Read Online Chaos Broken by Rebekah Turner - Free Book Online Page A

again and didn’t resist when hands helped me up.
    â€˜Are you alright?’ Sabine asked, dusting me off. ‘He’s not even supposed to be here. He was expelled a few months ago.’
    A glance at the schoolyard showed me all the other kids were watching us, fear etched clearly on their young faces. Sabine picked up my cane and handed it to me as I concentrated on taking short, painful breaths. She moved to open the narrow door.
    â€˜Stop.’ A finely honed sense of something wrong made me stumble in front of her, sucking in a few more mouthfuls of air. Shoving the door open, I found a small courtyard full of neat vegetable gardens and a greenhouse at the end. Sabine marched by me, jaw set.
    â€˜Let’s tell Lady Poulter, and she’ll give him what for. Probably get the City Watch involved this time.’
    My hand shot out, pulling Sabine to a halt. ‘Wait here.’
    Ignoring her questioning look, I hurried towards the greenhouse, dread building. The door was ajar and I hit it with my shoulder, sword half-drawn as I charged inside.
    The smell of blood hit me, but the double-take was more from the sight of Poulter lying in a pool of blood, gaping wound in her chest. Keeping clear of the blood, I pressed fingers against Poulter’s throat. Nothing.
    Sighing, I straightened. Under the blood, I saw a Calling Circle had been painted around her, stark white against the rough wooden floor, symbols etched into the outside. I tried to interpret them and made out some random numbers, but they were mostly obscured by blood. A scream erupted from behind me and I whirled around to see Sabine standing there, eyes wide with shock as she stared at Poulter’s body.
    â€˜Go,’ I snapped at her. ‘Go and get help now.’
    She didn’t move, so I pulled her from the gruesome sight, marching her towards the narrow exit door.
    Sabine tried to pull free. ‘We have to help her.’
    â€˜You can’t help the dead,’ I told her roughly. ‘We’ve got to move. It’s not safe here.’
    â€˜Why not?’ Sabine’s face crumpled and tears filled her eyes. She didn’t resist as I pushed her back into the schoolyard, watching carefully for Kalin or one of his buddies.
    â€˜Did Kalin do this?’ she sobbed
    I pushed her in the direction of the administration building. ‘I’d bet on it.’

Chapter 8
    â€˜How are you doing?’
    Crowhurst handed me a flask and I took it gratefully. Sabine and I sat with our backs against the yard wall, watching as City Watch officials scoured the glasshouse and courtyard for any evidence the killer might have left behind.
    I took a sip and choked. ‘What’s in that?’
    â€˜Dandelion tea,’ Crowhurst said. ‘Nice and sweet. Good for shock.’
    â€˜Are you insane ?’ I spluttered, thrusting the flask back at him. ‘I need liquor, not fucking flower tea. You’re worse than Orella with your herbs.’
    â€˜What you need are your wits about you.’ Crowhurst offered the flask to Sabine, but she shook her head. Her face was pale and she hadn’t said a word since the City Watch had arrived. Crowhurst pocketed the flask. ‘I’m going to find someone who can tell us if we can leave.’
    â€˜Good idea,’ I said wearily. I turned to Sabine. ‘Do you need to send a message to your parents? They must be frantic.’
    Sabine pulled one of her pigtails. ‘I live at the orphanage. Nobody’s waiting for me.’
    â€˜Oh.’ I clammed up, feeling bad.
    â€˜Who would do such a thing to Lady Poulter?’ Sabine whispered. ‘Do you think Kalin did?’
    â€˜I don’t know,’ I answered. My thoughts flew back to our confrontation with Kalin and the object he’d had in his hessian bag. Long enough to be a bladed weapon.
    â€˜Lora?’
    At the familiar voice, I struggled to my feet with a grin. Despite being middle-aged,