AllFreeNovel
Share Us
At first glance, Rune thought he dreamt of Sadi, the Familiar King’s daughter. While their similarities were uncanny, they also possessed glaring differences. His night breeze had wings, while Sadi did not.
The twinge he’d felt in his chest earlier in the night eased as he gazed at the woman sleeping beside him. Her presence comforted him. Easing down, Rune lied on his side, watching her.
She blinked after a few moments, gazing back at him. “Hi.”
He’d never seen eyes like hers. Midnight streaked with gold, framed by thick black lashes. Her high cheekbones tapered to her narrow chin.
“Evening.”
Her full dark lips turned up in a lazy smile as her sharp nails grazed over his side. She was gentle, careful not to break his skin, but her nails felt more like claws.
She scooted closer to him, ducking her head under his chin and muttered, “You smell nice.”
Rune didn’t have time to ponder her words as she curled up to him. Her lips pressed to the base of his throat, and Rune froze. He spoke several languages but couldn’t think of a single word.
She began to fade along with his surroundings, dissipating to reveal the gray stone walls of his room. Rune sat up to find himself in his room. Rested from a night’s sleep.
Alone.
Chapter three
"Getup.”
Faye jerked awake, remembering where they were. Her hand rested on the pillow near her face, the soul shard crystal clear and lifeless. She hid her hand under the covers, sitting up as she tensed. She should have insisted Sparrow recharge the ring last night, but she hadn’t expected the healer to barge into the room without warning.
A woman with an annoyed expression leaned in the doorway. Faye slowed her breathing, doing her best to act natural. She smiled at the woman, hoping they’d gotten lucky, and her empty soul shard went unnoticed. That the healer’s expression was due to a long shift nearing its end.
The woman didn’t return Faye’s smile as she dried her hands on a towel. The swirling mist around her day-blood shard shimmered with her movements. “Get dressed and leave. We don’t treat Anarians.”
Faye’s smile fell. She heard a variation of this statement countless times since her ritual failed. Time did nothing to dull the simmering rage that lived in her. She hated the social hierarchy that weighed a person’s worth solely by the shard they carried. But this was the world they lived in, and Faye held no power.
Sparrow sprawled on the chair’s seat cushion, still in cat form. She slowly blinked at the woman, regarding her upside down. Rolling to her feet, Sparrow stretched her back before leaping to the floor. A brilliant light consumed her form, reshaping as she rose a woman.
Sparrow took a threatening step toward the healer, the dark mist surrounding her soul shard gleaming with her emotions. “Check her eyes.”
Faye got to her feet, thumping Sparrow in the back. “It’s okay.” To the healer, Faye inclined her head. “Thank you for taking me in last night.”
The healer nervously looked between the two of them. Her gaze stopped on Sparrow. “You parading your pet as a dark-blood will be reported.”
Sparrow closed the distance between herself and the healer. “I’m about to parade my foot in your ass.”
The healer stared at Sparrow, eyes wide. Flinching when Sparrow stomped her foot, leaning toward her sharply. “Say something day-blood.”
“Sparrow! You’re just as bad as she is.” Faye grabbed her arm, pulling her away from the healer. Her sister typically ignored a person’s shards, a trait Faye once considered normal, believing it extended to the rest of the dark-bloods. Sparrow only leaned into the caste separation when Faye was mistreated, too eager toreturn their energy, as she put it.
“I’ll leave, thank you.” She glanced at the healer, then at the door, silently begging the woman to go.
Sparrow opened her mouth wide, hissing at the woman. The healer ran, her footsteps echoing down the hall.
Faye shoved Sparrow away from her, slapping her on the shoulder. “You need to calm down. I shouldn’t be here.” She shook her head, taking off the fake soul shard ring and slipping it into her pocket.
“Sit down before I beat your ass. I need to check your eyes.”
Faye gathered her boots, pulling them on as she hopped on one foot. “I feel fine. Let’s just go.”
The last thing she needed was the healer returning with a dark-blood guard. Sparrow was too mouthy for her own good. They would end up before the court that ruled this city. And while Sparrow was a strong dark-blood, she wasn’t trained. Wouldn’t stand a chance against so many of them.
Faye didn’t understand the court’s internal workings or what would happen if they were arrested and taken before the court to answer to the city’s queen. But she had the feeling Sparrow claiming her as a pet would explain why the two were in Necromia. However, it wouldn’t excuse them from threatening a healer and offering a fake court name for billing. Not to mention Faye’s false soul shard.
