Read Online Crusader (Battle Born Book 1) by Cyndi Friberg - Free Book Online Page A

flashed across her face before she managed to reel it in. “I can do that.” She sat back down, perching on the edge of her chair.
    He wasn’t nearly as confident as she was, but there didn’t seem to be a better option. “It’s been less than a year since your father died. Are you sure you’re all right with this?” The last thing he needed was an emotional female compromising the mission.
    “I miss him, but as you said, we weren’t close.”
    He wasn’t sure he believed her, yet he had no way to prove or disprove her claim. He needed to think things over, make sure he wasn’t missing a potential danger. “We both need to get some sleep.” He motioned toward the bed at the other end of the room. “Morgan is expecting us for breakfast and I want to leave immediately after the meal.”
    “Who is Morgan and don’t forget that you promised to show me your eyes.”
    The concealment film was annoying anyway. He’d be happy to keep his promise. “I haven’t forgotten and Morgan is Nazerel’s human mate. She’s the highest authority at the Bunker. I believe her title is director.”
    “How long have they been together? How did they meet?”
    He smiled though weariness crept through his system. Rodytes didn’t require as much sleep as humans and soldiers were conditioned to survive on even less. Still, he’d already been up for thirty hours when he streamed into Ashley’s loft. “Both are good questions to ask at breakfast. We really should get some sleep.”
    She pushed back to her feet and approached him cautiously. “I’d like to see your knife first. How is it able to change shape?”
    He’d already revealed more than he’d intended to tell her. What difference would one more detail make? He slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out the folded blade. “It’s called a flexblade, for obvious reasons. It takes rigorous training and years of practice to master its use, so many choose less demanding weapons. Because of its challenges, flexblades have also become a sort of status symbol, like a black belt in karate.”
    Her gaze narrowed, forming adorable little crinkles above her nose. “Your understanding of Earth seems patchy at best. Why do you know about black belts and karate?”
    “I’m a soldier.” He shrugged. “I’ve studied the fighting techniques of countless worlds, including yours.” When she merely nodded in response, he went on. “This is the flexblade’s most compact form. The alloy contains millions of nanites that are able to expand and contract, forming a variety of shapes and sizes.” He unfolded the knife then slid his thumb along the upper edge of the handle, triggering the first transformation. The pocket knife swelled and reshaped, becoming an ornate dagger. He squeezed the grip three times in quick succession and the dagger transformed into a long, lethal sword.
    Her gaze grew wider with each new form. “That’s seriously cool. But why bother with blades when guns are so much more effective?”
    Her curiosity was endearing, yet it could also be dangerous. She would be infinitely safer if she were a little more reserved. “We frequently fight in space. Blasting holes in the hull of our ship is counterproductive to winning a battle, but this isn’t just a sword. It can also launch energy pulses and incapacitate with sonic bursts.”
    She looked at the sword with renewed interest, tilting her head this way and that. The golden hilt was decoratively sculpted and an intricate pattern had been etched into both sides of the long silvery blade. Each Rodyte who earned the right to carry a flexblade took time to personalize their weapon. The nanites could produce anything the warrior imagined, but the process was time-consuming and tedious. It had taken Bandar several years to perfect this pattern. He was proud of the result.
    “If this thing is also a gun, why didn’t you shoot your shadow?” There was no accusation in her tone, just mild curiosity.
    “He flashed