“You are welcome to make the journey to Pentaba if you so desire,” Zuran said, amused. “But if it is in search of Sevani, you need look no further than Ka-lik’et.”

I spun around, having already trotted several yards from him toward my house. “He’s here? In Dhal’at?”

“It was Sevani who requested I retrieve Khrel to the palace,” he told me.

“I need to see him,” I said at once.

Zuran tilted his head. “Why?”

My idea was zooming around my brain like a racecar on a track, circling and circling until I was practically dizzy with the potential. The fact that Sevani was so close, that it wouldn’t take days or maybe even weeks to implement my plan, was thrilling and a little too good to be true. Suddenly, I was struck with doubt. If I went to the palace to speak with him, I could potentially make things worse. And what if he rejected my idea? I would be back to square one with Khrel in his brooding depression and no clue how to fix it.

“I just—I just do,” I answered absently. “But Khrel can’t know.”

For a minute, I thought Zuran was going to laugh at me outright. His mouth split into an enormous grin, and his eyes were dancing mischievously. He looked like the Zuran I had gotten used to seeing around the colony: cocky and antagonistic. Instead of mocking me, however, he straightened up and held out his hand to me. “Come with me, then.”

I eyed his hand warily. “What do you mean?” I asked, suspicious of his intentions.

“You are not permitted in the palace without an escort,” he explained. His face was still alight with impish glee. “You certainly will not be able to reach Sevani without Khrel finding out. Not without my help at least.”

“Why would you help me?” I questioned.

He sighed in exasperation and bounced his arm, gesturing for me to take his offered hand. “Your interrogation would lead one to believe you are ungrateful for the help,” he said vexingly.

“Zuran,” I crackled harshly. “Why would you help me?”

A breath of hot wind blew between us, ruffling my hair and sending his flying around his shoulders. He lowered his hand to his side and answered, “Whether he likes me or not, I still consider Khrel my friend. I do not wish unhappiness upon him. You make him happy, and I believe you would do whatever you can to continue making him happy. If taking you to meet Sevani in secret is all I can do, I will do it.”

Again, I was struck with the depth of this A’li-uud beneath his trying exterior, but I felt I had little time to dwell on it because I didn’t know how long Sevani would remain in Ka-lik’et. I nodded my agreement.

“Okay,” I said, “but I’m not holding your hand.”

He laughed aloud. It was strange to hear, as it came so freely from his lips in contrast to Khrel’s utter lack of mirth, but I enjoyed the sound. There was comfort in it.

“Come with me,” he repeated.

* * *

The room was so brightly colored I actually felt aching at the back of my eyes, but it wasn’t unpleasant. I was seated upon a fuchsia pouf large enough for four and comfortable enough to serve as a bed. In fact, I wondered if I would be able to purchase one from the merchants to have for myself. Tapestries hung from every wall, one next to the other in such proximity that it was nearly impossible to see the actual wall beneath. Their images displayed everything from a simple bowl of Albaterran fruit to A’li-uud in gory, bloody battles. On the floor beneath my feet was a shag-style rug of such a rich turquoise it could have blended perfectly into the sky, and my pouf was only one of many scattered throughout the room. It was like I’d stepped into living technicolor.

“I must admit,” Sevani said as he entered through the elegant archway, “I did not expect to find you here when Zuran called me out of my meeting.”

He was wearing robes as usual, but, in contrast to the vivid hues around me, they looked dark and depressing and completely out of place. In fact, his entire person looked out of place. Even though he was standing right in front of me, it was still difficult to picture him anywhere but Pentaba—aside from P’otes-tat Ulti, of course.

“I need to discuss something very important with you,” I told him urgently. He lifted a brow of interest and lowered himself gracefully to a vermillion pouf several poufs away from mine. “I would like to defect from the colony.”

His brow was already lifted, but it soared higher and higher until it was mere centimeters from becoming part of his silver hair. “I am afraid I do not understand.”

“I wish to reside outside of the colony,” I reworded. Motioning uselessly with my hands, I added, “With Khrel.”

“You wish to live here in the Elder palace?” he asked in disbelief.

“No,” I said quickly. “I want to live in Pentaba with Khrel.”

Understanding crossed his fierce features, and he lowered his face to his lap as though he were thinking about what I said. Without looking at me, he asked, “Is Khrel aware of your desire?”

“I haven’t mentioned it to him yet,” I admitted reluctantly. “But I think it would be best for all involved. Especially him. He’s not the same here.”

“What is different about him?” Sevani inquired, raising his face again to peer at me.

“He’s not happy. He loves being War Chief—I know he does—and he can’t do that here. The whole time you were having him watch over me in his house, he was going crazy because he couldn’t be out in the kingdom with his warriors, doing his part. He needs to do his part.” I almost wanted to quote Zuran, but I held back and continued, trying to make my plea as heartfelt as I could. “Khrel is only in Dhal’at because of me, Sev…Elder Sevani. You know that. I don’t want to lose him, but I don’t want him to sacrifice his purpose for me either.”

“His purpose,” Sevani mused, folding his hands in his lap so his sleeves fell over them. “You seem to feel quite passionate about this, Lena.”

“I am passionate about Khrel,” I said emphatically. “And he is passionate about Pentaba. Please, if you let me leave the colony, I could live with him in his house, and he could do what he loves to do.”

The Elder looked at me sternly. “You and the other colonists were sent to Dhal’at for your safety. The Novai have not left their camp in Pentaba, and I have no qualms telling you that there are still rogues venturing beyond their boundaries into civilian territory. To permit you not only to return to Pentaba but to do so without the security of a colony would be irresponsible.”

“It’s my risk to take,” I argued. “Besides, Khrel’s house is in the Capital, and the camp is nowhere near the Capital. And I know Khrel would never let anything happen to me. And,” I added haughtily, “you may think otherwise, but I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I know there is evidence to the contrary, but I’m different now. I’ve learned.”

Sevani pondered what I told him without blinking. His chest rose and fell slowly as he considered my proposal. Finally, when I was beginning to itch for a response, he asked bluntly, “How can you be sure this arrangement you have concocted will suit Khrel?”

“I can’t,” I responded honestly. “I’m hoping it will, though. I know what I feel for him, and I’m pretty sure he feels the same way for me.”

“And what way might that be, Lena?” He leaned forward on the pouf to gaze piercingly at me.

I looked back at him with bold sanguinity. “I love him.”