Schism: Part One of Triad Read Free Page A

kill with impunity during the ceremony.
    In reality, Althor served Imperial Space Command, not a supposedly barbarian king on a backward planet. When Althor graduated next year from the Dieshan Military Academy, he would become a fighter pilot in the J-Force, one of the four branches of the Skolian military, along with the Imperial Fleet, Advance Services Corps, and Pharaoh’s Army. Nothing required him to swear fealty to Eldrinson. That he did so anyway spoke eloquently, for all to see, of his esteem for his father.
     
    Soz couldn’t hear them, but the Bard must have spoken, for Aithor rose to his feet, towering over their father. Someone drew in a sharp breath, and Soz glanced around to see several housemaids watching Aithor, their violet eyes wide and appreciative. Even through the shields she raised to protect her empath’s mind, she felt their desire, how much he impressed and attracted them. Pah. The concept of her brother being the object of female desire was just too much. Not that he had ever seemed interested in Dalvador girls.
    Her father and brother embraced. Soz suspected Eldrinson had tears in his eyes, but he would hold back, too proud to cry in front of everyone. To have his son descend from the sky in such a dramatic display and then kneel before him had to feel incredible. It touched her heart that Aithor chose to greet him this way. If only that could take away the pain. Although their father had always encouraged Althor’s dreams, he refused to hear the same from her. It wasn’t Althor’s fault, but it made being around him difficult. Would he be willing to take her offworld? Her hastily conceived plan had become even more complicated.
    Two men were coming forward from the columns behind the dais. No, one was eight-year-old Kelric, already as tall as an adult. Del walked with him. The woman who had come with Aithor stayed behind, unobtrusive, half hidden by a column.
    Kelric took the six stairs of the dais in two big lunges and ran to his brother. Aithor pulled him into a hug. Even from here, Soz could see Del’s grin as he slapped Aithor on the shoulder.
    “He’s even taller,” a voice said, with a chime on uie second word.
    Startled, Soz turned. Her brother, Shannon, stood next to her, slender and supple, his eyes level with hers. She had always wondered what it was like for him, living in the shadow of such giant brothers. He had the silver eyes of a Blue Dale Archer. Somewhere in the distant past, one of their ancestors must have had a child with an Archer. The traits could lie dormant for centuries and still run true when
     
    they manifested. Shannon might be one of the few Archers left; no one had heard from them in centuries.
    “My greetings, Shani.” She had been so absorbed in the scene on the dais, she hadn’t felt his pensive mood earlier, but now it came through to her.
    He tilted his head toward Althor. “He is magnificent.” His words flowed like clear water in a stream.
    Soz smiled. “Hero worship? Surely not.”
    “You feel it, too.”
    It wasn’t how Soz would have put it, given her conflicted emotions toward Althor. “I admire what he has achieved.”
    “Do you envy him?” Shannon pitched his words low, so only she would hear.
    “Envy? Why?”
    “Father won’t let you become a warrior. Women cannot.”
    A familiar anger stirred in Soz. “Of course we can. ISC has more women in the military than men.” Dryly she added, “It used to be a matriarchy, Shani.”
    “That may be.” His voice had a singsong quality. “But not here. Father will never let you go offworld.”
    “How is he going to stop me?”
    “I don’t know,” he admitted. “He wants you to marry Lord Rillia.”
    “Oh, for flaming sakes.” Soz put her hands on her hips. “I’m not marrying anyone, let alone a man more than twice my age who can’t read or write.”
    “It doesn’t bother Aniece.”
    “She’s eleven years old. She doesn’t know what she wants.”
    “Thirteen,” Shannon