Read Online The Belial Library (The Belial Series) by R.D. Brady - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: R.D. Brady
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caressed back.
She looked up into Nana’s face. “Ah, you’re awake. We were worried.”
A wall of memories rushed her. Tears threatened to break. “Jen?”
“I’m here, Laney.”
Laney’s head whipped to the right. Pain lanced through her, making her groan.
Jen sat propped against the side of the truck. Elena was tucked into her side, fast asleep. The sleeve of Jen's shirt had been torn away and used to bandage her arm. A sling made from the other sleeve held it to her chest.
And apparently, the fact that she’d been shot didn't make their attackers think she was any less of a threat. Her hands were bound as well.
Laney drank in the sight of her, blinking her eyes to make sure that she was really there. “I thought you were –”
“I know. But I’m alive. He only got my arm.” Jen raised her bound hands with a wince. “A little worse off, but not as bad as it could have been. Thanks to you.”
Laney struggled to sit up. Nana put a surprisingly strong hand on her back and helped her. “How come we’re still alive?”
Jen grimaced. “Well, you know Warren the weasel is in on whatever this is. Apparently, he was supposed to keep us out of the way. Unsurprisingly, he failed at yet another task. Killing two Americans wouldn’t be as easily overlooked as killing non-Americans. They hadn’t expected to find us there. They thought it would be only indigenous people. We’re a little hiccup.”
Jen looked at Laney, her stare conveying a wealth of information. They might have been surprised to find them there, but she was sure they were working on how to resolve that issue. And Laney was sure it didn’t involve letting them go on to live a nice, long life.
“You’re some fighter, my friend. You should have seen those men’s faces.” Nana laughed, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “They were terrified.”
“I should have killed the bastards,” Laney said.
“Yes. But, I’m sure you’ll have the chance again.” Nana nodded towards the truck behind them. “They’re in that truck there.”
Laney leaned against the side of the truck. Her head pounded with every bump of the road. “Where are they taking us?”
“The cave of the Etsu Nantu,” Nana said quietly.
Laney looked back at Nana, despair spreading across her chest. “Oh, Nana. You told them where it was?”
Anger flashed across Nana's face. “No. It was one of the men from my village. He’s weak, always causing trouble. I should have banished him years ago.”
“How does he know where it is?” Jen asked.
Nana shook her head and Laney could swear the woman wanted to spit.
“He's sneaky. He must have followed us one of the times we went to visit the Guardians. So he probably doesn’t know where the actual cave is, only where the Guardians are.” A troubled look crossed her face.
"The Guardians?" Laney asked.
“The other half of our tribe."
Laney stared at her, stunned. The Shuar had another half to their tribe? No one had ever mentioned them. The history books had never even whispered about them.
Nana continued. "The Guardians have been the protectors of the cave as long as we can recall. They have repelled all who have tried to seize its treasures. But this firepower...” She gestured to the front of the truck and the one that followed. “I don’t think they can defeat these men. I fear many more will be killed before the day is out.”
Laney nodded, knowing the natives would be no match for the armed men. And she also knew that if these men found the caves, tossing the bodies of two American women in would ensure they’d never be found. An easy resolution to an annoying hiccup.
CHAPTER 15
Baltimore, Maryland
Jake knelt down on the grass, to make himself eye level with Danny. He tried to keep the urgency out of his tone. “What do you mean, Danny?”
Danny's face
She looked up into Nana’s face. “Ah, you’re awake. We were worried.”
A wall of memories rushed her. Tears threatened to break. “Jen?”
“I’m here, Laney.”
Laney’s head whipped to the right. Pain lanced through her, making her groan.
Jen sat propped against the side of the truck. Elena was tucked into her side, fast asleep. The sleeve of Jen's shirt had been torn away and used to bandage her arm. A sling made from the other sleeve held it to her chest.
And apparently, the fact that she’d been shot didn't make their attackers think she was any less of a threat. Her hands were bound as well.
Laney drank in the sight of her, blinking her eyes to make sure that she was really there. “I thought you were –”
“I know. But I’m alive. He only got my arm.” Jen raised her bound hands with a wince. “A little worse off, but not as bad as it could have been. Thanks to you.”
Laney struggled to sit up. Nana put a surprisingly strong hand on her back and helped her. “How come we’re still alive?”
Jen grimaced. “Well, you know Warren the weasel is in on whatever this is. Apparently, he was supposed to keep us out of the way. Unsurprisingly, he failed at yet another task. Killing two Americans wouldn’t be as easily overlooked as killing non-Americans. They hadn’t expected to find us there. They thought it would be only indigenous people. We’re a little hiccup.”
Jen looked at Laney, her stare conveying a wealth of information. They might have been surprised to find them there, but she was sure they were working on how to resolve that issue. And Laney was sure it didn’t involve letting them go on to live a nice, long life.
“You’re some fighter, my friend. You should have seen those men’s faces.” Nana laughed, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “They were terrified.”
“I should have killed the bastards,” Laney said.
“Yes. But, I’m sure you’ll have the chance again.” Nana nodded towards the truck behind them. “They’re in that truck there.”
Laney leaned against the side of the truck. Her head pounded with every bump of the road. “Where are they taking us?”
“The cave of the Etsu Nantu,” Nana said quietly.
Laney looked back at Nana, despair spreading across her chest. “Oh, Nana. You told them where it was?”
Anger flashed across Nana's face. “No. It was one of the men from my village. He’s weak, always causing trouble. I should have banished him years ago.”
“How does he know where it is?” Jen asked.
Nana shook her head and Laney could swear the woman wanted to spit.
“He's sneaky. He must have followed us one of the times we went to visit the Guardians. So he probably doesn’t know where the actual cave is, only where the Guardians are.” A troubled look crossed her face.
"The Guardians?" Laney asked.
“The other half of our tribe."
Laney stared at her, stunned. The Shuar had another half to their tribe? No one had ever mentioned them. The history books had never even whispered about them.
Nana continued. "The Guardians have been the protectors of the cave as long as we can recall. They have repelled all who have tried to seize its treasures. But this firepower...” She gestured to the front of the truck and the one that followed. “I don’t think they can defeat these men. I fear many more will be killed before the day is out.”
Laney nodded, knowing the natives would be no match for the armed men. And she also knew that if these men found the caves, tossing the bodies of two American women in would ensure they’d never be found. An easy resolution to an annoying hiccup.
CHAPTER 15
Baltimore, Maryland
Jake knelt down on the grass, to make himself eye level with Danny. He tried to keep the urgency out of his tone. “What do you mean, Danny?”
Danny's face
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