Read Online The Final Key: Part Two of Triad by Catherine Asaro - Free Book Online
Authors: Catherine Asaro
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trying to ease the ache behind them. It had spread throughout his head. Sleep. He needed sleep. His augmentations could help. They included nanomeds that patrolled his body, repaired his cells, tended his health, and delayed his aging. The tiny molecular laboratories could release chemicals that would help him rest. He concentrated, using biofeedback techniques to enhance the response of the meds much in the way an empath could use biofeedback to heal himself, or others, if he turned his empathic abilities outward. Gradually he nodded off, dozing in fits and starts...
"Make it stop, Hoshpa." Tears ran down Taquinil's face, and his eyes were swollen from crying...
Eldrin jerked awake. His headache raged and sweat soaked his clothes. He would have lost his dinner, except he hadn't
eaten. He rose out of his chair, but then he fell, landing on his hands and knees, unbalanced by the Dieshan gravity. Diesha. He wasn't at home, caring for Taquinil. That had all happened over a year ago.
He remembered little of that first night after he had taken Dehya's medicine. The relaxant had drenched his mind. He had collapsed on the couch, and he hadn't come back to consciousness until the next morning, when he awoke to find Taquinil shaking his arm. Eldrin had spent the day in a haze of tranquillity, but the effects had faded over the next few days. Headaches had plagued him, and his hands had shaken so much he had trouble holding a glass. His condition affected Taquinil, not as much as Eldrin's horrendous dreams, but enough that the boy felt his distress. Then Eldrin's nightmares had started up again, for that had been during the time Vitarex Raziquon had been torturing bis father.
Finally he had given in, unable to bear the headaches or the dreams. He had taken Dehya's medicine again, cutting the dose by 80 percent. That solved his problems, replacing his pain with serenity. With the dosage so much lower, he didn't lose touch with the world, either. It had still been too much. He had trouble caring for Taquinil when he so easily became distracted, but when he didn't take the medicine, his distress made it impossible for him to function and his nightmares tormented his son.
If Dehya had spent more time with him, he could have injured her, too. She had noticed his erratic moods, and she had bothered him about what she called "his drinking." If she had realized the extent of his nightmares, she probably would have pressured him to see a specialist He couldn't bear the thought of a therapist poking into his private life, and he feared Dehya would turn from him if she knew the truth, that he was sick, using her syringe without her permission. He had known then he had to leave before he hurt his son and ruined his marriage. He hated being away from his family, but at least they were safe from him. When he recovered from these humiliating problems, he could go home.
In the year since he had left the Orbiter, he had suffered attacks in which his head seemed to splinter and his body shook with uncontrolled tremors. Only the medicine helped.
At a dosage equal to 10 percent of what Alaj Rajindia had given Dehya, it alleviated Eldrin's symptoms without incapacitating him. He wanted to stop using it. The medicine had taken over his life. Just this morning he had vowed, yet again, that he would take no more. Only now he was desperate. He tried to get up from the floor, but he was barely off his knees when his body went rigid.
Eldrin's father had told him once that he was never aware of his seizures, but for Eldrin it was excruciatingly different. He fell to his side, convulsing, and he felt every terrifying moment. The attack seemed to go on forever, a waking nightmare.
Mercifully, it finally stopped. Eldrin went limp on the floor, gasping. For a moment he just lay there. Then, clutching the armchair, he dragged himself to his feet. He stumbled into the bedroom where he had stored his travel bag, which he had never unpacked even though he used
"Make it stop, Hoshpa." Tears ran down Taquinil's face, and his eyes were swollen from crying...
Eldrin jerked awake. His headache raged and sweat soaked his clothes. He would have lost his dinner, except he hadn't
eaten. He rose out of his chair, but then he fell, landing on his hands and knees, unbalanced by the Dieshan gravity. Diesha. He wasn't at home, caring for Taquinil. That had all happened over a year ago.
He remembered little of that first night after he had taken Dehya's medicine. The relaxant had drenched his mind. He had collapsed on the couch, and he hadn't come back to consciousness until the next morning, when he awoke to find Taquinil shaking his arm. Eldrin had spent the day in a haze of tranquillity, but the effects had faded over the next few days. Headaches had plagued him, and his hands had shaken so much he had trouble holding a glass. His condition affected Taquinil, not as much as Eldrin's horrendous dreams, but enough that the boy felt his distress. Then Eldrin's nightmares had started up again, for that had been during the time Vitarex Raziquon had been torturing bis father.
Finally he had given in, unable to bear the headaches or the dreams. He had taken Dehya's medicine again, cutting the dose by 80 percent. That solved his problems, replacing his pain with serenity. With the dosage so much lower, he didn't lose touch with the world, either. It had still been too much. He had trouble caring for Taquinil when he so easily became distracted, but when he didn't take the medicine, his distress made it impossible for him to function and his nightmares tormented his son.
If Dehya had spent more time with him, he could have injured her, too. She had noticed his erratic moods, and she had bothered him about what she called "his drinking." If she had realized the extent of his nightmares, she probably would have pressured him to see a specialist He couldn't bear the thought of a therapist poking into his private life, and he feared Dehya would turn from him if she knew the truth, that he was sick, using her syringe without her permission. He had known then he had to leave before he hurt his son and ruined his marriage. He hated being away from his family, but at least they were safe from him. When he recovered from these humiliating problems, he could go home.
In the year since he had left the Orbiter, he had suffered attacks in which his head seemed to splinter and his body shook with uncontrolled tremors. Only the medicine helped.
At a dosage equal to 10 percent of what Alaj Rajindia had given Dehya, it alleviated Eldrin's symptoms without incapacitating him. He wanted to stop using it. The medicine had taken over his life. Just this morning he had vowed, yet again, that he would take no more. Only now he was desperate. He tried to get up from the floor, but he was barely off his knees when his body went rigid.
Eldrin's father had told him once that he was never aware of his seizures, but for Eldrin it was excruciatingly different. He fell to his side, convulsing, and he felt every terrifying moment. The attack seemed to go on forever, a waking nightmare.
Mercifully, it finally stopped. Eldrin went limp on the floor, gasping. For a moment he just lay there. Then, clutching the armchair, he dragged himself to his feet. He stumbled into the bedroom where he had stored his travel bag, which he had never unpacked even though he used
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