Drake of Tanith (Chosen Soul) by Heather Killough-Walden Read Free Book Online Page A

“About your sister.”
    Loki’s gaze narrowed. He moved down the aisle toward the ork and stopped a few feet away. “What about her?”
    “I know she’s being held at Eidolon. I also know you’ve been trying to free her.”
    “You know a lot,” said Loki.
    The ork shrugged. “Work with Drake of Tanith long enough and things rub off on you,” he said. And then his look hardened into one of stark resolve. “I want to help you get her out.”
    Loki’s brow furrowed. He was admittedly taken aback. “Why would you do that?” he asked tentatively.
    “Because,” Grolsch said. “She’s the only one who can save Drake.”
    *****
    “Easy,” came a soft voice. Raven opened her eyes, but slowly. The lids felt heavy, as if weighted down. The world beyond was bright but blurry. “You got hit with a double dose,” the voice continued. Raven felt someone brush her hair from her face, but her eyes had closed again. “My brother and father didn’t exactly go easy on you.”
    “Zeta?” Raven’s voice cracked when she spoke. Her throat felt unused.
    “Yes,” Zeta said. “Just go slow. The effects of the sleep spell will wear off shortly.”
    Raven tried to move her legs, but her limbs felt like lead. The bed she was on was so soft, so comfortable, she simply wanted to go back to sleep. She could sleep forever, in fact. Why was she fighting it?
    “No, no,” Zeta said softly. “Don’t let it take you under again,” she advised. “Just don’t rush things.”
    Make up your mind, Raven thought crankily. Was she supposed to wake up or not?
    She decided that she was and opened her eyes once more. This time, her surroundings were a little less blurry. She blinked a few times and the space around her cleared into the details of a palatial room, connected through archways to several other rooms beyond. Everything was white marble shot through with veins of precious minerals. As was everything else in Eidolon, it was unnaturally beautiful.
    “Nice room,” she mumbled.
    “Thank you,” Zeta beamed. Raven took in the genuine smile and the pride behind it and felt a little less cranky.
    “What am I doing here?” Raven asked as she tried to sit up.
    “Here, let me help,” Zeta offered, grabbing her under the arms and fluffing a number of plump, plush pillows behind her. The bed was massive and Raven knew that Zeta rarely slept alone in it. That made her feel somewhat strange, but she kept it to herself.
    “I want to apologize,” Zeta finally said after she sat back and dropped her hands once more into her lap. She sat on the edge of the bed, a tall, slim and regal beauty in elven finery. She appeared so perfect and polished and powerful there, Raven couldn’t help but feel just a tad messy in comparison.
    “For what?” Raven asked.
    “For the way my brother has been treating you.”
    Raven stared at Zeta. “What do you mean?” Was Zeta referring to the spell? Or, rather, the magic that Astriel had painstakingly cloaked over her to force her to forget her family, her friends – her very life? Or was she referring to this latest transgression, the sleep spell?
    Zeta smiled a knowing smile that didn’t quite reach her blue eyes. Those eyes were suddenly sad. “He has been keeping you here against your will. It isn’t like him, actually,” she said. “You must understand. Astriel has never had to try very hard when it came to women. In other realms, when he pays a visit, women travel for hundreds of miles to be in his presence. Yet here… the humans fear him instead of love him. And you?” Her smile broadened and this time, it touched her eyes. A little. “You flat out hate him.”
    “I don’t hate him,” Raven retorted immediately. Her eyes widened after she said it and she snapped her mouth shut. It had just slipped out. But she realized she meant it. She was angry with the elf prince and she sure as Abaddon didn’t trust him, but she didn’t hate him. She wasn’t even sure why.
    Zeta’s brow