Read Online Swords of the Six by Jennifer Miller, Scott Appleton, Becky Miller, Amber Hill - Free Book Online Page A

Caritha said they thought the atrocity merited retribution of the worst kind. The other sisters voiced revulsion; how could best friends turn so readily upon one another? And why did Kesla weep?
    But he swept his hand toward the swords arrayed over the basin. “Behold the weapons of my trusted Six. Each of these swords was once a magnificent weapon of crystal, the blades were long,” he said. “Now they are diminished. The power I infused in them at the time of their creation is lesser now and the blood of the innocent caused the blades to shrink to what you see here now.”
    To one side, Dantress raised her hand. “You have a question, child?” he asked.
    She nodded. “Father, what happened to the rest of the Six? Were they killed?”
    He regarded her in silence. This was the question he’d been dreading and the one that he had expected to hear.
    Caritha, standing off to the right, frowned at Dantress. “Father will tell us what he wants us to know—”
    “She’s right, you know,” Rose’el added. “Why do you always ask so many questions?”
    “Because he said I could—”
    Rose’el scowled, but Albino rebuked her with his eyes and turned to the curious one . . . the special one. “Some of the Six survived my attack. Letrias fled with Auron. And Kesla? Well, he escaped alone.”
    He looked at the sword in his hand. Xavion had been a valiant man, a man bound by honor, and loyal. Letrias had robbed Albino of a dear friend on that horrible day and Albino would not forget that.
    “It is of the Accursed Three who escaped that I wish to speak to you, for they followed the path of evil and Letrias did so with eagerness. He became strong in dark magic, almost as powerful as his former master, and Auron became his apprentice.
    “Lesser in power is the other man, Kesla. But he is growing in strength and has been seen wandering the ruins of the wizard Temple of Al’un Dai.” He growled again. “In the ruins of that vast fortress built by Hermenuedis in his own honor, Kesla may yet discover the path to ultimate power and raise up enemies against me.
    “You I have created, my beautiful daughters, so that you may stand against this tide of evil. This is your purpose, this is your calling.”
    They looked at each other then back at him. “Us?”
    Evela timidly offered “We’re not even of age."
    Dantress’s eyes blazed and she stepped forward. “I can feel it, Father. I can feel the call of destiny.”
    It was the call of their blood; Albino knew it to be so. His blood flowed through their veins, giving them that other sense. It was a dragon trait.The other girls fell into silence, observing their sister.
    “Can you not feel it as well?” Dantress demanded of them. “Don't you feel something powerful rising within you?” She reached out her hand and held Evela’s.
    Evela’s eyes opened wide, “I can feel it!” She grasped Levena’s hand and Levena grabbed Rose’el’s. Rose’el nodded her head reluctantly and reached with her left hand, taking Laura’s, who responded immediately by completing the chain to Caritha.
    Albino watched them, amazed. They were only twelve years old, rather young to recognize the powers he’d passed on to them. Yet here they were uniting their hearts with Dantress, an ability that many magically gifted creatures never gained.
    The girls let go of each other’s hands. Rose’el’s mouth froze in a slight frown; Caritha looked somber. “Father, what do you want us to do?”
    Their sudden willingness took him aback. He felt an urge to keep them forever at home in the palace, forever safe from harm beneath his wings. Could he really send them out into Subterran knowing what would happen? The end would be joy, but the path to that end was littered with suffering and sorrow.
    Dantress walked up to him and rested her hand on his leg, looking up at him so that he had to twist his long neck to meet her gaze. “Father, what will happen to us?”
    He felt tears burning in his