Read Online New World Rising by Jennifer Wilson - Free Book Online
Authors: Jennifer Wilson
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understand why this child trusted me so much. All of the adults here still looked at me with trepidation, like I might turn on them at any moment. But the child looked at me with confidence, reverence even. No one had ever looked at me that way.
My mind whirled. Just over a week ago I never had to think of anyone but myself. I never questioned my actions or needed anyone else’s help, but now... something was different. I was still too hard, too calloused, but something foreign stirred within me.
I didn’t like it.
How had my world changed so dramatically in such a short period of time? Six years I had managed without needing anyone and now I felt… hollow. Arstid said she knew my mother, that she had followed her here, but that could be a lie. The kind-faced boy had caused me to question not only myself, but to also wonder if some humans were actually capable of kindness. Even as his kind features flickered across my mind, the dark vile eyes of the hulking guard Maddox crossed my thoughts. Reflexively my hands clenched into fists. I envisioned all of the ways I would kill him, if I got the chance. I wanted to watch him suffer for what he had done to me today.
The tiny hand twitched within mine as she fell asleep. The anger boiling to the surface immediately began to ebb as she stirred beneath me.
My life was changing, fast, and I wasn’t entirely sure I could handle it.
“ASTER?”
The tiny brown head shook back and forth as she watched Doc examine me.
“Maggs?”
She stuck her tongue out, wrinkling her nose. Doc ran his fingers over the scar hidden in my hair, with a perplexed look.
“Every wound healed perfectly except for that one.” He sat back scratching his head. “Your memories are still intact, yes?”
“Yes. Well, everything from the last six years at least.” I shrugged. “Lilly?”
The girl shook her head again.
“You mean to say you have no memory of your childhood?” Doc looked at me in surprise.
“Nope.” He didn’t need to know I had a few flashes of memory. It was better just to keep those to myself. As much as I liked Doc Porters, he was still working for the other team. And, until I knew exactly who the other team was, the more I played dumb, the better. I tried another name. “Anders?”
“That sounds like a boy’s name.” Arden piped in from his cot.
“I agree.” Doc said, jotting down something in his journal.
“Well I’m running out of ideas here. If you two don’t have any helpful suggestions you can keep your mouths shut.”
The little girl grinned as we quarreled. We had spent the last few hours trying to guess her name. Suddenly her eyes lit up and she tapped her chest.
“You have an idea?” I offered her my words.
She nodded. She tapped her chest and then pointed to me.
“You want my name?”
She shook her head. She tapped her chest again, held up her palm in the air and then pointed to me. My forehead creased as I stared helplessly at her.
“I think she wants a name like yours. Something a little less… conventional.” Arden said.
She nodded bouncing where she sat. Doc stopped writing, his interest piqued.
“Okay…you want a different name. Let me think.”
I had chosen my new name out of a necessity to start fresh. When my parents died in that alley so did their precious little girl. I was what rose from her ashes. Phoenix naturally seemed the most fitting choice for my new life.
"I didn't keep my given name either you know? I chose mine and I think it's your right to choose the one you want," I said, meeting her curious eyes. She nodded furiously.
I looked at the way her small hands fidgeted as she watched me. Her eyes flickered from my face to the ground, quick and nervous. She reminded me of a mouse. Her small delicate features, dishwater hair and soft brown eyes seemed to fit the description.
"Mouse?" I asked tentatively and for the first time since we started the name game, she smiled.
IT HAD BEEN three
My mind whirled. Just over a week ago I never had to think of anyone but myself. I never questioned my actions or needed anyone else’s help, but now... something was different. I was still too hard, too calloused, but something foreign stirred within me.
I didn’t like it.
How had my world changed so dramatically in such a short period of time? Six years I had managed without needing anyone and now I felt… hollow. Arstid said she knew my mother, that she had followed her here, but that could be a lie. The kind-faced boy had caused me to question not only myself, but to also wonder if some humans were actually capable of kindness. Even as his kind features flickered across my mind, the dark vile eyes of the hulking guard Maddox crossed my thoughts. Reflexively my hands clenched into fists. I envisioned all of the ways I would kill him, if I got the chance. I wanted to watch him suffer for what he had done to me today.
The tiny hand twitched within mine as she fell asleep. The anger boiling to the surface immediately began to ebb as she stirred beneath me.
My life was changing, fast, and I wasn’t entirely sure I could handle it.
“ASTER?”
The tiny brown head shook back and forth as she watched Doc examine me.
“Maggs?”
She stuck her tongue out, wrinkling her nose. Doc ran his fingers over the scar hidden in my hair, with a perplexed look.
“Every wound healed perfectly except for that one.” He sat back scratching his head. “Your memories are still intact, yes?”
“Yes. Well, everything from the last six years at least.” I shrugged. “Lilly?”
The girl shook her head again.
“You mean to say you have no memory of your childhood?” Doc looked at me in surprise.
“Nope.” He didn’t need to know I had a few flashes of memory. It was better just to keep those to myself. As much as I liked Doc Porters, he was still working for the other team. And, until I knew exactly who the other team was, the more I played dumb, the better. I tried another name. “Anders?”
“That sounds like a boy’s name.” Arden piped in from his cot.
“I agree.” Doc said, jotting down something in his journal.
“Well I’m running out of ideas here. If you two don’t have any helpful suggestions you can keep your mouths shut.”
The little girl grinned as we quarreled. We had spent the last few hours trying to guess her name. Suddenly her eyes lit up and she tapped her chest.
“You have an idea?” I offered her my words.
She nodded. She tapped her chest and then pointed to me.
“You want my name?”
She shook her head. She tapped her chest again, held up her palm in the air and then pointed to me. My forehead creased as I stared helplessly at her.
“I think she wants a name like yours. Something a little less… conventional.” Arden said.
She nodded bouncing where she sat. Doc stopped writing, his interest piqued.
“Okay…you want a different name. Let me think.”
I had chosen my new name out of a necessity to start fresh. When my parents died in that alley so did their precious little girl. I was what rose from her ashes. Phoenix naturally seemed the most fitting choice for my new life.
"I didn't keep my given name either you know? I chose mine and I think it's your right to choose the one you want," I said, meeting her curious eyes. She nodded furiously.
I looked at the way her small hands fidgeted as she watched me. Her eyes flickered from my face to the ground, quick and nervous. She reminded me of a mouse. Her small delicate features, dishwater hair and soft brown eyes seemed to fit the description.
"Mouse?" I asked tentatively and for the first time since we started the name game, she smiled.
IT HAD BEEN three
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