Davin's Quest by Bianca D'Arc Page B

call from Callie and spent over an hour talking with her as he flew back to his home base. He told her about his meeting with Harry and Caleb and gave her a firsthand report of how they looked and sounded. He even related some of the jokes they had shared over lunch and they laughed as he sped through the skies, back toward his work.
    It was late by the time he returned to the engineering facility. Most of the workers were gone for the evening, but he found Selva at his desk. A picture of Callie was up on the screen when he entered and it was clear his overzealous assistant was rooting through his personal files.
    “What do you think you’re doing?”
    The screen went blank as Selva turned and stood from his desk. She faced him squarely, clearly unable to feel fear or embarrassment at being caught spying.
    “Surely you know that as a throwback you are under constant surveillance. You had hidden contraband files on your personal crystals that had to be reported to the Council.”
    “You sent those images to the Council?”
    Selva nodded and suddenly it all clicked into place. The danger to Callie was from the Council—or the soldiers they would send to apprehend her now that it was known she was somehow involved with their unstable Chief Engineer.
    Rage filled him, hotter than any anger he’d ever felt before. But Davin knew if he stalked over and choked the life out of Sevla—as he longed to do—he would never be able to see Callie ever again and more importantly, he wouldn’t be able to help her. So he tamped down his rage and quickly formulated a plan.
    “Selva, you’re a bitch.” The unfeeling woman didn’t even flinch at his curse. “You are no longer my assistant. Pack your things and leave this facility.”
    49
     

Chapter Five
    “You don’t have the authority to demote me,” Selva challenged him.
    “I’m still Chief Engineer here. You have little crystal gift. I’ve tolerated you because you are easily mounted, but you are a mediocre crystallographer at best and not gifted enough to be of any real use as my assistant. Get out or I’ll have the guards throw you out.”
    She walked past him to the door. “I will take this up with the Council.”
    “You do that. But you should also realize that I’m more valuable to them than you are. It’s my request they will honor, not yours.”
    He watched her go, all the while planning his next move. He’d have to leave right away if he wanted to beat the Council’s soldiers. He’d alert Callie and tell her to tell her parents, but as skilled as they were, they wouldn’t stand a chance against Alvian assault troops.
    He grabbed a few necessities and ran back out to his vehicle. He fired up the engines and took off before anyone even knew what he was about. Fiddling with the crystals, he made his trail untraceable—a trick that few other crystallographers would have thought of or even been able to accomplish. But he’d planned for all contingencies for some time now. As a throwback, he never knew when they’d come for him and he hadn’t wanted to die that way. Better to become a mad hermit in the Waste than die in a government cell.
    He pushed the little craft, headed as fast as he could possibly manage to the Waste. While he flew, he activated the communication crystal and hoped Callie would answer.
    After about five minutes of intense sweating, she answered.
    “Callie!”
    “What is it? We just talked less than an hour ago.”
    “You’re in danger.”
    “Yeah, Papa Caleb just communicated his warning through Harry. Everyone’s on alert over here. It was hard to get out of the house to talk with you.”
    Davin knew it was time to reveal their secret communication. “I want you to bring the crystal with you into the house and get your parents. I have something I have to say to them.”
    “But they don’t know about the crystal!”
    “I know. But this is too important, Callie. You have to tell them. I have to tell them what’s