Another contraction began and shegrabbed the bedpost. This was worse than her usual false labor. Shebegan timing the contractions and discovered they were already fiveminutes apart and lasted nearly a minute. Still she didn’t call thedoctor. They might stop and then she would’ve awakened him fornothing. He could get here easily enough when she needed him; as thestaff physician, he lived at the palace.
The hard, regular contractionscontinued and she finally called the doctor. A sleepy voice answeredthe phone. “This is Queen Koriann. I’m in labor. Please come. Iknow it will probably be hours yet, but I’m nervous and Erlingisn’t here.”
“Where is he?”
“I don’t know. He wasn’there when I awoke over an hour ago.”
“I’ll be right there.”
A knock came at the door a shorttime later and she yelled, “Come in,” expecting to see Dr.Tenzing, but Zac entered instead. Koriann pulled on a robe.
“Dr. Tenzing contacted me toask if I knew where Prince Erling was. I was already on my way toyour room to talk with him. Princess Nyla isn’t who she appears tobe.” He told her of Nyla’s visit to his room. “If my suspicionsare correct, Erling is in danger.”
A hard contraction came overKoriann and she gasped, clutching her belly. Zac hurried over andhelped her sit on the bed. “I’ll send for your handmaiden, thensearch for Erling. He’s probably somewhere in the palace. If Ican’t find him, I’ll have the palace guards search.” He leftthe room, walking past Dr. Tenzing who had just arrived.
Dr. Tenzing came over to the bedand asked, “Queen Koriann, how do you feel?”
“I think I’m in full labor. Iknow first babies aren’t supposed to come so fast.”
“All labors are different. Somebabies make rapid entrances into the world.”
Just then Najetta and Sharmarushed into the room in their bathrobes. “Excuse our intrusion,”Najetta said. “Dr. Tenzing told us you were in labor. We’re hereto help, if you need us.”
Sharma looked around. “Where’sErling? Isn’t he supposed to be here?”
Koriann gasped as the nextcontraction started, trying to keep from crying out in pain. Najettarushed over and held her hand. “Don’t be afraid, child. Having ababy is a natural process. Relax and take deep breaths.”
Once the contraction passed,Koriann said, “I don’t know where Erling is. I’m worriedsomething’s wrong.”
***
Toemeka moaned in her sleep asshe dreamed of a dark force closing in on Michio. He started runningthrough the mountains. The darkness kept closing in on him. The dreamshifted and she heard him say, “Toemeka, wake up. Escape!” Hisinner voice became part of the dream.
Suddenly demons appeared andsurrounded Michio. “No!” she screamed. She jolted awake, shakingwith trepidation. She rolled over in bed and reached for Michio. Hishalf of the bed was empty and the sheets felt cold, as if he’d beengone for a while. Was he just feeding the baby or was he in trouble?Deep inside she was afraid it was the latter; someone or somethinghad drawn him from the house and he was in danger.
“Michio! Michio! Where areyou?” She bolted out of bed. The cool night air hit her skin andshe shivered in her thin sleeveless nightgown. She threw on her robeand glanced at the clock—2:58 a.m.
“Michio.” She heard the babywhimpering and went to his room. He was still asleep, but a restless,uneasy sleep. She hurried downstairs, calling her husband’s nameagain. She couldn’t find him anywhere. The world spun and sheleaned against the wall. A thick unexplainable negative energy pulsedin the air. As she tried to identify it, the hair on the back of herneck stood up. Cadmus! It was his distinctive energy. Then sheremembered sensing his presence right before she’d fallen asleep.
“Oh, God. He’s come for me!”She tore upstairs and hurriedly changed into a shirt and slacks. Thenshe went to the nursery and lifted Baymond from his crib. “Cadmuswon’t take me from you again, little one.” Adrenaline pumpedthrough her. “Michio, where are you?” She thought back on herdream and shuddered as the vision of him surrounded by demons flashedin her mind. The dream, though probably symbolic, clearly showed himbeing attacked. She dressed the sleeping baby in warm clothes,including a hooded jacket, then carried him downstairs into theoffice.
After placing Baymond on acushioned chair, she opened the safe. Inside was a blaster, knife andgun belt holster. She fastened the holster around her hips and putthe blaster and knife in it. Then she searched through the cupboards,looking for a globelight. She jerked open a cupboard drawer and itfell to the floor with a loud bang. Baymond started crying. Shelooked at the mess and among the assortment of items scattered on thefloor was the globelight.
Toemeka took a deep breath. Geta hold of yourself. Panicking won’t help.She lifted Baymond into her arms and swayed gently until he quieted.Her mind raced. Wherewas Michio? He never left her and the baby alone at night. He hadn’twanted to leave the protection of the palace, but she’d insisted.What could be so important that he would leave the house in themiddle of the night?Then the image of Nyla came to her; instinctively she knew the womanwas a witch. The Master had said she wasn’t the only target. SamratCondor wanted to destroy Michio as well because he could stop thesorcerer’s spread of power throughout the galaxy.
Toemeka breathed in the baby’ssweet scent as she told her watch-communicator to call the palace. Afemale servant’s image appeared on the screen. “Hello,” shesaid in a sleepy voice.
“Hi, I’m Toemeka Kimes, aclose friend of Prince Erling. I know it’s late, but I need tospeak with him.”
“At this hour?”
“It’s an emergency.”
“Just a minute.” Theservant’s image disappeared from the screen as Toemeka patted thebaby’s back.
Soon the servant reappeared.“He’s not here. You’ll have to speak with Captain ZacharyKwao.”
“Not there! Put Zac on.”Toemeka held the baby close. The room seemed increasingly dark andforbidding. She wondered if the negative energy swirling around hadsomething to do with Michio’s disappearance.
Zac face appeared on the screen.“What is it, Toemeka?” Zac asked.
“Where’s Erling?”
“I don’t know. He’s gone.Princess Nyla’s gone, too. Lady Koriann is distraught. Naturallyshe suspects —”
“That’s nonsense. TellKoriann I said as much.” Toemeka felt a sense of dread. Pieces ofthe puzzle were falling into
