Tales of the Fifth Guardian; Book Seven: Betrayal

By C. M. Johnson

Kerreth and Kerrisha have been back from the Thoran mission for over a month and it soon becomes apparent that Vynlon has done nothing to stop Brindon from harassing them as he is responsible for yet another attack on Kerrisha. But is he working alone?

The vision that started on the Thoran mission continues to plague Kerrisha, even forcing her to cut short an investigation following the return of the vision that gives her a thread of hope:
“In the same moment I had seen the responsibility of the Guardian pass from me and onto the shoulders of my young daughter I had seen the one man who had been born to be Tesha to the fifth Guardian standing next to her. It was he I could prepare to deliver a final, desperate, clue to Kerreth to save my child from her fate and restore me to my destiny.”

As Kerrisha wrote in her journal after the Thoran mission, they have entered into a year of betrayals that has only begun and the betrayals seem to come from all sides:
From the complex director who has been misusing Power.
To an oath, sworn to Kerrisha by a family member, that will be rejected.

An agent is captured in a secret complex and, as they discover, all is not as it seems when the Cloaked Interrogator is called in. Then the mission ends with one of Kerrisha’s own secrets being exposed. Has she really been lying to Richard after swearing not to?

A betrayal begun in King Victor’s time reaches its head, with Kerrisha bearing the brunt of a long forgotten desire for revenge.

Finally, everything culminates in the worst betrayal as the Devon Prophecy comes to pass:
The head of the line of yellow will face a danger from within.
The head will be severed from the body by a betrayal from the line of fire.
A Power Sworn oath in fire rejected and bonds broken painfully.
The Betrayer’s work completed with an innocent framed.

And a life-long friend turns his back on Kerrisha.

Includes an Otlantesha Dictionary and Pronunciation key after the story.
Caution: Contains Mature Situations.

• Language: English
• Publisher: C. M. Johnson
• Release date: Jan 29, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311722867

C. M. Johnson

C. M. Johnson is a former teacher in Tampa, Florida, where she lives with her husband who was medically retired from the U.S. navy in 1995 and enjoys writing in her spare time.

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Book Seven:

Betrayal

By: C. M. Johnson

Copyright 2013 © by: Cassandra Johnson

This book is the intellectual property of the author and is created for your enjoyment. No portion of this book may be used without the express written permission of the author or publisher except for short quotations used explicitly within the context of a book review.

All rights reserved: C. M. (Cassandra) Johnson, author, editor, and publisher

This is strictly a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, incidents, languages, or any other portion is a creation of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is only mere coincidence.

Sunday, April 25 – Friday, April 30, Year 2 of the Era of the Fifth Guardian

Kerreth:

We had been back from our mission to speak to Vynlon for over a month. David and Julie were still dealing with some of the emotional effects of being raped. Strangely, Julie seemed to be doing better than David. He had asked to speak to me privately more than once and, while I waited with Jonathan in the reception area of our floor, my thoughts drifted back to my last talk with my young brother-in-law:

"But you’re Tesha to Keri like I am to Julie, so how do you deal with not being able to protect her by stopping it?"

I know how you feel but you can’t keep feeling guilty about it, David, and I know you don’t want to hear this but, from what Keri and Julie have said, you know this won’t be the last time, right?

I know. I just hate that I couldn’t do anything about it.

You were unconscious and chained to a wall with shield manacles before they attacked you; there wasn’t anything you could have done.

I could have tried harder to force the manacles.

So, you did fight?

Of course. He frowned slightly, Keri’s not listening is she? I shook my head. While the men were arguing and the one you found with us was describing what he wanted to do to us, I tried to gather my power and force the manacles like Keri taught me but I couldn’t concentrate.

Are you sure you couldn’t concentrate? He looked puzzled. Can you be sure that it wasn’t a combined effect of the gas and the shield on the manacles that kept you from forcing them?

I don’t know…You might be onto something…I thought it was the long Teleport but I felt weak for a while after you got us out. Like when the gas was put into the apartment! Do you really think that’s it, Kerreth? Do you think I couldn’t fight back better because I was still healing from the gas?

"I know I had trouble at Devon Fortress when I woke in the shielded manacles after being shocked. It was easier when I was fully healed and when Kiina took me."

So, how do I deal with it next time?

"The same way I do: One, never, ever blame Julie; she doesn’t want them touching her any more than you do. Two, remember that there are cases where it may protect her and you more than anything else, as strange as that sounds. Three, always keep an eye out for a chance to fight and run – as long as she or Keri haven’t seen a reason not to. Four, and this is the most important, make her your own again as soon as she’s healed and ready; you have to let her know you still love her."

He smiled and stood to leave, I don’t blame her, you know that, and I’ve quit blaming Keri, too.

I’m glad to hear that and I’m here whenever you need to talk. Now, if only Keri would quit blaming herself. I glanced at my watch; it was almost time for her to get back from her appointment with Oscar. I still did not know what to make of the fact that he was her Karth Tesha in matters of mental health but, lately, I was glad for it. She had been so depressed and guilt ridden over what had happened to the kids and my Knowledge did not cover psychiatry enough to help her cope. I was actually thrilled when I saw him with the girls at Drewlorn Castle and even more when I realized he was there to help Keri. He waited until she had fallen asleep that night to tell me the Power had officially made him her Karth Tesha in matters of mental health. I stood as I heard the elevator chime and turned to see her and Edwere step off. Keri? I held my arms out as she ran across the floor. She gladly fell into my embrace and, fortunately, she was not crying this time. I met Edwere’s eyes over her head, How’d it go today?

Mr. Drew says it will take a little more time, but she seems much improved. He said he is happy to talk to her whenever she feels like she needs to talk, of course, but he thinks they should move from three appointments a week to one, and only if Lady Keri feels like she needs to see him. It felt like he wanted to say more so I waited. The appointment was early today so Lady Julie and David could come up between their classes. They seem to be coping with it better than Lady Keri and let us read them; neither one is harboring any ill feelings against her. They understand that she was not shown what would happen.

I smiled down at my wife, So, you feel better now?

She nodded, David had kept glaring at me so much after we left Thoran Castle and Julie looked so sad…but they’re fine as a couple and they’re ready to move on. I prompted her to continue as she stopped to chew on her lower lip, They want me to install restraints in the Training Room so they can practice getting out of them.

Edwere spoke up when I remained speechless, She is right. That is the reason Mr. Drew had them meet with us and why Lady Keri seems so much better. They have apparently been talking about it for some time and were afraid to tell her because she was still so upset. Thank the Power that Mr. Drew realized it was what Lady Keri needed to hear because now she knows they are ready to put it behind them. Mr. Drew also made a point of saying that being forewarned to expect it at some point probably helped; although, Lady Julie does wish that Lady Keri had shared some of the dangers of using her Empathic Ability among the Lost Clans.

"I didn’t warn her for a good reason. You saw how Audin reacted; I wasn’t sure how far the belief that they were a special type of Chorn still reached. I didn’t want to frighten her out of using her Ability if it was necessary and… She shrugged slightly, obviously, I hoped they all understood the difference like Audin. I guess Commander Balico’s warning should have been a clue but…"

You thought they’d only be after you? She nodded. I think Vynlon was trying to use them as bait; from what David’s said, it sounds like they were hoping you’d come after them so they could grab you. I could not help chuckling, Julie apparently ruined their plans. She began laughing with me as the guys moved closer and it was over ten minutes before we released her from the group hug.

She knew how much I loved the silk camisoles she had ordered to go with the shorts she had taken with on the Thoran mission and she was wearing the Mermshire blue set when we were awakened just before dawn the next morning, "Karth Tesha? Can you come to the Emergency Room?"

I sighed as his call drew me from sleep and sent back, On my way, Ryan. The doctors all knew to call if they needed me and usually sent to the four of us when they did.

Edwere appeared on the edge of the bed as Keri sat up and asked, Dr. Coleanders again?

Yes. She sighed when I frowned. "I understand his point, Treyla; if I’m here why subject someone to surgery unnecessarily? But why not stabilize them, give them pain meds, and Power-lock them into a Healing Sleep until morning like the other Doctors that work in the Emergency Room?"

It was sad and quiet, "Because Ryan can’t Power lock someone. I gaped at her. He’s tried three times that I know of but something’s gone wrong every time, somehow their Power gets separated from them and his gets tied to them. Riccan’s had to help him break free each time and last time… She stopped and swallowed, It wasn’t long after I’d released Matty. Ryan had tried something different and somehow he’d Power-locked himself into the coma with the patient so, Riccan called Martin and me down to help. Martin and I pulled Ryan back. Riccan just barely managed to reattach Rusty’s power and pull him from the coma. We were thunderstruck, Rusty was a Security Second and we often forgot that some of the men had been injured as much or as seriously as Keri. She smiled, Rusty won’t let Ryan near him now; he’ll come to me if he’s injured and no one else is available."

"But you’re not Karth anything." Jonathan came in as she giggled.

But I am…sort of, and Riccan knew I was Guardian by then, he’s one of those I only bound to silence; but we didn’t know where my little bit of Healing Knowledge came from. I explained it to him last year after Kenyatasha told me…I hold the memories of my Grandmothers. Remember? I nodded. "Kertasha was both Contesha Dayou and Karth Tesha, she was the first to be given the full Healing Knowledge and, in fact, the title for the Healing Ability as you hold it, Karth Tesha, comes from her name, the clans each had a different word for Healers before her. Of course, she worked with herbs and Power but that’s where my Knowledge comes from. It’s a little ancient compared to yours but it’s better than nothing and when it involves Power…Well, I have enough to do quite a bit."

"That you do, Treyla. Thanks for explaining, and I’ll quit getting upset with Ryan when he calls. Todornyo." I kissed her good-bye, watched Edwere settle into bed with her, and headed downstairs.

I was working in the private office I had been given when I became Karth Tesha de Otlander a few hours later when Roger called, Kerreth, one of our ambulances is being sent out.

I know. I was trying to let Keri know that Martin asked me to wait for it but she’s not responding. Is she on one of the secured floors? Can you let her know?

No. He hesitated, You need to sit down. Jonathan caught my arm as I felt the color drain from my face and my heart went cold. She’s not answering because they’re picking her up.

I took a deep breath as Jonathan’s Calming Power flooded into me, When did she leave?

I sent her and Edwere out about two hours ago to retrieve an agent from one of the safe houses at the airstrip. The agent was scheduled to testify to the Council but something happened on the way back. The Above City police called when they realized one of our cars was involved in the explosion and road collapse. I was already terrified and he just kept going, There were only two people in the car when they finally reached it and, from the description of the Policeman on the scene, it was Kerrisha and Edwere. I don’t know what happened to our agent.

We’ve been stocking the ambulances with the new Universal Stasis units that have Keri’s blood in the mixture since hers helps almost everyone heal and seems to help the mixed blood be more easily accepted; so that’s good for her. Do you know anything else?

Only that they were on an overpass when the bomb under it went off and they were trapped in the car for over an hour.

Jonathan was almost as pale as I felt. Alright, I’ll get a room ready.

One more thing, Kerreth, the officer said they had no vital signs at the scene.

Thank you, Roger. She’s not in the Power or I wouldn’t be talking to you.

I know. Let me know when they can talk.

I sighed as he hung up and just sat in my chair staring at nothing; I was so stunned that it felt as if I was not even thinking until, She has to be alright. She’s blocking the links or we’d have felt her injured and since we can’t feel her pain it means she’s still controlling them. So, she has to be okay. He was almost babbling and looked too hopeful, probably more than he meant to, and then worried when I did not immediately answer. Kerreth? I’m right. Aren’t I?

Yes, you’re right, Jonathan. She’s controlling the links, including the Blood bond, or we’d have felt something by now. I’m more concerned with the fact that they apparently lost the agent. I took a steadying breath, How do you think it will it affect her if she thinks she’s failed another mission?

He sat hard in a chair, Oh my Power! Oh, Kerreth, it’ll destroy her. She’s just getting over the whole thing about Vynlon not listening to her.

It was another half hour before the ambulance driver called to say they were nearing the Tower, but I could not hear the siren as I paced restlessly in the ambulance bay with Power in my hearing. When the Emergency Room attendants opened the ambulance doors Keri greeted me with a cheery, Hi, Kerreth. Before turning to the attendant, I told you he’d be waiting, Daysha. Edwere was unconscious on the second gurney and even standing only a few feet away, I was feeling nothing from either of them.

Your Highness, please lie down. Surprisingly, Keri did as Daysha asked. Daysha sighed and turned to me, "They were both unconscious when we arrived on the scene, Karth Tesha, but Tesha Edwere’s head injury appears worse than Lady Kerrisha’s. They began healing after we started blood packs and she woke a few minutes after we left the scene. Keri and Edwere were covered with dust and had blood showing from a number of cuts. His head was wrapped with gauze and the back of it looked soaked with blood; but my eyes focused on the large gash in her forehead. I was able to read a number of broken bones and internal injuries in each of them. Lady Kerrisha told us where Tesha Edwere carries her pain medication when he began moaning and I split the dose between them since his Healing Ability is nearly as high as hers. He appeared to enter a Healing Sleep after that." His Healing Ability was almost equal to Keri’s but he had yet to develop a tolerance to medications like her; the dose he carried for her was triple what almost everyone else used. He probably did fall asleep - Daysha had actually overdosed him by a half-dose.

I decided not to tell her that and instead turned to the men who had unloaded the gurneys while Daysha talked, "Put Keri, um, Lady Kerrisha in exam one, Tesha Edwere in three, and leave the curtain open between them." Jonathan followed the attendants as they rolled my wife and her first Tesha through the doors and I turned back to Daysha, Could you tell what happened?

When the overpass collapsed it went down at an angle and at least two more cars, civilian cars with regular humans in them, went down too. All three were buried under concrete but theirs was damaged the worst and they were injured the most. I startled when she caught my arm and held my eyes, Forgive me, Sire, but I need physical contact to send in a shield. I felt Lady Kerrisha’s power over the whole scene; I think she protected the regular humans.

I patted her hand, "As Contesha Dayou, one of her duties is to safeguard the regular humans."

"I know she seems alright but Tesha Edwere will be okay, too, won’t he?"

Yes, but I need to see to them. Our Emergency Room was one large room with curtains that could be used to divide it into twelve separate exam rooms. I saw that Keri had already raised the head of her bed as Bellaria walked in from the other end of the room with four stasis units; I knew it would be two of each of theirs from mass storage, it was standard procedure, and she quickly swapped out the units from the ambulance. Thank you, Bellaria, could you have the orderlies prepare one of the rooms with a double bed for them? Keri smiled and held her hands out. I’ll read you in a minute. I cupped her cheek, "How are you really doing, Treyla? Roger said there was no sign of the agent you were bringing back when the Above City rescue crew got to your car. I’m sorry, but it looks like someone took him."

She started shaking her head, Ow! No they didn’t; he’s safe. She grimaced when she began to send, Ow! Can you call Roger down? I did so quickly, but now I was worried and took her hands as he appeared next to me. Don’t read me yet, Kerreth. She smiled weakly at Roger, I didn’t lose Daniel and the attack wasn’t meant for him. I felt the bomb under the overpass scanning for my Power Signature as we drove over it so I teleported him to one of the secured and shielded cells.

I was aghast, Then why didn’t you teleport yourself, too?

Because she was driving and the car couldn’t be found empty; it’d raise too many questions. Do you know which cell? She grimaced again and her eyes began to fill when she shook her head this time. Never mind, you need to heal. I’ll find him, My Warrior Queen, sleep well. Kerreth, let me know if you need anything.

I will. Thank you. She sank into the pillow, closed her eyes, and relaxed as I read her. Jonathan began making notes on her chart as I spoke, It’s a severe head wound and skull fracture. I looked at her in shock, You should still be unconscious.

I know. I’ve been fighting the Healing Sleep; I had to make sure Daniel made it back.

I continued reading her injuries, Left clavicle broken, hairline fracture in the right wrist, both ankles shattered, and right knee cap crushed. That’s the end of the broken bones. You’ve got some bruised ribs but no broken ones; so it looks like the body armor helped. Jonathan, get ready to write the internal injuries.

The reading was interrupted again a few minutes later, Kerrisha?

A tear slipped down her cheek as she responded, Yes, Roger?

I found him; he’s safe and sound. I’m taking him to see Oscar. Thank you again.

"Tautokkah. She seemed to be losing the battle to stay conscious and I was afraid I would have more questions, so I asked about Daniel’s mission. Oscar sent him to investigate Malraen; the safe house is his parents’ house. She sobbed, Why does it hurt to send?"

The skull fracture radiates around and there’s some bleeding in your brain. You also have a huge bruise under your left ear; you must have hit it when the car fell. She cringed painfully when she tried to nod. I also found some internal bruising and injuries around your Power Core and that may be affecting your ability to send. Plus, I pulled back the collar of her shirt over her left clavicle to reveal a gaping hole. How did that happen? I began to prepare a syringe of her pain reliever.

A piece of rebar went through it when we fell, Edwere had one go through his right thigh. The Above City rescue crew left the pieces in after cutting us free; Daysha pulled them out in the ambulance so we could begin healing. Suddenly, it was as if something had clicked inside her; our links reopened and she began thinking more clearly. Oh! The bomb was searching for my Power Signature and Power based which would make it a Power weapon. That may be part of the problem.

I injected her right arm with the pain medication, Honey, you need to let the Healing Sleep take you, soon.

"Excuse me, Karth Tesha?" I turned at Bellaria’s quiet voice as she pulled back the curtain to see David and Julie with her and both were in tears.

What are you two doing here? You’re supposed to be in class.

School’s been cancelled for the rest of the day. Julian and Dani took the girls up. Kerreth, it’s all over the news that Keri’s been killed in a car accident but we felt you down here so that can’t be right. Can it? They were sobbing and staring at me, neither had looked around, now their eyes drifted to the bed; Keri smiled, lifted her right hand, and waved her fingertips at them. They both fell on the bed to hug her and she cried out in pain. Oh! I’m sorry, Keri. It’s just…They showed you being lifted out of the car on a backboard and said it didn’t look good for either of you.

Keri sighed disgustedly, Jonathan, give me your hands and open your link to me. When he did as she asked she immediately began sending without pain, Oscar, get hold of Marielinka, now! The Above City news is reporting that Edwere and I were killed and the school released the kids.

"We’re already trying to stop the reports, Kerrisha, but neither of you had any vital signs at the scene and regular humans don’t typically survive being crushed inside vehicles. The only reason the rescue team told our ambulance crew that they were even a little hopeful was because you were both still warm and they know that it’s difficult to find vitals in our people at times."

Edwere was unconscious and I was holding an illusion over both of us, I’m sorry if it was a little strong. I’ll take care of the Tower. Just get Marielinka to take care of the news stations.

He was laughing, She’s already preparing a press release that the ambulance was able to get your hearts restarted and you’re now in critical condition. Don’t worry about it for now, just concentrate on healing.

I’m getting there. Thank you. She took a deep breath and dropped one of Jonathan’s hands to reach toward me, Join your power to ours. She combined our power to do something she had never done before, send to the entire Tower: "Nariis Dovoyo, Hear me my People and Clan Members this is your Queen and Contesha Dayou Kerrisha. Many of you have heard the reports of the Above City news outlets that Tesha Edwere and myself were killed in a car accident. I assure you that report is wrong. We were in an accident and I will soon join him in a Healing Sleep but we are still with you. It is not time for either of us to enter the Power. Chinto Teshyo de to Peepla." She dropped our hands and fell onto the pillow, I noticed she was breathing hard as David and Julie hugged her as they said goodbye.

That wasn’t just to the Tower was it? She shook her head. How far?

I tied into the closed circuit channel so all the complexes heard me. She was panting, "Iil de Chinto! I need to sleep. Jonathan, Bellaria, and another nurse helped me clean them up and, since our worst wounds heal first, cover the cuts and gashes. Keri did not even argue about wearing a hospital gown and when I asked why she was still awake when we were finished she blushed, I used a spell to fight the Healing Sleep and I’ve tried but I haven’t been able to release it."

I kissed her, took her hands, and ordered, "Kerrisha Drew-Otlander Mermshire, as Karth Tesha Contesha Dayou I order you to answer the call of your Healing Sleep. She yawned, trembled slightly as my Power rippled through her, and settled into the pillow as her eyes drifted shut. I smiled at Jonathan, I love that little sigh she makes at the end."

Xhordan and Thrayce were waiting outside the room that had been prepared for them. Roger thought there should be a guard on their door and Nurse Drand said this would be their room.

Thank you, Gentlemen, but I don’t know how long they’ll sleep.

The entire Security Team volunteered to watch over them; so, the guard will be changed every four hours until they’re released from the hospital. We’re honored to do it, Lord Kerreth.

"My shift is over and I came on early so Tesha Jonathan and I are going to try to get some sleep, too. Please, thank the next watch for me. They needed to sleep flat, so I expanded the bed to allow us to lie next to them. I knew her power would be open to Edwere and we opened ours to her as we curled up. Roger was waiting in the room when we woke. Is something wrong?"

No, I felt her power reach out and thought she might be waking.

I rested my hand on her arm, She’s nearly healed but not quite ready to wake; I think you felt the rest of her links reopening. I gasped and felt my eyes widen, Her links! Oh my Power! I didn’t even think…Did Damien and Robert call?

He barked a quick laugh, Oscar had just finished speaking to Richard when she sent to him to get Marielinka on the news reports; that’s why he was laughing. Richard saw a news report and called himself. Jonathan had slept beside Edwere since it placed him closest to the door and slipped off the bed as he moved to leave. My men are still on the door, Jonathan, knock before you open it. Roger shook his head and laughed when Jonathan rapped once and used the Pass-through without waiting for an answer. I’m sorry, Kerreth. If I’d known anyone would come after her I wouldn’t have sent them out. That’s why I came down; I was hoping she was waking and could tell me who did this.

Brindon. It was a quiet whisper and her eyes were still closed when we looked at her.

Keri? She nodded, squeezed her eyes tighter, and then blinked a few times, How?

Jonathan woke me when he slipped through my alert shields.

So, I did feel your power reach out. She nodded weakly. You’re sure it was Brindon?

It felt like his power when the bomb scanned my Signature on the way to the safe house but there was no other option for the return trip – not in time or in daylight. I wasn’t even sure how long Daniel would sleep when I sent him ahead. Are we getting the debris and everything to examine?

Yes, Oscar convinced the mayor that it was an assassination attempt by a rival company and we’d take care of it; so our people are hauling everything to a hanger at the airstrip. Oscar also told him we’d take care of rebuilding the overpass so our construction crew starts the repair tomorrow.

Remind them to slow down; regular humans don’t work as fast as we do. Jonathan came back in and handed all of us coffee with the explanation that he had felt her wake. She gulped her coffee before answering, It’s not for long though; I only woke because you went through my shield and I’ll be back in the Healing Sleep soon enough. Roger triggered my shield when he came in, too, but I didn’t have enough Power restored to wake then.

When will you and Edwere be ready to return to work?

I was almost shocked when Keri waited for me to answer, They’ll probably wake tomorrow morning and be able to return to work the following day.

Good. All the debris should be moved to the hanger by then and I’d like her to read it.

I want to read it, but if our people do start to examine it make sure they set at least some of the bomb components aside without reading them. I don’t need six signatures on top of Brindon’s, if it is his, and Marco’s people totally corrupted the Power Signature the last time I read one for you.

I remember; it took you about three days to separate his team members’ Signatures to find Roderick’s. Marco and his Thirds can read it all though, right?

She smiled, Yes, they at least know how to keep from leaving a trace. Suddenly, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly; her eyes were closed when she was done.

The Healing Sleep just claimed her again. I smiled at Roger, I want to go to the airstrip with them and I don’t care what she says: Until the threat from Brindon is eliminated I don’t want her leaving with just Edwere. She can do whatever you need her to but I want more men with her.

So does the Council. The Chairwoman called Oscar and it’s already on the agenda for Thursday’s meeting. It sounds like they don’t even want her working in the building with just Edwere. I sighed as he added, If there are any attacks on you, your movements could become just as restricted because she also said something about a full guard on the hospital when you’re working.

That’s not her call to make.

In a way it is and I suggest you let the Council talk to Kerrisha before you tell her you want her to take more men with her when she leaves the Tower on business.

I grinned as he stood to leave, You might be right at that. I’ll be the lesser of two evils.

Sometime after midnight Keri woke again and a quick reading showed that she was completely healed. Then she rolled onto her side, pillowed her head on Edwere’s shoulder, and opened her power to him even more fully than his had been to her. She sighed sweetly as I snuggled against her back to cuddle her. Jonathan pushed himself up to lean across Edwere and kissed her cheek at the same I leaned down to kiss the glowing patch protecting her gills. She shivered as I did and then kissed Edwere’s cheek as she sent, "Kait Dii, Dorto y Teshto." She had spent much of the last day healing and was only half-awake, so I was not concerned that her good-night was in Otlantesha. It was still early when I was awakened again and heard her trying to coax Edwere from his Healing Sleep, "Doto Teshto Sst Tokkah do yo Tay. It was time for him to wake? I felt the same fear I had the day before when she whispered, To Karnunga yo. Sst Pun Tokkah yo Na Chinto." I reached over her, laid my hand on his chest, and sent my Healing Power into him. I had only meant to read him but his sudden intake of breath echoed off the walls of the room as a jet of my Healing Power shot into him and he sat up.

He frowned when he looked at Keri, "Riiahto? Why are you crying?"

She hugged him desperately and I saw the tears on her face when she smiled at me, "Daynyo."

You’re welcome. What happened?

You drew him back from the Power. I was relieved to hear her answer in English.

Jonathan was as mystified as I was, "I heard you tell him you needed him and it wasn’t time for him to be in the Power. He wasn’t hurt that bad so what happened?"

I opened my Power to her in the car just before she drove over the bomb to help her teleport Daniel and protect the regular humans behind us. We both tried to shield our ears but I do not remember anything after the explosion except the pain in my legs, ribs, and then my head just before it went dark.

Keri tried to fill in the blanks, The car right behind us rode over the trunk, crashed through the back window, and crushed your headrest. Your seat was further back and somehow it was enough to keep it from hitting me, but the next car hit at an angle and pushed us sideways, even with the shield I was using to protect the regular humans. That’s when I hit my head, but it takes a harder hit to knock me out since the attack in January. She smiled at him, Somehow you had managed to lock our links open and your power to mine. I didn’t know that until I fully woke up this morning.

This morning? When I told him it was Tuesday and that he had been in the Healing Sleep for over eighteen hours he stared at me in shock. Then why do I feel so tired?

Because you need to recharge. I woke from my Healing Sleep during the night and when I saw you were still healing I opened my power to you, felt your Healing increase, and then curled up between you and Kerreth. I didn’t realize it then but, with the way you had locked the links open, it drained your power into me as soon as you finished Healing. She sobbed, cradled his hand against her chest, and caressed it before saying softly, You had almost no Power left when I tried to wake you.

How did you wake me? Keri shook her head, shrugged, and looked at me.

"She didn’t. When I heard her pleading with you to wake I reached over and tried to read you. As soon as I touched you it was like with Keri in Kiilstan’s cottage and your Core drew on my Healing Power to bring you back and, like her, you need to sleep to recharge fully. It’s also still early, so we’ll sleep here until it’s time for breakfast. If you haven’t figured it out from the nightclothes, I brought clean clothes down for all of us when I went up and reassured the girls you were fine. After breakfast I’ll release you from the hospital if you promise to take it easy today." I was not too surprised when Keri agreed to work quietly in the office; I was even less surprised when she pulled a couple pillows and a blanket from the meditation room so Edwere could sleep on the sofa in the reading area.

Kerrisha:

I had asked Edwere to help me and knew he had locked our power and links open but did not realize that the way he had been injured had sealed them open in a way that gave me all his power. Kerreth and I knew that Edwere would be weak and possibly sleep for most of the day so, when Kerreth said he would release us from the hospital only if I promised to take it easy, I had readily agreed and allowed him to bind me to my word. I was surprised by how quickly Edwere fell asleep once he lay down. I had never seen my Tesha sleep so soundly and, more than once, his soft snoring caused me to look up from my work. William and Tomsant smiled every time they felt my power flow by to scan the sleeping man. I know I agreed with Kerreth that you two could stay close since Edwere’s going to sleep for most of the day but if you need to do something else I promise to stay here.

They exchanged a guilty look and William answered, We’re fine.

I know that. But, with the links we shared I had not needed to open my Vara Shino to know they were hiding something, "do you want to try saying that again without leaving anything out?"

We’re fine, Lady Kerrisha. It was Tomsant this time.

Ah-ha! I had felt it that time, a single thread of Kerreth’s power in his words. He bound you to me and to silence. Didn’t he? They sat wordlessly and I found the guilt I read in them more humorous than I should have. Wow, he bound you so you can’t even deny the binding. I wrapped my next words in my Manipulator Ability and felt Kerreth’s power leave them as I declared, You will answer, for you swore yourselves to me and were bound with my Power; that binding overrides any other. They were gaping at me as I commanded, Now, answer my questions: Do you need to be anywhere else and why did he bind you after I promised to stay?

We really don’t have anything else to do and we’d have agreed to stay without being bound.

"With Tesha Edwere asleep Lord Kerreth believed you’d try to slip out of the Tower alone."

And what do the two of you believe?

I don’t care what they believe. I wanted to make sure you stayed safe. Edwere’s down and Brindon’s still in Above City. I glared at my husband as he leaned against the closed door with his arms crossed. Jonathan had teleported in with him and Kerreth frowned at our twin guards.

Don’t get mad at them, I said sharply. "I’m the strongest Vara Shino in the Tower and one of the strongest Manipulators of our clans. Plus, they swore themselves to me. Did you really think I couldn’t release them from your binding? His mouth hung open as he thought about what I had said. Beyond that…Do you really think I’d leave Edwere or any of you unattended in such a condition?" I had kept my voice to a harsh whisper but I could not stop my eyes from flashing to red.

No, Honey, I’m sorry, I should’ve thought of that.

Or asked me outright to keep them with us.

"Riiahto? What’s wrong?" I felt the red bleed from my eyes with his worried question.

Kerreth chuckled, Nothing, Edwere, she just found out that I bound William and Tomsant to her while you slept. He frowned at me, Correction: She released them from the binding I placed on them… Jonathan had not known what had drawn Kerreth to the office so suddenly, now he and Edwere stared at me as Kerreth explained, I came up as soon as I felt the power I used to bind them return. I simply smiled mysteriously at them. My anger had pulled Edwere from his recovery sleep early; he had soon fallen back to sleep and awakened fully recharged by dinner.

After the rumors on Monday I made a point of actively attending each Security meeting the next day. It was almost traditional now for us to have lunch with a number of the Security personnel at Malone’s Café in between the general Security Team meeting and the meeting with my teams and the Women of Security on the Council floor and that day’s luncheon was more lively than usual. I was waiting to start my meeting when Oscar stepped around the elevator, I need to see you in my office after your meeting. I started to ask for details when he added, Just you and Edwere. Roger will be there and it concerns a mission.

Mary waved us through and, when we stepped into Oscar’s office, he handed me a slim folder, a glass of iced coffee, and gestured to a chair as he explained, It’s the information Daniel’s giving to the Council tomorrow. He sat quietly behind his desk as I quickly skimmed the half-dozen pages.

Edwere became concerned when I blanched when I came to the part Oscar had meant for me to find. I closed my eyes briefly and gulped at the coffee, It’s worse than we thought. My eyes teared as I met Roger’s, "We thought his loss-success ratios had normalized because he’d gotten more cautious or stopped, but this is so much worse. If Daniel’s interpretations are correct, Malraen’s no longer just pushing Power at the students - He’s pushing Knowledge." Edwere gasped; pushing Power was dangerous when the Knowledge was not there to support it and that was what had caught our attention: Dreland Tower had experienced an unusually high number of casualties for the number of missions that were run successfully but after Roger had investigated a few of the failed missions with me disguised as the Cloaked Interrogator, the ratios had normalized again. We suspected Malraen of using some unorthodox and unauthorized training methods but had not been able to find proof. We had hoped the normalization meant he had stopped but it appeared that he had decided to push Knowledge and Power at the students. It gave them the Knowledge to do what they needed more safely but it was still dangerous. The Abilities of the People came gradually so they could adjust and learn to use them. Kerreth and I were Power–created exceptions but, even so, I usually made sure we took time to practice any new abilities we developed. What Malraen was doing was the equivalent of someone trying to drive a race car with a learner’s permit - It was dangerous because the untrained agents could lose control.

Do you trust Daniel’s interpretation of what he’s witnessed?

I trained him. Oscar gave me a look that asked for a straight answer. I read Cam and Cindy before I shared with him what to look for and showed him how to find it so Riccan could teach him to protect himself. I smiled, Daniel was a good choice. He’s a lot like his grandfather and the Power expertise is part of their Knowledge, it’s almost like having Riccan there himself. So, yes, I trust his assessment. I’m just surprised he’s gotten this much already. You said something about a mission?

We have Daniel’s testimony but we need more concrete evidence.

I can’t exactly go undercover. We’re all too recognizable.

Kerreth’s never been to Dreland Tower…

And it’s been almost two years since we took the throne. We’ve been to Drew Corp, Landiis Compound, Drew Complex, Drew International, Drewlorn Castle, and even visited outside the Triad Clans. So, you’re thinking that perhaps it’s time for a ‘state’ visit to Dreland Tower?

Exactly. Daniel’s Spring Break is over Friday.

So, we could drive him back to school and make a visit of our own in the process. I smiled at the one person I had always trusted, even with the Memory Block, "I heard that, Roger; yes, it’ll get me out of