Special Forces 01 by Honor Raconteur Read Free Book Online

24/7.”
    “Normally, I wouldn’t mind if you were a guest, but you’re a part of our family now, Arystair. No formality is expected or allowed.” With a firm nod, she left the room, heading back downstairs.
    ***
    By eight o’clock all the children were dispatched to school and the Admiral was at the base. When they were gone, Sara towed Rys out the door after her, heading for the car.
    The mall in town was not crowded that early in the morning. Rys trailed after Sara through the expansive hallways, staring at window displays with growing amazement. Surely people didn’t actually prefer to wear clothing like that. Some of the outfits on the mannequins would only be appropriate to wear to a good snake fight. No, check that, even snake fights had their standards!
    Sara proved to be a woman with sensible taste in clothes. She pointed him toward shirts and pants and shoes that were serviceable as well as practical, without resorting to the glaringly bright and gaudy getups he had seen on his way in.
    Rys was perfectly content with the results of the whole supply expedition until they went to pay out.
    He watched Sara pull her wallet out and frowned. “Sara, I can pay for my own clothes.”
    “Not while you’re living under my roof, you won’t,” she disagreed calmly. “This is part of what parents do, Arystair. They provide food, clothing and shelter. Save your money to buy something that you want.”
    Rys drew a blank and stared back at her absently. Something I want? Everything that I want, money can’t buy . It couldn’t buy friends, family, or acceptance in this strange yet oddly familiar world. That was what he wanted most. Money would never be able to get him any of that.
    She must have seen his confusion. “Isn’t there anything you want? Games, music, books?”
    “Is that what teenagers normally buy here?”
    “Adults do, too,” she responded dryly. “What did you normally spend your money on when you lived on Fourth Colony?”
    Rys drew another blank. “I didn’t spend much money, to tell you the truth. I guess what I mostly bought was food.”
    Sara got that tight, pinched look to her face, as if his words had been painful again somehow. “What did you do on your free time?”
    “I mostly slept, or read a book, if there was one available.” He didn’t have anything new to read right now. Maybe he could start borrowing some of Ashley’s books; she had an impressive collection in her room. Her taste was remarkably similar to his own. Perhaps he could get a library card and pick up some books on his early morning runs.
    Sara finished paying out. Rys hastily grabbed up all of the bags before she could. She acknowledged this with a forced smile. He followed her out of the store in silence, not understanding how he could make her happy again. He liked it better when she was smiling.
    Well, if I can’t be subtle, I might as well take the direct approach. “Sara, why did my reaction trouble you?” he asked quietly.
    Sara stopped in mid-step, turning back to look at him. “Jeremy told me that you didn’t know anything except war. I hadn’t realized until now how literally he meant that. Arystair, outside of warfare, you don’t really have any interests, do you?”
    “That’s not true,” he protested. “I have plenty of interests. I just never had a lot of time or experience. ”
    Sara watched him for a long moment, studying his face. Then she nodded firmly. “Well, we’re going to change that right now. Let’s put those bags in the car, and then I’ll show you some of the things that teenagers normally do.”
    That sounded like a good place to start to him.
    They spent several hours, in and out of different stores. Most of the time Rys just browsed. The bookstore was the first place he actually spent money. There were two books he ran across that looked pretty interesting. Of course, that was only part of the reason that he bought them. The other reason was that he could tell Sara was