Read Online New World Ashes by Jennifer Wilson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jennifer Wilson
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ears.
A large body collided with mine, grabbing for the knife in my hands. The blade nicked the top of my collarbone, scraping across the bone as it split the skin. Muscular arms wound around me in an attempt to crush me into submission. My body reacted to the assault with violence of its own. My hand flashed out, redirecting the blade toward my attacker. I caught a flash of jet-black hair as the knife found purchase, nipping Major Ryker James in the arm. Everything I had been holding back exploded to the surface. My fists moved with a speed and mercilessness even I had forgotten they were capable of. Ryker was equally skilled, our hands and limbs colliding violently, hard enough to break most people’s bones. With the knife in my hand, I was gaining the advantage. He couldn’t take my death from me and if he was a stubborn enough to try, then he could join me. I wouldn’t kill a child, but I had no aversions to killing monsters.
Our entangled bodies crashed into the crowd of onlookers, sending them scattering in every direction. The running children were soon replaced with armed soldiers. Little red lights began flickering to life, dancing over our bodies as we fought.
A cry broke out over the din, “ARMS READY!”
My head turned in the direction of the cry and I caught Gage’s eye for a brief second as his mouth twisted into a vicious sneer. Something moved behind Gage and I faltered. The Minister’s arms were raised, in a silent attempt to halt the escalading disorder. There was something in his eyes I had not seen before, something he had kept hidden, but I saw it now.
I had lost focus. I had made dire a mistake.
In the seconds of my brief distraction, Ryker’s hand grabbed my wrist holding the knife. The world flipped as I was lifted into the air and then slammed face down on the mat. The knife slipped from my hand as my arm twisted unbearably high behind my back, but that pain was nothing compared to Major Ryker James’ knee colliding with my forearm and snapping the bones in two. I screamed in agony. In some kind of accidental, sick-minded mercy, Ryker granted me asylum by punching me in the head so hard the world and the pain slipped away with the darkness.
MY BODY JOLTED awake as the ice water burned against my skin. I gasped and sputtered, choking on the freezing water. My arms threw wide in self-defense, only to be pulled back instantly with a stifled scream. My arm felt like it was ripped in two. I shuffled backward until my back hit the wall, cradling my broken arm to my chest. It felt over-sized and heavy. I glanced down to see a clumsy black cast covering my right arm from elbow to knuckles.
“I figured the pain of slow healing might be a good reminder of who created you.”
I turned my head toward the door of my cell. A dark figure stood blocking the doorway. Even though I couldn’t see his face through my swollen eyes, I knew the voice.
I laughed through gnashed teeth. “I suppose a broken arm is a pretty accurate representation of a pitiful, sick old man.”
The responding silence was heavy in the tiny cell. I looked down at the floor, smiling. “What’s the matter Gramps? Not the response you had been hoping for?”
“You will respect me child.” He snarled. “You wanted death today, but I chose to spare you. Without me you are nothing . I own everything your life is made of. I own you . Like it or not it is my blood in your veins, my voice that speaks in your mind and you will obey me. Or I will personally see that the end you so obviously desire comes as a long, drawn-out process that will make you wish your mother had never been born.”
A laugh barked out of my chest sounding more like a cough. I could taste a coppery tang in the back of my throat. Closing my eyes, I let my head fall back against the wall. A weak smile crept to my lips and the words fell drunkenly from my mouth. “Seeing as how you can’t even catch a librarian bookworm and an innocent little
A large body collided with mine, grabbing for the knife in my hands. The blade nicked the top of my collarbone, scraping across the bone as it split the skin. Muscular arms wound around me in an attempt to crush me into submission. My body reacted to the assault with violence of its own. My hand flashed out, redirecting the blade toward my attacker. I caught a flash of jet-black hair as the knife found purchase, nipping Major Ryker James in the arm. Everything I had been holding back exploded to the surface. My fists moved with a speed and mercilessness even I had forgotten they were capable of. Ryker was equally skilled, our hands and limbs colliding violently, hard enough to break most people’s bones. With the knife in my hand, I was gaining the advantage. He couldn’t take my death from me and if he was a stubborn enough to try, then he could join me. I wouldn’t kill a child, but I had no aversions to killing monsters.
Our entangled bodies crashed into the crowd of onlookers, sending them scattering in every direction. The running children were soon replaced with armed soldiers. Little red lights began flickering to life, dancing over our bodies as we fought.
A cry broke out over the din, “ARMS READY!”
My head turned in the direction of the cry and I caught Gage’s eye for a brief second as his mouth twisted into a vicious sneer. Something moved behind Gage and I faltered. The Minister’s arms were raised, in a silent attempt to halt the escalading disorder. There was something in his eyes I had not seen before, something he had kept hidden, but I saw it now.
I had lost focus. I had made dire a mistake.
In the seconds of my brief distraction, Ryker’s hand grabbed my wrist holding the knife. The world flipped as I was lifted into the air and then slammed face down on the mat. The knife slipped from my hand as my arm twisted unbearably high behind my back, but that pain was nothing compared to Major Ryker James’ knee colliding with my forearm and snapping the bones in two. I screamed in agony. In some kind of accidental, sick-minded mercy, Ryker granted me asylum by punching me in the head so hard the world and the pain slipped away with the darkness.
MY BODY JOLTED awake as the ice water burned against my skin. I gasped and sputtered, choking on the freezing water. My arms threw wide in self-defense, only to be pulled back instantly with a stifled scream. My arm felt like it was ripped in two. I shuffled backward until my back hit the wall, cradling my broken arm to my chest. It felt over-sized and heavy. I glanced down to see a clumsy black cast covering my right arm from elbow to knuckles.
“I figured the pain of slow healing might be a good reminder of who created you.”
I turned my head toward the door of my cell. A dark figure stood blocking the doorway. Even though I couldn’t see his face through my swollen eyes, I knew the voice.
I laughed through gnashed teeth. “I suppose a broken arm is a pretty accurate representation of a pitiful, sick old man.”
The responding silence was heavy in the tiny cell. I looked down at the floor, smiling. “What’s the matter Gramps? Not the response you had been hoping for?”
“You will respect me child.” He snarled. “You wanted death today, but I chose to spare you. Without me you are nothing . I own everything your life is made of. I own you . Like it or not it is my blood in your veins, my voice that speaks in your mind and you will obey me. Or I will personally see that the end you so obviously desire comes as a long, drawn-out process that will make you wish your mother had never been born.”
A laugh barked out of my chest sounding more like a cough. I could taste a coppery tang in the back of my throat. Closing my eyes, I let my head fall back against the wall. A weak smile crept to my lips and the words fell drunkenly from my mouth. “Seeing as how you can’t even catch a librarian bookworm and an innocent little
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