Everlasting

FULL DARKNESS HAD fallen by the time Kira had changed back into her jeans, sweater, and jacket and walked the short distance through the woods to the clearing. The helicopter had already been moved out into the open by Zack, Paulo, and Bentley, who were waiting beside it. Marna stood apart, holding a lantern, whose glow revealed the grimness of her expression.

Kira crossed to her at once and stood on tiptoe to plant a kiss on her broad jaw. “It would make me feel a good deal better if you'd wish me well.”

“Why should I wish you well when you're doing a chitka thing like-” She broke off, a multitude of conflicting emotions crossing her face. “Good journey,” she said gruffly. “Better than you deserve.” She enfolded Kira in a breathtaking bear hug. “And if Stefan causes you problems, I will make a spell that will cause his nudocs to rot and fall off. I'm very weary of his stupidity.” She released Kira and gave her a gentle whack on the derriere. “Go.”

Kira's eyes were misty as she covered the few yards to where Zack was standing by the helicopter. Perry Bentley had left the clearing and Paulo had taken a few steps back to allow them a limited amount of privacy.

“I'd be interested in knowing if those nudocs that are about to be cursed are what I think they are,” Zack murmured as he opened the door of the helicopter.

“To put it delicately, nudocs are a gentleman's private parts,” Kira said with a grin.

Zack flinched. “Hm-m. So I thought. I'll be very careful not to risk incurring that particular curse.” His gaze was suddenly grave. “Are you going to tell me what your plans are?”

“I'm just going to talk to Stefan. I'll land the helicopter in the clearing in the woods across from the main gate and go through the cave and the secret tunnel into the palace itself.” She shrugged. “I could just march in through the front gate, but I'd prefer to take him off guard. It's likely that I'm going to need every advantage I can manage. When I succeed in bringing Stefan around to my way of thinking, I'll contact you by radio.”

“When, not if?” Zack asked with a slight smile. “You're very confident.”

She drew a quivering breath. “I can't let myself be anything else. Otherwise, I'd be shaking like a bowl full of jelly.”

“I don't think so. I'd bet your brother Lance would say his little sister had definitely ‘set.’ ” He suddenly crushed her in his arms and kissed her with a hard, bruising passion that robbed her of breath and made her head whirl. He lifted his head and glared down at her fiercely. “Be careful, dammit. And stay away from Karpathan!”

“I will,” she promised a little dazedly.

Then he lifted her into the helicopter and closed the door behind her. She watched him step back beside Paulo as she turned on the ignition. Zack looked strong and powerful and able to take on the world, and, for an instant, she was almost tempted to let him come with her. It would be very comforting to lean on his strength. Oh, Lord, she was doing it again. It was clearly going to take practice to get her thinking into the right groove; she wouldn't lean on anyone. Not anymore. She waved and lifted off. Soon the figures in the clearing had vanished from view and only the light of the lantern Marna was holding remained visible. Then, as she turned south, the light, too, disappeared.

“I didn't think you would let her go,” Paulo said with a sidewise glance at Zack's tense, set face. “Until the very last minute I thought you'd change your mind and either make her stay or go with her.”

“A time to set free.” Zack's eyes were still on the horizon where the lights from the helicopter had just vanished. “It was time to set her free to be her own person.”

Paulo nodded slowly. “It was a wise move. Now she'll return to you and be your person as well.”

“Dear Lord, I hope so.” Zack suddenly realized his hands were clenched. He carefully relaxed them. He needed patience and control now more than at any time in his life, and he had to concentrate on gathering those forces to him. It had nearly ripped him apart to stand and watch her take off in the helicopter. She had looked so damned alone. “Let's go back to the saldana. I told Perry to contact my men in Belajo by radio to be on the lookout for her. I want to see if they've heard any more from the palace.” He glanced around. “Where's Marna?”

Paulo shrugged as he fell into step with Zack. “She probably wanted to be alone. She does not like this.”

“Who the hell does?” Zack growled. “It's tearing my guts out. The only thing giving me any comfort at all is that I know, as autocratic as Stefan may be, he's not likely to imprison his own sister.”

“You would have to argue with Marna there,” Paulo said dryly. “She thinks he's capable of every stupid action imaginable.”

“You're not very reassuring.”

“Realities must be faced.” Paulo's eyes narrowed speculatively on Zack's face. “What would you do if he did decide to do that?”

“I'd go in and get her,” Zack said grimly. “And on the way I'd flex enough economic muscle to topple King Stefan from his throne. Then I'd make sure that Marna didn't have to put a curse on Stefan's nudocs. I'd rip them off myself.”

Paulo laughed softly. “Well, it's nice to know you have an alternative plan. I do like a man who thinks ahead.” They had arrived at the saldana, and Paulo paused by the fire to clap him on the shoulder. “We didn't finish that bottle the other night. Shall we try again? I think you have more to forget tonight than you did then.”

“There may be a problem, Zack.” Perry Bentley had emerged from the caravan and was climbing down to the ground. “There's something funny going on in Belajo.”

Zack became very still. “What do you mean ‘funny’?”

Perry shifted his shoulders uneasily, “You know Fontaine hasn't been able to get any word from his people in the palace. Well, he sent a few men to nose around to see what they could find out.” He hesitated. “Something weird is happening there. No one goes in. No one goes out. And there's a cordon of soldiers around the palace. Not palace guards, regular soldiers.”

Zack muttered a violent curse. “A coup?”

Perry shook his head. “I don't know. Maybe.”

“Not a coup,” Paulo said slowly. “A revolution, I think.”

Zack glanced at him sharply. “You know something?”

“It fits together. That strange new prey I mentioned moving around in the hills? Bands of men. Large bands of men.”

“Guerillas,” Zack muttered. “Damn, why did you keep all this to yourself?”

“They left me alone. I left them alone.” Paulo shrugged. “I did liberate a few of their weapons. They are in my wagon at the encampment if you'd like to see them. They are very high powered.” He paused. “And Russian- made.”

“Get them,” Zack said tersely. “We may need them.”

Paulo's wide smile shone with feral pleasure. “We are going hunting?”

“We're going hunting,” Zack confirmed grimly. “Perry, radio Fontaine and tell him to get together enough men for a small force and meet us in the woods south of the main gate. But before you do that, try to raise Kira on the helicopter radio and warn her.” He looked at his wristwatch. “I doubt if you'll be able to do it. She should have landed a few minutes ago. Try anyway.”

“Right.” Perry jumped up to the wagon seat and disappeared into the caravan.

Paulo raised his brows. “So much for setting the little one free.”

“I set her free to walk right into a damn revolution.” Zack's voice held an edge of agonized desperation. “I should have gone with her. God knows what she's going to run into once she reaches the palace.” He turned with barely concealed violence. “Get those weapons. I'll meet you at Perry's helicopter.”

The soldier's hands were rough as he pushed her into Stefan's library. Kira's eyes were shooting sparks and she murmured something a trifle off-color as she watched the door swing shut behind him. “Stefan, what's going on here? There are soldiers all over the palace and that idiot was actually rough as hell with-” She broke off as the tall, shadowy figure stepped out of the dimness by the bookshelves into the shallow pool of light formed by the desk lamp. “Sandor! I told that soldier I wanted to see Stefan.”