Read Online Katie's Hope (Rhyn Trilogy, Book Two) by Lizzy Ford - Free Book Online
Authors: Lizzy Ford
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jumpy an
assassin could be. Gabriel was at his place in the underworld, a
small cottage tucked into Death’s realm, in the Everdark forest of
Immortal trees whose hissing, fanlike leaves and snake-like
branches moved to catch the quiet wind. Gabriel’s small cottage was
lit by a single candle that cast light on a collection of weapons
along one wall and a few books on a bookshelf on another.
“I didn’t think you could come here,” the
assassin said.
“The Code says I shouldn’t, not that I can’t.
Important distinction,” Rhyn replied and pulled out a chair from
the table on which the candle was placed. He straddled the chair
and rested his forearms on its back. “You left without saying
good-bye.”
Gabriel rubbed his face, and Rhyn saw the
shadow of stubble the assassin never allowed to grow. Something was
really wrong if Gabriel’s thousands-year-old habit changed
suddenly.
“I didn’t have a choice,” Gabriel said with
some difficulty. “Death owns me now.”
Rhyn understood without asking. Gabriel had
always been a free man; now the human-turned Immortal was a
slave.
“Welcome to my world,” he said with a
chuckle. “You’ll find making friends is hard when everyone hates
you.”
“I’m beginning to see that. Didn’t realize I
liked having some sort of free will.”
“You still have choices. Just none of them
are good.”
Gabriel snorted in response.
“Since I know I can drop in on you whenever I
want, I promise to come back,” Rhyn continued. “I need a hand
finding an Ancient healer named Lankha.”
“Your girl hurt again?”
“I suppose you’ll be the latest to tell me
she’s better off without me,” Rhyn said. “But no, it’s not her this
time. It’s Toby.”
Gabriel frowned and ran a hand through his
hair. Rhyn watched him, concerned at finding his sole friend so
affected by the recent change in his life. He sensed much more
amiss than Gabriel would ever admit.
“The healers moved to the other side of the
Immortal world, past Elisia and closer to Hell. I can’t take you,
but here.” He held out his hand. Rhyn stretched to tap fists with
him, and the portal information lit up his thoughts. He’d spent
most his life in Hell and remembered little of the Immortal
world.
“I’ll come back,” Rhyn promised, rising.
“Rhyn,” Gabriel said quietly. “I don’t think
our friendship will survive what comes.”
“We are both bound to our destinies, Gabriel,
something you taught me. Whatever that brings, you’ve been my only
brother and friend,” Rhyn replied in the same tone.
When the assassin turned away, Rhyn stepped
into the living forest. He opened the portal and stepped into the
shadow world, envisioning the place Gabriel had passed to him. One
of the portals glowed in response, and he strode through it,
stepping into a world as sunny as Gabriel’s was dark. He smelled
the ocean and stood on a beach of red sand edged with small shrubs.
He walked up the beach and into the shrubs, finding a path that led
to a small village of red cottages. Far across the sea, he saw the
black walls of Hell stretching from water to sky.
The healers’ village consisted of several
dozen cottages around a central square, in which many of the
village’s people gathered and talked or cooked meals over red
flames. They grew silent when he appeared, and those nearest him
scattered. He’d thought Lankha skittish when he met the healer but
soon found all the healers quaking and hiding.
“Lankha!” he belted, unable to distinguish
one healer from the other. They all had Lankha’s flat face, no
nose, bug eyes, and scrawny little bodies with feathery hands. The
healers scattered like roaches in daylight. Rhyn snagged the
clothing of one, and the healer yelped. “Come out, Lankha, or I eat
everyone in your village, starting with this one!”
He heard whispers traded behind doors and
cottages and waited.
“I’ll count to three. One!”
“I’m heeeeere,” one timid voice
assassin could be. Gabriel was at his place in the underworld, a
small cottage tucked into Death’s realm, in the Everdark forest of
Immortal trees whose hissing, fanlike leaves and snake-like
branches moved to catch the quiet wind. Gabriel’s small cottage was
lit by a single candle that cast light on a collection of weapons
along one wall and a few books on a bookshelf on another.
“I didn’t think you could come here,” the
assassin said.
“The Code says I shouldn’t, not that I can’t.
Important distinction,” Rhyn replied and pulled out a chair from
the table on which the candle was placed. He straddled the chair
and rested his forearms on its back. “You left without saying
good-bye.”
Gabriel rubbed his face, and Rhyn saw the
shadow of stubble the assassin never allowed to grow. Something was
really wrong if Gabriel’s thousands-year-old habit changed
suddenly.
“I didn’t have a choice,” Gabriel said with
some difficulty. “Death owns me now.”
Rhyn understood without asking. Gabriel had
always been a free man; now the human-turned Immortal was a
slave.
“Welcome to my world,” he said with a
chuckle. “You’ll find making friends is hard when everyone hates
you.”
“I’m beginning to see that. Didn’t realize I
liked having some sort of free will.”
“You still have choices. Just none of them
are good.”
Gabriel snorted in response.
“Since I know I can drop in on you whenever I
want, I promise to come back,” Rhyn continued. “I need a hand
finding an Ancient healer named Lankha.”
“Your girl hurt again?”
“I suppose you’ll be the latest to tell me
she’s better off without me,” Rhyn said. “But no, it’s not her this
time. It’s Toby.”
Gabriel frowned and ran a hand through his
hair. Rhyn watched him, concerned at finding his sole friend so
affected by the recent change in his life. He sensed much more
amiss than Gabriel would ever admit.
“The healers moved to the other side of the
Immortal world, past Elisia and closer to Hell. I can’t take you,
but here.” He held out his hand. Rhyn stretched to tap fists with
him, and the portal information lit up his thoughts. He’d spent
most his life in Hell and remembered little of the Immortal
world.
“I’ll come back,” Rhyn promised, rising.
“Rhyn,” Gabriel said quietly. “I don’t think
our friendship will survive what comes.”
“We are both bound to our destinies, Gabriel,
something you taught me. Whatever that brings, you’ve been my only
brother and friend,” Rhyn replied in the same tone.
When the assassin turned away, Rhyn stepped
into the living forest. He opened the portal and stepped into the
shadow world, envisioning the place Gabriel had passed to him. One
of the portals glowed in response, and he strode through it,
stepping into a world as sunny as Gabriel’s was dark. He smelled
the ocean and stood on a beach of red sand edged with small shrubs.
He walked up the beach and into the shrubs, finding a path that led
to a small village of red cottages. Far across the sea, he saw the
black walls of Hell stretching from water to sky.
The healers’ village consisted of several
dozen cottages around a central square, in which many of the
village’s people gathered and talked or cooked meals over red
flames. They grew silent when he appeared, and those nearest him
scattered. He’d thought Lankha skittish when he met the healer but
soon found all the healers quaking and hiding.
“Lankha!” he belted, unable to distinguish
one healer from the other. They all had Lankha’s flat face, no
nose, bug eyes, and scrawny little bodies with feathery hands. The
healers scattered like roaches in daylight. Rhyn snagged the
clothing of one, and the healer yelped. “Come out, Lankha, or I eat
everyone in your village, starting with this one!”
He heard whispers traded behind doors and
cottages and waited.
“I’ll count to three. One!”
“I’m heeeeere,” one timid voice
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