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let me in. I
am expected by the Princess, I assure you," he stated succinctly whil e
nudging the IHF
aside to gain entrance.
"Jaffers!" he barked once inside. "The Princess& now! I will be in the
study."
Was the Inner House Facilitator having a fit of some sort? Sherem made his
way down
the hall to the proper panel and entered the fam ily living area to await his
future mate.
He grew impatient to be off now that the time was at hand. Surely, by now
she d be
frantic to speak with him. As the minutes passed, Sherem became more and
more
restless. He wished he had brought Bran in with h im. That would surely have
garnered
some action.
He looked up as the panel slid open emitting a muddled disarray of colors,
arms,
legs and grunts as the aunts came bobbling into the room as one entity,
halting less than a
calabray from him. As the two split apart, straightening hair, skirts, and
sweatshirts, they
all stared dumbfounded at one another, clearly unable to form a coherent
thought. Helen
recovered first.
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"But you can't be here, Sherem, she is with you on her way to Earth. She
departed five days ago, left us a COM saying that you had come for her, packed
up and
left right then& why are you here, have you lost her, then?" Helen asked,
fingers
twitching, lower lip trembling and eyes beginning to water.
Sherem stood and took both of the round cher ubs into his arms, though they
only
reached waist high. "Don't worry, we will straighten it all out," he crooned
gruffly and
glanced up to focus on Jaffers. "What happened Jaffers, who did she leave
with that day,
did you recognize him?"
"No, your highne ss, but I did hear her call him by name. It was Dakar. She
called him Dakar," he responded softly.
Sherem swayed precariously and thought for a moment that they were doomed for
a hard landing at Jaffer's feet. But he got hold of himself; though feared h
is dark bronze
complexion had turned the color of mottled cream.
He sat down heavily on the plush seat behind him, locked in his own internal
quagmire. Why would Dakar kidnap Nadia? Was it some kind of twisted revenge
for
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Lil Gibson
30
their disassociation as brothers? Could he want to compromise Nadia himself
so Sherem
would never have her? That would be the most sweeping revenge of all.
Surely, he
wouldn't harm her. She was not a part of what transpired between them as
brothers and
he honestly thought that Dakar liked her. He shut his eyes, trying to hold in
his emotion
and keep the bone chilling fear at bay. He had to think. He looked up and
focused on
Jaffers.
"I know you would not listen in on private conversations, Jaffers, but did you
by
chance overhear an ything that might give us a clue as to his destination or
plans?"
Sherem questioned, huskily.
Jaffers almost smiled at the tactful manner in which the Prince phrased the
question, but the truth was that any Inner House Facilitator worth his salt
knew
everything that went on in his domain using whatever means at his disposal to
learn it.
He answered. "I did not hear Dakar mention a planet by name, but overheard
him
explain that you d gone ahead to a planet closer to Earth but within our
galaxy and there
you would try once again to contact the Miramid before making the final
commitment to
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galaxy jump to Earth's solar system. Dakar said you would be waiting for
them," he
concluded, wishing he could be of more help. First Zorroc and now Nadia, what
could
they do?
"Thank you, Jaffers; it will be a starting point. Helen, Marie, here is my
COM
direction. If you hear from Nadia, get her position, by tracker if she
doesn t know her co-
ordinates. No by tracker period. Dakar may be misleading her as to their loca
tion so
keep the auto track on at all times and capture any incoming transmissions."
* * *
"Where is he, Julius? Where is your golden boy?" Sherem demanded, his voice
a
raspy husk of his usual cynical drawl. He had returned to the House of
Baraden and
would get the information he demanded or sever his IHF's head from his
shoulders , from
the look of him.
"What has happened, my Prince, what is wrong?" Julius implored, his voice not
quite steady. Dakar had been angry, furious really and hurt at his brother' s
continued
refusal to believe in his innocence of the assassination attempts. Nothing
Dakar could
say had swayed his brother in his steadfast belief that his own brother wanted
him dead
for political gain. And Sherem's silent accusations were eroding hi s
favorite charge from
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SHEREM
31
the inside out. Julius dreaded to know the extent of the damage done to their
relationship.
But he was about to learn.
"Dakar has kidnapped Nadia," Sherem hissed.
Julius sat down with a thump, something no IHF would do in front of their
lord.
"What have you done, Dakar. This will not help your cause but weaken it,"
Julius
mumbled to himself, his hands cradling his face.
"Where is he Julius, you always know what he is up to," Sherem continued,
taking the seat across from him and dr agging his hands through his hair
impatiently. "I
have checked the roster of departing ships and all are accounted for so he
found an
alternate way off the pla net, unless he is still here holding the Princess
prisoner
somewhere. Talk to me Julius," he de manded with renewed vexation. "He has
had her
for five days."
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