Read Online Golden Son by Pierce Brown - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Pierce Brown
Tags: United States, Science-Fiction, adventure, Literature & Fiction, Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Dystopian
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metaphorical desert. I can provide only thirty percent of the content of what comesthroughthatpipeline,butIcanaffectonehundredpercentofit.Mywatercontaminatestherest.
Thatisthenatureofmedia.DoIwantthiscityinthedeserttohallucinate?DoIwantitsinhabitantsto writhe in pain? Do I want them to rise up?” He sets his chopsticks down. “It all starts with what I want.”
“Andwhatdoyouwant?”Iask.
“Yourhead,”hesays.
Our eyes meet like two iron rods colliding, sending stinging reverberations through the body. A palpable discomfort even being near him, much less meeting those dead gold orbs. He’s so young.
Myage,butthere’sachildishnesstohim,acuriositydespitetheancientcastofhiseyes,thatmakes himfeellikeaperversity.It’snotthatIfeelcrueltyandevilradiatingfromhim.It’sthefeelingthat creptovermewhenMustangtoldmehow,asaboy,hekilledababylionbecausehewantedtoseeits insidestounderstandhowitworked.
“Youhaveaweirdsenseofhumor.”
“I know. But I’m so glad you get my jokes. So many prickly Peerless these days. Duels! Honor!
Blood!Allbecausethey’rebored. There’snoonelefttofight .Sogorydamntedious.”
“Ibelieveyouweremakingapoint.”
“Ah,yes.” The Jackalruns his handthrough his slicked-back hair,like I’ve seenhis father do. “I brought you here because Pliny is an enemy of mine. He’s made my life very difficult. Even penetratedmyharem.DoyouknowhowmanyspiesofhisI’vehadtokill?Iwentthroughsomany
servants.I’mnottryingtomakeyoufeelsorryforme,”hesaysquickly.
“Iwasonthevergeofit.”
“Understandingmyplight,however,ishowyouwillhelpmebest.Asofnow,Plinycontrolsmy
father ’s favor. Like a snake hissing in his ear. Leto is his design, did you know that?” I didn’t. “He foundthedarlingboy,knewhewouldwinmyfather ’scoldheartbecausehewouldremindFatherof my dead brother, Claudius. So Pliny cultivated him, trained him, and convinced my father to adopt himasawardwithaimsofmakinghimtheheir.Thenyoucomewaltzingintoourlivesanddisrupt Pliny’splan.Ittooktwoyearstodispatchyou,butpatiently,hedid.Justashedidme.NowLetowill bemyfather ’sheir,andPlinywillbeLeto’smaster.”
Thathitsmehard.IknewPlinywasdangerous.PerhapsIneverreallyknewjusthowdangerous.
“So what’s your plan?” I glance around the room. “Going to take back your father ’s favor with plebeiansandpitchforks?”
“AsanyGoldwithadecenteducationwouldknow,there’sacertaincrimesyndicatethatrunsthings inLostCity.Avastcriminalenterprisethat,ifyoutraceitallthetothetip-top,isundertheinfluence oftheofficeoftheSovereignofourlittleSociety.OctaviaauLunemayseemtheparagonofGold virtue. But she’s got a fetish for the dirty stuff—assassinations, organizing workers’ strikes in her ownArchGovernors’domains,riggingappointments.HerhandlingofLostCityisnodifferent.
“She and her Furies handpicked the crime family leadership; these three individuals are her creatures. But here’s the juicy kink. I’ve found certain members of that same organization who are…restless.”
Ifrown.“Theydon’tlikeLune?”
“She’sanonerousbitch.Onewhohasspatinmyfather ’seyeandcozieduptotheBellona.Butno.
Mychampionsdon’tthinkonthatplane.TheyarelowColors, Darrow .They’rerestlesstobeatopthe shitpile.”
“WhyLostCity?”Iask.“Whatdoesitmatter?”
“It is merely a piece of the puzzle. I’m going to help these ambitious lowColors move up, for a price.Whentheyareinpower,theyaregoingtokilloffamenacethatplaguestheSociety:Aresand hisSons.”
8
SCEPTER&SWORD
Igocoldinside.“TheSonsofAres?Iwasn’tawaretheyweresodireathreat.”
“They’renotyet,buttheywillbe,”hesays.“TheSovereignknowsit.Sodoesmyfather,evenifit is not in vogue to say it aloud. The Society has faced terrorist cells before. Throw enough lurcher teamsatthemandtheyaredispatchedeasilyenough.ButtheSonsaredifferent.
“Theyarenotaratbitingourheels,butatermitecolonyslowlygnawingourfoundationasquietly aspossibletillthey’vedonesuchworkthatourhousecrumblesaroundus.MyfatherhasgivenPliny
Thatisthenatureofmedia.DoIwantthiscityinthedeserttohallucinate?DoIwantitsinhabitantsto writhe in pain? Do I want them to rise up?” He sets his chopsticks down. “It all starts with what I want.”
“Andwhatdoyouwant?”Iask.
“Yourhead,”hesays.
Our eyes meet like two iron rods colliding, sending stinging reverberations through the body. A palpable discomfort even being near him, much less meeting those dead gold orbs. He’s so young.
Myage,butthere’sachildishnesstohim,acuriositydespitetheancientcastofhiseyes,thatmakes himfeellikeaperversity.It’snotthatIfeelcrueltyandevilradiatingfromhim.It’sthefeelingthat creptovermewhenMustangtoldmehow,asaboy,hekilledababylionbecausehewantedtoseeits insidestounderstandhowitworked.
“Youhaveaweirdsenseofhumor.”
“I know. But I’m so glad you get my jokes. So many prickly Peerless these days. Duels! Honor!
Blood!Allbecausethey’rebored. There’snoonelefttofight .Sogorydamntedious.”
“Ibelieveyouweremakingapoint.”
“Ah,yes.” The Jackalruns his handthrough his slicked-back hair,like I’ve seenhis father do. “I brought you here because Pliny is an enemy of mine. He’s made my life very difficult. Even penetratedmyharem.DoyouknowhowmanyspiesofhisI’vehadtokill?Iwentthroughsomany
servants.I’mnottryingtomakeyoufeelsorryforme,”hesaysquickly.
“Iwasonthevergeofit.”
“Understandingmyplight,however,ishowyouwillhelpmebest.Asofnow,Plinycontrolsmy
father ’s favor. Like a snake hissing in his ear. Leto is his design, did you know that?” I didn’t. “He foundthedarlingboy,knewhewouldwinmyfather ’scoldheartbecausehewouldremindFatherof my dead brother, Claudius. So Pliny cultivated him, trained him, and convinced my father to adopt himasawardwithaimsofmakinghimtheheir.Thenyoucomewaltzingintoourlivesanddisrupt Pliny’splan.Ittooktwoyearstodispatchyou,butpatiently,hedid.Justashedidme.NowLetowill bemyfather ’sheir,andPlinywillbeLeto’smaster.”
Thathitsmehard.IknewPlinywasdangerous.PerhapsIneverreallyknewjusthowdangerous.
“So what’s your plan?” I glance around the room. “Going to take back your father ’s favor with plebeiansandpitchforks?”
“AsanyGoldwithadecenteducationwouldknow,there’sacertaincrimesyndicatethatrunsthings inLostCity.Avastcriminalenterprisethat,ifyoutraceitallthetothetip-top,isundertheinfluence oftheofficeoftheSovereignofourlittleSociety.OctaviaauLunemayseemtheparagonofGold virtue. But she’s got a fetish for the dirty stuff—assassinations, organizing workers’ strikes in her ownArchGovernors’domains,riggingappointments.HerhandlingofLostCityisnodifferent.
“She and her Furies handpicked the crime family leadership; these three individuals are her creatures. But here’s the juicy kink. I’ve found certain members of that same organization who are…restless.”
Ifrown.“Theydon’tlikeLune?”
“She’sanonerousbitch.Onewhohasspatinmyfather ’seyeandcozieduptotheBellona.Butno.
Mychampionsdon’tthinkonthatplane.TheyarelowColors, Darrow .They’rerestlesstobeatopthe shitpile.”
“WhyLostCity?”Iask.“Whatdoesitmatter?”
“It is merely a piece of the puzzle. I’m going to help these ambitious lowColors move up, for a price.Whentheyareinpower,theyaregoingtokilloffamenacethatplaguestheSociety:Aresand hisSons.”
8
SCEPTER&SWORD
Igocoldinside.“TheSonsofAres?Iwasn’tawaretheyweresodireathreat.”
“They’renotyet,buttheywillbe,”hesays.“TheSovereignknowsit.Sodoesmyfather,evenifit is not in vogue to say it aloud. The Society has faced terrorist cells before. Throw enough lurcher teamsatthemandtheyaredispatchedeasilyenough.ButtheSonsaredifferent.
“Theyarenotaratbitingourheels,butatermitecolonyslowlygnawingourfoundationasquietly aspossibletillthey’vedonesuchworkthatourhousecrumblesaroundus.MyfatherhasgivenPliny
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