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::Good. Tasi, you need to be careful. The soldiers are here and they re
hunting.::
::How many?::
::I don t know. I killed maybe ten or eleven but another squad came. The
soldiers are everywhere.::
::They know you still live.::
::And they ll search until they find me. You have to be careful, Tasi. Soon you ll
be the only Guardian left standing.::
Her heart stuttered with fear. ::Don t talk like that, Balfour. I ll get you help. I
have friends who can help heal you.::
::It s almost too late for me already. I m barely hanging on. I just need you to
come fast and stay safe.::
::Where are you on the planet? I know it s the forest, but whereabouts?::
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::When you land, I ll guide you through the forest. You ll have to come on
foot.::
::Balfour...::
::You know your duty, Tasi. We ve been through this many times. You need to be
ready.::
::I m ready. I will do my duty, I won t falter.::
::Tasita... Guardian...:: Affection was in the thought. ::The youngest of us all. A
big job for a little bit.::
She knew she should say something rude like she normally did, but she couldn t
think past the big knot of misery that formed.
::Rest, Guardian. You need rest for what is coming.::
All went silent on the thread and Tasi opened her eyes. Balfour was resting, she
just knew it. She d also seen a few more threads unravel from the mental thread.
And the thread itself was now wet with blood.
Standing up, she looked out at the black space dotted with brilliant stars. Out
there was danger, inside here was safety. Outside her leader and close friend was
dying. Inside she had a man who professed to love her and was determined to stand
by her side.
She could lose both.
Just the thought was enough to make her lips tremble. To lose Balfour was a
definite, but to lose Heddam... Heddam who laughed and was so stubborn and big
and full of life. If he accompanied her, he could die as well. If she gave him the
slip, she had no doubt he d follow her until he finally found her, and that alone
could kill him because he didn t know what he was getting into. And she couldn t
tell him everything, because it was known only to the Guardians and the few
involved in the ruling of the throne.
And she d thought her life couldn t get any more complicated.
Hands in her pockets, she stared out at the stars for a long time. She wasn t even
aware of the tears that formed in her eyes or the lone one that spilled free to roll
unchecked down her cheek. Leaning her shoulder against the wall, she sighed and
closed her eyes.
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She was tired, she could feel the weariness pulling at her, but she wanted to stay
upright for just a little longer, see if she could give Balfour some strength, even if
it was only of the mind.
Concentrating, she pushed a ball of topaz energy down the thread, rolling over
the red blood, keeping the glow pristine through thought alone. Down the thread it
went until finally she gave an extra push and it slid down Balfour s thread.
She felt the instant it jolted into him, heard the extra strength in his command.
::Sleep, Guardian. Rest. I will call you when you get closer.:: A faint chuckle
followed. ::Thank you.::
::You re welcome.::
He cut the link, determined she would rest.
Yes, she d rest, but it wouldn t be in bed. Dropping back into the chair, she
propped her elbow on the arm rest and leaned her head on her hand. Closing her
eyes, she slid easily into slumber, but part of her mind was alert, the mental thread
vibrating with readiness for the slightest command.
When she opened her eyes sometime later, it was to feel another presence in the
cabin. Turning her head slightly, she saw that Heddam was in the captain s chair,
his long legs stretched out and his booted ankles crossed up on the edge of the
console. Hands linked comfortably across his muscle-ribbed stomach, he was
slouched in the chair with his head leaning back against the headrest.
The giant trader was sleeping.
She wondered how long he d been there. A quick glance at the timer on the wall
revealed that she d been sleeping for four hours. Carefully she stretched, then
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