The Skies of Mahdis Page 8

  Despite his words to W'eylin, the relief that they had not turned him out left him weak and that confused him. He had set his mind to match his heart. He would be with Trista and that meant abandoning the protection of the Order. Or so he'd thought.

  The Elders had just implied differently.

  The passage ended in a small courtyard. Several novices were practicing with weaponry and he ordered a few of them on various errands. He took the stairs to W'eylin's rooms two at a time. Thankfully, his brother was not there.

  He quickly washed off the smell of his nerves and pulled on a fresh tunic and walked briskly to his own rooms. As he'd ordered, Roj and another bogga were tethered at the base of the stairs. He was halfway up the stairs when he spied a novice running down the lane with a small pack. Q'winn wondered just where the boy had gone for that food pack. He hoped the boy had followed his instructions.

  Trista opened the door before he could knock.

  "Where have you been? I though you'd forgotten me."

  "You are annoyed with me,” he grinned at her.

  "I'm never annoyed with you. Let's go before Vanteen gets back. Hurry!"

  Q'winn motioned her to precede him down the stairs. “Perhaps you will enlighten me as to what is upsetting Vanteen."

  "I don't know. Something to do with the old boyfriend finding out about the new."

  That was something Q'winn definitely did not want to know. An Okarran female's natural sexual proclivities were the delight of many unattached men. He tightened the leathers on Trista's bogga, and helped her mount. After untying the reins of both animals, he jumped lightly onto the back of his mount.

  He looped the reins to Trista's bogga through a metal ring on what passed for his saddle.

  "Why don't you let me have them?” she asked.

  "You hold on with both hands,” he replied curtly.

  "I really think I can handle the reins."

  "I did not say I thought you could not. I told you to hold on. Do it."

  "God, you're bossy,” Trista said in Terran. “Obstinate, too."

  "That will not work. Insult me all you like. When we start climbing the hillside, you'll thank me you have both hands free to hold on."

  "No, I won't,” she said with conviction.

  But she did.

  * * * *

  They crested the ridge and the ocean stretched before them, calm and glistening in the sun. A wide stretch of green ran from the ridge to the tree line, maybe five hundred yards below them. The ground was no longer rocky. Long walls of gathered stones crisscrossed the meadow and gave evidence to generations of herders, although no animals currently grazed this mountain meadow. Small alpines and wildflowers grew abundantly.

  Trista picked a spot and Q'winn approved it as being sheltered enough for her. She spread a thin blanket for them to sit on and unloaded their packs while he tended the boggas.

  She watched as he pulled off their saddles and gave the animals some sort of grain and honey treat. The boggas followed him, coaxing him for more.

  "Won't they stray?"

  Q'winn dropped to the ground beside her.

  "No. I gave them each a uzrak. They know I have more.” He smiled at her. “They'll stay to get it."

  Trista shrugged out of her jacket. The sun was wonderfully warm. She didn't want to sweat. She saw Q'winn still the urge to fuss at her about it. His jaw twitched as he gritted his teeth. She looked away so he couldn't see her smile.

  They'd not spoken much on the steep climb to the crest of the ridge. She was burning with curiosity about his meeting with the Elders. He might not answer her, but she asked.

  "Will you tell me what the Elders said? Can you tell me?"

  Q'winn plucked a wildflower and handed it to her. She smiled at him.

  She'd keep asking until he answered. He could just be as charming as he was able to be. She wasn't going to be distracted.

  "Taste it, Trista,” he said, pointing to the stalk of the flower. She obediently nibbled. It tasted herbal, tangy and sweet.

  "Chew it quickly, but do not swallow it. The flavor will be gone in seconds.” He plucked another one and bit on it.

  "Q'winn, I really want to know what the Elders told you."

  "I cannot tell you word for word. I can only say they want me to remain avaki. They have plans for me I was unaware of. Now that I know, perhaps the way will be clearer."

  "So you're not going to be disrobed for talking with me?” She licked the stem once more, then her lips. Q'winn stared. She stared back, transfixed by the throbbing pulse point in his neck.

  "No. They will not disrobe me,” he said softly.

  She started to reply, but he pressed his fingers to her lips.

  "To say what words cannot, Trista,” he whispered as his hand moved to cup her head and pull her to him.

  His mouth settled on hers as he shifted her beneath him. The kiss was gentle, questioning. It set Trista alight with a strange mix of fear and longing. When he touched his tongue to her lips, she opened them to him. Instead of plunging in and choking her like so many of the boys she'd dated, he was almost cautious.

  He touched the tip of his tongue to hers and withdrew. She sighed and arched up to him. She could feel the change in him instantly.

  He was still gentle, but now he did not seek her permission. His lips moved on hers and she went weak to her toes. She had no choice but to cling to him as he tasted and took his fill of her. She made a small sound of denial when he rose up from her.

  She shivered as he ran his thumb across her lips, barely touching them. He kissed her cheek, the corner of her eye, then brushed another light kiss on her lips.

  "Q'winn,” she whispered. His name was all she could manage to say. She didn't want him to stop. She didn't want him to do more.

  He made a low noise in his throat and shifted against her hip. She felt his maleness, a hard ridge, pressed to her. Her body flexed in awareness and he lowered his lips to hers once more.

  Arms and legs entangled. Hands touched and stroked and learned. He rolled them until she was lying on him and they were smiling in each other's mouths.

  Her smile turned to gasps as his hands finally found their way to her skin. His hands skimmed her back once, quickly, then slowed to more leisurely caresses.

  They finally settled face-to-face, thigh-to-thigh. Q'winn pulled the thin blanket over her.

  "I'm not cold,” she murmured against his neck.

  "Good. We will see you do not become chilled,” he said as he found her lips again. He jerked as her hand finally worked its way under his tunic to his ribs.

  "You are cold!” He propped up on his elbow to look at her. She bit her lip and smiled.

  "Just my hands.” She stroked up his side again, sliding her hand to his chest to spread her fingers through his pelt of springy hair. She brushed across his nipple and he sucked in a sharp breath. He covered her hand with his to stop its movements. She looked up at him.

  "Don't you like that?"

  "Yes. Very much. But I am thinking that here on this cold ground is not where you need to be."

  "Hmmm. You think too much, Q'winn H'akan."

  "So I've been told, Trista Roberts."

  "The ground is shaking,” she said, looking perplexed.

  "Riders. Sit up. Now."

  They untangled themselves and Q'winn made Trista wrap herself in the blanket.

  The riders turned out to be W'eylin and several others of Q'winn's troop. The Elders had sent new orders for Q'winn. The avaki at the desert palace of Damali had fallen from his drost and been killed instantly. They could not be without an avaki during the Season of Ceca.

  Q'winn was to leave immediately. Trista was to remain behind.

  Nine

  Q'winn was furious. A few short hours ago the Elders had all but sanctioned his involvement with Trista. Now they sought to separate her from him.

  He was dismayed that they would truly believe dangling the position of First Elder in front of him was enough fo
r him to give up what little time he had with her. It was one more example, proof that they did not truly know him. And if they could not see him, who stood before them, then they did not truly believe their situation in space.

  He sent W'eylin and his men back to the keep ahead of him and Trista. He sent her bogga, too. He kissed her again, then lifted her onto the back of his animal and led the beast down the hill to the trail. Once on the flatter surface he swung up behind her and gathered her close.

  He whistled softly to the animal and it settled into its comfortable stride. It would take much longer to reach Mahdis Keep following the trail, but Q'winn needed the time to gain control of his temper.

  He needed time to gain control of his body, as well. His phallix wouldn't settle. Just when it would begin to recede, some thought of Trista would occur and it would display again.

  "I will take you to your rooms and if Vanteen is not there, I will have her sent to you,” he said to Trista. “She will help you pack what is necessary for the journey."

  "But W'eylin said I was to remain behind."

  "You will go with me,” he said firmly. “You will like Damali. It's warm there."

  "Where's Damali? What's Damali?"

  "The Cael stronghold in the Setannar Desert. The palace is built over the only fresh water springs in fifty square miles. You will find it beautiful in ways Mahdis Keep is not."

  "I think Mahdis is beautiful."

  "I know. And so is Damali. I haven't been there for fifteen years.” He kissed her cheek. “We must ride the drost to cross the dessert. This neither of us will enjoy,” he said dryly.

  "Q'winn, I'm confused. Why can't you take a lander-craft there? We came down from the Anakin on one."

  "The Anakin is not here. We kadens must schedule our flights in a rotation."

  "Q'winn, I—"

  He silenced her with another kiss. “Please, Trista. I need to think."

  She shifted more comfortably in his embrace and his phallix tightened. He determinedly turned his mind to what could have changed so quickly with the Elders.

  They'd meant to distract him this morning and they'd succeeded. But they refused to believe that he would simply walk away from the Order and that was their mistake. He could turn the bogga around and ride away. He and Trista could begin a life together anywhere they chose to settle.

  If she would do that with him.

  He knew she wanted to return to her home. It lay like death in his gut that one day he would have to take her back to Terra. All the more reason not to give up one second with her.

  Yes, the Elders were being shortsighted to think he didn't have options. He decided he simply would not mention he intended to take Trista to Damali. He would prepare for the journey then gather her and her things on his way to the gate. Let the Elders howl. He and Trista would be gone.

  "Listen to me. When you are packed, wait for me. Stay inside. Let no one learn that your are preparing to leave with me."

  "But—"

  "I will explain as much as I can when we make camp this night. Can you wait until then?"

  "Do I have a choice?"

  "There are always choices. But if you choose to come with me, there is only one."

  "I choose to go with you, you pig-head, secretive son of a bitch,” Trista said in Terran.

  "Hmm. I don't think that casts me in a favorable light,” he said, giving her a look that generally brought seasoned troops to attention.

  Her cool blue eyes looked at him unflinchingly.

  "No. It does not."

  * * * *

  True to his word Q'winn dropped Trista off at her rooms and continued on without a backward glance. Vanteen was inside when Trista slammed the door.

  "What happened?” she asked Vanteen. Vanteen would tell her what she knew. “Tell me while you help me pack for a journey to Damali."

  "You go Damali? With Q'winn? Not what Vanteen told."

  "Is what Q'winn say,” Trista said, staring at Vanteen and watching her cat-eyes turn to slits.

  "I go, too,” Vanteen said firmly. “W'eylin will go."

  "I don't have time to discuss it. Just pack, will you?"

  "What you do with Q'winn?” Vanteen asked with her usual suspiciousness.

  "Nothing. Pack!"

  "Trista. Be care-full."

  "I understand. He's an avaki. He shouldn't be interested in me. Now pack!"

  Vanteen shook her. “Is man. You understand better soon,” she muttered under her breath. She started throwing items at Trista as rapidly as she could get her hands on them. “Trista pack! Now!"

  They were securing their packs when Vanteen reached under her couch and pulled out a carefully folded bundle. She slid the protective wrap off. Trista stared in amazement. It was a long cloak of a rich, dark fur.

  "I tell Trista I do with good,” Vanteen said smugly as she caressed the fur. “Very warm for cold Setannar night.” Her cat eyes glittered. “Trista not need. Q'winn keep warm,” she said slyly.

  "Oh, just be quiet,” Trista muttered. “Are we ready? We have to stay inside until Q'winn comes. What will you do if they don't bring an extra horse?"

  "Hoor-sse?"

  "Bogga, bogga!” Trista exclaimed in frustration. How long would it take Q'winn to prepare? What if the Elders questioned him? She started to pace.

  Vanteen opened the cupboard door beside window and pulled out a small bottle. She uncorked it and handed it to Trista.

  "Sip, then be re-lax."

  "Wonderful. Just what we need. We'll get snockered and then ride a horse,” Trista said in Terran. She took a sip then blinked the tears from her eyes as the fire hit her stomach. She handed the bottle back to Vanteen.

  "No. You keep. You need. Maybe Q'winn need tonight."

  "What does that mean? What Vanteen hear?"

  "Plen-tee. Q'winn in line to be first Elder. Q'winn much know, much smart. Much vision. People know this. Not good Q'winn get mind on Trista."

  "I know all this, Vanteen. There must be more."

  "Elders excited Trista's world. Not known. Maybe world rich. May-bee Trista world stronger than Raku some day."

  The implications of that chilled Trista to the bone.

  "They want my world to help in a war?"

  "May-bee. May-bee just use world. Jump point. Supply. Hiding place."

  "My people won't like that. My people will refuse."

  "May-bee not have say. May-bee Elders tell Q'winn talk you and see. May-bee Q'winn have order. Trista care-full to not give heart."

  Trista's heart was pounding in her chest. Was Q'winn using her? Really using her? Every bit of her being denied that.

  Where was he? What was taking so long? Was he getting last minute instructions from the Elders? She paced the floor and avoided meeting Vanteen's eyes.

  She had to ask him about what Vanteen had just told her. She had to know. The thought that he was just using her burned her throat and made it hard to breathe. She thought of the way he had held her just a few short hours ago. Was all that tenderness a lure? She stopped pacing and turned back to Vanteen.

  "How do you know this? Did W'eylin tell you?"

  Vanteen smiled, showing her little sharp teeth. “W'eylin not have air to talk,” she said smugly. She looked at Trista's face and became serious again.

  "No. Not W'eylin. At work duty. Trista not like work duty. Vanteen not like work duty. Women there know all. So Vanteen work duty. Vanteen have ears open."

  Trista felt sick. Vanteen listened to all the gossip. And she was right. There were always women who seemed to know everything. Trista had grown up on the fringes of her mother's little circle.

  "Listen,” Vanteen said suddenly. She looked at Trista. “Many bogga come. Q'winn come."

  Trista didn't hear them yet, but she didn't doubt Vanteen's ears in the least. She grabbed her pack. Vanteen tossed her the fur jacket she'd been given by the Santonna. Trista didn't want it, but knew she might need it.

  Trista opened the door just a crack to
look out. W'eylin was leading two boggas. He stopped at the foot of the stairs. Q'winn rode by without glancing up. She refused to let that hurt. He'd indicated as much to her.

  Vanteen was shoving her out the door. W'eylin took her pack and secured it to her bogga and gave her a hand up. He checked to make sure Vanteen was settled, then remounted. When his animal moved off, hers followed without guidance.

  Trista settled herself to her bogga's rhythm and kept her eyes on Q'winn's back. People had gathered by the gate and Q'winn stopped and spoke with them. A small child was handed up to him and the little boy smiled and nodded over whatever Q'winn was saying to him. Trista was relieved when Q'winn urged his mount forward once again.

  Once outside the gate Q'winn suddenly trotted away from the group. W'eylin galloped by her to join him. No one seemed to even notice. Trista kept her eyes on them. They rode side by side for fifteen or so minutes, then abruptly turned their boggas uphill, towards the ridge. Everyone followed, including Trista's bogga, which she had already learned would not obey a command from her.

  At the top of the ridge, Q'winn turned them, heading back towards Mahdis Keep. They rode along the crest for a few minutes, then began a slow, almost parallel descent towards the sea. Trista forced herself to enjoy the view of the ocean, but her mind was too full of the questions she needed to ask Q'winn. Even Vanteen rode silently.

  They descended all the way to the beach. The boggas liked being near the water. Trista saw riders trying to keep their mounts out of the water and others, Q'winn included, simply dropping the reins and letting their beasts prance and snort and enjoy the surf. Her own just plodded along seeming not to even notice there was water.

  The mountains to her left grew steeper, casting long shadows out across the breaking waves. The line of boggas spread out. Trista began to tire. She sighed gratefully when there was a break in the line. They were going to make camp.

  She was standing and petting her bogga when she felt Q'winn behind her.

  "Are you tired? I will care for her.” He reached for her bogga's reins.

  "No, I'll do it if you show me how."

  He smiled at her. She saw little worry lines at the corners of his eyes.

  "Come, then. We'll tether her with Roj. He'll appreciate her company,” he said with a roll of his eyes.