Way of No Return (Champions of the Crystal Book 8)

Chapter 7.3

Praxatillus had not forgotten the lessons of the Xoentrol War, ended just over a century ago. By the time the first Reissian troops landed, Palace City had emptied, its citizens having fled to different continents or dispersed into the dense forest on the other side of the massive palace complex. The principality capitals also saw mass exoduses into the countryside or disused but not forgotten bunkers and tunnels. Few stayed to hear Baldaran's grave speech asking them to go about their business as usual, and those who did recognized that it was meant to fool their invaders. Miahns obeyed their impulse to flee, and their fellow citizens followed suit.

Palace Royal was simple to evacuate compared to Giandrah, Scotty thought as he looked around the main cavern, mostly because of the lack of precedent. He was far from sure he was going to get Imari and Llevandeer to leave without bringing a stunner into it.

Nearby, Aurora was busy organizing groups, making sure the young pages all had older people with them to prevent any impulsive attempts at staying behind to fight. Those waiting for instructions looked wistfully at the Great Crystal, as if afraid they might never see it again. And they might not, Scotty thought, grimacing. Physical access was not necessary for Mara or any other Miahn to access the Crystal, but being able to personally view their source of security was comforting. The idea of burying it, collapsing all the tunnels leading to it, was unnerving.

Imari joined him. "The shield will hold," she said. "I do not see the necessity for these extreme measures."

"We don't know the shield will hold," Scotty said. "They haven't fired at us yet, but they will. And there may still be saboteurs on the inside. We're not taking the risk."

"Do not destroy this sacred place merely out of fear," Imari said. "Let me remain behind. I will collapse the tunnels and caverns myself if the invaders approach. But if the shield holds, why destroy this place of refuge and reflection, which means so much to all our people? How many centuries would it take to rebuild it all?"

"It's no use arguing with me, Aunt Imari. I have my orders from the King. Neither of us can countermand them."

"The King's jurisdiction does not extend to Giandrah. This area is under the Guardian's authority."

"But you are the King's subject, bound by his orders. Unless the Guardian has given you an order contrary to his, which she hasn't," Scotty pointed out.

"You have no possible way of knowing that for certain," Imari retorted.

Oh, don't bullshit a bullshitter nearly came out of Scotty's mouth, but he caught himself in time. "I know Mara hasn't been able to talk to Tirqwin, so I'm pretty sure she hasn't been talking to you."

Imari's lips thinned almost to invisibility. Scotty recognized that mulish look—even though they were only related through his adoption by her nephew, that was something they definitely had in common. "Look," he said. "I gotta obey my orders, Aunt Imari. There's no point talking about it." And if you're gonna pull something, don't tell me about it in advance, for God's sake!

"Of course you must," she said after a moment. "I will not interfere with the discharge of your duties."

She walked away, and his heart sank. Yeah. This is gonna be fun.

Aurora laid a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to face her. Usually he found comfort in the sight of his wife, but the signs of stress beneath her composed expression were as bad as he'd ever seen them. "I am taking the last group of the pages to Tythir," she said. "I will try to find my parents and the children."

"They'll probably have left you clues," he said, trying to sound encouraging.

"You cannot come with us?"