The Silver Sphere Read Online Free Page A

Sculptor, both scientific and arcane. Near impossible to perfectly
harness such a force, no matter how much research Achernar and the mentors conduct."
    "Maybe we should rely on Malefic to decipher the solution
then. I hear he was quite the mentor trainee up in Catonia."
    "Come on, Sculptor. All you do is gripe. We've been entrusted
by Achernar himself to carry out this crucial task. Intercepting Kin is an honor,
and you sit gossiping and grumbling like a schoolgirl." Barrick bellowed. "As
far as Malefic goes, you should join him if you're so impressed. A mixed breed like
you would be enslaved on the spot. Don't you recall the number of lives lost in
Hideux's camps on Andromeda? I'd lop Malefic's head off without hesitating."
Hurt seemed to lurk under his angry voice, accompanied by fear. "But no, you
constantly praise him like some lunatic."
    Harrumph. "It's not clear if he's even Biskara's
son," wheezed Sculptor. "Those are just rumors, you know that."
    "He's still a renegade and a criminal."
    A brusque silence followed, until insects chirped and their buzzing
filled the air. An animal rustled in the underbrush somewhere in the distance. Shelby
was sure she heard a bird quack above, but when she glanced up, there was nothing
in the trees except leaves.
    Mr. Dempsey's typically calm expression was strained, and he
appeared about as confused as she.
    He peered at her and motioned to lean in. "Seems these are
our friends who sent you the message," he whispered. "From what they're
saying, they don't sound hostile. They mentioned a portal of some sort, I guess
like a teleportation device. It sounds inconceivable." He shook his head. "I
want to talk to them. You hide here and listen. When I know it's safe, I'll call
you in."
    "No way! No way will I let you go by yourself."
    "Now, Shelby, I would never forgive myself if something
happened to you. This isn't a debate. Your safety is my priority, and that's that."
    She nodded, but it still bothered her. After all, she'd stood
up to the beast and managed to escape. Didn't he realize she was the ninja girl ?
She'd be more help to him if he'd take her with him.
    He studied her a moment with a puzzled frown. "You seem
different—older or something. Maybe it's just the light." They were still crouched
at the mouth of the cave.
    She shrugged.
    "Okay, wish me luck." He walked toward the flickering
titian.
    She crept forward, straining her ears as the two strangers spoke.
    "We'll wait a little longer," Barrick said, "and
then we should spread out. I don't want to be the only Meridian soldier in history
to lose a Kin," he hollered. He seemed to have a bad temper.
    Shelby repressed a shiver. The shouting man reminded her of the
beast, but she forced herself to stay calm. I'm the ninja girl, she thought,
mouthing the words. Her fingers tightened around the cold rock of the cave. I
can do this.
    She squinted and tried to view what was occurring ahead. Mr.
Dempsey still shuffled forward through the foliage. She watched him for a moment,
but spotted little else. While she strained to see, she heard the other man use
that word again— Kin . What was a Kin, anyway? Could she be a Kin? Maybe
Mr. Dempsey was right, and these two were waiting for her .
    She snuck closer and hid behind a tree to get a clearer picture.
As Mr. Dempsey approached a campsite, she crept beside a wide, short evergreen.
    Pine needles dug into the palms of her hands and scraped against
her pants while she crawled. As she ducked under the tree, branches grabbed her
hair. She pulled her strands free, careful not to make a single sound. Once settled,
she poked her head around the trunk.
    Her jaw dropped and her eyes bulged at what she witnessed. Nothing
could have prepared her for this.
    Mr. Dempsey stood speechless before two figures crouched beside
a campfire. Dusk was falling, bruising the twilight above. It had been sunset when
she and Mr. Dempsey arrived, but night was truly upon them now.
    "Who goes there?" Sculptor