Read Online Chronicles of the Uprising (Trilogy 1): Trilogy 1 by Katie Salidas, K.A. Salidas - Free Book Online
Authors: Katie Salidas, K.A. Salidas
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matter much. Mira could take down vampires larger than she with no problem. But that wasn’t the thing stopping her from making a move. Judging by the deep plum of his suit, he was a man of some power. Only the Elite – those in the ruling class – were ever permitted to wear such an audacious color. As desperate as Mira was at that moment, she needed to tread carefully. Being caught escaping — again — would earn her more time in the lightbox, but injuring an Elite could have her staked out in the middle of town square awaiting the dawn.
“Aren't you going to finish him?” the man asked, his tone calm, soothing, as if he genuinely wanted to know the answer.
“Why don’t I finish you instead?” She hoped the warning in her voice would be enough to deter him, but still the man remained unfazed, like some stoic statue across the hallway. What was he playing at? And why was he just standing there, calmly, giving her every opportunity to strike? Did he really place so little value on his life?
“You could kill me, sure, but ask yourself how that is going to help your situation.” Spoken like a true Elite. He had to be up to something.
She didn’t like the smugness in tone, but felt at a loss as to how to continue. She could be on him in a fraction of a second. Crush his windpipe, and maybe buy herself a few more minutes to find the exit, but she was lost and had already wasted too much time. However, her inaction was almost certain to earn her some additional reprisal as well.
The corner of his lip quirked up. “I take it by your lack of response, that you’ve decided against harming me?”
Damn him! He knew she couldn’t take the risk. “For the moment, I guess.” Mira did not let her own uncertainty leach out into her voice. She attempted to sound self-assured, as if she were the one in charge at that moment.
“Well.” He let out a little sigh. “I’m pleased to hear that.” The strange man smiled congenially. “But, we will have to sort out what to do with you. It appears you’re out of bounds here.”
“You gonna help me back to my cell?” She threw her contempt at him. Bastard Elite! What did he know about boundaries?
“The thought had crossed my mind, yes.”
“Of course it had. Too bad I was heading in the other direction.” Mira casually flicked her hand toward the hallway to her left.
“Wonderful, seeing as that is the way back to the cell block.”
He was toying with her, like a cat with a mouse, Mira was sure of it. Whatever he had planned was sure to end with her enduring more punishment time in the lightbox. Mira pursed her lips. She wanted more than anything to be rid of him, but at this point she’d dug herself in too deeply to back out. Punishment or no, she had to play his little game. The alternative — certain death — was not worth the risk.
“Relax. I was only joking with you.” He held out his hands in mock surrender. “Please. I mean you no harm. But, in all seriousness, you know you can’t leave. Not like this.”
The way he delivered those last words piqued her interest. “Are you saying there is a better way to leave?”
Mira picked up the heavy footfall of a few more guards headed in her direction. The human must have heard them too, because for a brief moment he turned his attention to the hallway.
“Perhaps. But that all starts with how you manage the next few moments.” The Elite closed the distance between them, stepping confidently toward her as if she were as harmless as a kitten.
Part of her wanted to kill him and move on, even if there was no chance of escape, but the truth was plain: Her hesitation had ruined all chances she might have had of getting away.
Mira’s shoulders slumped. “Fine. What help can you be?”
His moss-green eyes met hers and for a moment Mira felt they were on even footing. “Let me take you back, myself. No weapons.” There was a genuine kindness in the way he spoke that did not fit his species or station.
“Aren't you going to finish him?” the man asked, his tone calm, soothing, as if he genuinely wanted to know the answer.
“Why don’t I finish you instead?” She hoped the warning in her voice would be enough to deter him, but still the man remained unfazed, like some stoic statue across the hallway. What was he playing at? And why was he just standing there, calmly, giving her every opportunity to strike? Did he really place so little value on his life?
“You could kill me, sure, but ask yourself how that is going to help your situation.” Spoken like a true Elite. He had to be up to something.
She didn’t like the smugness in tone, but felt at a loss as to how to continue. She could be on him in a fraction of a second. Crush his windpipe, and maybe buy herself a few more minutes to find the exit, but she was lost and had already wasted too much time. However, her inaction was almost certain to earn her some additional reprisal as well.
The corner of his lip quirked up. “I take it by your lack of response, that you’ve decided against harming me?”
Damn him! He knew she couldn’t take the risk. “For the moment, I guess.” Mira did not let her own uncertainty leach out into her voice. She attempted to sound self-assured, as if she were the one in charge at that moment.
“Well.” He let out a little sigh. “I’m pleased to hear that.” The strange man smiled congenially. “But, we will have to sort out what to do with you. It appears you’re out of bounds here.”
“You gonna help me back to my cell?” She threw her contempt at him. Bastard Elite! What did he know about boundaries?
“The thought had crossed my mind, yes.”
“Of course it had. Too bad I was heading in the other direction.” Mira casually flicked her hand toward the hallway to her left.
“Wonderful, seeing as that is the way back to the cell block.”
He was toying with her, like a cat with a mouse, Mira was sure of it. Whatever he had planned was sure to end with her enduring more punishment time in the lightbox. Mira pursed her lips. She wanted more than anything to be rid of him, but at this point she’d dug herself in too deeply to back out. Punishment or no, she had to play his little game. The alternative — certain death — was not worth the risk.
“Relax. I was only joking with you.” He held out his hands in mock surrender. “Please. I mean you no harm. But, in all seriousness, you know you can’t leave. Not like this.”
The way he delivered those last words piqued her interest. “Are you saying there is a better way to leave?”
Mira picked up the heavy footfall of a few more guards headed in her direction. The human must have heard them too, because for a brief moment he turned his attention to the hallway.
“Perhaps. But that all starts with how you manage the next few moments.” The Elite closed the distance between them, stepping confidently toward her as if she were as harmless as a kitten.
Part of her wanted to kill him and move on, even if there was no chance of escape, but the truth was plain: Her hesitation had ruined all chances she might have had of getting away.
Mira’s shoulders slumped. “Fine. What help can you be?”
His moss-green eyes met hers and for a moment Mira felt they were on even footing. “Let me take you back, myself. No weapons.” There was a genuine kindness in the way he spoke that did not fit his species or station.
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