Galaxy of Exiles book 2 - Bile and Blood

Chapter Three

By the time the shuttle reached the flagship, Palia was struggling to keep her breathing under control, let alone the Empyrean. The energy roiled inside her – clutching, grabbing, oscillating within the bounds of its existence as her doubt and anger fuelled it. It was right to forgive, but she couldn't.

Why did she really not want to tell her mother what had happened? Palia forced herself to slow down and think about it. She gripped tight to the fabric of her trousers and glared at the approaching hangar, breathing in, breathing out, trying to slow everything down. Green light flickered in the corner of her eye. She ignored it. The truth was, this was what she didn't want people to see. She didn't want them to see how being empyrric had changed her. She didn't want to see the fear in them, all day every day, wherever she went. She wondered how the Keepers coped. Then she tried to stop wondering, to stop thinking at all and just let everything wash past her.

Bit by bit, the thoughts submerged themselves. Bit by bit, she relaxed. When Palia opened her eyes again, the shuttle had landed inside one of the flagship's main hangars, surrounded by the reassuring blur of everyday existence.

She knew the other funeral guests would be making their way back here soon, after the celebration, so she started to walk. She could have gone straight back to her ship, since it was refuelling nearby, but she didn't think she could face Bek so soon after facing everyone else's judgement. Instead, she let him know she was making a detour and headed for Fabien's chambers. He wouldn't be there yet, of course, but she could wait for him alone.

The corridors were quiet. The ship's time marked it near evening, and most would be sharing a meal with friends and family, or on their way to do so. The few people she did pass nodded respectfully to her.

'Mater Tennic!' a merchant called to her as he solidified the membrane to his storefront. He rushed to halt the process now that he had seen her.

Palia winced. Ever since she had stopped the previous Magister's attempt to attack Hesperex, the people who lived on the flagship had seen her as their personal saviour. In reality, the only danger they had been in was from the Protectorate fleets, and Palia had done little to stop them. Quite the opposite, in fact. But the public had fixated on the story of a mother's revenge and so always gave her a mother's prefix, no matter how much she hated its association.

'Please, Mater Tennic, I would like you to have this.' As the membrane dissolved again, the man reached through and pulled out a large bottle. He presented it to her, and she tried to decline with a polite gesture, but he pressed it into her hands. 'Spored Spicewine, straight from the flats of Seylenon. Please, take it. For your troubles.'

'I...' Palia tried not to sigh. 'Thank you.'

The merchant, apparently pleased by a gift given, grinned at her and set off down the corridor whistling. Palia carried on, clasping the bottle to her breast.

In Fabien's chambers, she slumped onto the nearest couch, still hugging the wine, and shut her eyes.

<Fabien? Are you on your way back?> she sent.

<No, but I can be.>

<Don't rush on my account. Can we talk when you get here? I'm in your quarters.>

<Of course. Help yourself if you need anything to eat or drink.>

Palia raised an eyebrow at the bottle of wine. <I'm good.>

* * *

Two hours later, the two glasses of spicewine Palia had poured had bloomed, filling the room with its subtle aroma. She stood on the balcony, which had a prime view over the local community gardens. The far boundary hazed in the distance, only becoming clearer where it curved inwards to form a man-made bowl of greenery. Thousands of people milled about, gathered in raucous laughter or animated debate. Couples – and triples, and more besides – kissed in the shade of orchards while children splashed and screamed in the central lake.