Read Online Broken Wings (Cruel and Beautiful World, Book One 1) by L. Stoddard Hancock - Free Book Online Page A

his rucksack. "Follow me."
    Deryn's nostrils flared as he ordered her around again. It was getting annoying. But she wasn't sure if she really had the right to protest, so she followed him to the kitchen.
    Xander put the rucksack down on the counter and pulled out two bottles of a green liquid. "This medicine will help with any internal injuries you might have," he explained as he went into one of the drawers and pulled out a spoon. "You take exactly one spoonful every twelve hours. No more, no less. Got it?"
    Deryn nodded and watched closely as he poured the liquid into the spoon for her. He handed it off and she drank it down quickly. Minty.
    Xander reached into his rucksack again and, this time, came out with a small clock.
    "This is for your room. I know I don't have one in there and there will be certain days when I'm going to require that you don't wander around out here. Take a good look at the time now so you remember when to take your medicine."
    She did just that. "Is the time right?" she asked, noticing it was only six-thirty.
    "Yes."
    "You've already been up and about at this hour?"
    "I don't sleep much," he said before reaching into his rucksack once more and pulling out a small container holding a blue paste. "Rub this on your bruises. It will help them heal faster."
    Deryn took the container and frowned. "Ruby, I know as a slave I'm probably not the most informed person in Utopia, but aren't items like this and the medicine forbidden unless prescribed by a doctor?"
    "They are."
    "Then how did you get them? Are Guardians above the rules or something?"
    "They are when they know where the Black Market is."
    Deryn's eyes bulged. "The Black Market?" she repeated. "I thought that was just a myth."
    "No, it very much exists. It's always existed but, after the war, supporters of the Resistance took it over. Some Guardians have been searching for it for years, trying to shut it down, but others of us, the majority, simply use it to our advantage."
    "Where is it?"
    Xander chortled. "You must be an idiot if you really believe I'd tell you something like that."
    "Why wouldn't you?"
    "Because, Leon, I know how you are. In danger or not, if you knew where the Black Market was, you would undoubtedly try to go there. It's too dangerous. Especially for a wanted person."
    "What's safe for you is safe for me."
    "In this city, the band on my wrist says otherwise."
    "If you're such a great Guardian then why the hell do you live in this building, so far from the rest of civilization?"
    "The president wanted one of us inhabiting every corner of the three cities." Xander stuck his hand back into the rucksack and felt around for something. "Besides, I like this building. Other than the noisy bastards downstairs, it's completely empty." He came out holding a small, blue box and put it in front of her.
    Deryn eyed the box curiously. "What's that?"
    "This may be a bit of a shock but, if you open it, you just might find out."
    She rolled her eyes. After all these years, he was still such an aggravating smartass. She reached out and opened the box, her eyes widening as they settled on what was inside. It was a cupcake. A delicious looking, chocolate frosted cupcake with rainbow sprinkles.
    "I wasn't sure about Outsider traditions, but around here it's customary to have cake on your birthday."
    Without waiting for a reaction, Xander picked up his rucksack and carried it into his bedroom. When he came out a few minutes later, Deryn was still standing there, staring blankly at the cupcake he had given her.
    He smirked and walked over to her, putting a hand on her shoulder to get her attention. "Here," he said, handing her a black sweater. "So you don't have to wear that heavy coat all day."
    She took it absentmindedly.
    "And these are for your feet," he said, putting a pair of slippers on the floor.
    Deryn watched closely as he specifically placed them so they would be easy for her to step into. She stared at them for a moment, and then at the