The Way of the Brother Gods Read Online Free PDF Page B

have been a comfort. It would have been evidence of something once alive around here. Fawbry held on to Tommy's horse, and whether from being riderless or being tugged along, that animal did not seem comfortable with their surroundings. Even Horse acted uneasy, and twice Malja had to redirect the mare back to following Tommy. She couldn't blame Horse, though. Not only was this land eerie on its own, but Tommy's floating form surrounded them with a tension like being prey.
    She pulled out the journal. She knew what parts she hadn't read, and she needed every bit of information that might be relevant. With a hesitant hand, she opened the journal.
     
Harskill continues to be of immense help. He's understood the project from the start and has, once or twice, nudged me away from making crucial calculation errors. Clearly, his people understand mathematics and portal physics quite well. He's also a darling young man, and I'd be lying if I said he hadn't piqued my interest. It's been a long while since I've enjoyed a man. I'm not sure if his interest in me goes beyond the scientific, but I think I'll find out tonight.
     
    Malja closed the book, unsure if she should read on. It bothered her that Cole Watts might sleep with Harskill. It bothered her more that she was bothered at all. What did it matter? Yet, however rare, Malja had felt jealousy before, and she recognized the sensation again. She wanted Harskill for herself. Not sexually. Probably not. But she wanted him untainted by this world. And of all people, the idea that Cole Watts would be his lover bothered her more. Refusing to give in, she snapped open the book and read on:
     
This afternoon we finished all the preparations for our first full test of the new portal frame. If all goes well, we will form a controlled portal within the frame near the center of town. Everyone on my team has worked hard this last year and I can see the excitement among them all. And since we won't run the test until morning, I decided to seduce Harskill. Well, I tried, at least. It appears he is not persuaded by my charms. I've gotten old, I suppose, and for many men, age is not as attractive on a woman. It's a shame because my years of experience could have given us both a passionate night that would not be forgotten. Not ever. I must admit, though, he was most gracious in declining me. Makes my desire even stronger.
     
    Malja put the book away and tried not to smile. Fawbry trotted up next to her. "Something amusing?" he asked.
    Shaking her head, Malja said, "Just a bit in the journal about Harskill."
    Fawbry shifted in his saddle. "I don't mean to upset you, but perhaps you shouldn't read the rest of that journal. You might be building up an image of Harskill that he can't fill."
    "I'm not a child."
    "But you are alone, and he's one of your kind — supposedly."
    "Supposedly?"
    Fawbry tapped the pommel of his saddle, his face scrunched as he made a decision. "Don't misinterpret this, but you may not like what you find in Harskill. Before you say anything, please listen. See, when I was little, there was a boy at my school, Teeco, and we weren't great friends but we got along at school just fine. He was an orphan. One day he told me that he found some paper in his adoptive father's desk. This paper was about his real mother, the one that gave birth to him.
    "It wasn't much. Just a tag that had been attached to his coat when he was left at his father's door. He spent weeks going over every little detail he could remember from that slip of paper. Each day, he told me more and more. His mother had been born in a fishing village, so he built up an image of her based on that fact — she must be hard-working, she must be strong, she probably needs a good night's sleep but is beautiful nonetheless. He talked on for days.
    "I guess his father discovered that he was sneaking peeks at the paper and confronted him. Teeco told me that after their long talk, his father agreed to let Teeco meet his