Read Online Dark Feather: A Dark Post Apocalyptic Romance by Alta Hensley - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Alta Hensley
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doorway on a snowmobile? I almost killed you,” I said stiffly, bending to retrieve my knife, automatically cleaning dirt from the blade. I slipped the blade back into its sheath and turned back to face the soldier. “What is the meaning of this midnight meeting? Are we off to battle again after we just fought?”
The soldier, still clad in his battle tunic, slid off his snowmobile and paced into my hut, drawing the cloth door shut. Shaking his head, he placed the lantern on the ground and dug in his satchel for a scroll wrapped together with a silky red ribbon.
“This is for you,” the soldier said, handing me the rolled paper.
I stared at him and felt a lump form in the back of my dry throat. “Who is this from?”
“Rigby,” the soldier said, placing the scroll in my hands.
I stared at him for a long moment.
“I would suggest opening it, as it requires an urgent and immediate response,” the soldier prompted, gesturing to the scroll.
I let out a soft sigh but removed the ribbon. Before I opened the letter, however, I reveled in the touch of fine satin. Then I unrolled the scroll and read through the black script. It was clearly a formal production, as the font of the text was smooth and sleek, nothing like a typical man’s handwriting.
“What is this?” I demanded.
“It is an invitation to his home,” the soldier told me curtly. “He requires your presence in his home for a dinner in celebration of our recent victory. I require your response right away, since the dinner is tomorrow night.”
I looked up at him through narrowed eyes and handed back the invitation. “What if I would rather not go? What if I would rather stay and train?” I said the words, but my heart fluttered at the thought of seeing Rigby again. The journey back to Danis had taken days, and I had seen very little of him during it. I had actually felt physical pain in my heart at times, thinking that he may have returned to the arms of another woman who was doing a fine job keeping him company and rewarding him for his bravery and servitude to the Cyan army. The thought of him being with another made me ill, and I hated that he could control my thoughts and emotions so easily, not even being present to do so.
The soldier smiled wryly at me. “I’m sorry. Your attendance is mandatory.”
“Then why have I received an invitation?” I demanded. “If it is an invitation, I should be allowed to decline it if I wish.” I wasn’t sure why I was putting up such a resistance. I wasn’t one for playing silly games, and the truth of the matter was that I truly wanted to attend.
“It’s with Commander Moss,” the soldier told me. “It would be wise not to deny an invitation to his home. After all, you are a soldier in his army, and you are under his command.”
I swallowed back any further retort, not missing the fact that this time, he’d used Rigby’s formal title. “Fine. I will attend.”
“Thank you for the good news,” he replied. “A servant from his house will be by to pick you up tomorrow afternoon.”
Servant? It seemed odd that Rigby would have a servant. I had only known him as a commander of an army, who slept on cots and ate from tin bowls. The picture of him living as a man of wealth seemed foreign. And why would I need to be picked up so early? What would I do during all that time before the celebration?
“I thought it was a dinner? Doesn’t that mean eating after the sun has gone down?” I asked, blinking in confusion.
“Yes, but Rigby would rather you look more like a woman,” he replied flatly. “Upon your arrival, servants will take you to get cleaned and properly dressed for the dinner.” The soldier looked at me from head to toe. “A bath would do you good.”
I let out a long sigh. “I will await the servant.” I did my best to smile.
“Very well,” the soldier told me, taking a step back towards the door. “Remember that a servant will be around to your quarters later tomorrow
The soldier, still clad in his battle tunic, slid off his snowmobile and paced into my hut, drawing the cloth door shut. Shaking his head, he placed the lantern on the ground and dug in his satchel for a scroll wrapped together with a silky red ribbon.
“This is for you,” the soldier said, handing me the rolled paper.
I stared at him and felt a lump form in the back of my dry throat. “Who is this from?”
“Rigby,” the soldier said, placing the scroll in my hands.
I stared at him for a long moment.
“I would suggest opening it, as it requires an urgent and immediate response,” the soldier prompted, gesturing to the scroll.
I let out a soft sigh but removed the ribbon. Before I opened the letter, however, I reveled in the touch of fine satin. Then I unrolled the scroll and read through the black script. It was clearly a formal production, as the font of the text was smooth and sleek, nothing like a typical man’s handwriting.
“What is this?” I demanded.
“It is an invitation to his home,” the soldier told me curtly. “He requires your presence in his home for a dinner in celebration of our recent victory. I require your response right away, since the dinner is tomorrow night.”
I looked up at him through narrowed eyes and handed back the invitation. “What if I would rather not go? What if I would rather stay and train?” I said the words, but my heart fluttered at the thought of seeing Rigby again. The journey back to Danis had taken days, and I had seen very little of him during it. I had actually felt physical pain in my heart at times, thinking that he may have returned to the arms of another woman who was doing a fine job keeping him company and rewarding him for his bravery and servitude to the Cyan army. The thought of him being with another made me ill, and I hated that he could control my thoughts and emotions so easily, not even being present to do so.
The soldier smiled wryly at me. “I’m sorry. Your attendance is mandatory.”
“Then why have I received an invitation?” I demanded. “If it is an invitation, I should be allowed to decline it if I wish.” I wasn’t sure why I was putting up such a resistance. I wasn’t one for playing silly games, and the truth of the matter was that I truly wanted to attend.
“It’s with Commander Moss,” the soldier told me. “It would be wise not to deny an invitation to his home. After all, you are a soldier in his army, and you are under his command.”
I swallowed back any further retort, not missing the fact that this time, he’d used Rigby’s formal title. “Fine. I will attend.”
“Thank you for the good news,” he replied. “A servant from his house will be by to pick you up tomorrow afternoon.”
Servant? It seemed odd that Rigby would have a servant. I had only known him as a commander of an army, who slept on cots and ate from tin bowls. The picture of him living as a man of wealth seemed foreign. And why would I need to be picked up so early? What would I do during all that time before the celebration?
“I thought it was a dinner? Doesn’t that mean eating after the sun has gone down?” I asked, blinking in confusion.
“Yes, but Rigby would rather you look more like a woman,” he replied flatly. “Upon your arrival, servants will take you to get cleaned and properly dressed for the dinner.” The soldier looked at me from head to toe. “A bath would do you good.”
I let out a long sigh. “I will await the servant.” I did my best to smile.
“Very well,” the soldier told me, taking a step back towards the door. “Remember that a servant will be around to your quarters later tomorrow
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