Read Online The Arena (Ultimate Soldier Book 1) by Tessa Escalera - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Tessa Escalera
Ads: Link
any closer to Katie and the fire―she might get rained on out here, but at least she had freedom at her back instead of the heavy feeling of sickness hanging over her when she was any farther inside.
Soon enough, sleep claimed her in its grip and she surrendered to a night filled with uneasy dreams. At least this time the scenes were unknown, rather than her being forced to relive her worst memories in one night.
Lila and Seeker waded upstream through a babbling rivulet of water that cut a path through the dense forest. Birds chirped overhead, flitting from tree to tree. The cool water was a welcome feeling on her feet, her only escape from the sweltering air. Seeker's tongue lolled out as the dog panted.
After a few minutes of battling the underbrush, they came upon a clearing. In the center stood a large, sprawling building that was very familiar to Lila. It was the house she and Protector had lived in for over ten years. It looked much the same as she remembered it, though the grass had grown much longer in the years she had been gone without Frostbite to keep the grass cropped short. The place looked strange without the dappled horse wandering around, lifting his head to whinny at her any time he saw her.
There was something else strange about the house, though at first she couldn't place it. She spit and swatted when she got a faceful of the invisible spider web that stretched across the last two trees on the edge of the clearing, hoping she hadn't caught a mouthful of spider as well. It was then that she realized what was wrong. There was smoke rising from the chimney in the kitchen.
The next scene faded in so quickly that Lila stirred and almost woke, but the dream pulled her back in. She was running at a grueling pace down a deer path through the woods, sweat pouring from her face and stinging her eyes. A full, heavy pack bounced on her back, the straps rubbing her shoulders raw. There was a massive urgency behind her flight, whether to or from something she did not know.
The dream Lila stopped for a moment and leaned over with her hands on her knees, gasping for breath. As soon as she could breathe normally again, she set off at the same fast pace. This dream was as unusually clear as the last...she could feel her heart pounding in her chest, the shaking of her legs from exhaustion, the soreness in all her muscles, the way her stomach clenched in fear. She couldn't hear any wolf noises, so that wasn't it. The sun was high in the sky and rays of light dappled the narrow path. A slight breeze, not enough to dispel the heat, teased the leaves of the trees. The dream self kept running, spurred by an unkown goal, running even though her legs threatened to give out, though her lungs gasped for air. Where was Seeker? Seeker was always with her, even in dreams. But the dog was nowhere to be seen.
Lila woke so suddenly that her head immediately began to pound. The back of her shirt was damp, and a heavy layer of gray clouds blocked out the sun. A drizzling rain lay a misty blanket over the forest. A crash of thunder pealed through the air, which didn't help her headache any. Sighing, Lila got up and tried to stretch the stiffness from her joints. She walked over to Katie, who was still unconscious. A quick check of the ankle made Lila's stomach clench with disgust and fear at the sight of the rampant infection. She took the warm cloth from Katie's arm and wet it in the stream, replacing it on the young woman's burning forehead. The baby kicked when she placed a hand on Katie's belly, and Katie moaned, stirring weakly.
“I'll be back,” she whispered, not knowing whether Katie could hear her. “I'll be back as soon as I can.”
Katie weakly grabbed at Lila's hand. Her lips moved, but the sound was so quiet that Lila had to lean closer to hear. “Promise me,” Katie begged. “Promise.” Her head lolled back and her body went limp, her breath fast and shallow.
Lila swallowed back the lump
Soon enough, sleep claimed her in its grip and she surrendered to a night filled with uneasy dreams. At least this time the scenes were unknown, rather than her being forced to relive her worst memories in one night.
Lila and Seeker waded upstream through a babbling rivulet of water that cut a path through the dense forest. Birds chirped overhead, flitting from tree to tree. The cool water was a welcome feeling on her feet, her only escape from the sweltering air. Seeker's tongue lolled out as the dog panted.
After a few minutes of battling the underbrush, they came upon a clearing. In the center stood a large, sprawling building that was very familiar to Lila. It was the house she and Protector had lived in for over ten years. It looked much the same as she remembered it, though the grass had grown much longer in the years she had been gone without Frostbite to keep the grass cropped short. The place looked strange without the dappled horse wandering around, lifting his head to whinny at her any time he saw her.
There was something else strange about the house, though at first she couldn't place it. She spit and swatted when she got a faceful of the invisible spider web that stretched across the last two trees on the edge of the clearing, hoping she hadn't caught a mouthful of spider as well. It was then that she realized what was wrong. There was smoke rising from the chimney in the kitchen.
The next scene faded in so quickly that Lila stirred and almost woke, but the dream pulled her back in. She was running at a grueling pace down a deer path through the woods, sweat pouring from her face and stinging her eyes. A full, heavy pack bounced on her back, the straps rubbing her shoulders raw. There was a massive urgency behind her flight, whether to or from something she did not know.
The dream Lila stopped for a moment and leaned over with her hands on her knees, gasping for breath. As soon as she could breathe normally again, she set off at the same fast pace. This dream was as unusually clear as the last...she could feel her heart pounding in her chest, the shaking of her legs from exhaustion, the soreness in all her muscles, the way her stomach clenched in fear. She couldn't hear any wolf noises, so that wasn't it. The sun was high in the sky and rays of light dappled the narrow path. A slight breeze, not enough to dispel the heat, teased the leaves of the trees. The dream self kept running, spurred by an unkown goal, running even though her legs threatened to give out, though her lungs gasped for air. Where was Seeker? Seeker was always with her, even in dreams. But the dog was nowhere to be seen.
Lila woke so suddenly that her head immediately began to pound. The back of her shirt was damp, and a heavy layer of gray clouds blocked out the sun. A drizzling rain lay a misty blanket over the forest. A crash of thunder pealed through the air, which didn't help her headache any. Sighing, Lila got up and tried to stretch the stiffness from her joints. She walked over to Katie, who was still unconscious. A quick check of the ankle made Lila's stomach clench with disgust and fear at the sight of the rampant infection. She took the warm cloth from Katie's arm and wet it in the stream, replacing it on the young woman's burning forehead. The baby kicked when she placed a hand on Katie's belly, and Katie moaned, stirring weakly.
“I'll be back,” she whispered, not knowing whether Katie could hear her. “I'll be back as soon as I can.”
Katie weakly grabbed at Lila's hand. Her lips moved, but the sound was so quiet that Lila had to lean closer to hear. “Promise me,” Katie begged. “Promise.” Her head lolled back and her body went limp, her breath fast and shallow.
Lila swallowed back the lump
Similar Books
