Read Spider Wars: Book Three of the Black Bead Chronicles for Free Online

find parkas and gloves and hats and such. We will
have time to impress Vinara with our speedy return.”
    Cheobawn snorted in disgust.
“Living under the dome is all a big game of War to you, isn’t it?
Scoring points and maneuvering for advantages?”
    “ Exactly right,” Connor
declared with utter conviction. “Why else would we work so hard? If
it weren’t for the game, I’d be hanging out with the oldpas
behind Nedella’s kitchen eating sweet buns and playing Sticks and
Stones all day long.”
    Cheobawn opened her mouth to
argue but then closed it again. What Connor said and what he truly,
passionately believed down in the deep, soft center of his soul were
two entirely different things and it did one no good to contradict
him. It would only goad him on to tell more outrageous lies.
    Gudu was standing in front
of the South Gate, a remote com unit in his hand.
    “ Took your own sweet time
about it, didn’t you,” the junior tinkerer said, checking them
off on what looked to be a muster list.
    “ I know for a fact,”
Connor said with a smug smile as he shrugged his way into his parka
and snow pants, “that we are the first ones to check in.”
    “ Think you know a lot, do
you, pipsqueak?” Gudu asked as he put out a hand to help Cheobawn
with her snow pants. She accepted his help gratefully. Pulling the
fluffy trousers on over all that leather and armor while standing on
one foot took acrobatic skills. “Then I won’t bother telling
you,” Gudu added, a sly look on his face, “who else just walked
through this gate. I’ll just let you find out on your own.” With
that, Gudu reached out and palmed the door switch. A crack opened up
between the doors and a flood of cold air rushed into the dome.
    “ Hey!” shouted Connor,
scrambling to get his headgear in place with only one riding glove
on. “What is the big idea? My Ear is not ready.”
    Cheobawn was, in fact, more
than ready. Or as ready as she wanted to be for the barns. She would
put the rest of her gear on just before they all mounted. Snapping
the seal closed on the front of her duster she caught up both their
sticks and grabbed Connor, pulling him out the gate.
    “ Honestly,” she said,
“do you have to pick a fight with him every time? Gudu might think
you dislike him or something.”
    Connor shrugged. “Gudu’s
OK,” he said, taking his stick from her. “He knows I don’t mean
anything by it.”
    Cheobawn shook her head.
“And you think girls are weird.”
    She was going to say more
but the wide-eyed look of wonder on Connor’s face stopped her. She
turned and let her eyes follow his gaze. The stable yard was a wall
of steaming bennelk flesh interspersed with the frenetic motions of
tiny humans who scurried about them, tossing blankets and saddles
onto their broad backs, tightening girths, and replacing halters with
bridles. Vinara still stood where they had left her and she was still
bellowing out orders but now she was dressed for riding in the bitter
cold, her pale duster brushing the straw covered stones around her
booted feet and her face framed in the thick ebony plush of a dubeh
leopard fur hat and neck collar. Phillius and Cheobawn’s Da,
Hayrald, stood by the head drover’s side. Vinara looked around,
caught sight of Cheobawn, and gestured impatiently for her to join
them.
    “ I kept Dancer, I mean
Herd Mother …” Vinara corrected herself. It was hard to change a
lifetime of habit. Over a year had passed since Cheobawn discovered
Sybille’s mount was sentient and she had a truename and a title of
rank, as Mother of her herd. “I kept her in her stall until last.
Go keep her calm until Sybille comes to collect her. The last thing I
need is for this lot to get nervous.”
    Cheobawn nodded, spun on her
heel, and started wending her way through the forest of legs, both
human and animal. Connor moved to follow her but Vinara called him
back to give him duties of a sort more suited for his skills.
Cheobawn did not mind.