Of Fire and Night - Kevin J. Anderson [148]
Somewhere out there, he would find the Roamers. He would find Zhett.
87
DESIGNATE DARO'H
The fervor of the human mob died swiftly as the long night ended. The growing conflagration had already devoured the old breeding camp, then swept through the main settlement, fanned by capricious winds. Humans and Ildirans alike devoted most of their energies simply to surviving until dawn.
So many people were already dead. Daro'h had felt their agony in the thism as either the rioters or the fire killed them. Somehow, the green priest woman had prevented them from murdering Udru'h, but the now-unconscious Designate had suffered broken bones, a severe concussion, and internal bleeding. He had been handed over to medical kithmen, who were overwhelmed with patients. Daro'h did not know if the actual injuries, or the mental shock of receiving a lifetime of horrific memories, had caused Udru'h more harm.
Medical kithmen on Dobro tended to be experts in obstetrics; they studied human fertility, monitored pregnancies, made genetic projections. Many of the half-breed births proved difficult, and the doctors had standing orders to give an infant's survival priority over the mother's. Now those doctors were treating battlefield injuries, and the human patients loathed their touch.
The destruction appalled even the former captives. They separated the dead, including many of their own half-breed children who had fought against them. Guards and doctors had been clubbed or stabbed to death; human prisoners had been hacked and trampled. Many black and blistered bodies had already been dragged from the smoldering wreckage. The lucky ones were no longer alive.
Surrounded by a deafening roar in the thism, Daro'h felt numb. The whole planet seemed to be a shout of agony and grief. The death toll was worse than Daro'h had expected, and the numbers continued to climb. By the second day, he didn't want to hear any more reports.
Of one thing the Designate was sure: The agony in the thism had sent a clarion call to the Mage-Imperator. Daro'h had no doubt that his father was on his way. Jora'h could never ignore such a disaster.
Now, as he walked through the streets smelling the smoke of burned wood and charred flesh, he saw people--both Ildiran and human--moving about in a daze, struggling with the overwhelming but urgent tasks that demanded their attention. They would only have time to complete the first stage of their efforts before the Mage-Imperator arrived.
Wildfire crews struggled to contain the blaze that swept across the dry grasses. They dug trenches, made firebreaks, set backfires to clear all the fuel. The green priest Nira and her human followers, now organized into teams, threw themselves into the work. They had never shown such enthusiasm for their camp chores.
Just as the guards and medical kithmen did not know how to treat these humans as partners or allies, so too the Burton descendants were not sure they wanted Ildiran help. What would happen when they caught their breath and sank to their knees with the realization of what they had done?
A digger and one of the mentalist teachers approached Daro'h. Covered in soot and grime, they looked even more distraught than the others. "Designate, you must come with us," the mentalist said. "We have found . . . we have found something terrible in the residence of former Designate Udru'h." His expression looked fearful.
Daro'h sighed wearily. "The Designate's home was not even damaged."
"Not the residence itself, Designate," the mentalist said. "It is Thor'h."
Alarmed, Daro'h hurried after them. In the turmoil, he had forgotten about his disgraced brother. Udru'h had been in charge of the drugged young man, but during the riot there had been no word of Thor'h. Since then, the former Prime Designate had not been on anyone's list of priorities.
The pair led him hesitantly