A worried expression appeared on Crispin's face.
'They're not like what I expected.'
Liala wasn't fussed. 'The prophecies say the Lord of Light will appear in the guise of an ordinary man and bring his servant with him. I think they're dressed like that to fool the guardians.'
'You could be right.'
He peered at the two men.
'Which one is the Lord of Light?'
'Don't know,' Liala shrugged. 'I'll find out when I meet them.'
'How will you do that?'
'I'll say I'm Princess Liala and wait for them to reply.'
'But he won't use his proper name.'
'No. He'll say he's the professor. It wouldn't be safe to say who he really is. The guardians would kill him if they found out.'
Crispin followed his sister's gaze to the palace on the hill. The guardians ruled from there. They lived in luxury while the people starved. Father called them the Lords of Darkness. Father said the people used to choose their leaders and run their own lives. Now they had to do as the guardians told them.
Father called his own family the Children of Light. The guardians called them the Royal Family. They captured the royals when they seized power. The Royal Family kept their titles but little else. Father was imprisoned and officially dead. Mother lived in the palace and was the guardians' mouthpiece.
They called her the Dowager Queen and threatened to kill her children if she didn't do as she was told. The rest of the family were free to do as they liked so long as they confined their activities to marine science. Crispin and his cousins were fanatical scientists.
Liala had no time for science and loved to be outdoors. She leant over the workbench to get a better view of the tablet. Faint images had appeared on the screen. They came and went ... flitting past the entrance to the sanctuary pool.
'Orcas!' Crispin drew in a deep breath.
'Are you sure?'
'Yes. The dolphins have sensed their presence.'
'I'd better take my gun.'
Crispin looked aghast. 'You can't go out there now.'
'I have to.' Liala reached for her dolphin suit.
'Not with orcas around ... it's far too dangerous.'
'I don't have a choice, Crispin. We've waited years for this moment. We can't let a few killer whales get in the way.'
'But, they are not just ordinary killer whales. The orcas are controlled by the guardians ... that's why they are there.'
'That makes it all the more important why I should go out and meet the Lord of Light.' Liala checked her air bottles. 'If I don't he will fall into their hands. I can't leave it to the dolphins.'