Read Online Frozen Tides by Morgan Rhodes - Free Book Online

this black dagger to the barmaid’s throat.
    â€œTell me your darkest secret—the one you’ve never told anyone else.” Lucia spoke the words, a whir of echoes all around her, and forced them into the woman’s mind.
    â€œI . . . uh . . . what?” the barmaid sputtered.
    Lucia inhaled deeply and pressed that invisible dagger closer to the woman’s throat. “Your darkest secret, speak it now. Don’t resist.”
    A violent shudder shot through the barmaid, and blood began to trickle from her nose. “I . . . I killed my baby sister when I was five years old. I smothered her with a blanket.”
    Stunned, Lucia fought to hold on to her concentration. “Why would you do that?”
    â€œShe . . . she was sickly. My mother spent all her time with her and none with me. I was ignored. So I got rid of her. I hated her and never regretted what I did.”
    Lucia finally broke eye contact with the barmaid, disgusted by the confession. “Leave us.”
    The woman absently wiped her bloody nose, then turned and quickly scurried away without another word.
    â€œWell done.” Kyan nodded. “I knew you could do it.”
    â€œThe magic causes
them
pain,” Lucia observed. “Not me.”
    â€œOnly if they try to resist. Eva had such great control over the power that no one resisted, and no one was harmed. You’ll grow stronger in time.”
    A little blood wasn’t anything to get squeamish about. This ability was worth the price that had to be paid, but Lucia decidedright then that she’d use her truth powers sparingly. Some truths were not meant to be known.
    But some most certainly were.
    â€œWhat she confessed to us,” Lucia said, her thoughts swirling. “It reminded me of a secret of my own.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œWhen I was a baby, I was stolen from my cradle by a witch working for King Gaius. I know my birth mother was killed, but I know nothing about my real father.” She hesitated. “If he’s still alive, I want to find him. And I want to know if I have any sisters or brothers.”
    Just considering the possibilities of having her real family back gave her new life, and an oddly giddy sense of hope.
    Finished with his meal, Kyan stood up from the table and offered Lucia his hand. “I will help you find your family. I promise I will.”
    Her heart skipped a beat, and she couldn’t stop the smile that began to stretch across her face. “Thank you.”
    â€œIt’s truly the least I can do for you, my little sorceress, after all you’ve already done for me.”
    Lucia reached into her cloak, pulled out a bag of coins, and placed a silver one on the table to pay for their meal, her mind still reeling from this new and powerful discovery.
    A bald man with a short black beard approached their table, smiling. “Good evening to you both.”
    â€œGood evening,” Kyan replied.
    He rested the edge of his dagger on the table. “I’m not one for formal introductions, so let me get right to the point. I’m very interested in that pretty bag of coins you were just waving about. How about you give it to me, and then all of us can leave this public house unharmed?”
    Lucia regarded him with disbelief. “How dare you insult me,” she hissed, lurching up to her feet.
    He laughed. “Sit down, little girl. And you too,” he said, looking fiercely at Kyan.
    â€œLucia,” Kyan said calmly, taking a seat again. “It’s fine.”
    â€œNo, it’s not.” In the space of a heartbeat, Lucia had grown ready to peel the skin from this loathsome thief one inch at a time for this insult.
    â€œOh, you’ve got some fire in you, don’t you?” The thief’s loathsome gaze slid over her open cloak as he nodded with leering approval. “I like pretty young girls with fight in them. Makes it more