The Stars Are Legion by Kameron Hurley

Author:Kameron Hurley [Hurley, Kameron]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, mobi
Publisher: Saga Press
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

“BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU PRETEND TO BE. IT’S FAR TOO EASY TO BECOME WHAT YOU PRETEND.”

—LORD MOKSHI, ANNALS OF THE LEGION

22

JAYD

You have been so melancholy,” Rasida says.

I lie in bed, resting my hands on my growing belly. I still get up sometimes, to eat and scroll through the story tablets, but my hair is unwashed. I could wash my clothes or have the girls wash them. I know these things but cannot make myself act on them.

Rasida crosses the room to me. She visits at least once every cycle. She sits beside me and takes my hand in hers. Her palms are rough and callused. I remember how lovely her fingers felt on me when I thought I had the power here, when I thought it was all going according to plan.

“I know it’s difficult,” she says. “It was so, for me, when I took my first world. Sometimes, the darkness comes. It obliterates our sense of the future. But you carry Bhavaja’s future, Jayd. You have worth.”

Worth, I think, and turn away from her. Worth only for what I carry, as if I’m just a vessel. But of course, this is what I wanted. I just didn’t want all of Katazyrna destroyed to get me here. I tell myself we will all die anyway if Zan and I aren’t able to make this plan work, but it’s little comfort. The Katazyrna dead in a generation is far different than the Katazyrna dead in my lifetime.

“I care very much for you, Jayd,” Rasida says. “I hope we can be true lovers.”

My eyes fill, and I keep my face turned away. Let her see me suffer. Let her feel sorry for me. I deserve it. I want her to suffer in turn.

“I have brought you a gift,” Rasida murmurs. “We have been eagerly getting Katazyrna ready for you, you understand. Now that I have the arm, our people here can move there. Some are not so happy about that, those who followed Aditva and the other sisters I had to slay, but they will fall in line. They will understand, as you do.”

I say nothing.

“Did you hear me?” she says softly. “This is my way of apologizing, love. I sometimes act very rashly. I feared for you. I feared my family would corrupt you. I see now that you would never have need to run from me. Let me make it up to you with a gift. I found one of your sisters, alive. I thought she could make a fine companion for you. Loneliness can be difficult, my mother tells me.”

I roll over to face her. My heart quickens. But of course it won’t be Zan, will it? Rasida has seen Zan and recycled her, and would never bring her here.

But I sit up. If nothing else, Rasida has awoken my curiosity, which I thought long dead along with my heart.

“See, there,” Rasida says, and she wipes the tears from my cheeks. “I am not so monstrous. I’ve done all of this for you, love.

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