***
Thunder filled the room and a great mournful howl, like the sound of a gale whipping through a deep canyon shrilled until it died off into silence. The room was still. Mouhra’ Lah stood shivering at the affect the sound had produced. Then shock set in. Sauros was gone!
Fresh tears gleamed at the corners of her eyes. She bit them back. Her eyes set on Tranthra’ Joh, who came forward, visibly shaken, but trying to compose himself in front of his men. She noticed with satisfaction two guards lifted Saballa to his feet and hauled him out of the room. She didn’t know if he was dead, but if so, it was no more than he deserved.
“Quite a show,” Tranthra’ Joh said. “In the end, it changes nothing.”
“On the contrary, it changes a great deal,” the princess answered. She gave him a stinging smile. “You no longer have any hold over me.” Though her heart was bursting she held fast to her duty and her anger. She needed to be strong for her city. Mourning could come later. Sauros had been killed over this! I can’t let his death be in vain.
“Again I refuse your proposal. And again, I demand you submit for arrest!” She turned to the guardsmen in the room. “Your leader is a traitor. I command you to take him into custody. I’m your princess. Don’t let him do this. Clemency is granted to all who obey me now.”
There was silence. For just a moment she thought they might obey, then she realized as Tranthra’ Joh’s smile spread across his face, these were all his men. Whatever he’d done to win them to him was stronger than anything she could give.
“You’re wrong, princess.” Tranthra’ Joh stepped forward and ran a caressing hand down her cheek. She flinched at his touch and he laughed. “I do have a hold over you. Even though your prince is gone,” he glanced back over to the arch that appeared just as inert as before, “Your sister . . .”
Mouhra lurched unsteady on her feet. Her guards grasped her arms and held her up. He can’t know where she is. She has to be safe!
“I see you realize my meaning. As soon as she is located, I will have no more need of you. Then she will have the honor of being my bride.”
Relief! He doesn’t know where she’s hidden. He might eventually find her given enough time.
“She will not accept you any more than I.” I’ve got to figure something out before he finds her! “Duty is strong in my family . . . at least my immediate family.”
“Oh? We’ll see. From what I remember, she’s young enough to be pliable. Especially when she knows it’s either marry me, or see her older sister die in a most horrible way.”
Mouhra’ Lah held her voice steady. “That will never happen.” Her heart, however, was shrinking. Too much was happening, and she had no control over any of it. Sauros, my love. She glared at the archway in the center of the room. I can’t let his death count for nothing!
Then she remembered Javin. Everything had happened so fast. Had he actually pushed them both through? But Saballa was going to kill Sauros, and he saved him, only to kill him with the death machine? That didn’t seem right. What had he said just before they went through? Stick to your guns! We’ll be back!
She didn’t know what the first meant, but “We’ll be back!” He must know something! That’s something to hold on to. Could one of the Mulda’ fi have control over the death machine? Javin seemed certain of it. But then again, Javin hadn’t been certain of anything before.
I must have hope!
Tranthra’ Joh stood watching her. Mouhra’ Lah stared back, head high and face composed.
“Take her back to the tower to think it over.” Then he spoke to her. “We’ll find your sister soon, and then we’ll see if you change your mind.”