Read Online Dust and Roses: Book Two of the Dust Trilogy by V.B. Marlowe - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: V.B. Marlowe
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Archangels,” Dad replied.
Archangels were the highest form of the breed. The highest type of Giver
period. Dad, being a Guardian, fell a few rungs beneath them. Every October he
would leave us to guard the Givers’ sanctuary. Once he month of duty was over,
he would come home. As Givers went, all Angels were top tier.
“Why would they do that?” I wondered.
“Givers will also die because of the curse. I know they wanted to punish the
Takers, but they’re hurting their own too.”
Dad took a huge gulp of water and glanced
at my mom and sisters, like maybe he didn’t want to talk about this. “Not if
they think the Givers are strong enough to find and kill their Geminis.
Typically, that’s what happens. That’s what happened the last time the curse
was cast decades ago. That’s why we outnumber Takers now.”
So that was it. The Archs were counting on
the Takers failing and our numbers dwindling. A few of our species were already
extinct or only few in number. I didn’t care for the way the Angels
underestimated us or the fact that they were trying to take us out.
“I thought Givers and Takers were trying
to live in peace with each other. Why are you trying to get rid of us?”
A flash of hurt danced across his
features. I guessed I’d sounded like I was accusing him of something when it
really wasn’t his fault. “I don’t want to get rid of anyone. This curse is the
Archs’ decision. It’s the most effective form of punishment they have, and
Takers were the first to breach our peace treaty. None of this would be
happening had it not been for those attacks.”
He had a point. Bailey had caused all
this, but still. Why did the rest of us have to pay for her betrayal? “Can’t
you get them to stop it? Can’t you talk them out of it?” I wanted this curse to
disappear. That way I wouldn’t have to worry about killing an Angel or her
trying to kill me.
Dad shook his head, taking a bite out of
his taco. After a moment he said, “The decision has been made and there’s no
going back on it. I’m sorry. I don’t have any control over that and we
shouldn’t even be talking about this.”
A heaviness weighed down on my chest. It
was anger directed at the Angels. They knew the Gemini Curse only effected
creatures under the age of eighteen—kids who had done nothing wrong. “Dad, the
lair is just a bunch of kids trying to live their lives. They’re not hurting
anyone. They don’t deserve this. We don’t deserve this.”
“I understand, but the best way to
hurt someone is to go for their children. And as far as Takers go, the lair is all
you know. There are many more Takers living on the outside, in the four
surrounding states. They’re not all so innocent. You have no idea what they do,
the reports we’ve received.”
I wasn’t going to hold anyone to anything
without knowing the whole story. “You don’t know why they’ve done what they’ve
done, Dad. If they’ve hurt someone or taken a life, maybe it was because they
had to. Look at me . . . it’s that what you think about me? I only did what I
did because I had to.”
Everyone at the table froze, watching Dad,
waiting for an answer.
His face softened and he took a deep
breath. “Well, there’s one way to break the curse.”
A small swell of hope made me sit up
straighter in my chair. “Yeah, how?”
Dad pressed his lips together until they
turned white. “Honey, I’m really not supposed to . . .”
He couldn’t tell me. A Giver telling a
Taker how to break a curse was totally against the oath. This was a horrible
position for both of us. Dad and I were on different sides, Givers and Takers,
but then we weren’t. I could never see Dad as the enemy. I never would and I
know he would never see me that way.
I glanced around the table. If my
family had to choose between me and Rose staying alive, who would they choose?
I was a dangerous beast who was a threat to their lives while Rose was a
harmless Angel. There really
Archangels were the highest form of the breed. The highest type of Giver
period. Dad, being a Guardian, fell a few rungs beneath them. Every October he
would leave us to guard the Givers’ sanctuary. Once he month of duty was over,
he would come home. As Givers went, all Angels were top tier.
“Why would they do that?” I wondered.
“Givers will also die because of the curse. I know they wanted to punish the
Takers, but they’re hurting their own too.”
Dad took a huge gulp of water and glanced
at my mom and sisters, like maybe he didn’t want to talk about this. “Not if
they think the Givers are strong enough to find and kill their Geminis.
Typically, that’s what happens. That’s what happened the last time the curse
was cast decades ago. That’s why we outnumber Takers now.”
So that was it. The Archs were counting on
the Takers failing and our numbers dwindling. A few of our species were already
extinct or only few in number. I didn’t care for the way the Angels
underestimated us or the fact that they were trying to take us out.
“I thought Givers and Takers were trying
to live in peace with each other. Why are you trying to get rid of us?”
A flash of hurt danced across his
features. I guessed I’d sounded like I was accusing him of something when it
really wasn’t his fault. “I don’t want to get rid of anyone. This curse is the
Archs’ decision. It’s the most effective form of punishment they have, and
Takers were the first to breach our peace treaty. None of this would be
happening had it not been for those attacks.”
He had a point. Bailey had caused all
this, but still. Why did the rest of us have to pay for her betrayal? “Can’t
you get them to stop it? Can’t you talk them out of it?” I wanted this curse to
disappear. That way I wouldn’t have to worry about killing an Angel or her
trying to kill me.
Dad shook his head, taking a bite out of
his taco. After a moment he said, “The decision has been made and there’s no
going back on it. I’m sorry. I don’t have any control over that and we
shouldn’t even be talking about this.”
A heaviness weighed down on my chest. It
was anger directed at the Angels. They knew the Gemini Curse only effected
creatures under the age of eighteen—kids who had done nothing wrong. “Dad, the
lair is just a bunch of kids trying to live their lives. They’re not hurting
anyone. They don’t deserve this. We don’t deserve this.”
“I understand, but the best way to
hurt someone is to go for their children. And as far as Takers go, the lair is all
you know. There are many more Takers living on the outside, in the four
surrounding states. They’re not all so innocent. You have no idea what they do,
the reports we’ve received.”
I wasn’t going to hold anyone to anything
without knowing the whole story. “You don’t know why they’ve done what they’ve
done, Dad. If they’ve hurt someone or taken a life, maybe it was because they
had to. Look at me . . . it’s that what you think about me? I only did what I
did because I had to.”
Everyone at the table froze, watching Dad,
waiting for an answer.
His face softened and he took a deep
breath. “Well, there’s one way to break the curse.”
A small swell of hope made me sit up
straighter in my chair. “Yeah, how?”
Dad pressed his lips together until they
turned white. “Honey, I’m really not supposed to . . .”
He couldn’t tell me. A Giver telling a
Taker how to break a curse was totally against the oath. This was a horrible
position for both of us. Dad and I were on different sides, Givers and Takers,
but then we weren’t. I could never see Dad as the enemy. I never would and I
know he would never see me that way.
I glanced around the table. If my
family had to choose between me and Rose staying alive, who would they choose?
I was a dangerous beast who was a threat to their lives while Rose was a
harmless Angel. There really
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