Read Online The Last Guardian Rises (The Last Keeper's Daughter) by Rebecca Trogner - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Rebecca Trogner
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smiled. “I need to get back.”
“So soon,” Martha cooed.
The man was positioned so Lily couldn’t see his face, but something about him seemed familiar, and then he turned and she realized Mr. Varek was the Ancient.
Lucien
Lucien awoke in the belly of the plane taking them to Wyre Island. He hated planes almost as much as he hated politics. He was to be rid of one soon enough, as he could feel the aircraft circling around the small rocky island like a vulture eyeing a carcass.
They’d left Stoke in the early morning hours in order to arrive at dusk. There would be very little rest while the royal houses met. Standing at the back of the plane, he ran his thumb down the sharp edge of Dragon, his sword, and recalled one of his creator’s favorite sayings. “ If you can’t fuck it, eat it. If you can’t do either, kill it .”
Things had been so much simpler when his creator was alive, and what Lucien wouldn’t do to have him here, alive, and with him. He stretched and wound his way up the plane’s spiral stairs into the cabin. Krieger’s back was turned to him as he spoke with the pilot. Lily was seated alone, looking out the window.
“How much longer until we land?” he asked no one in particular.
“We’re next in line,” the king said without looking back. “Just waiting on Carlos’ plane.”
“May I?” He pointed to the seat next to Lily.
She looked up, her eyes drifting over his sword, and picked up the book that had been lying on the seat.
He wondered how Thaddon Hall looked to her. He’d seen it many times before, but still felt a sense of awe at its structure. The island was but a mass of rocks piled high above the cold ocean waters. There was no vegetation, no animal life, nothing but the castle spiraling up to meet the sky. The builders had constructed the castle to hug the side of the cliff which lorded over half the island and instead of stopping when they reached the top, they’d continued until the castle and its six towers seemed to threaten the equilibrium of the isle.
“When was it constructed?” Lily asked.
“It was started around the third century.” Lucien placed Dragon on the bench in front of them and eased his body into the seat. Lily clutched the leather bound book in her lap. He’d noticed she’d been carrying it when they’d boarded the plane. “Some light reading?”
She looked down at it, blushed and then turned back to the window. “Something like that.”
“That’s the North Sea out there, and that way–” He pointed out towards the open ocean– “will take you to the Arctic Circle. It’s cold this time of year on the Scottish Isles. You won’t be doing any swimming on this trip.” He often watched her swim at Stoke Castle. The rhythm of her arms and legs slicing through the water never ceased to soothe him. The plane dipped to the right, giving them a better view of the castle. “The six towers represent the six Royal Houses of Vampire.”
Lily almost pressed her nose to the small window trying to see the whole structure. “The bottom half is so bulking looking and yet they built those delicate spires on top.” She moved slightly to the right so he could see out the window. “They look like candles on a birthday cake.”
“Midway through construction the builder died. His assistant took over for him and had ideas of his own about how the castle should look.”
“Oh.” Lily was clearly amused.
Lucien wanted to kiss her, here, now. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Krieger turning to watch them. “Those candles are called turrets.” Lucien leaned back in his seat and pointed. “See how each tower has a different royal standard?”
“Standard?”
“The flags.”
“Yes, I couldn’t see them before. Which one is for the House of Krieger?”
“There,” he said, pointing to the far tower. “The red one with the black border. You’ll be able to see it better once we’re inside the castle.”
“Please fasten your
“So soon,” Martha cooed.
The man was positioned so Lily couldn’t see his face, but something about him seemed familiar, and then he turned and she realized Mr. Varek was the Ancient.
Lucien
Lucien awoke in the belly of the plane taking them to Wyre Island. He hated planes almost as much as he hated politics. He was to be rid of one soon enough, as he could feel the aircraft circling around the small rocky island like a vulture eyeing a carcass.
They’d left Stoke in the early morning hours in order to arrive at dusk. There would be very little rest while the royal houses met. Standing at the back of the plane, he ran his thumb down the sharp edge of Dragon, his sword, and recalled one of his creator’s favorite sayings. “ If you can’t fuck it, eat it. If you can’t do either, kill it .”
Things had been so much simpler when his creator was alive, and what Lucien wouldn’t do to have him here, alive, and with him. He stretched and wound his way up the plane’s spiral stairs into the cabin. Krieger’s back was turned to him as he spoke with the pilot. Lily was seated alone, looking out the window.
“How much longer until we land?” he asked no one in particular.
“We’re next in line,” the king said without looking back. “Just waiting on Carlos’ plane.”
“May I?” He pointed to the seat next to Lily.
She looked up, her eyes drifting over his sword, and picked up the book that had been lying on the seat.
He wondered how Thaddon Hall looked to her. He’d seen it many times before, but still felt a sense of awe at its structure. The island was but a mass of rocks piled high above the cold ocean waters. There was no vegetation, no animal life, nothing but the castle spiraling up to meet the sky. The builders had constructed the castle to hug the side of the cliff which lorded over half the island and instead of stopping when they reached the top, they’d continued until the castle and its six towers seemed to threaten the equilibrium of the isle.
“When was it constructed?” Lily asked.
“It was started around the third century.” Lucien placed Dragon on the bench in front of them and eased his body into the seat. Lily clutched the leather bound book in her lap. He’d noticed she’d been carrying it when they’d boarded the plane. “Some light reading?”
She looked down at it, blushed and then turned back to the window. “Something like that.”
“That’s the North Sea out there, and that way–” He pointed out towards the open ocean– “will take you to the Arctic Circle. It’s cold this time of year on the Scottish Isles. You won’t be doing any swimming on this trip.” He often watched her swim at Stoke Castle. The rhythm of her arms and legs slicing through the water never ceased to soothe him. The plane dipped to the right, giving them a better view of the castle. “The six towers represent the six Royal Houses of Vampire.”
Lily almost pressed her nose to the small window trying to see the whole structure. “The bottom half is so bulking looking and yet they built those delicate spires on top.” She moved slightly to the right so he could see out the window. “They look like candles on a birthday cake.”
“Midway through construction the builder died. His assistant took over for him and had ideas of his own about how the castle should look.”
“Oh.” Lily was clearly amused.
Lucien wanted to kiss her, here, now. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Krieger turning to watch them. “Those candles are called turrets.” Lucien leaned back in his seat and pointed. “See how each tower has a different royal standard?”
“Standard?”
“The flags.”
“Yes, I couldn’t see them before. Which one is for the House of Krieger?”
“There,” he said, pointing to the far tower. “The red one with the black border. You’ll be able to see it better once we’re inside the castle.”
“Please fasten your
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