TheDutyofPain Read Free Page A

her whitened skin from the eyes of the guards.
    Quuro was making his own way to the shuttle. He had a talent for invisibility that enabled him to leave before their party had even reached the gates.
    Once cleared, they walked swiftly to the monorail that would take them to the spaceport.
    Alda didn’t dare breathe a word.
    The moment that they exited the monorail, the soft thud of Quuro’s feet landed next to them.
    As the quiet party of four plus one, they passed through customs unmolested and settled into the shuttle as quickly as they could. Larsilk took the helm, Bukel the navigator station and Terlio sat next to Alda while Quuro regained his visibility.
    They soared up and away in seconds. The moment that they lifted away from the capital, Alda began to sob.
    “You are free, Alda-Xeri. No reason for tears.”
    Between her sobs, she whispered, “He will die within the week without me. He was so kind, did so much good while I was treating him.”
    “What did you do for him? What is a Pain Taker?”
    She looked at the stranger and pulled the mask away from her face. “I numb the brain’s registration of pain—emotional and physical. It can be temporary or permanent, but it depends on the source of the pain.” She looked one last time at the white cliffs that seemed so tiny down below.
    “Why did the duke want you to leave so abruptly?”
    “The high chancellor was looking at me as a possible source of income or even a bargaining chip with the Raiders. They had someone sniffing around on Olsted for me years ago, but my family ceased using my talents, and I went dormant until they left.”
    He kept his questions low and quiet, “What did you do for your family?”
    “I administered anaesthetic to patients who were undergoing surgery. I blocked the pain and helped them through their recovery. My family has been in the medical trade for years, so it is no wonder that my talent surfaced where it was needed.”
    “How did you enjoy your job?”
    “I liked helping others. My life had a good rhythm before the high chancellor sent out his demand for assistance. Don’t get me wrong, I liked helping the duke get his affairs in order, but the high chancellor has been looking at me and trying to come up with an alternate use for my talent, and it was not a pleasant look. The duke knew what was happening, and he has been hanging on for two reasons. One was that he needed to wait until his heir was on the way, the other was that he wanted me gone.”
    Terlio nodded. “He said as much when we disguised you. What did you do before we left?”
    She sighed. “I kissed him. My saliva can be an analgesic if I am motivated. I licked my lips and kissed his cheek. He should have forty-eight hours of pain-free movement.”
    “So, your talent is exclusively pain related?”
    Alda looked at him with a frown. “Yes, why do you ask?”
    “We had a notification that we needed to pick you up as quickly as possible. Udell base received a notice from Relay, and I was dispatched immediately.”
    Blinking, she looked around the shuttle at the other three men. “You were dispatched? What about the others?”
    He rubbed at the back of his neck. “Ah, that. Well, it will be explained when we arrive on Udell. Yes, we were all dispatched to come here.”
    There was a round of throat clearing from the other three, and Alda watched the stars in the view screen. Her vision blurred as fatigue rippled through her. “May I sleep?”
    “Of course. You have had a trying day. Take the rest you need. We will have a meal ready when you wake up.”
    She waved at him to shut up and leaned back in her seat. A day’s worth of pain killing exhausted her, and she hoped that there was something new to see when she woke. The dream she was in now had run its course.
    A hand on her shoulder was shaking her gently. “Alda-Xeri, you have been asleep for twelve hours. Time for a meal.”
    She opened her eyes, and the blurry shape of Bukel was standing next to