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Authors: Melanie Nilles
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Onduun."
"What?" His words smacked with
unreality. "I'm…What?" Her brain scrambled upon trying to make
sense of what they were telling her.
" Seres are…special, gifted individuals of the Onduun."
A shudder passed through her. "I'm not…special." Unless
that meant derided by everyone she'd ever met outside of her
family. She couldn't be what they described. "It doesn't make
sense. Why would the Tah'Na want me if I'm Seres —Onduun—and they are afraid of
that?"
Torik had a way about him that put her
at ease, as he did now. His face softened into that trusting
expression but with a hint of admiration that piqued her curiosity
and chased out her discomfiture.
" Seres possess certain qualities," Korr said. "Abilities to
influence others. That is what Karik fears—that you will use this
to hurt us, to deny us our freedom."
"No. I would not." How could
she?
"I know," Torik said gently. "I tried
to tell him. That's why he went after you. He thought you had
influenced me…I told him you weren't raised Onduun, that you
couldn't be influencing me. He said it doesn't matter. He's only
focused on…" He paused and looked to Korr, who tipped his head in a
nod. "On trading you to the Tah'Na for our world."
"One life for millions," Korr said in
solemnity from the foot of the bed.
A trade. Now she understood his
reticence in telling her, but it changed nothing. Rather, it gave
her a new purpose. She had the power to repay Torik for his
kindness.
"I would give it. In two days, you,"
she said to Torik, "are more my friend than anyone on
Earth."
The two Lereni exchanged glances, Korr
with a surprised look.
"That is what friends do. I have no life, had no life," she added
quietly. "It will mean life for the Lereni for a true
friend."
The sandwiching of her hand between
Torik's threatened to squeeze tears from her eyes.
"I'm sorry." The distrust and ferocity
melted from Korr's body and voice into something more like Torik's.
"You were right about this one."
"You see now?"
"Yes, but we must reach Rahmir and
make the trade."
"If the Tah'Na are honorable in their
agreement." The words spat with distaste from Torik's
mouth.
Korr gave a loud huff of indignation,
his ears lowering and his lip curling back from the sharp teeth.
"The Tah'Na have no honor."
"That is why we need
Mediators."
"But I fear the Tah'Na will find a way
to deceive them. It weighs on Karik's mind."
Torik let out a sigh and said, "All
will be for nought. The Tah'Na will use their
advantage."
Krissa stared in disbelief. The Tah'Na
were no better than playground bullies. "That is…wrong." On so many
levels.
"Without honor," Korr said.
"How can we get Mediators?" She looked
from one to the other for an answer.
"That is the problem—the Mediators may not allow the trade
of the life of a Seres, not even for our world." Korr's voice quieted at the
end.
"But Leisil should be free. It is a basic right of all
life. And isn't it my life? My choice? I will choose for myself and I want you to
live. How do I control the abilities of the Seres? How can I use that against the
Tah'Na?"
The smirk on Torik's face hinted of
righteousness.
"Karik would never accept this," Korr
said.
`
Chapter 9
Torik recovered more quickly than Krissa expected, and
within that time, Theen joined them. Apparently, her sincere
sympathy for Torik had convinced Korr and Theen that she could be
trusted, but Theen expressed his objections about teaching her
about the Onduun Seres and threatened to report to Karik, despite the proof that
she wanted to do what she could to help them earn their world's
freedom.
On the second day after the
altercation, she sat with the three around the table in the lounge
when Karik stormed past. All fell silent in the tension that
thickened the air in his wake, until he disappeared into one of the
back rooms.
"How long can he hide in the command
center?"
"It is designed as a lifepod, but he
will not waste its resources," Theen answered.
They
"What?" His words smacked with
unreality. "I'm…What?" Her brain scrambled upon trying to make
sense of what they were telling her.
" Seres are…special, gifted individuals of the Onduun."
A shudder passed through her. "I'm not…special." Unless
that meant derided by everyone she'd ever met outside of her
family. She couldn't be what they described. "It doesn't make
sense. Why would the Tah'Na want me if I'm Seres —Onduun—and they are afraid of
that?"
Torik had a way about him that put her
at ease, as he did now. His face softened into that trusting
expression but with a hint of admiration that piqued her curiosity
and chased out her discomfiture.
" Seres possess certain qualities," Korr said. "Abilities to
influence others. That is what Karik fears—that you will use this
to hurt us, to deny us our freedom."
"No. I would not." How could
she?
"I know," Torik said gently. "I tried
to tell him. That's why he went after you. He thought you had
influenced me…I told him you weren't raised Onduun, that you
couldn't be influencing me. He said it doesn't matter. He's only
focused on…" He paused and looked to Korr, who tipped his head in a
nod. "On trading you to the Tah'Na for our world."
"One life for millions," Korr said in
solemnity from the foot of the bed.
A trade. Now she understood his
reticence in telling her, but it changed nothing. Rather, it gave
her a new purpose. She had the power to repay Torik for his
kindness.
"I would give it. In two days, you,"
she said to Torik, "are more my friend than anyone on
Earth."
The two Lereni exchanged glances, Korr
with a surprised look.
"That is what friends do. I have no life, had no life," she added
quietly. "It will mean life for the Lereni for a true
friend."
The sandwiching of her hand between
Torik's threatened to squeeze tears from her eyes.
"I'm sorry." The distrust and ferocity
melted from Korr's body and voice into something more like Torik's.
"You were right about this one."
"You see now?"
"Yes, but we must reach Rahmir and
make the trade."
"If the Tah'Na are honorable in their
agreement." The words spat with distaste from Torik's
mouth.
Korr gave a loud huff of indignation,
his ears lowering and his lip curling back from the sharp teeth.
"The Tah'Na have no honor."
"That is why we need
Mediators."
"But I fear the Tah'Na will find a way
to deceive them. It weighs on Karik's mind."
Torik let out a sigh and said, "All
will be for nought. The Tah'Na will use their
advantage."
Krissa stared in disbelief. The Tah'Na
were no better than playground bullies. "That is…wrong." On so many
levels.
"Without honor," Korr said.
"How can we get Mediators?" She looked
from one to the other for an answer.
"That is the problem—the Mediators may not allow the trade
of the life of a Seres, not even for our world." Korr's voice quieted at the
end.
"But Leisil should be free. It is a basic right of all
life. And isn't it my life? My choice? I will choose for myself and I want you to
live. How do I control the abilities of the Seres? How can I use that against the
Tah'Na?"
The smirk on Torik's face hinted of
righteousness.
"Karik would never accept this," Korr
said.
`
Chapter 9
Torik recovered more quickly than Krissa expected, and
within that time, Theen joined them. Apparently, her sincere
sympathy for Torik had convinced Korr and Theen that she could be
trusted, but Theen expressed his objections about teaching her
about the Onduun Seres and threatened to report to Karik, despite the proof that
she wanted to do what she could to help them earn their world's
freedom.
On the second day after the
altercation, she sat with the three around the table in the lounge
when Karik stormed past. All fell silent in the tension that
thickened the air in his wake, until he disappeared into one of the
back rooms.
"How long can he hide in the command
center?"
"It is designed as a lifepod, but he
will not waste its resources," Theen answered.
They
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