Breaker (Ondine Quartet Book 4) Read Online Free PDF Page A

physique.
    She opened her bag and offered him a tissue. He hastily took it and swiped his eyes.  
    To the left of the empty Governor’s seat, Tristan watched the procession of Redavi, his beautiful face a mask of grief.
    After hearing the news, he’d raced back from his kingdom and arrived moments before the ceremony began. We hadn’t even said hello yet.
    Jeeves once told me Tristan often came to Haverleau as a child and considered Rhian, his mother’s close friend, to be almost like an aunt.
    The glass tank on the other side of the Governor’s chair was conspicuously empty. Rhian had served alongside Jourdain for decades. Her lack of attendance was a deliberate insult directed at me.  
    The Redavi finished their procession. Each Council member stood and gave speeches filled with empty words that meant nothing.  
    Nanette Desmarais, a long-time Irisavie supporter, was the only one who displayed genuine emotion. Her eyes brimmed with loss as she spoke of her friend.  
    Tristan stood. His voice resonated with quiet power.  
    “Rhian Irisavie possessed many talents. She had a razor-sharp mind and a wit to match. She was fiercely loyal to her friends, her people, her family. She always provided what was needed: protection to those who were defenseless; support to those who needed belief; and resistance to those who would harm our innocents. The strength of her heart will fuel our legends.”
    Pressure suddenly built behind my eyes and I rapidly blinked.
    “Above all else, Rhian Irisavie was brave. She fought because she believed in us.” Tristan paused. “She was a tremendous leader and a great friend.”
    He returned to his seat. Polite applause filled the chamber.
    It was my turn.
    I slowly stood. Hundreds of gazes pressed against me.
    The entire speech I’d planned, everything I’d wanted to say about the Irisavies and Rhian’s sacrifices, fled from my mind.
    All I could think of was the first time she’d shown me the photos she’d taken over the years. The way she called me sondaleur in this chamber. How she’d built the ondine training center.
    And in the end, what emerged was a simple truth.
    “She waited for years, then welcomed me back.”  
    An uncomfortable silence descended.
    I sat down and stared at the table.  
    Council members shifted and murmurs stirred in the audience.
    A slow clap began, the sound reverberating like a booming heartbeat. A moment later, others joined in.
    I glanced up.
    Tristan’s eyes met mine as he applauded. His royal mask momentarily slid and I saw straight into him. He understood.
    The ceremony continued. By the time magic carried Rhian off on her final journey back to the sea, an aching restlessness had set in.
    I wanted a long, hot shower to wash off the deluge of fake words and false sentiment. But I wasn’t done yet.
    As Rhian’s remaining heir, it was my responsibility to accept condolence greetings on behalf of the Irisavie family. I plastered on a suitably bland smile and moved into the hallway.
    Nameless faces blurred around me, sympathetic words blending into a monotonous drone.    
    Thin arms suddenly wrapped around my waist.  
    “I’m sorry,” Helene whispered.
    She disappeared into the crowd before I could reply.
    Catrin moved beside me. “She’s having a difficult time.”
    Understandable. First, her sister’s recall. Then, the deaths in the Selkie Kingdom. Now this.
    “Are you leaving soon?”
    “Helene wants to stay so I’ve enrolled her at Lumiere. She’d like to train with Chloe and Amber.” A pause. “Like her sister.”
    Pride laced her tone. As a powerful Kinetic, Renee had helped launch the ondine training program. Helene would make an excellent recruit.  
    “And you?”
    Catrin’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Duty binds us all, Kendra. I have a community I must return to.”
    And grief she needed to work through alone.
    “I wish you’d stay.” She’d helped tremendously in New York. Having her near would be