Star of The Guardians - King's Sacrifice

King's Sacrifice (1991): Six months have passed, and there is no sign of Abdiel--except in the reflection of a water glass standing on the desk of Galactic President Peter Robes. It seems that Abdiel was actually the man who orchestrated the Revolution. Dion is now a public celebrity, but has not managed to take any concrete steps towards establishing his rule. Sagan returns home to the monastery of the Order of Adamant, where he was born (his father had only one lapse in his life, but it clearly bore fruit), as Sagan the Elder lies on his death bed. It turns out to be a trap orchestrated by Abdiel, however. Abdiel takes Sagan to the Corasian galaxy, where he plans on--and will succeed at--prying the secrets of the space-rotation bomb from Sagan's head and selling them to the Corasians. Maigrey organizes a rescue mission, while Dion sojourns on the home planet of one of his staunchest supporters, Bear Olefsky, a trip that doubles as Nola's and Tusk's honeymoon. There he meets Kamil Olefsky, Bear's daughter, and they fall in love. Shortly thereafter, however, he is forced to pledge his hand to the daughter of one of his other allies so that Maigrey's rescue attempt will succeed. Maigrey collects her supporters, including Brother Daniel, a member of Sagan's order, and Xris and his Mag Force 7 team. With Dion's eventual backup, she succeeds in rescuing Sagan and slaying Abdiel--but at the cost of several lives, including her own. Sagan, fulfilling a prophecy, is forced to kill her with his own hand to prevent Abdiel's final blow from driving her insane. The planetoid is then destroyed; Sagan disappears, presumed lost.

The novel closes with Dion's coronation. He welcomes John Dixter into the government as the Lord of Admiralty; says good-bye to Tusk and Nola, the only friends he's ever had; prepares to meet his fiancee for the first time and marry her moments after; and welcomes Archbishop Fideles--Brother Daniel--as the new head of the galactic clergy. At the abbey of the Order of Adamant, monks and lay people watch the ceremony with joy, including a new member, Brother Paenitens.