Read Online Descending (The Rising Series) by Holly Kelly - Free Book Online
Authors: Holly Kelly
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Gretchen pushed herself away from the table. “I don’t know about you , but I’m stuffed.”
“Me too,” Sara said.
Kyros didn’t say anything, but he had to be full. Didn’t he?
The breeze blew through Gretchen’s hair as they left the restaurant, and it had a chill that cut through her—raising goose bumps on her skin. She moved several feet behind Kyros, letting his bulk block the wind. Perhaps he was useful for something on the shopping trip.
The sun hung low in the sky, and the orange and purple clouds dripped color over the waves. The scent of the sea filled her nose. It was interesting how the salty ocean breeze could smell different, unique from the Hawaiian scent she was used to. Yet the familiarity of it tugged at her consciousness and twisted her insides. She narrowed her eyes and peered out to the harbor. Boats nestled among the waves, preparing to rest for the night. Everything seemed calm.
Sara stretched her arms, as if working out stiffness from too much exercise.
“Are your arms sore?” Gretchen asked.
“Oh, um yeah . I haven’t wheeled around so much in a long time.”
“Do you —?” Sara’s gasp interrupted her. Her friend bolted out of her wheelchair and raced toward Gretchen. Sara slammed into her, sending her flying back. Gretchen wasn’t sure what surprised her most, seeing her best friend running on legs, or Sara pushing her hard into a wall. A loud crack pierced Gretchen’s ear as her head hit the wooden slats. Gretchen staggered away from the wall. Pain pounded against her skull as the image of the restaurant and sidewalk swam in her vision. When everything finally settled into place, she honed in on Sara’s face—a mixture of shock and pain darkened her blue eyes. Crimson red bloomed like a flower under her right breast, soaking Sara’s white blouse. Then her legs—the legs Gretchen had never seen before—collapsed under her. Kyros caught Sara before she hit the pavement.
Shouts thundered in Gretchen’s ear as the whole area erupted in chaos. Giant men rushed in from all sides. Gretchen recognized them—they were Xanthus’s friends. All of them, it seemed. Gretchen lost sight of Sara behind the wall of men.
“Sara,” she shouted, searching for her. When she didn’t answer, Gretchen shouted again , her heart pounding against her chest.
Strong arms surrounded her, dragging her inside the building. She fought against them, desperate to reach her friend. “Let go,” she screamed. “She needs me!”
“Gretchen,” a deep, warm voice spoke in her ear—Kyros’s voice. “You can’t see her now. She’s hurt . Straton is taking care of her. He’s a doctor of sorts. She’s in good hands.”
“Did someone shoot her? Was that what the sound was?”
“Yes.”
“But they weren’t trying to shoot her , were they?” she asked, sagging back against his chest. “She pushed me out of the way. How did she know?” Gretchen sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks. “If anything happens to her, if she dies because of me…” She couldn’t finish the thought. Her mind couldn’t even go there.
Kyros turned her to face him and pulled her into his chest. “Straton is doing everything he can.” She didn’t resist, but wrapped her arms around him, accepting the comfort he offered.
“Did someone call 911?” she asked.
Sirens in the background answered the question for her.
The next hour passed in a blur. Gretchen sat cold and shaking in a hospital waiting room. Her mind was filled so thick with emotion that individual thoughts found it difficult to penetrate. She looked down at her hands. Someone must have given her coffee. She held an empty Styrofoam cup.
Gretchen could hear thundering steps approaching the door just before Xanthus exploded through it.
“Hades,” Kyros whispered, lifting his arm from around her shoulders. “This is not going to be pretty.”
Gretchen looked over to him in a daze. She hadn’t even realized his arm had been around
“Me too,” Sara said.
Kyros didn’t say anything, but he had to be full. Didn’t he?
The breeze blew through Gretchen’s hair as they left the restaurant, and it had a chill that cut through her—raising goose bumps on her skin. She moved several feet behind Kyros, letting his bulk block the wind. Perhaps he was useful for something on the shopping trip.
The sun hung low in the sky, and the orange and purple clouds dripped color over the waves. The scent of the sea filled her nose. It was interesting how the salty ocean breeze could smell different, unique from the Hawaiian scent she was used to. Yet the familiarity of it tugged at her consciousness and twisted her insides. She narrowed her eyes and peered out to the harbor. Boats nestled among the waves, preparing to rest for the night. Everything seemed calm.
Sara stretched her arms, as if working out stiffness from too much exercise.
“Are your arms sore?” Gretchen asked.
“Oh, um yeah . I haven’t wheeled around so much in a long time.”
“Do you —?” Sara’s gasp interrupted her. Her friend bolted out of her wheelchair and raced toward Gretchen. Sara slammed into her, sending her flying back. Gretchen wasn’t sure what surprised her most, seeing her best friend running on legs, or Sara pushing her hard into a wall. A loud crack pierced Gretchen’s ear as her head hit the wooden slats. Gretchen staggered away from the wall. Pain pounded against her skull as the image of the restaurant and sidewalk swam in her vision. When everything finally settled into place, she honed in on Sara’s face—a mixture of shock and pain darkened her blue eyes. Crimson red bloomed like a flower under her right breast, soaking Sara’s white blouse. Then her legs—the legs Gretchen had never seen before—collapsed under her. Kyros caught Sara before she hit the pavement.
Shouts thundered in Gretchen’s ear as the whole area erupted in chaos. Giant men rushed in from all sides. Gretchen recognized them—they were Xanthus’s friends. All of them, it seemed. Gretchen lost sight of Sara behind the wall of men.
“Sara,” she shouted, searching for her. When she didn’t answer, Gretchen shouted again , her heart pounding against her chest.
Strong arms surrounded her, dragging her inside the building. She fought against them, desperate to reach her friend. “Let go,” she screamed. “She needs me!”
“Gretchen,” a deep, warm voice spoke in her ear—Kyros’s voice. “You can’t see her now. She’s hurt . Straton is taking care of her. He’s a doctor of sorts. She’s in good hands.”
“Did someone shoot her? Was that what the sound was?”
“Yes.”
“But they weren’t trying to shoot her , were they?” she asked, sagging back against his chest. “She pushed me out of the way. How did she know?” Gretchen sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks. “If anything happens to her, if she dies because of me…” She couldn’t finish the thought. Her mind couldn’t even go there.
Kyros turned her to face him and pulled her into his chest. “Straton is doing everything he can.” She didn’t resist, but wrapped her arms around him, accepting the comfort he offered.
“Did someone call 911?” she asked.
Sirens in the background answered the question for her.
The next hour passed in a blur. Gretchen sat cold and shaking in a hospital waiting room. Her mind was filled so thick with emotion that individual thoughts found it difficult to penetrate. She looked down at her hands. Someone must have given her coffee. She held an empty Styrofoam cup.
Gretchen could hear thundering steps approaching the door just before Xanthus exploded through it.
“Hades,” Kyros whispered, lifting his arm from around her shoulders. “This is not going to be pretty.”
Gretchen looked over to him in a daze. She hadn’t even realized his arm had been around
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