with a bang. Run!" I dragged Roland across the floor towards the door.

He resisted, staring in shock at the dark screen. Sparks scattered around us. He shuddered, then clamped a hand over his head and ran. The whole room crackled with electricity from Myrln, arcing over the piles of equipment in blue snakes. The lights exploded one by one, showering the room with glass.

We slammed through the door, racing down the passage. Ominous popping followed as we pounded around a corner. We crouched in the dark, static sparking from our fingers.

"Is there a way to shut off the power?"

"I don't know," Roland answered.

I suddenly remembered that Roland, for all his sophistication, was a native of a low-tech, primitive world. "Sergeant Clay and the rest will definitely have their diversion."

The door to Myrln's workshop exploded. The tension in the air drained, the static discharging. I peered around the corner. The bright light of Myrln's workshop flickered out. A faint drift of smoke hung in the air.

"Never mind. Myrln's a dud."

"What do you mean by that?"

"The power shut itself off. I'm sorry, Roland. Your Voice is broken, beyond anything I could hope to repair."

Roland sighed, rubbing his hand over his singed hair. "We still have to find a way to disable the generator. And free your friends."

Tayvis. I brushed soot marks from my short shift as Roland led us away from Myrln.

Roland found a passage that led to the level of the library. We exited from a panel full of slivers on the one side and elaborate carvings on the other. Tall windows offered a spectacular view of the bell tower against a pale gray sky. Dawn was not far away.

Judging from the shouts echoing through the building, Clyvus was awake and in a foul mood. I looked through the window, into the courtyard below. Clyvus paced, hands on hips, shouting at his men as he gestured at a shattered gate. I grinned. Robin and his men had broken free.

Roland frowned at the bell tower. Three men guarded the entrance. The faint shimmer of the force field hung over the monastery, easy to spot in the predawn light.

"What now?" Roland asked.

I shrugged, I was out of ideas. I watched the scene with increasing interest. Leran crept along a narrow ledge under my window, blaster out and ready. Men boiled out of a side door, blasters flashing. Clyvus ducked, his men returned fire. Everyone scattered to shelter. Shots arced across the courtyard for a moment. Leran lay on the ledge, his blaster unfired.

The shots stopped. Pardui stepped boldly into the open. Clyvus stood. Leran raised his blaster, taking aim at Clyvus. Pardui waved her hands as she talked. Clyvus nodded. Leran lowered the blaster.

"What is going on?" Roland pressed his nose to the window.

"Power struggle, I think. Clyvus is having a very bad day."

Roland chuckled.

"I think we ought to step back."

"Why?" Roland tapped on the window. "No one can see in. It is part of the magic of the glass. Myrln made it, ages ago. We just build around it when the stone crumbles with age."

I slid my hand across the smooth, clear surface, feeling stupid. Such a window was absolutely impossible to manufacture on Dadilan. "We still need to get into the tower," I said, as much to cover my own embarrassment as anything else.

"I could get the guards to chase after me and you go in and disable it."

"Can you imitate Robin's animal call?"

"I can try."

"I guess it's our best choice." I rubbed my arms nervously. "Let's go."

We made it only to the door when a shattering detonation rattled the walls. We stared at the tower. It still stood though the roof rained down in tiny pieces. Smoke billowed from the windows. The bell bonged wildly. The shimmering force field flickered out of existence.

"I believe someone saved us the trouble of disabling the field," Roland whispered.

Clyvus scurried under cover, his arm around Pardui, leaving the courtyard empty except for the scattered remnants of the tower roof.

The door to the library eased open. I whirled to face the new threat. A single figure lurched into the room, covered with dust and burns. He pushed the door shut, then slid slowly to the floor. "Hello, Dace," he croaked.

"Dysun? Did you do that?" I waved at the destruction outside.

"Somebody had to." He winced as he prodded his shoulder. Blood oozed through his shirt. "Sorry about dragging you along, but the only way Clyvus would let me in was if I offered a good enough prize. I would have told you, but it would have spoiled your reaction."

"I ought to let you bleed to death." I examined his shoulder. He had ripped open the previous wound.

"The force field is down," Dysun said just before he passed out.

"Here." Roland handed me a strip torn from his robe.

I wrapped Dysun's shoulder.

Boots thundered outside.

"You take that arm." Roland draped Dysun's uninjured arm over his shoulder. "We have to go, before they find us."

Dysun groaned when I lifted his injured arm. I didn't feel much sympathy. It was his fault I was being hunted through secret passages in my underwear. Well, sort of. We hauled him across the room to the secret passage. I glanced out the windows. Men patrolled the walls. An occasional arrow drifted over to shatter on the flagstones. Robin's attack was underway. Sergeant Clay's attack through the tunnels would start any moment, if things happened according to plan.

We maneuvered Dysun through the narrow opening into the passage. I propped him against the wall. Roland pulled the panel shut. We stood as still as possible while Clyvus' men searched the library.

"He was here," a voice said.

I shuddered, reminded of hot iron. I stared out the spyhole in disbelief.

Baron Molier stood in the library, examining the dirty handprints Dysun had left on the wall. "Find him. I want that man as a hostage." He sauntered over to the windows to stare moodily at the battle below. He leaned against the window, right next to the panel I hid behind.

"You don't belong here, demon. You and your off-world pigs will soon be gone." He smiled before turning to his men. "He isn't here. I want him and the others they call Patrol. I have a deal to offer the men who bring them to me." His boots clomped as he strode out of the room.

There could only be one person Molier wanted. My imagination painted all sorts of gory pictures.

"I have to get to Tayvis first."

"What about him?" Roland pointed at Dysun.

"Hide him somewhere. Dragging him will slow us down."

"Under the cook's bed. No one would dare look there. He'll be safe enough. I'll stay with him."

I nodded, accepting his plan. We waddled sideways through the narrow passages, Dysun's unconscious body slumped between us.

Dysun didn't weigh much, he was barely bigger than me, but we were breathing hard when Roland called a halt at an intersection of passages.

"They should be holding your friend down that way." Roland pointed left. "Take the first flight of stairs down two levels, then go right. There's a door at the end of the passage that opens into the only real cell. It's a sure bet that's where they're holding your partner." He hefted Dysun over his shoulder. "Good luck, Dace, and God bless."

I turned left. Roland was a good man. Too bad he was a monk on a restricted world; he would have made a first class trader captain.

I hurried down the dim passageway to the stairs. I stumbled down two flights. Mold added a new layer to the musty air. I stepped off the bottom stair, turning to my right. I put my hand out, feeling my way through the dark. I found puddles by stepping in them. My boots squished unpleasantly. I barked my shins on wooden crosspieces. I wondered how far the passage ran.

I trailed my hands along the walls, but I didn't feel any other openings. My feet bumped into stone. I fumbled back and forth, searching for a door. I found nothing. I must have missed it or taken a wrong turn. I thumped the stone in frustration. It creaked open. Light seeped around the uneven edge. I peered into the room.

Tayvis sat against the wall, his arms outstretched. Cuffs chained his wrists, holding him in place. He turned his face towards me, revealing purple and green bruises. One eye was swollen shut.

I poked my head farther inside. The room was definitely a cell: stone walls, damp straw pile, chains, water dripping down the far wall, and a metal grating for a door. It was just missing a homicidal maniac with hot irons. I stepped out from behind the door.

"I was wondering when you'd make it," Tayvis rasped. He coughed and winced.

"Give me a minute," I knelt beside him, fishing the lockpick out of my boot. I poked it into the cuff, twitching it delicately. The lock clicked open.

Tayvis winced again as he pulled his arm into his lap.

I shifted to his other side, reaching for the second cuff. "Baron Molier is on his way to visit you."

"Again? Dace, do you mind if I ask why you're here in your underwear? Not that I mind, I'm just curious."

"It's a very long story. I've been chased over the building all night. We really don't have time." The pick slipped. I sucked blood from my thumb before reinserting the pick in the lock.

"What do you have time to tell me?"

"Leran and Pardui are here. They tried to take over from Clyvus this morning, but apparently have reached a truce. Ameli tried to kill Baron Molier last night. She's gone totally insane and is hunting people with a knife. Dysun blew the force field generator; he's expecting a full pardon from the Patrol."

"That snake of a pirate?"

"Hold still. He isn't that bad. Robin is outside with his men. They're attacking the walls. Sergeant Clay and the rest of the Patrol that could still walk are sneaking in through tunnels. Where's Commander Nuto?"

The second cuff fell free. Tayvis rubbed his chafed wrists. "I don't have any idea where he is. I didn't even know he was here."

"Pardui brought him after she took over the base. Which is now burnt to the ground, but at least it isn't in her hands anymore."

"I'm not even going to ask." He lurched to his feet, using the wall to push himself up. He grimaced.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"There's something wrong or you wouldn't be leaning against the wall looking like that."

"Ow, quit poking at me. There isn't anything you can do about it, so what difference does it make?"

"A lot. We have to leave. Now."

"Go ahead, I'll be there in a minute."

"Don't you dare go noble on me. I came here to get you out and I'm not leaving without you."

"I didn't know you cared so much." He grinned like an idiot.

"You're my ticket out, Tayvis. I shot Vunia a couple of days ago. I keep telling myself she would have shot me if I hadn't, but it doesn't help. I never thought I was capable of actually killing anyone. I went through all the simulations and exercises at the Academy, but I never really believed I would ever use it. That's why I'm here to rescue you. I want the nightmare to end. I want off Dadilan. You're the only hope I have left."

"I thought maybe it was because you liked me." His smile faded when I didn't respond. He reached out and touched my hair, brushing out cob webs.

I closed my eyes and tried to tell my heart to slow down. I did like him, but I wasn't about to admit it. "We really need to be leaving. Molier is on his way."

As if summoned by my comment, a key scraped in the lock.

I grabbed Tayvis by the arm, hauling him towards the secret door. He gasped and stumbled against me. The door slammed open. I yanked Tayvis' arm over my shoulder and dove for the secret door. Molier's men got there first.

Baron Molier stood behind them, smiling his reptilian smile. "It seems I've caught more than I was fishing for. Chain her to the wall. Bring the man. I want to talk with him."

His men weren't gentle. They slammed me down to sit against the wall, yanking my arms out and cuffing them. I watched helplessly as they shoved Tayvis out of the room. The door slammed shut behind them. I was alone in the dark cell. Well, not quite alone. At least one rat scurried in the shadows.

Chapter 36

Time passed. My arms ached. The stone floor chilled me. My teeth chattered. At least I still had my boots. I tried pulling my hands free, but the cuffs were too snug. Visions of fire haunted me. I wondered how long I'd have until Baron Molier tried to barbecue me again.

The rats crept close, nibbling at my legs. I kicked them away.

I jumped at shouts in the hallway. I opened my mouth to yell for help, but then thought better of it. Who would come through the door? Probably someone who would shoot me. I shut my mouth. The noise went away.

I dozed for a while, jerking awake at the occasional men screaming, blasters firing, and swords clanging. Boots pounded past. Smoke hung in the air, growing thicker as time passed. The rats scurried into the walls.

I was ready to give up hope when the door finally slammed open. I lifted my head, not really caring who had finally come. Dadilan had won. My life would end here, my body buried in its hostile soil.

"Dace?" Commander Nuto stared.

"You were expecting perhaps the Emperor?" My voice cracked.

"Roland said Tayvis was down here. He thought something must have happened to you, since no one's seen you all day." He knelt beside me, keys jangling in his hand.

"Molier caught us. He's got Tayvis somewhere."

Nuto tried several keys. "The whole monastery is burning down. It's chaos out there."

The cuff fell open and my arm dropped free. It hurt horribly.

He moved to the other side, jabbing the key into the lock. "Roland was babbling some story about Myrln's revenge. I don't think he's entirely sane."

I laughed. Myrln hadn't been such a dud after all, just a late bloomer.

Nuto unlocked the other cuff. "There's fighting everywhere." He pulled me to my feet. "Are you finished yet?"

I bit back the hysterical laughter and nodded.

"Then we should go while we still can." He let go of me and dashed out the door, shouting to his men.

I followed him, wobbling unsteadily.

Men with swords, blasters, and makeshift weapons like table legs chased each other through the smoke. Bodies lay scattered in the halls.

We ran into a battle around one corner. They quit fighting each other and turned on us. I ran the way we'd just come. I had no weapons; I wasn't about to fight. Nuto and his men stayed.

I staggered to a stop in a side hall, wheezing on the smoky air.

A persistent moaning echoed down the hall. I peered through the gloom. Bodies lay scattered on the floor only a few feet away. One still moved feebly. I crept over. I had to find out who it was.

I wiped blood from the man's face. It was Jerith, my crew member who sold me out to Dysun. He twitched and tried to speak. Blood pooled under his head. He coughed, blood frothing on his lips. His breath rattled once before stopping completely. I'd been mad enough to shoot him myself when I learned about his betrayal. I wasn't angry now; I didn't want to shoot anyone. I wiped the stickiness of his blood from my hands, leaving his body in the hall.

I wandered through the maze of hallways. I hid from Leran as he thundered past with his own men chasing him. I peeked through a blasted door and saw Clyvus' men fighting Robin's. I ducked away, looking for an escape.

I came to a dead end, thick with heavy smoke. I coughed, covering my mouth with my hands. Shouts rang out in the hall. I crouched down. Blaster shots arced through the haze.

Tayvis ducked into the short hall, firing behind him. Blasts of light blew apart the corner. He retreated, bumping into me. He whirled, the blaster raised. He recognized me and lowered it. "I've been taking this entire place apart looking for you. Where in blazes have you been?"

"Nuto let me out. We got separated in a fight. I thought Molier had you."

"Had is the right word. He's fighting for his life somewhere in the stables. At least that's the last place I saw him. This place is a madhouse."

"Who's shooting at you?"

"I don't have the faintest idea. Do you know the way out?"

I shook my head.

Tayvis checked the power pack in his blaster. It couldn't have been very high to judge from the scowl on his face. "You don't happen to have any power packs hidden in your sleeve, do you?"

"I don't even have sleeves." This struck me as absolutely hilarious. I laughed.

Tayvis grabbed my arm. "Don't do this. You are not going to go crazy. Not here, not now."

"Why not?" I said, between giggles that sounded halfway like sobs.

"Because I need your help, Dace." He cupped my cheek in his hand.

A panel creaked open over my head. Roland's grin was unmistakable, even through the thick coating of soot and scratches. "Do you perhaps need some assistance? I see you finally found each other. About time, if you ask me."

"Have you been smoking something, Roland?" I scrambled to my feet.

"Only Myrln." Roland giggled.

Tayvis rolled his eyes. "Not two of you."

We squeezed through the panel into the web of secret passages.

"Which way is out?" I asked, coughing on the acrid smoke.

Roland took my hand, leading the way into darkness lit only occasionally by flickering fires. Tayvis shoved the blaster into his waistband and grabbed my other hand.

A crazy man built the monastery. Tunnels twisted through the whole structure. I was lost after the first set of stairs. Somewhere along the way, wood and cut stone turned to rough stone and sand. The smoke rushed past, rising on fresher air. We climbed steadily.

The faint glow of daylight ahead lit our way. I stumbled, choking on the smoke. Tayvis caught my arm. He grunted, his face lined in pain, as he hauled me out of the cave. I collapsed on the rocks at the top of the cliffs above the monastery.

The sun cast long shadows from the west, painting everything red through the smog of the burning monastery. Roland called something over his shoulder about his work not being finished as he rushed away.

We watched people swarming around the monastery. Flames shot from windows and roofs.

Tayvis clutched his ribs, his breathing shallow.

"Enough heroics, Tayvis. You need a medic."

"I've got an emergency pack hidden on the hill over there. I think Molier broke my ribs that last time he kicked me."

I tried to remember the medic training classes I'd taken. The Academy prides itself on giving everyone who attends a well-rounded education to prepare them for any eventuality. I don't think anything could have prepared me for Dadilan.

"What do I do for broken ribs?"

The sun slid under the horizon like an embarrassed drunk who smashed up the bar.

"You don't do anything. Just help me get to that pack." He pointed across the valley, right through the thick of the fighting.

"And then what, Tayvis? Commander Nuto's equipment is smashed beyond repair. Leran and Pardui have hatched a scheme to put them in control of shara on this planet. The Patrol can't touch them if they succeed."

It was his turn to laugh. He pointed at the inferno below us. "Ouch. It hurts to laugh. I don't think anyone is shipping shara anytime soon. You and Roland seem to have taken care of that quite nicely."

"So we just hide until they all kill each other?"

"No, we find the emergency pack. I left a beacon at the top of that hill that will bring the Patrol down in minutes. They're just waiting for me to pull it."

"Then what are we waiting for?" The thought of Patrol shuttles landing and taking me away was more than I could resist. I stood, holding my hand to Tayvis.

He needed it to get to his feet. We limped down the overgrown path along the ledge.

Tayvis snapped anytime I tried to talk to him or help him. He shuffled, arms clutching his ribs.

We stopped by a stream when it got too dark to see. Tayvis drank without my help, though he winced at each movement. He leaned against a rock when he finished, his breathing tight and shallow.

"We'll move again when the moon rises," he said through gritted teeth.

"Sounds fair." I shivered. I sat on his uninjured side.

He put his arm around me, pulling me close. "You're cold," he muttered against my hair.

"Not as much now."

We both fell asleep.

Voices arguing woke me. I huddled next to Tayvis, hoping the voices would stay on the other side of the boulder. The handle of Tayvis' blaster jabbed me. I eased it free of his belt.

"This is your fault, Dysun," Ricard Blake's cultured voice said from the bushes behind our rock. "I had the elixir. It was in my hands until you blew up the tower and started that fire."

"You can always talk to a monk." Dysun sounded tired and angry. "Get the recipe from them."

"You don't understand, you cretin. Only one monk knew the secret and he's dead in that heap of stones. The only book they ever recorded it in is burnt. The elixir is lost. Irrevocably lost!"

"You know what, Ricard? I don't care. My ship is gone. That idiot, Clyvus, stole it. Half of my crew are dead, the other half have deserted. And I don't think you're ever going to pay me."

"You haven't earned any pay, you miserable scoundrel!"

"The deal was ten thousand to get you here, half in advance, half after we returned. You owe me for my ship and my crew."

"That was not part of the deal. Besides, how am I supposed to pay you anything when you haven't fulfilled your half of the bargain? How am I supposed to return when you don't have a ship to fly?"

They walked away, still arguing. I lowered the blaster.

Tayvis tucked it in his belt. "The moon's up," he said after the sound of Blake and Dysun crashing through the bushes had receded in the distance.

I helped him to his feet. We picked our way across the stream, skirting the edge of the forest. Tayvis moved silently, even with broken ribs in unfamiliar woods at night with clouds covering the moon and blotting out the light. After I'd tripped over a bush for the twentieth time, Tayvis dragged me next to him.

"Try to be quiet," he breathed in my ear. "There are still a couple hundred madmen in these woods that wouldn't mind killing both of us."

"I am very much aware of that," I whispered.

He put his hand over my mouth.

I shoved it away. "Don't you ever do that again or I will bite you."

He grinned. "Glad to see you're as fierce as ever. Now try to walk where I do and don't make so much noise." He slithered off into the trees.

I did my best to follow him.

The woods ended before we reached the far range of hills. Tayvis stopped in the shadow of the last tree. The monastery burned like a beacon off to our right. The crackle of blaster fire lit the meadows below the monastery. Faint screams drifted on the wind. I shivered.

Tayvis scanned the slope ahead of us. "Those three bushes there. Do you see them?"

I squinted where he pointed. I could barely discern three vague blobs. I nodded.

"We're going to follow the stream next to those bushes around the hill. The pack is next to three boulders just above the stream where it runs through a patch of meadow flowers." He grinned, but pain marked his face.

"Are you telling me in case you don't make it that far?"

"I'll make it."

He started across the meadow towards the bushes. The flash of blaster fire arced from the trees on the far side. Tayvis fell headlong, rolling under a bush. Men broke from cover, searching the meadow. They poked at the bushes.

I crouched in the shadow of the tree, my heart in my throat.

"It was the Patrol spy," one insisted.

"Find him," Leran ordered as he stepped out of the shadows. His voice could have stopped a star cold in its tracks.

I wanted to melt into the shadows to hide when his companions joined him. Clyvus and Pardui were hard to mistake.

"We don't need him now." Pardui hung on Clyvus' arm. "The three of us merely take over the government. The Patrol won't interfere. The loss of the monastery is only a setback. The monks are still around."

"He's dangerous," Leran replied. "He knows too much."

A man straightened from searching under a bush. "I shot him, I saw it hit. He's dead. Why do we have to spend half the night beating in bushes for his body?"

I couldn't breathe. Tayvis couldn't be dead. The man lied.

"He's right, Leran," Clyvus said. "Commander Malcolm Tayvis is dead, or will be before morning. We're wasting time, time that could be spent in much more entertaining pursuits." He lifted Pardui's hand to his lips.

"What of the girl with him? Dace, she calls herself." Leran folded his arms, glaring at them.

Clyvus tucked Pardui's hand through his elbow. "Isn't she dead yet? Your Baron Molier isn't much good when a simple girl like that can keep escaping from him."

"I won't believe she's dead until I see the corpse."

"Oh, call it off, Leran. I'm tired." Pardui pouted.

"Enough." Clyvus signaled the men into the woods, then sent Pardui after them, after whispering in her ear. The smuggler stopped Leran in the middle of the meadow. He said something too quiet for me to hear.

Leran jerked away angrily. "Molier is loyal to me."

Clyvus laughed. "He's sold out to Commander Nuto and the Patrol. He wants you dead. I heard it myself. He's working with that insufferable Robin person as well."

"Your sources are wrong."

"I heard them talking myself. Are you calling me a liar?"

"No, I'm calling you a cheating, conniving, back-stabbing liar!"

A bright flash of light split the night. The smell of charred meat drifted on the breeze. Leran toppled over. Clyvus lifted the glowing end of his blaster in the air.

"I never did trust you," he said to the unmoving body at his feet. He holstered the blaster, sauntering down the hill.

My stomach heaved. Even though there was nothing to come up, I retched over and over. What Clyvus had just done, so nonchalantly, was more than I could take. I wiped my mouth with my hand.

Tayvis was out there, I had to find him. I couldn't let him die.

I crouched low as I ran across the meadow, stopping at each bush. He only hid, I kept repeating to myself. He wasn't hit, just under cover. I had to face the truth. I was in love with him. He couldn't die on me, not like this. When I finally found him, I'd chew him out good for scaring me. I wasn't making much sense, I was too afraid of what I might find.

I saw a dark shape under a bush, like a body. I leaned close, trying to see through the dark shadows. "Tayvis?"

He lay too still.

I leaned over him, my face almost touching his. "You can't be dead. You're just hiding, aren't you?"

His eyes flickered open.

I sighed in relief, tugging at his shirt.

He groaned. His eyes slid shut.

"Tayvis! We have to go before they find us."

His hand grabbed mine. "Leave off before you finish the job of killing me," he muttered.

I let go of his shirt. "Are you all right?" I said, my nose almost touching his.

"No, I'm not. I've got several broken ribs and a blaster hit in my side and now I've got a crazy woman shaking me around. Get off, Dace."

"He really did hit you? Where?" I ran my hand along his side.

He pushed me away and rolled over, groaning. The moonlight revealed an oozing burn on his side.

"We have to find your kit, Tayvis." Anything to keep him alive. "It's just around the hill."

I pulled him upright. He staggered. I wished he were smaller. I wrapped my arm around him, under the burn and broken ribs. He draped his arm over my shoulders. We stumbled across the meadow.

We found his bushes and the stream by falling in them. I let his weight slide off my shoulders. He sat heavily on the stream bank. I scooped a handful of water to drink. I offered him some, but he shook his head. He held his side, his face a mask of pain. I stretched out my shoulder muscles, then hoisted him up again.

We staggered along the twisting stream bed. Tayvis kept going on sheer force of will. His breathing came ragged and shallow. Blood from his burn dripped over my hand. He barely kept to his feet. We had to keep moving. Tayvis' life depended on finding his emergency pack.

The moon set, but the sky was the color of pearls and gave enough light to keep picking our way along the stream. Tayvis barely kept his feet moving. I wavered under his weight.

"What was I supposed to look for along the stream?" I gasped as we leaned on a wide tree trunk.

"A big tree, lots of flowers, three boulders up the hill." He paused for breath between words.

We leaned on a big tree. A spicy scent rose from the plants crushed under out feet. Three shapes above us on the hill might be boulders.

"Three boulders like those?" I nudged him.

He winced and flinched away from my elbow.

"Up there, Tayvis. Are those the boulders?"

He squinted up the hill then finally nodded. "The pack is buried about ten feet beyond them, under a bush."

"Can you make it there?" I knew I couldn't drag him that far. I wasn't sure I could make it there by myself either.

Tayvis nodded. I pulled his arm over my shoulder. We splashed across the stream.

We made it to the boulders. I sagged to my knees and let him roll onto the ground. I bent over, gasping for breath. He lay still, barely breathing. I wondered how he had made it this far. His whole side was raw, red flesh. I had to find his pack soon.

Then what? A nasty little voice in my mind whispered. He would die without medical help. The best I could do was patch him and get help. But where and how? That could come later, I told myself. Right now I had to find his medkit and do what I could. I gathered my strength and went to unbury his pack.

Chapter 37

Bushes sprouted everywhere above the boulders. Trees covered the top of the hill. I paced off ten feet from the boulders, then dug under bushes. It took me some time to find Tayvis' pack. He had hidden it well. I shouldered the pack and turned down the hill. The monastery still smoldered, smoke pluming in a thin, gray trail. Poor Roland. His home was gone, burnt to the ground. I wondered if he'd made it out.

Tayvis lay exposed near the boulders. Anyone could see him. His eyes were closed, his face pasty white.

"Tayvis," I said quietly.

He twitched once.

"Tayvis, look at me." I patted his face insistently.

He groaned and his eyes fluttered open.

"We have to hide. I can't carry you. Do you want me to drag you?"

"I just want to lie here," he mumbled.

"You can't, unless you want Pardui or Clyvus to find us. There's a spot just up the hill that is much better than this."

He managed to get to his feet with my help. We stumbled up the hill to a thick growth just below the trees. Tayvis tripped as we reached the edge. I couldn't hold him, he crashed into the bushes. I scrambled after him.

The branches formed a covered space, just high enough I could sit. I shoved away the clutter of twigs and rocks, then cajoled him into crawling all the way in. He looked horrible, his face a strange gray color. I dumped out the pack, scattering packets of emergency rations and water pouches. The medkit was one of the more complete emergency kits. I hoped I knew enough.

Tayvis lay on his back, breathing shallowly. His side looked worse the longer I studied it. The blaster hit wasn't direct or he would have been dead. He might still die from it. I ripped open a pouch of water, dribbling it over the wound. Tayvis' shirt stuck along the edges. I soaked it before trying to peel it from the wound.

"Are you trying to kill me?" Tayvis gasped as I picked at a particularly stubborn bit of cloth.

"Getting even," I said, trying to joke.

Tayvis gritted his teeth, muscles bunching in his jaw.

I picked at the burned cloth. It had to come off so I could clean the wound and bandage it. His side oozed. I poured more water over the wound, washing out what I could. I pulled his shirt open. His side looked like he had been dragged through gravel and torched. I ripped open a packet of disinfectant, then dabbed it over the wound.

Tayvis drew in his breath with a hiss.

"Sorry," I said.

"I don't think you are." He winced.

I covered the wound with bandages, then sprayed plas-seal over the top. It would keep out dirt and germs and hold the bandage in place. I sorted through the kit until I found a pain patch. I slapped it onto his arm.

He passed out. His color was better, though he was too pale.

I sorted his pack. We now had several days of food and water, as well as the medkit. I repacked that, keeping out several of the pain patches. I found a handlight with extra power packs tucked in the bottom. I grinned. The power packs should fit Tayvis' blaster. I pulled it from his waistband. The indicator didn't even flicker. I popped out the drained power pack, then shoved another one in. The indicator light blinked red and yellow, then settled on a steady green glow. I might have half a dozen shots. I flipped on the safety as I set the blaster aside.

I opened one of the ration tubes. They tasted like paste, but they would keep us alive. I settled against his pack to wait for him to wake again.

I jumped at the sound of blaster fire nearby. I peered through the branches. At least three groups of men fired at each other. Blaster shots sizzled from the trees, not very many, though. They must be running low on power. The group holed up in the boulders used arrows to deadly effect judging by the screams coming from the trees.

Robin's men, their green and brown outfits ripped and filthy, charged down the hill, chasing the men out of the trees. Two of them crouched in front of my bushes.

"Any sign of the Patrol spies?" one of them asked the other.

"What does Robin want with them anyway?"

"Some deal he worked out with the Baron. We're just supposed to find them for him."

"Strange that he would join with the likes of Baron Molier. I thought Robin hated him."

"He'll get the best of the deal, just you wait. There's the signal."

They ran after the others. The sound of fighting faded into the distance.

I shredded a twig. The Baron and Robin working together? Apparently, the price for the Baron's loyalty was two Patrol spies, namely me and Tayvis. I ripped the twig to tiny pieces and swore. Who else could I ask for help? Clyvus and Pardui would kill us, Ricard Blake would sell us to whoever bid highest, I had no idea where Roland might be, and Dysun was chancy at best. I doubted Sergeant Clay had survived the attack on the monastery. I'd seen nothing of the rest of the Patrol. I threw the twig into the bush and put my head on my knees. Tayvis was doomed. Unless I could find his beacon and bring in the Enforcers. I had to wake him to find out where to look.

His eyes opened while I prodded his ribs.

"Do you have anything else that I need to bandage?" I asked.

"I wouldn't tell you if I did. I'm glad you're not a real medic."

"Robin's men came by. They've ganged up with Molier who wants us in exchange. We have to get help."

"The beacon at the top of the hill. Trigger it and the Patrol Enforcers will be here within an hour." His eyes slid closed.

"Where is it?" I grabbed a pouch of water and lifted his head, making him drink. "Where, Tayvis?"

He choked on the water; his eyes stayed closed.

I lowered his head gently, then dug through the medkit looking for a stimulant. I didn't find any. I put the kit away. I'd have to wait until he woke again.

The day grew hot. Insects buzzed in the bush. The breeze shifted, bringing the smell of smoke. I sucked on a ration tube.

A group of men charged up the hill. I snatched the blaster. They kept going over the hill. I lowered the blaster.

I raised it again when I saw the man hiding by the boulders, Flago, the dirty little sneak who had sold me out to Clyvus. I slithered out of the bushes to crouch behind a rock.

Men splashed across the stream into the woods on the other side. Flago relaxed, heaving a sigh as he turned. He stiffened when he caught sight of me with the business end of the blaster pointed at his face.

"Dace," he said, trying to smile and failing. "Captain. I'm so glad you survived. I've been so worried about you."

"Oh, stuff it somewhere, Flago. Don't try to bluff. I want answers from you. How much did Clyvus pay you for my ship?"

"What answers, Dace? I know as much as you do. Who's Clyvus?"

"Do I look stupid?" I pointed the blaster at his head, then thought better of it and lowered my aim. "Don't feed me any more crap or I'll shoot it off."

Flago swallowed hard and nodded.

"How much did Clyvus pay you to blow up my ship?"

Flago stared at the blaster nervously before he answered. "He didn't want the ship blown. I was supposed to rig it to look like a malfunction of the nav computer and sneak off. The ship would leave before you realized I was gone."

"Why?"

"You were set to make good money; Clyvus wanted your route and contacts. You're such a naive idiot."

I clicked the safety off.

He paled visibly. "I didn't know you were Patrol. No one knew."

"I wasn't, until I got mixed up with this horrid planet. Why blow the ship? Revenge for something?"

"Jerith did it. He had some crazy scheme for selling out to a pirate. He tried to convince me to join him. He set the overrides."

"I think you were working together. And I think you can die together."

"You're crazy." He scooted towards the rocks.

"Run, Flago, like the coward you are. Jerith is already dead. I watched him die."

He scrambled to his feet. I fired off one quick shot, hitting him in the leg. He tumbled into the boulders, screaming as he clutched his leg. Shouts echoed from the top of the hill.

I ran to the bushes, diving into their shelter. I landed next to Tayvis and lay still.

"That wasn't exactly smart, Dace," he breathed.

"No, but it sure felt good."

He wheezed. About the time I figured out he was laughing, he stopped.

The bushes around us crackled as men shoved through them, shouting to each other.

I lay still, barely breathing. I squeezed Tayvis' hand. He squeezed back.

The men beat their way down the hill.

I waited for Flago to betray me, but he kept silent.

"You still awake?" I whispered when the sounds of breaking greenery died away.

"Unfortunately, yes. Is there another pain patch?"

I replaced it, then offered him a drink. "Tayvis, where is the beacon? You need help."

"Top of the hill." He stopped to cough, his face tight with pain.

"Let me guess. There's a tree and some rocks and it's under a bush."

"Close." He gave me a ghost of his grin. "Two trees, pines, with the spiky needles. Look north. Find a split rock." His eyelids fluttered.

"Stay with me, Tayvis," I muttered, leaning close.

"Under a big bush, halfway between. Alpha Zed, channel six. Message is code seven two, full reply urgent. Repeat it."

"Seven two full reply urgent," I said dutifully.

"Don't wait for an answer. Set it off and get out of there." His words came as a breathy whisper.

I shifted, nodding.

"Dace." He opened his eyes.

"What?" I leaned over him.

He lifted his right hand, stroking my cheek. I expected him to wish me luck. He pulled my head down. Our lips touched. His hand tangled in my hair, pulling me closer. I felt like I had taken hold of live wires, I tingled all over. His hand dropped across his chest. His eyes slid closed.

I didn't know how to reply to that. I'd never been kissed before. I crawled out of the bushes before I could change my mind about finding the beacon.

Flago saw me. He shouted obscenities.

"You want me to blow a hole in your other leg?" I shouted back.

He went silent.

I realized I'd forgotten the blaster. All I could think about was the feel of Tayvis kissing me. I crawled into the bush. Tayvis looked awful. I snatched the blaster, holding it ready.

"Be back soon," I whispered. I thought I saw his lips twitch. If he was faking sleep, I would slap him when I returned. I tried to gather my wits as I scrambled out of the bushes. I crept up the hill, through the trees, watching for armed men lurking in their shade. I didn't run into any all the way up the side of the hill.

I reached the top, keeping low. I couldn't remember what he said. All I could remember were the way his lips felt against mine. No one had ever kissed me. No one had ever wanted to before. I crouched in the shade of a pair of trees.

"Not now," I muttered. "Think, Dace, or you're both dead." I suppressed a sudden urge to run back and kiss him again. I wondered if it would feel the same.

I glanced at the trees. Two pine trees, growing next to each other, the first sign he said to look for and I sat under them like an idiot, thinking about kissing. Now I had to figure out which way was north.

I used guesswork. The trees left a gap in one of two directions. I peered through the trunks, looking for a rock that might fit his description. I didn't see anything so I moved to the other side of the trees.

I saw the big boulder right away. Half a dozen scrawny bushes grew along the line between the trees and the rock. Several men with guns crossed the ridge, right between the bushes. I crouched, ducking into the scant shelter the trees offered. The men argued, gesturing down different sides of the hill. I played with the idea of shooting over their heads to get them to move. Someone else saved me the trouble.

A volley of blaster shots and arrows arced up from the far side of the hill. The men returned fire. A tree exploded into flames. The men on the ridge ran down the hill, firing as they went. The sounds of fighting moved off into the trees.

I sprinted for the biggest bush. I dove into its shelter, digging through the thick accumulation of leaves around its base. I broke several nails and scratched my hands. I found nothing. I sucked my bleeding thumb. Tayvis said two trees, a split rock, and a big bush between. I risked a quick peek. This was the only large bush here. Or was it? I peered towards the rock. Another bush lay tucked into a hollow. I scrambled to my feet and ran for it.

Someone shouted. A shot ricocheted off the rock. I rolled under the bush. Men thrashed through the trees lower down the hill.

I waited until the noise died, then eased myself up, watching through the bush's lower branches. The hill looked deceptively peaceful. I set the blaster down, then dug through the mulch under the bush. I found the beacon under a drift of leaves. I flipped the power switch. The beacon hummed. A light on top glowed yellow before fading to green. I stared at the keys. What code had Tayvis said? All I could remember was the soft touch of his lips on mine.

Something simple, that much I remembered. Alpha? I pushed the button. My finger hovered over the keys at the other end. I shut my eyes and punched one. The machine clicked and hummed. The tiny screen blinked yellow. I hoped I'd gotten it right. I twisted the dial to select the channel. Why did they have to make emergency beacons so complicated? This one was different from the ones I'd trained with; I wondered exactly how it differed. Maybe it was booby-trapped. I wiped suddenly sweaty hands on the torn skirt of my shift.

Channel six, I remembered that distinctly. I twirled the dial, then flipped the switch for repeating call. I typed code seven two.

Men approached, beating bushes as they came.

The machine beeped. "Voice activation initiated. Enter message now."

"Um," I wondered if I'd remembered correctly. "Code seven two reply urgent." It didn't sound quite right, but I was fast running out of time.

The machine clicked and buzzed. "Message encoded for transfer. Please enter authorization code."

"I don't have the blasted authorization code," I said through clenched teeth. "This is an emergency. Agent down. Broadcast that, you overgrown silicon twit."

The machine crackled static. A new voice came through, this one definitely human; it was too angry to be a machine. "Who is this? What is your authorization to be on this channel?"

"I have a message from Malcolm Tayvis."

The men quit searching under the bushes before they torched them.

"Who are you and where did you hear that name?" the voice demanded.

"He's hurt badly and he's going to be dead if you don't send help."

"What authorization do you have?"

"He told me to say code seven two, full reply urgent. I have to go now." I snapped the power switch to beacon mode before scrambling out of the bush.

A blast of fire flared over my head. I ran down the opposite side of the hill. They chased me, their guns barking blasts of fire into the trees. I dodged to the left, trying to keep them away from Tayvis. The trees gave me some shelter. I twisted through them, dodging blaster fire. My shift caught on branches and tore again, but I didn't care. All I wanted was to get out alive. The men crashed through the woods, shouting to each other. I turned farther uphill, running through a relatively clear space. I jumped through a screen of bushes.

Right into Shomies Pardui's camp.

Chapter 38

Shomies sat on the ground, shoving power packs into a blaster. Half a dozen men surrounded her, whipping out swords when they saw me. I tucked my chin and ran faster, leaping past them into the trees on the other side. Blaster shots followed me into the thicker brush.

The men chasing me crashed her camp. The sound of battle rang through the woods. I circled around, giving the spot a wide berth.

I heard the next group before they saw me. They crashed uphill through the trees towards the sound of fighting. I rolled under a bush and hid while they passed by, close enough that I could have touched their boots.

I scrambled out of the bush. Someone giggled, high-pitched and not entirely sane. I turned slowly.

Ameli clutched a bloody knife in one hand. Her dress hung in ragged shreds. Spatters of blood marked her. She put her finger to her lips. "Shh," she warned. She giggled again, then ran into the trees, singing to herself in a queer, childish voice.

I shuddered and turned around.

Dysun lounged against a tree, a blaster pointed at my navel. A grin spread over his face.

"They're all looking for you, Dace." His accent was more pronounced, the vowels broader than before. "I could name my price for you. They'll pay it."

"I thought we had a deal, Dysun."

"Where's your partner? He wasn't part of our bargain and they all want him just as much as they want you."

"I should have known better than to trust a pirate."

"And I should have known better than to trust a Patrol spy." He raised the blaster. "They won't care if you're damaged."

I pointed my blaster at his head. "I can blow off your head before you shoot me. How much power does your blaster have left, Dysun?"

We stared at each other over our blasters. Sweat ran into my eyes.

Dysun swore and threw his blaster into the bushes. "The charge was gone before I found it. Let's talk, Dace."

"You should have thought of that before you pointed a blaster at me." I squeezed off a shot that set the bush next to him smoldering. He jumped about three feet.

"Deal's off," I said. "Unless you . . ."

He dashed off like a rabbit. I scooped his blaster from the ground, then jogged off into the trees, a gun in each hand.

I didn't meet anyone else on my way back to Tayvis. I probably would have shot first and asked questions afterwards. I was hot, tired, thirsty, and aching. I wanted a bath and real clothes. Worry over Tayvis gnawed at me. I'd set off the beacon, but I didn't have any idea if help was coming. I wiggled into the nest of bushes where I'd left Tayvis. He was still there. So was Flago. He hovered over Tayvis with a knife in his hand.

"Want to watch him die, Dace?"

"I'll blow your ugly face off first."

Flago pricked Tayvis' throat. A drop of blood welled up.

Tayvis didn't move. His closed eyes and ashen face worried me.

"Do it, Dace, and he dies."

I shrugged. "So do you." I tucked Dysun's blaster in the pack and rummaged for a ration bar. They tasted like sawdust, but were packed full of nutrients, or so they always told us at the Academy. I tore the wrapper off with my teeth. I kept the other blaster aimed at Flago.

"I heard he was your lover." Flago twitched the knife.

"I heard that one, too." I took a bite. "Checkmate, Flago. The Patrol is on their way. No matter what, your days are over. Maybe if you run away really fast and hide somewhere, they'll let you stay on this lovely world."

"You fixed that." He shifted so I could see the angry wound on his thigh.

I frowned. "I was aiming higher. I'll have to brush up on my sharp shooting."

He muttered something unrepeatable.

I finished off the bar, crumpling the wrapper in my fist. "I'm tired of your company, Flago. You've got exactly ten seconds to get out of here before I correct my mistake and shoot you where I intended the first time."

"I'll kill him." He pressed the knife into Tayvis' throat.

"One."

Blood welled around the knife point. Flago licked his lips.

"Five." I took the blaster in both hands.

The knife lifted marginally.

I aimed at Flago's crotch and flipped off the safety. "Maybe ten seconds was too long."

Flago scrambled away, limping across the meadow. His leg gave out near the boulders. He tumbled out of sight, cursing.

I flipped the safety on.

Tayvis' eyes fluttered open. "I thought you were a man who hadn't shaved in a while."

"That was Flago. He's gone now. How are you holding up?"

He coughed weakly. His fist closed on my shift, pulling me close. "My enlistment is done in three years," he whispered. "There's a bar on Proxima, on the lower side of the main port. Called the Golden Pig. Look for me there."

"Tayvis."

He lifted his hand to my mouth. "I've looked for years for a woman like you. Promise you'll meet me there."

"I don't have any idea where I'll be three years from now." I pushed the hair from his forehead, checking for fever. His skin was cool and clammy.

"Promise me, Dace."

"Promise me you won't die and I'll be there," I whispered.

"I'm tougher than that," he said so softly I barely heard it.

"I found the beacon, but I don't know if they believed me or not. Someone answered when I tried to send the message."

"What did you tell them?" His voice was thready, weak.

"What you told me to."

"Full reply urgent? You're certain that's what you said?"

"That's what I told him."

"Good." He coughed again. Dark red seeped through the bandage. "It means send the troops immediately in full battle gear." He lay still, breathing shallowly.

"Hang in there, Tayvis." I blinked back tears as I tucked the pack under his head.

Flago's muttered curses stopped. He lurched upright only to fall again.

Blaster fire and sword fighting echoed through the forest.

Tayvis' dark hair and lashes stood out in stark contrast to his white skin. He was dying. It wasn't fair. The only nice thing that had happened to me on Dadilan was Tayvis kissing me. I wiped my nose on the back of my hand.

I held Tayvis' hand and thought about praying. If anything Roland said was true, I could use the help of a divine being. It couldn't hurt to try. I didn't know how to begin. Religion was banned on Tivor. All I had were snatches of conversations to guide me.

The air vibrated. The ground shook as the sound intensified. It took me a minute to realize what it meant. All around the hill where the beacon sat, Patrol ships touched down. Their hatches opened; soldiers in black combat suits poured out.

I squeezed Tayvis' hand with relief. "They're coming."

The troops fanned out in long lines, blasters at the ready. They swept across the meadow. Deep rumbles from Patrol rifle cannons punctuated the occasional blaster shot and the clang of swords. Several men pulled Flago from the rocks. They hauled him away, out of sight.

A blaster shot sizzled over my head catching one of the Patrol troopers full in the chest.

The line immediately dropped to firing position. Rifle cannons boomed. Trees slowly toppled, flames crackling briefly through their branches. The troopers charged up the hill. None of them stopped to search the bushes.

The sounds of fighting grew more distant. I leaned over Tayvis, trying to decide what to do. The chances of getting shot were pretty high if I tried to attract attention, but Tayvis needed help and soon.

The bushes behind me crackled. I turned, my blaster held ready by my leg. I looked into the mouth of a bigger blaster, the shiny faceplate of a trooper behind it. I sighed with relief and dropped my blaster, raising my hands over my head. The blaster twitched, motioning me out of the bushes.

I waded through the branches, glad they weren't full of thorns.

"It's Commander Tayvis," the trooper said as he bent over to look in the clearing. "Get a med team out here. Now." Men jumped and scrambled, except for the one holding the blaster on me.

"Holton, get the transport on com and update them," the leader barked as he and two other troopers moved Tayvis out of the bushes. Tayvis looked even worse in the sunlight. The troop leader left Tayvis in the hands of three medics who came running from the transport.

"Is he going to be all right?" I couldn't help asking.

The leader of the troop glanced my direction. Sunlight glinted on his mirrored eye shield. "Who are you?"

"Captain Dace of the Star's Grace."

The man frowned. The medics bundled Tayvis onto a stretcher, trailing tubes and medical equipment.

"Take her into custody, Holton," the leader ordered. "Tell the goons at the transport she's C-47. Special orders on base." He turned his attention to the trees and the sounds of fighting.

Holton pulled a pair of force cuffs from his belt.

I held out my hands. I didn't care if I left in chains. I'd had enough of Dadilan.

Holton snapped the cuffs around my wrists, then took my elbow. We followed the stretcher carrying Tayvis.

We hiked around the base of the hill to the meadow where the monks had grazed goats. A long transport shuttle sat in a circle of scorched grass. A plume of smoke trailed lazily into the sky from the remains of the monastery. Several groups of people sat on the grass, guarded by big Patrol troopers with lots of nasty looking weapons.

The medics took Tayvis straight into the transport, into the front compartment. My guard hesitated, then walked me through the crowds of troopers. We passed by a knot of prisoners. Pardui sat on the ground, looking definitely disheveled. She jumped to her feet, shouting profanities as we passed. A guard shoved her down. One of Clyvus' men spat. I wiped the glob off my face with my cuffed hands.

"Popular, aren't you?" my escort muttered in my ear

The officer in charge glared. "Who is this?"

"Sergeant Loomiz said to bring her here. Command says she's C-47."

"Well, put her in the bay with the others." He tapped his clipboard, dismissing us.

"Pardon, sir, but do you really think that's wise?" Holton gestured at the mob of prisoners. "Special orders on base, sir."

The officer frowned. He tapped his stylus against the clipboard.

"They'll kill her."

I decided I liked Holton.

"One less I have to process."

I didn't like the clerk.

A man approached, one with a Commander's clusters on his collar. "Captain Dace?"

The men snapped to attention.

I nodded.

The commander studied me, his mouth pinched tight. "Captain Dace, your position is very thin. From what I've heard, you had better hope Commander Tayvis pulls through. Put her in front," he told the clerk.

I bit my lip, looking down at the force cuffs. How good were Tayvis' promises? Did our unorthodox agreement mean anything?

Holton led me around the transport to the front cabin. He unfolded a seat from the wall in the cabin.

I sat. "I promise to be good."

He buckled the webbing over me, patting my knee on his way out.

Tayvis lay in a bunk on the other side. Machines beeped around him, tended by a medic. Troopers sporting bandages occupied other seats in the small cabin. A door near me led into the cockpit. I heard the pilots going through preflight checklists. The medic hovered over Tayvis, punching codes into the medunit. If he had died, they would have just covered him. I flexed my hands, watching the force field crawl across the cuffs. At least he was still alive.

The takeoff warning bleeped. The doors slid shut. The medic sat down as the engines rumbled to life. She jumped to her feet, checking on Tayvis as soon as we cleared Dadilan's gravity.

I sighed and closed my eyes, finally daring to relax. Dadilan was behind me. I was free. Well, sort of. I tried to ignore the pinching of the force cuffs.

We docked with a Patrol cruiser. The airlock cycled, the door slid open. A medical team whisked Tayvis away. The other wounded troopers followed. I waited. The pilots left. And still I sat. Someone finally came to get me.

"You're Captain Dace," she said as she unbuckled my webbing. "I'm Sue."

Sue would have passed as a storybook grandmother if she hadn't been wearing a Patrol uniform and a nasty looking stunner. She took my arm and led me through the big cruiser.

"No offense, but you need a bath, honey," Sue said.

"I'd love one," I sighed.

She chatted about her posting as we walked. She had custody of prisoners with sensitive status. I wondered why she was at Dadilan.

"Paper mix-up," she confided as she opened a locked door with her thumb. "I was supposed to go to Vilia on a holiday kind of assignment before I retired, but someone stamped the paper wrong. You're the first I've had." She escorted me through a small cell block to one of the back cells. "More privacy here. You'll find clean clothes in the closet."

She unlocked the door and ushered me in. This was a luxury suite compared to the cells on Dadilan. No rats, no dripping water, no cold stone, no maniacs with hot irons. I went in gladly. Sue removed my cuffs, then left with a promise to return with my dinner after I'd had a chance to bathe.

I shoved the rags of my shift and my boots into the recycler. Running hot and cold water that was guaranteed clean was absolute, decadent luxury. I scrubbed until my bruises ached. I washed my hair six times before it finally felt clean.

I dressed in the shipsuit I found in a locker. It didn't matter that it was prison yellow. There were no boots, but I figured I could stand being barefoot in a Patrol cruiser.

A tray of processed food waited in my cell when I finally emerged from the bathroom. I sat down and ate. I tried to sort out what I felt, besides relief at finally getting away. I had no idea what charges I faced. The Patrol had locked me up so there must be some. I didn't know what kind of influence Tayvis had. Every time I thought his name my stomach fluttered. Three years, he had said, until his enlistment ended. It sounded like he wouldn't reenlist if I gave him a good enough reason not to. Where would I be in three years? I had no ship, no money, no contacts. I might not even have a pilot's rating when the Patrol finished with me. But I promised myself that somehow, some way, I would be in that bar on the lower side of the main port of Proxima. Tayvis deserved a chance to see me the way I really was, not the way Dadilan had forced me to be. Maybe, just maybe, it would feel right for both of us.

And maybe not. Anything could happen in three years.

I curled up on the bunk and slept. It was bliss not to worry about bugs.

Chapter 39

"Wake up, honey." Sue's cheerful voice shattered nightmares about riding a horse through a mob of screaming men with swords.

I sat, blinking groggily.

Sue set a tray on my table. "The Admiral wants a word with you. I told him he would just have to wait until you had a chance to eat and wash." She bustled out.

I stared, my mouth hanging open. Sue had told a full Admiral to wait? Was she on my side or not? I ate fast and used the facilities.

Sue waited near the door to the cell block, talking to a hulking guard in an Enforcer's uniform. She smiled her grandmotherly smile, all wrinkles and twinkling eyes. "That was quick. Are you ready to go? Regulations, dear. Just hold out your hands."

She snapped cuffs around my wrists and took my arm. The hulk fell in on my other side. Sue chattered the whole way through the ship. She complained about the level of weapons issued nowadays. Completely underpowered in her opinion.

The hulk disagreed, saying that too many Enforcers were being shot with contraband Patrol weapons.

I didn't think it mattered. After what I'd seen people do to each other with lengths of sharpened metal and pointy sticks, weapons were weapons. All of them were designed to hurt people; wasn't that the point? I didn't say any of it out loud, though.

We rode the lifts into the posher levels of the ship. I flexed my bare toes. No stickers, thorns, or sharp rocks to cause painful bruises or other injuries. I would have been happy if I hadn't been so nervous.

Sue stopped outside a door. She knocked once, then opened it. "Admiral Tuong's aide," she said with a wink as she pushed me into the office.

The aide, a thin, blonde woman who looked as starched as her uniform, pressed a button in her desk. "Captain Dace is here, sir." She pressed another button. "You may go in."

Admiral Tuong was an older man, his hair light gray and rather thin. He studied me, steepling his fingers precisely on his immaculate and barren desk.

My bruises ached. I shifted my feet. "Can I sit, sir?" I waited for his nod before I sat in the chair. It forced me to sit at attention.

"You put me in a delicate position." Admiral Tuong's voice was as precise as his fingers. He placed each word with care, weighed and fully measured. "I have several conflicting reports about you. Who am I supposed to believe?"

"Malcolm Tayvis. He's the one who offered me a way out of the mess."

"Who got you into it?"

"Do you want me to start at the beginning?"

"You are under no obligation to incriminate yourself."

"Admiral, I rather hope my story will prove my innocence if nothing else." And probably my stupidity, but I didn't say that out loud.

"Do I have your permission to record this account?"

"Yes."

He produced a recorder.

I told him everything. Well, almost everything. He didn't need to know how I felt about Tayvis. The office was quiet when I finished. Had I really done those things? I stared at the force cuffs on my wrists.

Admiral Tuong tapped his finger on the desk. "Is there anyone who can verify your story? Of all the witnesses that have been interviewed, none agree on who you are or why you were on Dadilan."

"Tayvis can verify everything, at least most of it."

"It will be at least a month before he is in any condition to testify to anything."

"He's going to recover?"

Admiral Tuong smiled. "He'll make a full recovery in time. It was a close call."

I sighed with relief. "Commander Nuto can corroborate most of my story."

"Unfortunately, Commander Nuto will not be making a full recovery. His body is on its way to his family."

It hurt, as if someone had slugged me.

"Is there anyone else?" Admiral Tuong prompted.

Will Scarlet worked with Tayvis. I didn't know if he would admit it. I didn't even know if Will was his real name. I shook my head.

"We have one of your crewmembers in custody."

"He blew my ship. Flago works for Gerant Clyvus."

He tapped his finger again.

I shifted on the chair.

"Why do they want you dead? What purpose will it serve?"

"Revenge most likely. I did mess up their plans."

He pressed a button on his desk. "The charges against you are serious. We will consider your extenuating circumstances. Full military inquest has been scheduled in two days."

"Thank you, sir."

Sue and the big guard escorted me to the cell block.

I let their chatter wash over me. Serious charges meant I might get a life sentence to somewhere even worse than Dadilan. Without Tayvis to back me up, I had only my word and his agreement, if Nuto had recorded it offworld. No matter how irregular, it was at least something in my defense.

Sue removed the cuffs when we reached my cell block. I was her only prisoner.

"Do you play comets?" she asked. "It's against regulations, but it might help the time pass faster for both of us."

"I don't have anything to bet."

"We'll play for points."

We sat behind her desk and played comets for the rest of that day. By the time I retired to my cell, I was behind by four hundred thirty six points. Sue played a mean game. I could learn a lot from her.

She talked the next day while we played. She had four children and six grandchildren scattered around the Empire. She looked forward to the time she could spend visiting them. Terrorizing them in their own homes, as she put it, grinning widely. We both laughed over her tales of trying to keep the Emperor's son in custody during a coup attempt. He was sixteen and kept finding new ways to slip free. He now sat on the throne as Emperor. Sue talked as if he were just another person.

By the second night I knew the names of her two husbands, her children, their spouses, and their children.

"I was looking for adventure after my Jershon died," she said, sighing. "And I found it. The only thing I regret is leaving my poor kittens behind." Her poor kittens were thirty pound sand cats with claws the length of my fingers.

I liked Sue, even though I was down by over a thousand points. I suspect she cheated, though how she did it I never did guess.

She brought me a different outfit the morning of the inquest, a gray shipsuit like I'd worn as captain of my own ship. She'd even found a patch for the Independent Trader's Guild. She apologized for not being able to find captain's bars. She handed me a pair of boots my size.

I hugged her and thanked her.

"You still have to wear cuffs, dear," she apologized as she fastened them on.

My bodyguard, the huge man who had escorted me to the Admiral's office, took me to the room where the prisoners waited. He seated me in a corner separate from the rest.

I heard snatches of comments from the others, things that made me hope the others got life sentences somewhere I would never go. I shifted nervously on the hard chair.

Pardui sat across from me. Her stare could have cut steel. Clyvus and his men were lined up against the opposite wall. Ricard Blake, seated in a comfortable chair at the far end, complained loudly, protesting his innocence.

Dysun entered, his upper torso and one arm completely wrapped in bandages. His guard sat him near me.

"Remember our agreement, Dace," Dysun whispered.

"You broke that when you threatened to shoot me, remember?"

"Quiet," Dysun's guard ordered.

I snapped my mouth shut. We waited, the tension rising with each passing moment. When the door to the trial room finally opened, I could almost taste the relief that rippled through the room.

"Captain Dace of the Star's Grace," the man at the door called.

My bodyguard escorted me into the next room. The doors slid shut. I faced a panel of three high-ranking officers. Admiral Tuong sat to one side.

The clerk read the list of charges. It included unauthorized contact with a restricted culture, disruption of trade, murder, and impersonation of a Patrol officer among other, lesser offenses. The man finally finished and took his seat.

I fidgeted. The room grew so quiet I heard the air ducts whispering.

The three men on the panel studied me; a full admiral in silver, an Enforcer admiral in black, and a man in gray with no insignia. Dadilan and the drug, shara, were more important than I had believed.

"Captain Dace," Admiral Tuong spoke. His voice echoed in the room. "These charges are serious. How do you plead?"

I hesitated, choosing my words with care. "I did most of the things I'm charged with, yes. I plead extenuating circumstances. May I explain?"

"We've listened to the story you told Admiral Tuong," the Enforcer answered, leaning back in his chair. "If what you have said is the truth, we can resolve the charges. The question is, have you told us the truth? Each person out there tells us a different version of events, most incriminating you. They have other people to corroborate their story. The only ones you have are dead or in a coma."

"What answer can I give?" I resigned myself to spending the rest of my life on a prison planet. I had no evidence. I had no one to argue for me. I had no way to prove I told the truth.

"You claim Commander Malcolm Tayvis recruited you as a special agent on Dadilan. Can you substantiate the claim?"

"I signed an agreement. I don't know if Commander Nuto transferred the record off-planet. There should be a record of a request for my files. Commander Tayvis wanted to read them. He had doubts about me that were resolved by his reading my file."

The admiral whispered with the clerk.

The clerk typed on his computer, then nodded.

The admiral plucked his lip. "That request is on record, yes. The lack of evidence either way tends to make me believe you." He turned to the clerk. "Is there a psychic on staff?"

The man in the gray uniform smiled. "A psychic wouldn't be any use."

When you meet someone who will change your life, you expect flashing lights or some great, overwhelming feeling of destiny, something at least. I felt only a twinge of hope rising yet again.

"She has a psychic rating of point zero zero three, using the most sensitive test available. A psychic simply couldn't read anything."

"What else is there to try? We have to sort out this mess somehow." The admiral thumped the desk in frustration.

"Commander Tayvis is expected to make a full recovery within a month or two." The man didn't seem to care either way. "He can clear the matter. We'll hold her in custody until then."

"There is a slight complication," the Patrol Admiral spoke for the first time. "According to some of the accounts, Commander Tayvis was involved with the accused."

The man's eyebrows shot up.

I blushed, remembering Tayvis' hand on my cheek, his lips on mine.

The man laughed. "Gentlemen, I request you drop all charges and turn the defendant over to me. The charges can be reinstated if such is deemed necessary."

Who was he that he could order admirals around? He was either one of the Council or Patrol High Command. Or possibly the Emperor himself. I had no idea what his highness looked like.

"Is that wise, Lowell?" Admiral Tuong asked.

That ruled out the Emperor. I was pretty sure his highness' name wasn't Lowell.

"Do it as a favor to me." Lowell smiled smugly.

The other men traded glances.

"Charges dismissed," the Enforcer admiral said. "Prisoner is released into the custody of Commander Grant Lowell."

Grant Lowell crossed the room, stopping in front of me. He stood barely taller. He stared me full in the face. His eyes were an odd shade of silver. "If charges are reinstated, you will most likely be found guilty and locked away for a very short, very unpleasant life. Do you understand?"

I nodded. I wondered if he offered a worse alternative to life in prison.

Grant Lowell smiled again. "Good." He unfastened the cuffs, handing them to the clerk. "Follow me."

I rubbed my wrists and followed.

We exited into a different hall. He took me to a small cabin.

Commander Lowell straddled a chair. "Sit down, Dace."

I took it as an order and sat.

"I'll be blunt. I work for the undercover division of the Patrol."

I twitched. They had spies everywhere, if you believed the more paranoid students at the Academy.

A smile flickered across Lowell's face. "Yes, it exists. Commander Tayvis has worked for me several times before. That's one reason I'm here." He cocked his head, watching me.

I felt like a bug being eyed by a hungry bird with a big, vicious beak.

"I want to offer you a job, Dace. You have no ship, no family, no money. Nothing but a piece of paper that says you can legally fly a ship. Who's going to hire you now?"

I winced, he wasn't pulling his punches.

"From what I've heard of your adventures on Dadilan, you could make a very effective agent."

"And if I don't accept your offer?"

Commander Lowell shrugged.

"I spent my years at the Academy telling the Patrol no, I'm not going to join now."

"You apparently joined when Commander Tayvis asked."

"He threatened to shoot me if I didn't!"

Lowell raised one eyebrow and waited.

I shifted in my chair. "I had a dream, Commander. I wanted to fly my own ship. I lived that dream for less than a month. I can do it again. I will do it again. I found out on Dadilan I can be as tough as I need to be. I can shoot a person down without warning, although I hope I never have to again. I don't ever want to look at someone I just shot. You're asking me to do that at any time. I can't live that way. I'm sorry, Commander. I can't work for you. I'd become something I hated."

"I do believe that's the most honest refusal I've ever been given. It's a week's travel to the nearest system with open trade. Think about it. If you change your mind, let me know. I'll be on the same ship." He rose from the chair, crossing to the door. He turned back, his hand raised to the controls. Our eyes met. "You have great potential. Are you sure you want to waste it?"

"Quite sure."

We stared at each other a moment longer. He held my future in his hands. One word from him and I would be in prison.

"Pity," he said at last. "Sue will fetch you in a few moments. The ship leaves in about an hour."

"What about the charges?"

"They're dropped. You are free to go." He gave me one last measuring look, then walked out.

I sat in the chair, stunned. He was just going to let me go? I stared at the door, half expecting him to reappear and tell me the whole thing was a joke and I was really going to be sentenced to life on a prison planet of my choice. It would fit with everything else that had happened.

He didn't come back. Sue did. I was on that ship when it left.

Chapter 40

Every breath of Ylisini's smoggy air tasted like paradise. The Patrol had kicked me out here, the closest port to Dadilan. Everything I'd done there had officially not happened. They made me swear secrecy before they let me go.

I had nothing except my pilot's license. I put in my application at the port hiring office, but hadn't received a single call in over three weeks.

I thought my nightmares would fade once I was away from Dadilan, but I spent at least half of each night tossing and turning and trying not to sleep for fear of yet another bad dream.

I tried to send a message to Tayvis. No one at the Patrol compound would admit he even existed. They kicked me out three times before I finally quit. I was afraid I'd attract Grant Lowell's attention if I kept trying. I didn't want to remind him of all the criminal charges he had dropped.

"You fix pipes yet?" Mrs. Dogwieller, my landlady, barged into my room. She'd agreed to let me have a tiny room in her basement in exchange for doing a few repairs. So far, the repairs had involved replumbing her entire four story boarding house. "They drip all over my kitchen floor."

"That's the cleaning unit. It needs a new gasket. It's going to cost you at least twenty credits, even for a used one."

Mrs. Dogwieller sniffed. "You fix pipes or you leave." She slammed her way out of my room.

I sighed. I recalled the list of ships in port on the tiny handcomp I'd borrowed from one of the other boarders. I hoped I could beg a berth somewhere, anywhere. Even as a deckhand. Anything was better than Mrs. Dogwieller and her pipes.

Three years, Tayvis had said. Did he really mean it? Three years would last a very long time, especially if I ended up stuck here. Most of the shipping companies on Ylisini contracted through trading combines. They had no room for an independent pilot. Maybe I could find a sympathetic captain willing to take me somewhere with more prospects.

Tayvis thought he was dying when he kissed me. What had he meant, when he said he'd been looking for a woman like me? What did he want with a scrawny, plain nobody from a planet no one ever left?

I tucked my feet under me in the tattered armchair, plucking stuffing out with one hand. I cradled the handcomp in the other. I was almost better off on Dadilan. No, scratch that. Nothing was worse than Dadilan, not even Tivor.

The message light on the handcomp blinked. I didn't get excited. The message couldn't possibly be for me. I idly scrolled over it. My name blinked on the subject line. I clicked the retrieval button. Only a contact number was listed.

My hands shook. It had to be from Tayvis. I hit the dial button. The line connected.

"You are Dace?" I didn't recognize the sharp-faced woman who answered. She wore a tan and green company uniform.

"Yes," I said, squashing disappointment that she wasn't in Patrol silver.

"You submitted an application for employment several weeks ago. Are you still available?"

"Yes." Anything but Mrs. Dogwieller's pipes.

"It's temporary," she said, her voice cold and clipped. "We are in need of a pilot to ferry a ship to Tebros. Regulations require three. We only have two of ours available. I assume your ratings are still in order?"

"Yes, ma'am. Anything smaller than an ore freighter."

She flashed a brief smile, one that didn't touch her eyes. "Landing pad five sixty three. Liftoff is in six hours. I'll have the paperwork waiting."

"I'll be there." Grunt work, they probably wouldn't even let me touch the controls, but flying beat plumbing any day.

"Is standard pay rate acceptable?"

"Perfectly."

The woman signed off.

I closed the connection. I had little enough to pack. I owned a total of three jumpsuits, cheap ones. I'd had to beg Mrs. Dogwieller to pay me extra for fixing her vid set so I could even buy those.

"You fix pipes now," Mrs. Dogwieller caught me in the hall after I'd returned the handcomp. She folded her massive arms and frowned ferociously.

After Pardui and Leran, she was a rank amateur. I ignored her glare.

"Thanks for the room, Mrs. Dogwieller. I have a job."

"You leaving?" She blinked in surprise.

"Tonight." I wondered if she was going to hit me or start screaming. "I told you this was temporary, only until I found work."

She pulled me into a crushing hug and bawled onto my head. "I miss you much. You good worker. You fix pipes."

I patted her ample middle and tried to squirm free. "I miss you, too, Mrs. Dogwieller."

She let go, patting her teary face. She patted my face, too, with her damp hands. "Oh, this come for you, yesterday." She pulled a crumpled wad of paper from her pocket.

I smoothed it out. There were only five words inside.

Golden Pig, Proxima. Be there.

A date was stamped at the bottom, a date just shy of three years in the future. My hands shook. I couldn't see.

"Bad news?" Mrs. Dogwieller's face wrinkled with concern.

"No." I smiled. "Good news, very good news."

Tayvis meant what he'd said. Suddenly, the future looked a whole lot brighter.

Author Bio: Jaleta Clegg was born some time ago. She's filled the years since with many diverse activities, such as costuming, quilting, cooking, video games, reading, and writing. She's been a fan of classic sci-fi books and campy movies since she can remember. Her collection of bad sci-fi movies is only rivaled by her collection of eclectic CD's (polka, opera, or Irish folk songs, anyone?).

She writes science fiction adventure, silly horror, epic fantasy, and just about anything else that catches her fancy. Find a complete listing of her published work at www.jaletac.com and a complete listing of the Fall of the Altairan Empire series at www.altairanempire.com

Jaleta lives in Utah with her husband, a horde of her own children, and too many animals including dogs, frogs, a goldfish, a cat name Chunkalicious, and chickens. She wants to be either Han Solo or Ursula the Sea Witch when she grows up. If she ever does.
