Beyond the Stars: INEO by Kelly Beltz Read Free Book Online Page A

what the Dom has told you to anyone else.”
    Whatever he was worried about, he wasn’t comfortable discussing it here.
    “Why? Do you know something? Tell me.”
    “I’m not sure … later,” he said, walking away.
    “No, now,” I pleaded.
    He stopped and sighed. “On Kataria, Dom’s are considered prophets. They see enough to sound convincing, but putting faith in their predictions is dangerous because it can lead to a self- fulfilling prophecy. Besides, you said you don’t feel any different, so there’s nothing to worry about, right?”
    I shrugged, unsure. “I guess not.”
    Gaelan’s face was unreadable. I wasn’t sure if he was considering the Dom’s claim to be true or trying to dispel my concern. We rejoined Urit at the last table in the market and patiently waited for him while he held up a metal thing that looked like an adjustable desk lamp. “Ooh, will you look at this,” Urit’s voice rose with excitement. He studied it closely, moved around all the hinges, and turned several bolts on the device. Surely it did something cool, but nothing happened.
    Azil shrugged. “It’s great, Urit,” she said in a lack-luster tone. “Are you going to buy it or just play with it?”
    “No, I’m just looking,” he said, coming out of his silent trance before returning the item to the table.
    The shopkeeper returned to Urit’s side holding something that resembled a pen. “The exscrapulator, sir, per your request.”
    “Wonderful,” Urit said, sounding thrilled, lifting the bizarre object from his hand.
    Azil rolled her eyes. “That’s what we’ve been waiting for.”
    “I’ll take it—so we can go,” he said shortly, glaring at Azil. He seemed disappointed when she failed to join in his enthusiasm.
    Urit rushed to hand the clerk a small stack of coins and then placed the penlike object in his jacket pocket.
    Gaelan scoffed when he saw the exchange. “Now you’ve witnessed it for yourself,” he leaned down and whispered in my ear.
    “What?” I said.
    “Urit blowing through his money. He just dropped the equivalent of about two hundred thousand dollars in your money.”
    “Hmm,” I coughed. I had to clear my throat with the translation. “What does it do?”
    Gaelan let out a laugh. “Heck if I know. I think it helps to separate nucleotides in the DNA of bacteria. He will probably use it to formulate some new medications,” he said convincingly.
    “This place is certainly different,” I said with amazement.
    The ecstatic clerk scrambled after Urit, trying to show him some other rare items before he could leave. Urit didn’t bite. It looked as though Urit had gotten what he came for and quickly returned to us with a big smile on his face, seeming proud of his purchase. I couldn’t believe you could buy such an advanced instrument so freely. I started looking down at the other objects for sale, which had held Urit’s attention for so long. I picked up a strange box he’d noticed earlier and wondered what made it so special.
    Gaelan guided my hand to return the item to the table. “There are much more fascinating things to look at here than that.”
    “Yes, like this shiny tubular vase thing,” I said, picking up another object. “Whoa.” It almost slipped from my hand when I picked it up, making me struggle to catch it before it dropped on the floor. Ahh, what am I doing? I thought, before carefully returning the object to its spot on the table. I was petrified I would break it and have no way to pay.
    “No. Over there, look,” Gaelan said, pointing to an opening in the floor running along the entire length of the post’s back wall. It curved slightly like the rim of a cliff and appeared to encircle a gigantic lower level since the immediate end was nowhere in sight. We approached its perimeter to see where it led.
    I expected to discover another level of the market below. Instead, I found myself peering over the edge of a precipice with the most amazing panoramic view—a