Read Online Twin Stars 1: Ascension by Robyn Paterson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Robyn Paterson
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this place smelled like home.
He eschewed the blue taxis that lined up nearby and hoisted his small bag of personal effects over his shoulder, marching off along an oblique stone path, and then following the smooth dark road. He took his time and tried to enjoy the walk, his thoughts drifting to the circumstances that had brought him there.
I am a disgrace and a failure.
There were no two ways about it. Yes, he still believed he’d done the right thing over Miraposa III, and the world’s governor certainly believed he had as well, but it didn’t make it any easier to swallow what he’d done. Was he really any better than the pirates he’d made a deal with? His first command and already he’d ruined his career- he may as well resign now.
But what if he did resign? What then? His whole life had been focused on the service- it was everything to him.
Not only that, his future, and that of many others rested on it.
His mother, sister, and the fortunes of his family were carried on his shoulders.
Now it was all at risk.
What was I thinking?
The question was still hanging in his mind when he looked up and saw the door in front of him- the door to his family mansion on their estate. He’d walked the whole way, even up the driveway, on automatic, his body knowing the way.
He let himself smile at that, yet another reminder that he was home, and pressed the doorbell button. He heard the thumping of heavy footsteps inside, and a rough voice yelled out- “ Yes, yes. I’m coming. Hold on!”
Then the door was yanked open, and there she was. Shorter than Tysen, and a bit younger, the teenager who starred in open mouthed shock at him nonetheless shared Tysen’s hair and eye color, and their faces were similar as well. She was heavier than he was, more than a little bit plump, and her face rounder than his.
“Ty?” She squeaked in surprise.
“Hello sister, how are you?”
“Ty!” She tackled him with a big hug. “Mom! Ty’s here!” She cried back into the house, and then grabbed her brother’s hand and tugged him inside. “Ty, what are you doing here? Don’t just stand there, come inside out of the rain! Look at you, you’re soaked!”
“You’re exaggerating, as usual.” He took off his jacket, placing it on a familiar, worn brass hook.
“Am not!”
“Well, well, well.” Said another woman’s voice, this one deeper, with a note of maturity to it. “Look who’s back.”
Elizabeth Tysen leaned casually against a door frame watching her children. She was a tall woman, with long spiraling ringlets of auburn hair and broad, almost masculine shoulders. Few who had seen this woman would have called her beautiful, but she’d aged into her looks well and could be called attractive by many. To Tysen, of course, she was no more or less beautiful than she had ever been.
“Hello mother,” he said formally. “You look well.”
Tysen cared deeply for his mother, but their relationship had always been a rocky one. He had matured early, and quickly developed his own ideas about his life and his future. With the loss of his father, Tysen had seen himself as a head of the household, but his mother naturally hadn’t quite wanted to share power with a boy of twelve.
“Mother, isn’t this the most amazing surprise!”
Elizabeth looked at her daughter with a knowing smile. “Actually, he linked to me earlier, dear. I’ve been expecting Albert all morning.”
“What? And you didn’t tell me?” Hariet exclaimed, then her face took on a suspicious cast as she looked from her mother to her brother. “Why? What’s going on?”
Tysen hesitated, he’d planned to tell her, but not like this. His mother, sensing her son’s reluctance, stepped forward. “Well, we’ll discuss that later. Right now, let’s give your brother a moment to rest and let his clothes dry- then we’ll get him some tea.”
“Okay,” the girl accepted, and she reached for the bag Tysen had placed on the bench next to the door.
He eschewed the blue taxis that lined up nearby and hoisted his small bag of personal effects over his shoulder, marching off along an oblique stone path, and then following the smooth dark road. He took his time and tried to enjoy the walk, his thoughts drifting to the circumstances that had brought him there.
I am a disgrace and a failure.
There were no two ways about it. Yes, he still believed he’d done the right thing over Miraposa III, and the world’s governor certainly believed he had as well, but it didn’t make it any easier to swallow what he’d done. Was he really any better than the pirates he’d made a deal with? His first command and already he’d ruined his career- he may as well resign now.
But what if he did resign? What then? His whole life had been focused on the service- it was everything to him.
Not only that, his future, and that of many others rested on it.
His mother, sister, and the fortunes of his family were carried on his shoulders.
Now it was all at risk.
What was I thinking?
The question was still hanging in his mind when he looked up and saw the door in front of him- the door to his family mansion on their estate. He’d walked the whole way, even up the driveway, on automatic, his body knowing the way.
He let himself smile at that, yet another reminder that he was home, and pressed the doorbell button. He heard the thumping of heavy footsteps inside, and a rough voice yelled out- “ Yes, yes. I’m coming. Hold on!”
Then the door was yanked open, and there she was. Shorter than Tysen, and a bit younger, the teenager who starred in open mouthed shock at him nonetheless shared Tysen’s hair and eye color, and their faces were similar as well. She was heavier than he was, more than a little bit plump, and her face rounder than his.
“Ty?” She squeaked in surprise.
“Hello sister, how are you?”
“Ty!” She tackled him with a big hug. “Mom! Ty’s here!” She cried back into the house, and then grabbed her brother’s hand and tugged him inside. “Ty, what are you doing here? Don’t just stand there, come inside out of the rain! Look at you, you’re soaked!”
“You’re exaggerating, as usual.” He took off his jacket, placing it on a familiar, worn brass hook.
“Am not!”
“Well, well, well.” Said another woman’s voice, this one deeper, with a note of maturity to it. “Look who’s back.”
Elizabeth Tysen leaned casually against a door frame watching her children. She was a tall woman, with long spiraling ringlets of auburn hair and broad, almost masculine shoulders. Few who had seen this woman would have called her beautiful, but she’d aged into her looks well and could be called attractive by many. To Tysen, of course, she was no more or less beautiful than she had ever been.
“Hello mother,” he said formally. “You look well.”
Tysen cared deeply for his mother, but their relationship had always been a rocky one. He had matured early, and quickly developed his own ideas about his life and his future. With the loss of his father, Tysen had seen himself as a head of the household, but his mother naturally hadn’t quite wanted to share power with a boy of twelve.
“Mother, isn’t this the most amazing surprise!”
Elizabeth looked at her daughter with a knowing smile. “Actually, he linked to me earlier, dear. I’ve been expecting Albert all morning.”
“What? And you didn’t tell me?” Hariet exclaimed, then her face took on a suspicious cast as she looked from her mother to her brother. “Why? What’s going on?”
Tysen hesitated, he’d planned to tell her, but not like this. His mother, sensing her son’s reluctance, stepped forward. “Well, we’ll discuss that later. Right now, let’s give your brother a moment to rest and let his clothes dry- then we’ll get him some tea.”
“Okay,” the girl accepted, and she reached for the bag Tysen had placed on the bench next to the door.
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