89 Wagon Train to the Stars by Diane Carey

Author:Diane Carey [Carey, Diane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General, Fiction, Science Fiction, Adventure, High Tech
ISBN: 9780743411141
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: 2000-06-14T23:00:00+00:00

As the breeze ran around and the cloud of pink wings stirred up by Dimion found them and swooped between Shucorion and Vellyngaith, the two factions might as well have been on separate moons. Was this chance falling apart? This delicate balance Shucorion believed, perhaps blindly, that he could strike? Had he taken one risk too many and destroyed his chosen status? Abused it?

His men's faith in him was crumbling. He had plucked too many pebbles from the stone.

Suddenly he was shocked out of his thoughts by Vellyngaith's step to one side. Was the battlelord positioning himself to strike? Lop off Shucorion's head?

The Kauld warriors backed away, as if to give room. Shucorion stood his ground. At least he could show his men that his wild actions had some root in conviction. If he died here, they would question their own curses.

"I agree." The battlelord's words came abruptly, and were abruptly finished.

Vellyngaith whirled around--that was why he had stepped to his side--and his cloak batted Shucorion's legs.

Without looking back at all, the Kauld contingent stalked over the ridge, into the thick overgrowth at the edge of the meadow, and disappeared.

"Did he agree?" Shucorion croaked after they were gone. "Is that what he said? Did you see him when I offered him Blood workers? His eyes were actually sparkling. Wonderful to make someone else so happy."

Dimion did not answer, and didn't approach him. He was looking at the ground again. The breeze picked at his unbound hair and blew it across the top of his shoulder as if to brush away dust.

This couldn't go on. Shucorion stepped past Dimion, who made no movements, and spoke to the six guards.

"Go back to the lander," he ordered. "Make sure the way is clear and Vellyngaith hasn't plotted an ambush."

Speechless, with trouble in their eyes, the guards didn't even make an acknowledgment. They turned like stricken children and stomped down the hill, forced to follow their hand-locators because they had no idea how to track their way through unfamiliar land. On the Blood world, nobody bothered to go to land he didn't know. There were always guides. No one explored.

Shucorion watched them go, then turned and did not think of them again. "What's the matter with you, Dimion?"

"He didn't kill you," Dimion murmured.

"Did you think he would?"

"I hoped he would."

Still Dimion didn't look up.

"Why would you want me dead?" Shucorion asked.

"To spare you from this. What you're doing. Avedon . . ."

Dimion hesitated, and visibly shuddered. His trembling hand came forward from his side, holding a charged glaze-blade.

"Avedon . . . I think I have to kill you myself."

Chapter Eighteen

THE ENERGY KNIFE buzzed between them, its energy ready to arc as soon as it touched Shucorion's body.

"Dimion, this is unlike you." Shucorion kept his shoulders and arms relaxed. To tense could be a sharp error. "You've been with me since the night I discovered I was different."

Dimion shivered visibly, and pushed the glaze-blade forward half an arm's length. His face worked with inner sufferings making their way out without much resistance from him.

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