Golden Son by Pierce Brown Read Free Book Online Page A

themselves.Don’tletTactusinyourhead.TheBellonawon’tmakeamoveagainstyou.”
    “Ofcoursetheywon’t,”Ilie.Hecanstillsensemyfear.
    “Violence isn’t allowed in the Citadel, Darrow. Especially blood-feuds. Even duels are outlawed unless consent is given by the Sovereign herself. Simply stay on Citadel grounds till you’ve a new house,andallwillbewell.Bideyourtime,dowhatyoumust,andinayear,theArchGovernorwill feellikeafoolwhenyou’verisenunderthetutelageofanother.Thereismorethanonepathtothe top.Alwaysrememberthat,brother.”
    Hegripsmyshoulder.
    “You know I would ask my mother and father to bid for you … but they won’t go against Augustus.”
    “Iknow.”Theycouldspendthemillionsonthecontractandnotevennoticetheloss,butRoque’s mother has not sat a Senator for twenty years because of her charity. Her lot is thrown in with Augustus’scontingentintheSenate.Whathewills,shesupports.
    “I’llbefine.You’reright,”IsayasLunaappearsinthewindow,hushingtheaides,andfillingme withdread.ThecitymoonofEarth.Orbitingsatellitesandinstallationsencircleitlikeasteelangel’s halowrappedaroundaballofamberheldtothesun.“I’llbefine.”

    6
    ICARUS
    We land near the Citadel. Sticky, polluted wind bends the towering trees near our landing pad.
    Perspiration quickly beads along the top of my high collar. Already I do not like this ugly place.
    Despite the fact that we land here on Citadel grounds, which are far from the nearest cities and surroundedbyforestsandlakes,Luna’saircloysandstickstothelungs.
    Onthehorizon,justpastthespikedspiresoftheCitadel’swesterncampus,Earthhovers,swollen andblue,remindingmethatIamsofarfromhome.ThegravityhereislessthanMars’s,onlyone-sixthEarth’s,andmakesmefeelunsettledandclumsy.IseemtofloatwhenIwalk.Andeventhough coordination quickly returns, my body suffers its own lightness with strange feelings of claustrophobia.
    Anothervessellandstothenorth.
    “LookslikeBellonasilver,”Roquesaysquietly,squintingagainstthesunset.
    Ichuckle.
    Heglancesbackatme.“What?”
    “JustimagininghavingapulseRocketrightaboutnow.”
    “Well, that’s just … lovely of you.” He walks along. I follow, eyes lingering on the vessel. “I do lovethesunsetsofLuna.Likewe’reinHomer ’sworld.Skyahotshadeoffresh-forgedbronze.”
    Above,thealienskymeltsintonightwiththelongsettingofthesun.Fortwoweeks,thedaylight will disappear from this part of the moon. Two weeks of night. Luxury yachts cruise through this strange day’s end, while nimble Blue-piloted ripWings soar past on patrol like bats glued together fromshatteredebony.
    Theone-sixthgravityletstheseLunebornbuildtotheirheart’sdesire.Andbuildtheydo.Beyond theCitadelgrounds,thehorizonisfencedwithtowersandcityscape.RungPathswindeverywhereso thatcitizenscanpullthemselvesthroughtheairwithease.Thenetworkofrungsstretchbetweenhigh towersaswouldivy,linkingtheheavenswiththehellsofthelowDistricts.Alongthem,thousandsof menandwomencrawllikeantsonvines,whileGraypatrolskiffsbuzzaroundthethoroughfares.
    The household of Augustus is assigned a villa nestled within thirty acres of pines on Citadel grounds.It’saprettythingamongotherprettythingsinthisstatelyplace.Therearegardens,paths, fountainscarvedwithlittlewingedboysofstone.Allthatsortoffrivolity.
    “Fancy a session of kravat ?” I ask Roque, nodding to the training facility beside the villa. “My mind’srunningawaywithitself.”
    “Ican’t.”Roquewinces,steppingoutofthewayofourfellowlancersandtheirattendantswhofile intothevilla.“IhavetoattendtheconferenceonCapitalismintheGovernedAge.”
    “Ifyouwantedanap,I’msuretheyhavebedsinthevilla.”
    “Youjoking?RegulusagSunisgivingthekeynote.”
    I whistle. “Quicksilver himself. So you’re going to learn how to make diamonds out of gravel?
    YouheartherumorabouthimowningthecontractsoftwoOlympicKnights?”
    “It’snotrumor.LeastaccordingtoMother.RemindsmeofwhatAugustussaidtotheSovereignat hercoronation.‘Amanisnevertooyoungtokill,nevertoowise,nevertoostrong,buthecandamn