Turning Pages (The Arbiter Book 1) by Brhi Stokes

Author:Brhi Stokes [Stokes, Brhi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pulp Grind Press
Published: 2018-03-08T22:00:00+00:00



I regretted the sensation of free fall in the pit of my stomach about halfway down the jump. This time, the transition was so strange, so heady and throbbing, that I barely noticed the closing of knife wounds across my chest. The wounds eased shut, but they left a sticky mess across my skin and garments. Pain lingered as I pushed myself to my feet in the dingy little alleyway and looked around. Not a soul.

Emerging out onto the cobbled streets, I saw that they too were relatively quiet. It was dark as always, especially with the oil lamps doused, but my eyes adjusted quickly to the dimness. From somewhere around me, a soft choral sound lifted to the air. It was so ill-fitting for the grimy, blood-stained alley I had just left, that I nearly laughed aloud. The singing quietened as I looked back at the alley, a mild discomfort settling on me as it did so. When I turned towards the cobbled street, the singing increased, as if someone had carefully eased up the volume. It occurred to me that the music was in my head.

It continued to increase as I ventured up the dark street; a pleasant sensation in my mind. It was also a stark contrast to the way my body felt. I ached and the frothy dress I wore made it difficult to move. It was unsurprising that the woman I inhabited had been unable to outrun her fate, I mused. Even hitching the skirts up above my leather boots did not make walking on the uneven streets any easier.

Knowing that I did not have the time to find clothes which were not covered in blood and grime, I kept an eye out for anything that might cover me. A nearby wagon held a few scraps of cloth and an old, torn scarf. Still moving, I wrapped it around my neck and chest until the blood stains were no longer as prominent. At least, as far as I could see in the dark.

A thunderous snarl had me flinching and reaching desperately for a weapon I did not have. Above me, the huge coal train thundered away from the walled castle. It hurtled off into the distance across the sprawling tiled roofs and dirty streets. For a second, I was back in front of it, standing on the tracks as the beast of a machine stormed towards me. I blinked hard as the sound began to recede, and I managed to pull myself back into the here and now. I drew in a deep breath as the rumbling finally faded completely before I followed the gentle music in my head.

The discomfort I had experienced in getting here worried me. This was my shortest wait between planes-hops, and I had to hope the pills back home were enough to keep my body and mind in one piece once I returned. If I had to negotiate with Natsuko, I would need to have my wits about me.

It was

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