Regis had forgotten how forthright she was. “I’ll leave the arrangements to you . . . with my thanks.”
She walked briskly to the door, then paused and turned back. “Regis. Promise me one thing.”
He heard the unsureness in her voice and waited.
“You will not walk into the Crystal Chamber without me.”
She asked not only because she was Comynara in her own right. Not only because as one who had once been Keeper at Arilinn, her voice still commanded respect. Not only because she might be of support to him. Not only because, if things went badly and turned violent, she had the right to face that danger with her husband.
Danilo would be there, as paxman and Comyn. Linnea’s presence would state, in clear and irrevocable terms, her own rightful place.
Am I truly an equal partner?
Smiling, he nodded.
A short while later, Danilo came into the parlor, flushed from the heat of the bath. His hair, still wet, tumbled over his shoulders. Regis recognized the shirt, a bit large but clean and pressed, as belonging to the coridom. Linnea must have borrowed it for him.
“There’s hot wine as well as jaco,” Regis said, gesturing.
Danilo poured half a goblet of wine and sat down. “I suppose jacois more sensible, but, Holy Bearer of Burdens, I need this more. I still can’t believe I’m here.”
“You are,” Regis grinned. “Or else we’re both hallucinating. Are you easy, Danilo? Is there anything we need to discuss before we turn our minds to plots and schemes?”
Danilo hesitated, studying the garnet surface of the wine. “There’s nothing more to be said. Life itself will unfold. But—even if you set me aside,” lifting his gaze, his eyes filled with light, “what you have given me is more than I ever dreamed. You came for me, even as you did so many years ago at Caer Donn. You restored my honor as well as my life.”
You were willing to die for me.
“Having risked that, do you think me such a blockhead as to cast away the finest paxman of our generation?” Regis tried to keep his tone light. “We are what we are to one another. Even as Linnea and I are.”
Danilo looked away, blinked once or twice, nodded. Inhaled. Cleared his throat. “So we are to resurrect the extinct Comyn Council once again?”
“I’m afraid so. I would prefer not to rely on the ghosts of the old order, but not even Varzil the Good could convene the Telepath Council in the Crystal Chamber. To be seen as legitimate beyond question, these proceedings must have the full and indisputable authority of the Domains. I must also speak with Dan Lawton without delay, to forestall a military coup by the Terrananbefore I can get things straightened out.”
“Well,” Danilo replied with a ghost of humor, “what is one more miracle on a day such as this?”
The crimson sun sank behind the rooftops of Thendara. Shadows deepened, staining colors into gloom. Regis and Danilo, muffled in woolen cloaks, made their way to the Trade City.
The day had been clear, and not a cloud blurred the twilit sky. Darkness, dense and swift, swept across the heavens like great soft wings. Leaping out in sudden brilliance, the crown of vast white stars and the two smaller moons glittered like gemstones set asymmetrically against the galactic plane.
The two men stopped outside a walled compound that revealed nothing to the outer world except that its owner was rich enough to ensure his privacy.
“You’ve outdone yourself, Danilo,” Regis muttered. “I don’t think even Valdir Ridenow would look for me here.”
Danilo pulled the bell rope. The gate cracked open. A servant carrying a torch ushered them through a small garden and into the house beyond.
Regis and Danilo followed the servant into a richly furnished room. Lights came on, not the tallow candles of poor people or even the laran-charged glows of the Comyn, but a bank of yellow globes of Federation origin. Regis recognized a hanging of Thetan sea-silk, a carpet with an intricate Dry Towns pattern, and a chair that could only have come from the pleasure world of Keef. Historically, Darkovans had little interest in off-world goods, except practical things like lenses and small metal implements. For the most part, the Comyn discouraged interstellar trade. As he surveyed the chamber, Regis could not deny the beauty with which off-world and Darkovan cultures could combine.
A moment later, their host entered, followed closely by Dan Lawton. The host, a member of the Pan-Darkovan League, wore a floor-length robe of emerald wool belted with a chain of enameled medallions of curious off-world design.
“Vai domyn,”he said, bowing first to Regis and then to Danilo, “you lend grace to my humble establishment.”
“ MestreBartolomeo, thank you for your hospitality.” Regis inclined his head toward Dan Lawton. The Terran looked a decade older than the last time Regis had seen him. “I regret we meet under such circumstances.”
After a few more words, their host withdrew. Regis and Dan sat in two of the elaborate chairs, with Danilo standing near Regis in the attitude of a paxman.
Regis took the lead, quickly dismissing the last traces of formality. “Dan, I am so sorry about Felix. How does he fare?”
“You were with him when—” Dan’s voice roughened. He swallowed. “He came through the surgery and is stable. Jay Allison thinks he’ll make a full recovery, although it will be slow. There’s been nerve damage. Jay says he would have died of blood loss, but the dagger seemed to have sealed off the severed vessels. That’s not supposed to happen. You—whatever you did, I’m grateful.”
Regis nodded, feeling inadequate to the moment. How could he take credit for something that was not his doing? The healing power had flowed through him, but it had not been his.
“I wish there had not been a need,” Regis said aloud. “It would have been far better if you had kept your word to stay out of our affairs. I’m sorry your son was involved, but the matter should have been handled through Darkovan authorities . . . regardless of your parental interest.”
“Does that matter now? You clearly hadn’t been able to maintain order. Your own people were out of control, kidnapping children, with disorder in the streets, and religious fanaticism running riot. The Federation respects local autonomy, but we can and will intervene under certain circumstances. I know you asked to speak with me, and I agreed to this meeting because of our old friendship. I cannot and will not allow personal factors to interfere with my duties as Legate.”
What was Dan trying to say? That he meant to declare martial law in Thendara or place the entire planet under emergency Federation authority?
The repercussions would be indelible, provoking consequences—accusations, confrontations, escalating violence—that could not be easily undone.
“Any action should be carefully considered.” Regis tried to keep his tone conciliatory. “We have worked together before, each of us on his own side. In this case, there is enough blame to go around. After all, the fighting was initiated by Spaceforce police, not those holding the children. If you break the agreements governing relations between the Domains and the Federation, you will be seen as the aggressors.”
Dan’s mouth tightened. “Myson was taken captive by yourpeople.”
“That’s not true. The other children were taken by my brother’s agents, but they were all Darkovan, so the matter remains within our jurisdiction. Felix, on the other hand, was abducted by his own mother. I thought you knew.”