Flame of Cytherea: Cytherean Chronicles book 1 by D. R. Rosier Read Free Book Online

adrenaline of the
situation, he was startled at how close the stranger was standing to him.
    He recovered and smiled at her, “Thanks, you showed up at an
opportune time to save us.”
    She just snorted.   “I’d be dead if it weren’t for you, so thank you for that.   Now I get to kill a lot more of those fuckers
before I die.”
    Now that she was closer, and standing still, he could see
how attractive she was, but overriding that assessment was the look of fierce
hate on her visage, and the offhand comment of her own death was chilling in
the matter of fact way she delivered it.   It was what she said next though that caused his mouth to drop open,
then close in shock.
    “You need to come with me, join the army.   Those pieces of shit fuckers from Egeria won’t stand a chance if you’re there to nullify
their talents.   I’d rather continue
through the towns killing the bastards, but you are too important to not make
that happen.”
    She frowned which gave him the impression she was unhappy to
take time away from her killing until dead spree that she seemed to be on.
    When he didn’t answer right away she said, “You will come
won’t you?   The goddess gave you that
power for a reason, didn’t you feel that captain’s power?   It was evil, which means a dark god…   Wake up and stop gaping at me!” she barked
the last of it.
    He looked at Kat, mostly for an opinion he trusted, but
partly for reassurance.
    Kat nodded slightly, reluctantly, and said, “She is
right.   It’s your choice of course, we
have free will.   But for reasons we may
never understand the goddess gifted you with a key power for this fight.   A Flame of Cytherea hasn’t been seen in the
last thousand years.   I know we haven’t
known each other that long, but I don’t believe you would turn away from
that.   No more than you could when you
were powerless with a couple of hatchets.”
    He just nodded, she was right, he needed to go.   It was just taking some time for his brain to
catch up.   “I’ll go, when are we
leaving?”
    The stranger said, “Now, sooner if it were possible, and by
the way, my name is Nora,” softer she said, “Last surviving member of the Elite
women warriors,” she made a face, “Stupid name I know, but the king named it,
and he is just a man after all.”
    He ignored the jab at men the world over and replied, “Very
well, my name is Justin, and this is Katrina…”
    He trailed off suddenly feeling very alone.   It had only been maybe thirty six hours, but
she was really the only person he knew, plus, he didn’t want to leave her, at
all.   Not after last night and the way
they got along.   He just looked at her
and she smiled, and then claimed his hand with her own.   She must have read the way he felt in his
face…
    Katrina snorted, “You don’t think I’m letting you get away
do you?   I’m coming too.   Ben and Cynthia can watch the inn while I’m
gone, not a problem,” she looked him straight in the eye a mischievous smile on
her face, but her voice sounded quite serious, “I just found you after all,
can’t let you wander off alone now.”
    They went back to the inn long enough to grab supplies, then
Nora took the lead since she knew generally where the army would be and they
were off running to meet the army.

Chapter 5
    Katrina wondered what the hell she was doing.   She glanced at Justin again and felt a tug on
her heart.   She had just met him
yesterday morning for goddess’s sake, and she just abandoned her inn like it
was meaningless to follow him.   Like she
hadn’t poured her heart and soul into it, and fought hard to keep it after her
parents passed.   How did that make
sense?  
    She had seen a sense of loss in his eyes at the idea of
leaving her behind, and something inside of her had echoed that back.   It had been a spur of the moment response to
that feeling.   She found that even now,
thinking about how stupid it was, she couldn’t bring