Read Online The Choosing (The Arcadia Trilogy Book 1) by Rachel Hanna, Bella James - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Rachel Hanna, Bella James
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the top bed because I didn't think anyone ever wanted it. If you do, I'll hand it over. I'm Julia."
The sight of the bed felt like the last straw for Livy. Exhausted, still hungry, cold and scared, she felt the shaking start in the pit of her stomach and radiate outward until she couldn't control it and stood shuddering, just trying to breathe.
The girl vaulted off the bed, took Livy in her arms and sat her on the edge of the lower bunk. "It's all so strange. Take a deep breath. We'll get used to this. Are you cold, hurt or scared?"
"Scared?" Lily asked. "Should I be?"
The other girl looked shocked. "Don't you know about this place?"
Livy shook her head.
Julia bit her lip. "I don't know much, but I know once you get here, you never leave."
"Never?" Livy's voice quavered.
Julia shrugged. "A few people do. My parents said sometimes a few people will come back."
Livy looked at her.
Julia said, "As Centurions."
"I'd never do that," Livy declared and clapped both palms over her face.
"Not much for war games? But you might be surprised. From what I've heard, the schooling here will kill you. You have to be strong and talented and never back down."
Livy took her face out of her hands. "This has happened before?" Her voice was flat.
"Once a generation," Julia said. "It's how the Plutarch keeps his family in power."
"How do you know all this?"
"My mother's brother was collected. He told her, before – " She frowned and stopped.
Into the sudden silence, Lily said awkwardly, "I'm Olivia Bane. You can call me Livy."
The other girl startled and smiled though it didn't reach her eyes. "Okay, Livy Bane. You better get ready. Trials start soon. You should get as much rest as you can." She stood. "Did you want the top bunk?"
Livy absolutely didn't care. All she knew was she was suddenly more exhausted than she'd ever been in her life, even after her first day on the fields at home. "I don't care. If you want the lower, you can have it." They were both standing now, and Julia looked down at her kindly.
"Nah, you're short. It will be easier for me to get up and down. Goodnight, Livy Bane."
"Goodnight, Julia. Julia what?"
Silence from above, and then, faintly, Julia said, "I guess now it's just Julia."
Livy heard her roll over then, and a few minutes later, heard her start to snore lightly.
Livy herself lay quietly on her back, trying to control her trembling as she stared up at the bottom of the bunk above her.
S moke turns the sky black , and the sun orange. Villagers run for their lives, familiar faces whipping past Livy in a frenzy of fear as the village burns down.
Livy runs toward the village, not away, and the Centurions gallop toward her on their mounts, gripping flaming torches. Grandfather Bane falls behind quickly, too old and sick to keep up with the fleeing community. Even as he falls Livy sees he hasn't been shot. The closest Centurion didn't seem him fall. By the time the riders thunder their way, he looks dead in the muddy earth already. She holds out the hope he's still alive.
Then she sees Maddy. Livy's mother runs with her neighbors, clutching a baby close against her body. Breaking free of the panicked people around her, she runs into the forest, her child held tight, heading for the first copse of trees to hide behind, and stumbles directly into the path of a Centurion. He raises his rifle, takes aim, and shoots.
A nd Livy flies upright in her bed. There's no sunlight in the tiny interior room she shares with Julia, no way to tell the difference between night and day.
Except for the alarm sounding, waking them all to their first day in Arcadia.
" H urry ," Julia said, rushing to pull on the uniform she'd been given the day before.
"What is it?" Livy panted.
"Breakfast? I don't know. I just know that noise means hurry."
Probably she's right. But her dream meant hurry also, Livy thought.
Hurry. Run for home.
Before it's too late.
T he mess hall was chaotic . Today there would be no
The sight of the bed felt like the last straw for Livy. Exhausted, still hungry, cold and scared, she felt the shaking start in the pit of her stomach and radiate outward until she couldn't control it and stood shuddering, just trying to breathe.
The girl vaulted off the bed, took Livy in her arms and sat her on the edge of the lower bunk. "It's all so strange. Take a deep breath. We'll get used to this. Are you cold, hurt or scared?"
"Scared?" Lily asked. "Should I be?"
The other girl looked shocked. "Don't you know about this place?"
Livy shook her head.
Julia bit her lip. "I don't know much, but I know once you get here, you never leave."
"Never?" Livy's voice quavered.
Julia shrugged. "A few people do. My parents said sometimes a few people will come back."
Livy looked at her.
Julia said, "As Centurions."
"I'd never do that," Livy declared and clapped both palms over her face.
"Not much for war games? But you might be surprised. From what I've heard, the schooling here will kill you. You have to be strong and talented and never back down."
Livy took her face out of her hands. "This has happened before?" Her voice was flat.
"Once a generation," Julia said. "It's how the Plutarch keeps his family in power."
"How do you know all this?"
"My mother's brother was collected. He told her, before – " She frowned and stopped.
Into the sudden silence, Lily said awkwardly, "I'm Olivia Bane. You can call me Livy."
The other girl startled and smiled though it didn't reach her eyes. "Okay, Livy Bane. You better get ready. Trials start soon. You should get as much rest as you can." She stood. "Did you want the top bunk?"
Livy absolutely didn't care. All she knew was she was suddenly more exhausted than she'd ever been in her life, even after her first day on the fields at home. "I don't care. If you want the lower, you can have it." They were both standing now, and Julia looked down at her kindly.
"Nah, you're short. It will be easier for me to get up and down. Goodnight, Livy Bane."
"Goodnight, Julia. Julia what?"
Silence from above, and then, faintly, Julia said, "I guess now it's just Julia."
Livy heard her roll over then, and a few minutes later, heard her start to snore lightly.
Livy herself lay quietly on her back, trying to control her trembling as she stared up at the bottom of the bunk above her.
S moke turns the sky black , and the sun orange. Villagers run for their lives, familiar faces whipping past Livy in a frenzy of fear as the village burns down.
Livy runs toward the village, not away, and the Centurions gallop toward her on their mounts, gripping flaming torches. Grandfather Bane falls behind quickly, too old and sick to keep up with the fleeing community. Even as he falls Livy sees he hasn't been shot. The closest Centurion didn't seem him fall. By the time the riders thunder their way, he looks dead in the muddy earth already. She holds out the hope he's still alive.
Then she sees Maddy. Livy's mother runs with her neighbors, clutching a baby close against her body. Breaking free of the panicked people around her, she runs into the forest, her child held tight, heading for the first copse of trees to hide behind, and stumbles directly into the path of a Centurion. He raises his rifle, takes aim, and shoots.
A nd Livy flies upright in her bed. There's no sunlight in the tiny interior room she shares with Julia, no way to tell the difference between night and day.
Except for the alarm sounding, waking them all to their first day in Arcadia.
" H urry ," Julia said, rushing to pull on the uniform she'd been given the day before.
"What is it?" Livy panted.
"Breakfast? I don't know. I just know that noise means hurry."
Probably she's right. But her dream meant hurry also, Livy thought.
Hurry. Run for home.
Before it's too late.
T he mess hall was chaotic . Today there would be no
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