Morning Star: Book III of the Red Rising Trilogy Read Free Page B

must know it was not by chance that he lost, but inevitability. Reds have always beencunninglittlecreatures.Andhe,myfriends,isthepersonificationofwhattheywishtobe,what they will be if we let them. So I let time and darkness remake him into what he really is. A Homo flammeus, tousethenewclassificationsystemIproposedtotheBoard.Barelydifferentfrom Homo sapiens ontheevolutionarytimeline.Therestwasjustamask.”
    “Youmeanhemadeafoolof you, ”Cassiusparses,“whenyourfatherpreferredacarved-upRedto hisbloodheir?That’swhatthisis, Jackal. Thepetulantshameofaboyunlovedandunwanted.”
    TheJackaltwitchesatthat.Aja’sequallydispleasedbyheryoungcompanion’stone.
    “DarrowtookJulian’slife,”Antoniasays.“Thenslaughteredyourfamily.Cassius,hesentkillers tobutcherthechildrenofyourbloodastheyhidonOlympusMons.Onewouldwonderwhatyour
    motherwouldthinkofyourpity.”
    Cassius ignores them, jerking his head toward the Pinks at the edge of the room. “Fetch the prisonerablanket.”
    Theydonotmove.
    “Suchmanners.Evenfromyou,Thistle?”Shegivesnoanswer.Withasnortofcontempt,Cassius
    strips off his white cloak and drapes it over my shivering body. For a moment, no one speaks, as struckbytheactasI.
    “Thank you,” I croak. But he looks away from my hollow face. Pity is not forgiveness, nor is gratitudeabsolution.
    Lilath snorts a laugh without looking up from her bowl of soft-boiled hummingbird eggs. She slurps at them like candy. “There is a point when honor becomes a flaw of character, Morning Knight.”SittingbesidetheJackal,thebaldwomanpeersupatAjawitheyeslikethoseoftheeelsin Venus’scavernseas.Anotheregggoesdown.“OldmanArcoslearnedthehardway.”
    Ajadoesnotreply,hermannersfaultless.Butadeathlysilencelurksinsidethewoman,asilenceI remember from the moments before she killed Quinn. Lorn taught her the blade. She will not like seeinghisnamemocked.Lilathgreedilyswallowsanotheregg,sacrificingmannersforinsult.
    There’s animosity between these allies. As always with their kind. But this seems a stark new divisionbetweentheoldGoldsandtheJackal’smoremodernbreed.
    “We’reallfriendshere,”theJackalsaysplayfully.“Mindyourmanners,Lilath.LornwasanIron
    Goldwhosimplychosethewrongside.So,Aja,I’mcurious.NowthatmyleaseontheReaperisup, doyoustillplantodissecthim?”
    “Wedo,”Ajasays.Shouldn’thavethankedCassiusafterall.Hishonorisn’ttrue.It’sjustsanitary.
    “Zanzibariscurioustodiscoverhowhewasmade.Hehashistheories,buthe’schampingatthebit forthespecimen.WewerehopingtorounduptheCarverthatdidthedeed,butwethinkheperished inamissilestrikeupinKato,Alcidaliaprovince.”
    “Ortheywantyoutothinkthat,”Antoniasays.
    “Youoncehadhimhere,didn’tyou?”Ajaaskspointedly.
    TheJackalnods.“Mickey’shisname.LosthislicenseafterhecarvedanunlicensedAureatebirth.
    Family tried sparing their child the Exposure. Anyway, he specialized in blackmarket aerial and aquatic pleasure mods afterward. Had a carveshop in Yorkton before the Sons recruited him for a special job. Darrow helped him escape my custody. If you want my opinion, he’s still alive. My operativesplacehiminTinos.”
    AjaandCassiusexchangealook.
    “IfyouhavealeadonTinos,youneedtoshareitwithusnow,”Cassiussays.
    “I have nothing definitive yet. Tinos is well hidden. And we’ve yet to capture one of their ship captains…alive.”TheJackalsipshiscoffee.“Butironsareinthefire,andyou’llbethefirsttoknow if anything comes of them. Though, I rather think my Boneriders would like the first crack at the Howlers.Wouldn’tyou,Lilath?”
    Itrynottostiratthementionofthename.Butit’shardnotto.They’realive.Someofthem,atleast.
    AndtheychosetheSonsofAresoverGold….
    “Yes,sir,”Lilathsays,studyingme.“We’drelisharealhunt.FightingtheRedLegionandtheother