Chapter 39

Vorongil touched his arm. "Come, Bartol," he said gently, "I'm taking you back to the _Swiftwing_. I don't have to treat you like a prisoner, do I?" Numbly, Bart gave what the old Lhari asked, his word of honor not to attempt escape (_Escape? Where to?_) or to attempt to enter the drive chamber of the _Swiftwing_ while they were still among the Lhari worlds. As they left the council hall, Bart, in a gesture of despair, covered his face with his hands. As he brought them down, he found himself staring at them, trans…