Read Online Emilie and the Sky World by Martha Wells - Free Book Online

Professor Abindon–”
    “No, you’re not getting rid of me that easily,” Professor Abindon interrupted. She grimaced in frustration and said, “Why not simply bring the girl with us? There’s room, and if she doesn’t lose her head–”
    “Emilie doesn’t lose her head,” Miss Marlende cut in, her voice so acid, even Professor Abindon stopped talking. Miss Marlende turned to Emilie. “Would you do that, Emilie? Come with us?”
    Combined relief and excitement made Emilie’s knees weak, and she lost what little control she had over her mouth. “Yes, of course! I wanted to come all along, but I didn’t want to make trouble by insisting… I mean, asking.”
    “That would be a first,” Lord Engal put in.
    Professor Abindon glared at him, apparently just on principle, then said, “Well, that’s settled.”
    Lord Engal turned away. “Good. Now if we can get back to work without any more interference from overbearing relatives…”
    Emilie looked out the doorway again. It struck her suddenly how embarrassing it was for Uncle Yeric to show up like this, throwing accusations around and disrupting everything. Efrain was still standing there, looking around a little nervously. Uncle Yeric hadn’t returned yet. Emilie had the sudden urge to tell Efrain off. She said, “I’m going to tell him there’s no point in standing around out there.”
    “Careful,” Miss Marlende said, watching her worriedly.
    Emilie stepped out and strode across the yard toward Efrain. He was younger than her by only a year and a month, and they had the same brown skin and brown eyes, though she didn’t think they had ever looked much alike in the face. She had always looked more like their younger brother, Emery. Efrain was a few fingerwidths taller than her, and his dark hair was cropped close to the scalp. He was dressed very correctly in his best town suit. He saw her and came forward to meet her. “Emilie–”
    She said abruptly, “I’ll be on the airship when it leaves, so when Uncle Yeric returns tell him he can’t kidnap me.”
    Efrain stared at her. “Going on the airship… What do you mean?”
    “What does it sound like I mean? This is part of my job as Miss Marlende’s personal assistant. Don’t play ignorant; I know you saw the newspaper story.”
    “I didn’t believe it was true!” Efrain was still staring at her as if she was mad. “Why would they want you?”
    Emilie felt her lips form a sneer. She said, sweetly, “Perhaps they’ve taken leave of their senses. After all, I’m obviously completely worthless to anyone.”
    Efrain winced and shook his head slightly. “That isn’t what I… How long will you be gone?”
    “I don’t know. As long as it takes. Probably a week or more.” Dr Marlende had said he had thought it would only take a few days at most, but Emilie hoped Uncle Yeric would be too cheap to pay for a hotel if he thought it would be several days, and would give up and leave the city.
    “But what for?” Efrain glared suspiciously toward the crew who were still loading supplies. “What will they make you do?”
    “Make me do?” Emilie had been angry before, stomach-churningly and hand-tremblingly angry. Now she felt as if the top of her head had opened up to let the steam out. “You mean sexually?”
    “Emilie!” Efrain actually took a step back in horror.
    Emilie took a step forward, pushing him to retreat farther, a tactic she had picked up from watching Miss Marlende and Rani and now Professor Abindon, a tactic that she hadn’t realized she knew until now. “That is what you mean, isn’t it? That there’s no possible reason in the world that anyone would want my assistance. That as a useless, pathetic little girl I couldn’t take notes or carry things or learn to sail a boat or use a wireless or pilot an airship or be anything except a whore, that’s it, correct?”
    Efrain’s mouth hung open but he couldn’t appear to talk right now.
    Emilie laughed at him. The phrase