Read Online Slave Empire III - The Shrike by T C Southwell - Free Book Online Page B

unconscious. He scooped her up and carried
her to the cabin, where he placed her on the bed.
    He sat beside
her and patted her cheek, murmuring, “Come on; snap out of it,
Rayne. You’re safe. I’m here. Wake up. Rayne? It’s over. You’re
safe. I don’t blame you if they read your mind. It’s not your
fault. It’s okay... Come on.”
    Tarke leant
over her, trying to draw her out as he had done on the Crystal
Ship. A dread formed in the pit of his stomach, chilling it. He
thinned his shields and touched her mind, recoiling from the
howling emptiness within it, the shock making him shudder.
Desperation forced him to try again, a frantic disbelief that only
a second glimpse into the terrible void inside her head could
dispel. He gazed down at her peaceful face, brushing away strands
of flaxen hair that strayed across her cheek. Anguish filled his
heart. No vestige of her remained. She had been pushed over the
precipice, and the Envoy’s black void had swallowed her.
    “No.” The
Shrike gathered her up and cradled her. “No, no, no…” He stroked
her hair, whispering in a choked voice, “They killed you, my reyanne . They forced you to run into the darkness, and now
you’re lost in the void. I never wanted you to sacrifice yourself
for me. I would rather have perished in your stead. Come back to
me, please. Find the light that will lead you home.” He blinked as
his eyes stung. “Rayne…”
    Tarke called
her name again and again, even though he knew he could not awaken
her no matter how hard he tried. With each failed attempt to call
her back from the dark place she had fled into, his grief deepened.
When at last he put her down, his heart seemed frozen. He folded
her hands on her breast, rose and strode back to the bridge,
picking up the mask Scimarin had transferred across for him.
    “Where are the
Atlantean ships?”
    “They are
decelerating at a distance. It seems they no longer wish to come to
Darmon.”
    He clipped on
the mask and donned his gloves. “I want the people who betrayed
her. Have her escort cruisers send a detail to find them, then
transfer them to one of my ships.” He glanced at the sleek ship in
orbit beside Shadowen. “Tell Scimarin to follow and set course to
rendezvous with the Atlanteans when they stop.”
    Tarke sank onto
the pilot’s seat, and the stars whizzed past as the ship turned.
Scimarin vanished from view, and new constellations settled into
place, then Net energy enveloped them in its shell as the ship
accelerated.
    The Atlantean
ships were seven light minutes from Darmon, still decelerating in
preparation for their retreat. Since Shadowen and Scimarin had not
built up as much speed, they were able to stop far more rapidly,
and were waiting when the Atlanteans dropped from their Net
hooks.
    “Call them,”
Tarke ordered, and this time the space line screen slid from its
slot. Tallyn’s visage appeared on it, looking haggard, but
defiant.
    “I’m still
trying to decide whether or not to kill you, Tallyn,” Tarke
said.
    “With those
ships? What are they, emergency pods?”
    “You’d be
surprised. Perhaps you’d like a demonstration?”
    Tallyn became
brisk. “Look, Shrike, we never intended to harm her. We had no idea
she would be so badly affected by a simple probe. The telepath was
an expert, one of the best.”
    “Well, he
wasn’t good enough. I want him. Either you give him to me, or I’ll
take him.”
    Tallyn shook
his head. “He’s dead.”
    “How?”
    “She killed
him. I don’t know how.”
    “The same way
she killed the Envoy,” Tarke said. “The same way she killed
herself.”
    “She’s not
dead.”
    “How would you
know?”
    “She wasn’t
when they dropped the shields.” Tallyn’s eyes darted to someone off
the screen.
    “She might as
well be. She’s still breathing, but can that be called living?”
    “We’re all
unhappy about what happened.”
    “Did you get
what you wanted?”
    Tallyn shook
his head. “No.”
    Tarke