Horizon Storms - Kevin J. Anderson [60]
Rusa’h dismissed the lens kithmen and rememberers from the rooftop, then spoke to the Mage-Imperator. “I must go home to Hyrillka immediately. My people need me. They have been too long without…clear guidance.”
“I agree. And Pery’h must accompany you as well. It is time to send all of the Designates-in-waiting to their planets.”
Rusa’h‘s expression showed no warmth or welcome for his successor. “Pery’h…” He seemed to be trying to remember who the young man was. “And Thor’h. Yes…Thor’h.”
“Thor’h is my Prime Designate now,” Jora’h said.
“He would be…very helpful to me, in a time of such great changes.”
“Designate-in-waiting Pery’h can serve in that capacity. It is his assignment.”
It was astonishing that his brother would argue with him. “Thor’h knows much about Hyrillka and how it was…and he knows me. Pery’h still has everything to learn.” When Rusa’h turned to him with an expression not of pleading and desperation, but of simple need, the Mage-Imperator softened. Perhaps immature Thor’h might indeed benefit from assisting with vital work such as completing the restoration of Hyrillka. He could always recall his eldest son whenever he required him, and obviously Rusa’h did need assistance.
“All right, the Prime Designate may accompany you briefly to facilitate the transition. It will make the Empire stronger.”
“Yes.” Rusa’h stared at the dazzling suns again. “Perhaps even stronger than before.”
Chapter 30—DOBRO DESIGNATE UDRU’H
The green priest woman had already caused him a great many problems. Each time Udru’h thought he had found a solution for her situation, it led to another set of unintended consequences. If Nira hadn’t proved so maddeningly valuable to the breeding program, he’d have killed her years ago. But that would have been a useless gesture, a waste of the woman’s potential.
Even though the Mage-Imperator still insisted on coming to Dobro, at least now Jora’h believed she was dead. Through incredible mental effort, Udru’h had managed to keep the secret from his brother. From now on, though, it would be a delicate and dangerous game, until the Designate could decide what to do with Nira…
In a grand procession from Ildira, a septa of Solar Navy warliners had recently begun delivering the Designates and their young apprentices to various Ildiran worlds. Only yesterday, Udru’h and Designate-in-waiting Daro’h had arrived on Dobro. After the others in his entourage had returned to their work at the crowded breeding camps, the Designate had taken Daro’h under his wing. Together, they confirmed with the medical kithmen and administrators that all the experiments continued as expected, that the human breeding specimens had caused no trouble. Then his young nephew earnestly began to study the basics of the colony he would eventually take over.
Now the Designate had his own emergency work to do. He’d been gone for too long. He steeled himself, sought guidance from the Lightsource, then departed in a fast craft for the other side of the world. Alone.
For an Ildiran, solitude and isolation elicited as much instinctive horror as did darkness, but Udru’h had to bear this. Secrecy was more important than his own comfort. He was strong enough. He dared take no one else with him, not even his most trusted medical kithmen.
No one else knew that Nira was alive.
Udru’h had trained much, practiced his mental ability, exercised his connection to the greater network of thism. He could endure this necessary torment, for a short while at least.
He pushed the craft’s engines to their limits, roaring south across the sky, over Dobro’s equator, and into the unsettled lower continent. Spotting the expansive waters of a great shallow lake, he knew he was close to his destination. Hours had already slipped away, hours alone, but he gripped the controls and continued flying.
It wasn’t so bad. Not yet. He was strong, yes, strong enough…certainly stronger than Jora’h.
After the sudden