Elevation of the Marked (The Marked Series Book 2) Read Online Free Page B

gave way and he landed on the cool marble. Arlow squatted at his side, feeling, of all things, concerned. Blight the man .
    “You look like death, brother.”  
    A hand came to rest on Yarrow’s shoulder. He looked up and met Arlow’s eye for the first time. “Why?” he asked, in a small, weary voice.
    Arlow’s brows drew down; his misery resounded in Yarrow’s head. “If we could just sit down and talk, I’m sure I could explain.”  
    Yarrow shook his head and let it bow forward. “Adearre is dead. And I…” he trailed off, not knowing how to articulate his own loss. “There is no explanation that could suffice.”  
    Yarrow lifted his head in time to see the flash of a blade appear at Arlow’s neck. His old friend’s eyes widened but he remained otherwise still. “Bray, dear, how nice to see you again,” he drawled.
    Blood splattered Bray’s face like extra freckles.  
    “I have a few questions,” she said, and twisted the knife so it pinched closer to Arlow’s jugular. “Answer them and maybe I won’t kill you.”
    Arlow paled. Yarrow couldn’t blame him.
    “Is Peer alive?” she asked, betraying no emotion.  
    In the moment that followed, dread rushed through Yarrow’s chest. If Arlow answered in the negative, Bray would undoubtedly kill him without hesitation. Despite his anger, the idea of a world without Arlow grieved him.
    “Yes, he lives,” Arlow said. “And he will continue to do so. Quade has a use for him.”
    Relief eased some of the tension in Yarrow’s gut. Thank the Spirits for that, at least.
    “Where is he?” Bray asked. “At Easterly Point still?”
    A bead of sweat ran down Arlow’s temple. “I’m not sure. He was, but I know Quade intended to move him.”  
    “Where?” Bray asked, the word sounding like a hiss.
    “Here,” Arlow said. “To Accord. He could be en route as we speak, but I do not know.”  
    Yarrow glanced over Bray’s shoulder, to where Ko-Jin and the prince were trying to pry the queen from her husband’s corpse.He cleared his throat. “Bray, we need to get them to safety before more guards arrive.”
    Bray turned the knife and blood blossomed on Arlow’s neck. “Are more coming?”
    Arlow grimaced. “Undoubtedly. The whole guard is Quade’s.”  
    Bray turned to Yarrow and her eyes softened. “Are you alright?”
    “I’ll manage.” He pushed himself back to his feet, but swayed on the spot.
    “We should kill him, you know,” Bray said, almost off-handedly, jerking her head towards her captive.
    Arlow’s dark eyes shot up to Yarrow’s in appeal.
    “I know we should,” Yarrow said with a sigh, “but I just…can’t.”  
    Bray shrugged. “I thought you’d say that.” She withdrew the knife and wrapped her arm around Arlow’s neck, pulled on her hand to constrict the blood flow to his head. Arlow lifted hands to tug pointlessly at her forearm, but in seconds he collapsed.  
    Yarrow’s eyes flitted to where Vendra’s form sprawled on the stair. Bray followed his gaze.
    “Is she…?”  
    “No,” Bray said, her tone laced with venom. “I want to question her. Besides, we might be able to trade.”
    Yarrow tried to feel relieved that she lived, for Dedrre’s sake at least, but could not.
    They left Arlow where he lay and jogged, in Yarrow’s case with huffing breath and stiff legs, to the throne.
    Ko-Jin crouched beside the queen, inspecting the bolt stuck through her right calf. The queen herself seemed unaware of his attention; she stared at a smear of blood with vacant eyes.
    “This is easily treatable,” Ko-Jin said at last. “But we need to get out of here.”  
    “No,” the prince said, assuming a posture of authority. “We must find my sister first. If they haven’t already…”  
    “Where?” Bray asked.  
    The young man knelt by his mother and put a hand on her shoulder. “Mother? Mother, do you know where Chae-Na is?”  
    She didn’t respond, still gazing absently. The prince shook her.