The Crystal Sorcerers by William R. Forstchen Page B

or one of his people has Giorgini, and they find him valuable. The key point here is when they got him."
    Varma glanced at Allic. "The manner in which the contract was offered, and the excessive price, points to a border violation. In my opinion Boreas himself flew here as soon as he knew that Sarnak had broken the Sacred Truce. Boreas would give almost anything for the chance to kill Sarnak himself. He probably got here too late for Sarnak and took Giorgini instead, to get information."
    Allic stirred at that. "Yes, that is how I see it. The wall crystal is a very subtle way of apologizing for intrusion and interference."
    "Does that mean Giorgini is a prisoner?" asked Mark.
    Allic glanced at Varma, who responded, "I'd guess not. The offer for the contract was straightforward."
    Allic straightened. "Agreed. Giorgini has obviously offered to serve Boreas. Maybe without Younger's influence he will serve him as well as you have served me. Now let's call it a night. We leave for Asmara at first light tomorrow."
     
    "I must have been dreaming," Imada whispered, looking up into her eyes.
    "Just the bad dream, my lover," Vena replied, a gentle smile lighting her innocent features. "I heard you cry out."
    Imada stirred and tried to sit up, but the lightheadedness returned. Languidly, he laid back down.
    The world was such a kaleidoscope of colors, of drifting images, phantasms that could be real or just imagined. But he did not even care to find out if they were real or not. One should not question this quiet paradise of love.
    The bad dream again. Funny, he could barely recall it now. He could still remember his friends, the captain who had always treated him with kindness, even Sergeant Saito, who bellowed like a bull, but was more like an older brother. Even the Americans, Jose and Kraut. He had never wanted to be a soldier, the thought of killing anyone had been so repugnant. And the Americans had proven to be not such bad fellows after all. Yes, he could remember them, and the vague desire to return to them. He must report to his friends, but what was it he was supposed to tell them?
    Something had happened to him. Something horrible. He looked into Vena's eyes. Something had happened--but what was it?
    "Can you remember your dream?" she asked, her brow knitted.
    Had he been swimming? No, no, it had been next to a river, hadn't it?
    Leaning over, her lips lightly brushed his.
    Was that part of the nightmare as well? Yet even as he wondered, he could feel the first tingle of passion as the kiss became bolder.
    A hushed moan of pleasure escaped her. Sitting up, she undid the shoulder clasp of her lavender and silver-laced gown. The gown slipped away, tumbling to her waist. Reaching to her side, she snapped loose the hip clasp and the gown fell away.
    Smiling she brushed back her amber curls to expose the beauty of her breasts.
    Still feeling lightheaded, but this time from the joy within him, Imada sat up as Vena pulled back the covers of his bed.
    Together they fell back, now joined as one, their passion rising together, then ever so dreamily falling away.
    Floating in a lovers' embrace, Imada opened his eyes. She lay beside him, her eyes sparkling with love.
    "Without you I would be nothing," she sighed. "Don't ever leave me."
    Imada pulled her close, and kissed her lightly on the forehead.
    "Can you remember the fight, my love?" Her innocent features were aglow with admiration.
    The fight? Yes--that was the nightmare. The party had been on patrol when Sarnak's demons had attacked. It had been a horrific siege, pinned down in a glade with no protection. One by one his comrades had fallen. Throughout that long night he had heard their cries as they were dragged off into the darkness to be tortured and killed.
    Numbed, he had waited for the coming of morning and certain death, hiding by the river bank, wounded and waiting for the end. Somehow he could remember Yoshida's screams of agony.
    Imada tried to block that memory. He had