“Queen Molly, I am well to manage our kingdom—”

Milly nodded to her husband and he put Tom in his leiwege by ours, anyway.

She got up there. Sighed. “First Prince Antomias, King Challet is very worried about you and your council. You have the Diplomatic Link, and I do, too. Do you hear him?

Tom, why do I nae hear Nito in my link?

Liege, he sleeps, for his prog ran. He asked me to meet with our council--

I nae wish this. Tom, we are well. Ryee, Ryonne~’s well clone, came to us to trade for us today, at Ryonne~’s insistence! He has been here daily, on his respite, all this week despite my insistence that our trade bal rises. So many friends came to trade for me, we are very well, and all worlds of Alb are well! I fear for them, but all of Alb fears for us, and Rahn Estar even more than K’hasa Zha! I spoke with all my kings, every one. Except Nito! Milly tells me you have moisture on you and call her Molly. Are you well, Tom?

He gasped. I caught that, the last 3 times. Perhaps I am nae. His face turned a striking orange.

I am far weary, but I listen as Milly speaks. Please, do as she says! I nae wish to lose you, either of you. Farley, nae think to travel soon. I have an army of diplomats from Fhiah and MarKu who are well and ported to all our worlds. All five of you ignored my pleas and Galarsmen is unwell. I wish Pas to act as your master healer until you can have an Ishah you deem well. Pirad offered to send you a clone of Via, if Pas feels Galarsmen is well to accept his help. All is nae well in all of your worlds, and I nae know why.

“Because Mican trained Galarsmen to poison everybody! He wanted to take over the Tessite mine. He’s Councillor of the Black Cube, whatever that means.”

I felt a lot of people listening to me, and Farley paled!

Millie put both her hands on Farley’s head. “You are overusing your telepathy, Farleikon! Let Ben help you.”

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Binneas added his hands, and Farley wept. I held him—carefully--so they kept their hands there.

“I must be well to help Tom!”

Tom added his hands. “I am well for this, Friends. Farley has been very unwell!”

King Challet got very upset! Millie, heal my friends! Mican was a Councillor?! You nae tried to fight him, did you? Ejis faea naea!

“Galarsmen did, and he hurt him! He was going to give him umar seg, but—” I shared those memories. Didn’t Pirad?

Lady Ella, Pirad Of Esta Faho died, but he destroyed Mican before he did. I think if he knew, this is why, and we nae knew! I fear for Micansen! He is very unwell and nae is in my link.

I will send—ejis nae, I can nae touch Nathan—Jos will go. He is more well than any of us. Nae, I challenged Mican with words, nae telepathy. Does Pas know he fought a Councillor?

Now he does. He heard Bedelia’s memory when she first heard it. That’s Pas Of Elshar Zheiea. Pas Of Esta Faho—he also knew about it, but didn’t find any damage! That’s dangerous! Why didn’t he see it?

Farley shuddered. “We have terminals from Lisbaar, made for Zheien, to augment our telepathy. They trained us to hide from Mican.”

My son, this time is past, that you need to hide! Pirad sent another of his clones and he comes.

I looked up and he put a hand on Farley’s head. His three sets of orange pupils flew apart. “These terminals are not for you! Where did Lisbaar get them? Gedda Dier did not have permission to use this kind of technology!”

“When Jain was attacked by Eriganh, you know ScSv teams went to study. One found a building with very advanced weaponry. Some of the same weaponry they used against factions of their kind. I think Eriganh supplied them, then the temptation was too great nae to eliminate those who had conflict with them. Eriganh probably knew they would destroy themselves, and when I toured our weapons facility, I saw Jain markings.”

I felt a wave of awe as someone else got in the mindlink. Ry’nao. Farley shook all over.

My son, let Milly heal you. Nae hide. The time for hiding is past. I wish Pirad to remove your terminals--

“My emperor, we all had these terminals because nae of us could work without them! Must I loose them?”

Let Pirad see you before I answer.

Now I felt panicky! They put terminals in my husband’s brain! People aren’t the same after those things are removed!