Created (Talented Saga) by Sophie Davis Read Free Book Online Page A

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    Randy stumbled forward, panting from the run up the stairs, and grabbed a dangling harness, deftly working his way into it.
    “Hurry, Talia. The others are already aboard,” Crane sent.
    “I want to wait until Erik goes up,” I replied tightly. No way was I risking a last minute attack. I’d stand guard until he was safely on the plane.
    Crane didn’t fight me. He seemed to share my concern and waited with me.
    Once Frederick had both himself and Erik in the harness, he tugged three times on the rope giving the command to bring them up. Randy followed a moment later. All three of them shooting into the night sky like missiles. As soon as they were gone, a weight seemed to lift from my chest. He was safe. I’d done it. No, I corrected myself, we’d done it. Without Crane, this wouldn’t have been possible. I owed him.
    Crane and I started securing ourselves into the remaining harnesses when a figure burst onto the roof. His gun was drawn and aimed directly at me. I froze. This time, not out of fear.
    “Talia, go!” Crane yelled.
    I ignored the order and stared into the clear blue eyes of Donavon McDonough. He wouldn’t hurt me, I knew that without a doubt. The gun he held was for show. His finger wasn’t even on the trigger. I reached out to him mentally, and scanned his thoughts.
    Indecision warred in his mind, but the choice he was trying to make wasn’t whether to shoot or not. He wanted to come with us, wanted to run away from the life he’d been born into. But obligation and duty to TOXIC and his father had been hammered into him since birth, and leaving this life behind was not a step he was ready to take.
    “Donavon, please come with us,” I urged him. I considered using my will to force him into submission, but that felt wrong. Going against his father was a decision he needed to make for himself. He certainly wouldn’t thank me for taking the choice from him.
    “Get out of here, Tal. Get out of the country, if you can. They’ll hunt you to the ends of the earth if need be.”
    “Donavon,” I pleaded again.
    He shook his head and pursed his lips. “Go, Natalia.”
    I felt Crane’s gaze on me, silently questioning what he should do. Instead of verbally responding, I tugged my rope and began zipping upward. I kept my eyes locked with Donavon’s as long as possible, and then continued to stare down at his shrinking form once eye contact was no longer possible. He stood on the roof of Tramblewood, watching me walk out of his life for yet another time. There was a finality that hadn’t been there before. He’d made his choice, and I’d made mine. We would fight on opposite sides in this war. I hoped when it was over we’d both be able to live with our decisions.

 
    Chapter Three
     
    The metal doors clanged shut and the plane was darting forward before I had a chance to untangle myself from the harness. My fingers felt too thick, were too clumsy, and the process took longer than it should have. Cursing, I tripped over the jumble of ropes before finally freeing myself. I raced to the back of the plane, shoving past Janelle and Jared in my haste to reach Erik.
    Thin, yet shockingly strong arms circled my waist from behind.
    “Get off of me,” I growled.
    “Let them do their job,” Frederick replied calmly, his mouth so close to my ear his breath tickled my neck. I struggled against his hold, kicking and clawing like a wild animal. “You’ll just be in the way,” he muttered.
    Part of me knew he was right. But I could ease Erik’s suffering, dull his pain, like he’d done for me on so many occasions. No, I decided, the best place for me was by his side.
    While Frederick was stronger than I’d given him credit for, he was no match for either my strength or my manic need to touch Erik. A well-placed boot heel to the side of Frederick’s knee and I was able to break free. The medical team was crowded around Erik’s stretcher, one young woman barking orders with the authority of a