Emergence (The Primogenitor Chronicles Book 1) by Siana Wineland Read Free Book Online Page A

emotional involvement surprised him. It’s bloody freezing in there. If she managed to get out of the river, it had to be fairly quick or she would have succumbed to hypothermia. That’s still a worry anyway; her tracks are barefoot. And the glimpse I caught of her showed that she wasn’t dressed for outside. The only thing in our favor is that her metabolism will be running on high, so it should help keep her warm. But that’s a double-edged sword. It also means she’s going to need food—and soon.
    Scuff marks at the water’s edge caught his attention. He dropped down and landed. Well I’ll be damned. She made it out. Breathing a huge sigh of relief, Nickolas quickly examined her trail. The tracks clearly showed where she’d pulled herself out of the river and onto the bank before continuing her flight into the woods. He drew his phone out of his pocket and texted his brother.
    Christoff landed in a flurry of wing beats and crouched down to take a look at the ground himself. That didn’t surprise Nickolas, since his brother was the better tracker.
    “Well, at least we know she made it out,” Chris said, looking up at him. “Now, if she hasn’t succumbed to hypothermia and blood loss, then we’ll be in luck.” He swiped a spot in the mud then held up his red-coated finger. “She’s still losing blood. This much can’t be from the lacerations on her feet.”
    Frowning, Nickolas punched Flynn’s number on his phone. “Flynn, she made it out of the river and is, incredibly, still on the move. Get back on the main road and wait for my call.”
    “Right, Nickolas.”
    “Well at least it’s an easy trail, Nick. Look at all the debris she’s leaving behind.” Christoff waved his hand up the hill, showing the torn-up ground and broken branches she had left in her wake. “She’s definitely not trying to hide which direction she went in, is she?”
    Something about his brother’s comment nagged at him. It circled through his head as he ran at Christoff’s heels. The direction of the morning sun as it slanted through the trees gave him the clue he needed. He stopped suddenly and looked around to get his bearings then back down the trail. “Damn. I don’t believe this.” He shook his head and smiled slightly. She certainly had her wits about her. Nickolas looked at his brother, waiting a few feet ahead of him. “No, Chris, she’s not wasting any time on hiding. Clever, very clever.”
    Nickolas pulled his phone out. “Flynn, return to her house immediately. Her trail is heading straight back home. Be careful. If she has any weapons, she could be dangerous. It’s time to raise priority on this. Alert the Facility, and let them know this is no longer a simple retrieval. She’s gone feral.”
    “Copy that, Nickolas, we’re on the way.”
    “Come on, Chris. Let’s find a space clear enough to get into the air.”
    The two Valkyries dropped down into her backyard. From the outside, the house looked no different than when they had left several hours ago. Nickolas followed his brother as they approached the back porch, waiting tensely while Christoff checked the door. The knob turned easily, and Chris cast a quick look back at him before he pushed the door open and leaned inside to listen. A second later they walked into the kitchen.
    “Well, you were right, Nicky. She did come back.” Christoff gestured at the muddy, bloodstained clothes that trailed out of the room.
    “She came back, but where is she now? This house feels empty.” Nickolas shook his head.
    “Maybe she’s finally passed out?”
    “Uh huh. Somehow I don’t believe that, Chris. Why don’t you check the rest of the house? I’m going to go and have a look at her bedroom.”
     Nickolas walked out of the kitchen. The lights were all still on throughout the building. Nickolas was sure Jessica was no longer here. He couldn’t feel her presence. When the team had first arrived, he could feel her, even when she had been outside