Read Online Ten Thousand Skies Above You by Claudia Gray - Free Book Online

him to be a man of the cloth; whatever else Conley is, he’s not a religious, moral person. Then again, in the Middle Ages, most cardinals weren’t. The position let men gain tremendous influence and political power. No wonder this universe’s Conley became a cardinal.
    As solemnly as the church elder he pretends to be, Conley says, “If you’re worrying about being splintered yourself, Marguerite, let me put your mind at ease. Perfect travelers can’t splinter—it’s yet another of our advantages. But generally, a soul can be broken into as many pieces as you’d like.Dozens, even hundreds.”
    The horror dizzies me. Is Paul torn apart even now, scattered across the entire multiverse?
    â€œDon’t worry,” Conley says, in a tone that could be mistaken for concern if you didn’t know him well. His red robes look almost satanic in the firelight. “I went easy on you, didn’t smash him up too much. Four pieces, in four different dimensions. You just rescued the first one! See how easy it is? I gave you this splinter as a sign of good faith.”
    Does he want me to thank him? “What do I have to do to get the coordinates for the other three dimensions?” Three more pieces of Paul’s soul. Three more worlds I have to find, and three more rescue missions.
    Disgustingly satisfied with himself, Conley says, “I have a few errands for you.”
    There it is—Triad Corporation’s iron fist closing around me.
    But if this is the price of Paul’s soul, I have to pay.
    â€œLet me explain precisely what I need.” Conley stands up straighter; his cardinal’s robes lend him an authority he doesn’t deserve. “Out there in the multiverse are two other dimensions where your parents are very close to developing Firebird technology. I would prefer that they didn’t.”
    I fold my arms. “You mean you want to have all the power.”
    â€œWho wouldn’t?” He shrugs. “Here’s how this is going to work. I have two dimensions working on Firebird research that need to be sabotaged as soon as possible. The next two splinters of Paul’s soul are hidden in those dimensions.”Conley’s thin fingers point at my own Firebird locket. “If you allow it, I can program your Firebird. You’ll receive the coordinates for the first of those dimensions—as well as a program you can use as a computer virus to destroy your parents’ research and your most valuable hardware.”
    â€œHow do I collect each splinter?” I clutch the spare Firebird more tightly. “The same way I’d give him a reminder? Just hold it against him, hit the combination on the locket?”
    â€œExactly. See? Easy as pie.”
    Someday, when I have the luxury, I’m going to punch Wyatt Conley in the face. Hard.
    Oblivious to my anger—or amused by it—Conley continues, “Collecting the second splinter of Paul’s soul will unlock the coordinates for the next dimension I need you to sabotage. Lather, rinse, repeat. Once you’ve done what I need you to do in each dimension, and gathered those two splinters, then you’ll come to the home office. Coordinates will be programmed into your Firebird with the rest.”
    â€œThe home office?” He must mean the Triadverse. “I don’t want to go there.”
    â€œI have to check your work. When I go through your Firebird data, I’ll know whether you deployed the virus. If you’ve been a good girl—”
    If there is any phrase I hate more than “good girl,” I don’t know what it is, and the words sound even more loathsome coming from Conley.
    â€œâ€”and you’ve stalled those dimensions’ research for a while, I’ll give you both the formula for Theo’s treatmentand the coordinates for the final splinter of Paul’s soul. That final splinter is my insurance, you see. Your job is