Empire of Bones Read Online Free Page B

through enough halls that he was almost certain he’d never be able to find his way back out on his own. As far as he could tell, they never brought him in the same way. While it probably wasn’t true, the special care they took to turn him around made it all feel…personal.
    Then again, perhaps they only rearranged the artwork. The collection of paintings and statues was never the same. A significant number of them were on loan from the Imperial Museum, pre-Fall works from the homes of the wealthy here on Avalon, and recovered from the worlds they’d rediscovered since they returned to space. It probably didn’t hold a candle to what had been in the Imperial Palace on Terra, but it was enough to interest even someone not into art, such as himself.
    Eventually, they stopped at the doors to the Imperial Family’s private rooms. The guards stayed outside and allowed Jared to proceed alone. They probably thought that wasn’t the best idea, but the Emperor insisted that Jared be treated as family.
    Jared had no idea what the guards thought of the Emperor summoning his bastard son to dinner. There was no telling.
    The Emperor’s legitimate children felt no need to restrain their emotions. Crown Prince Ethan’s distaste and loathing were obvious enough to earn rebukes from his father. The Heir didn’t let that stop him though.
    Ethan’s twin sister viewed him with similar distaste, but Jared thought that stemmed almost exclusively because Jared was the physical proof of her father’s infidelity. She wasn’t blatantly hostile. She seemed to prefer a cold, distant demeanor. Only the Emperor made any effort to make him feel welcome. Of course, he was the one who insisted that Jared come calling, so that only seemed right.
    When Jared entered the enormous living room, the Emperor arose from his comfortable chair in front the fireplace to greet him. “Jared, it’s so good to see you again. Come, sit with me.”
    Jared suppressed the urge to bow. Even after fifteen years, that wasn’t easy. Innate respect for the Crown sat deeply in his bones. That was true for most of the Imperial population. He extended his hand instead.
    Even the idea of shaking the Imperial hand was mind numbing. It seemed disrespectful. He silently thanked God that the man didn’t insist on a hug.
    The small table between the two chairs held a decanter of amber liquid and two glasses. One already had two fingers of drink in it. Jared’s father sat back down and poured some in the second glass.
    Getting into the mental space where the Emperor became his father was difficult. Jared took the proffered drink and sat. The whisky was smooth and warm. It was probably older than he was.
    The Emperor wore casual clothes. His salt and pepper hair, and fine wrinkles showed that age was taking its toll. He eyed Jared’s uniform with amusement.
    “You know you don’t need to wear that. Not that I have anything against Fleet. My time there is one of my fondest memories, though I’m sure my superiors didn’t see it that way at the time.”
    “Admiral Yeats disagrees. If I wore anything else, it would be as if I showed up naked.”
    That brought a laugh from the older man. “I see. Well, far be it for me to cause you any more problems than I already have. We’ll start dinner in a few minutes, but I wanted to take a moment to congratulate you on your new assignment. It’s well deserved.”
    Jared sipped his drink. “I’m excited. Fleet picking me to probe beyond our borders is an honor.”
    “I was about your age when the last expedition took place. I’d already left the Fleet by then. I made it to Lieutenant and felt that was an accomplishment. I badgered my father to send me along, but he wouldn’t hear of it. The Crown Prince needed to be here on Avalon.”
    He raised his glass to Jared. “Being chosen for this assignment is quite an achievement. The Terran Empire is meticulous about who they appoint to command an interstellar vessel, much less who