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Back Eternity Save as PDF
Chapters (90)
  1. Eternity
  2. Copyright
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraph
  5. Contents
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. 51
  57. 52
  58. 53
  59. 54
  60. 55
  61. 56
  62. 57
  63. 58
  64. 59
  65. 60
  66. 61
  67. 62
  68. 63
  69. 64
  70. 65
  71. 66
  72. 67
  73. 68
  74. 69
  75. 70
  76. 71
  77. 72
  78. 73
  79. 74
  80. 75
  81. 76
  82. 77
  83. 78
  84. 79
  85. 80
  86. 81
  87. 82
  88. 83
  89. EPILOGUE
  90. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

“Do you have any idea what lies on the other side of this gate? Any notion at all?”

“It may take us back to the Way.”

“Patrikia’s big water-pipe world.”

“Yes, my Queen.”

Kleopatra stood, holding her finger to her temple on the upper end of her scar, clenching and relaxing her jaw. “What would your expedition need? More than what Patrikia once requested?”

“I don’t believe so, Hypsēlotēs.”

“Not a great expenditure. The Objects are all working properly? The Rhodian mekhanikoi have kept them in good shape?”

“They have required no maintenance, my Queen. Other than changing batteries…They are working properly.”

“You could guide this expedition?”

“I think that is what my grandmother wished.”

“You’re very young.”

Rhita did not deny it.

“Could you?”

“I believe so.”

“You lack your grandmother’s passion. She would not have hesitated to say yes, even if she doubted herself.”

Rhita did not deny this, either.

Kleopatra shook her head slowly, walking around the table. She stopped with her hands resting on the back of Rhita’s chair. “It’s political folly. Risking a confrontation with the Rhus, and a storm in the Boulē should secrecy be broken…My position is not enviable now, young woman. There’s a part of me irritated—no, not just irritated, angry!—at your simply being here, making your tacit request. And another part…the part your grandmother took advantage of…”

Rhita swallowed, locking her neck muscles to keep from constantly bobbing her head in agreement.

“I’ve already spread some minor punishments for your ill-treatment in the Mouseion. In a way, I’ve already supported your cause. But it is not easy for me to simply give in to my desires. And I do desire that you find something…wonderful, maybe even dangerous, wonderfully newly dangerous. Something far above this incredible tangle of low-level threats and high-level hatred and intrigue.” She bent beside Rhita, bringing her face close to the young woman’s, eyes shifting over her features. “What collateral do you offer?”

“Collateral, my Queen?”

“Personal guarantees.”

“None,” Rhita replied, her heart faltering.

“None at all?”

Very softly, hating herself, fearing herself and her own uncertainties, Rhita said, “Only my life, Hypsēlotēs.”

Kleopatra laughed. Straightening, she took Rhita’s hands in her own and raised her from the chair, as if they might dance. “There’s some of the old girl in you after all,” she said. “Can you show me?”

Rhita unlocked her neck muscles long enough to nod once.

“Then bring your clavicle here and show me, as your grandmother did. I enjoyed that experience.”

19

Thistledown, Fifth Chamber

After thirty-one days of investigation, Olmy had reached a decision. The Jart mentality, in its present location, could not be studied safely. He knew too little about the system it was stored in, whereas the Jart apparently knew everything.