The Haunted Way (Champions of the Crystal Book 5)

Chapter 9.1

Tirqwin paced the control deck with a ferocity that probably surprised Aurora, though the Miahn sat calmly and without comment. For some reason, that only irritated Tirqwin; her serenity made him feel he might be overreacting.

Khediva said, "I think Scotty has been a bad influence on you, Tirqwin. You never used to fidget."

"Say something helpful, or refrain from comment!" Tirqwin retorted. "You are not exactly a model of tranquility yourself!"

"That is the dissonance at work," Khediva said. "We should try to limit its effect on us as much as possible."

Aurora jumped. Tirqwin was so startled that he nearly lost his balance turning to look at her. "What?" he demanded.

"I don't...I think there may be something wrong," Aurora said slowly. "Could we move out of the dissonance zone and contact Praxatillus, please?"

Tirqwin blinked at her. "You want to abandon them on the planet so you can call home?"

"I think it is rather that home is trying to call me," Aurora responded. "I can think of only a few things dire enough to warrant such an effort. Please."

Looking intently at her, he sighed. "Khediva?"

"It is not far to go," Khediva assured him, and it was only a few minutes later that she said, "I have established contact with Praxatillus Control. The transmission may be unstable, however."

"Thank you, Wayship Khediva," Aurora said, standing to face the wallscreen.

The screen flickered, then coalesced into an image of Rassir, Baldaran, and Imari, all looking weary and stressed. Rassir said, "At last! Where is Her Majesty?"

"On the planet," Aurora replied. "But safe, as far as I know. What is happening?"

Rassir hesitated, then turned to Imari, who frowned at Aurora as if she'd asked a stupidly obvious question. "The Great Crystal is in the preliminary stages of a transition."

"A transition?" Tirqwin asked.

"The only event we have for comparison is Transference," Imari said.

Baldaran's presence suddenly made horrible sense to his father. "You mean—you mean that—but Mara is not dead!"

"Apparently," Imari said, her voice unusually gentle, "the Great Crystal believes that she soon will be. We felt we must inform you before preparing Seuréa."

Tirqwin gaped at the screen, ashen. "But—you have never accelerated an infant's growth! Mara was the youngest, and she was ready to enter puberty! You could kill her!"

"We have no choice. Her siblings do not meet the requirements. We have tried again," Imari admitted ruefully.

"It's true, Father," Baldaran put in. "All of us who are here have gone down to Giandrah and tried to get the Crystal to accept us instead. It wouldn't. Seuréa is the only option." He paused, clearing his throat. "I'm sorry."

"This is—" Tirqwin broke off, scouring his face with his hands. "This is insane! I will not permit it!"

"What choice do you imagine you have?" Imari demanded. "The Crystal cannot be left uncontrolled. If Maratobia does not survive, there must be a Guardian. If we do not accelerate Seuréa, then the Crystal will be in the control of a newborn whose eyes do not even focus yet! How do you imagine we could possibly raise such a powerful infant, assuming she did not accidentally kill us all?"

There was a moment of silence, as everyone turned over possibilities and found nothing. Then Imari said, "The Chief Attendant should be here if Transference does occur. For that matter, we would prefer that Seuréa's surviving parent be present as well."