Ambasadora (Book 1 of Ambasadora) Read Online Free PDF Page B

his mind to rest and wander. It annoyed him to have this
meditation interrupted, especially today.
    The approaching forms became
recognizable as Archivist Phoebe Lewellyn and her contractor bodyguards.
    The woman’s blue-streaked blonde
hair almost glowed in the harsh lighting.
    “Hello, Contractor
Varden.” Phoebe motioned her escort ahead. “May we speak?”
    The mayfly holo-broach securing
her pink wrap fluttered its wings.
    “I have a few moments before
the Sovereign expects me.” Rainer kept the movement of Phoebe’s bodyguards
in sight at all times.
    “The Sovereign hasn’t been
himself recently. He dismissed the quorum today without even making an
appearance. I hope he’s not still ill.” The gaze of her dark green eyes
watched Rainer closely, but he was too disciplined to display any tells.
    “He was fine when I saw him
yesterday. He’s a busy man.”
    “Too busy to meet with his
own advisors?”
    “Maybe he no longer needed
your advice.” Rainer and Phoebe both knew the Quorum of Archivists served
only as figureheads to make Prollixer’s rule fall more into line with the
History teachings. There had always been archivists, would always be. Even the
Sovereign couldn’t change History, but he could decide how History was
interpreted, like giving the other archivists no real political
responsibilities.
    “Anything else?” Rainer
asked.
    “No, just my concern for our
dear Sovereign. Good day.”
    Rainer had regarded the woman
with suspicion for some time. Normally his instincts were dead on. He imagined
it wouldn’t be long before Archivist Lewellyn met with misfortune.
     
    Within the medical suite, Rainer
followed a white beam of horizontal light as it passed over Sara’s naked form
and projected its readings into the air above her. A doctor studied the scan
silently.
    Sara’s will to survive continued
to impress Rainer. An urge surfaced to touch her hand, but he quelled it
immediately. Each time he had left her at Prollixer’s mercy he took with him
the memory of her touch; the pressure, the swish of her thumb, the signaling of
need. The power he held to elevate her mood, take away her pain, and give her
hope fed his emotions almost as much as his ego.
    A hint of roses enveloped her,
thanks to new scentbots. Breathing a little deeper, he couldn’t remember how
she smelled before. It didn’t matter; this smell was as fresh and new as her
body. He stared at every detail of her.
    The changes to her appearance
played with him. Her lips were fuller, her nose a little wider. And the scars
were all gone.
    Sara’s reconstruction didn’t
technically constitute a breach in law. Allowances were made for little fixes
all the time, but her alterations took away any natural attributes she had once
had, at least so far as Rainer was concerned. Mores and tradition still held
more sway with him than laws.
    Seeing her lying there both
excited and disturbed him.
    “How is my newest
ambasadora?” the Sovereign asked from the doorway.
    The doctor stood straighter.
    Rainer stepped back from the
post-op table and avoided Prollixer’s stare.
    “I didn’t expect you to
personally check on…I mean, you didn’t visit any of the other
ambasadoras,” the doctor said.
    The Sovereign made no response.
    The doctor cleared his throat and
continued. “She’ll be coming out of the anesthesia soon.”
    “The implantation was
successful?” Prollixer walked over to the bed where Sara lay, exposed and
vulnerable in her drug-induced sleep.
    The doctor peeled back the single
bandage covering her right arm. “Yes, all the cells grafted well. And, as
you can see, the intra-tattoo’s design is flawless.”
    “How can you tell with all
the bruising?”
    Hundreds of puncture wounds in
varying shades of purple and black covered her entire arm from the back of her
hand to her shoulder. The site of more marks marring Sara’s new skin angered
Rainer.
    “It looked much better when
the light matrix covered her skin during