Angel in the Badlands: space opera sci fi romance (Sons of Amber Book 1) Read Free Page B

gratifying. He could tell by the rising flush on the delicate skin of her neck that she was embarrassed.
    The older woman held up her hand to forestall any explanation Angela would have tried to make, a benevolent smile on her serene features. She advanced into the room and took a seat in the chair at his bedside, inviting them to sit with a wave of her fingers. Zeke let go of Angela, maneuvering around so that he could sit, pulling the sheet over his lower body.
    “Ezekiel, there are a few things you should probably know about our colony.” Mother Rachel began, surprising him. He sat back to listen, wondering what this woman of authority was going to tell him. “As Angela told you, we have been cut off from the rest of the galaxy here for many years. That was by design.” Her gaze narrowed on him. “You are the first person from outside our enclave to visit us since we settled here.”
    “So you did have contact with others, at least for a while,” Ezekiel observed. Mother Rachel nodded.
    “Only those of our Order knew where we’d gone. They were sworn to keep that secret until the day of ruin many of our people had foreseen.” Mother Rachel used her words deliberately, Ezekiel saw, his eyes widening as her meaning penetrated.
    “You’re talking about people with the psychic gift of foresight?” He had to clarify. Although psychic abilities of various kinds were known to exist throughout the human-settled worlds of the Milky Way, it was still something of a rarity.
    “Yes,” she answered simply, watching his reaction. Whatever she saw in his expression must have reassured her because she continued speaking. “Our community began on our homeworld, Espia. Our founders were all members of the Order of Espian mystics known as the Hakuzar Chionadra Noblis, or more simply as the Order of Chion. Many years ago, the most gifted in our Order all began seeing a desperate future for not just us, but all of mankind. In secret, our founders formed a plan to evacuate many of our number to this planet. Over the years, ships have come, bringing more supplies and more of our people. None has ever betrayed our secret, or our location.” Her gaze was steely as she said it, but after a pause, she softened slightly. “No one new has come from the homeworld for many years. We feared the worst and your arrival has confirmed it.”
    “I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news,” Zeke replied, feeling a bit self conscious, which was a new feeling for him. Then again, he’d never had to explain the death of billions of people before.
    “You are that, but you are also the sign we have been waiting for.” Mother Rachel’s gaze honed in on him, but her expression was more determined than upset. “As I said, it was our foreseers that led us to evacuate our Order from Espia. I too, have the gift of foresight. It’s that gift which has helped me lead this colony. Most of our people still have psychic gifts of one kind or another, but the one in each generation with the strongest foresight is usually chosen as leader.” She bowed her head modestly, but her knowing eyes did not leave his. “I have foreseen the danger you bring to our people—and the hope of salvation for all humanity. Your actions in the next few days will bring either disaster or epiphany.”
    Zeke shook his head, startled by her revelations. He had never met anyone who claimed to be able to see the future before, and it was more than disconcerting. It was downright freaky.
    Mother Rachel just smiled at his reaction. “You crashed here on the run from jit pirates, is that not so?”
    “Well, yeah,” Zeke admitted.
    “They search for you,” Mother Rachel told him. He wondered if she was just guessing or if she had some knowledge. He didn’t have long to wait for his answer. “Within two cycles, they will find your crash site,” she told him. “You must get there first.”
    Zeke felt the back of his neck itch. “I’d planned to go out as soon as it got