Read Online Balance (The Neumarian Chronicles) by Ciara Knight - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ciara Knight
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and smiled. “You know I can’t leave him.”
Thornton nodded. “Not until he wakes up, right?”
“That’s right.”
He pointed to Ryder. “Then you can rest now.”
I spun toward him so fast, my neck popped and I almost fell off the bed. His eyelids blinked a few times, but it was his smile that shot through me. My heart sored with the sight of his wonderfully sexy dimples making an appearance for the first time in days. Gripping his hand, I brushed a gentle kiss over his lips, then lifted my head and gazed into his eyes.
His lips curled into a weak smile. “Hi, gorgeous.”
I tightened my grasp, feeling the connection between us surge into my body, reinvigorating me, wiping away all traces of exhaustion with my drug of choice, his love. “How are you feeling?”
“Not accustomed to long term pain. Mighty tough when I’m used to healing quick.”
“I know, but at least you’re alive.”
Ryder traced a fingertip across my palm, sending shivers of delight rippling through me. Then he licked his dry lips and all I could think of was kiss me . “Is there water?”
“Yes, of course.” I shook off my head ramblings and retrieved water from the shelf next to his bed.
He took the cup from me and drained it. “How’s Briggs? I wouldn’t have survived without her. She risked her life to save me.”
He patted the bed by his side and I resumed my usual place on its edge. “I owe her then.”
“Yes, made me promise I’d take care of her son if she didn’t make it. Did she…make it?”
I saw the worry in his chocolate brown eyes. “She is alive, but it’s still touch-and-go.”
I knew why he accepted to care for her child . My heart ached at one more child orphaned. Ryder would make a great father. He had proved that having helped raise Raeth, but I wasn’t meant to care for a child, at least not now. Neither were Ryder and Raeth, not until we won the war. We were the Triune, the rebellion needed us to end this war, and possibly restore the world.
Ryder’ s muscles tightened. “What did the doc say about my injuries? And why isn’t my gift working?”
I clutched his hand to my chest. “You’ll be fine once you recover from your protracted exposure to the mist. It seems length of time in the mist determines how long it takes for its effects to cease blocking your gift. Penton’s researching that problem, and also giving Raeth a new leg.”
Ryder tilted his head and stared up at me, his eyebrow quirked in that I’m-naturally-sexy kind of way. “You do mean her implanted leg, right?” At my grin and nod, he said. “Thank goodness. Wait, why does she need a new one?”
I nibbled the heart of his palm. “It was damaged beyond repair during the battle. You know Penton. Since the day he met her, he’s wanted to give her a new leg, one that functions like a normal one. Apparently he’s been working on it for a long time.”
“Don’t tell him I said this, but I like that kid. If he can give my sister a better leg, he’s got my stamp of approval.”
I nuzzled his neck. “Even to do this?”
Scowling, he grunted. “That’ll never be okay. She is my baby sister. But you can do that to me all day.”
He lifted his free hand to cup my head but winced and bucked. “Ow!”
I placed my palms on his chest and forced him to stay in the bed. “ Calm down. you’re still mending, and the pain’s a muscle spasm.”
“Big bad brother not used t-to being down.” Raeth strolled into the room.
I gasped. Her new leg reminded me of a smoothly, shaped human-looking leg. While I knew it wasn’t real, it moved with natural fluidity. A perfect match to her real one, shapely, moving with a light step and, knowing Penton, indestructible and protected from freezing up or grinding to a stop due to sand.
Jumping to my feet, I raced to her and wrapped her in a tight hug. “It’s beautiful!” Then I yanked Penton to me—who looked as if he was torn between beaming and worried about our
Thornton nodded. “Not until he wakes up, right?”
“That’s right.”
He pointed to Ryder. “Then you can rest now.”
I spun toward him so fast, my neck popped and I almost fell off the bed. His eyelids blinked a few times, but it was his smile that shot through me. My heart sored with the sight of his wonderfully sexy dimples making an appearance for the first time in days. Gripping his hand, I brushed a gentle kiss over his lips, then lifted my head and gazed into his eyes.
His lips curled into a weak smile. “Hi, gorgeous.”
I tightened my grasp, feeling the connection between us surge into my body, reinvigorating me, wiping away all traces of exhaustion with my drug of choice, his love. “How are you feeling?”
“Not accustomed to long term pain. Mighty tough when I’m used to healing quick.”
“I know, but at least you’re alive.”
Ryder traced a fingertip across my palm, sending shivers of delight rippling through me. Then he licked his dry lips and all I could think of was kiss me . “Is there water?”
“Yes, of course.” I shook off my head ramblings and retrieved water from the shelf next to his bed.
He took the cup from me and drained it. “How’s Briggs? I wouldn’t have survived without her. She risked her life to save me.”
He patted the bed by his side and I resumed my usual place on its edge. “I owe her then.”
“Yes, made me promise I’d take care of her son if she didn’t make it. Did she…make it?”
I saw the worry in his chocolate brown eyes. “She is alive, but it’s still touch-and-go.”
I knew why he accepted to care for her child . My heart ached at one more child orphaned. Ryder would make a great father. He had proved that having helped raise Raeth, but I wasn’t meant to care for a child, at least not now. Neither were Ryder and Raeth, not until we won the war. We were the Triune, the rebellion needed us to end this war, and possibly restore the world.
Ryder’ s muscles tightened. “What did the doc say about my injuries? And why isn’t my gift working?”
I clutched his hand to my chest. “You’ll be fine once you recover from your protracted exposure to the mist. It seems length of time in the mist determines how long it takes for its effects to cease blocking your gift. Penton’s researching that problem, and also giving Raeth a new leg.”
Ryder tilted his head and stared up at me, his eyebrow quirked in that I’m-naturally-sexy kind of way. “You do mean her implanted leg, right?” At my grin and nod, he said. “Thank goodness. Wait, why does she need a new one?”
I nibbled the heart of his palm. “It was damaged beyond repair during the battle. You know Penton. Since the day he met her, he’s wanted to give her a new leg, one that functions like a normal one. Apparently he’s been working on it for a long time.”
“Don’t tell him I said this, but I like that kid. If he can give my sister a better leg, he’s got my stamp of approval.”
I nuzzled his neck. “Even to do this?”
Scowling, he grunted. “That’ll never be okay. She is my baby sister. But you can do that to me all day.”
He lifted his free hand to cup my head but winced and bucked. “Ow!”
I placed my palms on his chest and forced him to stay in the bed. “ Calm down. you’re still mending, and the pain’s a muscle spasm.”
“Big bad brother not used t-to being down.” Raeth strolled into the room.
I gasped. Her new leg reminded me of a smoothly, shaped human-looking leg. While I knew it wasn’t real, it moved with natural fluidity. A perfect match to her real one, shapely, moving with a light step and, knowing Penton, indestructible and protected from freezing up or grinding to a stop due to sand.
Jumping to my feet, I raced to her and wrapped her in a tight hug. “It’s beautiful!” Then I yanked Penton to me—who looked as if he was torn between beaming and worried about our
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