Read Online Traitor's Sun by Marion Zimmer Bradley - Free Book Online
Authors: Marion Zimmer Bradley
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Terran, and her deep voice was calm. Still, he recognized the danger signs. His wife was never more fearsome than when she seemed reasonable. “Surely there are no listening devices in this carriage.”
“Yes, I should. You have been very patient with me.”
“I am not stupid,” she snarled, her cheeks flushing in a very becoming manner. “You wake me up in the middle of the night with a look in your eyes like . . . the demon cats of Ardyn were at your heels.” She sputtered to a halt and shuddered all over. “Then you tell me to pack, that we are leaving because you have been called back to Darkover. How? When?”
Hermes found the children watching him with wide and curious eyes, and sensed the mild amusement of Rafael beside him. At least he did not marry a faint-hearted woman, came the wry thought.
“Well, I could hardly tell you the truth in the ship, Katherine.”
“Well, you can now!” She was fighting her fear, concealing it with anger as best she could.
“I had reason to believe that the Premier was about to disband the Senate and the Chamber, Katherine, and it did not seem to me to be a good idea to wait around until it happened.” He used his most reasonable voice, but he could see that it did not satisfy her—she had been stewing for too long.
Rafael cleared his throat. “It has been—We received word just a few hours ago, after we knew you were arriving. All the members of the Senate and the lower house are being detained, I believe, including a few of those who represent Protected Planets. I don’t have any information about what is going to happen to them. Lew only had a few minutes to brief me. It all sounds quite mad to me.”
“What!” Katherine exploded, her gray eyes blazing in the dim light of the carriage. “Are you certain?” Her homeworld, Renney, was a Protected Planet, like Darkover, and a cousin of hers was a Deputy. Herm regretted that there was no way to have warned the woman, Cara, whom he liked.
“As sure as I can be, since I got the word from Lew, and he from Ethan MacDoevid, who is at HQ—which means I only have thirdhand knowledge. I wish Rafe Scott was still at HQ, for he could have been a great help just now.” Rafael Hastur shrugged. Rafe is a strong telepath, and could have been very useful.
“I am surprised that I was not detained, then, even though Darkover is Protected.” Herm voiced the question he knew was in Katherine’s mind as well.
“We have a few sympathizers yet at HQ, and bribery is still possible,” Rafael answered tersely. There was something guarded about him now, and his pleasant face looked grim and sad. Regis picked a damned inconvenient time have a stroke! And I don’t know how much longer we can keep it a secret.
Herm heard his thought and winced. Something has happened to Regis! The remembered words rang in his mind. So, his clairvoyance had been correct. Whose voice had he heard, across the light-years between Darkover and Terra? Odd. He was gripped with profound sadness for a man he had never actually met. A stroke—so at least he was not dead. That was good. But from the turmoil in his brother-in-law’s mind, it was also clear that he was not expected to recover. It did not seem possible. He could not imagine Darkover without its white-haired monarch. And clearly Rafael did not want to discuss it.
Rafael cleared his throat and continued speaking. “I am not privy to all the details—Uncle Lew has been quite close-mouthed.” His face twisted in an odd grimace. I will never be completely trusted because of Gisela. The only reason I was sent on this errand is because Herm is my brother-in-law, and my presence would rouse no comment. Damn all the Aldarans! Then he flinched, as if aware that he was, for all intents and purposes, shouting his thoughts to those who could hear them, and gave Herm a helpless look. “All he told me was to meet you, and to distribute enough substantial bribes to make sure you were not
“Yes, I should. You have been very patient with me.”
“I am not stupid,” she snarled, her cheeks flushing in a very becoming manner. “You wake me up in the middle of the night with a look in your eyes like . . . the demon cats of Ardyn were at your heels.” She sputtered to a halt and shuddered all over. “Then you tell me to pack, that we are leaving because you have been called back to Darkover. How? When?”
Hermes found the children watching him with wide and curious eyes, and sensed the mild amusement of Rafael beside him. At least he did not marry a faint-hearted woman, came the wry thought.
“Well, I could hardly tell you the truth in the ship, Katherine.”
“Well, you can now!” She was fighting her fear, concealing it with anger as best she could.
“I had reason to believe that the Premier was about to disband the Senate and the Chamber, Katherine, and it did not seem to me to be a good idea to wait around until it happened.” He used his most reasonable voice, but he could see that it did not satisfy her—she had been stewing for too long.
Rafael cleared his throat. “It has been—We received word just a few hours ago, after we knew you were arriving. All the members of the Senate and the lower house are being detained, I believe, including a few of those who represent Protected Planets. I don’t have any information about what is going to happen to them. Lew only had a few minutes to brief me. It all sounds quite mad to me.”
“What!” Katherine exploded, her gray eyes blazing in the dim light of the carriage. “Are you certain?” Her homeworld, Renney, was a Protected Planet, like Darkover, and a cousin of hers was a Deputy. Herm regretted that there was no way to have warned the woman, Cara, whom he liked.
“As sure as I can be, since I got the word from Lew, and he from Ethan MacDoevid, who is at HQ—which means I only have thirdhand knowledge. I wish Rafe Scott was still at HQ, for he could have been a great help just now.” Rafael Hastur shrugged. Rafe is a strong telepath, and could have been very useful.
“I am surprised that I was not detained, then, even though Darkover is Protected.” Herm voiced the question he knew was in Katherine’s mind as well.
“We have a few sympathizers yet at HQ, and bribery is still possible,” Rafael answered tersely. There was something guarded about him now, and his pleasant face looked grim and sad. Regis picked a damned inconvenient time have a stroke! And I don’t know how much longer we can keep it a secret.
Herm heard his thought and winced. Something has happened to Regis! The remembered words rang in his mind. So, his clairvoyance had been correct. Whose voice had he heard, across the light-years between Darkover and Terra? Odd. He was gripped with profound sadness for a man he had never actually met. A stroke—so at least he was not dead. That was good. But from the turmoil in his brother-in-law’s mind, it was also clear that he was not expected to recover. It did not seem possible. He could not imagine Darkover without its white-haired monarch. And clearly Rafael did not want to discuss it.
Rafael cleared his throat and continued speaking. “I am not privy to all the details—Uncle Lew has been quite close-mouthed.” His face twisted in an odd grimace. I will never be completely trusted because of Gisela. The only reason I was sent on this errand is because Herm is my brother-in-law, and my presence would rouse no comment. Damn all the Aldarans! Then he flinched, as if aware that he was, for all intents and purposes, shouting his thoughts to those who could hear them, and gave Herm a helpless look. “All he told me was to meet you, and to distribute enough substantial bribes to make sure you were not
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