retract my offer—"
Teran held up a silencing hand. "A moment, femina. You misunderstand. The third passenger isn't an Incendarian; he isn't even of the humanoid species. In fact," he continued, shooting the king an amused look, "he doesn't even possess a body."
Raina graced the monk with an irritated glance. "I think we're being manipulated here, Tremayne."
"Perhaps," he agreed his monastic facade once more in place. "And perhaps not. Let us give them a chance to explain, femina."
"Fine," Raina gritted her glance riveting back on Teran Ardane. "Pray explain."
"We need a way of identifying the specific resonating crystal from caves with myriad forms of stones," Teran said stepping forward to the edge of the dais. "We don't have time, though, to fashion a device sensitive enough to do that. So instead of a machine, we've decided to use a living entity. An entity whose neural sensitivities are already aligned with the precise form of crystal we need for the deterrent device."
A niggling suspicion formed in Raina's breast and wound its way up until it lodged in her throat. She gave an unsteady laugh. "And exactly what kind of entity would that be? A Volan, perhaps?"
Teran nodded, his solemn gaze locking with hers. "Exactly, femina. A Volan."
Four
For a long moment, Raina and Teague exchanged startled looks. The big monk turned back to gaze up at Teran. "A Volan? Surely you jest. The mission is perilous enough without taking the enemy with us."
Teran smiled. "As difficult as it may be for you to believe, this Volan is not our enemy. Already he has helped us in countless ways in our battle to find some solution to this distressing problem."
"So, he's a traitor to his own kind, then?" Raina interjected with a contemptuous sneer. "I find that equally distasteful."
"Rand's not a traitor," Teran quietly replied. "He truly has the best interests of the Volans at heart. But he realizes as well that his people cannot continue on the path they have chosen. He wishes to work with us to find some honorable way out of this dilemma—a way that will be satisfactory to all."
"An honorable Volan?" Raina gave a disparaging laugh. "I find that hard to believe."
"Well, we've little time to discuss the morality of the issue just now." Teran stepped down from the dais. "You'll have to accept him on our word that he's trustworthy and vital to the mission."
Raina turned to Teague. "And what have you to say, Tremayne? Are you willing to passively accept this?"
He eyed her, a muscle ticking along his jaw. "I accept nothing passively, femina. But I also choose to make my decisions based on adequate information. I say we learn more of this Volan." He glanced at Teran. "In the meanwhile, are there any more surprises in store for us? I'd prefer to know them all now."
The king's ambassador smiled. "No. I think you've had enough for one day."
"How kind of you to notice," Raina muttered. She squared her shoulders and met Teran's gaze. "As the monk said we need to learn more of this Volan. When can we meet him?"
"Now, if that suits you." Teran indicated a door behind the throne. "The Volan—Rand—currently resides in one of the laboratories. As he is once more without a body, he is connected to a life support system."
"A Volan without a body?" Raina frowned. "Then how are we to take him with us, much less to make much use of him?"
"All that will be revealed in due time." Teran lifted his hand toward the door. "Shall we go?"
Raina gave a disgruntled snort, then fell into step behind the bearded man. Teague followed silently in their wake, his hands tucked in his sleeves, a thoughtful expression on his face. The trio made their way down the long corridors, outside across the gardens, and finally back into a low-slung set of buildings that sprawled, like the spokes of a wheel, out in every direction. Yet another series of stark hallways pierced by occasional closed portals were traversed, before Teran finally drew up before a door with a
Teran held up a silencing hand. "A moment, femina. You misunderstand. The third passenger isn't an Incendarian; he isn't even of the humanoid species. In fact," he continued, shooting the king an amused look, "he doesn't even possess a body."
Raina graced the monk with an irritated glance. "I think we're being manipulated here, Tremayne."
"Perhaps," he agreed his monastic facade once more in place. "And perhaps not. Let us give them a chance to explain, femina."
"Fine," Raina gritted her glance riveting back on Teran Ardane. "Pray explain."
"We need a way of identifying the specific resonating crystal from caves with myriad forms of stones," Teran said stepping forward to the edge of the dais. "We don't have time, though, to fashion a device sensitive enough to do that. So instead of a machine, we've decided to use a living entity. An entity whose neural sensitivities are already aligned with the precise form of crystal we need for the deterrent device."
A niggling suspicion formed in Raina's breast and wound its way up until it lodged in her throat. She gave an unsteady laugh. "And exactly what kind of entity would that be? A Volan, perhaps?"
Teran nodded, his solemn gaze locking with hers. "Exactly, femina. A Volan."
Four
For a long moment, Raina and Teague exchanged startled looks. The big monk turned back to gaze up at Teran. "A Volan? Surely you jest. The mission is perilous enough without taking the enemy with us."
Teran smiled. "As difficult as it may be for you to believe, this Volan is not our enemy. Already he has helped us in countless ways in our battle to find some solution to this distressing problem."
"So, he's a traitor to his own kind, then?" Raina interjected with a contemptuous sneer. "I find that equally distasteful."
"Rand's not a traitor," Teran quietly replied. "He truly has the best interests of the Volans at heart. But he realizes as well that his people cannot continue on the path they have chosen. He wishes to work with us to find some honorable way out of this dilemma—a way that will be satisfactory to all."
"An honorable Volan?" Raina gave a disparaging laugh. "I find that hard to believe."
"Well, we've little time to discuss the morality of the issue just now." Teran stepped down from the dais. "You'll have to accept him on our word that he's trustworthy and vital to the mission."
Raina turned to Teague. "And what have you to say, Tremayne? Are you willing to passively accept this?"
He eyed her, a muscle ticking along his jaw. "I accept nothing passively, femina. But I also choose to make my decisions based on adequate information. I say we learn more of this Volan." He glanced at Teran. "In the meanwhile, are there any more surprises in store for us? I'd prefer to know them all now."
The king's ambassador smiled. "No. I think you've had enough for one day."
"How kind of you to notice," Raina muttered. She squared her shoulders and met Teran's gaze. "As the monk said we need to learn more of this Volan. When can we meet him?"
"Now, if that suits you." Teran indicated a door behind the throne. "The Volan—Rand—currently resides in one of the laboratories. As he is once more without a body, he is connected to a life support system."
"A Volan without a body?" Raina frowned. "Then how are we to take him with us, much less to make much use of him?"
"All that will be revealed in due time." Teran lifted his hand toward the door. "Shall we go?"
Raina gave a disgruntled snort, then fell into step behind the bearded man. Teague followed silently in their wake, his hands tucked in his sleeves, a thoughtful expression on his face. The trio made their way down the long corridors, outside across the gardens, and finally back into a low-slung set of buildings that sprawled, like the spokes of a wheel, out in every direction. Yet another series of stark hallways pierced by occasional closed portals were traversed, before Teran finally drew up before a door with a
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