Read Online The Spark of a Feudling by Wendy Knight - Free Book Online Page B

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    Christian stood back, watching. He felt Ada’s small fingers twine with his and he looked down, trying to force a smile.
    â€œWe have to keep my father away from her, Christian.”
    â€œWe aren’t sure it is your father, Ada,” he argued, his voice low, but he could see in her face that she believed him less than he believed himself.
    â€œI promised to protect her.” There was a grimness in her eyes that made her look a hundred years old. “I know only one way to do that. And I need you not to try to stop me.” Her dark brown eyes searched his, pleading.
    â€œI can’t stand by while he tortures you, Ada.” Christian’s voice was harder than he’d intended, and she flinched.
    â€œI’m not asking you to stand by. While I distract him, you have to search for answers. Can you do that for me, Christian? For Charity?”
    He raised a hand, brushed his knuckles across her cheek bones. “Ada, he’ll hurt you. I can’t let that happen.”
    â€œBut he will make me stronger. Strong enough that I can defeat him. And I will learn all his spells, and I’ll be able to teach you. No one will ever be able to hurt us again. We can escape — with Charity. We’ll take her far away from here.”
    Christian’s heart stopped. She was talking about running away with him. Running away from her privileged life and all her wealth. For him. For Charity.
    She turned her face into his hand, kissed his palm. “And you will be there to heal me. I can do this, Christian. I’m strong enough.”
    It felt like he was ripping the words from his very soul, agreeing to her plan. But he nodded.
    â€œAlways, Ada. Forever.”
    ****
    â€œWhere have you been?” Her mother’s voice nearly split Ada’s skull, joining forces with the headache she’d already been fighting and attacked with a vengeance. She paused in the foyer, squinting into the darkness. Her mother stood motionless near the sweeping front staircase, her skirts spread perfectly like she’d arranged herself there.
    But she stood in the shadows. The candles weren’t lit. The entire house stood in inky blackness. Ada hesitated, her hand clutching at the door like she could still escape. “I’ve been with Charity. She’s having an episode of some sort.”
    â€œYou were with that boy. The worthless stable boy.”
    Ada could count on one hand the times in her life her mother had raised her voice. It wasn’t ladylike to yell, and her mother was the epitome of a lady. But now she was practically snarling, and her voice echoed through the tomblike corridors. Where were all the staff? The guards? Her father?
    Ada fought hard to keep the sparks from leaping from her fingers. In the darkness, her mother would see them clearly. “He isn’t worthless, mother. He’s my friend.”
    I love him.
    â€œI’ve been far too lenient with you. Letting you run free like you’re a peasant. Letting you associate with such dirt. But it’s over. No more, Ada. I’m sending you to London. Tomorrow.”
    Now the sparks did explode. The flames roared through Ada’s blood, angry. Hungry. “You will do no such thing,” she yelled, letting the flames leap and dance from her hands.
    She had only seen her mother do spells when they were attacked. Vivian thought it unbecoming of a lady, and she was appalled that Ada was so powerful. But now, the dull red flames burned into the air and the spell shot through the darkness, seeking Ada.
    But Vivian was slow and not very powerful at all — whether from disuse, or perhaps she never had been. Ada danced easily out of the way, her skirts swirling around her. The spell — a ginsti that her father had taught her the day before, hung in front of her before she even realized she was burning it, and she shoved it angrily. It slammed into Vivian before Ada could even think about regretting