Free Earth 2788 by Janet Edwards

paused. “In
any other case involving such a misunderstanding, I would ask both clans to
reconsider their positions at this point. In this case though, given the scale
of ill feeling demonstrated, I feel alliance council has no choice but to
debate whether the continued presence of both clan Eastreth and Lolek’s clan in
our alliance is either desirable or possible.”
    Marissa Breck
Thane sighed. “Expelling either or both of these clans would be a serious matter,
with significant business consequences for many alliance clans, so clan leaders
will wish to consult with their clan councils before voting. Alliance council
will therefore continue with the debate this evening, but votes will not be
cast until tomorrow morning. It is obviously inappropriate for the leaders of
the two clans concerned to be present during either the debate or the vote.
They will be summoned in the morning to hear alliance council’s decision.”
    Lolek and Arden
both stood up, bowed to the Breck clan leader, and then turned to leave. Lolek
was closest to the door, so he went through it first, with Arden behind him. I
followed after them, and found myself walking down the corridor next to
Ardreath. I was startled to hear him whisper to me.
    “I apologize for
hitting you. I was under extreme stress, but it was still an indefensible
action.”
    I hesitated, and
glanced at Lolek and Arden. They were deep in conversation with each other,
speaking in low pitched angry voices, so I whispered back to Ardreath. “Our
marriage doesn’t have to end like this. Perhaps it doesn’t have to end at all.
A couple of days ago, the three of us were so happy. We could be like that
again.”
    Ardreath gave me
a fleeting, sad smile, before his expression hardened into something cold and
calculating. “You’ve always been such an endearingly naive child, Lolia. Many
marriages are just about people and emotions, but some are heavily involved
with finances and politics as well. Two years ago, my clan had badly
underestimated the cost of a business expansion. Your clan was extremely
wealthy and could give us the bridging loan we desperately needed. In return,
we could negotiate your entry into our alliance.”
    I stared at him.
“You’re saying you only married me to get a loan for your clan?”
    “Hush.” Ardreath
pointed a warning finger at Arden and Lolek. “Our marriage benefited both our
clans, and it was an attractive prospect personally as well. You’re an
eye-catching girl, and Mack … He and I had already been together for a year at
that point, but my father was totally opposed to our relationship.
Understandably so. Mack wasn’t just clanless, but a convicted thief.”
    Somehow those
words angered me even more than the comment about marrying me to get a loan for
his clan. “You know the truth about that theft conviction as well as I do. Mack
was barely 15 years old back then, and trying to find a way to escape that
ghastly orphanage on Janus.”
    “Yes,” said
Ardreath, “but my father and my clan council were naturally unhappy about Mack
having a criminal record. I told them that you wouldn’t marry me unless you
could marry Mack as well, and that no marriage would mean no bridging loan.”
    He shrugged. “They
gave in after that, and the arrangement worked very well for everyone
concerned. My marriage to you and Mack was a slight social embarrassment for my
clan, but the money compensated nicely for that until one of my clan’s vid
series became a runaway success and solved our financial problems.”
    He paused. “Then,
yesterday’s … unfortunate event occurred. My clan council lost patience, and
threatened me with being made clanless unless I divorced the pair of you. In
those circumstances, I really had no choice but to end our marriage and
distance myself from you both.”
    I glared at
Ardreath. I thought I’d been a fool not to work out that Lolek was using me as
a pawn in his political games, but I’d been even more stupid than