Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 58365 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 292(@200wpm)___ 233(@250wpm)___ 195(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58365 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 292(@200wpm)___ 233(@250wpm)___ 195(@300wpm)
Ten paces from the stone path, she lay unable to move a single step further.
Under her body, the ground was mud, soggy with fresh water from the stream just out of reach. One sip, a mouthful of sweetness, she craved it more than life. But Morgaine could not move no matter how she strained.
Curled upon herself, the crackling agony traveled through bone and organs. Sobbing against the dirt, time lost all meaning—an eternity of fire in the center of the ugliest hell.
For hours she lay, fevered and ill, gnarled roots digging into her spine. Hours lost in pain.
And then the Alpha ships began to rise into the setting sun. One by one, dozens of vessels filled the sky and began to disappear beyond the atmosphere.
With them went the source of her torment.
Expanding her ribs in her first full breath since before the sun had risen, Morgaine twitched her fingers, then her toes—arms, legs, all movement slowly beginning to return. Damp with sour sweat, caked in drying mud, she crawled wild, unkempt, and exhausted toward the nearest source of comfort.
Trickling water was gulped by the mouthful. Hands and face rinsed clean of muck and crusted tears. There was nothing that could be done for her dress. Grass has stained it, sodden mud having smeared her mother’s fine embroidery.
Throat burning as if grated raw by sand, she told herself to get up.
Stomach sloshing, nauseated, Morgaine found her feet and let the tree at her back bear her weight until she might find the strength to walk home.
With a weak smile, she chanted a prayer for forgiveness.
The spirits did not listen.
Chapter 2
“Where have you been, Morgaine?”
“What?” Unbound hair ratted from a day thrashing in the mud, Morgaine shoved it off her sweating forehead. She darted her eyes from the dusty path to find her neighbor frowning mightily. “I was…”
Clucking, Hanna’s gaze lingered on the muddy dress hanging open at Morgaine’s bosom. “Cover your shift, you tramp. You didn’t even do up your laces after letting one of them tumble you in the grass. You’re no different than your—”
The coming slander wasn’t to be tolerated. Instant fury overshadowed any embarrassment, and Morgaine took a step toward the woman. “I would never let those pigs touch me!”
Hands to her hips, Hanna shook her head. “So you say, shameless girl. How many did you spread for trying to buy leniency for your mother?”
Ice went down her back, and all affront dissolved into stomach-gnawing anxiety. “What about my mother?”
“Elizabeta dared lie when you could not be found.”
“What lie? She didn’t know where I was.” Impatient for real answers, Morgaine made a grab for the plump goodwife’s arm. “Did they hurt her?”
“You should have accepted my boy when he offered for you!” Glaring down at the bit of exposed breast, she snorted. “You brought their anger on yourself with your trickery and sluttish ways.”
“What did they do to her?” The desperate question was shrieked loud enough to draw the eyes of those nearby. “Tell me now!”
It was easy for her neighbor to brush off Morgaine’s weak grip. Easier still for the old dame to taunt, “The rules apply to you as they apply to us all, you horrid girl. Go see for yourself what has been done. My Cassius was lucky to be free of you.”
Unsteady on her feet, Morgaine threw a frightened glace around for a hint.
The settlement was still in a state of uproar, baskets tossed about on the street after Alphas had laid claim to whatever valuable thing had been stored inside.
The muddy walks were littered with loose feathers, chickens and ducks having been snatched from their coops and carried off. Livestock ran wild after pens had been left open, the heartiest beasts gone to the Alphas’ ships.
Weeping, there was so much weeping.
The baker’s wife was beside herself, sobbing over one of her twins. It was obvious why: his mismatching towheaded brother was missing. Beside her, her husband’s eye swelled shut as he stood there, dumbstruck.
Crops had been ripped from beds, bits of furnishings thrown about as if selected, then discarded when something better caught an Alpha’s eye.
Two male bodies swung from the gallows in the square. Morgaine knew them both, one of the corpses dressed in red cloth she had woven herself.
Sick to her stomach at the sight, Morgaine stumbled forward and clawed her way through the building throng. There was little time to sort out who else was weeping for their loved ones, what had been taken, for even from a distance, Morgaine saw a crowd had formed outside her small home.
Neighbors stood in the dusty road, several trampling the garden beds, ruining heads of lettuce almost ready for consumption.
Something was very wrong.
Fist pressed to the stitch in her side, Morgaine broke into a graceless run, rudely shoving those aside who stood in her way.