Read Online Shine Light by Marianne de Pierres - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Marianne de Pierres
Ads: Link
the League’s enclave. Naif stayed close to Charlonge and kept her distance from Suki, while she tried to quiet her chaotic thoughts. Lenoir’s presence had diminished to a quiet pulse of relief.
Suki and Clash carried Brenny between them, while the others divided the books equally. Naif couldn’t look at the dead boy or the way his terrible wounds set his head askew from his body. Memories of Krista-belle suffering the same fate from a Night Creature in the church of Danskoi plagued her. She pictured the shock and the anger on Kero’s face. Where was he now?
‘The books are so heavy,’ whispered Charlonge. ‘I don’t think I can carry them much further.’
Naif dragged her attention to the present. Charlonge’s voice trembled with exhaustion. They had dropped a little behind the others, both of them struggling with the weight in their arms.
‘Give me some.’ Charlonge didn’t complain as Naif took several from her. ‘Was it difficult getting them out?’
‘I told Jarrold how to find them. We were lucky a group of baby bats had not long arrived.’
‘From the barge?’
‘Yes. He went in and hid among them. No one noticed him. But it sounds as though things have changed. The new supervisor . . .’
‘No one would be as good as you. You cared for us.’
Charlonge sighed. ‘I tried never to forget how it felt in those first few days on Ixion.’
‘You helped me in so many ways.’ Especially with Cal, Naif thought silently. The girl who’d had a crush on Markes had been so cruel.
‘Jarrold is the boldest young man I’ve ever known. His confidence carried him in Vank.’
‘Bolder than Clash?’ asked Naif lightly.
Charlonge stumbled and righted herself before she answered. She kept her voice low. ‘Joel – Clash – is driven by anger. At your father, at your city. But Jarrold is naturally bold. It is in him. Through and through.’
Naif nodded. Indeed, if it hadn’t been for Jarrold in Grave, she might never have escaped a second time. She owed him much, and liked him as well. But she would never take to his sister. Emilia’s silent neediness chafed at her. It was as if the girl spun an invisible web around Markes.
None of that mattered now though. Only survival did.
She shifted the weight of the books in her aching arms, suddenly possessed with the desire to reach the camp and begin reading them. The ones she carried were bound with animal hide and greasy cord. They smelled of Vank and her first days on Ixion; the strangeness, the exotic temptation, the sinful pleasures. How much wiser she felt now and yet it was only a few weeks since she’d left here. Would she ever have come had she known Ixion’s bitter secrets? Would she have pursued her brother?
Yes. For the truth was, she could no longer tolerate Grave and the cruel and narrow ways of her people. Meeting Suki here had made her realise this and jolted her from her fear. Her friend was so different: bold and humorous and not afraid to speak her mind. How Naif had envied her easiness. But now she understood what came with that confidence. The brutality. The practicality. By coming to Ixion, Naif had not only learned something about herself, but about people. How naive she had been. Guileless.
In her heart, Naif knew that she could not have killed the Riper as Suki had done, as her brother would have done. More fool her, perhaps. Or was it her bond with Lenoir that left her so conflicted?
‘Naif ? What is it?’ whispered Charlonge.
Naif blinked. They were almost at the last rise before the Leaguers’ camp. She began to hurry despite the weight she carried.
‘Wait! Naif, what is it?’ Char called.
She paused. ‘Come on, Char. Markes’s badge is changing and Suki’s was damaged by a Riper. The young ones on Sanctus need us and . . .’
‘And?’ said Charlonge, panting as she came alongside her.
‘And I think Dark Eve is preparing for battle.’
Charlonge forced her legs to move more quickly and caught up with
Suki and Clash carried Brenny between them, while the others divided the books equally. Naif couldn’t look at the dead boy or the way his terrible wounds set his head askew from his body. Memories of Krista-belle suffering the same fate from a Night Creature in the church of Danskoi plagued her. She pictured the shock and the anger on Kero’s face. Where was he now?
‘The books are so heavy,’ whispered Charlonge. ‘I don’t think I can carry them much further.’
Naif dragged her attention to the present. Charlonge’s voice trembled with exhaustion. They had dropped a little behind the others, both of them struggling with the weight in their arms.
‘Give me some.’ Charlonge didn’t complain as Naif took several from her. ‘Was it difficult getting them out?’
‘I told Jarrold how to find them. We were lucky a group of baby bats had not long arrived.’
‘From the barge?’
‘Yes. He went in and hid among them. No one noticed him. But it sounds as though things have changed. The new supervisor . . .’
‘No one would be as good as you. You cared for us.’
Charlonge sighed. ‘I tried never to forget how it felt in those first few days on Ixion.’
‘You helped me in so many ways.’ Especially with Cal, Naif thought silently. The girl who’d had a crush on Markes had been so cruel.
‘Jarrold is the boldest young man I’ve ever known. His confidence carried him in Vank.’
‘Bolder than Clash?’ asked Naif lightly.
Charlonge stumbled and righted herself before she answered. She kept her voice low. ‘Joel – Clash – is driven by anger. At your father, at your city. But Jarrold is naturally bold. It is in him. Through and through.’
Naif nodded. Indeed, if it hadn’t been for Jarrold in Grave, she might never have escaped a second time. She owed him much, and liked him as well. But she would never take to his sister. Emilia’s silent neediness chafed at her. It was as if the girl spun an invisible web around Markes.
None of that mattered now though. Only survival did.
She shifted the weight of the books in her aching arms, suddenly possessed with the desire to reach the camp and begin reading them. The ones she carried were bound with animal hide and greasy cord. They smelled of Vank and her first days on Ixion; the strangeness, the exotic temptation, the sinful pleasures. How much wiser she felt now and yet it was only a few weeks since she’d left here. Would she ever have come had she known Ixion’s bitter secrets? Would she have pursued her brother?
Yes. For the truth was, she could no longer tolerate Grave and the cruel and narrow ways of her people. Meeting Suki here had made her realise this and jolted her from her fear. Her friend was so different: bold and humorous and not afraid to speak her mind. How Naif had envied her easiness. But now she understood what came with that confidence. The brutality. The practicality. By coming to Ixion, Naif had not only learned something about herself, but about people. How naive she had been. Guileless.
In her heart, Naif knew that she could not have killed the Riper as Suki had done, as her brother would have done. More fool her, perhaps. Or was it her bond with Lenoir that left her so conflicted?
‘Naif ? What is it?’ whispered Charlonge.
Naif blinked. They were almost at the last rise before the Leaguers’ camp. She began to hurry despite the weight she carried.
‘Wait! Naif, what is it?’ Char called.
She paused. ‘Come on, Char. Markes’s badge is changing and Suki’s was damaged by a Riper. The young ones on Sanctus need us and . . .’
‘And?’ said Charlonge, panting as she came alongside her.
‘And I think Dark Eve is preparing for battle.’
Charlonge forced her legs to move more quickly and caught up with
Similar Books
