Empire of Bones Read Online Free PDF Page B

of knowing.”
    “I wish I could go.”
    “Everyone on this mission has a job to do, Ma’am. Do you have any skills that would make it a good idea to bump one of them?” He certainly hoped not.
    Princess Kelsey shook her head. “I wish I did. Unfortunately, the life of a Princess isn’t very useful in providing real world experience.”
    After they finished their meal, they returned to the living room and talked late into the night. He knew he’d have to hustle in the morning in order to catch the early shuttle to Orbital One , but he was loath to disrupt the first real pleasant moment he’d had with his half-sister.
    Eventually, however, he had to leave. He rose to his feet. “As much as I have enjoyed our visit, I’m afraid I need to call it an evening. The mission briefing is early tomorrow…this morning. Thank you both for the exquisite meal…and for the pleasant conversation.”
    His father stood and shook his hand. “I look forward to hearing what you find. Know that the Empire and I are proud of you and we’re behind you completely.”
    “I pray you find everything you hope and more, Jared,” Princess Kelsey said. “Be careful out there. I look forward hearing about all your adventures when you return.”
    A different pair of guards waited for him when he left the Imperial residence. They led him back to the lift and escorted him to the underground garage. They stopped at the security checkpoint and let him walk to the grav car alone.
    He thought that was odd until he saw who was standing beside the vehicle. Crown Prince Ethan.
    “Your Highness,” Jared said in a tone free of inflection as he nodded his head forward. “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting long.”
    “Save your feeble attempts at humor, Bastard. I hope you had a good time tonight, because it won’t be happening again.”
    A chill ran up Jared’s spine. “Is that so?”
    The Prince stepped into his personal space. “For your sake, it had better be. This is the one and only warning I’m going to give you. I will not allow you to continue scheming against my family and me. Stay away or I will make certain you never trouble me and mine again. Am I clear?”
    “You act as though I have a choice. If you want to see the last of me, speak to your father. When the Emperor summons you, you come.”
    Prince Ethan’s expression contorted into a snarl. “You think you’re clever? Very well. We’ll do this the hard way.”
    Jared felt an uneasy sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach as he watched the Prince stalk away. Just what he needed—more Imperial intrigue. At least he’d have a few years reprieve before seeing his brother again. Perhaps the boy’s rancor would cool during Jared’s absence…before he did something they’d both most certainly regret.
     

Chapter Four
     
     
    Kelsey went back to the library after dinner. It was very late, but all the talk about the old Empire had made her want to go back over what she’d been reading again. She went directly to the paper books. Many of the modern works were in electronic form, but she preferred paper where possible. The smell and feel of real books filled some need inside her that a tablet didn’t.
    An incredible and irreplaceable amount of history from before the Fall had been lost during the orbital bombardment. While the only population center hit was Wash Gorge, the city surrounding the spaceport and planetary operations center, that didn’t mean that the rest of the planet had escaped. EMP weapons had burned out every piece of electronics on the face of the planet.
    Military equipment was hardened to survive that kind of thing, but the battle in orbit destroyed all that. When they as a people finally returned to space, nothing useful remained. The major wreckage had burned up on reentry over the centuries or wandered far into the depths between the planets.
    Thankfully, the kinetic weapon that killed everyone in the capitol city hadn’t left any radiation. They were