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Something swam by the window, and Edward knew the exact moment Callie
realized it wasn t a fish. Scales glinted on the Mer s tail, gills fluttering on his strong
neck. His hair danced in the current.
That s -- She cleared her throat and attempted to sound normal. Edward hid a
smile. That s a merman.
They prefer Mer. They run this place, and dozens more like it, all over the
world.
She stared out, and he knew she was searching for the other Mer swimming
through the underwater city.
But this room, she said, finally turning back and gesturing to the floors, the
furniture, it s not underwater. I mean, it s not full of water. It s sealed.
There are airlocks. A lot of the city was ruined, but some of it was renovated.
The Mer don t stay underwater all the time.
Of course not, she said, a slightly hysterical note creeping into her voice.
And there are others here, Edward went on, watching her carefully. People
who don t breathe underwater. People who survived the war.
Her gaze flew to him.
Not everyone was killed, he said. Some escaped. The Mer fought for me,
although the Empire still doesn t know they exist. They took in hundreds of veterans
and their families, sympathizers, anyone who could escape the Empire s cull. They live
in cities like this.
She looked at him with a curious expression, as if she couldn t work out what to
say to that. How --
Cat Marsters Empire 4: Dawn Rising - 52 -
Someone banged on the door, a series of heavy thuds. Callie immediately tensed,
defensive, but Edward knew that sound.
John, he called. Come in.
The door opened, and in walked Edward s oldest friend and ally, John Carver.
Dark tangled hair, an unshaven jaw and a livid scar on his face from his ill-fated
defense of Annique seven years ago. He was shirtless, and his right arm hung heavy
and useless at his side. The wires and metal between his hand and elbow looked dull
and lifeless.
At his side, twisted so his left hand could draw it, hung a sword. He saw Callie s
eyes widen at the sight of it.
You haven t called me John in years, Carver said. His gaze shot to Callie,
grazed her bare body in a disinterested way, then came back to Edward.
Time for a new name, perhaps, Edward said. He gestured to Callie. My friend
Boudicca here might suggest one.
Callie s eyes narrowed as they took in the lean menace of Edward s former First
Sword. Carver s torso was a mess of scars, his bionic arm was crude and ugly, his face
permanently dark, angry, distrustful.
To many, John Carver was the former Imperial soldier who had defected to the
Prince s Army in the middle of a pitched battle. He was the Prince s First Sword who
had turned against him and murdered his wife. He was the Imperial Traitor who had
evaded capture for seven years, until his lover had killed an Imperial Concubine and
Carver was finally caught and apparently executed in front of the Emperor s court.
Even Edward had doubted him for many years.
How about Brutus? Callie said, and Edward laughed.
Been called that before, Carver rumbled. My lord, we have a problem.
Edward stopped laughing as Carver raised his right arm. From the elbow down
it hung useless, a mass of heavy rods and wires, his hand limp and unresponsive.
What happened?
Cat Marsters Empire 4: Dawn Rising - 53 -
Don t know. Woke up this way. Carver allowed Edward to examine it, but
kept his eyes on Callie as she drifted forward.
It stopped working? she asked. Do& do you know why?
Her tone was deceptively casual. Edward wasn t fooled.
What do you know?
Callie peered at Carver s arm. He didn t allow her to touch it.
Looks like a radioflash, she said, and when Carver frowned she clarified, an
EMP, electromagnetic pulse. Creates a surge of high voltage, destroys electrical
circuits.
Both Edward and Carver were silent for a long moment. The Empire was very
aware of the threat of electromagnetic disruption and had instigated crushingly strict
laws on the production of anything that could create it.
That hadn t stopped an EMP from destroying a colony in the Pennine Isles
several months ago.
Edward cleared his throat. How do you know about EMPs, Boudicca?
She chewed her lip. Her gaze flicked guiltily to Carver s face. Where were you
last night? she asked.
Is that relevant?
Yes. Were you here? In this& building, or whatever it is?
He glanced at Edward before replying. Across the street.
Her eyes widened. Wow. That s got to be the biggest one so far.
Carver s free arm was suddenly at her throat, gripping her neck and lifting her
off the floor. Her heartbeat sped up, the drumming growing louder in Edward s head.
What do you know about the pulse? Carver demanded.
Callie s panicked gaze shot to Edward, but he wasn t about to come to her
defense, not when she seemed to be implying she d caused it.
The only people who can cause an EMP are the Empire, Carver snarled,
shaking her, but Callie shook her head.
Not -- true -- she gasped. Arcadians -- Pennines -- let me go!
Cat Marsters Empire 4: Dawn Rising - 54 -
A flash of alarm rippled through Edward. Carver and his shapeshifter lover
Nalina had been in the Pennines at the time of the Arcadian attack. It had killed
Nalina s father, and nearly killed her as well.
If she wasn t careful, Callie could end up being throttled by Carver.
Carver, desist, Edward said, and his friend growled before setting Callie
down. She stumbled to a chair, rubbing her throat and glaring at him.
Explain, he said coldly. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl chiara76.opx.pl
Something swam by the window, and Edward knew the exact moment Callie
realized it wasn t a fish. Scales glinted on the Mer s tail, gills fluttering on his strong
neck. His hair danced in the current.
That s -- She cleared her throat and attempted to sound normal. Edward hid a
smile. That s a merman.
They prefer Mer. They run this place, and dozens more like it, all over the
world.
She stared out, and he knew she was searching for the other Mer swimming
through the underwater city.
But this room, she said, finally turning back and gesturing to the floors, the
furniture, it s not underwater. I mean, it s not full of water. It s sealed.
There are airlocks. A lot of the city was ruined, but some of it was renovated.
The Mer don t stay underwater all the time.
Of course not, she said, a slightly hysterical note creeping into her voice.
And there are others here, Edward went on, watching her carefully. People
who don t breathe underwater. People who survived the war.
Her gaze flew to him.
Not everyone was killed, he said. Some escaped. The Mer fought for me,
although the Empire still doesn t know they exist. They took in hundreds of veterans
and their families, sympathizers, anyone who could escape the Empire s cull. They live
in cities like this.
She looked at him with a curious expression, as if she couldn t work out what to
say to that. How --
Cat Marsters Empire 4: Dawn Rising - 52 -
Someone banged on the door, a series of heavy thuds. Callie immediately tensed,
defensive, but Edward knew that sound.
John, he called. Come in.
The door opened, and in walked Edward s oldest friend and ally, John Carver.
Dark tangled hair, an unshaven jaw and a livid scar on his face from his ill-fated
defense of Annique seven years ago. He was shirtless, and his right arm hung heavy
and useless at his side. The wires and metal between his hand and elbow looked dull
and lifeless.
At his side, twisted so his left hand could draw it, hung a sword. He saw Callie s
eyes widen at the sight of it.
You haven t called me John in years, Carver said. His gaze shot to Callie,
grazed her bare body in a disinterested way, then came back to Edward.
Time for a new name, perhaps, Edward said. He gestured to Callie. My friend
Boudicca here might suggest one.
Callie s eyes narrowed as they took in the lean menace of Edward s former First
Sword. Carver s torso was a mess of scars, his bionic arm was crude and ugly, his face
permanently dark, angry, distrustful.
To many, John Carver was the former Imperial soldier who had defected to the
Prince s Army in the middle of a pitched battle. He was the Prince s First Sword who
had turned against him and murdered his wife. He was the Imperial Traitor who had
evaded capture for seven years, until his lover had killed an Imperial Concubine and
Carver was finally caught and apparently executed in front of the Emperor s court.
Even Edward had doubted him for many years.
How about Brutus? Callie said, and Edward laughed.
Been called that before, Carver rumbled. My lord, we have a problem.
Edward stopped laughing as Carver raised his right arm. From the elbow down
it hung useless, a mass of heavy rods and wires, his hand limp and unresponsive.
What happened?
Cat Marsters Empire 4: Dawn Rising - 53 -
Don t know. Woke up this way. Carver allowed Edward to examine it, but
kept his eyes on Callie as she drifted forward.
It stopped working? she asked. Do& do you know why?
Her tone was deceptively casual. Edward wasn t fooled.
What do you know?
Callie peered at Carver s arm. He didn t allow her to touch it.
Looks like a radioflash, she said, and when Carver frowned she clarified, an
EMP, electromagnetic pulse. Creates a surge of high voltage, destroys electrical
circuits.
Both Edward and Carver were silent for a long moment. The Empire was very
aware of the threat of electromagnetic disruption and had instigated crushingly strict
laws on the production of anything that could create it.
That hadn t stopped an EMP from destroying a colony in the Pennine Isles
several months ago.
Edward cleared his throat. How do you know about EMPs, Boudicca?
She chewed her lip. Her gaze flicked guiltily to Carver s face. Where were you
last night? she asked.
Is that relevant?
Yes. Were you here? In this& building, or whatever it is?
He glanced at Edward before replying. Across the street.
Her eyes widened. Wow. That s got to be the biggest one so far.
Carver s free arm was suddenly at her throat, gripping her neck and lifting her
off the floor. Her heartbeat sped up, the drumming growing louder in Edward s head.
What do you know about the pulse? Carver demanded.
Callie s panicked gaze shot to Edward, but he wasn t about to come to her
defense, not when she seemed to be implying she d caused it.
The only people who can cause an EMP are the Empire, Carver snarled,
shaking her, but Callie shook her head.
Not -- true -- she gasped. Arcadians -- Pennines -- let me go!
Cat Marsters Empire 4: Dawn Rising - 54 -
A flash of alarm rippled through Edward. Carver and his shapeshifter lover
Nalina had been in the Pennines at the time of the Arcadian attack. It had killed
Nalina s father, and nearly killed her as well.
If she wasn t careful, Callie could end up being throttled by Carver.
Carver, desist, Edward said, and his friend growled before setting Callie
down. She stumbled to a chair, rubbing her throat and glaring at him.
Explain, he said coldly. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]