Survivors: Book 4 Circles of Light series Read Online Free PDF Page B

changing to a frown. He raised a
shoulder in a half shrug. ‘My Ship is too excitable,’ he
said.
    ‘Ship? What is Ship?’
asked Maressa.
    ‘This.’ Kertiss waved
at the object. ‘This is a Ship which travels the spaces between
worlds.’
    ‘I am Star Singer. I am
not YOUR ship.’ The younger voice was so cold, reminding Tika
instantly of the dreadful journey through blizzards to the
Stronghold. The tone changed with the next words, was warm again
and joyous. ‘Why do you not go and drag Orla from her work Kertiss,
so she may meet these guests? I will entertain them while you’re
gone.’
    Tika felt a shiver of
cold underlying the words but Kertiss merely shrugged
again.
    ‘I summoned Orla but
she did not respond. No doubt she is lost in her studies as
usual.’
    ‘She is in the
protected sections – you know she can’t be reached there by
summoning.’
    Kertiss frowned again,
a more permanent expression Tika suspected than was his
smile.
    ‘Very well. But behave
yourself Ship.’ There was a clear warning in his voice. He moved to
the female statue and laid his palm flat against the stone plinth
on which she stood. A smaller section of floor hissed open and the
man walked rapidly down the slope thus revealed.
    Then there was only the
sound of their breathing as the company stared at the Ship. Khosa
appeared in the doorway, her odd croon suddenly loud. Seela had
lowered her massive bulk and now pressed her brow against the side
of the object, her eyes closed. Khosa spoke in their
minds.
    ‘Touch Singer and you
will speak with him without Kertiss knowing.’
    The company looked at
each other even as another wordless song began to fill the Dome
with music. Olam, first to risk the dangers of the great sea,
marched forward to be the first to put his hand against the grey
blue Ship. His eyes widened and his body relaxed. Ren looked at
Tika, an eyebrow quirked, and she moved with the Offering to place
her hand beside his on the Ship’s side.
    All touching this
strange thing called Ship were immediately conscious of a living
presence, and realised Ship was in reality an intelligent being
whose name was Star Singer, and HE was the Survivor whom they could
trust. His mind embraced theirs and made them feel that they were
old and beloved friends and he was oh so glad to find them again. A
long loneliness darkened the edges of his embracing mind, mingled
with great relief.
    ‘We do not have long,’
Singer’s mind murmured to them even as his voice swelled with
music. ‘There may be a few brief chances for you and I to speak
again before you leave, but you must reach Namolos. Tell him that
things are bad here: bad and worsening. I cannot do anything
against Kertiss or Orla – my programming will not permit
me.
    ‘He must be told of the
gijan Kertiss has bred here. Oh I wish Khosa could stay but she
cannot. She must not. I am transferring information to her, as much
as I can while we speak, but she cannot stay here too long. If she
is sealed below with me, Kertiss will find her. How I -. Move back!
Kertiss approaches!’
    Gan scooped Khosa from
the Ship’s door and had just readjusted his cloak when two heads
rose from the second hole in the floor.
    ‘And my wings are
retractable because they are only required during atmospheric
flight from orbit to onworld.’ Singer spoke over the throb of his
music.
    ‘How do you do that –
sing and speak at the same time?’ Maressa followed Singer’s lead in
what she hoped Kertiss and the woman with him would take as
innocuous conversation.
    ‘It is not difficult,’
Singer began to explain before Kertiss interrupted.
    ‘Enough of your
babbling Singer.’ He gave his false smile. ‘The Ship sustained much
circuitry damage when we arrived here. This is Orla. She and I are
known among the Qwah as the Survivors.’
    The woman regarded them
coolly, much as one would study a laboratory specimen Ren
recognised with a shudder. She was taller than Tika, about
Maressa’s