Free The Lord-Protector's Daughter by L. E. Modesitt Jr. Page A

in green, brilliant green—and make it with a high neck. The next time, I’ll have something else to wear that looks good on me.”
    â€œYes, Mistress.” Zestela bowed and turned to leave.
    â€œ Brilliant green,” Mykella emphasized.
    Rachylana stared down at her older sister. “You’re being difficult. Salyna said you were in a terrible mood last night. I can see that hasn’t changed.”
    â€œBecause I don’t want to look drab in public? Perhaps you’d do anything for dear Berenyt and his stepmother, but I do draw the line in some places. I’d rather represent Father, in wearing something that looks good and doesn’t cost more golds.”
    â€œYou’ll cost him more than that, dear sister, with your willfulness.” Rachylana’s words were cold, but behind them was pure fury. “You’d think you were the eldest son. You’re not. You’re a daughter, just like the rest of us, and it might be a good idea if you occasionally remembered that.” Then she turned and left.
    With Rachylana’s anger still filling her chamber, or so it seemed, Mykella knew she should have managed something far less rude, and only indirectly cutting, but she’d never been that good at fighting with innuendoes, subtle edges to her words, and expressions that conveyed emotion in a way that could not be faulted, no matter how deadly.
    With a deep breath, Mykella turned to the armoire and pulled out another black outfit. That was one of the good things about nightsilk. Besides providing protection against knives or bullets, it scarcely ever wore out, and it washed up nicely without fading. The downside was that tailoring it took special cutting tools and three times as long. She left the clothes on the bed and went to wash up.
    Once she returned and dressed, she hurried to breakfast. Although conversation at breakfast was more than a little cool because her sisters avoided speaking to her, neither Feranyt nor Jeraxylt seemed to notice.
    After eating, Mykella hurried to the Finance chambers and continued her quiet efforts to recheck all the receipts that had been recorded in the past few seasons. This time, she tried to determine whether the tariffs paid by just certain factors and traders were lower, but from what she could tell, almost everyone’s reported tariffs were slightly lower, and none of them were greatly out of line with their own past payments.
    That took until midafternoon. By then, she had decided that she had to visit the Table chamber again, if only to see if she could learn more about how it worked, but that would have to wait until evening, well after dinner, when she could plead tiredness and retreat to her chambers.
    The day dragged, but she finally reached her chambers after leaving dinner early, claiming she felt unwell. After the morning’s incident with Rachylana, her sisters might well believe that. Even so, it felt like torture to sit and wait, but she knew that Salyna or Rachylana would come by and ask how she was, if only to see if she happened to be in her room.
    Salyna did, announcing her presence with the lightest of knocks. “Mykella?”
    â€œYes?”
    â€œAre you all right?”
    â€œI’ll be fine. I just need to be alone…and get some sleep.”
    â€œYou don’t want company? Sometimes that helps.”
    â€œThank you, Salyna. I appreciate it, but I need to think some things out.”
    â€œYou’re sure you’re all right?”
    â€œI’m sure.” Mykella couldn’t help smiling fondly at her sister’s good-hearted concern. “I know where to find you if I need to talk.”
    â€œI’ll hold you to it. Good night.”
    Mykella waited longer, a good glass, or so she thought, before she snuffed the wall lamp, not that she needed it much anymore at night, except to read, and moved to the door. She could not sense anyone nearby, and she drew her sight-shield