Read Online Galin by Kathi S. Barton - Free Book Online Page A

walked up to him. The slap was less than he deserved, and he didn’t
try to stop her when she left the room.
    “You are going to have to explain yourself.” He
nodded at Riss as he opened the door for his wife and Judith. “Not just to Boss
either.”
    Galin knew that as well. He’d just broken one
of the laws of his kind. But the problem as he saw it right now wasn’t so much
that he’d broken the law, but that he wanted to find her and break a few more. Instead,
he lifted the veil off Kip and sat down with him. It was going to be a very
long day.

 
    Chapter 4
     
    Markum moved from the room and into the next
without touching the floor. He enjoyed floating now that he had mastered it,
and did it whenever he could. Even in his own cell. Just as he was ready to
enter the hallway, someone stepped in front of him. He bowed before the man and
stared at his bared feet.
    “You smell of humans.” Markum didn’t even
bother trying to deny it. He knew he did and loved the fact that someone had
noticed. “I thought you were forbidden to go there until you were told you
could. There will be hell to pay for this.”
    “I have found him.” The being in front of him
said nothing. Markum took that as a good sign and continued explaining. “The
child that would help us in the other world. I have found him. He even bears my
mark.”
    Or he did , Markum thought. Until someone had
taken it from him. It was why he’d been to earth again today, trying to find
the child before someone else did. But his mark that would call for him was no
longer strong enough for him to summon the child.
    “And this child you have found, what makes
you think he is any different than the other dozen or so you have said was him?
Have you a second sight, Markum? Do you possess a skill that none of the rest
of us have?” Markum actually thought he had a great many skills that others didn’t
but said nothing. It had done him no good before, and he doubted that he’d be
any more receptive this time. “I want to know what you think this child has
that the others did not.”
    “He has an anger that boils from him. His
hatred of people, all humans, is stronger than any I’ve come across before. And
when I touched him, his leg, when he spoke with me, I could feel the connection
immediately.” Markum was jerked from his position and lifted two feet from the
floor as the being held him with his hand at his throat. “I only marked him for
you, my lord. So that he would be claimed by you.”
    “You dared to touch a human? A human child
without permission?” He was tossed across the room. “You have violated our pact
laws. You have taken what did not belong to us.”
    “His protector was gone. He wasn’t with him
when I found him.” Which was true. Markum had imprisoned him days ago. Just
after that upstart from the Mystic’s had embarrassed him. “I have made sure
that no other protector has taken him in. He is yours, as I have said.”
    “You lie.” Markum started to stand but didn’t
need to when he was lifted up again. “You smell of…you have murdered a human,
too?”
    “I have.” There was no point in denying it.
He was sure that he smelled of the man that had dared to shoot holes into the
home of his child. And for that matter, Markum wasn’t sure why no one had asked
him before. “He fought a good fight, but I am much his superior. Was much his
superior.”
    “You fool.” He was tossed away again, but
this time leapt up before he could be touched again. As soon as the being tried
to grab him, Markum lashed out with so much heat that he cut deeply into the
fool. The second time he came for him, Markum hit him again, this time nearly
severing his neck. Weak now, the being staggered toward him, but Markum had had
enough. This time when he put up his hands in anger, he cut him in half and
watched as he turned to dark ash. Markum was dancing around down the hall when
he felt himself being summoned. Christ, he’d just killed an