Child of the Empire by Michaelbrent Collings

Author:Michaelbrent Collings [Collings, Michaelbrent]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: Michaelbrent Collings
Published: 2015-12-02T23:00:00+00:00

10

Garden had left behind much to be a Blessed One.

She knew that Armor had a family – or at least a wife. But he was unusual. When she had been called to service she had been told that most people who served the Empire the way she did renounced their ties to family, to friends, to everything but their service.

Riada of the House Adara became simply a girl with no name. And then she was Garden the Blessed One, servant of the Empire and her Emperor.

She had been a child of nobility. The House of Adara was one of the oldest families in Ansborn. Her father had been preparing her for marriage – rumor had it she might even have proved a fitting consort for Malal himself – when her Gift appeared.

Then, it was over. The dream that was her life – the servants, the balls, the suitors – all of it ended.

She was a Blessed One. And that meant she could have anything she desired, but nothing she really wanted.

She had almost despaired, the first lonely days; had almost lost hope in herself and in the kindness of Gods who were so cruel they could rip her away from the life she had loved.

Then she met Sword. She met a friend… and more than a friend, a sister.

That was why it was so hard to accept what Devar was saying. So hard to believe that Sword had done what he said she had done.

"No," said Garden. "She wouldn't. She couldn't."

The others nodded their assent. They were all there: Armor, Teeth, Scholar, Siren. Even Marionette, for once – though of course the little girl said nothing when Devar announced that Sword had turned traitor and had assassinated the Minister of Finance. The mad child had brought one of her dolls – broken and scarred as were all her playthings – and was making it dance on her knee, giggling every so often.

"I agree," said Armor. "With respect, of course," he added, bowing to Devar, "but it seems at odds with all I know of her."

"I am in accord with the observations and conclusions of my esteemed associate," said Scholar.

"What he said," added Teeth.

"How could she possibly have turned against the Empire?" added Siren.

Devar nodded. "I understand," he said. "But I have something to show you. I'm going to leave for a moment, because she and I…." He grimaced. "We don't exactly get along, and this will be easier without us shouting at one another."

He turned and left without a word. A moment later, a new figure entered the room. An old woman, bent over so far she was almost staring at the floor, a huge hump on her back. She wore the black disc of the Blessed, but Garden had never seen her before.

Who is this?

The crone spoke. "I am the Empire's Blessed One, known as Seer," she said. Her voice was surprisingly mellifluous. The tones danced pleasantly: the sound of a piper, playing a tune that would lead dancers to their doom.

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