Read Online The Egg (Return of the Ancients Book 4) by Carmen Caine - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Carmen Caine
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to make it disappear with a distinct pop, her blue eyes raked over me slowly—and with obvious distaste—before shifting to Rafael.
Rafael didn’t hesitate. “Where is Jareth?” he asked, his tone was barely civil.
For the briefest of moments, her eyes flashed, but her tone was benevolent in reply. “Safe, my dear mentee. You misunderstand so much, Rafael. I’ve only been trying to save you. I came back here. Now. To help you .”
If I wasn’t so scared of her, I would have rolled my eyes. Did she really think he’d believe that? After she’d ordered Jareth to kill him in the coffee shop?
Rafael’s face turned unreadable. “Then explain, Melody, what you’re saving me from,” he suggested politely.
Her eyes flicked in my direction and her ruby red lips curved in distaste. She and Raven apparently shared the same opinion of me. They weren’t my biggest fans.
But Melody didn’t come out and say it directly. Instead, she announced, “The time of purification has arrived. I have set it in motion, my dear Prince. It has begun. And I would not lose you to the destruction that is coming to Earth, Rafael. Come back to Avalon with me now, before it’s too late.”
Rafael lifted an alarmed brow. “What madness is this?”
Training his eyes over Melody’s head, his gaze focused to read her fate lines, and I guess what he saw there horrified him.
“What have you done , Melody?” he gasped. “Are you mad? How can you be so blinded by hatred?”
It was too much for Raven. Joining Melody, she spat, “ You are the one who is blind, Rafael. Thanks to that human, you no longer think clearly.”
Her shrill tone made me wince and her furious gaze turned outright livid as Rafael anchored his arm firmly about my shoulders.
“You let jealousy color your judgment, Raven,” he told her in reply, but then with a frown shadowing his face, he turned back to Melody to urge, “Stop this, before it goes too far.”
Melody gave a disturbed maniacal laugh of the classic villain kind. And when I heard her next words, I felt like I was trapped in some kind of horror movie.
“Do not feel pity for them, Rafael,” she said, not even bothering to keep the contempt out of her voice. “Humans are vermin. But I have created a weapon, a weapon to free Avalon from both Earth and the Second Dimension, free us from our chains. At long last, they will be destroyed. Come back with me to Avalon before it is too late!”
The masked Inner Circle members began to murmur uneasily at that. Zelphie appeared torn as she turned her white and silver mask in her hands.
Even Raven frowned. I hoped it meant that she was experiencing some form of doubt. But then she held her hands out to Rafael to press, “Just come back with us. At least until we can settle this—”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Rafael interrupted in clipped tones. “I will stay and die on Earth if it comes to that.”
Raven’s lips parted in an incredulous expression.
“Then I have truly lost you, Rafael,” Melody dropped her voice.
Her shoulders slumped as if she were overwhelmed with the sadness of it all. She was a terrible actress. Did she really think she could do what she pleased, toss around a few lies, and have everyone just magically forgive her?
But Rafael pretty much ignored her. Keeping his eyes locked with Raven’s, he raised a hand. Jareth’s rune appeared between his long fingers. It was still glowing.
Raven turned her head to one side.
“You know where Jareth is,” Rafael said sternly. “Help me free him. All of us together can find and disarm Melody’s weapon. Even if you cannot care for Earth and the Second Dimension, Raven, do you really believe Avalon will be safe?”
I guess Melody figured all was lost with Rafael at that point. With a vehement curse, she waved her hand and disappeared. The rest of the Inner Circle members quickly followed, leaving only Zelphie and Raven behind.
Raven whirled upon me indignantly. “This is your
Rafael didn’t hesitate. “Where is Jareth?” he asked, his tone was barely civil.
For the briefest of moments, her eyes flashed, but her tone was benevolent in reply. “Safe, my dear mentee. You misunderstand so much, Rafael. I’ve only been trying to save you. I came back here. Now. To help you .”
If I wasn’t so scared of her, I would have rolled my eyes. Did she really think he’d believe that? After she’d ordered Jareth to kill him in the coffee shop?
Rafael’s face turned unreadable. “Then explain, Melody, what you’re saving me from,” he suggested politely.
Her eyes flicked in my direction and her ruby red lips curved in distaste. She and Raven apparently shared the same opinion of me. They weren’t my biggest fans.
But Melody didn’t come out and say it directly. Instead, she announced, “The time of purification has arrived. I have set it in motion, my dear Prince. It has begun. And I would not lose you to the destruction that is coming to Earth, Rafael. Come back to Avalon with me now, before it’s too late.”
Rafael lifted an alarmed brow. “What madness is this?”
Training his eyes over Melody’s head, his gaze focused to read her fate lines, and I guess what he saw there horrified him.
“What have you done , Melody?” he gasped. “Are you mad? How can you be so blinded by hatred?”
It was too much for Raven. Joining Melody, she spat, “ You are the one who is blind, Rafael. Thanks to that human, you no longer think clearly.”
Her shrill tone made me wince and her furious gaze turned outright livid as Rafael anchored his arm firmly about my shoulders.
“You let jealousy color your judgment, Raven,” he told her in reply, but then with a frown shadowing his face, he turned back to Melody to urge, “Stop this, before it goes too far.”
Melody gave a disturbed maniacal laugh of the classic villain kind. And when I heard her next words, I felt like I was trapped in some kind of horror movie.
“Do not feel pity for them, Rafael,” she said, not even bothering to keep the contempt out of her voice. “Humans are vermin. But I have created a weapon, a weapon to free Avalon from both Earth and the Second Dimension, free us from our chains. At long last, they will be destroyed. Come back with me to Avalon before it is too late!”
The masked Inner Circle members began to murmur uneasily at that. Zelphie appeared torn as she turned her white and silver mask in her hands.
Even Raven frowned. I hoped it meant that she was experiencing some form of doubt. But then she held her hands out to Rafael to press, “Just come back with us. At least until we can settle this—”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Rafael interrupted in clipped tones. “I will stay and die on Earth if it comes to that.”
Raven’s lips parted in an incredulous expression.
“Then I have truly lost you, Rafael,” Melody dropped her voice.
Her shoulders slumped as if she were overwhelmed with the sadness of it all. She was a terrible actress. Did she really think she could do what she pleased, toss around a few lies, and have everyone just magically forgive her?
But Rafael pretty much ignored her. Keeping his eyes locked with Raven’s, he raised a hand. Jareth’s rune appeared between his long fingers. It was still glowing.
Raven turned her head to one side.
“You know where Jareth is,” Rafael said sternly. “Help me free him. All of us together can find and disarm Melody’s weapon. Even if you cannot care for Earth and the Second Dimension, Raven, do you really believe Avalon will be safe?”
I guess Melody figured all was lost with Rafael at that point. With a vehement curse, she waved her hand and disappeared. The rest of the Inner Circle members quickly followed, leaving only Zelphie and Raven behind.
Raven whirled upon me indignantly. “This is your
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