Ada Nish Pura snippet

I'm still working on Ada. It's going well enough, and I'm pleased. I will be doing one more work through when I get all the additional material added and the changes in structure that I want. The last pass I make is always for details.

But here is a snippet of chapter 14 from this version:

"Wake up. We are sent for."

Marcus rolled over on the bed and looked up at Tara, blinking through exhaustion. His friend looked barely awake and worried.

"Sent for?" Marcus said sitting up as his heart rate rose knowing something must be wrong. He could feel it, like a breeze through the sasel.

Tara nodded and stepped back, grabbing robes and tossing him one. "All of us. I already told the Sel Tors. And Sarala. We must get to the Council Chambers."

A bell began to chime, low and long. It sent chills up his spine as he sat up.

"Call to battle," Tara said, standing still with shock. "Something has happened. Quickly!"

Marcus heard a fighter go overhead. "Where are the laser rifles?" he asked, panicked at the sound.

"Here at the sasel. You'll have little time to teach us, I fear."

Marcus had thrown on his robe, pulled the belt tight, started to pull back his hair and remembered not to. Tara hadn't stopped for shoes. Neither did Marcus. They headed out into the halls, bare feet on the cold tiles. The halls already swarmed with people. Some where herding children to some place else, and he even saw two Waiting Women -- wisely stepped back and out of sight behind Tara as those two and their companions turned down a different hall. He had ever seen so many people at the sasel, both Isu and Seaborn. Elis and Teyama caught up with them at the door to the chambers where Sarala already waited. The guards kept the rest of the people back, but they hurried Tara and his party inside. Tara gave his companions one wild, apprehensive look as they stepped into the room filled with silence, but not calm.

Marcus knelt beside the two Sel Tors, careful and polite, though he didn't think it would help. Something had gone wrong.

"The news is bad," Lady Sel Omay said. She stood and came to them, and that sent a chill through him. "The news is very bad."

She put her hands on Elis and Teyama's shoulders. Oh God, he thought. No.

"The rebels attacked your sasel during the night. We have word from seaborn who escaped and are being treated now for wounds."

"How bad Lady Sel Omay?" Elis dared to ask.

Tara made a little hissing sound at the break in protocol. The Lady, however, only bowed her head. Marcus didn't want to be here to witness this and hear of Sand attacking others. His people -- but not his people -- he was no more one of those Sand then the Sel Pena who had attacked him represented all of Kailani.

But that reasoning didn't help how he felt.

Elis looked up at her, all protocol gone, and she didn't reprimand him. Marcus could see her fingers tighten on Elis and Teyama's shoulders.

"Your Lady is dead," Lady Sel Omay said softly. "The Sasel is in ruins. Those who escaped think... they think none of the children or babies survived."

"No," Teyama whispered, and her hand went to her stomach. Her own child dead? Oh God, he didn't want to hear more of this.

And the Lady Sel Omay looked at him. "The Sel Tor interpreter said the attackers were searching for a sand -- a pilot -- who had been seen with a Sel Tor on Market Island."

"No!" He had gone to his feet without thought. Tara caught hold of him. He looked at Elis. "Sisa! Sisa! How could they? I never meant --"

And then he looked at the Lady and went back to his knees, tearing free of Tara's hold. "Give me to them! Give me to them now before they come here. Tell her, Tara -- I can't think the words."

Tara repeated them, his voice trembling.

"Nish."

Marcus forced calm, found the Kailani words again. She had to understand the danger of not turning him over. "Please, Lady Sel Omay --"

"They will come here anyway," she said. And she put her hand on his shoulder and held him down to his knees against the urge to run out and call down the next fighter that swept over them. He could hear one now, quartering the island, no doubt reading off the coordinates for targets. "Listen to me, Sand. They will come here anyway, just as they already went to Sel Pena and Market Island -- and as they did to your own people at the IWC. No, Sand. I will give No One over to these animals that kill children. Understand?"

He took a breath. He nodded. He looked at Elis and Teyama, both with tears on their cheeks, but Elis reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. "You did not do this, Marcus Sel Trevor. You did not bring them here or to Sel Tor. But you can help us drive them away."