Empire: Book 2, The Chronicles of the Invaders (The Chronicles of the Invaders Trilogy) Read Online Free PDF Page B

Nairene libraries, or reading their precious books, or even looking the Sisters in the eye.”
    “You can’t leave me here alone!” Syl had sobbed, but Althea merely hugged her tightly, breathing in the scent of her near daughter’s hair.
    “You’re not alone; you have Ani. You have each other. And you have a mission to fulfill, as do I,” said Althea. “I know you’re both safe here; I know Syrene has no intention of harming you—at least not physically. I can’t guarantee she won’t try to play with your emotions, but I have faith in your ability to handle that kind of nastiness. Meanwhile, I have my own business to attend to.”
    “What business?” said Syl, although she remembered all too clearly what Ani said about seeing Althea kiss a human. Passionately , Ani had said, but Syl was sure she’d been imagining any lust. Althea wasn’t the sort for such things, surely.
    “Oh, my little one”—and Althea laughed drily as she looked up at her charge, so much taller than herself these days—“you know it’s best if I keep my own business to myself. Then you can’t tell, or be forced to tell.”
    “When will you go?”
    “Well, that’s the thing. As your supposed maid”—she looked at Syl archly—“the request for my removal from the planet needs to come from you, as my mistress. I need you to inform the Sisterhood that you no longer want me here.”
    Syl looked at her, shaking her head. “How . . . ?”
    “Tell them you’re tired of having me hovering over. Tell them you feel like a child tripping over your nursemaid constantly, and that you’d be able to fit in better without me here, to make friends if I’m not hanging around. Tell them you want independence. Tell them I’m annoying—I really don’t care. They’ll be delighted to be shot of me, though, so it hardly matters. Please, will you just do it, Syl?”
    Syl stared at her feet.
    “Of course I will.”
    “Thank you.”
    “But when will you return, Althea?”
    “If you summon me. Being your lowly governess prevents me from making such decisions for myself.”
    “So you’ll come if I call?”
    Althea laughed again. “As fast as the nearest wormhole will allow. But promise me you’ll be safe, Syl. Be careful. Look after Ani. Take care of each other.”
    Syl had done as Althea requested, and her governess had left smartly on the next ship off Avila Minor, but not without more tears, for they had never been apart for more than a few days, and not before Syl had implored her to try to find out what she could about Paul Kerr and his brother Steven, and if they were safe. Althea had frowned disapprovingly, but seeing Syl’s distress, she’d finally nodded her assent: she would try.
    Now Althea’s room waited, neat and strangely sterile. She’d changed her bed linen before she left, but some of her clothes hung like a promise in her modest wardrobe, and her favorite volume of poetry lay bookmarked on her desk. It was a small comfort. Otherwise, the living arrangements were companionable—or had been until it became clear that Ani and Syl were to be treated differently by the Sisterhood.
    The Sisters, through Syrene, had become aware of Ani’s abilities. She was a natural psychic, and those with any sort of mind powers were of great interest to the Sisterhood, for such individuals were very rare. This was why Tanit and her gang, with their assorted mind tricks and tortures, were given so much leeway. Ani’s own skill appeared less harmful, for hers was an ability merely to cloud minds, a minor gift as far as Tanit’s hellcats were concerned. But it was a gift Dessa also had, and one in which she had proved to be most adept.
    Syl grimaced in confusion as she pondered the motive behind what could only have been Dessa’s intervention earlier—her conspiratorial nod as Syl and Elda had hurried away had confirmed as much.
    Perhaps Tanit and her gang had forgotten that deep, dark Dessa could make others see what she wanted