Mars Colony

Shamara was so distracted by her own thoughts that she didn't even hear Dagan approaching. He stood several feet away watching her as she sat on limb hanging over a pond, the eagle perched beside her. Dagan felt a twinge of guilt because the last thing he remembered before entering this trance was falling asleep with Oxana clinging to him like a vine. Shamara wasn't like Oxana. Shamara had a family that loved her and many loyal subjects that adored her. She could protect herself. Dagan freely admitted to himself that she could protect him better than he could himself. She didn't need him like Oxana did.

Shamara noticed him when the bird screeched beside her. The wolf barked in answer, and Shamara turned her head to look at him. "Oh, it's you."

Dagan frowned. "Were you expecting someone else?" He thought about joining her on that limb, but he suspected it would break and he didn't wish to fight any monsters in the water.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Who are you?"

"I already told you." Dagan scratched his head. "They brought the body back and you don't believe me anymore."

Shamara still seemed skeptical. "How can I believe you when all evidence points in the other direction."

"The body was that of a guard my father sent to assure that I arrived at Calabria," Dagan explained. "His name was Kael."

"Like the wizard!" Shamara gasped. "You are the wizard! You are an evil man!"

Dagan had accused himself of the same. "The gods will decide my fate, princess. I do not enjoy what I do for these despicable humans."

Shamara's eyes met his, and he could feel her searching his mind. Dagan held nothing back from her. Finally she nodded. "You are not lying."

"I am not."

She sighed. "I am glad that you are not dead. When I did not see you for many days, I was afraid that what they told me was true."

Dagan felt something stir in his chest upon hearing the sad note in her voice. He did not know how to respond.

"When I saw you just now, I wasn't sure if I was dreaming or if this was a trance."

"I thought we had already established that these were trances." He held his breath as she scrambled across the branch, nearly slipping and falling in the water, but she quickly regained her balance and made it to the shore.

"I had a dream today and you were in it."

"I don't think it was a dream, princess, because we saw each other earlier today. You were rolling about in the grass almost naked."

"I was not!" Her cheeks became bright red. What had happened to that princess who tried to get his clothing off? Since she had come to the realization that these were not dreams, but trances, she had become quite modest. That was a desirable trait to have in a mate. And yet, he missed the saucy princess he had first met.

"You look troubled, princess," he said, noticing that she was chewing on her bottom lip.

She turned her big eyes to him. "What do you know of the cult of Camridaeus?"

"Camridaeus?" He shrugged. "The cult had been forbidden by my father before I was born, but there are those that continue to practice the religion." Dagan had heard that immoral behavior occurred when cult members gathered to worship. There were also rumors of very prominent officials on Bayman who were joining the cult. He raised a brow at her. "You are not one of them, are you?"

"Of course not!" She sat down on the grass, and he sighed as he sat beside her. "I must have been dreaming in my trance."

Dagan chuckled. "Dreaming in a trance? What a silly concept!"

She wrapped her arms around her knees and rested her chin on them as she stared out into the moonlit water. "I man calling himself Camrin came to me, and he called me Ulfyna."

Dagan cocked his head. "Perhaps I need to watch you more closely. This is the man that you claim kissed you? I know of no Camrin." Yet deep inside he felt an anxious stirring.

"Perhaps you have heard of his beloved Ulfyna."

Ulfyna! Where are you, Ulfyna?

Dagan shook his head, then glanced around. "Did you hear that?"

Shamara looked at him. "I heard nothing."

If the cry hadn't been so sorrowful, Dagan would shake it off. It had been a man's voice, wracked with grief so deep that Dagan felt a shiver run down his spine. "Who is Ulfyna?"

"According to your master, Nazzar, Ulfyna was the lover of Camrin, who later became lord of the underworld. Ulfyna was murdered by her husband, Dagmaeus, when he discovered her in bed with Camrin." Shamara sighed. "I feel such great pity for them."

"They are a myth," he pointed out. The story sounded familiar to Dagan, but he wasn't sure where he had heard it before. Since she had heard it from Master Nazzar, he must have told the tale to Dagan also.

"There is something else I should tell you." She took a breath. "When we were together earlier today, I…I saw another being come from within you."

Dagan stared at her for a moment, then threw back his head in laughter. "Princess, that is the most ridiculous…"

"Wait! Hear me out!" Shamara spun to face him, sitting cross-legged. "My mother told me that her father drew the essence of his dear wife and sister into him before she died. Is it possible…?"

"Do you actually believe that?" Dagan realized the Calabrians more superstitious than he had first thought.

Shamara sniffed. "You think the gods talk to you and that they send you on missions! What is so ridiculous about what I have said? My mother and father both bore witness to the fact."

"Well, I wouldn't want to slander the mighty Emperor Trey by calling him a liar. But he may have embellished the story a bit." Dagan still felt like chuckling. Drawing the essence of another? Everyone knew that the gods upon death collected one's essence. What manner of man or woman would defy the gods by doing such a thing?

"You still don't believe me!" accused Shamara, jumping to her feet.

Dagan smiled. "I am sorry, Shamara, but I cannot believe it."

She spun and walked away. Dagan watched her disappear into the night and regretted chasing her off. The eagle took flight and disappeared after her, but the wolf stayed beside Dagan. He absent-mindedly petted the animal as he continued to stare into the darkness. After several moments, he thought that he saw her returning as a cloaked figure was approaching.

The wolf began to snarl and growl, so Dagan rose to his feet and drew his sword. "Who is there?"

The wolf leapt at the stranger who now came to a stop, but there seemed to be a force field around him because the wolf bounced back and fell to the ground. Dagan stared at its unmoving body for a moment, then was relieved when it drew a breath and whimpered.

He swung to face the hooded figure. "Who are you? What have you done to my wolf?"

"Your wolf?" The voice told Dagan it was a man before he pushed back the hood to reveal golden hair. "Do you always claim things that do not and cannot belong to you?"

Dagan gripped his sword and raised it. "Who are you?"

A slow smile spread on his lips. "You know who I am. Perhaps you cannot remember after so many centuries have passed, but you would never have forgotten me."

Dagan wondered if this was the man Shamara had seen earlier. "Are…are you Camrin?"

The man laughed. "Good, you remember."

"I do not know you," insisted Dagan. The man's eyes were having a chilling effect on him. "Have you come to kill me?"

"You know that I cannot do that, Dagmar, until I have destroyed the sacred shield."

"I don't know what you are talking about!"

"How pathetic you have become!" The man threw back his head in laughter, then throwing out his cape he turned and disappeared. Almost immediately Dagan heard a screech from above. Turning quickly, he barely had enough time to raise his sword as a winged beast swooped down upon him.

Swiping the sword, it did not make contact, but the creature flew back up. Dagan tossed away the sword and raised his hands. He had developed them so well that immediately a ball of energy began to grow. The creature was diving toward him again, and Dagan readied to blast it but suddenly he was bumped. As he stumbled, he realized he was surrounded by white light, and he turned to see that Shamara was holding out her arms to protect them just as a blast of fire came not only from the creature before them, but also one behind that Dagan had been unaware of.

"I thought you had gone," he said over his shoulder as he put his back against hers.

"I couldn't leave you alone unprotected," she answered.

Dagan turned his attention to the dragon-like monster that he had not seen. He didn't waste any time blasting it with the energy he had already called forth, completely obliterating the beast and scattering its pieces throughout the sky. Dagan then sent another blast to the other dragon, but it dodged it and whipped its tail, slamming into both him and Shamara. He heard her cry out as she fell atop him. She was limp and unconscious.

The dragon landed on the ground and the earth shook as it trudged toward them. Dagan nudged Shamara but she didn't respond. He looked frantically around for his sword, but it was several feet away. Remembering that Shamara carried one, he hesitated, then began to search through her clothing. When he finally found it, he wondered how she managed to draw the damn thing in time to use it. The dragon opened its jaw, and Dagan jumped up to shove the long dagger into one of its eyes. The beast screamed in pain and threw back its head. Dagan raised his hands and called forth a pillar of fire that wound down towards earth, caught the dragon and whipped it into the air, whirling it around and around until the dragon was cinders.

Exhausted, he dropped to his knees, but he took a single calming breath before moving to Shamara. Her lashes were already fluttering open. "Did you…did you…" She turned her head to look around. Ashes were raining from the sky. Shamara shakily sat up. "You saved me!"

Dagan smiled and ran a hand through his hair. "I believe you saved me first."

"But…but you actually saved me!" Shamara through her arms around his neck and kissed his lips. Dagan tried to catch her to him, liking very much the feel of his lips against his, but she jumped up and away from him. "Do you realize what this means?"

He was afraid to ask what was going through her mind.

"We are even," she answered. "You no longer owe me your life."

Dagan should have been happy, but he was annoyed that Shamara seemed so pleased to release him from his promise to marry her. He didn't know if he had gotten used to the idea or whether having Oxana with him and finding the comparison between her and Shamara less favorable for his fair-haired lover had anything to do with this annoyance at Shamara's joy. "Princess, you realize that our fathers still intend for us to marry."

"I can talk mine out of it, I am sure," said Shamara. "Besides, you said you didn't want to marry me, and you told me that Avar of Teralon isn't too terrible a catch."

"You aren't serious! My father won't allow me to return to Bayman if I do not marry you." Dagan reached out to snatch her hand. "Listen, Shamara, we can probably get along quite well…"

She jerked her hand away, and he saw that there was hurt and confusion in her eyes. Dagan realized that she must have learned something from the touch of their hands. "I would rather marry a man with wings than to share my husband with another woman!"

"Shamara! You don't understand." Dagan wasn't sure if he understood.

She spit at him. "Go back to your bitch, you Bayman dog!"

He wanted to say something to soothe her hurt and anger, but Dagan didn't have a chance. She disappeared before his eyes, and he found himself looking at Oxana who was standing by the barred window, looking down at the courtyard with avid interest.

Dagan shook his head to clear it, then rolled from the bed to pull on his clothing. He hadn't even discussed with Shamara any plans for her departure from this human hell!

Oxana sighed and turned away. Seeing that Dagan was awake, she hurried to him. "My lord, forgive me for leaving you alone!"

He almost shoved her hands from him. "I am hungry, Oxana." He also wanted to get out of this room.

Dagan was starting to think that he had gotten too much of a good thing.

Oxana smiled at him. "Lord Quatre stopped by while you were asleep and asked that we join him at the table. There is a special guest. He said that we should be on our best behavior."

On his way down to the table, Dagan wondered who could be the special guest. And he was to be on his best behavior? Dagan almost guffawed in laughter as he saw that the brigands had actually washed and were sitting quietly at the table. As they entered the dining hall, Magnar turned his greedy eyes on Oxana, and she shrank against Dagan, clutching his arm in fear. He didn't blame her. Unfortunately, the brutish man waved him toward him and Dagan had no choice but to stop to talk to him.

"Tomorrow we ride out. I hope you have had your fill because we aren't coming back here for a couple of weeks." Magnar licked his lips, as he looked Oxana over from top to bottom. "Do you even know what to do with such a woman?"

Oxana shrank behind Dagan, but he knew she was peeking at Magnar over his shoulder. She probably had never seen such a monstrosity in her life. "I will be ready."

They had no more time to talk because the doors swung open and Quatre walked in leading Malik. Smiling up at him as she walked beside him was a young woman Dagan recognized. The healer's daughter.

"Kael, good of you to join us." Quatre put his hand on the woman's back and brought her forward. "Did you have a chance to meet Quynn Nelson when you were at the lovely doctor's clinic?"

Dagan noticed that Quynn seemed uncomfortable with Winner's hand on her. "We were not introduced."

She held out her hand. "I am pleased to meet you."

Dagan took her hand, and he immediately read anger and rebellion churning inside her. Before Dagan had a chance to warn her, Quatre moved her away from him, turning instead to Oxana. "This is his beautiful woman. She arrived with the Calabrians."

Quynn raised her brows as she looked at Oxana. "I wasn't aware that there was another passenger on the Calabrian ship."

Oxana's stared at her with wide-eyed innocence. "I hid in Master Nazzar's trunk."

"At what point did you get out?" asked Quynn suspiciously.

Dagan glanced at Oxana. He hadn't considered the logistics of Oxana's arrival. Now he was trying to visualize her hiding in a trunk throughout a space voyage, even a short one, and…Did Master Nazzar own a trunk?

Oxana was smiling at him.

"Why don't we sit down to eat," suggested Malik as he took Quynn's arm and wound it around his own.

"Excellent idea!" She grinned at him. "I am so happy you let me stay here. I don't think I could spend another night under the same roof as that Calabrian oaf and my wishy-washy mother."

Quatre chuckled. "Your mother is quite indecisive."

They sat down at the table together and Dagan almost laughed to see that the humans actually could control their animal behavior. He choked when he saw Magnar use a napkin. Malik gave lavish attention to his guest, speaking in a low tone, making her laugh. Dagan wondered how long he could put on this act. At least she showed some good judgment by completely ignoring his father.

The meal might have continued in this civilized fashion had it not been interrupted by a new arrival. The door slammed open, and one of the brigands marched in dragging a young man, holding a knife to his throat.

"I caught this bastard sneaking around outside," he announced.

Quynn jumped up, and Dagan could see that she was both angry and concerned. "Taeron! What are you doing here?"

Dagan took a closer look at the young man. He was dressed as a Calabrian.

Quatre smiled with genuine pleasure. "Well, well, well. This is turning out to be a very pleasant evening. First the very lovely Miss Nelson shows up on my doorstep, and now I have Duo Maxwell's Calabrian bastard in my hands." He picked up his knife and ran his finger along the edge, licking his lips as he stared at the prisoner. "I think I'm going to have some fun."

Quynn spun to look at him. "What are you talking about? He can return to the clinic and tell my mother and that…that…jerk that I am safe here and to leave me alone." She smiled back at Malik, obviously expecting it to have some magical effect. Dagan thought she was woefully naïve. "I hope you don't mind me staying until my leave from service comes to an end and I have to return to L12."

Malik took her hand and kissed it. "I would be honored."

His father snorted. "As for the prisoner, tie him up in the basement. I'll deal with him later."

"No!" cried Quynn, grabbing his arm. "Please let him go! He is my half-brother, and I think he followed me here out of some misguided notion that he is doing me a favor."

Taeron raised his head, and Dagan saw that there was a large bruise on his cheek and one of his eyes was swelling. "I will take you back this night before you dishonor our house."

"You are just as ridiculous as your father!" she shouted at him in exasperation. Dagan could hear a note of apprehension in her voice.

"Our father," he corrected her.

Quatre chuckled. "Quite a moot point now. Take him to the basement."

"No!" Quynn tired to push away from the table, but Malik grabbed her elbow.

"I think you should settle down," he said to her, his voice low and ominous. Dagan hoped she knew him well enough to heed him.

But being a stubborn young woman, she jerked her arm from Malik. "I think I will accompany my brother back to the clinic. Thank you for the meal, but I guess I won't be needing your hospitality after all."

Malik struck her with the back of his hand so hard that she fell across the table. Dagan curled his hand around his dinner knife and he heard Oxana whimper in fear. The young Calabrian snarled which earned him a booted foot in his gut when he tried to wrestle free of his captor.

As Quynn pushed herself up from the table, Malik grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked her up to him. Still stunned from his attack, she couldn't move as he slid his tongue across her neck where blood had spilled from a cut to her lip then covered her mouth with his.

"I am going to kill you," stated Taeron before being clubbed again.

Malik lifted his head and laughed, showing his bloody teeth. "In another life, bastard! Take him away." He turned to his father. "Will you be taking care of him?"

Quatre raised a glass of wine and contemplated the limp young woman in his arms. Dagan assumed she had fainted because Malik would have tossed her aside by now if he had already killed her. "I'll remind you to leave a little for me, son."

"Don't worry. She'll still have the parts that interest you," laughed Malik, tossing the healer's daughter over his shoulder and leaving the table. He was still laughing as he mounted the steps.

Quatre drained his glass and stood. "You will have to excuse me, Kael, but I have some business to attend to."

Oxana was holding his arm. "What are they doing?"

"The meal is over," Dagan told her without answering her question. He was sure Oxana wouldn't understand anyway. The women serving the meal were already screeching as the brigands grabbed and fought over them. Dagan seized Oxana and pulled her out, running into Magnar who was blocking the doorway.

"Where are you going, wizard? You aren't taking her with you, are you? That would be quite selfish of you when you know that we share everything."

"Move out of the way," ordered Dagan as Oxana hid behind him, whimpering pitifully. Magnar would kill her if he got his filthy hands on her. She wasn't strong enough to survive the experience.

Magnar raised a brow, and they glared at each other for a long, agonizing moment. Dagan considered the very real possibility that he was going to end the night with a crushed skull. But he was saved when Quatre returned and signaled to the behemoth blocking the exit. The two men left together. Fortunately, no one else tried to stop them.

When they reached their room, Dagan was disgusted that Oxana seemed over eager to return to the bed. She immediately began to shed her clothing, and when she came to him, he couldn't even consider touching her when he knew what was likely happening to the innocent young daughter of the kind woman who had tried to help him. But Oxana was aggressive, so Dagan had to resort to drastic measures. He took her to the bed, drew her into his arms, but instead of kissing her as she wanted, he looked into her eyes and summoned his power.

"You are too sleepy," he said softly.

Oxana yawned, and he noted that her limbs were becoming relaxed. "It has been a long day," she agreed drowsily.

Within moments, she had closed her eyes, and when Dagan was satisfied that she would sleep deeply, he rapped on the door. The guard that opened the door did not have a chance to speak before Dagan looked into his eyes and said, "You will let me pass now."

The guard blinked, then said dazedly, "I will let you pass now."

Dagan continued to stare at him. "You will protect the woman with your life."

"I will protect the woman with my life."

Dagan moved past him and walked away, the hairs on the back of his neck rising, as he was sure the man was going to slay him. Master Nazzar had taught him how to mesmerize, but Dagan had never been very good at it. Of course, his only target had been Nazzar himself whose skills at blocking such magic made his failures predictable. He didn't have time now to consider how best to put that skill to use, but he did wonder if Shamara would be able to block it.

Now Dagan had to decide whom he was going to save first, but when he heard a woman's scream and whimper from the room at the end of the hall, he knew he must help the healer's daughter. Despite the assurances Malik had given his father, Dagan doubted the twisted young man would let up on his torture of her.

He reached the door and was about to draw his sword, when he felt a blade against his throat. "Do not move or I will send your essence to the gods."

Dagan knew by the voice that the man was Calabrian. "How…how did you escape?"

"You speak my language." Taeron released him, and Dagan rubbed his neck. "Who are you?"

Dagan looked at him. "I am the one they call the wizard, Kael."

"You are lying." Dagan doubted Taeron could read his mind, but he knew a lie when he heard one. Dagan wasn't very good at that either. "Who are you really?"

"I am Dagan of Bayman."

Taeron stared at him for a moment, then nodded. "Prince Dagan, step aside so that I might rescue my disobedient sister. I will then rescue you."

"Rescue…" Dagan didn't have any time to tell the young man that he didn't need rescuing before Taeron shoved open the door which had been locked.

The young woman had been stripped and tied to the bed, and Malik was lapping at one of the several cuts he had already made on her. She tried to wriggle away and was working at the cloth ties at her wrists so hard that her blood was soaking into the ties. Malik had shoved a cloth into her mouth to muffle her screams.

Intent on his vile task, Malik was slow to react, and Taeron was able to seize his hair and pull him off his sister with such strength that he was lifted from the floor. The Calabrian flung him across the room like a rag doll, and Winner slithered to the floor in a heap after slamming against the wall. Taeron used his dagger – Dagan wasn't surprised the humans hadn't found it, remembering the difficulty he had in finding Shamara's – to cut the bindings on Quynn, then pulled off his tunic and tossed it to her before spinning around and throwing up his blade to deflect a gunshot.

"It is time for you to die, human," stated Taeron. "Prince Dagan, take my sister into the hall where you will both be safe."

Although Dagan didn't need him to keep him safe, he did know that Quynn was trembling, weeping and so weak she almost couldn't put on his tunic. Dagan lifted her and moved to the door.

"You're not going anywhere with her." Malik was aiming his gun at Dagan and Quynn. "I'm not finished."

Dagan heard a click as Taeron leapt into the air and flew between them and Winner. There was a clang as another bullet was flattened against the blade of his weapon. Now Malik tried to shoot him, but Taeron was too fast. The last thing Dagan saw before ducking out of the room was Winner pulling the trigger of an empty gun as Taeron walked slowly toward him.

The healer's daughter was sobbing on his shoulder and mumbling incoherently. Dagan glanced down the hall and saw that the guard he had mesmerized was still standing in his position paying no heed to what occurred only a dozen feet from him. After a moment, Taeron appeared again and Dagan noted that there was blood splattered over him.

"Come this way."

They re-entered Winner's room, and Taeron stepped over the eviscerated corpse. He had died with a surprised look on his face, and remembering the speed at which Taeron had moved, Winner probably hadn't realized what was happening until it was too late. Now his blood and insides spilled onto the floor. Dagan hoped the gods of the underworld had some mercy on him because Taeron of Calabria had not.

Taeron jerked open the window casement. "Come this way. Soon they will be searching for me."

"Did you kill his father?"

"He left me with his underlings."

A mistake on his part, thought Dagan. He looked out the window, and gauging the height, remarked, "That is quite a ways to jump. I don't think…" Before he could finish the sentence, Taeron pulled Quynn from his arms, grabbed Dagan's shirt and threw him out the window. Dagan didn't have time to pray to the gods before he hit the ground. His back was in agony and he was sure he had broken something. Taeron landed on his feet beside him, Quynn in his arms.

Dagan was slow in getting up so Taeron grabbed his arm and started to drag him. "Who are you?" he asked when he finally regained his feet and was running with him. "Are you a god?"

"An imperial guard," he responded before increasing his speed in leaving behind the horror at the Winner mansion. Dagan thought about going back, but he doubted Imperial Guard Taeron would let him escape. The guard he had left outside his room would most likely continue to guard Oxana with his life, and if he lost that, well Dagan would shed no tears.

They ran for what seemed to be hours before Taeron slowed by a stream and Dagan was glad that they were going to stop for a drink. Taeron cupped his hand and dipped it into the water, then brought it to his sister's lips. She drank, then burst into tears and hid her face against his shoulder. Dagan satisfied his own needs at the stream, and when he had finished he saw that Taeron was helping Quynn to stand.

"You can walk," he told her. "We are almost there."

"Thank you, Taeron." She burst into tears again and he put his arms around her. "I was such a fool!"

"You are just a female," he sighed, hugging her close.

"You are a jerk!" She drew back and started to walk on her own although her gait was uneasy.

Taeron nodded. "She is a worthy female for our house."

Dagan followed Taeron and when they reached the clinic, Quynn's family spilled out of the house as a tall man stepped from the shadows. Quynn went to her mother to sob in her arms, while Taeron walked to the other man who nodded to him. Taeron said something that Dagan didn't hear, then moved away to go to the house. The larger man came forward, and Dagan recognized him as the governor of the Calabrian second moon.

"You are Prince Dagan," stated Lord Duo.

Dagan nodded. "I had been captured by Winner and forced to do his work."

The door to the house opened, and Dagan was overjoyed to see his teacher. "Master Nazzar!" He stumbled forward to hug the old man. "What are you doing here?"

The old man patted his cheek. "I have come to be assured of your safety. I have enjoyed my time here with this amazing young woman." He stepped aside and Dagan found himself face to face with the first princess of Calabria.

Their eyes met.

Dagan realized at that instant what a fool he had been. She was even more beautiful in this world than the other. Yet in her eyes, he still saw traces of the hurt and confusion that he had seen earlier in their trance. "Shamara." He reached out to touch her cheek.

She slapped his hand away. "So, you have finally decided to come here! Are you ready to be returned to your home?"

"Mom!" cried Quynn frantically. "Taeron killed Malik! They are going to come here when they discover his body."

"She's right," said Duo. "Now that we have Dagan, I think it's best that we leave immediately before Winner tries to cut off our route to the spaceport."

"The spaceport is under the control of the World Federation and the Cinq Kingdom," spoke up Stryfe. "He'll have a hell of a time convincing them to hold you here once you do get there."

Dagan was still feeling hurt from Shamara's rejection, but he looked at Lord Duo and added, "You should take the females. I have heard of Winner's plans for them, and no woman should suffer such a fate."

"Ridiculous!" Dr. Nelson looked at him with her hands on her hips. "We can take care of ourselves. He wouldn't dare…"

Quynn suddenly burst into tears again, and tearing herself away from her mother, she dashed to Lord Duo and fell against him. "You were right! You were so right!"

"You are coming with me," he announced, looking from her to the doctor. "We will sort this mess out on Calabria."

"You can take Quynn," she said, "but I cannot leave. There are too many people who depend on me."

"I'm staying with my mother," spoke up another young man.

"It's not safe for you either, Stryfe," stated Duo. "There is enough room on the transport for everyone."

"You'll have to tie me up to take me," declared the doctor.

"That suggestion has definite possibilities."

Taeron appeared from the darkness. "There are vehicles approaching."

"I know a shortcut to the spaceport," spoke up Quynn. "Mother, you have to come with us."

"I am staying."

"Shamara, get your things. Prince Dagan, you will come with us."

"I am not leaving either," he informed them. He looked at Shamara. "I can't go."

She glared at him for a moment, and then he saw tears glistening in her eyes, before she closed them and turned her head away. "Suit yourself! I wash my hands of you!" Then she disappeared again into the darkness before he saw her reappear into the light cast from the house where she had gone to gather her things.

"What do intend for me to tell your father?" asked Duo.

Dagan sighed and looked at him. "That I am dead. Shamara will not marry me now, and I am forbidden to return without her. I will stay here and see if I can earn any forgiveness from the gods."

Duo put his hand on his shoulder. "May the gods protect you."

"You protect the princess, and I will protect the healer."

The Calabrian lord nodded gratefully then turned to the stubborn woman. "You are being foolish by staying here."

"I have to stay."

"I understand," he conceded.

"You do?" She seemed surprised.

"No, not really, but I can see you aren't going to budge."

"My lord," called out Taeron. "We must go."

Lord Duo started to walk away, but he stopped, turned and followed his footsteps back to the doctor. He pulled her into his arms, and grasping a handful of her hair, drew her up to him. "May the gods protect you, Miss Stryfe."

Then he kissed her until his son called for him more insistently. Releasing her, he hurried away, and she fell back, pressing her fingers to her lips as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"He will be back," predicted a voice from the darkness.

Dagan turned his head to see Master Nazzar watching her with a sad shaking of his head. "What are you still doing here?"

"I have a duty to you, my boy," he stated. "Now, I suggest you return from whence you came or you will be punished."

Seeing the prudence of his veiled order, Dagan hurried out of sight, then paused to watch. He had told Lord Duo that he would protect the healer, so he prepared to end the life of any that would harm her.

Quatre Winner and his men rolled into the yard on their motorbikes and made a turn around the small group that had remained before Quatre stopped in front of Trynity. She was still dazed and confused by Duo's kiss, and reeling with distress over the departure of her daughter.

"Where is he?" demanded Quatre.

"If you are talking about Duo Maxwell, he has gone." She lifted her chin. "You are a little late."

"I see you have been shedding some tears." He reached up his leather-gloved hand to wipe them away although she flinched. "You will not miss him, my sweet. I can easily take his place in your bed."

She shoved his hand away. "You are a filthy pig!"

Quatre sighed. "My dear, if I were a filthy pig, I would have chained you in my basement long ago to do what I please to you when I please."

"Your son was an obscene freak! He could have killed Quynn."

"He wouldn't have killed Quynn. But we will never know because Duo Maxwell's Calabrian bastard murdered my son. Would you like to see what he did to him?"

"Oh please! I saw what Malik did to Quynn! He deserved whatever punishment Taeron deemed necessary."

"Where is Quynn? I would like to apologize to her personally, and if there is an unfortunate result from what my son did to her, I want her to know that I will give her anything she needs for my grandchild."

The sound of a craft making a run for the atmosphere over their heads drew her attention, and they both looked up to see the Calabrian ship shoot past. Trynity's heart ached as she watched the ship carry away her suffering daughter.

She whipped back around to look at Quatre. "Quynn is on her way to Calabria. If there is an unfortunate result of your filthy son's rape, I will insist that she remain there with her father where you can never see the child."

Quatre sighed and glancing around, he paused a moment to look at Master Nazzar, then he turned and Trynity realized he was staring at the spot where Dagan had disappeared. She feared the young prince was waiting and might do something foolish to protect her, but Quatre shrugged and mounted his cycle. "Although I would really enjoy staying here to teach you a lesson, my dear Trynity, I must be going. There's a mess to clean up at the mansion thanks to that lunatic bastard."

"Your son was the lunatic and you knew it!" Trynity clenched her fists impotently at her side. Although Quatre intimidated her, she wanted to strike out at him.

He started the cycle. "I guess I am to blame for leaving him in Dorothy's care. After we were married, I discovered how demented she was, but I didn't know realize she would pervert her own child."

"You knew exactly what was going on!" accused Stryfe angrily. "You simply chose to ignore it."

Quatre shook his head sadly. "I am sorry, Trynity, for what happened. If there is anything I can do to make it up to you…"

"If I never see you again, it will be a beginning." Trynity watched him drive off with his men, then turned to Stryfe. He put his arms around her as she cried against his chest. She couldn't help but blame herself for what had happened to Quynn. "It's my fault! I should have known something was wrong."

"It's my fault," said Stryfe hoarsely, she felt his tears drip into her hair. "I should have said something sooner."

The old man from Bayman was chuckling as he put his hands on both their shoulders. "Neither of you is to blame. The gods directed what happened. Also, I think there was an obstinate young woman who wouldn't listen to the wise counsel of her father."

Trynity wanted to shout at the old man to butt out, but she realized that he was right, at least about Quynn's behavior. Quynn wouldn't have listened to her either, of that she was certain. She had a rebellious nature and a tendency to rush headlong into things. Up to now she hadn't been hurt. Trynity wished she could be with Quynn now, but she was safer where she was headed.

They returned to the house, but Trynity couldn't sleep. Her heart ached for Quynn, and knowing that Quynn must be suffering great humiliation made her own heart twist in agony. By the time the sun rose, Trynity gave up trying to rest and went to the clinic. As she predicted, there were many sick people waiting for her. By early afternoon, she was exhausted, but the patients began to thin and she discovered why through a conversation with one who told her that some were afraid to come to the clinic.

"Why do they fear my clinic?" she asked, although she could now use a nap. The sick would thrust themselves on her tomorrow anyway.

"The news has spread that Quatre Winner's son was murdered by the alien guest staying at your house."

"I had no control over his actions and Quatre Winner knows that. You can tell anyone that needs my care that it is safe to come here."

After the last patient left, she was headed back to her house when a motorized cart appeared on the horizon speeding toward the clinic. It pulled to a stop just short of her.

"What the hell are you doing here!?"

The man stepped out of the cart. "Is that any way to greet your father?"

She stood stone still as he hugged her. "I didn't have a gun handy for a proper greeting."

Ivan Stryfe chuckled and kissed her cheeks. "Still steaming over that last scolding? Well, I knew I had to come and apologize in person, so I took a sabbatical from the Academy."

"I don't suppose the opening of that wormhole had anything to do with it?"

He looked away as he scratched his head. "A pleasant coincidence."

"You haven't changed." She reached into the cart and pulled out his suitcase. "At least Stryfe will be glad to see you."

They walked to the house together. "I heard at the spaceport that I just missed the delegation from Calabria. So Duo Maxwell came back! And he was staying here with you?"

"Sleeping in my bed, in fact," she said with a smile.

He chuckled as he entered the house. "My dear, I don't think you would do anything improper with him."

"Are you a betting man, Gramps?" Stryfe came to hug his grandfather. "You should have let us know you were coming!"

"I love to surprise."

"He thinks he can catch me doing something improper," commented Trynity as she poured herself a drink and sat down in the armchair. She kicked off her shoes and wriggled her toes. "But he's always been blind as a bat."

"Hah! Don't think I didn't know you were rolling around on the beach every night like a couple of mating tortoises."

"Gramps!" Stryfe was shocked and Trynity turned her attention to her drink. "I don't think mating tortoises roll around in the sand." He chuckled with his grandfather.

"Well, if you knew what was going on, then why didn't you ever say anything?" demanded Trynity, annoyed. "No wonder I'm such a lousy parent. Look at my role model."

Her father accepted a drink that Stryfe made for him. He sat near Trynity and kicked off his own shoes. "I thought it was amusing that the two of you would come in covered with sand."

"Joke's on you, father. We had a hell of a good time in Duo's shower too, getting rid of all that sand." Trynity laughed.

He smiled. "Water didn't run cold a few times? I took the liberty of shutting down the hot water when you were in there."

She frowned. "I thought that everyone had used it up."

Stryfe laughed. "Hey, Gramps, you have any more stories I might never have heard?"

"Concerning Duo Maxwell? I think the well will never run dry." He noticed the scrolls. "So what do you have there?"

Stryfe picked up one of the rolled papers. "The Calabrians were in such a hurry to leave that they forgot them. I guess I have more time to look them over. My service for Cinq Kingdom Defense doesn't start for two weeks."

"If you could use a little help, I would enjoy a little mind exercise. Teaching can get very tedious."

Stryfe stood. "I'll go get something started to eat."

When he had gone, Dr. Stryfe set aside the scroll and looked at Trynity. "Is it true? Did he take Quynn back to Calabria with him?"

Despite herself, she felt the urge to cry again, and this time her father was there to hold her. "I failed her, father. I failed her!"

"There, there," he crooned as he stroked her back. "I'm sure she is fine."

"I think he raped her," she told him. "If he did, I'm glad Taeron killed him."

"Quynn's a strong girl, pumpkin."

"She didn't even argue about going with Duo!" Trynity realized that her feelings were hurt that Quynn chose him over her.

"You weren't expecting her to stay? If she hadn't gone with him, I'm sure she would have returned to L12 and thrown herself into her work. That would not have been any better for her than you when you spent so much time and energy studying that wormhole." Dr. Stryfe chuckled and took her shoulders to push her gently back so he could see her face. "Are you sure you aren't a little bothered that Duo Maxwell left through that wormhole again?"

She felt herself blushing, but she was angry by his suggestion. "My concern is for Quynn! She's been horribly violated and now she's forced to spend her recovery with a man she didn't even know was her father in a strange and rather primitive place."

"At least her father isn't strange and primitive."

"You don't know what he's become!"

"Anyone up for supper?" Stryfe stood in the doorway holding a pan. "There was just enough in the cupboards to throw together a good casserole."

Trynity left her father's embrace and went to the table. "Stryfe, I'm getting sick of your cooking."

"Better than getting sick from yours," commented her father as he sat down.

"Where is Master Nazzar?" asked Trynity, ignoring her father.

"He went to be with Prince Dagan," answered Stryfe. "He told me to send a message if I managed to figure out what was written in the cave."

"We'll get on it right away after we eat," said his grandfather.

As Trynity cleaned up after the meal, her son and father sat down together with the scrolls. The talked and argued over every minute stroke of ink into the early hours of the morning before they finally vowed to get back to it right away the next day. Although she was initially not pleased to see Ivan Stryfe arrive, Trynity was glad he was there. Despite his lousy parenting when she was a child and desperately needed him, he had become a very good friend in her adult life. Their only dissension laid in the fact that he did not want to relinquish the parental control he had started to exercise when it was too late to do anything but meddle when other parents stepped out of their children's lives.

She was on the verge of sleep when she felt a familiar, comforting touch in her hair. "Don't worry, pumpkin, I'm sure he'll come back. He loves you."

Trynity didn't turn her head to look at him. "You don't know him now, father. I don't think that's true anymore."

"Do you still love him?" her father asked softly.

"It's not the same," she whispered. "I had no faith in him. He has a right to hate me for it."

"Pumpkin, I think I'm right when I say that Duo Maxwell will always love you. Give him time. He'll be back. Besides, I'm sure he'll bring Quynn back when she has to return to L12."

Trynity was about to say that she couldn't imagine Quynn wanting to return, then thought better of it. Quynn was a strong-willed girl. She would probably recover quickly from Malik's attack.

When he left, Trynity slipped out of bed and looked out the window up to the stars in the sky. He was out there somewhere with their daughter.