Read Online Wind Demon Triology: Book II: Evil Wind by Charlotte Boyett-Compo - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Charlotte Boyett-Compo
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of the lowest points in his life, but she'd never seen him looking as hopeless as she had in the containment cell.
"If I could get hold of the bitch who cursed him like that, I'd strangle her,” Dorrie said of the Reaper's long-dead mother.
Kahmal's eyebrows drew together. “What do you mean? What woman? What curse?"
Dorrie ran the back of her hand under her nose. “You don't know how he came to be a Reaper?"
"I know he was made, but I never cared enough to ask how,” Kahmal stated.
"Well, it's something you need to know. It goes a long way in explaining who he is."
"Then I am interested in learning."
"His mother cursed him before he was born,” Dorrie said. “She was one of the fabled Seven Sisters of the Sword, daughters of the royal house of Brell in Chale."
"I vaguely remember Hael Sejm saying something about the Seven Sisters. She was one of them."
Dorrie nodded and leaned against the wall. “They were attacked and raped by a band of Rysalians led by Drae Cree, Kam's father. All but one of them conceived, the exception being Sejm whom no man ever wanted to mount more than once."
"Understandable,” Kahmal said dryly. “Who would want to hump such a witch?"
"Because they'd been abducted from their home on Chale, raped and handed over as chattel to their rapists, Analeis Brell—Kamerone's mother—cursed the men and anything that might come of the rape. Analeis was Morrígú, the Seventh Daughter of a Seventh Daughter born with a caul, and her curse was fulfilled. When Kamerone was born, he was in beastly form but when he began changing to human form, his mother took on the animal nature herself. Drae Cree thought she was a beast trying to devour his son—for Analeis was cleaning off the afterbirth—and he killed her."
"So in essence she not only cursed her unborn child, she cursed herself,” Kahmal said.
"She became the beast she had made of her son,” Dorrie said.
A long howl of grief undulated from the containment cell.
"Help him!” Dorrie cried out to whatever entity was nearby. “Stop his torment!"
Another wavering whine came from the cell, but it died down quickly as though an unseen hand had been laid on the suffering animal's head to soothe it.
* * * *
Sanchez and Ramirez were none too happy about traveling with the Amazeen but neither had a great desire to have Jose Ortega get his grubby hands on them. The Ionarians had taken the Major up on her offer to take them with her to Rysalia Prime. From there, they hoped to be able to find their way back to Ionary. At least with the Daughters of the Multitude they believed they'd be safe. It wasn't until the Reaper walked into the lounge and began glaring at them that they knew they had gone from the frying pan directly into the fire.
"More women?” the Reaper shouted, his hands clenching into fists at his side. “You picked up more women?"
"Now, Cree...” the Major began.
"C ... Cree?” Ramirez repeated.
"I didn't need any more gods-be-damned women! I'm drowning in estrogen now!"
"Reaper!” Ramirez yelped, her eyes rolled back into her head and she fainted, dropping to the floor in a heap.
"See?” Cree snarled, pointing at the unconscious woman. “You see?"
Sanchez was staring at him with her mouth open and closing though no sound came out, her eyes wide and popping from her head. Like her friend, she knew exactly what he was and she was quivering in fright for the first time in her life.
"Shut your mouth, woman!” Cree yelled at her. “You look like a gods-be-damned trout flopping on the bank of a dry stream!"
"Stop scaring her,” Kahmal told him. “If it wasn't for her, you wouldn't have gotten the Triso!"
"I don't need this!” the Reaper bellowed and turned to stomp off, his new boots too large for his feet and clomping against the floor.
It was Sern who was the first to laugh. She had read things in the Reaper's mind that set her sides to splitting with laughter. Beside her, Ceatie was grinning as though he
"If I could get hold of the bitch who cursed him like that, I'd strangle her,” Dorrie said of the Reaper's long-dead mother.
Kahmal's eyebrows drew together. “What do you mean? What woman? What curse?"
Dorrie ran the back of her hand under her nose. “You don't know how he came to be a Reaper?"
"I know he was made, but I never cared enough to ask how,” Kahmal stated.
"Well, it's something you need to know. It goes a long way in explaining who he is."
"Then I am interested in learning."
"His mother cursed him before he was born,” Dorrie said. “She was one of the fabled Seven Sisters of the Sword, daughters of the royal house of Brell in Chale."
"I vaguely remember Hael Sejm saying something about the Seven Sisters. She was one of them."
Dorrie nodded and leaned against the wall. “They were attacked and raped by a band of Rysalians led by Drae Cree, Kam's father. All but one of them conceived, the exception being Sejm whom no man ever wanted to mount more than once."
"Understandable,” Kahmal said dryly. “Who would want to hump such a witch?"
"Because they'd been abducted from their home on Chale, raped and handed over as chattel to their rapists, Analeis Brell—Kamerone's mother—cursed the men and anything that might come of the rape. Analeis was Morrígú, the Seventh Daughter of a Seventh Daughter born with a caul, and her curse was fulfilled. When Kamerone was born, he was in beastly form but when he began changing to human form, his mother took on the animal nature herself. Drae Cree thought she was a beast trying to devour his son—for Analeis was cleaning off the afterbirth—and he killed her."
"So in essence she not only cursed her unborn child, she cursed herself,” Kahmal said.
"She became the beast she had made of her son,” Dorrie said.
A long howl of grief undulated from the containment cell.
"Help him!” Dorrie cried out to whatever entity was nearby. “Stop his torment!"
Another wavering whine came from the cell, but it died down quickly as though an unseen hand had been laid on the suffering animal's head to soothe it.
* * * *
Sanchez and Ramirez were none too happy about traveling with the Amazeen but neither had a great desire to have Jose Ortega get his grubby hands on them. The Ionarians had taken the Major up on her offer to take them with her to Rysalia Prime. From there, they hoped to be able to find their way back to Ionary. At least with the Daughters of the Multitude they believed they'd be safe. It wasn't until the Reaper walked into the lounge and began glaring at them that they knew they had gone from the frying pan directly into the fire.
"More women?” the Reaper shouted, his hands clenching into fists at his side. “You picked up more women?"
"Now, Cree...” the Major began.
"C ... Cree?” Ramirez repeated.
"I didn't need any more gods-be-damned women! I'm drowning in estrogen now!"
"Reaper!” Ramirez yelped, her eyes rolled back into her head and she fainted, dropping to the floor in a heap.
"See?” Cree snarled, pointing at the unconscious woman. “You see?"
Sanchez was staring at him with her mouth open and closing though no sound came out, her eyes wide and popping from her head. Like her friend, she knew exactly what he was and she was quivering in fright for the first time in her life.
"Shut your mouth, woman!” Cree yelled at her. “You look like a gods-be-damned trout flopping on the bank of a dry stream!"
"Stop scaring her,” Kahmal told him. “If it wasn't for her, you wouldn't have gotten the Triso!"
"I don't need this!” the Reaper bellowed and turned to stomp off, his new boots too large for his feet and clomping against the floor.
It was Sern who was the first to laugh. She had read things in the Reaper's mind that set her sides to splitting with laughter. Beside her, Ceatie was grinning as though he
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