buzzard?”
“I sense through your memories a darkness in her. A hidden side of her, tucked away. I must meet her so I can evaluate her myself.”
“No way, Grandpa. She’s married. Go ogle the nurses instead.”
My grandfather laughs loudly. “No dear. It’s much more than getting a gander of a bit of tail. I sense it will be life and death for you.”
“You’ve developed a sudden talent in chronomancy?”
“Tell her of your travel plans, dear one. I think she’ll be pleasantly surprised.”
I end up spending all day with my grandfather.
Around noon I go home to my parents’ to prepare him a lunch. This gives me a chance to see that last night’s riot is finally calming down. I catch up on gossip and find out the telekinetics running the ‘Canoid have disbanded. The rumour-mill says that Kajo is planning to declare shortly, so the political climate is already shifting.
By the time classes would normally end for the day, a taxi shows up from the Lanarrs’. The driver buzzes the office to ask for me.
I leave my grandfather playing lawn darts and board it while the driver holds the carriage door. Mrs. Lanarr awaits me as I alight on their front doorstep.
“Come child, you mustn’t tarry late in that part of town,” she says, as she removes her glasses to peer at me
I give a respectful curtsy. “It’s not dangerous. For me it’s home.”
“A home that will tear you apart if you’re not careful. Come now and sup with us.”
Using the neatly manicured hand holding the glasses, she points down the hall. I precede her, as directed, into the dining room, where I take a place across from Alešan. Panne sits beside her, then Greg, and then a man I’ve not seen before. On my side, the stranger’s daughter and wife are seated. Greg’s father sits at the head of the table and Mrs. Lanarr comes to sit beside me.
Alešan wears heavy makeup today. It’s the expensive arsenic-based kind decried by bios worldwide, but it’s highly resistant. She eyes me with open hostility as I sit down. I try to ignore her while I focus on remembering my dining etiquette lessons.
Little rat, see how she concentrates on what fork to choose.
The thought pops into my head from Alešan. Her hatred for me must be consuming her entire public mind for me to hear it without even trying to read her. I keep my eyes down, hoping to go on ignoring her, as the introductions take place around the table.
She can’t hear me. I think Greg was lying about her being a telepath.
I cannot help but glance at Greg. Why has he told Alešan my secret? It wasn’t his to share. Oh well. It doesn’t matter after rescuing Tiller last night. The entire demesne will know soon, when word spreads of me putting that chronomancer to sleep. What with Kajo’s plan to take over East Hillvale, my telepathy need not remain a secret. It’s hard to get used to, but soon I will no longer need to fear the Coalition taking me away.
The stranger at the table turns out to be a business associate of Mr Lanarr, who has brought his family over for dinner. Their agenda dominates the table for most of the dinner despite Mrs. Lanarr’s frequent attempts to divert them to more general topics.
I make it through without major mishap, since I have Alešan gloating whenever I go to make even the slightest misstep. Dessert is an expensive sorbet, with a chocolate drizzle and fruit on the side. For this, I would happily dine with a dozen Alešans.
Lessons are delayed while Mr and Mrs. Lanarr make some last minute discussions with their guest. Alešan, Panne and I retire to the study room to wait.
When I sit in my desk, Alešan walks over and sets her two hands down on it, so she can stare at me.
“Very good work at dinner, Kwan. I almost couldn’t tell you were born in a manger.”
“I was born in a warren. My family’s not that poor.”
“Since you’re so rich and all, why
“I sense through your memories a darkness in her. A hidden side of her, tucked away. I must meet her so I can evaluate her myself.”
“No way, Grandpa. She’s married. Go ogle the nurses instead.”
My grandfather laughs loudly. “No dear. It’s much more than getting a gander of a bit of tail. I sense it will be life and death for you.”
“You’ve developed a sudden talent in chronomancy?”
“Tell her of your travel plans, dear one. I think she’ll be pleasantly surprised.”
I end up spending all day with my grandfather.
Around noon I go home to my parents’ to prepare him a lunch. This gives me a chance to see that last night’s riot is finally calming down. I catch up on gossip and find out the telekinetics running the ‘Canoid have disbanded. The rumour-mill says that Kajo is planning to declare shortly, so the political climate is already shifting.
By the time classes would normally end for the day, a taxi shows up from the Lanarrs’. The driver buzzes the office to ask for me.
I leave my grandfather playing lawn darts and board it while the driver holds the carriage door. Mrs. Lanarr awaits me as I alight on their front doorstep.
“Come child, you mustn’t tarry late in that part of town,” she says, as she removes her glasses to peer at me
I give a respectful curtsy. “It’s not dangerous. For me it’s home.”
“A home that will tear you apart if you’re not careful. Come now and sup with us.”
Using the neatly manicured hand holding the glasses, she points down the hall. I precede her, as directed, into the dining room, where I take a place across from Alešan. Panne sits beside her, then Greg, and then a man I’ve not seen before. On my side, the stranger’s daughter and wife are seated. Greg’s father sits at the head of the table and Mrs. Lanarr comes to sit beside me.
Alešan wears heavy makeup today. It’s the expensive arsenic-based kind decried by bios worldwide, but it’s highly resistant. She eyes me with open hostility as I sit down. I try to ignore her while I focus on remembering my dining etiquette lessons.
Little rat, see how she concentrates on what fork to choose.
The thought pops into my head from Alešan. Her hatred for me must be consuming her entire public mind for me to hear it without even trying to read her. I keep my eyes down, hoping to go on ignoring her, as the introductions take place around the table.
She can’t hear me. I think Greg was lying about her being a telepath.
I cannot help but glance at Greg. Why has he told Alešan my secret? It wasn’t his to share. Oh well. It doesn’t matter after rescuing Tiller last night. The entire demesne will know soon, when word spreads of me putting that chronomancer to sleep. What with Kajo’s plan to take over East Hillvale, my telepathy need not remain a secret. It’s hard to get used to, but soon I will no longer need to fear the Coalition taking me away.
The stranger at the table turns out to be a business associate of Mr Lanarr, who has brought his family over for dinner. Their agenda dominates the table for most of the dinner despite Mrs. Lanarr’s frequent attempts to divert them to more general topics.
I make it through without major mishap, since I have Alešan gloating whenever I go to make even the slightest misstep. Dessert is an expensive sorbet, with a chocolate drizzle and fruit on the side. For this, I would happily dine with a dozen Alešans.
Lessons are delayed while Mr and Mrs. Lanarr make some last minute discussions with their guest. Alešan, Panne and I retire to the study room to wait.
When I sit in my desk, Alešan walks over and sets her two hands down on it, so she can stare at me.
“Very good work at dinner, Kwan. I almost couldn’t tell you were born in a manger.”
“I was born in a warren. My family’s not that poor.”
“Since you’re so rich and all, why
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