Read Online Blood Bride (Aarabassa World) by Catherine L Vickers - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Catherine L Vickers
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surface to a horse’s hooves and dog’s paws. By the time they had arrived safely at the other side of the stinking bog, it was well into the moonsleep. They looked to camp down. It was difficult to find anywhere that did not smell foul or was not flooded with wet bogs.
Finally, they all agreed on a group of large flat rocks. Jhapar made do with a small bag of oats, now that supplies were diminishing. Leon and Frizzle settled for chewy dried up salted meat, which always proved useful in hard times. Attempting to doze, they were constantly nervous of the noisy bubbly movements emanating from oily murky waters that practically surrounded them. Leon’s thighs were sore and achy from riding bare back. The air was damp and thickly humid. The rock was hot from the scorching sun and the surrounding hot bubbling waters. The human concealed himself completely under the protection of his cloak, which served to dull the sun’s warmth and light slightly, and keep out some of the fetid smell. Under his body lay dirty clothing, a feeble attempt to soften the hard stone floor. Feeling secure, with Frizzle’s body at his back, he steadily sank into a blissful sleep.....
Leon’s heart beat rapidly, a constant pulse choking in his throat. His arms ached to the point of a deadening cramp as he swam vigorously in an overcast murky green pool. He was swimming for his life. A huge lizard beast made every effort to bite at his legs, long jaws crammed with rows of sharp teeth clamped up and down behind him.....
Now he was walking alone, wading through tall tangled dripping grasses. A giant black vulture swooped down upon him and painfully raked its gripping talons at his shoulders, picking him out of the waters like a sea bird fishing its prey. Yet it did not desire to eat this human morsel, instead it dropped him softly onto a mountain ledge. The vulture landed beside him and swiftly turned into his loving best friend, Heather. She did not speak but reached out to give him a ring. He grasped it in his clenched fist but dared not to take his eyes from her, he did not want to lose her. Abruptly she disappeared into nothing.....
He lovingly placed the ring on his finger and was suddenly transported to his home of the Pyramid Palace. He quickly searched through empty corridors trying to find his father, the King. He wanted to ask him if he could abandon his quest and find his childhood sweetheart, he feared for her life. He could not find anyone anywhere.....
Then, launched into the midst of a state funeral and seated within a black carriage, he wondered at who had died.....
Next, he was within the compounds of a dark shadowed corner within the Lower Royal Gardens where they had buried his mother. She lay under the statue of a beautiful green marble carved woman. Commissioned by his father in remembrance of his beloved. A new statue had appeared. Curiously, he walked towards the new statue to take a closer look. It was a grand statue of the King. It was at this moment that he knew that his father was dead.....
Leon awoke with a frightful start, sweating beneath his protective coverlet.
‘No, father, no, surely not,’ he shouted out to no one. ‘How could this be? How would I know this? It must be wrong.’
He remained lying down after realising it was just another nightmare. Still he felt restless and uneasy. Rest and sleep would not return that moonsleep. He did not fear monsters but he did fear this dream of his father’s death.
They started out early that moonwake, Leon did not wish to linger any longer in the marshes where the gasses made him feel unwell. Frizzle ambled, ears and tail constantly pinned down. Even Jhapar had picked up on the mood and kept his head down, led by his master who tugged at the reigns.
By the end of their march that moonwake, they could see through the hazy heat waves, the very edges of the marshlands. Large flatlands spread out before them. Yet still they had to face the dangerous channels of
Finally, they all agreed on a group of large flat rocks. Jhapar made do with a small bag of oats, now that supplies were diminishing. Leon and Frizzle settled for chewy dried up salted meat, which always proved useful in hard times. Attempting to doze, they were constantly nervous of the noisy bubbly movements emanating from oily murky waters that practically surrounded them. Leon’s thighs were sore and achy from riding bare back. The air was damp and thickly humid. The rock was hot from the scorching sun and the surrounding hot bubbling waters. The human concealed himself completely under the protection of his cloak, which served to dull the sun’s warmth and light slightly, and keep out some of the fetid smell. Under his body lay dirty clothing, a feeble attempt to soften the hard stone floor. Feeling secure, with Frizzle’s body at his back, he steadily sank into a blissful sleep.....
Leon’s heart beat rapidly, a constant pulse choking in his throat. His arms ached to the point of a deadening cramp as he swam vigorously in an overcast murky green pool. He was swimming for his life. A huge lizard beast made every effort to bite at his legs, long jaws crammed with rows of sharp teeth clamped up and down behind him.....
Now he was walking alone, wading through tall tangled dripping grasses. A giant black vulture swooped down upon him and painfully raked its gripping talons at his shoulders, picking him out of the waters like a sea bird fishing its prey. Yet it did not desire to eat this human morsel, instead it dropped him softly onto a mountain ledge. The vulture landed beside him and swiftly turned into his loving best friend, Heather. She did not speak but reached out to give him a ring. He grasped it in his clenched fist but dared not to take his eyes from her, he did not want to lose her. Abruptly she disappeared into nothing.....
He lovingly placed the ring on his finger and was suddenly transported to his home of the Pyramid Palace. He quickly searched through empty corridors trying to find his father, the King. He wanted to ask him if he could abandon his quest and find his childhood sweetheart, he feared for her life. He could not find anyone anywhere.....
Then, launched into the midst of a state funeral and seated within a black carriage, he wondered at who had died.....
Next, he was within the compounds of a dark shadowed corner within the Lower Royal Gardens where they had buried his mother. She lay under the statue of a beautiful green marble carved woman. Commissioned by his father in remembrance of his beloved. A new statue had appeared. Curiously, he walked towards the new statue to take a closer look. It was a grand statue of the King. It was at this moment that he knew that his father was dead.....
Leon awoke with a frightful start, sweating beneath his protective coverlet.
‘No, father, no, surely not,’ he shouted out to no one. ‘How could this be? How would I know this? It must be wrong.’
He remained lying down after realising it was just another nightmare. Still he felt restless and uneasy. Rest and sleep would not return that moonsleep. He did not fear monsters but he did fear this dream of his father’s death.
They started out early that moonwake, Leon did not wish to linger any longer in the marshes where the gasses made him feel unwell. Frizzle ambled, ears and tail constantly pinned down. Even Jhapar had picked up on the mood and kept his head down, led by his master who tugged at the reigns.
By the end of their march that moonwake, they could see through the hazy heat waves, the very edges of the marshlands. Large flatlands spread out before them. Yet still they had to face the dangerous channels of
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