Page 63 of Lhora
She reached out to the panel. “Listen for yourself.” She hit a button, and the screen lit up, but without a picture as a voice pierced the void.
“Calling the Esstika of Beinight. You are being hailed by the Sarpi of Coltross. We demand that you open communications with us! To the Esstika of Beinight! Answer this communication frequency now! We demand that you answer to our grievances!”
Duren cast Lhora an aggravated look. “That’s Vadris Pra. He’s my father’s boot licker.”
“—demand you have the Esstika answer our hail—”
“This is Esstika Kai. Face me, Sarpi. What is so important that you interrupt my morning without prior arrangement?” Listening to the playback, Lhora noticed her mother’s tone was civil, but just barely. She was making it clear she didn’t appreciate the heavy-handed way Sov was trying to reach her.
The Sarpi’s face appeared, and there was no mistaking his anger. “Esstika! Where is my son? Where do you have the Sarpen isolated? I demand he be returned immediately! You have no right—”
“Who are you to make demands?” she interrupted tersely. “By the same token, who are you to tell me what rights I do or do not hold?” Although she couldn’t see her mother as she spoke, Lhora could envision in her mind’s eye the woman’s erect posture. The slightly lifted chin. The overall stance that silently spoke of her defiance and stature. “You kidnapped a member of my personal bodyguard. You made the initial act of hostility.”
“And you kidnapped my son in retaliation!”
“Your son boarded her ship during a conflict with the Tra’Mell, and he tried to take to take her prisoner again! It’s only because of her quick action that she saved the Sarpen from death by taking out the Tra’Mellian who attacked him!”
“Then why didn’t you return him?”
“Why didn’t you return my Gur?” she countered. “Why did you take her in the first place?”
Sov’s face darkened. “I demand you release himnow!You have until the end of this hour before I order my fleet to descend upon your capitol city! I will call you back at that time for your decision.”
The screen blacked out.
Lhora looked at Duren. “He makes a lot of demands.”
“Yeah. You could say it’s his favorite term,” Duren remarked with a snicker.
Kai laid a hand on her daughter’s arm. “Have you had breakfast yet?”
“No. We were still abed when Father came for us.”
“I’ll have something brought here while we await the Sarpi’s return call.” She left the room to summon a servant.
Duren reached down to end the playback. Holding his hand out to Lhora, he suggested, “Give me your weapons belt.”
Lhora automatically obeyed. “Why?” Handing it to Duren, she watched as he put it on.
“To make my father believe I’m still armed. Hopefully he won’t notice it’s a different belt. Maybe this will help.” Pulling on his tunic, he draped it slightly over the waistline, partially disguising it.
She turned to her father to catch his reaction. She’d expected him to go on guard when she’d given her sword to the Sarpen. Surprisingly, the man wasn’t tense or on edge. Fallmin caught her eye and nodded as he sent out a wave of comfort to her. He’d been reading Duren from the moment the young man had been in range, up to now. Realizing that her father fully trusted the Sarpen when it came to her well-being, she smiled in relief.
The door opened, and the Esstika returned. At the same time, the console started beeping, the orange flashing light indicating an incoming call from a non-Beinight source.
“Calling the Esstika of Beinight. This is the Sarpi of Coltross. Your time is up, and we demand your answer.”
Kai reached for the switch to answer, when Duren stopped her.
“No, Esstika. Allow me to confront my father personally. Lhora, Gur Fallmin, take the Esstika out of range of the view screen.” He gestured for them to gather against the far wall. “I don’t want him to see you in this room with me.”
Fallmin wrapped an arm around his wife and daughter, and they hurried around to the back side of the screen. From where she stood, Lhora was able to see the screen without appearing on the feed.
“Esstika Kai! You have exactly five seconds to answer my hail—”
Duren flipped the switch. Crossing his arms over his chest, he watched as the view screen brightened and came into focus. “Hello, Father.”
Sov’s face reflected his surprise to see his son. “Duren! Are you all right? Did they torture you?” The man looked over his son’s appearance, noting the darker-hued clothes. “How are they treating you?”
