The Conclave of Shadow Read Online Free PDF

either.”
    â€œMy role?” she snarled. “My role would have been to sacrifice David to stop my uncle, if you had trusted me to play it. Instead, you are the sacrifice. How are Mian Zi and I supposed to put an end to Lung Di when we must go through you to do it?”
    â€œWe’ll work out a way.” I shot a worried glance around the room. So far, nobody seemed to have noticed our presence on the bridge. Even so, uneasiness tightened the muscles between my shoulder blades, and no amount of rolling or twitching them would dislodge it. Hello paranoia, my old friend. “We can discuss this later–”
    â€œBecause you are so afraid to be yourself. So afraid David or I will give you up.”
    She turned away. I pulled her back and stepped in close. “No, because I’m afraid you’ll give yourself away. I said before, nobody knows your role, but if they did… do you want to be marked as the terrorist behind the New Wall? They’re looking for someone to blame, and you’re a likely target because of your association with Tsung and the Shadow Dragons.” And now I was worried that I had made it worse with my flip comment to Sylvia.
    Mei Shen’s gaze flicked away. She hugged herself. “Now you sound like David. You’re not this protective of Mian Zi.”
    I sighed. I wanted to pull her close, rest my chin on her head, but even if I dared here and now, she’d grown too tall for me to do that. “That’s because he has the support of the Chinese government and her people. You have… Tsung. And the Shadow Dragon Triad. Of course I’m more worried for you.”
    Still hugging herself, she studied the suspended Kestrel and then lowered her gaze to the atrium’s windowed entrance. “Mian Zi was always better at wei-qi. It is no surprise he had the better opening move. But this isn’t a game of wei-qi. Don’t discount me yet.”
    â€œNever. You’re my daughter. If you don’t like the rules of the game, you’ll find a way to change them.”
    â€œPerhaps I will. Tonight is only the beginning.” She stepped back from the railing. “Mian Zi has arrived.”
    I turned to see where she was looking. Sylvia Dunbarton greeted my son at the entry of the atrium, both of them obscured by a cloud of flunkies. For what was supposed to be a private corporate function, it bore a troubling resemblance to a State visit.
    â€œShall we see who takes the ko ?” Mei Shen asked and headed downstairs. I followed, unable to think of a plan to avert disaster.
    Lord save us all.
----
    A bby waylaid me at the base of the stairs, preventing me from following Mei Shen. “There you are, Old Man. I’m fine with my date ditching me for my boss and Mr Apple Pie, but I draw the line at hot young things half my age.” She latched onto my arm and hauled me into the atrium. We stopped at a display on Disco Dana and Java Joe, two of Argent’s more embarrassing Aces. The disco ball cast us both in moving spots of light. What about the 1970s hadn’t been embarrassing? Argent had gotten off light.
    Abby gave the display a rueful nod. “I know. I begged Sylvia to let me skip the entire decade, but she refused. Said the progress of the feminist movement and the EPA was too important, and it would cheer folks up before they hit Reagan and AIDS.”
    â€œAnd yet you decided to downplay Argent’s role in the oil crisis, I see.” Back in the entry hall, Mei Shen had reached Mian Zi. It looked like my kids were having a civil conversation, but I didn’t believe it. They had the knack of speaking on levels that only twins could understand.
    â€œThat tar’s on your name too, Masters. Now uncross your arms like we’re having a nice conversation.” Abby scanned the room rather than looking at me. Her smile stopped at gritted teeth and tight lips. Most of her lipstick had been eaten off with the