“I hope he is watching over Goral right now,” sighed HawkShadow. “I would not have escaped without his diversion. I owe my life to him.”
“Get your mind off him,” urged SkyDancer. “It only makes the waiting harder.”
“I can’t,” HawkShadow shook his head. “How can I think of anything else?”
SkyDancer smiled as she groaned and felt her side. HawkShadow frowned as he rushed to her. He ran his hand under her tunic and felt the wound.
“Your wound is heating up,” he said anxiously. “It may be infected. How do you feel?”
“I feel as if your hand belongs there,” grinned SkyDancer.
HawkShadow blushed as he pulled his hand away. “I did not mean any disrespect,” apologized the Sakovan assassin. “I am just concerned about your health.”
SkyDancer turned and gazed into HawkShadow’s eyes. A smile spread slowly across her lips as they stared at each other.
“I love you, too,” SkyDancer said softly. “Just so you know.”
“Am I interrupting anything?” Goral asked as he walked into the clearing leading Bertha.
HawkShadow and SkyDancer turned as one. Each of them was embarrassed by their failure to detect the arrival of the giant.
“What happened to you?” HawkShadow finally asked.
“Bertha took an arrow,” shrugged Goral. “I could not stand to ride her hard. Will you look at her, SkyDancer? You at least know some healing magic.”
“Certainly,” smiled SkyDancer as she winked at Goral on her way to the choka.
“I was worried about you,” HawkShadow said casually.
“And I about you, assassin,” grinned Goral. “I was glad to see that you were in good hands when I finally did arrive.”
HawkShadow grinned at the gentle giant and slapped him on the back.
* * *
The column of Imperial Guards sat around the campfire a short distance from Fortung. A short distance away from the fire, General Papper sat talking to the Star of Sakova.
“Do you really think that they are waiting for me in Fortung?” asked Lyra.
“I am not sure,” admitted General Papper, “but we will know soon. The two men that I sent on ahead are good men. If the Imperial Guards in Fortung have been given orders to arrest you on sight, they will discover it.”
“I appreciate your escorting me,” smiled Lyra. “You didn’t have to do this.”
“I felt as if I did,” the general responded. “I know how I would have reacted to your arrival if I was forewarned of it. I suspect that General Smythe will react the same. At least with our escort, they will not dare to attack without knowing why we are here first. That will give you ample time to flee.”
“You sound like you do not trust General Smythe,” commented the Star of Sakova.
“I trust the general,” corrected General Papper. “Smythe is a good man, but he takes his duty seriously. If General Manitow was not able to convince him of the need for Fortung to defect, Smythe will be a stubborn adversary.”
“And if General Manitow did get through to him?” posed Lyra. “How will General Smythe react then?”
“I am not sure,” conceded the general of Gatong. “I suspect that he will not be totally convinced without talking to you first, but he may be receptive to such a conversation. It is hard to predict reactions to things that were unthinkable only days ago.”
“I am very glad that you and the people of Gatong have decided to join me,” smiled Lyra. “Every city that I can gain without violence is a treasure to be cherished.”
“I am beginning to understand that,” replied General Papper. “I have met so many bloodthirsty people who have sung the same song that I must admit that I did not believe you at first. Your actions convinced me. You could have easily killed me, and many of my men, yet you risked your life by avoiding such an approach. I do have one question that I must ask you, though. Could your power really destroy a city?”
“I really don’t know the extent of my powers,” answered Lyra. “My power comes from Kaltara. He decides what I am capable of. My goal is to use as little of it as possible. The Omungan people and the Sakovans are brothers. We must unite to meet the evil that comes. I want to create that union with peace, not blood.”
Lyra heard voices where the sentries should be. She looked questioningly towards the disturbance and saw two men enter the campsite. The men were dressed as citizens and not as the Imperial Guards that they were. They passed by the sentries and approached General Papper.
“What is your report?” asked the general.
“There is an order to arrest the Star of Sakova,” reported one of the men, “but there is a warning attached to it.”
“What is the warning?” inquired General Papper.
“General Smythe has directed the Imperial Guards not to harm the Star of Sakova in any way,” reported the spy. “He has promised great punishment to anyone who harms her.”
“What does this mean?” asked Lyra.
“It means that General Smythe does want to talk to you,” replied General Papper, “but he wants to do it on his terms. If he does not like what you have to say, he will execute you.”
“Not the fondest of welcomes,” frowned Lyra, “but I suppose it is better than nothing.”
“You are not thinking of accepting this situation, are you?” balked General Papper. “You would be a fool to walk in and give yourself up. Once General Smythe has you in prison, he will feel like he has the upper hand. That is not the way to deal with him.”
“I have been imprisoned before,” shrugged Lyra. “I am sure you remember that. No harm came to me.”
“Not when you had that blue cylinder around you,” retorted the general, “but I seem to remember that you were easily subdued with a blow to your head. You are not invincible. I urge you to choose a different path.”
“What would you suggest?” asked the Star of Sakova.
“I don’t know,” frowned General Papper, “but I will come up with something.”
Chapter 30
Fortung
Two Imperial Guards came up behind the Star of Sakova as she approached the gates of Fortung. They split apart, each taking hold of one of Lyra’s arms. Lyra did not look at either of the Imperial Guards. Her eyes were focused on the gates ahead, which had just come into view. The trio marched silently as they approached the gate, and they slowed with hesitancy as the soldiers manning the gates came alert.
“Dragging women into the city now?” quipped one of the soldiers manning the gates.
“Not just any woman,” retorted one of the escorting Imperial Guards. “This is the Star of Sakova.”
The gate guards suddenly stood erect and stared at Lyra as if she were some mythical beast. They backed towards the sides of the gate as the trio passed through unmolested. There was no further discussion.
The Imperial Guards escorting Lyra marched her through the city streets and up the steps of the headquarters of the Imperial Guard in Fortung. They threw open both doors and marched into the entry foyer. There were several Imperial Guards passing through the entry foyer from one corridor to another, but they paid no attention to the new arrivals. The Star of Sakova was herded to the long counter that occupied the center of the room.
“What have you got?” the officer in charge asked with obvious boredom.
“This is the Star of Sakova,” announced one of the escorts.
All movement in the room suddenly halted as everyone turned to stare. The officer’s eyes grew large as he gazed at Lyra.
“I will have someone take her from you and put her in a cell,” the officer eventually said.
“She is to go directly to General Smythe,” objected one of the escorts.
“Instructions are to put her in a cell and then notify the general,” the officer shook his head.
“Our orders come directly from the general,” the escort declared emphatically. “We will escort her into General Smythe’s presence.”