Excerpt of The Gem And The Star by Linda Kilgren

Sashna raced behind Cwen on her bay stallion, trying to close the distance. The field was three kilometers wide and four kilometers long, surrounded by a high wall made of alloy. Cwen's manner of riding was reckless. Sashna hoped she could catch her before something disastrous happened.

Cwen urged Samson to greater speed as the visisions of Otas wrapped in Narda's embrace assualted her mind. Without warning, Samson began to fight her, bucking in a circle, then veering to the right at a fast gallop. Cwen tried to stop him by tugging on his mane. It had no effect. Samson, ducked hi head with a snort, freeing his mane from her grasp.

Cwen was panicked for the horse was heading straight for the wall. She had no doubts that Samson could clear the barrier, but she had no idea what lay on the other side.

As horse and rider approached the wall, Cwen had a flash of precognition. This fortress was on a mountain. What lay on the other side was a long, long drop. Frantic, she grabbed Samson's mane again, tugging with all her strength.

Samson halted abruptly just short of the wall. Cwen kept going, sailing over the wall into space.

For those who witnessed it, none could tell who's scream was louder. Sashna's or the Queen's.

"I shouldn't have taken Cwen to the Agro–deck," Vlad said as he paced in the Overlord's chambers. "It never even occurred to me that she would figure out who Narda was."

Otas, shirtless, had his back to Vlad, staring out the window. "What''s done is done. I'll just have to deal with it."

"But the way Cwen took off on Samson. . ." Vlad ran his hand through his brown hair.

"She can ride like––" Otas broke off and spun around quickly. His eyes turned pure gold as he raced to the center of the room, holding out his arms. "Daul–mae!"

Vlad started to ask him what was wrong when suddenly a screaming Cwen popped into view just below the domed ceiling. She landed in Otas' arms, but her momentum sent them crashing to the floor.

"Ha–nu–nim!" Vlad shouted as he ran to the couple crumpled on the floor.

Cwen continued to scream, not realizing where she was. Otas kept repeating "Daul–mae!" over and over.

Vlad knelt down. "Cwen! Cwen! You're safe!"

Through her screams, she recognized Vlad's voice. She shut her mouth when she saw where she was. Cwen was on Otas' lap. Her husband's face was as white as Ma–shil–kot, his eyes wide and gold.

"Daul–mae! Daul–mae!" he swore as he placed a hand on her belly. His children were all right. But that didn't stop his terror. "Daul–mae!"

Cwen slapped at his hand but he refused to move it.

"Daul–mae!" came out of Otas again.

"Vlad, what's he saying?"

"Um, there isn't an English translation," Vlad answered.

Cwen looked at Otas. "Is it anything like shit!"

"Close enough."

"Daul–mae!"

"Sa–Jang!" she yelled.

"Daul–mae!" he said, his hand still on her tummy.

"Husband, look at me! " Cwen grabbed his face. "I'm safe. You teleported me to safety!"

That got Otas' attention. "Katai, I did not teleport you here."

"Then, how––"

"You did it yourself." Finally he removed his hand from her abdomen, and ran it through his hair. "Daul–mae."

She slapped a hand over his mouth. "Don't start that again!"

Otas just stared at her, the color returning to his face.

"I––I saw the ground coming up at me real fast. All I could think about was never seeing you again. I guess that activated my teleportation receptors."

Suddenly his eyes began to churn with orange flames. "Kom–un Chi–ok! What made you ride out like that with no thought to your safety?"

"I've ridden Samson like that many times. It was like something took over his mind. He was a comletely different animal."

Vlad and Otas stared at each other in silence so long Cwen became nervous. "What? What?"

"Narda," they said together.

"You mean to tell me that she has the power to––"

"Tat–da Wi–e, Shut up, Katai!" Otas said as he pulled her up and gently sat her on the futon.

Vlad cocked his head, "Sashna says the horse is calm now."

Otas only nodded as he sent a telepathic message to the guards.

Cwen kept her mouth shut as her husband had ordered. He looked gigantic in his rage. No. He was more than angry. The Overlord was fit to kill.

With a stirring of air, two bulky Liambrian males appeared with a struggling Narda between them. She spotted Cwen instantly. "You live?"

Otas stepped in front of her. "The Queen is alive!"

Trying to free herself from the guards, Narda shouted, "No! You belong to me! She should be dead!"

"You are evil and insane! You have no knowledge of what power Ku Yo–Wang possesses. She saved herself!" Otas turned to look at Cwen.

On instinct alone, Cwen rose and stood next to her husband.

"What is your wish, Yo–Wang?"

Only for a second did Cwen hesitate, the memory of the rocks flying towards her face surfacing. She looked Narda directly in the eye. "I demand Chi–u–da!"

Narda tried to shrink pack from the Overlord, but he grabbed her neck and gripped her head between hi thumb and forefinger. Cwen couldn't see his eyes turn into pie–wedges of yellow, gold, orange, and red. But she could hear Narda's screams of agony. They were nauseating and terrifying, but Cwen forced herself to stand erect and watch Narda's tortured expression.

It was over in seconds. Narda's lips flapped soundlessly. "What time–frame do you want us to send her to, Sa–Jang?" one of the guards said.

"I care not! Get her out of my sight!"

The guards wasted no time doing as the Overlord ordered.

The Overlord turned to his Queen. "Katai, I––" Otas caught Cwen before she hit the floor. Lifting her in his arms he said, "Daul–mae! This is too much excitement for a pregnant female."

"Daul–mae," was all Vlad could add.