Read Online Cryoburn-ARC by Lois M. Bujold - Free Book Online

solicitors or beggars," he said unencouragingly.
    He had the same rumbly accent as Miles-san, and Jin realized to his dismay that not all Barrayarans were short. This man was very tall. "Please, sir, I'm a messenger. I have a letter for Lieutenant Johannes or Consul Vor, um, Vorlynkin." From Miles-san's brief description of the lieutenant, Jin thought this might be him, but did lieutenants answer doors? Further, Jin thought with some outrage, Miles-san had called him a nice kid, not a scary grownup . Though he supposed lieutenants had to be grownups.
    "I'm Johannes."
    Jin reached inside his shirt; the man tensed, but eased again when Jin drew out the letter. "From Miles-san—from Mr. Vor ko sigan." Jin was careful with the pronunciation.
    " Shit! "
    Jin flinched. Lieutenant Johannes then terrified him further by grabbing his arm, dragging him into the front hall, and slamming the door shut. He snatched the letter, held it up to the light, then tore it open, pausing only to shout up the stairway, " Stefin! "
    He began running his eyes down the neat, tightly-written lines. "Alive, oh thank God! We're saved!"
    A second grownup, somewhat older and even taller than the first, clattered down the stairs. He was dressed like any Northbridge businessman right down to the hakama-like trousers, except that his wide-sleeved haori coat hung open, and he looked as squinty-eyed and tired as the lieutenant. "What, Trev?"
    "Look at this! A letter from Lord Vorkosigan—he's free!"
    The second man looked over his shoulder, and echoed, "Thank God! But why didn't he call in?" Then, after a moment more, "What? What? "
    The lieutenant turned the letter over and they both read on. "Is he insane ?"
    The older man cast Jin a very narrow look, stirring up all Jin's worst fears. Policemen loomed in his imagination.
    "Is this real?" the older man demanded.
    Jin bent, picked up the fallen envelope, and held it out mutely. He swallowed and managed, "He said you'd like the thumbprint. He said it would be just like his grandfather's seal."
    "Is that blood ?"
    "Um, yah . . . ?"
    The older man handed the envelope to the lieutenant. "Take that downstairs and check it."
    "Yes, sir." Trev-san disappeared through the doorway at the back of the hall. After a moment, Jin heard a door slam, and feet thumping down some other stairs.
    "Excuse me, sir, are you the consul?" Jin had gained the vague notion that a consul was something like an ambassador, but smaller. Rather like his house, really. "Because Miles-san said, only give his letter to the lieutenant or Consul Vorlynkin." He managed to get that last name out without stumbling over his tongue, this time. Jin would have expected an ambassador proper to be stouter and older, but this man was lean and not as old as Miles-san, or at least, he didn't have any gray in his brown hair.
    "I'm Vorlynkin." His stare at Jin intensified. His eyes were very blue, like a hot summer sky. "Where did you see Lord Auditor Vorkosigan?"
    "I, um, met him last night. He'd been lost in the Cryocombs. He said."
    "Is he all right?"
    The answer seemed more complicated than the question, but Jin decided to skip all that and just reassure him: "He's much better this morning. I gave him eggs."
    Vorlynkin blinked, and looked at the letter some more. "If this wasn't a letter in his own hand—if this isn't a letter in his own hand—I'd have you under fast-penta so . . . eh. Where did you see him?"
    "Um, where I live."
    "And where's that?"
    He was in trouble now, between Suze and this alarming stranger. He was never supposed to talk to strangers, or tell anyone about the facility, he'd been told that often enough. He wondered if he could bolt back out the door and down the walk before the consul could grab him. "Um, my place . . . ?"
    "What . . ." To his surprise, Vorlynkin did not pursue this, but turned the letter over again. "What did he seem to be about?"
    "Um . . . he asked a lot of questions." Jin thought a moment, and offered, "He's not