Lesser Gods (58 page)
Authors: Adrian Howell
I asked, “What did Baker want?”
“A couple of quick things,” replied Terry. “One was to confirm my request to rejoin the Ravens under Jack P.”
“You’re going on missions again?”
“Sure,” Terry said lightly. “You’re guarding the house. Cindy knows of my request, of course, but I didn’t want to bring it up at the table. I originally wanted to take Alia too, but...”
I glared at her.
“I’m kidding!” laughed Terry. “Cindy couldn’t take a joke either. But
I’m
going back, anyway, alone if I must. Soon I’ll be old enough to begin blocking training, and once I’m good at that, I’ll transfer to the Lancers.”
“I’m sorry about breaking my promise.”
“Like I said, I’m sure you’ll come around,” Terry said with a shrug. Then she gave me a wicked grin and added, “After all, you’re
destined for greatness
, right?”
I didn’t smile. “You know I don’t believe in destiny, Terry. Especially the kind that leads to greatness.”
“That’s good,” said Terry, still grinning, “because it won’t happen.”
Fine by me. “What else did Baker want?”
Terry rolled her eyes. “He wanted my assurance that I would keep our little secret. Again! It’s the third time now. And of course he wanted to make sure that you and Alia wouldn’t squeal.”
“I’m not surprised,” I said mildly. “Mr. Baker’s credibility with Cindy is on the line.”
If Mr. Baker had used me as a diversion to send in his assassination team, so had I used him to make contact with Cat. I wasn’t going to hurt Mr. Baker without good reason. Alia was the weakest link, but even my blabbermouth sister was old enough now to keep a small political secret from Cindy.
Terry walked over to the window and gazed down at the city lights as she said, “He also gave me one juicy detail about my uncle’s scouting mission. It’s supposed to be a secret until the Council’s official announcement tomorrow, though.”
“Tell me,” I said.
Terry’s reflection in the window smiled playfully. “So you
are
interested in this war.”
“No, I’m not,” I said stubbornly. “Tell me.”
Terry shrugged. “Alright. Apparently your buddy Randal is now the de facto leader of the Angels.”
It took a few seconds for that to sink in.
“It’s strange, I know,” said Terry, turning to me. “The queen had other relatives, some of them even higher ranking Seraphim. We don’t yet know, or maybe Mr. Baker just didn’t tell me, what strings Randal Divine pulled to put himself at the helm. At least your sister is well protected now.”
I quietly touched the amethyst on my chest. I still wore Cat’s pendant, but not in the hope that I would ever see her again. I wore it to remember her. I wore it in the hope that she would be well. After all, she was still my sister. Nothing could ever change that.
And maybe, just maybe, being Randal’s daughter was a good thing for her. When the Angels eventually fell apart, their main force would probably remain in Randal Divine’s control, which meant that Catherine Divine would continue to be well taken care of. It wasn’t the happily-ever-after ending that I would have chosen. Not by a hundred miles. But it would do.
I smiled at Terry and nodded. Yes, it would do.
“So, Adrian,” said Terry, “nine-ball.”
“Oh, right. Yeah, let’s go.”
This pentalogy will continue right where it left off in
Adrian Howell’s PSIONIC
Book Four
The Quest
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PSIONIC Book Three: Lesser Gods
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About the Author
Born of a Japanese mother and American father, Adrian Howell (pen name) was raised for a time in California and currently lives a quiet life in Japan where he teaches English to small groups of children and adults. Aside from reading and writing fiction, his hobbies include recumbent cycling, skiing, medium-distance trekking, sketching and oversleeping.
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Adrian Howell’s PSIONIC
Book Three: Lesser Gods
First Edition
All characters, places and events in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locations, organizations, real persons, living, dead or yet to be born, is purely coincidental.
Copyright © 2011 by Adrian Howell
All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical or psionic, including photocopying, recording, telepathy, dreamweaving, and information storage and retrieval systems without the permission of the author, except in the case of a reviewer, who may quote brief passages embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Table of Contents
Chapter 11: The Last Sky Guardian
Chapter 12: A Finding-Day Surprise
Chapter 13: The Gathering of Lesser Gods
Chapter 14: The Arena and the Phantom
Chapter 15: Discovery and Decision
Chapter 17: My Sister’s Keeper