Read Online Broken Enchantment (Unbreakable Force Book 3) by Kara Jaynes - Free Book Online
Authors: Kara Jaynes
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members. He glanced over as we approached, his face expressionless. The sky jewel was hanging by a cord around his neck.
“I’ve heard you plan to go to war against Ruis.” Aaric’s voice was even, but his gray eyes could’ve been made of stone.
Oisin crossed his arms, watching him. “Sounds about right. Who told you?”
Aaric shook his head. “Doesn’t matter who told me, what matters is—”
“Actually, it does. Only a few clan members were given that information, and were told to keep it a secret. I intend to find—”
“What matters is you’re not going to war.” Aaric’s voice turned flat, and his eyes glittered. “I understand your anger, but war isn’t the answer. We need to find a peaceful solution to the problem.”
Oisin took a step forward, anger in his features. “What do you care about the Oppressors? You’ve been adopted into the clan. You’re supposed to be one of us now.” The chief’s eyes narrowed. “Unless you really aren’t one of us.”
Aaric’s jaw clenched with frustration. “I didn’t bring you the sky jewel so you could use it for a needless war. I won’t allow you to do so.”
I covered my eyes with one hand in exasperated horror by Aaric’s words. They had the effect on Oisin that I suspected they would.
“I knew it!” Oisin’s dark eyes sparkled in triumph. “I knew it. I tried to give you the benefit of the doubt, but once an Oppressor, always an Oppressor. You traitor.”
“Father, Aaric isn’t a traitor.” I hadn’t realized that Bran followed us until he stepped up to face the chief. I cast him a grateful look, glad I wasn’t the only one who would have to stand up to Oisin.
Oisin glared at him. “I shouldn’t have allowed you to go in the first place, son. When I saw you’d brought home that witch from Ruis, I knew she’d clouded your judgment.”
Bran stiffened. “Where’s Grace?” he asked quietly. I knew that quiet. Bran was about to explode. I took a step away, nudging Aaric to do so as well. He complied.
Oisin shook his head. “You’re too late. I’m using her to start the war we need. I had some clansmen take her back to Ruis. They will kill her in front of the gates, where all the Oppressors can see. Their anger will compel them to hunt us here, where we will fight on our own territory. With the sky jewel, they won’t have a chance, and their oppressive reign will be over.” Oisin smiled coldly, obviously pleased with his strategy.
Bran’s face had gone white. He stared at his father, horrified.
The chief crossed his arms defensively, his expression dark and angry. “She’s an Oppressor, Bran. She has to die.”
The younger nomad shook his head. “You can’t do this, father.”
“I can and I will.” Oisin’s face hardened. “She is nothing to the clan.”
Bran turned away and sprinted toward the horses. I felt the magic swell around Oisin, and he lifted a hand toward his son. “I won’t let you go!”
Bran felt the magic too, and turned to face his father when Aaric lunged forward, punching Oisin in the jaw. “Run, Bran!” he shouted.
I winced as Oisin stumbled. He definitely hadn’t seen that coming. The chief regained his footing and, with a roar, wove magic, giving me all of two seconds to push Aaric out of the way, leaving me standing where he was a moment before. Power slammed into me and I screamed, arching my back in pain as magic surged through me. I fell to my knees, my breath coming in ragged gasps.
“Adaryn!” Aaric’s voice was filled with anguish as he picked me up, cradling me close. I tried to struggle, to tell him to put me down so I could defend us, but I couldn’t seem to talk. My body continued to spasm from the magic, overwhelming me.
“Adaryn!” another voice cried. I blinked, feeling confused. Aaric sounded like my father. I felt myself shift as someone else lifted me, taking me from Aaric. I tried to protest, but the only sounds came out as garbled nonsense.
Oisin’s face
“I’ve heard you plan to go to war against Ruis.” Aaric’s voice was even, but his gray eyes could’ve been made of stone.
Oisin crossed his arms, watching him. “Sounds about right. Who told you?”
Aaric shook his head. “Doesn’t matter who told me, what matters is—”
“Actually, it does. Only a few clan members were given that information, and were told to keep it a secret. I intend to find—”
“What matters is you’re not going to war.” Aaric’s voice turned flat, and his eyes glittered. “I understand your anger, but war isn’t the answer. We need to find a peaceful solution to the problem.”
Oisin took a step forward, anger in his features. “What do you care about the Oppressors? You’ve been adopted into the clan. You’re supposed to be one of us now.” The chief’s eyes narrowed. “Unless you really aren’t one of us.”
Aaric’s jaw clenched with frustration. “I didn’t bring you the sky jewel so you could use it for a needless war. I won’t allow you to do so.”
I covered my eyes with one hand in exasperated horror by Aaric’s words. They had the effect on Oisin that I suspected they would.
“I knew it!” Oisin’s dark eyes sparkled in triumph. “I knew it. I tried to give you the benefit of the doubt, but once an Oppressor, always an Oppressor. You traitor.”
“Father, Aaric isn’t a traitor.” I hadn’t realized that Bran followed us until he stepped up to face the chief. I cast him a grateful look, glad I wasn’t the only one who would have to stand up to Oisin.
Oisin glared at him. “I shouldn’t have allowed you to go in the first place, son. When I saw you’d brought home that witch from Ruis, I knew she’d clouded your judgment.”
Bran stiffened. “Where’s Grace?” he asked quietly. I knew that quiet. Bran was about to explode. I took a step away, nudging Aaric to do so as well. He complied.
Oisin shook his head. “You’re too late. I’m using her to start the war we need. I had some clansmen take her back to Ruis. They will kill her in front of the gates, where all the Oppressors can see. Their anger will compel them to hunt us here, where we will fight on our own territory. With the sky jewel, they won’t have a chance, and their oppressive reign will be over.” Oisin smiled coldly, obviously pleased with his strategy.
Bran’s face had gone white. He stared at his father, horrified.
The chief crossed his arms defensively, his expression dark and angry. “She’s an Oppressor, Bran. She has to die.”
The younger nomad shook his head. “You can’t do this, father.”
“I can and I will.” Oisin’s face hardened. “She is nothing to the clan.”
Bran turned away and sprinted toward the horses. I felt the magic swell around Oisin, and he lifted a hand toward his son. “I won’t let you go!”
Bran felt the magic too, and turned to face his father when Aaric lunged forward, punching Oisin in the jaw. “Run, Bran!” he shouted.
I winced as Oisin stumbled. He definitely hadn’t seen that coming. The chief regained his footing and, with a roar, wove magic, giving me all of two seconds to push Aaric out of the way, leaving me standing where he was a moment before. Power slammed into me and I screamed, arching my back in pain as magic surged through me. I fell to my knees, my breath coming in ragged gasps.
“Adaryn!” Aaric’s voice was filled with anguish as he picked me up, cradling me close. I tried to struggle, to tell him to put me down so I could defend us, but I couldn’t seem to talk. My body continued to spasm from the magic, overwhelming me.
“Adaryn!” another voice cried. I blinked, feeling confused. Aaric sounded like my father. I felt myself shift as someone else lifted me, taking me from Aaric. I tried to protest, but the only sounds came out as garbled nonsense.
Oisin’s face
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