“I remember. And you fought by my side during those early days.”
“Early days,” Altai mused. “A few weeks ago. It seems like a lifetime has passed since then.”
“A lifetime has passed,” Merdon said. “None of us is the same person he was before this began. We can never go back to those days, Altai. Never.”
“Merdon. Usten to me. Please. Don’t let this Watchman be killed. I don’t know why, but I can’t just stand back and allow a man to be executed. This war has already killed many, many good people. But they were killed in battle. Now—now you’re going to let them come in and shoot him. You can’t let it happen!”
The young rebel shook his head. “Altai, it has to be this way. There’s no other way. He’s a Komani prisoner, not ours. We can’t set him free. We can’t help him escape.”
“You mean you won’t try to help him.”
“1 can’t.”
She drew herself up to her full height. Merdon smiled inwardly at her, trying to be as tall as a man.
“You can’t help him,” Altai said, “but there are others who can.”
Instantly, Merdon’s amusement vanished. “What do you mean by that?”
She started for the doorway. “You’ll see.”
“Altai! Don’t do anything foolish. The Komani wouldn’t hesitate to shoot a girl—or a priest.”
VIII
Through the Flames
Vorgens sat in stunned silence in the tent to which the guards had brought him. The Komani warriors loitered outside while the young Star Watchman stared at the blank wall of the tent.
The touch of a hand on his shoulder startled him. He , looked up and saw Sittas standing beside him.
“Have courage,” the priest said quietly,