Rise (Roam Series, Book Three) Read Online Free

as his tongue lapped at my neck. I turned my face away from him and gagged, choking and retching while vomit splashed against the sheets.
    Vaguely aware of his cursing, I watched as he stopped fumbling with his pants and lurched away from me. “Helena!”
    I gagge d again and turned over, now that his weight was off of me, and threw up on the floor. My face lay in the pool of my own bile. Helena hurried to me, her gentle hands on my bare shoulders. “Clean her up!” He bellowed, rushing from the chamber.
    “My queen…,”
    I broke into sobs, letting her help me to the bathroom as my legs refused to bend. Another maid entered, both of them working to bathe me while still others attended to the mess in the bed.
    “I have to run,” I turned to Helena, my tears mixing with the warm bathwater. “I would rather die,” holding her gaze, I pleaded with her silently.
    The wrinkles in her face drew lines of wisdom as she spoke. “Your life is valuable to many. Your body will heal,” she smoothed the sponge down my back, her brows pulling together at the bruises rapidly surfacing. “Do not anger him.”
    “Where is Logan?” I whispered as the other maid moved into the bedroom for a fresh gown.
    “He discovered his majesty’s intentions tonight. He has been detained in the jails below.”
    “Why?”
    “He tried to attack the king.”
    Oh, Logan… I folded my face into my hands. She touched my cheek tenderly with the tips of her fingers.
    “ He is alive. He was spared… for you.”
    “If you’re going to lec-ture me about how kind and gra-cious our king is, I’m going to thr-ow up again.” I sniffed, coughing, my shoulders rising and falling pathetically.
    She dried me and helped me into a fresh nightgown. Another maid brought a fabric bag of ice, and I held it to my cheek. I have to search for a weapon… my eyes drifted to the books the monster had deposited on the table. Walking to them, I pushed at them with my fingertips, and then opened to the first page.
    Icepond : A History … Biography of an Immortal King … The Rise and Fall of Icepond.
    Icepond … pronounced ‘Isa-pond,’ according to the phonetic breakdown in chapter one.
    Is this what this place is called ? I jerked away from the table, watching the door open slowly.
    Helena entered, carrying a teacup a nd saucer.
    “Thank you, ” I whispered, accepting the cup and sipping the honey tea. I welcomed the heat to my irritated throat. She nodded once, clasping her hands at her waist.
    After I’d finished most of the tea, she cleared her throat. “His majesty intends to cross tonight and punish you… with your sister.”
    “ No ,” I let the teacup slip from my fingers, and it shattered on the stone at my bare feet. “No, please ask him… please ask him to come to me,” I cried, swaying and gripping the back of the chair. I can convince him not to go… I have to.
    Helena nodded once, leaving the room. I waited, my cheek throbbing less as the room faded and became cloudy. The light, numb feeling before West arranged for my eye surgery resurfaced, and I stared at the teacup on the ground, sliding my leaden feet to the bed.
    Helena’s words moved slowly through my mind.
    I will try to protect you as much as I can.
    The door burst open as I lay back on the clean pillow, fighting to keep my eyelids from closing. Troy’s face went in and out of focus. “Please don’t… hurt my sister,” my words slowed, but whatever drug I had just ingested did not offer the instant unconsciousness that the Oxycodone had before. I was aware of my surroundings, the room, the lights…
    A nd Troy.
    “ Submit.”
    My breathing labored, and I pushed against his chest with what little strength I had. “I want to go home,” I moaned as he slid over me.
    “ You are home, ” he growled, his mouth at my neck.
     
    I am in the cottage at the shore.
    Elvis Presley’s smooth baritone fills the room, and West is holding me, whispering in my ear that he can’t help