Throne, the seat of the Administrator, which Lynn knew was carved from a piece of the Rock itself. Looking down the length of the table, Lynn could see the Administrator sitting casually on his throne, one leg dangling over a polished red stone arm. The Administrator watched Lynn approach as an alpha lion might watch a younger lion chancing his luck in a new pride.
It wasn’t until she was right before him that Lynn noticed the tall man who stood beside the Administrator. He was a lean, dark-skinned man who stood impossibly straight, like a branchless tree. Even here in the brightly lit room he seemed to have materialized from the shadows. His face was long, the bridge of his nose an extension of his forehead. His angular features gave him the appearance of one who was constantly looking down at you, both in height and mood. This, Lynn knew, was Knox Soilwork, Chief Minister.
“You must be Lynnette,” the Administrator said as he rose from his chair. He stepped toward her and placed his hand on her shoulder. “My very great condolences on the death of your father. He was a good man.”
Lynn didn’t answer, she just stared at the man. Over the last two days her mind had raced and raced in a search of answers, trying to understand who would murder her father. After all her consideration she could only reach one conclusion.
The Administrator turned to Ms Apple. “And Ms Apple,” he said. “Nice to see you, as always. I hear you’ve been staying with Lynnette.”
“Yes, Your Honor.”
“That’s great. Thank you for doing that, and I hope my Bren is still performing well in class?”
“Yes, Your Honor, of course he is.”
Even given the circumstances Lynn still found this mildly offensive. Bren was never performing well in class; he simply sponged off the other students.
“Please,” the Administrator said, “sit.” He indicated the council table. They both pulled back heavy wooden chairs and sat in the positions usually reserved for ministers of government.
The Administrator tapped one of the Rock Throne’s arms. He looked at Lynn. “Do you know why they make me sit on this uncomfortable stone monstrosity?”
“No, Your Honor,” Lynn said, barely managing to speak, then hazarded, “because it’s from the Rock?”
“It is indeed,” said the Administrator. “They say that no matter how many cushions are placed upon it the Administrator will always feel the Rock beneath him, a constant reminder of the burden of ruling.”
Lynn shifted her weight in her own chair, feeling uneasy. There was a sense of tension in the air. She could already tell the news she would be receiving would not be good.
“Today, though, Lynn,” said the Administrator, “I feel the pressure on my backside more than usual. The Territory is at risk in ways you cannot understand. Now I receive news of your father’s death.” He shook his head.
Lynn stared at him, her jaw clenched. She wanted to lash out at the man but she knew this was not the place to do it.
“Not only does this rob the Territory of one of its greatest Diggers, but unfortunately it also leaves you without a guardian.”
“What does that mean?” Lynn asked.
“I have been in discussions with the Sisters, Lynn,” the Administrator said. “You are to move to the cathedral for training as a member of the Sisters of Glorious God the Redeemer.”
“No!” Lynn said. “You can’t do that!”
“He is the Administrator,” came the silky voice of Knox Soilwork, slithering like a snake from his mouth, “he can do it, and it has just been done.”
Lynn glared at him. “You can shut up,” she snapped.
Knox smiled. “It seems a life among the Sisters will do you good. You need to learn some respect for authority.”
Lynn couldn’t help it; the tears came. Ms Apple put her arm around her shoulder.
“I’m not going to join the Sisters,” Lynn said. “I won’t. They’re horrible.”
“You’re lucky there’s no representative of the
It wasn’t until she was right before him that Lynn noticed the tall man who stood beside the Administrator. He was a lean, dark-skinned man who stood impossibly straight, like a branchless tree. Even here in the brightly lit room he seemed to have materialized from the shadows. His face was long, the bridge of his nose an extension of his forehead. His angular features gave him the appearance of one who was constantly looking down at you, both in height and mood. This, Lynn knew, was Knox Soilwork, Chief Minister.
“You must be Lynnette,” the Administrator said as he rose from his chair. He stepped toward her and placed his hand on her shoulder. “My very great condolences on the death of your father. He was a good man.”
Lynn didn’t answer, she just stared at the man. Over the last two days her mind had raced and raced in a search of answers, trying to understand who would murder her father. After all her consideration she could only reach one conclusion.
The Administrator turned to Ms Apple. “And Ms Apple,” he said. “Nice to see you, as always. I hear you’ve been staying with Lynnette.”
“Yes, Your Honor.”
“That’s great. Thank you for doing that, and I hope my Bren is still performing well in class?”
“Yes, Your Honor, of course he is.”
Even given the circumstances Lynn still found this mildly offensive. Bren was never performing well in class; he simply sponged off the other students.
“Please,” the Administrator said, “sit.” He indicated the council table. They both pulled back heavy wooden chairs and sat in the positions usually reserved for ministers of government.
The Administrator tapped one of the Rock Throne’s arms. He looked at Lynn. “Do you know why they make me sit on this uncomfortable stone monstrosity?”
“No, Your Honor,” Lynn said, barely managing to speak, then hazarded, “because it’s from the Rock?”
“It is indeed,” said the Administrator. “They say that no matter how many cushions are placed upon it the Administrator will always feel the Rock beneath him, a constant reminder of the burden of ruling.”
Lynn shifted her weight in her own chair, feeling uneasy. There was a sense of tension in the air. She could already tell the news she would be receiving would not be good.
“Today, though, Lynn,” said the Administrator, “I feel the pressure on my backside more than usual. The Territory is at risk in ways you cannot understand. Now I receive news of your father’s death.” He shook his head.
Lynn stared at him, her jaw clenched. She wanted to lash out at the man but she knew this was not the place to do it.
“Not only does this rob the Territory of one of its greatest Diggers, but unfortunately it also leaves you without a guardian.”
“What does that mean?” Lynn asked.
“I have been in discussions with the Sisters, Lynn,” the Administrator said. “You are to move to the cathedral for training as a member of the Sisters of Glorious God the Redeemer.”
“No!” Lynn said. “You can’t do that!”
“He is the Administrator,” came the silky voice of Knox Soilwork, slithering like a snake from his mouth, “he can do it, and it has just been done.”
Lynn glared at him. “You can shut up,” she snapped.
Knox smiled. “It seems a life among the Sisters will do you good. You need to learn some respect for authority.”
Lynn couldn’t help it; the tears came. Ms Apple put her arm around her shoulder.
“I’m not going to join the Sisters,” Lynn said. “I won’t. They’re horrible.”
“You’re lucky there’s no representative of the
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