Read Online Fate Defied: The Silent Tempest, Book 3 by E. J. Godwin - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: E. J. Godwin
Tags: General Fiction
Ads: Link
more caught the edge of it, and screamed in horror as the wind splattered blood into a fine mist from their severed arms. The last one used his comrades as a shield and headed for the shelter of the boulder, but Telai was ready for him.
She grimaced and squeezed the trigger. There was a loud pop like a melon bursting, and the soldier’s skull flew backwards in a pink spray.
The snow beneath the struggling forms of the survivors slowly darkened. Telai crouched trembling by the rock, dropping the laser to the snow as if it were diseased. The thought of such power in enemy hands terrified her. If one laser could cause this much butchery, what fate lay in store for them at Ekendoré?
The confrontation was over so fast, the impact of it so strong, they failed to notice a growing hiss in their ears. Then one of the sled dogs broke free at last, and was in such a frenzy over the attack that it snapped at Tenlar’s leg. Due to his thick clothing it did no harm, but it surprised him, and he spun around.
He stared overhead. Telai copied him. A massive white cloud was descending, blotting out the cliff. It looked so incredibly soft.
“Run, run!” Tenlar bellowed, and floundered toward the sleds, Telai close behind. In a panic they fought to set their teams right again, for the dogs had tangled their harnesses in their excitement.
The hiss deepened to a rumble. Telai finished first, her team less tangled, and ran to help Tenlar.
“No, no!” he cried, shoving her away. “Leave it! Your sled!”
They lunged back, and together leaped onto the runners. “Run!” she shrieked, forgetting the proper command. The dogs needed no urging, however, and she almost lost her grip as they sprang into motion.
A shout sounded behind her, and she looked back. Tenlar was being dragged through the snow, one hand locked around the end of the runner where it curved upward. She tried to bend down and reach him, but the dogs were frantic in their speed. He vanished within seconds, and one glance overhead froze her heart.
“ Tenlar! ”
Telai brought her arms up across her face. The avalanche slammed into her from behind and tossed her, head over heels, like flotsam on a tempest-torn sea. The force of it was merciless, suffocating, carrying her farther and farther, until she thought it would never stop.
At last she slowed and came to a jarring halt. She was completely buried, how deep she could not guess. She could scarcely breathe, and her entire body felt like it was covered in bruises. Terror engulfed her. But she fought to master it, and in time realized the snow packed around her was light and porous. Diffused sunlight shone above her head. She was close to the surface.
She started digging feverishly, then slowed as common sense prevailed. Frantic movements would only exhaust her limited supply of air. She worked methodically, digging a little, then moving the snow to either side. Her sight adjusted to the darkness, and the patch of light grew stronger, a beacon of hope.
Her arms ached, her head spun from lack of air, forcing her to rest more often. She knew she was close to passing out, to falling asleep for the very last time. It took all her strength of mind to keep from surrendering to wild impatience, from clawing madly and releasing her fear in a scream.
A thick layer of snow fell on her face, and when she shook it off the sky shone bright in her eyes. She rested again, taking in deep breaths of blessed air. Then she struggled out of her snowy tomb, caked from head to foot.
The light blinded her at first. Yet once she got used to it there was nothing to see, only a vast, unbroken slope right up to a point high on the eastern wall of the pass. The tall boulder was nowhere in sight. If the avalanche had caught her even a few seconds earlier, she never would have seen daylight again.
With a wrenching blow she realized Tenlar’s fate. She fell to the snow and pounded it over and over with her fists. It flew away like chaff. She
She grimaced and squeezed the trigger. There was a loud pop like a melon bursting, and the soldier’s skull flew backwards in a pink spray.
The snow beneath the struggling forms of the survivors slowly darkened. Telai crouched trembling by the rock, dropping the laser to the snow as if it were diseased. The thought of such power in enemy hands terrified her. If one laser could cause this much butchery, what fate lay in store for them at Ekendoré?
The confrontation was over so fast, the impact of it so strong, they failed to notice a growing hiss in their ears. Then one of the sled dogs broke free at last, and was in such a frenzy over the attack that it snapped at Tenlar’s leg. Due to his thick clothing it did no harm, but it surprised him, and he spun around.
He stared overhead. Telai copied him. A massive white cloud was descending, blotting out the cliff. It looked so incredibly soft.
“Run, run!” Tenlar bellowed, and floundered toward the sleds, Telai close behind. In a panic they fought to set their teams right again, for the dogs had tangled their harnesses in their excitement.
The hiss deepened to a rumble. Telai finished first, her team less tangled, and ran to help Tenlar.
“No, no!” he cried, shoving her away. “Leave it! Your sled!”
They lunged back, and together leaped onto the runners. “Run!” she shrieked, forgetting the proper command. The dogs needed no urging, however, and she almost lost her grip as they sprang into motion.
A shout sounded behind her, and she looked back. Tenlar was being dragged through the snow, one hand locked around the end of the runner where it curved upward. She tried to bend down and reach him, but the dogs were frantic in their speed. He vanished within seconds, and one glance overhead froze her heart.
“ Tenlar! ”
Telai brought her arms up across her face. The avalanche slammed into her from behind and tossed her, head over heels, like flotsam on a tempest-torn sea. The force of it was merciless, suffocating, carrying her farther and farther, until she thought it would never stop.
At last she slowed and came to a jarring halt. She was completely buried, how deep she could not guess. She could scarcely breathe, and her entire body felt like it was covered in bruises. Terror engulfed her. But she fought to master it, and in time realized the snow packed around her was light and porous. Diffused sunlight shone above her head. She was close to the surface.
She started digging feverishly, then slowed as common sense prevailed. Frantic movements would only exhaust her limited supply of air. She worked methodically, digging a little, then moving the snow to either side. Her sight adjusted to the darkness, and the patch of light grew stronger, a beacon of hope.
Her arms ached, her head spun from lack of air, forcing her to rest more often. She knew she was close to passing out, to falling asleep for the very last time. It took all her strength of mind to keep from surrendering to wild impatience, from clawing madly and releasing her fear in a scream.
A thick layer of snow fell on her face, and when she shook it off the sky shone bright in her eyes. She rested again, taking in deep breaths of blessed air. Then she struggled out of her snowy tomb, caked from head to foot.
The light blinded her at first. Yet once she got used to it there was nothing to see, only a vast, unbroken slope right up to a point high on the eastern wall of the pass. The tall boulder was nowhere in sight. If the avalanche had caught her even a few seconds earlier, she never would have seen daylight again.
With a wrenching blow she realized Tenlar’s fate. She fell to the snow and pounded it over and over with her fists. It flew away like chaff. She
Similar Books
