Read Online The Skylighter (The Keepers' Chronicles Book 2) by Becky Wallace - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Becky Wallace
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obey.” Vibora had dropped onto a log, stretching her feet toward the fire.
Pira shook her head, failing to dislodge the invader inside her mind. I will not do what you want.
“You will do what I tell you.”
The fist clenched. Sparks flashed across Pira’s vision, and she collapsed into the dirt. Something hooked around her vocal cords, and the words were yanked out of her mouth. “I want a drink of water,” Pira heard herself say, followed by a mumbled, “Please.”
After that it had seemed that Vibora’s control came easier. It didn’t matter how hard Pira fought, eventually after a round of torture and a headache that left her functionally blind, she gave in. As her essência drained away, Pira found that her ability to fight grew weaker.
She understood why Barrata’s minions seemed mindless. They hadn’t had as much essência to start with, and as Pira sat in the rain, she wondered how much longer it would be until she, too, lost her will.
“We’re a few hours outside of Cruzamento,” Vibora said, finally turning to look at Pira, a horse length away. “If Sapo had already arrived in the city, a rider would have met us here. As I neither hear nor sense anyone, we can ride on.” She held up one threatening finger. “If you’re going to cause any problems, I’ll leave you here in the forest. In the rain. With a command not to move no matter the situation. I can do that, you know.”
The ball of air in Pira’s mouth dissolved. She took a moment to rub her jaw but didn’t respond to Vibora’s threat.
The Keeper tilted her head to the side, studying Pira. “Jacaré made the same face when he was being stupid and stubborn. It must have aggravated him to have his child use the same tricks—”
“You loved him once,” Pira interrupted. “Did he break your heart? Was that what made you abandon your people and join this . . . this Sapo?”
A blast of power knocked Pira off her horse. She managed to catch herself before any bones snapped, but the fall forced the wind out of her lungs.
Vibora trotted her horse close and leaned over in the saddle. “Do not presume to talk to me about who abandoned whom.” An electric shock jolted through Pira’s body, and she bit her tongue as her muscles went rigid. “You know nothing .”
Panting, aching, but dauntless, Pira pressed on. “You don’t know much either.” She wiped a trickle of blood from her mouth. As part of her training to become an Elite Guard, she had been taught never to engage the enemy in a verbal confrontation. It gave too much away and left openings for secrets to leak out, but she couldn’t stop the words from rolling off her tongue. “Jacaré is my half brother . He never married. He lived alone until he was named as my caregiver when my parents died.”
It felt so good to have something to hold over Vibora, to know something she didn’t. Pira wanted to see her captor splutter, look shocked, or incensed, or surprised, but she was sadly disappointed.
“The forest or Cruzamento? Can you behave, or should I leave you here?”
Not a word about Jacaré, about their relationship, whatever it had been, or the information Pira had shared. Invisible bonds wove around her body, trapping her to the ground, staking her out for any hungry predator. Or rodent.
Pira cleared the images from her head.
Fool. She’s at least three hundred years old. She’s using a metal that the Mage Council doesn’t know about or has kept an incredible secret. She drains me of my essência and beats me with my own power.
You are overmatched, Pira.
For the first time since she’d been captured, Pira felt afraid. “Cruzamento.”
“Ask me nicely.”
Pira bowed her head. “Cruzamento, please.”
• • •
Cruzamento had been occupied before. The remnants of war were evident on the buildings’ faces and poorly concealed by slapdash construction. A doorframe boarded over, a wall that ended abruptly, leaving too large a gap between
Pira shook her head, failing to dislodge the invader inside her mind. I will not do what you want.
“You will do what I tell you.”
The fist clenched. Sparks flashed across Pira’s vision, and she collapsed into the dirt. Something hooked around her vocal cords, and the words were yanked out of her mouth. “I want a drink of water,” Pira heard herself say, followed by a mumbled, “Please.”
After that it had seemed that Vibora’s control came easier. It didn’t matter how hard Pira fought, eventually after a round of torture and a headache that left her functionally blind, she gave in. As her essência drained away, Pira found that her ability to fight grew weaker.
She understood why Barrata’s minions seemed mindless. They hadn’t had as much essência to start with, and as Pira sat in the rain, she wondered how much longer it would be until she, too, lost her will.
“We’re a few hours outside of Cruzamento,” Vibora said, finally turning to look at Pira, a horse length away. “If Sapo had already arrived in the city, a rider would have met us here. As I neither hear nor sense anyone, we can ride on.” She held up one threatening finger. “If you’re going to cause any problems, I’ll leave you here in the forest. In the rain. With a command not to move no matter the situation. I can do that, you know.”
The ball of air in Pira’s mouth dissolved. She took a moment to rub her jaw but didn’t respond to Vibora’s threat.
The Keeper tilted her head to the side, studying Pira. “Jacaré made the same face when he was being stupid and stubborn. It must have aggravated him to have his child use the same tricks—”
“You loved him once,” Pira interrupted. “Did he break your heart? Was that what made you abandon your people and join this . . . this Sapo?”
A blast of power knocked Pira off her horse. She managed to catch herself before any bones snapped, but the fall forced the wind out of her lungs.
Vibora trotted her horse close and leaned over in the saddle. “Do not presume to talk to me about who abandoned whom.” An electric shock jolted through Pira’s body, and she bit her tongue as her muscles went rigid. “You know nothing .”
Panting, aching, but dauntless, Pira pressed on. “You don’t know much either.” She wiped a trickle of blood from her mouth. As part of her training to become an Elite Guard, she had been taught never to engage the enemy in a verbal confrontation. It gave too much away and left openings for secrets to leak out, but she couldn’t stop the words from rolling off her tongue. “Jacaré is my half brother . He never married. He lived alone until he was named as my caregiver when my parents died.”
It felt so good to have something to hold over Vibora, to know something she didn’t. Pira wanted to see her captor splutter, look shocked, or incensed, or surprised, but she was sadly disappointed.
“The forest or Cruzamento? Can you behave, or should I leave you here?”
Not a word about Jacaré, about their relationship, whatever it had been, or the information Pira had shared. Invisible bonds wove around her body, trapping her to the ground, staking her out for any hungry predator. Or rodent.
Pira cleared the images from her head.
Fool. She’s at least three hundred years old. She’s using a metal that the Mage Council doesn’t know about or has kept an incredible secret. She drains me of my essência and beats me with my own power.
You are overmatched, Pira.
For the first time since she’d been captured, Pira felt afraid. “Cruzamento.”
“Ask me nicely.”
Pira bowed her head. “Cruzamento, please.”
• • •
Cruzamento had been occupied before. The remnants of war were evident on the buildings’ faces and poorly concealed by slapdash construction. A doorframe boarded over, a wall that ended abruptly, leaving too large a gap between
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