“Why are you so upset?” he inquired softly. “I would think you would be happy to find such a note. It means that you must have gotten through to him when you talked.”
“No,” insisted Lyra, “it means he is going to kill himself.”
“Am I missing something here?” quizzed Temiker with a perplexed look. “The note merely says that he loves you.”
“Exactly,” sobbed the Star of Sakova. “My father has never told me that he loved me. Don’t you see?”
Temiker stared at Lyra with his mouth gaping open and nodded slowly as the realization of her words hit home. Malafar had never had an easy time of expressing his feelings, even as a child, unless the emotion was anger. Still, he found it hard to imagine that his brother would leave in the middle of a meeting and go out and kill himself. There should have been no urgency for his need and the note, and the fact he remained for part of the meeting, indicated that he wanted to finish the conversation with Lyra.
“What was the outcome of the trip to Campanil?” Temiker suddenly asked.
“What difference does it make now?” snapped Lyra. She shook her head and sat in the chair behind her desk. “I am sorry Temiker,” she apologized. “I know you are trying to distract me, but I guess I am not as easily distracted now as I am when practicing.”
“No,” Temiker said urgently. “That is not why I asked. Something made Malafar act as he did. I suspect the meeting with StarWind and HawkShadow may contain the clue we seek.”
“Clue?” a confused Lyra asked. “I do not understand.”
“Just tell me about the meeting,” insisted Temiker. “It will help as a distraction as well and that cannot hurt.”
Lyra nodded and started giving Temiker a summary of the conversation. She did feel a little better when she diverted her mind from Malafar and her shaking stopped completely.
Temiker listened to the narration and tried to put himself in Malafar’s place. He was sure that he knew his brother well enough to know that Malafar did not often act on impulse so he listened intently. Unexpectedly, he interrupted Lyra’s narration, “Darn.”
“What is it?” she asked immediately.
“He is not going to kill himself,” explained Temiker. “At least not the way we are thinking.”
“Temiker!” Lyra shouted with impatience.
“I am getting there,” frowned Temiker. “I think he is going to assassinate the Katana.”
“Why?” puzzled the Star.
“Because the Sakovans cannot and the Omungans will not,” offered the mage. “It makes sense. Malafar sees no future for himself and his hatred of Alazar must be intense for destroying his family and his life. Perhaps he sees this as the only way he can repay both Alazar and the Sakovan people. Ferde will explain that Malafar is not Sakovan after it is over and the war will be averted. Alazar will be dead.”
“So will Malafar,” Lyra snapped. “And Ferde may say nothing leaving us with a war.”
“True,” agreed Temiker. “He knows he will die in the attempt, but I am sure he figures that he will avert the war by killing Alazar.”
“Well at least we know what he is up to,” Lyra said calmly as she gathered her emotions, her face taking on a look of determination. “He forgot about my ability to command the Sakovan people. He will never be allowed to leave StarCity. That will make it hard enough for him to commit any assassinations.”
“Don’t rely on the defenses of StarCity to detain him,” warned Temiker. “I would wager that he is already out of the city and on his way to Okata. Any good mage could get out of here undetected and Malafar is a good mage.”
Lyra stood stunned as StormSong whirled into the office. “He is gone,” she reported. “He is not in the city. He has vanished into thin air.”
“He is on his way to Okata,” Lyra sighed. “I want patrols out as soon as you can get them ready. Block ever route to the Capital and stop him from getting there.”
“He will not let anyone stop him, Lyra,” Temiker interjected. “Once he has made his mind up about a course of action, nothing will sway him from his goal.”
“But he will die and give Alazar the reason he needs to attack us,” protested the Star. “He will not even be able to get into the city.”
“Do not underestimate my brother,” frowned Temiker. “Now that he is thinking clearly, he will be impossible to stop, not only for us, but for Alazar as well.”
“What can stop him?” Lyra pleaded. “Tell me what I must do.”
“Not what can stop him,” Temiker said with a darkness upon his face, “but who can stop him. You are the only one powerful enough to stop him. Perhaps he will even listen to you and you will not need to destroy him.”
“Destroy him?” echoed Lyra incredulously. “I cannot kill my own father.”
“You also cannot let him destroy himself and start a war,” reasoned Temiker. “Your choices are not good, but they are the only choices available to you.”
Lyra was speechless. Temiker thought she would start crying again, but her face clouded over with anger like a massive dark cloud blotting out the sun.
“Send out the patrols anyway, StormSong,” Lyra ordered. “Also find StarWind. Tell her we are going to Okata and that I want her to organize the group who will be going. Tell her to keep it small.”
“You can’t go into Okata,” StormSong protested. “The Sakovan people have been without a Star too long. They will never agree to it. Let me go in your stead.”
“I didn’t ask for anyone’s agreement,” snapped Lyra. “With or without the Sakovans, I am going. Carry out your orders.”
StormSong looked like she had been slapped, her eyes wide open with shock and her jaw hanging slack. Slowly, her mouth closed and her eyes glazed over with determination. She bowed to the Star of Sakova and silently slid out of the room.
“Why do I have to fight everyone to do what must be done?” sighed Lyra after StormSong had disappeared. “I didn’t want to hurt her feelings, but only I can take care of this problem. Surely she must have surmised that from the conversation?”
“She did,” nodded Temiker. “What you don’t understand yet is that these people love you. They will die before they allow harm to come to you. StormSong will be in the group going to Okata or I am not a mage. StarWind’s problem will be in keeping people out of the group.” Temiker started to leave the room and turned when he reached the door. “I will be going as well, whether the Star of Sakova wants me to or not.”
Lyra looked up at the empty doorway and shook her head. Just what I need, she thought. Barely old enough to be thinking about starting a family and now I am going to be leading an army into the Capital of Omunga.
She shook her head again and pushed the thoughts out of her mind. She needed to get ready for the trip and figure out how to stop Malafar before the world collapsed on the Sakovans.
Chapter 37
Towards Destiny
Lyra moved swiftly down the stairs and out into the pre-dawn courtyard. The mountain air was crisp and cool and the blackness of the sky was fading to gray. She pulled her vest tightly about her and headed for the choka pens. She saw a crowd of people standing around long before she reached the pens and grumbled to herself. This was not going to be an easy trip she realized and finally sighed with acceptance.
She tossed her pack to Jostin as she got close to the pens and he scampered off to secure it on a choka. Lyra strode into the center of the group and surveyed those chosen for the trip. She stopped and stared when her eyes came to rest on Goral, StormSong, and MistyTrail. Great, she thought, a giant, an elf, and an overly tall female warrior with an attitude. The trio wouldn’t pass an easy inspection when it came time to enter the city. Perhaps they could pretend they were all part of a circus act.
Lyra shook her head and continued her observation of the group. StarWind, HawkShadow, Temiker, and SunChaser completed the party, eight in all. Too large for stealth and too small for any effective defense, she thought, but quickly decided not to argue anymore.