Part 31 (1/2)

Sleek and some sort of translucent green color, it was a sporty little... thing.

And it just sat there. About two feet off the ground. She looked under it.

Nothing but air.She stood upright and told herself that after everything else she'd already dealt with, why not? She held on to the side of the... whatever, and it dipped and rocked, sort of like a boat. Or a waterbed.

Archer scooped her up and dropped her gently into the pa.s.senger seat. ”It takes some getting used to. But you'll like it a h.e.l.l of a lot better than those bone-rattling contraptions you pilot.”

And then he was inside and the thing hummed to life, and before she could catch her breath, they were moving.

Really, really fast.

s.h.i.+t. s.h.i.+t, s.h.i.+t, s.h.i.+t.

She clung to the sides as the wind whipped her hair straight out behind her head. Her stomach hovered somewhere in the vicinity of her throat. The city streets pa.s.sed in a blur. And then they shot out the other side, away from the crowded streets and buildings into a startlingly green countryside.

And before her sprawled the most magnificent castle she'd ever seen. ”Welcome to Emerald City, Dorothy,” she murmured beneath her breath. It wasn't Oz, but it was every bit the magical fairy tale that any little girl could have ever dreamed of.

Only she was fairly certain she wasn't dreaming.

And she wasn't a little girl anymore, although she had an increasingly strengthening desire to curl up into a little ball and cry for her mummy. A mummy who had once lived in yonder glistening castle, she realized faintly. And had fled it in fear for her life.

Just what in the h.e.l.l had she gotten herself into ?

Chapter 16.

Archer said a prayer of thanks beneath his breath. He'd tempted every Transport Agent in the monarchy with his warp-speed drive here, but he had no idea who might know of Talia's presence and felt it was best to get her under castle guard as quickly as possible.

As he sped toward the large gate in the outer wall that surrounded the castle he only hoped he wasn't delivering her to a worse fate. He chanced a quick glance in her direction, wis.h.i.+ng the trip had allowed them to talk, but all his concentration had been on maneuvering them out of the city undetected. She looked pale and more than a little anxious. His fingers twitched on the controls as he debated swinging them around and heading straight back to Baleweg. But then the castle gate was opening and he knew there would be no turning back now.

He was guided by the royal guard toward what looked like a solid wall. An invisible seam opened in the middle as he closed in, sliding soundlessly shut behind them after his transport had pa.s.sed through. They were in a dimly lit tunnel that extended into darkness ahead. He'd come this route before, but last time there hadn't been a solid wall of guards lining the edges of the platform. He was relieved to see Catriona was well prepared for his return with her precious cargo, but as a guard stepped quickly forward, he nonetheless kept the security field up around his vehicle.

”I wish a direct audience with the queen,” he said. Not that he doubted they knew exactly why he was here, and with whom.

The guard nodded. ”We will escort Ms. Trahaern inside.”

”You will escort both of us inside.”

The guard's impa.s.sive expression didn't alter one whit. ”I am instructed only to bring her.”

”Then call in and get different instructions. We both go in, or she stays here behind the s.h.i.+eld.” Archer knew, as well as the guard, that the s.h.i.+eld would not hold up under their collective weaponry, but he also knew Catriona would not be happy if Talia's life were in any way jeopardized in what should be a routine, if highly secure, transfer.

The guard acted exactly as Archer predicted. He pulled the mouthpiece wire down from his earpiece and spoke into it. Archer turned to Talia. She hadn't moved. In fact, he wasn't sure she was breathing. ”You okay?”

She looked at him and made a valiant effort at a dry smile. ”Define okay.”He smiled. ”That's the way.””What's happening?”He took her hand, wis.h.i.+ng he'd been able to touch her the entire time, relieved to have contact again. ”We're just getting clearance to go inside.”

She gripped his hand hard enough to shut down all blood supply. He didn't

mind. ”Don't worry, Catriona won't want to argue about this, she'll want you in and under her direct supervision as soon as possible.”

Talia seemed to relax a little, but she was still pale and probably a bit

unnerved at all the sudden changes.

”I'm sorry for all this, Tali,” he said abruptly.

”What do you mean?”

”Bringing you here. Maybe I shouldn't have. Maybe there was another way.”

”I tried to tell myself that, too.” She looked at him, gripped his hand even

more tightly. ”But if you hadn't come to get me, someone else would have.”

Archer had thought the same thing, had woken up in a panicky sweat several times, dreaming that very same scenario.

”I'm glad it was you,” she said quietly.

”Yeah.” Then the guard was standing before them again. Archer merely lifted