Odnośniki
|
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Graaaate. Arcana are superhuman should our lessons be merely human in intensity? Or even
humane for that matter? Those Bagmen had been washed away with those victims, buried alive among
them for weeks, perhaps months. They chose to rise today because they finally had motivation. They
tapped into the depths of their blood-thirsty natures for more strength. In battle, the Empress should do no
less.
She can t do that if she s dead, no.
I m right here, I cried. Right here. If you two are going to fight, then do it over something other
than me. I folded up the remains of the bar, stowing it and the canteen. Dinner had officially concluded.
Aric raised his brows. Aside from you, I have no quarrel with the mortal. He s an uncouth drunkard
who slaughters the English language every time he attempts it, but I probably wouldn t kill him just for
that.
You keep talking about slaying me, Reaper. Let s go outside and see if you can.
My impatience boiled over. Just stop it both of you! Get your heads in the game. We re out here to
save someone s life.
After a hesitation, Jack returned his attention to his bow, Aric to his sword.
I asked Aric, Can you call to Selena without the Lovers hearing?
Of course.
Will you tell her we re coming for her? And ask her for any information that can help us?
What makes you think she ll respond to Death? Graaaate. But for you, I ll try because it seems I
can deny you nothing. He paused, his gaze going distant for long moments. She s ignoring me, letting my
words drift over her thoughts. A feat not easily done. Someone taught her a great deal about focus.
That extensive Archer training. Looking from Aric to Jack, I asked, What s our plan?
I m curious as well. Aric turned to Jack. How far are you willing to risk the Empress in this
endeavor?
If not for coo-yôn s prediction, she d still be back at the outpost.
I shook my head. I need to help. Jack, the Lovers want revenge against me. I was in an alliance with
them in the last game, but I betrayed them. Horribly. Their line chronicles, so they know every detail.
Why didn t you tell me?
I didn t know until they said something.
He jerked his chin at Aric. I bet he knew that history. Guess he couldn t find time in three months to
warn you about a pair of psycho killers who re out for your blood.
I had wondered the same.
Graaaate. After she earned my trust, I had only scant hours with her because of your foolhardy
capture. And actually that insults the Fool.
I rubbed my temples. Can we just talk about the plan, please?
Jack cast a last scowl at Aric, then shifted his attention to me. I m meeting some dissenters from Azey
North tomorrow on the road. I ll work with whatever I learn, see if I can trust them. At worst, they can
give me intel on Selena. At best, they ll help me take the twins and the general off guard. I ll kill those
three, free Selena, and seize command.
Aric raised his sword, eyeing the edge. So our plan rests on how well the mortal can read his co-
conspirators trustworthiness?
You got a better idea, Reaper? I m all ears.
You assume the source twins and the Archer will be in Dolor?
Ouais. Until I hear different. It s the only waypoint I got.
I asked, If anything goes wrong, will the Lovers retaliate against Selena? Or if they find out another
Arcana is riding with me?
Empress, they re already torturing her.
I flinched and thought Jack had too. No doubt reliving his own torment, the ordeal he would never tell
me about. Will they kill her?
Aric shook his head. Not for a while. She s the most valuable thing they possess. Consider the lengths
they went to in order to acquire her. If they were going to murder her outright, it would already be done.
Death had gone to lengths to acquire and keep me. He d had a suite prepared in his apocalypse-
proof castle. I could understand how Aric had accrued so much power through the ages, to prepare for
and weather the end of the world.
But how had the Milovnícis gotten the upper hand over everyone? How did the general amass an
army?
He owned a private security firm in Virginia, Jack said, with a mini-army of mercenaries the kind
of paramilitary that rescued kidnapped CEOs and stuff. The Milovnícis and those mercs must ve holed up
during the Flash. Afterward, his men overran smaller militias in the Southeast, one after another. He built
the Azey like a snowball.
A bloody, murderous snowball
Suddenly both Jack and Aric tensed. Outside, Thanatos gave a low nicker.
What is it? I asked.
Aric rose with that lethal grace. I m going to stand watch.
Jack was on his feet as well. If there s something out there, I m ready to fight.
The day I need your help . . . Aric trailed off. I will never need your help, mortal. To me, he said,
Get some sleep. You can rest secure, siev.
What s that word mean? Jack demanded.
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pldoc.pisz.plpdf.pisz.plblacksoulman.xlx.pl
|
