Winter in Eden Read Online Free PDF

commander of the uruketo. These things were all too petty to be considered. What she should be thinking about was the riverine city of Mesekei and the important tasks that must be undertaken there. If she were to achieve her ends careful planning would be needed, not mindless anger.
    For all of her life she had kept her anger carefully in check and she wondered now at the newfound strength of it. It was the ustuzou that had done that, destroyed her calm and turned her into a creature of intemperate justice. Kerrick and his ustuzou had made her like this. It would not be forgotten. In the future her anger would be kept under control at all times, for all things. Except one. Hatred treasured was hatred that grew strong in a hidden place. One day to be released.
    With the working of these thoughts the tension eased and her body was hers again. She looked around and found that she was alone. Erafnais was in the fin above with the crewmembers who were on duty; the rest were comatose and asleep. Vaintè looked toward the place where Enge and her followers had slept and it was just an empty area that meant nothing to her. This was as it should be. She was back in control of her body and her emotions again. There was a movement in the darkness beyond and she could clearly hear the sounds of communication-desired. Only then did she remember the presence of the fat scientist and the male. She approached them.
    "Aid a helpless male creature, great Vaintè," the captive pleaded, squirming in Akotolp's unyielding grasp.
    "I know you from the hanalè," Vaintè said, amused by the thing's mewling. "You are Esetta< who sings—are you not?"
    Winter in Eden - Harry Harrison
    "Vaintè is first-always because she recalls the name of everything, smallest to highest. But now miserable Esetta< has nothing to sing of. The heavy one who now holds me, she pulled me from the hanalè, dragged me through smells and fog that hurt my breathing, half-drowned me on the way to this uruketo, now holds me in her unbreakable grip of great pain. Speak with her I entreat, suggest she release me before death of arm."
    "Why aren't you dead completely?" Vaintè asked with brutal candor. Esetta< recoiled and squealed.
    "Oh, great Vaintè—why do you wish this one of no importance dead?"
    "I do not, but all the others died. Brave Yilanè of Alpèasak. Cast out by their dead city to die with it."
    Even as she spoke Vaintè felt the crushing wave of fear. They were dead—not she. Why? She had told loyal-dead Stallan that this was because of their hatred of the ustuzou. Was it? Was that reason enough to stay alive when all others died? She looked at Akotolp as these dark thoughts embraced her and realized for the first time what the scientist was experiencing. Doubt-in-life, avoidance-of-death. Akotolp had labored in many cities, so felt no life-destroying loyalty to any single one. But she was scientist enough to know that the death of rejection could be triggered in an instant. That was what her rigid, silent battle was about. By the force of her will she was keeping herself among the living.
    This knowledge was a flow of strength to Vaintè. If this fat one could live by will alone then she, with an eistaa's strength of will could live, survive—and rule once more. Nothing was beyond her!
    Before the unseeing eyes of Akotolp, the fear-filled eyes of the male, Vaintè raised clenched thumbs in a forceful gesture of victory, trod strongly with outstretched claws upon the resilient surface. A moan of fear penetrated her consciousness and she looked down with growing pleasure at the cowering Esetta<: desire came instantly.
    She bent and her strong thumbs pried loose the scientist's grip on the male's wrist. His repeated sounds of gratitude changed quickly to moans as she pressed him over backward, painfully excited him, mounted him brutally.
    Akotolp's tight-locked muscles never relaxed—but her nearest eye moved slowly to gaze at the entwined couple. Even more slowly