Asteroid by Viola Grace Read Free Book Online

shirt.”
    Issul was wearing pants but lounging on the bed once again. “I like the way she looks in my shirt.”
    Sebena lifted her hand. “Your opinion was not asked for.”
    Karri was shocked. “You speak to him like that? The Avatar of Zeering?”
    Sebena snorted. “Of course. He was being a twit. And thanks to Zeering, there are now two Avatars to work with the people of his world. One who understands the female perspective and then him.” She jerked her thumb at Issul and he barked a laugh.
    She removed the shirt she was wearing and slipped the robe on, enjoying the slick feel of the fabric against her skin. It covered her to her toes.
    The deep purple colour contrasted nicely with her hair, the patterns on the hem were elaborate and stiffened the fabric into straight lines. Karri pulled gowns, brushes and some items that Sebena couldn’t identify out of her pack.
    “Avatar Sebena, may I set up a dressing station for you?”
    “Of course. Use whatever resources are available and send for anything you need. The priests will provide it.”
    Under Karri’s polite ministrations, her hair was braided and Karri had created a list of necessary items to request from the priests.
    “How did you come to volunteer for this position, Karri?”
    Issul was at the door requesting dinner and Karri leaned forward to whisper, “I was selected by the priests because my family already had four other daughters and my brother was one of the candidates who died on the throne.”
    “What are your feelings about that?” Sebena watched the grief flicker over the woman’s features.
    “He should not have listened to the priesthood. He knew that Zeering’s Avatar was alive.”
    “How?”
    “Zeering never grieved. If Issul had died, Zeering would have grieved and we would have known it. Planets have been known to begin ice ages because they lost their Avatars.”
    Issul opened the doors as the priests brought a table into their chambers. Chairs followed and soon, a meal was brought to them. The empty spaces in their rooms were rapidly taking on a homier look.
    “Have the priests prepared a room for you?”
    Karri shook her head. “They don’t host women in the temple.”
    “That is about to change. If I do one thing, it will be to create a little more equilibrium here in the temple.” She checked her reflection in the mirror on one wall. The braiding had been done neatly and the two long, twisted locks hung to her hips on either side of her head.
    Zeering, are you growing out my hair?
    Among Issul’s people, the women are considered most feminine when their hair reaches their ankles. I am attempting to please you both with this effort, but you really need to eat, I need some raw materials to work from.
    You could have mentioned something.
    I just did. Now, go and have a meal with your mate. He is eager to share the simple moments of life with you.
    She sent a mental growl to the planet and smiled at her maid. “If you have somewhere to be, you are dismissed for the evening. Will you return tomorrow?”
    Karri grinned, her cute beaked nose bright gold and gleaming in the sunset. “I will be happy to. I will bring a seamstress with me and we will set about building you the proper wardrobe for a woman of your station.”
    “Until tomorrow then.” Sebena smiled and inclined her head in dismissal. Karri grabbed her backpack and left with a spring in her step and a lift to her feathers.
    It was a blatant insult to assign a woman of such a low family to the service of an Avatar, but Sebena liked her. The dark black hair denoted the lowest of merchant classes, as did the gold beak. The more exotic the colouring, the higher the caste of Reeban. Karri was firmly at the bottom of the financial food chain and Sebena couldn’t help but think that someone was trying to capitalize on her brother’s death at the hands of the Avatar’s throne.

    Chapter Nine
    Issul smiled and served her a portion of the dinner. “It isn’t what you