"I don't believe you," said Men Darnak. "He's here."
"Principal," said Witness Kovaar from the background. "Why don't you -- ?"
"Shut your noise, Priest," he said. Kovaar was becoming like an annoying drone in the back of his head. "No. I'm going to find Roge." He pushed past Ky Menin. Ka Vail reached out to stop him, but he shrugged off the hand and pushed past. He left them standing there in the garage. He would find Roge. If he found Roge, he could make this right. Karryl Ky Menin had gone too far. He was Principal, dammit. The man had no right to say those things.
A voice was crying out behind him. It sounded like Kovaar. No, damn Kovaar. Damn them all. Ky Menin might have been right about Karin, but he had absolutely no right to say it.
#
Back in the garage, Sandon leaned heavily against the doorframe of the small rear room. Two days stuck in darkness with limited food had done nothing to improve his fatigue. It looked like things were worse than he thought. Men Darnak's behavior was like nothing he expected from the old man. Gone was the reasoned rational discussion; gone was the command and authority. Ky Menin had stood over him and made him quiver. It was almost as if Men Darnak had shrunk under Ky Menin's verbal assault. The refusal to listen was not so unusual, but the flight to find Roge, it was irrational. What had happened to the man to change him so much?
He turned to Witness Kovaar. "Where are the rest of the men," he asked in a low voice.
"What rest?" said Kovaar, still staring out the garage door. "The three we came with, and that's it."
Sandon frowned. That wasn't right either. Leannis Men Darnak always traveled with a full entourage. The two Guildmasters after a brief discussion wandered out, seeming to have forgotten that Kovaar and he were even there. Sandon pushed himself upright.
"We should see where the Principal has gone," he said.
Kovaar seemed to remember where he was. He turned to look at Sandon, frowned, gave him a long look and then said, "Yes, of course, you are right."
"So what happened to the rest of the men?"
"The Prophet dictates the place of things and the rights of Order. When the storms approach, those who fear the Prophet's wrath run and hide."
It was Sandon's turn to frown. The man was talking nonsense. "What are you talking about, Witness Kovaar? What happened to the men?"
"The Prophet guides all men to be in their rightful place."
Sandon gave another weary sigh and headed for the open door. A moment more, and Kovaar caught him up with a brisk step. As he passed the groundcars, Sandon paused. There was space for three. Only two were there. He could see the marks of where the other had been parked. A dust sheet lay bundled on one of the side benches.
"What is it, Tchardo?" asked Kovaar.
"I don't know," he answered. "Something strange. These machines."
"Think only on what you should," said Kovaar. "Leave your hate of technology behind for a moment or two. We need to find the Principal."
Together they headed toward the house, Sandon feeling stiff and sore from sitting for too long in the same position locked in the cramped back room. Of Men Darnak and the two Guildmasters, there was no sign. The three men who had come with him now stood near the gate, holding their padders' reins and talking among themselves. Sandon headed in that direction.
"Have any of you seen which way the Principal went?"
"Tchardo! What happened to you?" It was the boy, Fran.
"Hello, Fran. It's good to see you again. It's a long story and we haven't the time at the moment. I'll tell you later. We need to find the Principal."
"He headed up to the house. The Guildmasters followed not much after."
"All right, Fran. You wait here. I'll go and find the Principal."
"No," said Kovaar. "You had best wait here, Tchardo. I will go."
