Read Online The Labyrinth of Destiny by Callie Kanno - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Callie Kanno
Ads: Link
attack
with her injured shoulder, and the blow caused her to cry out in pain.
Kendan kicked hard at her knee,
hearing it break with a sickening crack. Then he dove for the dirk and quickly
took aim.
He threw the large knife at the
wounded woman, not giving himself time to think or hesitate.
The blade struck Signe squarely in
the heart.
Her eyes widened in shock and her
mouth moved as if she were trying to speak. Without a sound, she fell backwards
and moved no more.
Kendan stood gasping for breath and
slowly leaned against a nearby tree. All of the physical pain that his mind had
been suppressing burst forth in a wave, but it was nothing compared to the
agony of his soul.
He had thought that he would feel
some sort of satisfaction after avenging his parents, but instead he felt
sorrow.
Deep, engulfing sorrow.
His dark eyes filled with tears and
he choked on a sob.
He remained still for several
minutes, visualizing his parents’ faces and wondering what they would say to
him if they were here.
The soft sound of a boot stepping
on damp leaves brought Kendan’s head up sharply. He saw the shocked face of a
young woman with large blue eyes and loose blonde hair. Kendan recognized her
as one of Adesina’s childhood friends.
“Shar Kendan,” she stammered in a
tone of horror, “what have you done?”
Kendan straightened slowly and set
his personal sorrow aside. This was a time of uncertainty for the members of
the Shimat organization that had not chosen to side with Basha. They needed a
leader.
They needed him .
“Do you know what the Shimat are,
Lanil?”
The young woman didn’t answer, but
waited for him to continue.
“They are a lie.”
Lanil frowned in confusion, but
seemed willing to listen. Kendan walked over to her, putting his weapons away
as he did.
“Most newly initiated Shimat are
sent on missions that help maintain the lie in their minds that they are helping
to keep the peace. Some are never told the truth, and others only come to
realize it after they have become hardened to the reality.”
“What is the truth?” asked Lanil
faintly.
Kendan looked down at her. She was
so young, so trusting. It was no wonder she had been assigned to care for
children. She was not meant for the kind of life that he had experienced.
“The Shimat are a force of
evil—manipulating and destroying lives. The Sharifal not only knew it, but
desired it to be so. We need a new leader. One that can turn our organization
into what we tell our students we are.”
“Are you speaking of yourself?”
Her question bore no tone of
judgment. She simply wanted to know.
Kendan slowly nodded. “Yes. I can
do it.”
Chapter Eight: Landing
Adesina felt her heart sink.
She looked through the telescope
she had borrowed from Captain Zulimar, staring at the ship that patrolled the
waters just east of Sehar. There was no way they could get to shore without
passing the enemy vessel.
She had been hoping that they could
sneak through without being seen, but the other ship was on an intercepting
course.
“What are we going to do?” asked
Ruon.
His voice was filled with
challenge, as if daring her to suggest using the Aekuor for violent purposes.
“I am not sure yet,” Adesina
answered honestly.
Kai seemed to be doing her best to
stay out of sight. She swam with only her head peeking above the water’s
surface, keeping behind the Zephyr to stay hidden. Adesina stood by the
ship’s railing, watching the approaching patrol vessel with a measuring gaze.
They were too far away to see the crew of the enemy ship, but Adesina was
certain that it was manned by Shimat.
“Would you like me to destroy that
vessel, my lady?” asked Kai quietly.
The others looked to Adesina to
wait for her answer.
She furrowed her brow and slowly
shook her head. “No, I do not think that will be necessary.”
Adesina was not practiced at
reading an Aekuor’s expressions, but Kai seemed to be relieved. Ruon’s defiant
stance softened
with her injured shoulder, and the blow caused her to cry out in pain.
Kendan kicked hard at her knee,
hearing it break with a sickening crack. Then he dove for the dirk and quickly
took aim.
He threw the large knife at the
wounded woman, not giving himself time to think or hesitate.
The blade struck Signe squarely in
the heart.
Her eyes widened in shock and her
mouth moved as if she were trying to speak. Without a sound, she fell backwards
and moved no more.
Kendan stood gasping for breath and
slowly leaned against a nearby tree. All of the physical pain that his mind had
been suppressing burst forth in a wave, but it was nothing compared to the
agony of his soul.
He had thought that he would feel
some sort of satisfaction after avenging his parents, but instead he felt
sorrow.
Deep, engulfing sorrow.
His dark eyes filled with tears and
he choked on a sob.
He remained still for several
minutes, visualizing his parents’ faces and wondering what they would say to
him if they were here.
The soft sound of a boot stepping
on damp leaves brought Kendan’s head up sharply. He saw the shocked face of a
young woman with large blue eyes and loose blonde hair. Kendan recognized her
as one of Adesina’s childhood friends.
“Shar Kendan,” she stammered in a
tone of horror, “what have you done?”
Kendan straightened slowly and set
his personal sorrow aside. This was a time of uncertainty for the members of
the Shimat organization that had not chosen to side with Basha. They needed a
leader.
They needed him .
“Do you know what the Shimat are,
Lanil?”
The young woman didn’t answer, but
waited for him to continue.
“They are a lie.”
Lanil frowned in confusion, but
seemed willing to listen. Kendan walked over to her, putting his weapons away
as he did.
“Most newly initiated Shimat are
sent on missions that help maintain the lie in their minds that they are helping
to keep the peace. Some are never told the truth, and others only come to
realize it after they have become hardened to the reality.”
“What is the truth?” asked Lanil
faintly.
Kendan looked down at her. She was
so young, so trusting. It was no wonder she had been assigned to care for
children. She was not meant for the kind of life that he had experienced.
“The Shimat are a force of
evil—manipulating and destroying lives. The Sharifal not only knew it, but
desired it to be so. We need a new leader. One that can turn our organization
into what we tell our students we are.”
“Are you speaking of yourself?”
Her question bore no tone of
judgment. She simply wanted to know.
Kendan slowly nodded. “Yes. I can
do it.”
Chapter Eight: Landing
Adesina felt her heart sink.
She looked through the telescope
she had borrowed from Captain Zulimar, staring at the ship that patrolled the
waters just east of Sehar. There was no way they could get to shore without
passing the enemy vessel.
She had been hoping that they could
sneak through without being seen, but the other ship was on an intercepting
course.
“What are we going to do?” asked
Ruon.
His voice was filled with
challenge, as if daring her to suggest using the Aekuor for violent purposes.
“I am not sure yet,” Adesina
answered honestly.
Kai seemed to be doing her best to
stay out of sight. She swam with only her head peeking above the water’s
surface, keeping behind the Zephyr to stay hidden. Adesina stood by the
ship’s railing, watching the approaching patrol vessel with a measuring gaze.
They were too far away to see the crew of the enemy ship, but Adesina was
certain that it was manned by Shimat.
“Would you like me to destroy that
vessel, my lady?” asked Kai quietly.
The others looked to Adesina to
wait for her answer.
She furrowed her brow and slowly
shook her head. “No, I do not think that will be necessary.”
Adesina was not practiced at
reading an Aekuor’s expressions, but Kai seemed to be relieved. Ruon’s defiant
stance softened
Similar Books
