Magician's Touch (Deadly Touch book 3) Chapter 18: 18: Genius Bastard

Read chapter 18 of Magician's Touch (Deadly Touch book 3) by Deb E Howell on NovelPedia.

Braph, Orinia, and Orin entered Taither an hour or so past midday, beneath a powerful spring sun masked by a layer of cloud. Braph and Orinia walked shoulder-to-shoulder, backs of hands brushing occasionally. Orin dawdled several paces back, talking to himself, or shaping his hands into Gaards and imitating their explosive sound. The streets were quiet. Not surprising given that it was around ten days since first the arrival of his automatons. Braph estimated that the affected Kara would have shown signs of weakness within a day of being injected. By now, the first would be dying. He had considered that his family may arrive to mass panic, but subdued worry was just as feasible. Quaver’s best were dying and, while they may be able to tie the deaths to the arrival of Braph’s machines, they would have no idea what was happening or what they could do about it. Each minute, Braph sensed his own importance grow as the Karan race became incrementally rarer. Despite the first grumble from his stomach, Braph led his family down the streets that would take them to Llewella’s memorial garden. His hunger for the pulsating Ajnai would always trump a mere human need to eat. Someone screamed perhaps a street away. Another yell. A door slammed. Another scream. Running feet, fast, catching up. A whirring whine. The Karan rushed past, blubbering. The flying automaton stopped its chase as it drew level with Braph and matched pace with him. Braph waved a dismissive hand at it and brought up his shield, camouflaging his Karanness. The automaton shot off after the fleeing Karan again. “Was that one of yours?” Orinia asked. “What do they get out of Kara?” “I helped dad build some of them.” Orin skipped to catch up with the adults and beamed at this mother. “Indeed you did, son.” Braph considered that he might be a good father, having created many an opportunity to bond with his son over the years. “These ones don’t suck. They inject.” Orin’s eyes sparkled with the opportunity to tell his mother how clever he was. “Aenuk blood? Or Immortal?” Orinia scowled. Confusion rather than anger. Braph laughed. She was right. He wouldn’t be so benevolent. Although … “A gift to the world.” He smirked. “The end of Karan violence. The end of war between Quaver and Turhmos.” “You are Karan.” “A non-violent one.” Orinia pondered that for a moment. Certainly she had never seen him in a fight. She hadn’t attended the battle with Aris, as heavily pregnant as she had been at the time. Braph continued. “And a magician, of course. A man about to change the course of our world.” He smiled at her and was surprised to find himself hungry for her praise. “For the better. For our son.” She clasped his hand and leaned in for a kiss even as screaming filled the air around them. Braph’s automatons had returned to Quaver. *** Llew entered the kitchen numb. Anya scooped her into a hug while Jonas eased himself into a seat at the table. Elka continued to potter at the kitchen bench. “I’m so sorry, Llew.” Anya’s heartfelt effort to comfort landed empty. Of course there was nothing more she could say. Anya hadn’t met Merrid and Ard, could never understand what the world had lost. And she’d had little to do with Hisham. Still, Llew appreciated the effort. Released, Llew picked up the water jug, but it was empty. She was about to head for the well with it, when running footsteps sounded outside. What now? Alvaro swung the door wide, Rowan puffing behind him. “We’ve got a problem.” Alvaro said. “Come. There’s a— thing you have to see.” “A thing?” Alvaro shook his head. “Just come.” Llew queried Rowan, but all he would offer was tightly pressed lips and a shake of the head. Llew gave Jonas a grimace and he waved her on. He was sore and tired after the walk back, anyway. The first thing Llew noticed when she stepped outside was Karlani almost naked by the well, and becoming more so, peeling the leg of her trousers over her heel, her large, unbound breasts in full view. Ard had spoken of t