The Paradox Men by Charles L. Harness

Author:Charles L. Harness
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 051755433X
Publisher: Crown Publishers
Published: 1983-12-31T23:00:00+00:00

Alar had been wandering through the streets about an hour when he saw Keiris.

She was standing alone on the steps of the Geographical Museum, regarding him gravely. A light cape was thrown about her shoulders and she appeared to hold it together with the fingers of her right hand, or possibly a barely visible metal clasp.

The lamps on the museum porticoes threw an unearthly blue light over her bloodless face. Her translucent cheeks were drawn and lined, and her body seemed very thin. There was now a streak of white in her hair, which was knotted unobtrusively at the side of her neck.

To Alar she was completely lovely. For a long time he could only stare, drinking in the moody, ethereal beauty of the composition of light and blue shadow. His torturing frustration was forgotten.

“Keiris!” he whispered. “Keiris!”

He walked quickly across the street and she descended the steps stiffly to meet him.

But when he held out both hands to her, she merely lowered her head and seemed to swirl her cape closer. Somehow, he had not expected so cool a reception. They walked silently up the street.

After a moment he asked, “Did Haze-Gaunt give you any trouble?”

“A little. They asked some questions. I told them nothing.” Her voice was strangely husky.

“Your hair—have you been ill?”

“I have been in a hospital for the past six weeks,” she replied evasively.

“I’m sorry.” After a moment he asked, “Why are you here?”

“A friend of yours brought me. A Dr. Haven. He’s waiting in your study, now.”

Alar’s heart leapt. “Has the Society reinstated me?” he asked quickly.

“Not that I know of.”

He sighed. “Very well, then. But how did you meet John?”

Keiris studied the dim-lit flaggings of the street. “He bought me in the slave market,” she said quietly.

Alar sensed the outline of something ominous. What could have angered Haze-Gaunt to the point of selling her? And why had the Society bought her? He couldn’t talk to her about it. Perhaps Haven would know.

“There’s really nothing mysterious about it,” she continued. “Haze-Gaunt gave me to Shey. When Shey thought I was dead he had me sold to what he thought was a charnel-house buyer, only it turned out to be a surgeon sent by the Thieves. They kept me in their secret hospital for six weeks and as you can see I didn’t die. And when Dr. Haven came I told him where you were. We slipped through the blockade last night.”

“Blockade?”

“Haze-Gaunt grounded every planetary and spacejet immediately after you left. The Imperials are still combing the hemisphere for you.”

He stole a cautious look behind them. “But how could a Thief ship enter Lunar Station? The place is swarming with I.P.’s. You’ve been spotted, surely. It was insane of Haven to come. The only reason both of you weren’t arrested when you landed was that the I.P.’s hoped you’d lead them to me. Well, we’re being tailed right now.”

“I know but it doesn’t matter.” Her voice was quiet, with a soft huskiness. “The Mind told me to come to you.

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