Read Online Lights of Aurora (The Stone Legacy Series Book 3) by Theresa Dalayne - Free Book Online
Authors: Theresa Dalayne
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was completely intact. Her lips twisted at the sight of Sarian leering down at her with a heinous grin, leaning on his brass cane.
Houn bowed and backed away, as if giving allowance to the general of the realm.
Sarian took Zanya’s hand with an iron grip. She struggled to pull away, but he pinched her fingers together, making small circles over her skin with his thumb.
She wanted to scream, though it would be useless. Sarian tugged up on her hand, leading her to her feet. She stood with shaky legs, forced to lean on him for support. His eyes morphed through shades of purple and black.
He was enjoying this. That much was obvious by the way he held his head high, his chest pushed out and chin tipped up. “You are in my kingdom now, young guardian. There is no safe haven for you here.”
While he led her down the stone path, his fingers snaked over hers. He flashed a serpentine smile and paused at the temple’s base. The sick heat in her chest wrapped around her lungs.
“I had no doubt you would eventually make the right decision, my queen.”
Chapter Eight
Zanya’s next step landed her shoe into something wet. She slowly lowered her gaze to the river of blood flowing down the steps.
Her heart raced.
“It has been a long road to get here, has it not?” Sarian escorted her up the stairs, practically dragging her the entire way. When they reached the top of the temple, Zanya’s legs throbbed from the climb. The heat intensified, blistering her cheeks and forehead.
“This place is a wasteland.” He surveyed the dead, cracked land. “Its true potential has long been wasted by a king who prefers to stay hidden in the deepest layer of the underworld, mourning a son who rejects his throne.” He drew in a deep breath and exhaled. “But no longer. I will resurrect this kingdom as my own.” He flipped the pages of the book. “But first, I must cleanse it of the unworthy.”
Zanya’s hatred for him grew so fierce she would kill him herself if she were able. If only she had the strength.
Sarian clicked his tongue. “Now that’s not very becoming, Guardian. You shouldn’t have such thoughts about your future king.”
Zanya sucked in a breath. Could he hear her thoughts or somehow see into her mind? What else did he know?
He leaned in so close to her, his breath washed over her ear. “Everything, my dear. I know absolutely everything.” He placed an unwanted kiss on her cheek. “I was going to force you into obedience when I first broke the spell.” His lips brushed against her jaw. Bile rose in her throat. “But listening to all of your thoughts and fantasies about that boy was too enjoyable. All of the thoughts you have about him.” He gripped Zanya’s wrist so tight, the delicate bones ground together. She gritted her teeth. “The dreams you have about him. I could do those things to you.”
She turned her head and spit in his face.
He flinched back, his lips pressed tightly together. He raised his hand as though he was going to strike her, but paused and curled his fingers into a fist. He wiped the streak of saliva from his cheek, his features turning to stone. “Very well.” He turned to the enormous book propped on the altar. “The Popol Vuh.” He practically cooed the words. He ran his hand over the pages. Etched in faded ink on the pages were the same kinds of markings she’d seen on the stone altar in the cave. He read the first few words, and the markings glowed with life.
Zanya’s stomach lurched as he continued to read aloud. With every word that passed through his lips, her limbs grew heavier and harder to move.
The thousands of people raised their hands toward the sky, chanting in unison. Their words slurred and morphed into white noise.
Sarian reached into her pocket and removed the stone. Its light shuddered, and Zanya’s heart tore open when her stone streaked with panic. “You wouldn’t accept my proposition willingly. Perhaps you
Houn bowed and backed away, as if giving allowance to the general of the realm.
Sarian took Zanya’s hand with an iron grip. She struggled to pull away, but he pinched her fingers together, making small circles over her skin with his thumb.
She wanted to scream, though it would be useless. Sarian tugged up on her hand, leading her to her feet. She stood with shaky legs, forced to lean on him for support. His eyes morphed through shades of purple and black.
He was enjoying this. That much was obvious by the way he held his head high, his chest pushed out and chin tipped up. “You are in my kingdom now, young guardian. There is no safe haven for you here.”
While he led her down the stone path, his fingers snaked over hers. He flashed a serpentine smile and paused at the temple’s base. The sick heat in her chest wrapped around her lungs.
“I had no doubt you would eventually make the right decision, my queen.”
Chapter Eight
Zanya’s next step landed her shoe into something wet. She slowly lowered her gaze to the river of blood flowing down the steps.
Her heart raced.
“It has been a long road to get here, has it not?” Sarian escorted her up the stairs, practically dragging her the entire way. When they reached the top of the temple, Zanya’s legs throbbed from the climb. The heat intensified, blistering her cheeks and forehead.
“This place is a wasteland.” He surveyed the dead, cracked land. “Its true potential has long been wasted by a king who prefers to stay hidden in the deepest layer of the underworld, mourning a son who rejects his throne.” He drew in a deep breath and exhaled. “But no longer. I will resurrect this kingdom as my own.” He flipped the pages of the book. “But first, I must cleanse it of the unworthy.”
Zanya’s hatred for him grew so fierce she would kill him herself if she were able. If only she had the strength.
Sarian clicked his tongue. “Now that’s not very becoming, Guardian. You shouldn’t have such thoughts about your future king.”
Zanya sucked in a breath. Could he hear her thoughts or somehow see into her mind? What else did he know?
He leaned in so close to her, his breath washed over her ear. “Everything, my dear. I know absolutely everything.” He placed an unwanted kiss on her cheek. “I was going to force you into obedience when I first broke the spell.” His lips brushed against her jaw. Bile rose in her throat. “But listening to all of your thoughts and fantasies about that boy was too enjoyable. All of the thoughts you have about him.” He gripped Zanya’s wrist so tight, the delicate bones ground together. She gritted her teeth. “The dreams you have about him. I could do those things to you.”
She turned her head and spit in his face.
He flinched back, his lips pressed tightly together. He raised his hand as though he was going to strike her, but paused and curled his fingers into a fist. He wiped the streak of saliva from his cheek, his features turning to stone. “Very well.” He turned to the enormous book propped on the altar. “The Popol Vuh.” He practically cooed the words. He ran his hand over the pages. Etched in faded ink on the pages were the same kinds of markings she’d seen on the stone altar in the cave. He read the first few words, and the markings glowed with life.
Zanya’s stomach lurched as he continued to read aloud. With every word that passed through his lips, her limbs grew heavier and harder to move.
The thousands of people raised their hands toward the sky, chanting in unison. Their words slurred and morphed into white noise.
Sarian reached into her pocket and removed the stone. Its light shuddered, and Zanya’s heart tore open when her stone streaked with panic. “You wouldn’t accept my proposition willingly. Perhaps you
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