Erling took a step backwards.“Me? I can’t hold him. I might break him.”
“You don’t want to hold him?”she asked.
“I don’t know how.”
“Now is a good time to learn.”
Erling frowned and moved back tothe bed. He gingerly picked up the baby, moving stiffly instead ofwith his usual grace. “He doesn’t weigh much and is kindafloppy.”
“You have to support his head,”Toemeka said. “Relax… you look like you’re being tortured.”
“You’d better take him back.I’m better at holding swords.”
“Sit in the chair; you’llfeel more comfortable.”
Erling sat down and the babyclasped his finger. “He’s a fine little fellow, Toe, and strong.”He moved his finger back and forth as the baby continued holding it.“You’re going to be mean and tough, just like your mother, aren’tyou, little fellow?”
“Don’t tease Toemeka,”Queen Koriann said. “It’s hardly fair when she’s too weak todefend herself. Let me hold him.” Erling handed her the baby,looking relieved.
“Oh Toemeka, he’s soprecious,” Koriann cooed. She smiled with delight, comfortableholding the baby.
Erling gazed at Toemeka. “Youlook like someone dragged out of a battlefield, Are you okay?”
“I feel like I’ve been inbattle, but none of it matters now that Baymond is here.”
“Do you want to open presents?”Onolyn asked, holding out a gift. Onolyn was the rookie on theCoalition team when they’d first been sent on the Jaipar mission.She was more mature now. She’d been through the war on Alandra andsuffered greatly at the hands of the sorceress, Seetva.
Toemeka opened the lid on the boxand saw a holographic camera inside. Onolyn took the camera andsnapped a picture of Koriann holding the baby. A holographic imageappeared in the air. “Baymond’s first picture!” Toemeka said.“Thank you, Onolyn, it’s a wonderful gift.”
“It’s from Zac, too,”
Toemeka looked at the stack ofunopened gifts. “Michio, would you open them?”
A concerned crease marredMichio’s brow. “We’re wearing you out. You can open themtomorrow after you’ve had time to rest and recover. We’ll go nowand let you sleep.”
“I’m all right. Let them staya few minutes longer.” She opened a small package from Koriann andErling. Inside was a gold rattle engraved with the name Baymond.“It’s lovely.” She was glad she’d already told them she wasnaming the baby Baymond after her brother.
“I’m glad you like it.”Koriann held the baby against her shoulder and swayed, softly singinga lullaby.
“Can I hold him?” Onolynasked. Koriann passed the baby to her.
Enchanted, Zac drew closer andlooked down at Baymond. “He’s tiny.” Onolyn and Zac were aboutthe same height and both had red hair. Zac’s was a startling brightred-orange color and Onolyn was strawberry blond.
Erling’s communicator beeped.During the short conversation that followed his face paled. Hedisconnected from the call. “I need to return to the palace.”
“What is it?” Toemeka asked.
“This isn’t the right time totell you.”
“To tell me what, Erling?”
He glanced uneasily at Michio.
“What is it?” she asked.
“My family’s been arrestedand put into a concentration camp.”
“Oh God, we have to save them,”Toemeka gasped. Erling’s family had been her surrogate family afterher own was killed. His parents took care of her while she recoveredfrom the shock of their deaths and his two sisters became dearfriends. She couldn’t let them be killed or waste away in aconcentration camp.
3
Cadmus
King Zanton Duborginact, theswarthy ruler of Hakluyt, walked toward his royal bedchamber in arage after meeting with Captain Zachary Kwao. Prince Erling intendedto keep him as a figurehead ruler with Hakluyt occupied andcontrolled by Jaipar. The thought of Prince Erling having all thepower in Jaipar (that was once to be his), plus the power overHakluyt, infuriated Zanton. He stopped in the middle of his longstride, ruminating on Prince Erling’s demise.
Maybe he’d already succumbed tothe temptation of using the Borithon swords. A warrior wouldn’t beable to resist trying out a new weapon for very long. If he waswounded, the poison would work quickly; Seetva’s new toxin had noantidote and was impossible to remove completely from sword blades.
King Zanton started walkingagain, realizing he wouldn’t have any peace until Prince Erling wasdead. He paused; there were always ways to assassinate a ruler. Withnew determination inspired by hatred, he entered his bedchamber andthrew the new ordinances on the table. A slight scraping noise behindZanton made him spin around. A tall, thick-muscled man stood in thedark shadows.
“Cadmus!” he gasped.
“Hello, Zanton,” CommanderCadmus Rochambeau replied, his voice a deep baritone.
“What are you doing here?”The king backed toward the door, ready to call for his guards.
“We had a bargain. If you takeanother step, it will be your last.” He made a slight gesture andtwo men emerged from the darkness with drawn blasters.
“I can explain—it wasn’t myfault!”
“Explain! I don’t wantexplanations. You’re out of time. Samrat Condor sent full militarysupport for your takeover of Jaipar. Even that wasn’t supposed tobe necessary. You were to marry Queen Koriann Van Marsindi and takeover Jaipar peacefully. Now you don’t even have control over yourown country!”
“It wasn’t my fault! TheCoalition stepped in and sent Major Erling Fenian to aid and adviseQueen Koriann. Fenian headed the Coalition team that assisted inoverthrowing General Bhandar. Once he arrived, she was no longerintimidated by Samrat Condor’s threat of invasion.”
“I know who Major Fenian— nowPrince Erling—is. His presence is no excuse!” Cadmus advanced onKing Zanton.
“Michio Kimes joined forceswith Fenian and not even Seetva with her sorcery was strong enoughagainst the two of them.”
Cadmus grabbed him by the collarand started twisting it in his hand. He towered a half-head aboveKing Zanton and easily pulled King Zanton closer. The king didn’tfight back, still hoping to reason with him.
“Samrat Condor doesn’t likehow things turned out. You made me look bad,” Cadmus said, givingKing Zanton’s collar another twist.
King Zanton’s face turned areddish-purple as he gasped for breath. He grabbed Cadmus’s wrists,trying to break his hold.
The door swung open. “Cadmus!”Seetva exclaimed, striding up to them. “Release him.”
He loosened his hold and Zantondesperately drew in a breath of air. Cadmus glowered at her. “Zantonforfeited his life when he lost the battle.”
“Let him go,” she said,radiating dark power. “We need him alive.”
“We?” Cadmus’s eyesnarrowed.
“Yes, together the three of uscan regain control of Hakluyt and Jaipar.” Her voice soundedsilvery-smooth. “Alone none of us are strong enough.”
“I don’t need either
