A World Too Near (Entire and the Rose, Book 2) by Kay Kenyon

Author:Kay Kenyon [Kenyon, Kay]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781591026969
Publisher: Pyr
Published: 2009-11-16T06:00:00+00:00

That ebb she brought a blanket to her forest so that she could lie in darkness. Pai spread her own blanket nearby. There was no moon or stars. Lord Inweer hadn't gone that far with her forest cell, but she was content with the prospect of a clean, dark night. Tears came-for herself, for Gao.

Pal crept close, reaching out to pat her shoulder. "Find a peaceful ebb, mistress. It is over now. Do not go back to the engineer."

"I see him again tomorrow, Pai."

Pai voiced her astonishment. "Then he holds a threat over your head."

"Yes." Johanna looked into the dark forest to locate SuMing. She had made her camp farther off. Johanna was relieved to be free for a moment of that blameful look. If she could banish the girl, she would, but these were the servants it pleased the lord to assign her. She had always understood that they were her jailors as well as her servants. That Pai had grown to love her was only an accident, a cherished stroke of fortune.

"You bear more than your share of sorrow," Pai said.

"Thank you, Pai, but everyone has their burden, I am sure."

"But you have lost your daughter and husband both, though they still live. That is a heavy sorrow. Forgive me for speaking of them."

It was a relief to speak of them to someone who didn't take a prurient interest in confidences. "My daughter has never answered my missives."

"An ungrateful girl, to behave so."

"No, not ungrateful, Pai. The lords stole her away, blinded her. And I live with one of them. It cannot be forgiven. I leave it to God to forgive me."

Pai made a two-fingered sign by her right eye. "God does not forgive."

"Mine does." That was the only thing left to hold onto.

Pai lay down next to Johanna, looking up at the black sky. "I know you grieve for what the engine will produce. The engine will pull the life from your world, and draw it into ours."

Stunned, Johanna said, "Oh Pai, you know?" She looked around in the darkness to be sure SuMing wasn't lurking.

"There are rumors of the engine," Pai said. In a gesture of startling intimacy, she brought her hands to the sides of Johanna's face. "Why should we destroy your home? It's not right. I wouldn't blame you if you tried to prevent it."

Johanna let go of a pent-up breath. So, Pai knew. And didn't condemn her. That was a small but sweet consolation amid her troubles. "I am done with the engine."

"Morhab holds this knowledge over you," Pai whispered. "The stinking beast."

Around Johanna the forest hung blackly. "I am in hell," she said.

Pai put an arm around her. "No, mistress. This is not hell."

If it wasn't, then Johanna didn't want to know what was.

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