Star Rising: Heartless Read Online Free Page A

orphanage and quickly went to work on making dinner, which consisted of a batch of spinach with flavorless white rice on the side. After that, they led the children in the cleaning of the sleeping dorms. Beds were made, the floor was swept, furniture was wiped clean, and dirty sheets were stacked in an uneven pile at the door.
    “Who wants to play some board games?” yelled Xalen.
    A chorus of cheers erupted.
    “Me!”
    “Yes!”
    “Can I go first?”
    “I’m going to win this time!”
    Xalen and Rund had the kids sit on the floor in five long rows, and then passed out a card to each child. Which in itself took a chunk of time. There were over one-hundred of them, after all.
    “Remember,” said Xalen. “I will call out a picture, and if you have it on your card, cover it. Whoever fills the card first, wins.”
    “What do you think you’re doing?” asked Agnes as she stepped into the dorm room. “You’re supposed to be cleaning, not playing.”
    “As you can see,” Xalen swept his hand, motioning around the room. “The cleaning has been done.”
    “Then start with the laundry,” said Agnes, drool spilling out of her enraged lips.
    “Tomorrow is laundry day, not today.” He eyed her with determination. She was not going to take away what little time for fun the children had. “Besides, you and I have an agreement, remember?”
    The frown on Agnes puffy face made it clear that she knew all too well what he was referring to. The headmistress knew that if she didn’t allow the children some time to relax and play, he would not help her around the orphanage, which meant she would need to hire actual qualified aides. This would cut into her profits.
    “Don’t be too loud!” screamed Agnes, her eyes twitching. She turned and stormed off. Like before, she mumbled curses as she went.
    The hour that followed passed quickly. In a wave of complaints, the children headed off to sleep.
    Xalen entered his small room and threw himself on the bed. With the smiles of the children etched on his mind, he drifted off to sleep.
     
    ΩΩΩ
     
    Xalen awoke the next morning before sunup. He headed out to collect the dirty laundry, as he had always done every third day of the week, but to his surprise, Agnes was in the hall, awaiting his arrival.
    Her tone was low. “Come with me, boy.”
    “Go where?” His interest was piqued.
    “My office.”
    “Your office?” asked Xalen, confusion in his voice. What was going on? In seventeen cycles Agnes had never once allowed him to see her office. “I have no time for that. The laundry—”
    “Forget the laundry,” she shot back. “Just follow.”
    Curiosity getting the best of him, he followed her without saying another word. They passed through dark halls, and up a series of stairs he’d never ascended before. They reached a short corridor, a half-open door awaited them at the end. Besides the soft thumps of their footsteps, they were completely enclosed in silence.
    Agnes pushed the door open, revealing a small room with an even smaller desk resting at the end. The scent of burnt wax clung to the air. Xalen coughed a few times, trying to force out the smoke that had travelled through his open mouth. A single, nearly burnt-out candle, served as the room’s only light source. A large figure stood at the front of the desk.
    As soon as Xalen stepped into the room, the silhouette turned to face him.
    The boy staggered back, not expecting the burn mark decorating the man’s head and face.
    “Hello, Xalen,” said the man. He smiled, and despite the imposing aura around the stranger, Xalen felt there was something familiar about him. “I’m Reave, and I’ve come to take you off Vintra.”
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter 2
     
    Reave was tall, with a muscular build, and looked to be in his mid-thirties. He wore a deep blue uniform from head to toe. Thick plates of black armor came over his shoulders. He had curly dark hair that covered his neck. A long sword was sheathed