The Last Narkoy: Gathow: Book 2 by Elizabeth Price (find a book to read txt) 📕

the Underground simply volunteered to switch to working with the Tasgool?” Cidele questioned.

“Same cause, but more comfortable accommodations,” Zion spoke up.

Adrein pointed to Zion. “Exactly! We have thousands who wish to join our cause, but we simply can’t provide enough for them. The Tasgool are a blessing to us all,” he exclaimed. He raised his glass in a toast. “To the future where slavery is a thing of the past,” he announced to the hall.

***

Sedom settled back into her seat at her dining room table and took up one of nearly a hundred computer pads that various people had left for her. From the other room, she could hear Garric answer her com.

“Cidele, yes, I’ll fetch her immediately,” he said. He hurried into the dining room, motioning to Sedom. “Cidele’s on the com. She says it’s urgent.”

She rolled her body out of her chair and plopped down in from of the Com desk. “Having fun?” she asked to the image of Cidele on her screen.

“Sedom, the Marisheio were after Danstu, not Alree. Don’t allow Alree any access to Gathow. I believe he might be a spy,” she warned.

Sedom closed her eyes. “Do I want to know why they were after Danstu?” she growled.

“Something about his connections while he was working on Loos. He’s apparently been involved in politics for a while now and has made a name for himself. The Marisheio want the information he’s gathered over the years,” she explained. She turned her head to look at something off camera. “I have to go. Just know Alree is a spy and will attempt to harm Gathow,” she called back. The screen blanked.

Sedom let her head fall to the back of her seat. “You hear that?” she called to Tremble, who was standing in the doorway behind her.

“Chadon, would you like me to bring him here?” she asked.

“No, confine him to the infirmary. I’ll have Zion handle him once he returns,” Sedom ordered. She watched the image of Tremble in the com screen as she exited the unit. Calmly, Sedom turned to Garric, who was standing in a doorway off to her right. “Alree is a spy?” she questioned.

Garric shrugged. “My resources are limited. I didn’t know,” he returned honestly.

“I better check it out myself, just in case,” she decided.

***

Danstu watched Cidele as she stared blankly into the com’s view screen. She flexed her hands out in front of her to relieve the tension in her fingers. “Alree is a servant of Lord Sidoc Wyice, the man responsible for creating the virus that killed millions of Narkoy,” she spoke overly calm. She turned to him, rubbing her temples from a fast-forming headache. “We were under the impression he was hiding from the Empire, when in fact he’s most likely a spy.” She rose from her seat, looking Danstu straight in his eyes. “If you endanger Sedom again, you will answer not only to me, but,” she glanced over Danstu’s shoulder, noticing Zion and Rosanheer standing behind him, “a lot of people.”

“Sortec?” Zion spoke up, startling Danstu.

“Has been informed,” Cidele said as she moved past Danstu. “You two have the honor of ripping that piece of Hothworth to shreds when we get home. I’m calling it a night,” she turned back to Danstu with scolding eyes. “Gentlemen.” She continued on, leaving the men to talk.

Danstu turned to Zion and Rosanheer, perplexed by Cidele’s words. “Who is she?” he asked in a hush.

Zion chuckled, shaking his head amused. “We’re still trying to figure her out. She’s as much of a mystery as Sortec. All we do know is that the Marisheio employed over a thousand men to track Sortec, yet Cidele was the only one who found her,” Zion explained.

“Ex-military?” Danstu questioned.

Rosanheer shrugged. “She certainly doesn’t act like it, but I wouldn’t put it past Sortec for hiring someone like her,” he said.

Danstu shook his head, unable to hide his frustrations. “Regardless who and what she is, she is Sortec’s best friend. I better go smooth things over with her,” he decided.

Both men moved aside to let him pass. Danstu continued down the hall, finding Cidele’s door closed. He knocked, unsure what he was going to say. “Come,” she called.

His hands shook slightly as he opened the door. Inside, the room was very small. There was only enough room for a bed, a chair and an end table. Cidele was curled up in a chair, which sat next to her bed, reading a book. She glanced over at him, not saying a word.

“Rumors have it you tracked Sortec and found her?” he asked. She didn’t respond. “How? Not even the best Marisheio trackers could find her.”

Cidele adjusted her body in the chair so she was more comfortable. “She wanted to be found. She was sick and injured and needed help. I was lucky,” she explained. “She allowed me to help her. I feel incredibly privileged that she calls me her friend.”

“She was lucky you found her,” Danstu mentioned. “Look, I should have realized about Alree. I allowed my past to cloud the future… I mean I really am not as big of a narcissist as I sounded like at late meal. Please, realize I’m playing catch-up while attempting to make command decisions. Sometimes I may say something that seems off standard. It’s not intentional. It’s simply how I’m used to handling certain situations. Sortec is my new commander and I vow to protect her, with my life if necessary. I’ve already proven that. Threatening my life will only cause strain between us and I desperately need your guidance and your friendship if we are to build a strong Gathow.”

Cidele looked up from her book to Danstu. Her eyes peered right through him for a long moment then turned back to her book. “Sorry,” she said and then returned to reading her book.

He