Angel Arias by Marianne de Pierres

Author:Marianne de Pierres
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Random House Australia
Published: 2011-09-28T05:00:00+00:00

Exhausted from her walk across the city, Naif slept despite the hutch being cramped and stuffy. Her dreams were disturbed; Markes lying in a coffin, and conversations with dead Toola. But worst was her nightmare about Emilia; a creature with strong, oily fingers reaching from under the girl’s bed and grasping her throat the way the Night Creature had taken Krista-belle. Naif woke from that one with a start, her chest heaving and tears on her face.

Krista-belle. I’m sorry.

She uncurled a little and rolled over. The space was not quite big enough for her to straighten out so she sat up keeping her head bent, and stretched her cramping legs. The darkness seemed a little less, suggesting morning was close.

Even though some of her energy had returned, her head was thick, as though she was about to become ill. Wriggling into a more comfortable position, she lay down again and thought about the last few days.

It had been a terrible risk to come back to Grave and yet her compulsion to do so, to find the truth, remained unshakeable. But Markes was now in the hands of the wardens and it was her fault. She’d wanted him – urged him – to come with her.

What would they do to him? What would he tell them?

She must find a way to free him. But what if they’d already administered an obedience strip to him? He hadn’t practised with pain like she had. He wouldn’t be able to withstand it. And there was only one day left before Ruzalia returned,

A noise in the room made her stiffen and then she heard Emilia’s voice.

Cracking open the door to the hutch she peered out.

Emilia was holding a candle and tugging at Jarrold, who lay rolled in a ball under a sheet, snoring.

‘Emilia?’ she called softly.

The girl put her finger to her mouth and continued to shake Jarrold awake.

He took a few moments to rouse from his deep sleep. ‘Wha–’

‘Sssh. The meeting is late today in a place called Oracion. That’s all I could find out.’

‘Where’s that?’ asked Jarrold, rubbing his face.

‘I don’t know but the wardens will search for Naif again soon – at dawn. You’d best take her now.’

Jarrold sat up and rubbed his face, then he looked at his sister.

‘Is Markes in the Holding House?’ asked Naif.

She nodded. ‘The wardens will hurt him to find out what you are doing here. I have to go. Father’ll be waking soon.’

Naif noticed the dark rings under her eyes and the tense set of her mouth.

‘Thank you, Emilia,’ she said.

‘I’ll look for you at the markets.’

Jarrold climbed out of bed and wrapped his sister in a bear hug. ‘Thanks, Em.’

She sagged against him a little, then pulled away and handed him a key. ‘Go through the workshop.’

Jarold took it from her and nodded.

As she slipped out of the room, he scrubbed his face again and went across to his drawers to pull out some clothes. While he changed, Naif kept her back turned, collecting the blankets and pillow from the coal hutch and returning them to his bed.

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