Vengeance (The Dark Scions Book 1) by Anna Carven

Author:Anna Carven [Carven, Anna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-03-04T22:00:00+00:00

Fourteen

Amali

I open my eyes to early morning light and the sound of birdsong. Leaves rustle as I move around.

Where am I? Confused and disoriented, I rub my eyes.

Above me, the forest canopy is a tattered patchwork of autumn colors; russet, amber, and rich brown. The wind ruffles the trees, making them dance against the clear morning sky. Leaves fall from above. Spinning, floating, drifting, they mesmerize me with their slow, graceful descent.

Last night’s escape feels like a distant nightmare.

I sit up and look around. Kaim and the horse are gone.

In a mild panic, I leap to my feet. Has he deserted me?

I’m still wearing his black shirt. It falls just below the tops of my thighs. The ends of the sleeves engulf my hands. His scent is all around me, driving me a little crazy.

I pace back and forth, staring through the trees. There’s no sign of him at all.

Has he… abandoned me? But then why would he go to all the trouble of rescuing me in the first place?

No. He’s not the sort of person to do things impulsively and without reason.

I stretch my aching legs and walk down to the water’s edge, seeing the stream clearly for the first time. Clear water cascades over well worn grey stones and boulders. In the deeper areas, the water is tinged an alluring shade of blue.

I could run away.

I could follow the water’s edge to…

Where?

I bend down and cup water in my hands, splashing it over my face.

Whoa. The icy water is like a cold slap in the face. As I rise to my feet, a strange sensation prickles at the back of my neck. I turn and come face to face with…

Kaim.

“You’re here,” I blurt, relief washing over me. Strange. Why should I feel relieved that my captor has returned? I should prefer to be free.

But no-one is truly free in this cursed land.

Kaim stands in the small clearing, dark eyes raking over me. He’s still bare-chested, and his pale skin gleams in the morning light. Is that a hint of moisture… of sweat? But he was so cold last night. I didn’t think it was possible for him to be warm.

His pack is slung over one shoulder. His arms are folded, his biceps taut, his forearms sinewy and corded. My eyes are drawn to a certain detail I didn’t notice in the darkness last night.

There are black scales on his forearms.

No. I look closer. They’re actually drawings inked into his skin. I’ve seen this type of thing on the arms of the Midrian palace guards, but those designs were simple and crude. They’re nothing like the highly detailed markings on Kaim’s arms.

I’ve never seen anything like this in my life. They’re startling and intimidating and actually quite beautiful.

I look closer. The pattern around his forearms is dark and highly realized, but as it rises along his arms, it becomes indistinct; more of an outline than a completed work of art. Is it unfinished? What does it mean?

“Eat,” Kaim orders in his usual imperious tone, ignoring my curiosity.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.