Page 137 of Seer Prophet

“No,” Chandre said.

Stepping forward from where she’d stood by the door, she glared around at the rest of them, arms crossed.

“I love the Sword.” She jerked her chin forward as she spoke. “I will follow him, if my Bridge commands it. I will give him my life, if she demands that, too.” She stared directly at me. “Butyouare my leader, Esteemed Bridge. Not him.”

I felt a pulse of agreement off Wreg, who glared at Balidor.

“I second that,” Wreg said, his voice gruff.

Hearing the emotion there, I looked at him, then at Jon, who also looked angry.

Exhaling at the frustration I felt on Balidor’s light, as well as how closed he felt, I looked down at the table, leaning on the mirrored surface with both palms.

“I know you are not happy with me right now, brother Balidor, for ganging up on you like this.” I shook my head, clicking softly. “But I chose to ask the question this way, first, with just a few of us, rather than bring it to a public forum.” I measured the expression in his gray irises. “Perhaps I should ask you this. Do you agree we have a problem in our command structure?”

I saw a different look flicker across Balidor’s eyes.

As it did, some of the anger left his light.

After another pause, where I watched him think, he abruptly relaxed.

“Yes,” he said, exhaling.

“What do you propose?” I asked, my voice harder. “What would you suggest to me, assuming you wish to offer your advice?”

Balidor thought about that, too.

I watched as a deeper understanding penetrated his face and his light, in a way that it hadn’t before, especially not last night on the pier when we talked.

“I think you are correct.” Balidor raised his eyes, meeting my gaze. I felt the apology in his light, even before he voiced it. “You have my sincere apology, Esteemed Bridge. You are absolutely correct that I acted wrongly in this… and that the current situation is untenable. I have inadvertently caused the situation today, by permitting information to become segmented, rather than ensuring that it reached you… and your entire leadership team… unfiltered.”

Pausing, Balidor frowned. His eyes grew distant as he seemed to be thinking more concretely about this.

“…If you will permit me a few hours,” he continued. “I would like to attempt to contact the leader of the Children of the Bridge.”

Wreg rounded on him, his black eyes holding a thinly disguised fury.

“You pigfucker. You’re incontactwith them?”

Balidor’s jaw hardened. His gaze never wavered from mine.

“If you will give me that time, Esteemed Sister,” he continued, his voice deferential. “…I will ask her permission directly, if I may be released from the oath I gave her, that I would disclose nothing about her people, or about her, to any living soul.” He hesitated, his eyes holding an apology. “…Including you, Esteemed Bridge.”

I blinked, surprised.

Turning over his words, I gave him a seer’s nod.

“Granted,” I said.

He nodded, then met my gaze again.

“I will also speak to Tarsi,” he added, his eyes holding an additional meaning. “About the other question you raised, regarding your husband’s light, and the fears we have about its potential interactions with Menlim’s construct.”

That time, I felt my light open for real.

“Thank you,” I said. “I would very much appreciate it. Especially since I still intend for us to attempt an extraction in Dubai.”

For a longer pause, no one moved, or spoke.

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