Between Darkness and Light Read Free Page A

wave of affection that surrounded him was unrestrained. “Your injuries were greater. Four of our mystics were needed, as well as the TeLaxaudin physicians, to heal all the broken bones and damaged organs in your body. My own were slight by comparison.”
    Four? Since their mystic had joined them, he’d never known an occasion when Naacha hadn’t been able to handle healings—even a simple death—on his own. He was one of the most powerful.
    â€œHe understates, as usual,” said Naacha gruffly from the end of his bed. “An hour more, maybe two, and I could have done nothing. He’d have stayed dead.”
    As sparing as Naacha was with words, Annuur knew better than to discount him when he did speak. Lowering his head, he looked at Lweeu, knowing she was always a good barometer for the mood of the sept as a whole. Her eyes sparkled too brightly and between her mobile ears, her short crest of stiff hair was constantly moving. She was very distressed. He hadn’t realized he’d been so close to death. It had obviously been a near thing for both himself and Sokarr.
    Clenching his teeth together, Annuur pushed himself slowly upright, trying to ignore the swirling of the room. Finally he was sitting on his haunches. “We achieved the Camarilla’s goal and survived,” he said faintly, reaching out an unsteady forelimb to Lweeu. “Without risking our U’Churian family.”
    Gratefully she took hold of his hand, making soft chittering noises of comfort.
    Naacha grunted, dropping back down onto all fours. “Camarilla don’t interfere lightly. More trouble ahead.”
    â€œThis was a major intervention,” agreed Sokarr, looking across Annuur’s bed to the window beyond. “They will need us again.”
    Annuur followed his gaze. In the distance, the shapes of five Watcher ships could be clearly seen, the sixth shrouded behind a covered armature.
    â€œAll will need to be processed,” said Lweeu, following his gaze. “Captain Tirak is not pleased at what we did.”
    â€œTirak’s awake?” asked Annuur, surprised.
    â€œThey could not stay in the ship while it was being repaired,” said Lweeu.
    â€œWhat’s he said?”
    â€œNothing, yet. He waits for you,” replied Naacha, trotting round to the side of the bed and rearing up on his haunches again.
    â€œSomeone has a sense of humor to allow the rest of our family to be wakened during this time,” Annuur murmured, glancing at Naacha. He found himself unable to look away from the swirling blue tattoos on the other’s cheeks until he felt a hand touch the underside of his jaw and raise it.
    Naacha’s eyes held his as firmly as his hand held his chin. “Glad am I you are still with us, Phratry Leader,” the mystic said quietly before releasing him.
    Surprise and pleasure washed through Annuur in equal measures. He knew that Naacha had chosen to join their sept out of the many that had courted him, but he hadn’t known till now that their taciturn mystic cared so much for them.
    â€œSo am I,” he said with heartfelt sincerity, beginning to sway slightly as his aching body started to tremble with the effort of remaining seated.
    Naacha leaned against him, offering him support just as the door opened. The TeLaxaudin Azwokkuss, his bronze spindly limbs partially concealed by the colored strips of drapery that fell from his waist and neck, stood there. A faint thrumming filled the air before he began to speak.
    â€œYour Captain have I brought,” he said.
    â€œAzwokkuss said you were awake,” began the black-furred U’Churian coming into the room. He stopped dead, mouth falling open in shock. “Sokarr! But . . . You were dead! We left your body in the . . .” He ground to a halt.
    â€œAzwokkuss definitely has a sense of humor,” Annuur murmured very quietly as Naacha helped him to lie down.
    â€œThe cold, it