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Chapter 253
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The Birthright Series Chapter 254
STANDING STILL, ALEK WATCHED PHROMA land before him and Gredel slid down.'Alek!' The strawberry blond man's face almost split with a beaming smile and he strode over, enveloping Alek in a bear hug. 'I thought we must have lost you this time! Damn good to see you, friend.'Alek hugged him back feeling an odd mix of emotions but at the very least, joy, for seeing his friend alive and well. When they separated Gredel spotted the body and made a gruff noise in the back of his throat before making the old motion of grief, head bowed and right hand curved, palm up to the sky, wishing the soul a prosperous new life when reborn. Alek showed the necklace while they walked to the group and the two talked about the trip to Benhyll, Phroma making the occasional interjection via Gredel. After ridding Phroma of her armour and fastening Cat well to the saddle, they all set into the air.Within an hour they landed again, discovering Sabyn and Tomiar making their way on foot down the side of the va
The Birthright Series Chapter 255
THE PATTERING OF RAIN ON Loushka's wing lightened and Cat whimpered. In the dark Alek rolled onto his side, leaning over her and brushed a hand gently across her forehead and hair. Any sound she made wrenched him out of sleep, no matter how deep, and exhaustion combined with worry kept trying to drag him back down. He could feel she still burned hot and he tried again, letting his gold energy smooth over her while gently stroking her hair.'Kitten, love, can you hear me?'She made no obvious response, just the restless smacking of lips and he reached for the damp rag, keeping his energy bright enough to see to wet her lips. She murmured at the touch of the cloth, her closed eyes twitching.He kept dreaming of when she found him in the dark; the joy and terror at seeing her there. The weeks of torture, of being Jenviet's plaything while she experimented with various ways to extract his energy, it all seemed worth it when Cat arrived. He could hear her voice broken with tears and that
The Birthright Series Chapter 256
SIAN STARED IN CONFUSION AT Cat, who glowed. The colour wasn't like Cat's normal red, but a dark shade with hints of red and it didn't trigger Sian's energy like it should. Cat's eyes snapped open and Sian leaned forward with Alek then felt her mouth go dry. Cat's eyes rolled back, only the whites showing, and a vicious smile spread over her lips. Alek reacted in an instant, grabbing Sian by the waist and heaving her back out of the way when a black energy pulse snapped out. She hit the ground hard and heard a strangely familiar cackle.Boots pounded past her head and Sian coughed, spitting out the dirt in her mouth. She sat up shaking her head and blinked rapidly, trying to get rid of the rubbish in her eyes as she looked for Cat. Her eyes watered profusely but she made out Sabyn leaning over Alek, shaking him and calling his name. Kassie stood near Cat, shielding her.And the sounds!Awful sadistic laughter and shrieks bubbled out from Cat's mouth, her body jerking while more of t
The Birthright Series Chapter 257
THE CATERWAULING SHRIEK SCRAPING THE insides of her skull vanished and Kassie sat up, swaying at the sudden silence and looked at Alek embracing Cat. The dark-haired man's energy started to resonate in gold waves, his outline shimmering and before Kassie could blink a shockwave exploded out from the couple, flinging her over the rough ground. Her head connected with something solid and it all went black.Sometime later Kassie woke.Both her body and head rang with pain and she blinked, wincing at the sensation. Both eyelids felt like they'd been sandpapered on the inside. The action of blinking sounded shockingly loud against the thumping of her head and her stomach lurched. Twisting to the side she retched, throwing up the contents of her stomach, then tipped onto her back with a moan, closing both eyes again. Being sick didn't improve the pain in her head and she cried out quietly when the thumping increased, her skull feeling like it might separate.Reaching within, Kassie discov
The Birthright Series Chapter 258
THE SMELL OF SALT ON the air confused me and I blinked, eyes blurry and sleep clogged, while my mind refused to tell me what the hell was going on. The low wooden ceiling I stared at looked familiar but I couldn't quite place it, yet. Then the room swayed and I gasped, throwing my arms out for a hold on anything. Sheer panic hit when my brain registered it. I sat abruptly and cracked my head on the top of the berth bed. 'OW!'The panic subsided to some extent with the ringing of my head and I stumbled out of bed before freezing when the room tilted again.The same room.Everythingexactlythesame.Oh god, no, no please no, my gut clenched in horror when my scrambled brain seized on the idea that I'd dreamt it all. The door creaked open and I gasped a sob, eyes filling with tears while I stared miserably at Ignatius.'Love?'I gulped in shock and frantically blinked the tears away, barely daring to breathe. Alek's navy eyes watched me, a warm smile spreading on his gorgeous face.
The Birthright Series Chapter 259
AFTER HAVING HER SO OUT of it for the trip back to the ships, it felt fantastic to see Cat really awake. Alek held her hand high while helping her up the stairs but before she could step out onto the deck, jerked her back so her chest hit his.'Behave yourself,' he growled in mock anger and with a quick glance over her shoulder to check the others weren't within view, scooped her up so to kiss her firmly. She flushed, nearly sparking with annoyance and frustration when he set her down and smacked at him.'Damn you,' she grumbled and he grinned, squeezing her ass.'Payback.'The voices of the others caught her attention and her small hand found his. Alek lifted it to his lips, touched to see the glimmer of tears at the gesture.'No, kitten,' he said softly. 'No tears now. We've won. It's all done.'They walked out onto the deck, fingers entwined and rounded the corner to the open area of the main deck. Loushka, sprawled in the evening sun with Kerak, and Phroma, lifted her head an
The Birthright Series Chapter 260
LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT MADE me uncomfortable as Alek casually arranged the meal. Mainly because I knew that's what we sailed back toa life with servants and massive responsibilities.And no Yakov, I thought, feeling a weird mix of grief and betrayal. He'd been such a fantastic advisor, so genuineor so it seemed. Yet he'd been personally responsible for my parents' deaths, directly aiding Jenviet. I wonder what Al will tell Elena? I almost shuddered. What an awkward thought and there appeared such a genuine attraction too, on Elena's side at least.I pushed the thoughts away when the smell of food reached us, my stomach rumbling in approval. The cooks brought out a range of dishes, all simple but it looked like far too much for our small group. Still, it surprised me, how much I managed to eat.'I'm looking forward to red meat,' I commented while working my way through another fish dish.Alek shrugged and winked at me. 'I'm just enjoying food.'It wasn't said with anything other t
The Birthright Series Chapter 261, Prologue
Book Four: AwakeningIT STARTED WITH A SOUND. Asleep in bed, Elena thrashed as the sound grew, a mounting pressure against the inside of her skull. Her eyes snapped open, unseeing, as an image of a face angular, pale and feminine filled her mind. The image screamed for mercy, voice pitching higher and higher. Hands curled claw-like Elena's breath came short and fast at the pain. With a muffled 'pop' the sound and sensations evaporated. Elena woke gasping for breath and lurched upright. Her chest convulsed as she choked on the sudden intake of air. The thin nightgown she wore stuck to her clammy skin with sweat running beneath the long plait down her back. Tears squeezed out while she fought against coughing as her head rang in pain with each harsh hack. Finally, she caught her breath and leaned back against the headboard with a shuddering sigh of relief. Across the room, the mirror on her dresser began to glow.'Ellie!' Verani's voice sounded hoarse.'Wait,' Elena called out in a
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Paiga gasped and Mila stiffened. A glimmer of annoyance flashed in Mama's eyes before she reached for Luca.'Yes, they have. But we won't. We're tied together. We will go in together and come out. You have to trust in us Luca. We need your energy too, please keep the right thoughts in your mind.'Luca swallowed, throat convulsing. He nodded. 'Yes, Aunty Dan'iss.''Listen up everyone!'Uncle Harlon's shout made Mila jolt.'Hush, Mila,' Papa joggled her in the sling. 'You're going to be fine, I'm right here.' He wrapped his arms around her. Heart pounding with nerves, Mila pressed her cheek to Papa's chest, listening as Uncle Harlon gave the instructions.A glimmer of eyes appeared by Papa and a moment later she felt the brief touch of Ery's hand to her head.'Bye Ery,' she whispered. The air within the cave started to hum with energy, all the adults calling theirs up. It made the space warm and comforting. Mila started to doze off.'Hold on,' Uncle Harlon called out. 'Here we
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The conversation seemed easy after that.Ery showed the girls' how to swallow the worms whole. Mila screwed her nose up, grabbing her arms and shaking her head. 'No, no, no!'Paiga tried it. With a grimace, both Mila and Ery watching close, she plucked a wriggling worm up then dropped it in her mouth. Her eyes squeezed shut as she gulped the worm down in one swallow.She opened her eyes and stared at Mila and Ery. 'It tasted good!''Really?''Yes, sweet.'Mila shook her head when Ery offered her the last one, motioning it to her. 'No, you have it.' The mushrooms were yum, and the sparks continued as you swallowed it. It was impressive on Ery with her fine almost translucent skin. Mila and Paiga gasped as the sparks flashed in her throat before another dim flash in her tummy. It made all three of them laugh, the two girls giggling away while Ery coughed her laughter.Next was the flesh and berries. Ery showed them how to peel a piece of flesh away from the main then mush the be
The Birthright Series Chapter 391
When the group came across a river, they stopped. After a careful taste test, dipping a crystal necklace in to check the quality, everyone was allowed to drink.Mila and Paiga wrinkled their noses at the odd smell. Like a cup of nellor left out for too long.'It won't hurt you, girls,' Papa said with a smile as he squatted to scoop water to his mouth. 'Drink up.'The two girls' sipped water from their cupped hands, giggling as it spilled out. The adults conversed as the two of them had fun flicking water at each other.An odd sound like a cough made Mila look up, Paiga too.Both girls gasped, stumbling back from the river.'Mila? What's wro-' Mama broke off as she looked up too.Uncle Harlon made a funning clicking noise.The strange looking person that clung to the ceiling with three others responded with clicks and whistles.Mama beckoned Mila and Paiga, and the two girls scampered to her side.'Mama, who are they?' Mila whispered, Paiga crowding close to hear the answer.
The Birthright Series Chapter 390
With that entertainment gone, Mila went back to focusing on her feet. Pull one knee high while keeping balance and drop it. Each step seemed to make her head go lower. But she kept going, with Mama and Papa pulling her along. Finally, after what felt like hours and hours, Uncle Gydon said they could stop.'Take your rest, I'll be waking you in an hour to keep guard,' he motioned an uncle. 'Then you take an hour watch and wake the next. You get five hours rest. Make the most of it.'Papa and Mama and several other adults had bags with clothing. It all got pulled out and spread around the group, trying to provide a little warmth and comfort. Mila curled up between her parents, her head against Papa's chest. It seemed so cold and strange she didn't think she could sleep.Then she closed her eyes.'Mila, lovey, wake up.'Mila stirred at Mama's voice and the gentle touch of her hand on her back. She sat up with a jaw-splitting yawn. Blinking, she peered around in confusion.'Mama, a
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The air smelled cold, and something else, something Mila found familiar but out of place.'Mama,' she whispered. 'What's that smell?''What smell, lovey?''It smells like,' Mila paused, considering. 'It smells like the kitchen, when cook has fresh rabbits.'Mama didn't say anything but she looked at Papa.'I smell it,' said another voice from within the circle.'Me too.''Carrion?''Perhaps. The scent will carry when the air is still.'Not understanding what "carrion" meant, but glad that the adults appeared to have solved the smell, Mila relaxed a little, nose wrinkling at the sharp edge of that scent.Minutes ticked by as they covered good ground.'We're close,' said the man leading them. A screech flashed past overhead, the group twisting, following the sound.A man shouted.Mila's head snapped in the direction of the shout, just in time to glimpse the man's boots vanishing as something, something with enormous black wings, snatched him up!Shrieks of terror rang out
The Birthright Series Chapter 388
Everyone moved. It surprised Mila how many people were here, but so many seemed to be missing too. Mama took her hand. On her other side was her younger cousin Paiga. Normally she annoyed Mila, with all the questions she asked, but the scared expression in her eyes reminded Mila of Addy. She offered her other hand to Paiga, who took it with a tentative smile.The group began to walk.Mila hadn't realized until now how tired she was. She stumbled over the riverbed the rocks stubbing her toes as she held Paiga and Mama's hands. It made tears run down her cheeks, but she didn't stop. On and on, picking her feet up, tripping, Mama's hand stopping her from falling. Paiga tripped and Mila managed to hold her arm high enough to stop her cousin from hitting the stones.'Thanks, Mila,' Paiga sounded like she felt. Ready to cry. So very tired.Around them the adults talked. Mila listened.'Where do we go?''The hidden caves. We can keep underground nearly all the way to the coast.''The
The Birthright Series Chapter 387
Papa's energy sparked in alarm then Mama's too. Mila twisted to stare back at the way the sounds came from and spotted a bobbing light. Torch light.Mama and Papa kept low and began to move again, almost crawling. Mila crunched up against Papa's back, squinting at first then kept her head down to avoid the lower branches.The sounds of those approaching grew. Papa moved faster, Mama right behind. They scooted up higher, scrambling, and tucked against cold stone. Not a moment later the torches bobbed past, following the track they'd been on.The bobbing lights moved closer then away, and closer again. The voices, questioning but too quiet to make out the words, sounded near.Crouched against the narrow stone ledge, Papa and Mama held hands. The soft touch of their energy surrounded all three of them.The bobbing lights came closer, close enough that Mila saw the faces of those who held them. Five DeNaga men, armed with swords, axes, and clubs.Mila shivered at the sight of the
The Birthright Series Chapter 386
Now the puzzle looked a third smaller than when she'd stared, but instead of one beginning point to work from there were three. She regarded the three pieces while chewing on the inside of her cheek. Two circular and one rectangle. The rectangle had a large circular opening, about the size of the smaller circle. Mila focused on the larger circle and turned it around, looking for the switch. It looked different to the previous circles she'd worked with, the markings running out from the centre like a starburst. One line caught her eye. With a finger Mila traced down it then jolted when something clicked. She froze. Heart pounding in her ears, she watched the circle break apart, opening at all the lines of the starburst. With another click it moved into motion, each piece folding down on itself and merging with the next. A moment later a tiny gold ball like had been in the first puzzle piece hung before her eyes.Excitement ran through Mila when she realized how the pieces went togeth
The Birthright Series Chapter 385
An array of squeals, bells, rattles and shrieks rang out. Face white Papa reached for them as something flashed out from amongst the lock trap, winding around his leg, wrenching him off his feet as it wound back in the blink of an eye.Mama gripped Mila tighter, her voice breaking on a note of despair, 'ZAYCK!'In the centre of the ceiling held by his ankles, hung Papa.Mama's energy holding Mila clutched even tighter as Mama set her on the ground then stood and reached out with both hands toward the lock, her energy glowing. Mila stared, waiting to see what happened.Mama stretched her energy out, probing gently.It touched the first puzzle piece. A clattering of chimes and screeches rang out, sparks flying.In the centre of the room, jerking like a fish caught on a line, Papa made an awful shriek.Mila dropped, hugging her knees to her forehead, stomach and mind sick from that sound.Papa was the bravest, strongest man in the world.He couldn't be caught, be hurting.Who wo
