Bound by C.K. Bryant Read Free Book Online Page A

with my
sister. I will deal with them later.”
    “You mean kill them.” The second the words
escaped her mouth, Kira finally realized the magnitude of the
situation she was in. Was he capable of killing someone? Could he
kill her?
    “No!” he shouted. He stopped pacing just long
enough to let out a huff of air, then continued pounding his feet
onto the dirt. “I do not have time to explain this. She will stay
here, and we will not speak of this again.”
    Kira didn’t bother to answer. She glared at
Octavion, then turned her full attention to Lydia by pulling the
blanket back to examine the wound for herself. The piece of cloth
that covered it held pieces of crushed herbs and stains from a
yellow liquid—an herbal poultice, Octavion explained between his
constant mumbling, most of which she couldn’t make out.
    The poultice stopped the bleeding, but the
gash was deep and a larger area just below it was distended,
further proof of her internal bleeding. She replaced the poultice
and turned to Octavion again.
    “We have to get help.”
    “I agree, but there is only one way I know
and she has forbidden it. She has told me she would rather die.” He
reached into the leather pouch fastened to his belt and pulled out
a small vial and two white stones, holding them up for Kira to see.
“I will use these on your attackers to erase their memories. She
wants me to do the same to you, to erase every memory of her. It
will be as if you never met.”
    Kira instinctively brought the fingertips of
her left hand to her temple. Was she dreaming? Was any of this
real? “How is that possible?”
    “I told you, there are things you do not
understand about us. Things you will not think possible.”
    “That’s what she asked you to promise?” No
way was she letting him touch her with those things. Her memory was
hers to keep, not his to take away. Not even Lydia had that
right.
    Lydia’s painful moan interrupted them.
    Octavion went to her side, pulled the blanket
up under her chin, then brushed a tear from her face. “If I do as
she wishes, she will surely die.”
    “Octavion . . . please . . . take her home.”
Lydia thrashed about, then grabbed her side. Her facial features
suddenly changed to those of the girl Kira saw earlier, then back
to Lydia’s. In the middle of the transformation, Lydia let out
another blood-curdling scream, then collapsed against the pillow
and blacked out.
    Kira stood and stepped back, shaking her head
in disbelief. This was not her imagination. She was sure this time.
“What’s happening to her?” The sudden movement from standing so
quickly made her head spin and the blood to rush from her face. She
tried to steady herself, but found nothing to grab. How did I
get here?
    Octavion jumped to his feet and caught her by
the arm just as her knees buckled. He guided her to a small wooden
bench on the other side of the cave. “Do not be frightened. Lydia
is fighting with her kindred spirit and it can be painful.”
    Kira pinched the bridge of her nose. “What?
What do you mean ‘kindred spirit’?”
    A look of frustration crossed his face as if
he’d said more than he intended. “It is not my place to say.” He
retrieved one of the candles near Lydia to ignite three more on a
table beside them. The light illuminated more of the cave,
revealing a set of large shelves. On one side were old books and
papers, all dusty, with tattered edges. A collection of tiny
colored bottles and wooden boxes were neatly arranged on the
others. These shelves were well kempt as was the table in front of
them, where several ingredients lay next to a small stack of clean
linens—makings for Lydia’s poultice, Kira guessed.
    “What are those?” she asked, pointing to the
colorful display.
    “I am an alchemist.”
    “A what?”
    Octavion growled. “ An alchemist .” He
drew the syllables out as if he were pronouncing it to a two year
old. Clearly frustrated by her naivety, he turned away and
continued with his