Read Online Fate Unexpected (Earth Defender Book 1) by Marisa Chenery - Free Book Online

the second layer of material
that covered it, they at least wouldn’t have to worry about it getting wet if
it should rain.
    Rune handed Kylah the last of the supplies to put into the tent,
then ducked inside it. She’d created a sleeping area for the both of them at
one side and had piled the other items at the opposite one.
    “That’s everything,” he said.
    “All right. I’ll get a fire going, then warm up something for us to
eat.”
    “What about perimeter protection?”
    She finally looked at him, something she’d avoided for most of the
day. “There isn’t anything.”
    “We do have something.” She gave him a questioning look. “When you
captured me, you took my gear. Part of it is a portable perimeter field. If you
return my things, I’ll set it up.”
    Kylah scowled. “Do you take me for an idiot? There is no way I’m
giving you back your stuff.”
    “Fine. Keep it, but let me show you how to set up the perimeter
field. You can control it.” She seemed to think over what he’d said. To push her
into agreeing, he added, “With you having the wrist control, you’ll be able to
keep me inside the field if you plan to leave me at camp. The field keeps
people from getting in or out.”
    She gave a quick nod. “Okay, I’ll use it.”
    Rune stayed where he was, even though he was hunched over. He was
too tall to stand straight in the tent. Kylah didn’t have that problem. She
went over to one of the bags she’d carried, then opened it. She pulled out his
gun belt that had a small pouch attached to it and his wrist control. She
gathered the items up before she went outside. He followed her.
    “Now what?” she asked.
    He pointed to the pouch. “Inside you’ll find eight small metal
discs. Those are what generates the perimeter field. Place them at equal
intervals in a circle around the camp.”
    Kylah did as he’d said. Rune went with her as she laid each disc on
the ground, offering advice on the best spots that would keep the field strong.
Once that task was completed, they returned to the center of camp.
    Rune motioned to the wrist control she held. “Strap that on and then
I’ll show you how to activate the field.”
    She held out her wrist once she had the control on it. “I’m trusting
you here. I hope you aren’t getting me to blow myself up.”
    “If I were doing that, I wouldn’t be standing so close.” Rune held
Kylah’s wrist and pointed to the buttons on the control. “This one stations the
discs to the ground. You only have to do this once after you have them in
place. This button powers up the perimeter field. And this one disables it.”
    “So this one first, then that one to turn it on. And this red button
to turn it off.”
    “Yes.” Kylah pushed the first button, then the second. “The field is
up. You won’t be able to see it, but you can tell from the wrist control. The
second button will remain lit.”
    “I don’t need that to tell me. I can see the waves of energy it
gives off. I saw it back at the lake. That’s why I lured you and your furry
friend out of your camp so I could capture you.”
    Rune and his people had better eyesight than most other species he
knew, but he couldn’t see the energy waves Kylah spoke of. Just something else
that made her stand out from the average human.
    “So it was you and not a changed human who howled, then screamed as
if one chased you. You had Gada and I fooled.”
    “Yeah, it was. So that’s your furry friend’s name?”
    “Yes. Gada is Neelean. His home world is Neele.”
    “What are you?”
    “I’m Dracan.”
    “And your home world?”
    “Dracus.”
    “So which planet decided to come to Earth and take over?”
    “Neither of them. It was the Xphens from Xph. They’ve conquered most
of the planets in my galaxy, including Neele. Gada and three quarters of the Xphens’
troops are conscripted from the defeated.”
    “And the other quarter?”
    “Mercenaries like me. The Xphens like to make war, but as a