Nero Awakening
dozens of stairs that rise to the Tabernacle without a falter in my step. The sun h
ine happiness in her eyes when she sees me. Maybe she re
small, controlled smile. In many w
honestly as I tuck my
acle. "Welcome to your new home," she says as sh
cted it to be bright and white inside. And maybe it is. All the w
our heads. A great staircase is toward the back of the building, rising u
white or yellow. A great chandelier hangs from the ceiling above our heads,
ro
de, and light spills in through the massive wi
t is on fire. Blue fire. It dances across ev
next. I understand now why everything is neutral tones. It's so t
at the beautiful piece. "It's been installed on over sixty planets since then, moved every
uch a big number I ca
says. "And if you'll follow me
's tall. Taller than me with long legs and a lithe body that's covered by a diff
hat are twice as tall as I am. And before us, is a room smaller than I expec
ables, are doz
my eyes widening, my blo
in gray clothes. They look at me with excited
r knees and sink their foreheads down to the floor, imme
to do that," Za
nsure and overwhelmed an
the Bahiri, is a group of norm
as decided to join us here on Salypso. While they obviously may not enter the Tabernacle, s
seem friendly. But I'm no
ng at me like I'm th
walks right up to me. She gives a dip of her head, not quite meeting my
n't recognize. "I will be taking care of you an
ut as a question, but I find myself looking at Zara, not
s my hand and takes off. As soon as she leaves, the rest of the Bahiri break off, head
," Zara explains. "We really thought the rest had been lost to
h
a what to say
ve people wearing normal clothes, looki
ir, and pale blue eyes, stands and crosses the spa
I take it,
he says in a voice much smoothe
it. This was a normal reaction. No bo
oo," I say, my voice
her instructor h
It's kind of nice, actually. His teeth are crooked, but it makes him seem softer. Normal. "You
ld are
was the question I ask
aciously answers my question. "I just