Read Online Veiled Innocence (Book One, The Soul Cycle) by Krystle Jones - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Krystle Jones
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you’ve given me? Start listing every bastard that fits your exemplary description?”
“One.” She raised her saber.
His eyes flashed with fear. “Wait! I know of one in particular… damn it, what was it! What was his name!”
“Two.” She angled the blade.
“Wait, I can remember it!” He grabbed her dress.
“Three.”
“Orris!” he yelled.
She paused. The pupils of his eyes dilated, and she could see the reflection of the blade in them. She stared at him hard. “Who is this Orris?”
He took several shaky breaths, searching her eyes.
“Think,” she said in a low voice.
He shook his head. “I…” He gulped and closed his eyes. When he opened them, they looked more focused. “The captain of th e Palace Guard. The Gold Knight and commander of Asilee’s armies. That’s all I know.”
Orris. Is that what He’s calling H imself nowadays? Her eyes narrowed as her thoughts plunged into deeper, darker secrets. “How long has this Orris been here?”
Gerard stared into space, as if his wild eyes would find an answer there. “Orris has been here ever since I arrived. Ten or twelve years, perhaps.”
This produced an immediate frown. Gods never linger for long in any one place. If he’s taken up residence of sorts here, then does that mean he’s finally found the crystal ?
She considered this, the tip of her blade still poised above Gerard’s throat. Without another word, she raised the saber.
Gerard gasped, and his face became impossibly paler. “Please, I gave you what you wanted! Have mercy!”
She met his eyes. “I gave up on mercy a long time ago.”
Her blade fell, and Gerard barely got out a scream before his body crumpled to the floor. She wiped the blade clean with the hem of her dress before returning it to the jeweled sheath at her hip.
She looked at the bodies around her as she strolled back to the curtained entrance, not lament ing their loss. What was one less thief, murderer, whore, rapist? Leave none alive who knew the truth. It was her personal rule, one that had saved her many times.
“It would appear we misunderstood each other,” she said, glancing back at Gerard’s corpse. “I do understand the importance of keeping one’s secrets safe.”
When s he was almost to the curtain , she h eard whimpering. She stopped, listening closer. It was muffled, as if they were trying not to be noticed. She followed the sound until her eyes rested upon a girl curled up in the darkest corner of the room, her eyes puffy and her face raw with tears.
Vishka soundlessly glided to her, drawing her saber as she did, and leveled it at the girl’s neck. The girl bit her lip as a sob caught in her throat.
Vishka studied her features. She looked around seventeen or eighteen, young but tough.
Perhaps…
“Tell me, are you well acquainted with the layout of the city?”
The girl shook so badly she could hardly speak. “Y – yes!”
“How well?”
The girl stared up at her with wide, terrified eyes. “I – I was raised by – by the palace. Please, please don’t kill me!” She started crying, pulling at her mussed red hair as tears poured down her cheeks. H er shoulders heaved with heavy sobs as s he buried her face into her drawn up knees .
“Excellent.” Vishka sheathed her saber and kneeled in front of the girl, placing a hand on her trembling shoulder.
The girl started at her touch, and she searched Vishka’s face with a mixture of confusion and horror.
“What is your name?” Vishka asked softly.
“Me – Merissa,” the girl whispered.
“Well, Merissa. You’re going to help me.”
CHAPTER 6
Nightmare
THE NEXT MORNING, LIAN awoke feeling more refreshed than she had in a long time.
Every nerve in her body felt alive, every muscle in her limbs soothed and limber. Smiling to herself, she laced her fingers together and stretched her arms over her head as she sat up, relishing the feeling of complete relaxation.
She glimpsed her
“One.” She raised her saber.
His eyes flashed with fear. “Wait! I know of one in particular… damn it, what was it! What was his name!”
“Two.” She angled the blade.
“Wait, I can remember it!” He grabbed her dress.
“Three.”
“Orris!” he yelled.
She paused. The pupils of his eyes dilated, and she could see the reflection of the blade in them. She stared at him hard. “Who is this Orris?”
He took several shaky breaths, searching her eyes.
“Think,” she said in a low voice.
He shook his head. “I…” He gulped and closed his eyes. When he opened them, they looked more focused. “The captain of th e Palace Guard. The Gold Knight and commander of Asilee’s armies. That’s all I know.”
Orris. Is that what He’s calling H imself nowadays? Her eyes narrowed as her thoughts plunged into deeper, darker secrets. “How long has this Orris been here?”
Gerard stared into space, as if his wild eyes would find an answer there. “Orris has been here ever since I arrived. Ten or twelve years, perhaps.”
This produced an immediate frown. Gods never linger for long in any one place. If he’s taken up residence of sorts here, then does that mean he’s finally found the crystal ?
She considered this, the tip of her blade still poised above Gerard’s throat. Without another word, she raised the saber.
Gerard gasped, and his face became impossibly paler. “Please, I gave you what you wanted! Have mercy!”
She met his eyes. “I gave up on mercy a long time ago.”
Her blade fell, and Gerard barely got out a scream before his body crumpled to the floor. She wiped the blade clean with the hem of her dress before returning it to the jeweled sheath at her hip.
She looked at the bodies around her as she strolled back to the curtained entrance, not lament ing their loss. What was one less thief, murderer, whore, rapist? Leave none alive who knew the truth. It was her personal rule, one that had saved her many times.
“It would appear we misunderstood each other,” she said, glancing back at Gerard’s corpse. “I do understand the importance of keeping one’s secrets safe.”
When s he was almost to the curtain , she h eard whimpering. She stopped, listening closer. It was muffled, as if they were trying not to be noticed. She followed the sound until her eyes rested upon a girl curled up in the darkest corner of the room, her eyes puffy and her face raw with tears.
Vishka soundlessly glided to her, drawing her saber as she did, and leveled it at the girl’s neck. The girl bit her lip as a sob caught in her throat.
Vishka studied her features. She looked around seventeen or eighteen, young but tough.
Perhaps…
“Tell me, are you well acquainted with the layout of the city?”
The girl shook so badly she could hardly speak. “Y – yes!”
“How well?”
The girl stared up at her with wide, terrified eyes. “I – I was raised by – by the palace. Please, please don’t kill me!” She started crying, pulling at her mussed red hair as tears poured down her cheeks. H er shoulders heaved with heavy sobs as s he buried her face into her drawn up knees .
“Excellent.” Vishka sheathed her saber and kneeled in front of the girl, placing a hand on her trembling shoulder.
The girl started at her touch, and she searched Vishka’s face with a mixture of confusion and horror.
“What is your name?” Vishka asked softly.
“Me – Merissa,” the girl whispered.
“Well, Merissa. You’re going to help me.”
CHAPTER 6
Nightmare
THE NEXT MORNING, LIAN awoke feeling more refreshed than she had in a long time.
Every nerve in her body felt alive, every muscle in her limbs soothed and limber. Smiling to herself, she laced her fingers together and stretched her arms over her head as she sat up, relishing the feeling of complete relaxation.
She glimpsed her
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