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.As she gave him the scroll, the Jagernaut with the yellow hair moved closer, keeping watch on the messenger.The dark-haired Jagernaut studied the codex.“It’s an invoice of some kind.”“Invoice?” Kamoj didn’t recognize the word.“A statement of money and goods you owe Ironbridge.” He scanned the scroll.“The Ironbridge jewels? Something about your debt to a corporation.It says ‘Ironbridge requires payment in kind.’”Heat flamed in her face.Of course.Jax wanted his dowry back.It was only right.But payment in kind meant he expected it in the exact same form he had given it.He knew it was impossible.She still had the Ironbridge heirlooms, and he had his lands and holdings, but she had invested the metals and gems to support Argali farms.She could recover some of the gold bridles, but it meant buying them back from their purchasers.As for the foodstuffs, firewood, wines, and other perishables, they were long gone.With dismay, Kamoj saw what would happen.She would send alternate wealth in place of the vanished items.Jax would refuse the replacements.He had the right.No judge in the Northern Lands would begrudge him that response, given the circumstances.They would have to negotiate.He could draw the process out for years.It would humiliate Argali and shame Vyrl.It didn’t matter that as Vyrl’s consort, she had the wealth to repay Jax a hundred times over.She didn’t have the right payment.It would make her look mercenary; she had used Jax’s dowry and then chosen Vyrl.Kamoj turned to the messenger, wishing protocol allowed her to banish him from the palace.She spoke with frost.“Tomorrow you may return to Ironbridge and inform your lord that the debt will be repaid in full.”“As you wish, so I will do.” He bowed, his face shadowed.When he straightened, she saw the smoldering anger he tried to hide and knew he understood exactly what message he carried.He had no sympathy for Lionstar.As the yellow-haired Jagernaut escorted the messenger out of the room, Kamoj walked to the window and stared at the mountains.“Governor Argali?” The dark-haired Jagernaut spoke behind her.“Would you like this?”She turned to see him offering the scroll.With stiff fingers, she accepted it.She wanted to dash it to the floor or rip it up.Taking a breath, she set it on a table by the window.He spoke in a kind voice.“Can I help?”She looked up at him, self-conscious in his presence because of his muscular build and great height.No wonder they all saw her as a child.Next to them, she probably appeared half-grown.“Thank you for your gracious offer,” she said.“But I am fine.” Why did he look like that, as if he hurt for her? Then she remembered.Jagernauts were like Vyrl.Empaths.Softly she said, “How can you bear it?”A smile tempered his strong features.“What do you mean?”“Being both a soldier and an empath.Doesn’t it tear you apart?”He didn’t answer at first.Then he said, “We take our title, Jagernaut, from our ships, the Jags.They’re single-pilot starfighters.As a Jagernaut, I meld with my ship’s Evolving Intelligence brain.”She tried to imagine what he described.“You join your mind to your ship.To become a better fighter?”“Yes.That’s why we must be psions.” His next words came with difficulty.“You’re right, it can hurt to be both a Jag pilot and an empath.It’s hard for me to talk about, Your Highness.I’m sorry.”“I understand.” She hesitated.“May I ask your name?”“Certainly.Secondary Antonyo Lopezani.”“Antonyo Lopezani.” She liked the way it rolled on her tongue.“It is a beautiful name, Goodman Lopezani.Like a song.But why Secondary?”He seemed to relax.“It’s my rank.We start as Quaternaries.Most reach Tertiary and retire.Some become Secondary.A very few reach Primary.”Kamoj gave him an approving look.“Then, sir, you must be an accomplished stagman.”He grinned.“I guess you could say that.” Now his face showed kindness.“Are you sure I can’t help you in any way?”“Tomorrow, perhaps.I need a—” She stopped, uncertain of the correct word.“A liaison? Someone who can help me integrate my position among your people with my position as governor.”“I can arrange for that.” Concern shaded his voice.“We didn’t wish to push you today.”Kamoj wanted to tell them she wasn’t as fragile as her namesake, the vine-rose.But they meant well.Besides, apparently her name had nothing to do with roses.Long dead strangers had chosen it for the invisible chains they hoped would hold her people forever.She longed to tear apart those bonds, but they were so intertwined with her personality, she wasn’t even sure how to find them.Antonyo escorted her back to her suite, walking at her side.His presence comforted.After her abduction from this very hall, her home, the center of a place where she should have been safe, she felt as if no haven existed anywhere.Inside the main bedroom, she laid her robe across the foot of Vyrl’s bed.Then she slid under the covers and curled into a ball.Her tears came softly in the night, lonely and silent.17Mists of the HeartTransition (B → A)It will take a while to install heating units in all of Argali’s houses,” Lieutenant Endar finished.“But we should have it done before the winter comes.”Kamoj nodded, seated behind her desk in the Ivory Suite.She had chosen this room as her office because of its many glass doors, with their curved gold handles and gold filigree.They let in copious amounts of light, giving her a sense of optimism.The room had a high ceiling and white walls with gilded trim.She also liked the desk.Its wide expanse formed a bulwark, making her feel more prepared to face the Ascendant minions.Lieutenant Endar had showed up as her liaison.He looked hardly more than a boy, but he seemed sure of himself.He wasn’t as tall as the other Skolians, and he had black hair and dark eyes, like her people.It put her more at ease.She also appreciated that he neither condescended to her nor spoke over her head.As it turned out, he didn’t come from the Ascendant.It had already “left orbit,” though Kamoj wasn’t sure what that meant.Although she had never seen any of Balumil’s seas, she could envision a great body of water stretching to the horizon.But a sea of space? How did one imagine such a thing? She wondered if it had swells and seaweed.“The heating units will be a blessing to my people,” she told Endar.“Last winter we lost so many to the cold.”He regarded her with an earnest gaze.“That won’t happen again, ma’am.”His manner touched Kamoj.He gave the impression that he genuinely cared about Argali.“Spring and fall are times of life.We have many children in those seasons and our population grows again.But so many of our people—” She swallowed, thinking of her parents.“So many die when the weather becomes harsh.”He spoke quietly.“We can change that.”She took a deep breath.“These ‘techs’ who will do the work—where do they come from, if the Ascendant is gone?”“We’ve several ships still in orbit.”Curious, she asked, “Which is yours?”“One of the frigates.Aniece’s Bounty.”“Aniece? What is that?”He beamed at her.“Ma’am, Aniece is one of your husband’s sisters.”She smiled at his enthusiasm.“Do they name many ships after his family?”“A few.” He leaned forward.“I do believe an Imperial dreadnought has the name Havyrl’s Valor.”“Goodness.” Kamoj thought it a fine name.She wondered what dreadnought meant, though.She didn’t ask, not wanting to appear provincial.A voice came from the doorway.“Governor Argali?”Looking up, she saw Antonyo.“My greetings.”“You’ve a visitor.” He moved aside to let a man enter.“Maxard!” Kamoj jumped up and sped around the desk.They met in the middle of the room [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]