All For One [Nuworld 3] by Lorie O'Claire Read Free Book Online Page A

toward Ana who hovered still a fair distance across the high plateau.
     
    He then turned to look at Tara and she saw the stone-cold anger that spread across
    his face. Every muscle was constricted and his eyes burned with fury.
     
    Suddenly, Tara feared for Ana’s safety. She didn’t want Darius left alone with their
    daughter out here where there was no one to stop him from unleashing that anger on
    their child.
     
    She opened her mouth to protest and he cut her off quickly. “She wishes to be a
    warrior. She’ll learn to follow orders and not take off as she pleases. Worse yet, to sneak
    off. She has no landlink. She drives blindly and foolishly.”
     
    “Darius,” Tara whispered. She wanted to remind him of their daughter’s Runner
    blood. She wanted to point out that Ana would be compelled to take off and explore
    more and more as the winters passed. Her behavior merited a reprimand but Darius
    couldn’t break their daughter’s spirit. She wouldn’t let him do that. She wanted to
    explain all that to him but his gaze upon her iced over. His ears closed themselves to
    any reasoning.
     
    “Take our party back to Bryton. Wait for me in the conference room.” His voice was
    no more than a vulgar growl. “Do as you are told.”
     
    Darius left their small party at incredible speed.
     
    Tara numbly gestured with her hand that the procession continue to Bryton. She
    cried inside for the punishment her daughter would receive at the hand of her papa.
    The last either of them knew their daughter had left for Taratown without permission
    or an escort. To see her now, returning from the north—the complete opposite direction
    of Taratown—proved not only that she was guilty of leaving home without permission
    but that she’d successfully deceived not only her parents but their security system as
    well.
     
    Tara was outraged by her daughter’s insubordinate behavior but part of her felt
    pride that her daughter truly craved an adventure. Ana would be a great warrior.
     
    * * * * *
    Andru paced his large bedroom as impending doom saturated every one of his
    conscious thoughts. Outside he could tell the guards were beginning to stir. They’d
    heard from his papa. He was sure about that. They no longer dawdled but stood alert in
    anticipation. Something wasn’t right though. He could sense it.
     
    30
     

 
    All For One
     
    “Go with your thoughts, child.”
     
    Andru turned sharply to see the dog-woman leaning against her large wooden
    staff. Her coarse white hair was braided and twisted into a bun. She wore a long loose
    dress, made of animal skin that hung shapelessly against her gaunt frame. Glassy, faded
     
    brown eyes blinked at him and she smiled gently.
     
    “You know what you have to do, don’t you?”
     
    “What I have to do?” Andru repeated and scowled. He’d grown accustomed to the
    dog-woman interrupting his days with riddles. She made him think and then he’d be
    forced to act. He’d never asked, but he assumed his mama sent the dog-woman to him.
    He knew his mama had a special connection with Crator. He’d seen how she acted in
    the Crator temple. He wanted that same gift. What a great leader he’d be! Better than
    his papa. He knew Crator didn’t work through Darius.
     
    “Something’s about to happen, isn’t it?” He narrowed his eyes on her face.
     
    Her expression didn’t change. “Andru, when your senses alert you, pay attention to
    them. They will tell you what to do.”
     
    “I feel an inevitable doom. There’s no stopping it.” He searched his room for
    nothing in particular. “I’m not in danger, at least not at the moment. I’m in my room
    and there are plenty of guards outside. I’m in good health and could easily defend
    myself.” He looked over to the dog-woman quickly. “It’s not me. It’s Ana. I’m feeling
    her fears. Oh Crator, she’s in trouble.”
     
    Andru hurried to the door, pausing long enough to squeeze the dog-woman’s