The Twisted Way (Champions of the Crystal Book 3)

Chapter 2.2

Several hours later, Sabrina woke to a gentle shaking of her shoulder. "Oh, hi," she yawned, opening her eyes to find Tirqwin seated on the edge of her bed.

"I am sorry to wake you," he said, "but Khediva said you had left instructions to do so."

"Yeah. How was the concert?"

Tirqwin grimaced. "Mara wanted to come with me, but she was so tired she fell asleep while the maid was brushing her hair. I tucked her in and left her. You are lucky you are not required to attend all these things."

"Yes, I got off easy, not being one of the ladies-in-waiting," Sabrina yawned again. "Though I suppose, if I were Rayland's heir, I'd have to show up at a lot more of those functions."

"Yes," Tirqwin said. He frowned. "Khediva says that Scotty seems to be enthusiastic about the idea. I expected that he would be. And in many ways I think it will be good for him. Certainly he has more of a rapport with Rayland than he ever had with me."

"You've been very good for him too, Tirqwin. You just don't always realize it."

"Perhaps. How do you feel, Sabrina?" He paused. "Khediva told me you said you would not accept without my blessing. It means a great deal to me that you value my judgment."

"I do value your judgment. I also value your friendship, very much. And I wouldn't want to do anything that you would construe as abandonment, or rejection, or anything. Rayland says he doesn't want to take your place. I want you to know that no one ever could."

"I know. Thank you." He paused. "I am not worried that you will abandon me; I do not think you are capable of it. And anyway, if I were only concerned with my own interest—well, Sabrina, to be honest, I need you to accept this, for my good, and Khediva's, and Mara's. The regency cannot go through without it."

"That's the part I don't understand," Sabrina said.

"You will, in time. There are many undercurrents in this situation," Tirqwin said. "But let me explain it to you this way: you will not only be Rayland's heir, but, in a sense, Mara's and mine. You are a product of my training every bit as much as she is. You know how she thinks and feels and can predict how she would act in a given situation. We need you here while we are gone, not just in your current capacity, but as our voice. And we need you in a position to make your opinions heard. Accepting Rayland's proposition will make that possible."

Sabrina smiled wanly. "The bottom line is, I have to do this, for you and for Mara, and the rest of it is all just polite conversation."

"No." Tirqwin took her hands in his. "I have said—and I think I have proved—that I would not choose to live at the cost of your life. I would not choose to live at the cost of your happiness either. I do not want you to accept this adoption if you feel you cannot accept Rayland as your father and legal guardian. Conversely, if you feel you can be happy as his daughter, no one will be happier than I."

"I just wish I knew," Sabrina sighed. "Could I refuse, but let Scotty accept? Would that be enough?"

"No. Scotty is being trained for something else. He is slated to, eventually, be Rayland's replacement—someone who can run Praxatillus' forces competently, perhaps even brilliantly, with little direction from Mara, but with absolute loyalty to her. It will be a long, hard way, but I think he is capable of traveling it. You, on the other hand, are a diplomat. You are capable of being in charge without the power to give orders—as you have proved time and again here aboard Khediva," he said, smiling wryly. "It is that diplomatic talent we need working for us here at the center of power."

"You make it sound like I'm going to be stuck with a lot of the work, while Rayland's just a front."

"Rayland is an old man, Sabrina, and weary. There is a real chance you may inherit the regency. You are the only person Mara and I feel comfortable with leaving that to. We both trust you absolutely."