Read Online The Oracle's Secret (The Oracle Saga Book 1) by Amber Darke - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Amber Darke
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them away.’
‘Well, it worked,’ says Steele with a grin that sends shivers through me in spite of myself. ‘Good job, Oracle.’
‘Ugh, it’s Livya,’ I say. I know he has a tough guy image to maintain and running away from a bad smell kind of ruins that, but if he’s going to give me a compliment the least he can do is not package it with something he knows I hate. He’s had years to learn my name. You’d think after the night we’ve had, he might start to show me a bit of respect.
He just snorts, so I make a rude gesture at him. It’s one of the ones I learned in London. I learned a lot of useful stuff there.
‘So, Tarian,’ I say. ‘Are we on track? Where do we need to go next?’
He points his thumb over the canyon. It’s wide and deep, and I can’t see any way across it.
‘Oh,’ I say. ‘Hmm. Well, I had the last idea, this one’s up to you two.’
Chapter Ten
The two of them peer into the canyon. It’s ridiculously huge, not the sort of thing that you’d ever normally find in the English countryside, but then, this isn’t a normal part of the English countryside. In spite of my pronouncement, I start looking for a way across too. The Prince told me to do everything I could to find the stone, and I’m not sure whether stopping and relaxing for a couple of minutes will count as breaking my blood oath. I wish there was a way to know. What if I disobey his orders by accident, or because what he wants is just impossible? Will I still be punished? My confidence after defeating the wolves melts away, and my stomach fills with dread again. I skim the canyon, looking for ways across.
‘There!’ I say, pointing into the distance. ‘Is that a bridge?’
Steele squints at it. ‘Looks like a pretty pathetic one, if it is.’
I put my hands on my hips and look at him. ‘Any other ideas?’
He rolls his eyes. ‘The bridge it is.’
It’s way in the distance, down to our right. The cliff curves around, a little fringe of it visible past the trees. At least it seems to be curving slightly downhill.
‘We should get back into the trees a bit,’ says Tarian. ‘We’re visible here.’
‘We’ll be visible on the bridge,’ says Steele.
Tarian shrugs. ‘Whatever. I just want to minimise the chances of us getting killed.’
Steele growls at him and stalks towards the trees. I follow, impressed but not willing to show it. I’m still angry with both of them.
After that brief moment of soft, fresh grass beneath me, it’s tough going back to the forest sludge. Every step is an effort, and I remember that I haven’t actually had any sleep since I was woken up roughly 24 hours ago and dragged out of my flat by Steele. It’s hard to believe that all the stuff that’s happened since all fitted into one day, but it did. One horrible, upsetting, exhausting day.
Why didn’t I sleep in the jeep over here? I could have had at least a quick nap before we got chased. But no, I had to listen to Tarian going on about his beautiful homeland, just because he has a really nice voice that sounds kind of like melting honey. And Steele’s no better, with his blond hair that I want to ruffle and his horrible attitude. Right now he’s taken off his shirt and he’s walking through the forest ahead of me in just a tank top, the pack of supplies slung on his back, and I can see every movement of his powerful shoulders as he walks, the sunlight glinting on his tanned skin. Ugh. What a loser.
I drift into a daydream about my stranger. He wouldn’t treat me like these idiots do, that’s for sure. He wouldn’t call me a spoiled princess or act like my powers are all I’m good for. He’d respect me.
I wonder again where I’m going to meet him. Maybe I should take this as a good sign that we’ll get out of this mess? Unless he’s someone who comes to Sherwood after I’m already trapped here... what if he’s one of the Northern Prince’s people? What if what I’m foreseeing is my
‘Well, it worked,’ says Steele with a grin that sends shivers through me in spite of myself. ‘Good job, Oracle.’
‘Ugh, it’s Livya,’ I say. I know he has a tough guy image to maintain and running away from a bad smell kind of ruins that, but if he’s going to give me a compliment the least he can do is not package it with something he knows I hate. He’s had years to learn my name. You’d think after the night we’ve had, he might start to show me a bit of respect.
He just snorts, so I make a rude gesture at him. It’s one of the ones I learned in London. I learned a lot of useful stuff there.
‘So, Tarian,’ I say. ‘Are we on track? Where do we need to go next?’
He points his thumb over the canyon. It’s wide and deep, and I can’t see any way across it.
‘Oh,’ I say. ‘Hmm. Well, I had the last idea, this one’s up to you two.’
Chapter Ten
The two of them peer into the canyon. It’s ridiculously huge, not the sort of thing that you’d ever normally find in the English countryside, but then, this isn’t a normal part of the English countryside. In spite of my pronouncement, I start looking for a way across too. The Prince told me to do everything I could to find the stone, and I’m not sure whether stopping and relaxing for a couple of minutes will count as breaking my blood oath. I wish there was a way to know. What if I disobey his orders by accident, or because what he wants is just impossible? Will I still be punished? My confidence after defeating the wolves melts away, and my stomach fills with dread again. I skim the canyon, looking for ways across.
‘There!’ I say, pointing into the distance. ‘Is that a bridge?’
Steele squints at it. ‘Looks like a pretty pathetic one, if it is.’
I put my hands on my hips and look at him. ‘Any other ideas?’
He rolls his eyes. ‘The bridge it is.’
It’s way in the distance, down to our right. The cliff curves around, a little fringe of it visible past the trees. At least it seems to be curving slightly downhill.
‘We should get back into the trees a bit,’ says Tarian. ‘We’re visible here.’
‘We’ll be visible on the bridge,’ says Steele.
Tarian shrugs. ‘Whatever. I just want to minimise the chances of us getting killed.’
Steele growls at him and stalks towards the trees. I follow, impressed but not willing to show it. I’m still angry with both of them.
After that brief moment of soft, fresh grass beneath me, it’s tough going back to the forest sludge. Every step is an effort, and I remember that I haven’t actually had any sleep since I was woken up roughly 24 hours ago and dragged out of my flat by Steele. It’s hard to believe that all the stuff that’s happened since all fitted into one day, but it did. One horrible, upsetting, exhausting day.
Why didn’t I sleep in the jeep over here? I could have had at least a quick nap before we got chased. But no, I had to listen to Tarian going on about his beautiful homeland, just because he has a really nice voice that sounds kind of like melting honey. And Steele’s no better, with his blond hair that I want to ruffle and his horrible attitude. Right now he’s taken off his shirt and he’s walking through the forest ahead of me in just a tank top, the pack of supplies slung on his back, and I can see every movement of his powerful shoulders as he walks, the sunlight glinting on his tanned skin. Ugh. What a loser.
I drift into a daydream about my stranger. He wouldn’t treat me like these idiots do, that’s for sure. He wouldn’t call me a spoiled princess or act like my powers are all I’m good for. He’d respect me.
I wonder again where I’m going to meet him. Maybe I should take this as a good sign that we’ll get out of this mess? Unless he’s someone who comes to Sherwood after I’m already trapped here... what if he’s one of the Northern Prince’s people? What if what I’m foreseeing is my
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