Shades of Gray by Lisanne Norman Read Free Book Online Page B

including the Prince. Surely six of your commandos can ensure Zsurtul’s safety in a battle suit?”
    “Of course.”
    “Six?” Banner asked sharply. “That means no other Sholans.”
    “I want you to stay with Kezule and lead one of the HALO units with the rest of our crew,” Kusac said, shifting slightly in his seat in an effort to ease the still-increasing pain.
    “No,” his Second said flatly. “I’m coming with you.”
    Kusac locked eyes with him until Banner looked away. “I’ll take Khadui with me,” he compromised. “You and Jayza will be with Kezule and our people from the Couana .”
    Kezule switched off the holo image and, pushing his chair back, stood up. “We’re going with this idea. It’s time for the evening meal. Take a break, discuss it among yourselves, and be back here in two hours to thrash out the finer details.”
    As everyone began to get to their feet, Kezule held Kusac back. “Stay,” he said. “We need to talk privately. M’kou, have meals brought here for the two of us.”
    “Yes, General.”
     
    “Take the damned analgesic,” said Kezule when they were alone. “I’d be as bad as you in the same circumstances, but that doesn’t make you right.”
    Kusac gave a low rumble of annoyance, but he followed Kezule’s advice, pushing his tunic aside and pressing the hypo against his thigh more vigorously than he intended.
    “You’re avoiding your family.”
    “I’m trying to get this job done as quickly as possible,” he said, wincing. He concentrated on stowing away the empty hypo. Already he could feel the drug coursing through his system, dulling the pain from the still-healing blaster wound in his upper thigh, and the cut in his side where Dzaou’s knife had stabbed him clear up to the hilt yet somehow left virtually no wound.
    “The young Emperor is our only hope, Kusac,” said Kezule, changing the topic abruptly. “I won’t have him put needlessly at risk.”
    “Then we’ve little chance on our own of retaking the Palace. You might as well destroy it and start again.” He heard the bite in his tone and, ears tilting slightly, opened his mouth to apologize.
    “Forget it,” said Kezule, with a gesture of dismissal. “Has the analgesic cut in yet? Fighting Dzaou like that in your condition was foolish.”
    “I know it was, but I had no choice,” he said, frowning as a wave of dizziness swept over him, and he realized he was having to force his eyes to focus on the General.
    “Destroying the Palace isn’t an option; neither is losing Zsurtul. I have no intention of ruling. I’ll stay and help him if he wants me to, but that’s all.”
    “You’ll leave Kij’ik and all you fought so hard to build?” Kusac asked, realizing, as a false sense of warmth and well-being began to steal through him that Zayshul had laced the drug with a sedative. He sat up, trying to fight off the effects.
    “Of course not!” said Kezule, offended. “I intended to convince Zsurtul to continue my plan, but on K’oish’ik. We have more than enough land to accommodate as many Ch’almuthians as want to leave their world to escape the M’zullian raids. As for Kij’ik, I’ll have it towed into the Prime system and manned as a defensive outpost.”
    Kezule stopped, and leaned closer to him. “What’s wrong?” he demanded.
    “Your wife put a sedative in the hypo as well as an analgesic,” he said, blinking owlishly as he grasped the arm of his chair.
    Kezule swore and reached for a drinking bowl and the jug of water nearby. “I can’t have you falling asleep on me,” he said, pouring Kusac a drink. “We need to refine that plan of yours!” He held the bowl out, helping him to hold it steady. “This is important, Kusac. What did you do when you went into that healing trance? I don’t mean your own mental disciplines, did you do anything else?”
    “Like what?” he asked, taking a couple of mouthfuls and then pushing the bowl aside. “That won’t help, the