Heart Thief Read Online Free PDF Page B

Less than a man, a Celta human. He has no respect for us or our traditions, and is filled with bestial emotions, not fit to live.”
    T’Ash rose, turned, and matched his gaze with the older man. “He’s a GreatHouse FirstSon. Don’t call him a feral beast.”
    â€œHe is no son of ours. T’Elders cast him out long ago as repulsive, defective, and unworthy. An aberrant son of a sickly father. He is nothing to the Elders. Nothing. Death to him! I call for a vote of Death.”
    In the charged silence a little creak echoed as old D’Vine, the prophetess, rose. In hushed quiet she hobbled along the table, touching T’Reed’s head, T’Ash’s shoulder, D’Ash’s hand. She came to stand before Ruis and peer up at him with milky eyes. When she laid her palm against his cheek, he jerked at her chill, uncanny touch. Yes, she must have had a vision.
    A tremor shook him again when she stealthily slipped a note into his far trous pocket.
    Her lips curved in a thin smile and she tilted her head at the table. Her whisper filled the room. “I have nineteen decades of using Flair, and not even a strong, young Null can suppress my wisdom. I am old, a crone—close to the cycle of death and rebirth—and my sensing of Mysteries is great. I have had visions of this young man—and of the fate of our Council, so I must speak. Events have already been propelled down a specific path. Be wary of trying to control the wishes of the Unknown, of usurping the strong Fate now in motion.”
    She dropped her hand and turned toward the FirstFamilies Council. “Not everything is predetermined in this matter, but be assured by seeking to punish Ruis, you will turn the river of Destiny to flood yourselves.”
    D’Vine continued. “I cast my vote. Life, as always. Freedom, cherished by us all. Respect—that which our ancestors sought when they cherished and nurtured their puny Flair, left their home planet to pursue their own Path of psi powers. I vote no death and no banishment. Blessed be.” She shuffled, an eerie figure in black, to the doors. Before she reached them, the two Holly men, Holm and Tinne, opened the doors wide and bowed with perfect grace to her. She left.
    Hope flared within Ruis. Could he be freed, simply freed? He hated hope. So much worse when it crashed into despair.
    â€œThe question of punishment for Ruis, once-Elder, has been called,” Bucus said with relish.
    D’Grove blinked. “The sole options before the Council are Death and Banishment, perhaps we should reconsider. . . .”
    A flurry of words passed between T’Ash and D’Ash. D’Ash sat back with a huff and didn’t meet Ruis’s eyes. T’Ash scowled.
    Bucus T’Elder glowered at his fellow nobles. “Do I hear any more options being proposed?”
    Silence.
    â€œBanishment will be from the major cities of Celta. If Ruis, calling himself Elder, is banished and later found within the walls of Druida, Gael City, Anglesey, or Lomand, he will be executed. Vote,” Bucus ordered.
    Ruis didn’t want to care whether the FirstFamilies Council voted to banish or kill him. He’d convinced himself that he didn’t care.
    Had lied to himself again.
    The room was hot. His lips were dry. His shirt stuck to his back.
    T’Birch started. “Death.”
    T’Rowan followed. “Death.”
    D’Alder said, “Banishment.”
    Ruis’s stomach clenched. The voices casting the vote floated to him from a great distance. His vision dimmed.
    T’Ash’s deep voice boomed, “Banishment.”
    More voices sounded. “Death.”
    â€œDeath.”
    â€œBanishment.”
    Finally it was over.
    Before she’d left, D’Vine had voted for Freedom.
    Eight voted for Death.
    Fourteen voted for Banishment.
    T’Blackthorn was absent.
    D’SilverFir was absent. The thought of her and the comfort they had