a sharp-featured man with black hair and trimmed beard, but it dissolved into Petyr’s face again, mouth moving with the words Trae read, and a voice that was not Petyr’s.
“My Dear Anton:
“If you’re reading this, then you’ve reached Galena and are prepared to take your rightful place in The Family. I don’t know your age at this instant, but will know it before you finish reading this letter. We’re connected, you see, connected in a way that will soon become clear to you. All Immortals are connected, my son. We can be apart physically, yet remain connected through mind and spirit, if only we listen. And as of this moment, you will begin to listen.
“It was necessary for me to go away when treachery first took you from me, but I never really left you. That treachery has been answered in part, and final steps in our vengeance will be taken today. But now you are reborn, as is your mother, and we wait for you. We love you very much, but you must find us. It is part of life’s journey for you. You will learn from it, and gain the maturity and wisdom you need for leadership in a world of mortal men.
“You should give the holo-cubes to whatever guardian The Church has assigned to you; he will know what to do with them. The disks are for you; they give you access to two accounts and a safe-deposit vault in League Bank of Lycrus, only blocks from where you are now. Further instructions will be there. Put all other concerns aside. Finding us is the task you must accomplish. All else is a journey.
“We await you with hope, and love.
“Your Father, and Mother
“Faithful of The Source Within Us.”
Trae’s head swirled with musky scent, and when he looked up from the letter his eyes wouldn’t focus. The vision of Petyr was still there, and the man’s eyes were moist. Suddenly there was a sound in his head, not of one voice, but two, a calling that was a murmur.
“Trae. Trae. Trae . . .”
His eyes suddenly focused and he was startled to consciousness. Sweat covered his brow, and there was a tingling in his hands. The musky odor was gone. He left the letter in the box and removed the other contents, then placed the box in its storage container. The entourage was waiting when he stepped outside the cubicle. “I know what I have to do,” he said solemnly. Nicolus smiled, but not Petyr.
“In private,” said the soldier of The Church.
“We’re at your service.” Nicolus bowed.
“We need transportation to League Bank of Lycrus right away.” Trae looked at Petyr. “Pavel and his people should come with us.”
“See to it,” said Nicolus; a small, commanding gesture with his hand and the two young priests quickly left them.
Trae blinked his eyes hard. Musk seemed to penetrate his brain, and his vision was still fuzzy. “There’s a letter for the Emperor of Galena, and I have to get it for him.”
“What?” asked Petyr, and then Trae’s vision suddenly cleared.
“Now,” he said. “Our work isn’t here, Petyr. We have to move on.”
Now Nicolus looked concerned. “What about the Lyraens on Gan?” He replaced the storage box on its shelf, and led them towards the exit.
“The problem will be solved, but not by me. There is another. We’re all connected, mortals and Immortals alike.”
He was only confusing them. Petyr looked blank, and Nicolus had an embarrassed smile on his face. “It’ll all be clear soon,” said Trae, and followed the two men up the stairs again, Pavel and his soldiers right behind him.
The car they’d arrived in awaited them, Pavel and his men going to a gray military vehicle right behind it. They were in and out of the car in minutes after a drive of only a few blocks.
League Bank of Lycrus was housed in a seven-story building without windows or adornment, the interior softly lit by ceiling panels in full spectrum light and polished marble ceiling and floors in light green. Pavel and his men remained outside, but Pavel watched as Trae marched up boldly to
“My Dear Anton:
“If you’re reading this, then you’ve reached Galena and are prepared to take your rightful place in The Family. I don’t know your age at this instant, but will know it before you finish reading this letter. We’re connected, you see, connected in a way that will soon become clear to you. All Immortals are connected, my son. We can be apart physically, yet remain connected through mind and spirit, if only we listen. And as of this moment, you will begin to listen.
“It was necessary for me to go away when treachery first took you from me, but I never really left you. That treachery has been answered in part, and final steps in our vengeance will be taken today. But now you are reborn, as is your mother, and we wait for you. We love you very much, but you must find us. It is part of life’s journey for you. You will learn from it, and gain the maturity and wisdom you need for leadership in a world of mortal men.
“You should give the holo-cubes to whatever guardian The Church has assigned to you; he will know what to do with them. The disks are for you; they give you access to two accounts and a safe-deposit vault in League Bank of Lycrus, only blocks from where you are now. Further instructions will be there. Put all other concerns aside. Finding us is the task you must accomplish. All else is a journey.
“We await you with hope, and love.
“Your Father, and Mother
“Faithful of The Source Within Us.”
Trae’s head swirled with musky scent, and when he looked up from the letter his eyes wouldn’t focus. The vision of Petyr was still there, and the man’s eyes were moist. Suddenly there was a sound in his head, not of one voice, but two, a calling that was a murmur.
“Trae. Trae. Trae . . .”
His eyes suddenly focused and he was startled to consciousness. Sweat covered his brow, and there was a tingling in his hands. The musky odor was gone. He left the letter in the box and removed the other contents, then placed the box in its storage container. The entourage was waiting when he stepped outside the cubicle. “I know what I have to do,” he said solemnly. Nicolus smiled, but not Petyr.
“In private,” said the soldier of The Church.
“We’re at your service.” Nicolus bowed.
“We need transportation to League Bank of Lycrus right away.” Trae looked at Petyr. “Pavel and his people should come with us.”
“See to it,” said Nicolus; a small, commanding gesture with his hand and the two young priests quickly left them.
Trae blinked his eyes hard. Musk seemed to penetrate his brain, and his vision was still fuzzy. “There’s a letter for the Emperor of Galena, and I have to get it for him.”
“What?” asked Petyr, and then Trae’s vision suddenly cleared.
“Now,” he said. “Our work isn’t here, Petyr. We have to move on.”
Now Nicolus looked concerned. “What about the Lyraens on Gan?” He replaced the storage box on its shelf, and led them towards the exit.
“The problem will be solved, but not by me. There is another. We’re all connected, mortals and Immortals alike.”
He was only confusing them. Petyr looked blank, and Nicolus had an embarrassed smile on his face. “It’ll all be clear soon,” said Trae, and followed the two men up the stairs again, Pavel and his soldiers right behind him.
The car they’d arrived in awaited them, Pavel and his men going to a gray military vehicle right behind it. They were in and out of the car in minutes after a drive of only a few blocks.
League Bank of Lycrus was housed in a seven-story building without windows or adornment, the interior softly lit by ceiling panels in full spectrum light and polished marble ceiling and floors in light green. Pavel and his men remained outside, but Pavel watched as Trae marched up boldly to
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