Read Online Lights of Aurora (The Stone Legacy Series Book 3) by Theresa Dalayne - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Theresa Dalayne
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to be smart.
Zanya squared her jaw, examining Sarian. “Is this how you really want to win?”
He stopped reading and slowly turned his head toward her.
“I mean, this isn’t even a fair fight. You really are a coward.”
His upper lip twitched.
“Oh, so that’s it. You’re scared of me.” She huffed. “Well, I should have guessed as much. My mother showed you up, so why wouldn’t I? You couldn’t take the same chance twice, so you took the coward’s—”
He lunged toward her and clenched his hand around her throat. “Your mother, that whore , was no match for me. It’s true she put up a reasonable fight, but I broke her.” His grip tightened, cutting off her air. “And I will inevitably break you as well.” He tilted his head to the side as she struggled to pull in a breath. The edges of her vision clouded with black. He released her throat just before she lost consciousness, and she gasped and coughed. “If you are suggesting you think you can defeat me in my own realm, I welcome you to try. Perhaps getting this over with early will be of more benefit.” He turned back to the book.
She didn’t have time to think, just react. With everything she had left, Zanya closed her eyes and searched her soul for the link connecting her to her stone. Though it was weak and struggling to hold on, the tether was there; like a single thread of spider web stretching from one branch to another, being battered by the wind. Zanya called to the stone. It was the only hope she had to recover even a small amount of power, even for a moment.
Her stone’s distant whispers echoed back. The longing that exploded in Zanya’s heart was like nothing she’d ever experienced. Not for a real home. Not for Jayden when he’d left. Not even for Tara, on the nights Zanya was forced to sleep in solitary after she woke from her nightmares with slashes clawed down her arm.
Something inside her snapped, and the bond to her stone began to grow. She clung to it, pulling harder until she could feel the link strengthen. The cool energy of her light spread through her chest, clashing with the sick heat of the cursed charm.
It was now or never. Energy flowed under her skin, through her limbs, and back to her chest. Her palms grew cold as she concentrated on collecting her powers and threw out her hands to strike him with an energy ball.
There was nothing.
Sarian grinned. “Did you honestly believe your abilities would simply return? That I would just give them back? Foolish girl.” He shook his head. “Women are good for little more than to be subservient. I will never understand why the gods chose a female to guard the stone.”
“Maybe because they knew what a complete ass you are, and there was no one better for the job.” She lunged at the book and tore out several pages before he was able to react. The pages scattered around their feet.
He grabbed her wrists. “That, Guardian, was a step over the line.” He pulled her so close their bodies touched. “You made the mistake of thinking I need you.”
He knocked the wind out of her lungs with a punch to the gut. The taste of salt and metal coated her tongue, and warm liquid spread over her shirt. Zanya slowly lowered her gaze to see the handle of a knife protruding from her side.
Was it possible? Could somebody who was already dead, die?
Sarian shoved her back. A dull ache spread through her gut, and she fell to the ground, staring up at the ceiling of dirt and roots trapping in hell’s sun. Cualli’s emblem sat beside her. Zanya grabbed it and held it against her chest for comfort.
Everything had gone so wrong.
Sarian’s expression changed. She pushed up on her forearms to see what was happening. The knife twisted under the effort, and she muffled a shriek by biting her lip. With a deep breath, she gripped the handle and yanked it out of her side in one swift jerk. It was impossible to trap in the scream. She let go of the blade, and it clattered to the ground. Her
Zanya squared her jaw, examining Sarian. “Is this how you really want to win?”
He stopped reading and slowly turned his head toward her.
“I mean, this isn’t even a fair fight. You really are a coward.”
His upper lip twitched.
“Oh, so that’s it. You’re scared of me.” She huffed. “Well, I should have guessed as much. My mother showed you up, so why wouldn’t I? You couldn’t take the same chance twice, so you took the coward’s—”
He lunged toward her and clenched his hand around her throat. “Your mother, that whore , was no match for me. It’s true she put up a reasonable fight, but I broke her.” His grip tightened, cutting off her air. “And I will inevitably break you as well.” He tilted his head to the side as she struggled to pull in a breath. The edges of her vision clouded with black. He released her throat just before she lost consciousness, and she gasped and coughed. “If you are suggesting you think you can defeat me in my own realm, I welcome you to try. Perhaps getting this over with early will be of more benefit.” He turned back to the book.
She didn’t have time to think, just react. With everything she had left, Zanya closed her eyes and searched her soul for the link connecting her to her stone. Though it was weak and struggling to hold on, the tether was there; like a single thread of spider web stretching from one branch to another, being battered by the wind. Zanya called to the stone. It was the only hope she had to recover even a small amount of power, even for a moment.
Her stone’s distant whispers echoed back. The longing that exploded in Zanya’s heart was like nothing she’d ever experienced. Not for a real home. Not for Jayden when he’d left. Not even for Tara, on the nights Zanya was forced to sleep in solitary after she woke from her nightmares with slashes clawed down her arm.
Something inside her snapped, and the bond to her stone began to grow. She clung to it, pulling harder until she could feel the link strengthen. The cool energy of her light spread through her chest, clashing with the sick heat of the cursed charm.
It was now or never. Energy flowed under her skin, through her limbs, and back to her chest. Her palms grew cold as she concentrated on collecting her powers and threw out her hands to strike him with an energy ball.
There was nothing.
Sarian grinned. “Did you honestly believe your abilities would simply return? That I would just give them back? Foolish girl.” He shook his head. “Women are good for little more than to be subservient. I will never understand why the gods chose a female to guard the stone.”
“Maybe because they knew what a complete ass you are, and there was no one better for the job.” She lunged at the book and tore out several pages before he was able to react. The pages scattered around their feet.
He grabbed her wrists. “That, Guardian, was a step over the line.” He pulled her so close their bodies touched. “You made the mistake of thinking I need you.”
He knocked the wind out of her lungs with a punch to the gut. The taste of salt and metal coated her tongue, and warm liquid spread over her shirt. Zanya slowly lowered her gaze to see the handle of a knife protruding from her side.
Was it possible? Could somebody who was already dead, die?
Sarian shoved her back. A dull ache spread through her gut, and she fell to the ground, staring up at the ceiling of dirt and roots trapping in hell’s sun. Cualli’s emblem sat beside her. Zanya grabbed it and held it against her chest for comfort.
Everything had gone so wrong.
Sarian’s expression changed. She pushed up on her forearms to see what was happening. The knife twisted under the effort, and she muffled a shriek by biting her lip. With a deep breath, she gripped the handle and yanked it out of her side in one swift jerk. It was impossible to trap in the scream. She let go of the blade, and it clattered to the ground. Her
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