Read Online Kiss of the Betrayer (A Bringer and the Bane Novel) by Boone Brux - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Boone Brux
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across the deck of the ship. “Ravyn!”
The door to the captain’s quarters flew open. “Luc? What happened?” In seconds, she was at his side. “Oh no.” She stepped from his path. “Lay her on the bed.”
He carried Jade to the same bed he’d occupied only a day earlier. Despite the warm glow of candlelight, nearly all the color had bled from Jade’s complexion.
Ravyn followed him into the chamber and knelt beside the bed. The whore hovered near the door, but didn’t enter.
“What happened?” Ravyn said.
“Thieves.”
He kept his answer short but knew Ravyn would not let the subject go so easily. His sins pressed around him like a pack of wolves from which he couldn’t escape. To tell her about Esmeralda would not only lay open his failing, but betray Jade and her sister a second time.
He stared at Jade’s still form, now so frail and near-death. She was a colossal tyrant stuffed inside the tiny body of a woman. She annoyed him, had always annoyed him, even as a child. He didn’t trust her, but he wouldn’t fail her again, even if that meant lying to Rhys and Ravyn.
“Can you save her?”
“This is a grave injury.” Ravyn turned and stared at him as if searching for the answer to some unasked question. “What are you not telling me?”
Curse her new Tell intuition. The greatest talent of the Bringer Tells was knowing when someone lied. After she’d been brought to full power, Ravyn had developed an overabundance of the gift—or curse, depending on whether he was on the receiving end of her scrutiny.
“Nothing.”
“You’re lying.” Her eyes narrowed. “We’ll speak later.” She flicked her head toward the door. “Take the woman and wait outside.”
“I’ll stay and help.”
Ravyn shook her head. “I can’t concentrate with you here.” She lowered her voice. “I’m still learning to control my powers and right now my Tell instinct is screaming that there is more to this story than you’re telling me. I can’t focus.”
She looked at Jade and examined the entry point of the arrow. Luc stood and backed away.
“Close the door behind you,” Ravyn called over her shoulder as she slipped her immortal dagger from her boot.
C HAPTER S EVEN
A heavy chill enveloped Rell, pulling what felt like the last bit of heat from her body. Rarely did she venture into the lower regions of the Shadow World. When raising Jade, it had been safer to live near the surface in warm caverns, far from the concentration of the Bane. Most demons never hazarded beyond the main level of the throne room, choosing to exist near the king.
She shuddered from the heavy presence gathering around her, like being watched when she could see no one. The dark, narrow corridor appeared empty, but one could never be too sure in the bowels of the Shadow World.
She ran her hand up her arm, attempting to rub away the ominous foreboding filling her. The action helped stay her impulse to skitter back to the surface and hide in the safety of her hidden caverns, where hot pools bubbled and warmed an otherwise bitterly cold world. She focused her thoughts on Luc and fed off her desperation to exact revenge.
Icy rivulets of water oozed down the rough slab walls and disappeared into thin cracks along the base, cut by eons of constant dripping. The crisp air burned her nostrils with each deep breath. She exhaled, trying to calm her rapid heartbeat. Dampness seeped through her muscles and into her bones, causing them to ache.
She wouldn’t be here if not absolutely necessary. This section of the Shadow World resonated with everything she hated about being a Bane, everything she could never accept about the change that had been forced upon her. This was the true demon realm.
Only twice had she followed Icarus to the lower levels, needing to satisfy her curiosity about where the deadly demon traveled. Protecting Jade had required her to ferret out secrets and know who moved where in the netherworld.
Sha-hera’s army
The door to the captain’s quarters flew open. “Luc? What happened?” In seconds, she was at his side. “Oh no.” She stepped from his path. “Lay her on the bed.”
He carried Jade to the same bed he’d occupied only a day earlier. Despite the warm glow of candlelight, nearly all the color had bled from Jade’s complexion.
Ravyn followed him into the chamber and knelt beside the bed. The whore hovered near the door, but didn’t enter.
“What happened?” Ravyn said.
“Thieves.”
He kept his answer short but knew Ravyn would not let the subject go so easily. His sins pressed around him like a pack of wolves from which he couldn’t escape. To tell her about Esmeralda would not only lay open his failing, but betray Jade and her sister a second time.
He stared at Jade’s still form, now so frail and near-death. She was a colossal tyrant stuffed inside the tiny body of a woman. She annoyed him, had always annoyed him, even as a child. He didn’t trust her, but he wouldn’t fail her again, even if that meant lying to Rhys and Ravyn.
“Can you save her?”
“This is a grave injury.” Ravyn turned and stared at him as if searching for the answer to some unasked question. “What are you not telling me?”
Curse her new Tell intuition. The greatest talent of the Bringer Tells was knowing when someone lied. After she’d been brought to full power, Ravyn had developed an overabundance of the gift—or curse, depending on whether he was on the receiving end of her scrutiny.
“Nothing.”
“You’re lying.” Her eyes narrowed. “We’ll speak later.” She flicked her head toward the door. “Take the woman and wait outside.”
“I’ll stay and help.”
Ravyn shook her head. “I can’t concentrate with you here.” She lowered her voice. “I’m still learning to control my powers and right now my Tell instinct is screaming that there is more to this story than you’re telling me. I can’t focus.”
She looked at Jade and examined the entry point of the arrow. Luc stood and backed away.
“Close the door behind you,” Ravyn called over her shoulder as she slipped her immortal dagger from her boot.
C HAPTER S EVEN
A heavy chill enveloped Rell, pulling what felt like the last bit of heat from her body. Rarely did she venture into the lower regions of the Shadow World. When raising Jade, it had been safer to live near the surface in warm caverns, far from the concentration of the Bane. Most demons never hazarded beyond the main level of the throne room, choosing to exist near the king.
She shuddered from the heavy presence gathering around her, like being watched when she could see no one. The dark, narrow corridor appeared empty, but one could never be too sure in the bowels of the Shadow World.
She ran her hand up her arm, attempting to rub away the ominous foreboding filling her. The action helped stay her impulse to skitter back to the surface and hide in the safety of her hidden caverns, where hot pools bubbled and warmed an otherwise bitterly cold world. She focused her thoughts on Luc and fed off her desperation to exact revenge.
Icy rivulets of water oozed down the rough slab walls and disappeared into thin cracks along the base, cut by eons of constant dripping. The crisp air burned her nostrils with each deep breath. She exhaled, trying to calm her rapid heartbeat. Dampness seeped through her muscles and into her bones, causing them to ache.
She wouldn’t be here if not absolutely necessary. This section of the Shadow World resonated with everything she hated about being a Bane, everything she could never accept about the change that had been forced upon her. This was the true demon realm.
Only twice had she followed Icarus to the lower levels, needing to satisfy her curiosity about where the deadly demon traveled. Protecting Jade had required her to ferret out secrets and know who moved where in the netherworld.
Sha-hera’s army
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