Scourge The Heretic by Sandy Mitchell

Author:Sandy Mitchell
Language: eng
Format: MOBI, mobi, epub
Publisher: Black Library
Published: 2011-10-10T23:00:00+00:00

Keira woke instantly, her hand closing around the hilt of the blade beneath her pillow, and then checked the motion a moment before flinging it into the throat of the servant girl hovering diffidently on the threshold of her bedroom. ‘Yes?’ she asked, sitting up, and tucking the knife back out of sight before the maid could catch sight of it.

‘Sorry to disturb you, your ladyship, but there’s a message for you. An answer is required, so I was just looking in to see if you were still asleep.’ The girl’s gaze flickered down from Keira’s face for a moment, and a well-concealed look of surprise came and went as she evidently registered the faint tracery of old scars webbing her torso.

‘That’s fine, Lilith,’ Keira said, quietly pleased with herself for remembering the girl’s name. She’d been hired that morning, before the others had left, as Horst thought a lady’s maid about the place would add verisimilitude to her pose as an aristocrat. Plump, dark-haired and immaculately groomed, Lilith filled her well-cut but simple grey gown as though it was the height of haute couture, and walked with a poise almost as assured as Keira’s own, although no doubt this was the result of a very different manner of schooling. Though she concealed it easily, Keira felt a little uncomfortable around the girl. Drake hadn’t had time to instruct her in the niceties of patrician behaviour as he’d promised before leaving with the others, and if anyone was likely to see through the imposture it would be a woman used to the presence of genuine nobility. There was no point in worrying about it, though, she’d just have to do the best she could until he got back, and hope that any gaffes she might make would just be put down to her being an off-worlder. ‘Could you find me some suitable clothes?’

‘Of course, my lady.’ Lilith started bustling through the closets, which were stuffed with items Keira didn’t recognise. Drake had evidently been busy while she had bathed and rested, slipping easily into his assumed role of majordomo. ‘I think something like this might be appropriate.’ She extricated a kirtle patterned in violet and blue. ‘Goes nicely with that unusual hair colour of yours.’ She hesitated. ‘If it’s not too forward of me to mention it, madam.’

‘I don’t think so,’ Keira said, trying to hide her uneasiness. She’d spent most of her life relating to people either as allies in the never-ending war for the soul of the Imperium, or as enemies of all that was good and holy to be dispatched as swiftly as possible. The girl’s deference was subtly unnerving, and she didn’t know how she was supposed to react to it. Then inspiration struck. ‘I’ve spent so much time on Scintilla, I’ve really got no idea what’s appropriate here any more.’ She moved to the edge of the bed, swung her feet to the floor, and began to slip into her underwear.

‘It’s a very distinctive look,’ Lilith said.

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