Shadowrun - Novel - 18 - Worlds Without End.pdf

I asked.
Shadowrun Caroline Spector - Worlds Without End
"Of course," she said. "I just couldn't take any
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Caroline Spector
action on it for a while. Besides, I wanted you out of
the way until I decided what to do with you."
I closed my eyes. Knowing Alachia, she could
keep me here for decades before letting me go. By
that time I might well have lost my mind.
"What do you propose?" I asked.
"Just what I said. You keep out of my way in this
matter. I will act as queen to this tiny nation."
"This is madness, Alachia," I said. "Why would
you want this?"
"Because I need to rule," she said.
"And if I don't agree?"
"I'll find someplace where I can leave you to rot,"
she said. "You won't die, unfortunately. But you'll
certainly wish you had. That is, if you still have
your sanity intact after all those years locked up and
alone. It's really not much of a choice, is it?"
She had me there. I couldn't stop her from what
she was about. But I could certainly see my way
clear to making her life difficult once she let me out.
"Very well," I said. "I agree."
She came to the throne on November 17, 1558
and ruled for an astonishing forty-five years. And at
every turn I made her way as difficult as possible.
Oh I didn't act directly; that has never been my way.
But I knew people on both sides, and it was a simple
matter to sow the seeds of distrust and paranoia. All
I had to do was stir the pot. Between juggling the
French and Spanish, she was forced to look to the
welfare of the country.
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WORLDS WITHOUT END
Besides, it was a source of constant amusement to
me that she was referred to as the Virgin Queen.
That wasn't the first, nor would it be the last, time
she did such a thing. But the brazenness with which
she acted in this matter always amazed me. And after
that time, I always made sure to stop her whenever
I could.
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Do you think you'll escape me through the past?
Do you think that by telling them you'll be safe?
Don't you know that I've been waiting—
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