Treasure of Light (The Light Trilogy) Read Online Free

Mikael. I just wanted you to know that I’m here to help you. If you—”
    “No, you’re not! You’re a liar!” Mikael screamed and writhed in Tahn’s arms. “You hate me! You hate all Gamants.”
    Like a stiletto between Tahn’s ribs … “I don’t hate you, Mikael. It’s just that I have to do things to protect all of galactic civilization and sometimes Gamants make that hard.”
    “We don’t!”
    Tahn held Mikael at arm’s length and gazed seriously into those dark eyes. “Listen to me. I’m going to tell you the truth. You know how the Underground goes around fighting all the time?”
    “Yes,” Mikael sobbed. “Jeremiel Baruch, the leader of the Underground, is a very great hero. When I grow up, I’m going to be just like him.” A shining light gleamed in Mikael’s eyes when he spoke of the most hated criminal in Magisterial space—and Tahn’s most vehement enemy.
    “I understand that you feel that way, but sometimes Baruch hurts Magisterial citizens.”
    “Like how?” Mikael charged disbelievingly.
    “At this very moment the Underground is stirring rebellions on lots of Gamant planets and, as a result, half of quadrant seven—that’s over on the Orion arm of the galaxy—is starving.”
    “Why?”
    “Because the Magistrates only have a limited number of battle cruisers, so they can only protect so many people at once. When they’re off fighting against the Underground, that leaves other planets open to attack from raiders. They—”
    “Are raiders like pirates?”
    “Yes, just like that.” He softly patted Mikael’s arm. The boy tilted his head so that the light iced his black hair with a veil of silver. “Raiders come in and cut off supply routes to blackmail planets into giving them their goods and resources for free.”
    “You mean raiders steal things?”
    “Pretty much. They make demands that no planet can really meet and then …”
    When the door com buzzed, Mikael jerked and glowered at Tahn as though he’d been betrayed. From outside, a deep voice called, “Captain Tahn? It’s Doctor Iona.”
    “Just a minute,” he called back. All the strangling tensions that enveloped him increased.
    Mikael seemed to sense it. He gazed up in utter terror. Tahn hugged him one last time. In Mikael’s ear, he whispered, “Sorry. I was going to tell you before he got here. There’s something we need—”
    Mikael wrenched free from his grip and stood panting. “That doctor’s going to hurt me, isn’t he?”
    “No, no. I won’t let him hurt you.”
    “Then why’s he here?”
    “I want you to sleep for a while. You know you haven’t been sleeping very well. You wake up a lot at night, don’t you?” The hospital monitors they’d installed had recorded dozens of wakings during the night, most accompanied by screams and flailing arms. He’d watched the holos with mounting alarm. He’d felt that way himself once upon a time, unable to sleep for even a few minutes for fear some terror would slither out of the darkness to twine around his body and squeeze the life from him. But there were more reasons he wanted the boy to sleep—reasons of his own.
    Mikael closed his eyes and tears traced glistening lines down his cheeks. “Sometimes I have nightmares. I can’t help it.”
    “I know that. But you—”
    “I’ll be good. I’ll go to sleep. Don’t let him hurt me!”
    “Mikael, you’re the best boy I know. It’s not your fault you can’t sleep.” He lifted a finger and tapped it against Mikael’s temple. “It’s just that there are some … oh, sad things in your head that keep you awake. But you need to sleep. Doctor Iona is going to give you a shot. It won’t hurt. I promise. You’ll sleep for a few hours and when you wake up you’ll feel better. Here, let me help you lie down.”
    Tahn stood and led Mikael to his bed where the boy sat on the edge, refusing to look at him. Cole’s stomach roiled. Mikael took a deep breath and dragged a sleeve over his eyes,