“Let Sharra go back to the forge-folk’s keeping. They have held it harmless all these years. No, kinsman, hear me out,” I pleaded. “Do this, and I will go to Arilinn; I will speak with telepaths at Hali, at Neskaya and Corandolis and Dalereuth.
I will explain to all of them what you are doing for Darkover, plead for you, if need be, before the Comyn Council itself. Do you honestly believe that you are the only man on Darkover who chafes under Terran rule and control? I am as certain as that I stand here, that they will come to your support and work with you freely and wholeheartedly, far better than I alone can do. And they have access to every known, monitored matrix on Darkover, and to the records of what was done with them in old times. We can find one safe for our purpose. Then I will work with you myself, and as long as you like, for your real aims. Not bluff with a terrible weapon, but a total, concerted effort by all of us, every one of us together, to recover the real strengths of Darkover, something positive to give the Terrans and the Empire, in return for what they can give us.”
I met Regis’ eyes, and suddenly time was out of focus again. I saw him in a great hall, crowded with men and women, hundreds and hundreds of them, every telepath on Darkover! It slid away and the eight of us were alone in the little fireside room again. I said to Regis and Danilo, “You would cooperate in such an endeavor, wouldn’t you?”
Regis, his eyes gleaming with excitement, said, “With all my heart, Lord Beltran. I am certain that even Comyn Council would put all the telepaths and towers of Darkover at your service I”
This was a greater dream than the one which had drawn us together! It must be! I had seen iy! Beltran must catch fire from it too!
Beltran stared at us all, and before he spoke my heart sank. There was icy contempt in his voice and words.
“You damnable forsworn traitor!” he flung at me. “Get me under the heel of Comyn, would you? That I should get on my knees before the Hali’imyn and take from them as a gift the power which is my right? Better even to do as my doddering old father did, and grovel to the Terrans! But I am lord of Aldaran now, and I will plunge all Darkover into red chaos first! Never! Never, damn you! Never!” His voice rose to a hoarse shriek of rage.
“Beltran, I beg of you—”
“Beg! Beg, you stinking half-caste! As you would make me beg, grovel—”
I clenched my fists, aching with the need to fall on him, beat that sneer off his face… no. That was not his true self, either, but Sharra.
“I am sorry, kinsman. You leave me no choice.” Whatever happened after, the closeness of this circle was broken; nothing could ever be the same. “Kadarin, you placed Sharra in my hands and pledged to abide my judgment. Before it is too late, the circle must be broken, the link destroyed, the matrix insulated before it controls us all.”
“No!” Thyra cried. “If you dare not handle it, I do!”
“Breda—”
“No,” Marjorie said, her voice shaking, “no, Thyra. It is the only way. Lew’s right, it can destroy us all. Bob.” She faced Kadarin, her golden eyes swimming in tears. “You made me Keeper. By that authority, I have to say it” Her voice broke in a sob. “The link must be broken.”
“No!” Kadarin said harshly, repulsing her outstretched hands. “I did not want you to be Keeper; I feared just this— that you would be swayed by Lew! Sharra’s circle must be preserved! You know you cannot break it without my consent!” He stared fiercely at her, and I thought of a hawk I had once seen, hovering over its prey.
Beltran stood in front of Danilo, facing him down. “I ask you for the last time. Will you do what I ask?”
Danilo was trembling. I recalled that he had been the youngest and most timid of the cadets. His voice shook as he said, “N-no, my lord Aldaran. I will not.”