Free Friends and Enemies (Gwen Farris Book 5) by P.S. Power Page A

horrible however. For her. Worn and like she hadn't been sleeping well at all. Death threats could do that to a body. Gwen knew that one from way back.
    Before Gwen could speak, to introduce the idea of having her brain scanned for troublesome Kate rifting abilities, the other girl used their mouth.
    "Good morning! This is Katherine." There was a hand held up as Heather stood, her hand going to a side uniform pocket. Gwen wanted to smirk, knowing that she was about to die. Killed instantly, like she'd told them to do if her body's owner ever won and took over. "Stop that! Gwen was going to kill herself, to keep me from taking over... Because she thinks that I know how to rift now. Like a common Westmorland. I don't , which should be obvious to anyone with a brain, so I was hoping that you could read me and let her know that we don't have to die, Bethany? Be a good girl, and do that now. Like a good dog."
    Gwen made a face, and did it hard enough that she actually managed to take over for a moment.
    "God, Kate. Bitch much? 'Oh, she thinks me a common slave, ta-ta. Slave, save me now. Sit up like a good dog first. I'll get you a treat if you beg well enough'. You didn't even offer to pat her on the head." Gwen was ready for Heather to take her out then, but the other woman was too smart, and actually realized that having Beth read Kate was a good idea.
    It was still mortifying, having to let Katherine speak like that, using her mouth. It made her look bad. Like she was the one saying those stupid things.
    Ethyl went wide eyed, her own mouth opening in a rather unflattering expression of disbelief.
    "Katherine? I... Hadn't thought to speak to you again." The lady, who was always perfect, had makeup on, and a nice, if slightly plain, dress. It wasn't enough to hide her fatigue however. It probably helped, being the point of such things, but it wasn't quite sufficient to cover the dark circles under her eyes.
    Killers coming for you would do that, Gwen thought. Actually, she knew it, for a fact, having been in close enough proximity to things like that before that she could relate. Recently even.
    Her lips betrayed her again, and a single hand flapped toward Ethyl a bit.
    "I would wager not, given the way you betrayed me. On the fine side of this, you and father have the perfect daughter now, don't you? Obedient, sober, and proper all the time." There was a feeling of movement from the face, as if she were smiling, but different. Like it was mixed with disgust at the same time. "Why, she even landed a Duke . True, a crippled and magicless one, but I'm sure Gwen will pop out a half dozen spoiled little monsters for you to pet and coddle like you never did me, in a short enough time." As if to illustrate the point she patted their flat middle.
    Beth went blank, and so did Ethyl.
    Heather grinned. She was the hardest person there, mentally, other than Gwen.
    "I'd heard you were a spoiled waste of space. I hadn't really thought it would be possible though, Ethyl and Robert being so gracious and kind. Still, Beth, if you'd go into B state and read her?"
    Their blonde friend stiffened a bit, and went bland, as opposed to blank, which seemed to be two different expressions in this place. Then she waited.
    The Special Service Westmorland was already standing, even as the others sat around the large and lace covered table. The look on her face was one that Gwen could think of only as professional.
    "Katherine, can you use any of the skills that Gwen has learned?"
    "No. Not the magical ones. I can probably mimic a couple of the physical things. Punching someone in the head, say. That, and running. The other training just hurt too much for me to pay attention to. "
    She sounded a bit apprehensive about it all, but Beth spoke a single word.
    "True."
    That didn't stop Heather from going all over the situation, her voice firm the whole time.
    "How about the other non-magical ones then?"
    "Well, I've picked up a few things. Gwen's always