The August 5 Read Online Free Page A
Author: Jenna Helland
nose, but heâd never been in a real fight. And Tommy had never thrown a punch in his life.
âCome on!â Bern said, and the boys whirled around and ran back up Millerâs Road. With a rush of adrenaline, Bern easily outpaced his shorter brother. Frightened and disoriented, Tommy couldnât make his wobbly legs move very fast. His breath was ragged in his chest as he scrambled toward the top of the ridge.
âWait!â Tommy shouted, stumbling over a rock, but Bern disappeared from sight. After a momentâs panic that Bern had left him alone, Tommy realized it would be easier to lose his pursuers in the forest so he ducked into the trees along the side of the road. In his haste to get out of sight from the road, he barreled straight through the middle of a blackberry thicket. Thorns tore at his clothes and scratched his face and when he stumbled out the other side, he found himself under old-growth trees that offered little cover. Spinning wildly, he expected to see the two cottagers, but there was no sight of them.
Tommy tried to collect his thoughts. He couldnât take Millerâs Road because the cottagers might be waiting for him, but he could head down the forested slope to the flatlands. No matter where he ended up, heâd be able to see Shore Manor, which was built on a tablet of rock jutting above the flatlands, the beach, and the ocean. It seemed like a good plan, but Tommy struggled to traverse the steep, rocky slope as the undergrowth grew thicker. He could hear something thrashing behind him and kept expecting cottagers to come barreling at him with knives.
He scrambled over a mossy boulder and dropped on the other side. Unexpectedly, he found himself in a sheltered grove surrounded by a dense ring of towering oak trees. At first, he thought there was a black rock in the shadows on the far edge of the grove, but with an unpleasant jolt, Tommy realized that someone was kneeling on the jade-green grass. The person was gasping for breath, and Tommy wondered if theyâd been chased from Port Kenney into the forest like he had.
Stepping closer, he saw that it was a young woman, probably about his age, with long copper hair and green eyes. The skin on her throat was red and angry, as if it had been scorched. She clutched at her side, where blood stained her lavender dress. Their eyes met, and she snarled at him like a frightened animal. The girl was a cottager. He could tell by the embroidered yoke on her dress, a style that was common among cottager girls. Mrs. Trueblood sewed dresses in that style for her nieces.
âGet away from me,â she said, even though he hadnât moved any farther in her direction. She tried to crawl into the woods, but instead she crumpled and passed out on the forest floor.
Tommy wanted to help her, but sheâd told him to stay away, so he remained as still as a statue. The wind rustled the leaves, but he couldnât hear anything that sounded like the cottagers who were chasing himâno shouts, no crashing in the undergrowthâonly the croaking of frogs announcing the approaching storm. After a few hesitant steps, he crouched down and studied the girl. She was breathing rapidly, which worried him. Heâd seen wounded animals take short shallow breaths that didnât seem to fill the lungs at all. He couldnât leave her here, breathing like a dying animal. But what if sheâd been in Port Kenney? What if sheâd been involved somehow?
His fatherâs words rang in his ears. The cottagers are thieves and liars. They donât believe in decency or honor . In the distance, a rover rumbled along Millerâs Road. The Zunft soldiers might have acquired a rover to search the forest for the rebels. If he helped the girl in the lavender dress, he might get caught. Tommy gazed at the sky, as if the darkening storm clouds would tell him what to do. Lose a hundred honor points for leaving an injured girl in the woods? He
âCome on!â Bern said, and the boys whirled around and ran back up Millerâs Road. With a rush of adrenaline, Bern easily outpaced his shorter brother. Frightened and disoriented, Tommy couldnât make his wobbly legs move very fast. His breath was ragged in his chest as he scrambled toward the top of the ridge.
âWait!â Tommy shouted, stumbling over a rock, but Bern disappeared from sight. After a momentâs panic that Bern had left him alone, Tommy realized it would be easier to lose his pursuers in the forest so he ducked into the trees along the side of the road. In his haste to get out of sight from the road, he barreled straight through the middle of a blackberry thicket. Thorns tore at his clothes and scratched his face and when he stumbled out the other side, he found himself under old-growth trees that offered little cover. Spinning wildly, he expected to see the two cottagers, but there was no sight of them.
Tommy tried to collect his thoughts. He couldnât take Millerâs Road because the cottagers might be waiting for him, but he could head down the forested slope to the flatlands. No matter where he ended up, heâd be able to see Shore Manor, which was built on a tablet of rock jutting above the flatlands, the beach, and the ocean. It seemed like a good plan, but Tommy struggled to traverse the steep, rocky slope as the undergrowth grew thicker. He could hear something thrashing behind him and kept expecting cottagers to come barreling at him with knives.
He scrambled over a mossy boulder and dropped on the other side. Unexpectedly, he found himself in a sheltered grove surrounded by a dense ring of towering oak trees. At first, he thought there was a black rock in the shadows on the far edge of the grove, but with an unpleasant jolt, Tommy realized that someone was kneeling on the jade-green grass. The person was gasping for breath, and Tommy wondered if theyâd been chased from Port Kenney into the forest like he had.
Stepping closer, he saw that it was a young woman, probably about his age, with long copper hair and green eyes. The skin on her throat was red and angry, as if it had been scorched. She clutched at her side, where blood stained her lavender dress. Their eyes met, and she snarled at him like a frightened animal. The girl was a cottager. He could tell by the embroidered yoke on her dress, a style that was common among cottager girls. Mrs. Trueblood sewed dresses in that style for her nieces.
âGet away from me,â she said, even though he hadnât moved any farther in her direction. She tried to crawl into the woods, but instead she crumpled and passed out on the forest floor.
Tommy wanted to help her, but sheâd told him to stay away, so he remained as still as a statue. The wind rustled the leaves, but he couldnât hear anything that sounded like the cottagers who were chasing himâno shouts, no crashing in the undergrowthâonly the croaking of frogs announcing the approaching storm. After a few hesitant steps, he crouched down and studied the girl. She was breathing rapidly, which worried him. Heâd seen wounded animals take short shallow breaths that didnât seem to fill the lungs at all. He couldnât leave her here, breathing like a dying animal. But what if sheâd been in Port Kenney? What if sheâd been involved somehow?
His fatherâs words rang in his ears. The cottagers are thieves and liars. They donât believe in decency or honor . In the distance, a rover rumbled along Millerâs Road. The Zunft soldiers might have acquired a rover to search the forest for the rebels. If he helped the girl in the lavender dress, he might get caught. Tommy gazed at the sky, as if the darkening storm clouds would tell him what to do. Lose a hundred honor points for leaving an injured girl in the woods? He
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