Blood Curse (Branded Trilogy Book 2) by Kat Flannery Read Free Book Online Page A

his pant leg, pulling the fabric so the key slid down and into his palm. He glided the key into the metal lock. In one turn, he heard the click. Every muscle in his body sighed.
    He stretched his arms above his head and inhaled a deep breath. It felt good to be free of the chains. His fingers skimmed the cut on the back of his head. Whatever the gypsy had put on the wound was working. The ache had all but disappeared.
    His dagger gone, he took an ax from the wall, opened the door and peered out into the blackness. He expected a guard to be standing outside the wagon and was surprised to see no one there. Shouts in the distance brought his head up toward the large fire a hundred feet away. Two men wrestled around the flames. The shorter man flailed about. No rhythm or beat to his punches; he’d lost all control, fighting with anger rather than a clear head. He’d lose because of it.
    His opponent was Galius. Kade’s palms twitched with the urge to beat the other man into a bloody state. He didn’t care for the big gypsy and owed him for the knot on his forehead.
    Galius let his opponent pummel him without so much as a flinch. He was a thick mass of muscle, and Kade felt he’d met his match in the gypsy. It’d be interesting to see who would win if the two of them went at it.
    Two more punches struck Galius before he puffed out his barrel chest. Eyes full of remorse, he lifted his meaty fist and, with one blow, clipped the shorter man under the chin, sending him through the air to land awkwardly on the ground. The crowd gathered around the fire fell silent. Galius fell to his knees beside the fallen man.
    Branches broke to Kade’s right. Someone was coming. He observed the area on his left. A short distance away was the wagon where he’d met the gypsy, Pril. The steps drew closer. With no time to wait, he fell back into the shadows and headed toward the wagon.
    He leaned against the wood structure, his back firmly to the wall he inched toward the door. Voices could be heard across the camp, but they were more concerned with the man who’d been knocked out instead of their escaped prisoner.
    He peeked around the wagon. No one was there, so he ducked inside. He halted at the doorway. Pril lay on the floor, her small body trembling. He closed the flap and dropped to his knees to help her, when he saw the small boy with big green eyes and black curls sitting beside her.
    The muscles in his chest tightened, and he inhaled through his nose. His stomach dropped, and his soul cried out. Memories assaulted him of a boy with blond hair, brown eyes and of the man who raised him. Damn it! He sat back on his heels and pushed his face into his hands. He’d put it all away, tacked it down tight. Forced upon his own hand, he’d given his word to do the unthinkable.
    He groaned. I have no choice . He set his jaw, ignored the constant ache within him and considered the boy.
    The child moved away from him to lie across the gypsy, protecting her.
    “I won’t hurt you,” he said. “Please, let me help.”
    The boy gawked at him, and Kade didn’t know what to do. He’d never had anyone gaze at him so intently. It was as if the child could read his mind, or see into his soul. After what seemed an eternity, the boy moved to the side and off of Pril.
    Kade lifted the blouse from her chest and gasped when he saw the blistered skin above the charred corset. He moved to the bucket on the floor, dunked the blouse inside and swished it around the little water that was left. He gently laid the fabric over her wounds. It wasn’t enough. He needed to do more and pulled her onto his lap while she shook.
    “Is this your mother?” he asked the boy.
    He nodded, one black curl dropped over his eye.
    “Is there any medicine in the cupboards?”
    The child stood and went to the last cupboard on the right. He reached up, taking a small jar with herbs and handed it to him.
    “What do I do with these?” He held the jar up gazing at the green and