Of Fire and Night - Kevin J. Anderson [192]
The worldforest and his green priest friends now knew what had happened to him, what the Mage-Imperator had done to the well-meaning Hansa skyminers. But Nira had already told them other threads of the story, how Sullivan's crew had been working frantically to assist the Solar Navy.
Kolker did not release the lump of wood, but continued to send and receive thoughts. He had tried to describe this sensation to the old lens kithman, but he hadn't been able to convey the depth of the experience to Tery'l. He looked up at Nira with eyes full of gratitude. When he finally released his grasp, Kolker felt the residual tingle of what he had experienced. And yet . . .
Nira was smiling at him. "Now you have rejoined the worldforest. Isn't that what you were waiting for?"
"Yes!" But inside he felt oddly empty. Blinded and starving, he had longed for this for so many months. So many months. He should have been overjoyed. To his surprise, though, it hadn't been as magnificent as what he had described to Tery'l. Had he forgotten? Or had he himself changed?
After releasing the treeling, Kolker felt utterly disconnected again. Not like the thism bonds that the lens kithman described. Kolker found his return to the worldforest mind mysteriously dissatisfying, and he didn't know what to think.
112
KING PETER
Both the King and Queen knew they were in the path of an oncoming storm. Estarra had been sickened by what happened to her lovely conservatory, and the malicious pleasure the Chairman obviously took in having Sarein show it to her, but they knew it was only an opening salvo. The destruction of the greenhouse was barely even a warm-up for what was going to happen to them.
Isolated in the royal apartments--though not as isolated as Basil assumed--Peter pored over the details of the Chairman's latest daily summary briefing, which he wasn't supposed to have. Captain McCammon had been forbidden to forward those reports to him anymore, but the summary had appeared on his screen unexpectedly that morning. Peter assumed Deputy Cain was the anonymous sender.
He drank in details about the defensive deployment of the EDF ships and Ildiran warliners, as well as the preparations being made on Earth for the imminent hydrogue attack. Chairman Wenceslas had figuratively tied the King's hands, but as Peter flexed and twisted, he felt the invisible bonds begin to loosen. He and the Queen would have to do something drastic, and soon.
"Peter!" Estarra said, her voice a quick whisper.
He turned to see two figures standing at their door, unannounced. Captain McCammon and his three fellow royal guards blocked them, but McCammon seemed inclined to let the visitors through. One was Sarein, unsuccessfully trying to cover her furtive anxiety; the other figure was cowled, with a hood that shrouded his face and gloves that covered his hands.
Peter looked at Estarra, who gave a slight nod. "It's all right, Captain. Let them in," he said.
Sarein ducked into the chambers as if anxious to get out of view. The stranger with her stepped forward and pulled the hood back to reveal crude flesh-colored makeup smeared across his face to hide the emerald-green skin.
"Nahton!" Estarra sounded delighted, but the man remained grave.
Sarein drew a deep breath. "When I learned that Basil is intentionally keeping the green priest away from you, I knew I had to do something. I thought you needed to hear his urgent message. Nahton refuses to tell it to anyone but you two."
Peter looked at McCammon, who stood at attention. "That will be all, Captain. Please close the doors."
The guard captain looked narrowly at Sarein, uneasy to leave the two guests alone with the