Angel of Storms (Millennium's Rule, #2)(104)

The man nodded. “And she has the advantage, in the place between, since she doesn’t need to breathe. She might lead you straight to the Raen or other allies, too.” He looked around. “I suppose you’ll have to abandon this world now. She’ll spread the word that you’ve got a base here, so you’ll have to move fast before the Raen or more allies arrive.”

Tyen nodded, impressed. The young man had worked out the consequences of the ally’s appearance quickly, and remained calm despite having confronted one of the Raen’s allies within the first few hours of joining the rebels.

But this also means I can’t send him to join any of the rebel groups. Tyen cursed silently. Well, he may as well know what he’ll be facing in the next few hours or days.

“The allies already know we’re here,” Tyen told him. “One of our hiding places was attacked earlier today. We’re organising a distraction so we can get all the rebels out.” Tyen held out his hand.

“All?” The man frowned and ignored Tyen’s hand. “You don’t mean… all of the rebels are on this world?”

“Yes.”

“But… if you’re discovered you’ll be trapped here. Wait… That’s what has happened, isn’t it?” He read the answer from Tyen’s expression. “Why didn’t you spread yourselves across many worlds?”

“Because communicating between worlds is too dangerous.” Tyen began to revise his opinion of the man. To his amusement, the man was doing the same of Tyen.

What a disorganised bunch of fools!

Tyen let out a humourless laugh. “You should have seen what they were like when I first joined them. Believe me, this is an improvement.”

The man looked Tyen up and down. He laughs. How can he laugh? People under his charge died today. And the Travellers’ livelihood, if not their lives, will be in danger once the Raen realises one of them has joined the rebellion.

“Traveller?” Tyen repeated. “You’re a Traveller?” This man’s people were the source of the language and measurement of time that linked all the worlds? Nothing about the man stood out in any way. Neither tall nor short, mid-brown skin, a pleasant but unexceptional face. But then, it made a strange kind of sense for a race that interacted with all worlds to appear ordinary and unthreatening.

“Yes?” the man answered. “Why?”

Tyen shook his head and offered his hand again. “I’ve not met one of your people before. What did you say your name was?”

“I didn’t.” The man grasped Tyen’s hand. “My name is Baluka.”





CHAPTER 12





“A Traveller?” Volk said. Tyen could hear the frown in his voice. “Your people are allies of the Raen.”

“Not allies,” Baluka corrected. “We’ve had an understanding with the Raen for several hundred cycles. He allows us to trade between worlds so long as we do not teach others how to do so, or work against him. That is not the same as serving him.”

“What does he get in exchange?” Tyen asked.

Baluka paused. “What do you mean?”

“The Raen takes exception to anyone working against him or teaching world travelling. It’s hardly a requirement particular to your people. Why does he make an exception for the Travellers?”

The young man frowned. “I… ah… Perhaps because…” He let out a long exhalation and shook his head. “I don’t know.”

Looking into Baluka’s mind, Tyen could not help smiling in sympathy. The man was surprised and a little disturbed to realise he’d never questioned the explanation he’d been told, and now was wondering if there was something more to the agreement. “Something else I am risking other than our lives and livelihood?” Baluka was wondering. “If there is, it must be a secret many centuries old…”

“We don’t have time for this,” Hapre said, tapping her foot on the threadbare floor rug. “The messengers are ready to deliver the signal to depart. Are the decoy hiding places ready, Volk?”

The man, as always, considered his reply carefully before speaking. In the dimly lit room the dark-skinned man’s expression was hard to make out, but Tyen could see he was only hesitating to tell them something they wouldn’t like to hear.

“Volk?” he repeated.

The man sighed. “No. I need more time. This can’t be done quickly.”

“How much longer?” Tyen asked.

“A few days would be ideal.” Volk paused. “I suppose it can be done by the end of the night if I reduce the number of sites.”

“Can I help?” Frell offered.

“Hmm. Perhaps.”

Tyen frowned, sure that something had slipped his mind. As he considered Frell’s offer it came to him. “Frell, can the other arrival places for new recruits be safely checked? It’s possible the allies only discovered the one, and some newcomers may be waiting for us to contact them.”

“Perhaps.”

“They may have let a few would-be rebels through in the hopes of catching those who come to meet them,” Hapre warned.

“I’ll be careful,” Frell assured her.

She made a small noise of frustration. “What should I be doing while everyone else is busy?”