Kaller remembered very little of the trip through the corridors of the administration building. The only thing that really registered was the deep bone weariness that had settled over him as he brought up the rear and the fact that no one had stopped their little group. Though, he was sure that everyone was preoccupied with the fact the shield was down and the storm now assaulting the College.

  The trip down to the bonding chambers had been blessedly quick with the assistance of the transporter. Wy-lin had then deposited the Heir in the storage room where the binding agent was kept and mixed with a client’s blood right before bonding. Meanwhile, Kaller had all but collapsed in the reception area, the very same he’d occupied a few days earlier after his severing.

  He set his helmet on the seat next to him and felt immense relief that he had the strength to complete his part of the plan. Kaller leaned his head back against the seat as anger at his condition filled him. Only last week, all that he’d just done would have been so simple and he certainly wouldn’t have had to lean so much on the help from the yavit MX4 suit.

  “He says we should head back out to the desert. He wants to finish this on his own,” Wy-lin said as the other stood over Kaller.

  The ex-Protector rose his head and was rewarded with a wave of dizziness. He closed his eyes for a moment to center himself before responding.

  “I need a minute. Go on ahead. I will catch up with you.”

  A concerned expression came over the Disciple’s face. “You don’t look so well.”

  Kaller gave the man a heated look and almost snapped at him, but realized that he was a Disciple, he didn’t know what Kaller was going through with loosing the bond. Yavit, technically, he shouldn’t even be down here in the bonding chambers. But then, neither should Zorren or his brother. This was a day of breaking the rules and stretching limits. That was for sure.

  “I’ll be fine. Get going.” Kaller said more harshly than he’d intended.

  The Disciple nodded slowly, but he didn’t look convinced. In the end, he turned and started to walk away.

  “Hey, don’t forget the food synthesizer,” Kaller said.

  He had grabbed one from storage when they were loading up their supplies for their task earlier. He’d left it along with a few other items hidden near the Hall of Renown entrance where they’d be leaving from to get back out to their hideout in the desert. Until the sandstorm passed, no one was leaving the planet. It was the best place to lay low until things cooled down a little.

  “Yep,” the man said as he made his way to the transporter.

  Kaller watched him go. He wasn’t really looking forward to going back out to the rundown building they’d been squatting in, but staying here wasn’t an option either. Sooner or later, those looking for the Heir would think to search down in the bonding chambers, and he wasn’t planning to be here when it happened.

  A few more minutes passed and he stood up. The weariness hadn’t left, but at least the dizziness was gone for now. He just hoped he had the strength to make it out to the desert. The MX4 would help, in fact, with the storm still going on outside, it really was the only way to move around and not be blown away or blasted raw by the sand winds.

  Kaller made his was across the room to the smallest opening that led deeper into the cavern system and the transporter. As he did, he picked up the conversation that was unfolding from the storage room. He had only heard the mutterings of conversation from his sitting position, but here, he could clearly catch the words of his benefactor.

  “…say anything to keep me from killing you.”

  The voice of the Heir responded. “It’s the truth. I’m only came back because he forced me to, and he’s forcing me to take up lessons and learn to be his successor. I already told him I didn’t want it, but he doesn’t seem to care what I want, and he’s gone to great lengths to make sure I do what he says. Believe me, if I could, I’d walk away from it all right now and leave it to the three of you to hash out.”

  The Heir’s words made Kaller pause his movement to the exit. Was that true? Had the Emperor forced Prince Adar into his position as successor? No. He’d say anything to keep his brother from killing him. But Kaller found himself unable to move forward as he leaned toward the bonding room to hear what was said next.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  Zorren responded with a rude noise, and then spoke. “It figures. The son that wants it can’t have it, and the son who has it doesn’t want it. I bet you think that makes us have something in common and that maybe we can work something out so I won’t kill you, don’t you?”

  Kaller blinked. Why was Zorren so quick to believe his brother? Surely, Adar had been lying to protect the truth of why he came back, because he was helping the Fazha Rebellion. But Zorren had seemed to easily accept that his brother hadn’t wanted to become successor at all.

  “Zorren, I have nothing against you. Please, it doesn’t have to be like that. Can’t we work this out? We are family after all,” the Heir pleaded with his brother. His tone full of desperation, but there was an edge of eagerness too as if there was some hope of a reconciliation.

  A malevolent laugh wafted from the bonding chamber. “You really are pathetic. How can he expect such a weakling to rule the Empire? You might have the Perception Dome-ni and look like a younger version of him, but that’s only going to take you so far. I bet the Kings will eat you up.” The laugh intensified. “It might almost be worth letting you live long enough to see that happen. Almost.”

  “Our father will know what you did to me,” The Heir replied in anger. “Do you really think he will give you back your title once I’m dead? I think he’d be far more likely to give it to one of the others.”

  “Oh, I know,” Zorren replied. “That’s why as I’m standing here with you, I have two teams taking Hazeth and Xavier out as well. My assassins have been on standby for quite sometime now, but I’ve let my brothers live because they were useful to me to a point. But that time is over.

  “And yes, I know how much killing all my brothers will upset our father. I’m counting on it. People are off their guard when they are upset, even our seemingly impassive father. You should have seen the mess he became when Remeer abducted you from the White Place all those years ago. I hadn’t been ready to strike then, but I am now.

  “I knew my chance would come again as soon as I heard you were coming back. Our father will never see me coming for him, and now he has no Protector to stand in my way. That was rather nice of you, little brother, to clear the way for me like that. Really, I appreciate it. So for that, I’m willing to give you a fighting chance.”

  It was like someone had physically punched him in the gut as he took in Zorren’s confession. Certainly, Kaller had known that Zorren was the most ambitions of Ghar’s sons and the most enraged at the events that led to his banishment from the White Palace, but this… this was…

  Treason.

  Kaller had spent the last thirty one years at the Emperor’s side, looking for potential threats. So many had come from the outside, and a handful from the inside, but the Emperor’s three eldest sons had never appeared to be a danger to their father. Certainly, they were on the potential threat list simply because of their placement in the hierarchy of power, but even through all the years of conflict, Kaller had only witnessed loyalty to their father. And he suspected that was why the three princes had taken their banishment from the White Palace so hard.

  Was it so difficult to believe that Zorren would now lash out at his father? Kaller supposed not, but it still shocked him just the same. Yes, Zorren had wanted his title of Ascendant back. The Prince had made no attempt to hide that. But Kaller thought he’d do it the right way, and not try to take it by force. Not try to kill his father.

  Apprehension cut through Kaller and his heart started to beat loudly in his ears. He started to feel for the bond to check on his charge, and remembered it was no longer there. The bond was gone. And with it his obligation to protect his charge. The Emperor’s well-being was no longer his responsibility. Except Kaller was still a citizen of the Empire, and in that there was an obligation to his leader. Wasn’t there?

  Master Meh-len’s words reverberated in his mind. He’s not your charge any more, Hame. You owe him nothing, especially after the way he cast you off.

  A whirl of emotions and thoughts choked the man. Did he even care what happened to the Emperor after the way he’d treated Kaller for one misstep after decades of being loyal and doing his duty?

  Meh-len was right. The Emperor had cast him off like some piece of dirty clothing or an old shoe no longer needed. All Kaller had tried to do was to protect his charge from a perceived threat. A threat he thought was Prince Adar Zahn, but now he realized the threat had been Zorren all along.

  Kaller had no obligation to the Emperor, and he certainly didn’t have to put himself in the middle of a war between the man’s sons. All he had to do was walk away. And in his weakened state what could he do any ways? He could feel the exhaustion settle into his bones. He barely had enough energy to get himself out of the College and back to the relative safety of his hide out.

  “It’s just you and me, little brother,” Kaller heard Zorren say. “So I thought we’d play one last game together. One of my favorite pastimes is extreme hunting, though I think you will be quite a bit less of a challenge, especially in your current condition. That’s why I’m giving you ten minutes to get your bearings, and then the hunt is on.”

  Kaller heard footfalls across the rocky floor. His heart thundered as his mind considered his options. Zorren wouldn’t like it if he realized Kaller was still in the chambers after he’d dismissed them. So Kaller propelled himself forward and entered the narrow opening and down the twisting corridor. His mind still very much on the conversation he’d overheard as he went.