Read Online Resonance 4th Edits - Bleeding Worlds Bk 3 by Justus R. Stone - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Justus R. Stone
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gone.”
“So either Osiris is making things easy for us, ensuring he fulfills his end of your bargain…”
“Or he’s trying to lull us into thinking that way before sending a large assault force after us,” Adrastia finished.
“I’m starting to doubt we’re ready for this,” Jason said. “We only prepared for a certain amount of resistance.”
Adrastia walked away from him, toward the main library.
“We won’t know,” she called over her shoulder, “until it’s all over.”
“Whoa, look at this place.”
They’d entered the main concourse area. Caelum’s mouth hung slightly ajar as he took in the eleven cascading floors of books and reading areas.
“Shelf space for eight million books, a conference center, several other smaller specialty libraries, four museums, four art galleries, a planetarium and even a lab for restoring old manuscripts,” Adrastia recited. “A palace dedicated to enlightenment.”
She scanned the floors and then looked back to the sloping skylight.
“We should go to the lowest level,” she suggested. “It’ll reduce the chance of us being seen from the windows.”
“It also means we’ll be cut off from the exits,” Jason said.
Adrastia did not respond, just made her way down the stairs.
“I don’t think she likes you,” Brandt said.
“The feeling’s mutual.”
Jason knelt down, running his hand along the floor, then inspected the walls separating each level as well.
“At least she wasn’t wrong about the construction of the place—lots of concrete in here, Brandt. I think our exit strategy is good.”
Brandt stretched out his arms, locked his fingers, and pressed them forward into a loud crack .
“Oh, I can do that and a whole lot more.”
“Good. Marie, patrol the perimeter. Caelum, head to higher ground—you’re our sniper.”
Jason took the steps two at a time, catching up with Adrastia at the lowest level.
“I can’t promise you’ll find this useful,” she said without taking her eyes from the screen. “But I’ll give you a copy. There’s a laptop back on Asgard for you to access the information.”
Jason suppressed the urge to interrogate her as to when she visited Asgard again. In fact, he’d found himself doing nothing but having to suppress around her. He kept reminding himself it was foolish to hold a grudge about her betraying him and Gwynn to the Valkyries. After all, that might be the only reason he was alive. Maybe he would’ve died in that crossroads town. And she had saved most of his team…no, his friends. He tried to let that debt seep into his muscles, to loosen them and calm the storm in his gut. Her actions were questionable, but several people he cared about owed her their lives. Wasn’t that enough?
“You have questions?” Adrastia asked.
He hadn’t seen her eyes leave the screen. Even as she spoke to him her fingers continued to rush in a fluid stream over the keyboard.
“Seven years ago, in the bleed through, you left a note to Gwynn that said you would explain your actions.”
She nodded.
“Yes, I did. The letter was addressed to Gwynn and meant for his eyes. I don’t recall promising you the same thing.”
Jason’s fist clenched.
“Are you still angry about it, even after everything that has happened since?” she asked.
Jason took a long breath.
She saved Brandt, Marie, Jackson, and Caelum. She didn’t have to, but she did. Breathe. Breathe.
“I guess, it’s because I haven’t seen you. I thought I’d put a lot of things behind me. But maybe it was just because I didn’t have to deal with them.”
She stopped typing. Biting her bottom lip, her eyes narrowed, studying him.
Adrastia turned back to the terminal, her focus and fingers returning to her task.
“I can’t explain it to you fully,” she said. “What I can say is I have some…insight, similar to Sophia. I couldn’t fight the sense Gwynn needed to arrive on Asgard. I’m sorry to say, but you getting caught in that
“So either Osiris is making things easy for us, ensuring he fulfills his end of your bargain…”
“Or he’s trying to lull us into thinking that way before sending a large assault force after us,” Adrastia finished.
“I’m starting to doubt we’re ready for this,” Jason said. “We only prepared for a certain amount of resistance.”
Adrastia walked away from him, toward the main library.
“We won’t know,” she called over her shoulder, “until it’s all over.”
“Whoa, look at this place.”
They’d entered the main concourse area. Caelum’s mouth hung slightly ajar as he took in the eleven cascading floors of books and reading areas.
“Shelf space for eight million books, a conference center, several other smaller specialty libraries, four museums, four art galleries, a planetarium and even a lab for restoring old manuscripts,” Adrastia recited. “A palace dedicated to enlightenment.”
She scanned the floors and then looked back to the sloping skylight.
“We should go to the lowest level,” she suggested. “It’ll reduce the chance of us being seen from the windows.”
“It also means we’ll be cut off from the exits,” Jason said.
Adrastia did not respond, just made her way down the stairs.
“I don’t think she likes you,” Brandt said.
“The feeling’s mutual.”
Jason knelt down, running his hand along the floor, then inspected the walls separating each level as well.
“At least she wasn’t wrong about the construction of the place—lots of concrete in here, Brandt. I think our exit strategy is good.”
Brandt stretched out his arms, locked his fingers, and pressed them forward into a loud crack .
“Oh, I can do that and a whole lot more.”
“Good. Marie, patrol the perimeter. Caelum, head to higher ground—you’re our sniper.”
Jason took the steps two at a time, catching up with Adrastia at the lowest level.
“I can’t promise you’ll find this useful,” she said without taking her eyes from the screen. “But I’ll give you a copy. There’s a laptop back on Asgard for you to access the information.”
Jason suppressed the urge to interrogate her as to when she visited Asgard again. In fact, he’d found himself doing nothing but having to suppress around her. He kept reminding himself it was foolish to hold a grudge about her betraying him and Gwynn to the Valkyries. After all, that might be the only reason he was alive. Maybe he would’ve died in that crossroads town. And she had saved most of his team…no, his friends. He tried to let that debt seep into his muscles, to loosen them and calm the storm in his gut. Her actions were questionable, but several people he cared about owed her their lives. Wasn’t that enough?
“You have questions?” Adrastia asked.
He hadn’t seen her eyes leave the screen. Even as she spoke to him her fingers continued to rush in a fluid stream over the keyboard.
“Seven years ago, in the bleed through, you left a note to Gwynn that said you would explain your actions.”
She nodded.
“Yes, I did. The letter was addressed to Gwynn and meant for his eyes. I don’t recall promising you the same thing.”
Jason’s fist clenched.
“Are you still angry about it, even after everything that has happened since?” she asked.
Jason took a long breath.
She saved Brandt, Marie, Jackson, and Caelum. She didn’t have to, but she did. Breathe. Breathe.
“I guess, it’s because I haven’t seen you. I thought I’d put a lot of things behind me. But maybe it was just because I didn’t have to deal with them.”
She stopped typing. Biting her bottom lip, her eyes narrowed, studying him.
Adrastia turned back to the terminal, her focus and fingers returning to her task.
“I can’t explain it to you fully,” she said. “What I can say is I have some…insight, similar to Sophia. I couldn’t fight the sense Gwynn needed to arrive on Asgard. I’m sorry to say, but you getting caught in that
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