Koriann left the balcony andcontinued her perilous journey. If someone told her someday she’dbe out on this ledge, inching her way along the palace wall with onlyJaipar’s double moons to see by, she would’ve told them they werecrazy.
At last she reached Erling’sbalcony. She grabbed onto the railing, climbed over, then pressed herhands against her beating heart, scared but triumphant. Idid it!
She walked through the openbalcony door and over to the bed. Erling slept soundly, sprawled outon the mattress. His chest was bare and a sheet covered him from thewaist down.
She touched his shoulder.“Erling.”
Jerking awake, he sprung out ofbed and had her in an armlock before she could even cry out. “It’sme, Koriann,” she gasped.
“I’m sorry, love,” he saidreleasing her arm. “Did I hurt you?”
She turned so she was facing him.“No, you just surprised me.”
“You’re the one who surprisedme. You shouldn’t sneak up on a warrior like that.” He switchedon the light.
“Do you always wake up likethat?”
He brushed a strand of hair offher cheek. “No, but I just got back from a dangerous mission. Ittakes a few days to mellow out. What brings you here?”
She felt heat rush to her face,realizing he must think she’d come to his room to make love. “Ineed your help.”
“What’s wrong?”
“King Zanton has taken over thepalace and dismissed my guards. After we left you, he dragged me tohis room and would’ve raped me if one of his guards hadn’tarrived and told him Captain Orneil was causing problems.”
Erling’s face darkened withfury. “That animal! Are you all right?”
“He just frightened me.” Shetold him how she’d freed herself and made it to his room.
He drew her close. “Thank Godyou escaped.” He tenderly kissed her on the forehead, then slid hishand into her hair and kissed her on the mouth. “I didn’t realizeKing Zanton was so dangerous. I should have listened to Toe when shewarned me about him.”
“She tried to warn me, too. Ithought he would provide military protection for Jaipar. I didn’tknow he was just using me to take control of Jaipar.”
Erling released her, grabbed hispants of the back of the chair and pulled them on over his briefs.Koriann stared at the ugly bruises on his chest and stomach,horrified that he’d been beaten so mercilessly.
“I’ll go talk to yourguards,” Erling said.
“Zanton’s guards are in thehallway. I doubt they’ll let you leave your room.”
Just then a sharp knock soundedat the door. “It’s him!” she cried.
“Who’s there?” Erlingcalled.
“King Zanton’s guards. Wedemand you open the door.”
“Why? What do you want?”
“We’re searching the palacefor Queen Koriann.”
“What would she be doing here?”Erling called back.
“Open the door or we’ll breakit down.”
“Just a minute.” He glancedaround the room. “You have to hide.”
Koriann slid behind thefull-length balcony drapes. She heard Erling open the door and thesound of several people entering the room.
“Where is the Queen?” a guardasked—Koriann recognized the man’s voice as Tyrin’s.
“How would I know?” Erlingreplied. “I’ve been sleeping.”
“Why did it take so long toopen the door?”
“I had to pull on my pants.”
“Search the room,” Tyrinsaid.
Koriann held her breath,listening as the closet door opened. “She not in the closet.”
Footsteps sounded as anotherguard walked over to the balcony. “Not on the balcony either.”
“Where is she, Major Fenian?”Tyrin asked.
“How would I know?”
“Make him talk,” Tyrin said.
“Watch out, he’s got a gun!”the other guard yelled. Koriann realized Erling must have drawn hisblaster. Sounds of fighting ensued and something crashed to theground.
“Don’t kill him,” Tyrinsaid. “King Zanton wants him alive for the duel. Hold him.”Koriann tensed upon hearing what sounded like Erling being slugged.“Where is she?”
“Eat tawku dung!” Erlinggroaned.
Further sounds of a beatingfollowed. Koriann was about to shove the drapes aside when shethought of what King Zanton would do to her if she was recaptured.
As she stood there, uncertainwhat to do, Tyrin said, “He doesn’t know anything. Let’scontinue the search elsewhere.”
Relieved, she slumped against thewall as the guards left the room.
“You can come out now, Kori,”Erling said, his voice strained.
She stepped out from behind thedrapes to find Erling hunched over with his arm pressed against hiswaist. “They’re gone,” he grunted. He pulled out a handkerchiefand spat blood.
She rushed over to him. “I’msorry. I should’ve revealed myself.”
“No, you did the right thing.I’ll be fine in a minute.” He put his hand on his stomach. “Bythe stars, did they have to slug me in the same place the Raptorguards did?”
“You’d better sit down.”
He sat on the bed. “I need torest before we figure out a plan. The last few days have been rough.Don’t let me sleep too long.” He lay down and his breathing soonbecame deep and regular.
Koriann wondered what to do. Sheneeded to figure out something before dawn. They needed to regaincontrol of the palace and throw out Zanton, but she was drained andoverwhelmed. She rubbed her forehead, unable to keep her eyes open.She’d hardly slept since Erling and Toemeka left for Flo Shah andshe was beyond tried. Deciding she needed to sleep for a while, shechanged out of her flight suit and into a soft undershirt she foundin Erling’s dresser.
She hesitated for a moment, thenclimbed onto the bed and pulled a cover over both of them. Her lastthought was that she’d be too tense to sleep.
Koriann awoke when she felt themattress move as Erling got out of bed. She opened her eyes and sawthat he’d gone to the window and stood in the moonlight, lookingout at the ocean. Groggy with fatigue, she got up and crossed over tohim. “Are you rested enough to talk?” she asked. “We need somekind of plan.”
He turned to her. “I’msupposed to fight Zanton at dawn, so if I leave the room a littlebefore dawn the guards shouldn’t be suspicious and stop me. Insteadof going to the ocean, I can find Captain Orneil and tell him thesituation. He and his men can overpower Zanton’s guards and forceZanton to leave. You realize he probably won’t
