Deadly Dance: A Daath Short Story (The Daath Chronicles) Read Online Free Page B

trembling, but the dark haired one had a fire in her eyes as if she knew we would kill her, but she wouldn’t be afraid about it. That’s why I chose her.”
    “Do you feel any remorse when you kill someone and take their spirit?”
    “We don’t syphon often. Too many auras in one body cause confusion in the mind.”
    “You didn’t answer the question.”
    “Don’t sit there and judge me. You wear that Creator emblem, yet if your world was dying, you would kill just like me to save your family.”
    “Your world is dying?”
    “Yes. Our only hope of surviving is to migrate to yours.”
    Behind the cruel temper and vicious bite, I sensed an almost human quality. She was just a girl thrown into an impossible situation.
    “Why sneak in?” I asked. “The King is a good man.”
    “Ha! It would be war.”
    “We’re already at war.”
    “Yes. Now we are.”
    As the silence stretched between us, I wondered what her world was like. I took an apple out of the bag and sliced it in half. “Tell me about your home.”
    I handed a half of it to her. Her gaze lingered on the fruit before she took it.
    “We have two suns, like you. The smaller, Quay, is fading. Since the black spots appeared, storms began sweeping our lands, acidic rains that kill wildlife. We had to create domes around our cities. My city is covered in a red crystal that shines brighter than your deepest ruby.”
    “Do you miss being there?”
    “No.”
    Not the answer I expected.
    “Women are only as strong as the men they stand beside. We could never rule, but here? Here is different.”
    I nodded. “Lady Urima rules the twelfth land.”
    “Yes.” She smiled. “I’m tired of being under my brother’s will, forced to obey.”
    “Then why are you looking for him?”
    She yawned. “I need to patrol the grounds before I sleep. If my brother is truly helping Jeslyn search, they’ll be here.”
    “Don’t avoid the question.”
    “I’m not, but I won’t answer it tonight.” She stood and swept out of the tent like a black wind.

    “Derrick.”
    I rubbed my eyes. Dawn broke over the grounds. Lucy sat next to me, her legs crossed as if she’d been here awhile.
    “Find them?” I wiped the dust out of my eyes and stretched.
    “No, but I found Harold. Four guards watch him. I followed one of the night guards back to his tent.”
    “Good. We’ll go question him.”
    She stood.
    “You should sleep,” I said.
    “I don’t need to.”
    “Fine.”
    We had to find Harold quickly. If Nomad’s advisor found out why we were really here, we would be in the very definition of hot water.
    A guard headed toward our tent, and I shoved Lucy around back. She led us past tent after tent before stopping at one. I listened against the hide. Silence.
    Lucy stood watch while I went inside.
    The guard had his back to me, washing his face in a bowl. I swung my sword and whacked him in the back of the head with the hilt.
    Lucy came in. “Your method of questioning is quick, I’ll give you that.”
    I frowned at her. “Find something to tie him up.”
    The tent was empty except a small cot and a bag. “Here.” Lucy handed me a shirt. “Best I could find in this hole.”
    I tied the guard’s hands behind him as Lucy took the bowl of water and dumped it on his head. He woke up, shaking off the droplets.
    “Good morning,” I said.
    He huffed and moved his arms, trying to break out of the knot. “Who are you?”
    “No one you need to worry about.”
    The guard spat near my feet.
    “Isn’t he pleasant?” Lucy put a hand on her hip and glared at the sneering man. “He’ll talk.” She bent so they were eye to eye. “Tell me about who you’re guarding and why.” Her voice sang, and the guard’s eyes glazed over.
    “A jeweler from Luna Harbor. Nomad King sent mercenaries to bring him here.”
    “Why would the Nomad King want a jeweler?” I asked.
    The guard’s face twisted in confusion, and he gritted his teeth.
    “I believe he asked you a