Mars the Divine (Empire of Time Series) by John Argo

Page 24.

The two women looked at each other. "Oh-oh," Sindi said.

Trini looked sympathetic. "Farr, they are our cousins. King Lee had their father exiled to the Granistons, figuring they'd be safe there, and far away not to threaten his throne. Timony got his family in trouble all on his own, and we had no idea until long after they were sent to the Tribers. Our people actually did search for them for a while, but they hid well and our people gave up."

"That's before my time or Trini's," Sindi said, "so don't take it up with us. Please."

"I can tell you where Sudie is. I can tell you where Timony is, what's left of him."

Trini's eyes flashed. "We know where they are, and we are leaving it alone, do you hear? We understand Sudie is in a bad way, but it would kill her to leave the home she's made with Sam Gorepoint."

"I suppose Sam is another exiled cousin of yours," I said bitterly.

"Not exactly," Sindi said. "He's a disgraced priest who was given a chance to make a new life for himself, and he was sent to take care of Sudie. That's what he is doing, and they are both doing well. Our agency watches over them from a distance."

"You didn't get there in time to prevent Hang Me Now from cutting her tongue out."

They were silent for a while.

The car was moving slowly now through a sparsely populated area with large estates hidden among dense forestation—at the edges of the King City geodesic dome, for I could see huge pylons curving down and anchored to the ground with bolts the size of houses.

Trini leaned over the seat again. "Farr, in case you are wondering, we are still nuns, but we are loyal to the old Popess, not the new one. Knowing this could get you killed, but not knowing it could be even more dangerous."

Sindi nodded. "You made the decision to come here. We're glad you did, and we hope you can help our cause, but it's all on your hook. You are responsible for whatever will happen to you."

Trini said: "You have to understand that there is enough intrigue in this capital to make up for the entire rest of the world. There is intrigue among the palace families, as you have seen between the Eastgardens and the Upholder clan. There is plenty of intrigue on the Temple side, and we are part of both sets of players."

"Let me take a stab at this," I said. "On the palace side, you are Upholder loyalists, which is why you stuck it to the Eastgardens, who I am quite fond of. On the Temple side, you are with a faction that represents the late Gina-Paulina XXIII, whom I could have liked very much. Taking a further leap of imagination, I'd guess that she was killed by someone aligned with a minor family called the Balessos, who installed their woman in the Chair of NASA."

Trini gasped. "Very sharp."

Sindi said: "But we aren't surprised."

Trini said: "We know you're very sharp."

Sindi nodded as she parked the hydrocar on a gravel driveway outside a very old stone mansion with crumbling stucco walls and bird nests in the eaves. "Welcome to House Eastgarden, Your Lordship."

"What?"

"Welcome home," Trini said as she got out. She opened the door for me and stood at attention as I numbly and shakenly stepped out of the car.

"Farr," Sindi whispered under her breath, "this is going to be hard on you. We want you to know that we are at your side and will do anything we can to help."

"What are you talking about?" I said.

Trini closed the door and took me gently by the elbow. "Touching is off limits, but you need a friendly touch right now." She squeezed my arm and then let go as the double door opened. I understood the deal: they were still in their decade of denial. That's the first ten years, when a religious has to swear off sex. After that, they can live a normal life and marry, whether they stay in the life or not.

Two serving women in gray smocks stood in their doorway several steps above us. The older, sourer one said: "Yes?"

"We are bringing a visitor to Lord Eastgate Senior. He is expecting us."

"Yes, Sister," the two women said in unison.

An elderly butler in black trousers and white long-sleeved shirt appeared. He wore a subdued sleeveless silk tunic with prints of dark yellow and brown vegetation. He had a cadaverous face with heavy eyebrows, piercing dark eyes, and gray lips. "Good day, Sisters and Sir." For a moment he appeared confused, but one of the maids whispered in his ear. He brightened. "Very good. This way, Sir and Sisters."

We followed him down a long, high-ceilinged hallway. The house oozed dignity. It was much wood paneling inside, and heavy ceiling beams, and the house like what I'd read about lake boats. There were large paintings on every wall, and statues in every corner. It seemed a museum.

Trini and Sindi held back as I approached a large inner door. The one maid knocked, and a man's voice barked an order, and the other maid swung the door open for me to enter.

Trini whispered: "Good luck meeting your grandfather."

Sindi gave me a thumbs-up.

I entered a large library with high windows that blinded me at first with sunlight pouring in from the overhead bulbs outside. The room smelled of coffee and old paper books and new electronic books.

A familiar voice boomed harshly: "I didn't think you'd come."

I peered through my sunspots and, as my eyes adjusted to the relative gloom, I saw the Abbot standing by a table.

Thank you for reading. If you love it, tell your friends. Please post a favorable review at Amazon, Good Reads, and other online resources. If you want to thank the author, you may also buy a copy for the low price of a cup of coffee. It's called Read-a-Latte: similar (or lower) price as a latte at your favorite coffeeshop, but the book lasts forever while the beverage is quickly gone. Thank you (JTC).

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