The Way Back (Champions of the Crystal Book 4)

Chapter 7.2

Sabrina woke to find herself lying on a hard, gritty surface. She tried to sit up before she remembered she'd been knocked out, but the wave of pain failed to hit her. She reached up to the back of her head and found a knot there, but it was curiously numb.

A low chuckle made her look around. The room was mostly dark, except for a pool of torchlight at one end, centered around a chair. Varla sat there, regarding her with glittering eyes—and at her right hand stood Ford, his stony expression utterly devoid of any glimpse of personality. Oh my God, she thought, feeling her heart sink.

"Well, poor little pet," Varla mocked, "how do you feel?"

Sabrina swallowed. "Quite well, actually. All things considered."

"Good. You would not be nearly so much fun if you were in pain at the beginning. I allowed the prince to treat you so that he could see the full force of my power."

Sabrina looked at Ford again. He was staring off into nothing, but when he felt her gaze on him, he turned his head slightly to look at her. The blankness in his bright eyes made her shiver. "What did you do to him?" she demanded.

"Nothing. He voluntarily submitted to my control," Varla said. "So you see, you have no hope. Would you prefer to answer my questions now, or after the feeding?"

"I don't plan to answer any of your questions, ever," Sabrina retorted.

Varla shrugged. "It does not matter. I shall find my handmaiden, with or without your help. Without, most likely. You will not be capable of helping anyone after this." She crossed her legs leisurely. "You've been down to visit my other self, I know. Impressive, isn't it? And you doubtless know that it has nearly finished off Lieutenant Lndor. I'm in need of a fresh mind to feed it."

"You can use it to kill me," Sabrina said, "but you'll never beat Mara and the others."

"We shall see. Now, have you last words? An amusing speech, perhaps?" Varla yawned. "I have worked hard all day and would prefer to retire as soon as possible, so let us not draw this out."

Sabrina got to her feet. What the hell. If she wants a dramatic speech, fine. Maybe Ford'll retain enough of it so that Mara and Tirqwin will know what I said, someday. "I, Sabrina Marie ya Tassan nar Hamilton-Devon, pledge myself to the service of Maratobia ya Tassan nar Miahn, Queen of Praxatillus. I swear that I will work for her well-being and comfort at all times and above all else, and that whatever she requires of me I shall do, even to my own death. I pledge my absolute and unending loyalty and devotion to her and, through her, to the people of Praxatillus. I do this freely of my own will and in no hope of any reward."

She drew a breath, remembering the first time she had sworn that oath, in front of the entire Praxatillian court. Then she spoke to Varla again. "That is why you will lose, Varla. We serve Mara because we choose to, and we devote everything in us to that service. Your people serve because they have no choice. A slave state is inherently unstable. I'm only sorry I won't be here to see you fall."

"You are quite wrong. It is the very depth of your service that will cause your death. My other self feeds off the turmoil and despair of the mind, the terrors and the dark places that your consciousness avoids. You have a great deal of that locked away in your memory, and it is that which will feed me and ensure my victory, even while it causes your death. And so, let us begin with the most recent ones."

Varla closed her eyes. Sabrina swallowed hard and tried to put up her mental shields, more out of principle than any real hope.

There was a flash, and she looked around, startled. She was no longer on Stanos. She was...how could she be on a Wayship? Where was she going? How had she gotten there? This wasn't Khediva.