Light of Kaska by Michelle O'Leary Read Free Book Online

all? The rest of the population of this small community had shunned the town hall like the last plague all day. No visitors, not even to jeer and spit on him. With such a violent, emotional crime, that was yet another sign of something rotten in this farming town.

    The voices stopped and after a moment Sukeza appeared in the doorway, bag in one hand and a lantern in the other. Her dark hair had straggled further out of its clasp, and she pushed it behind her ear with the lanterned hand while she studied him, a crease between her brows. Light and shadows danced when the lantern swung in her grip. “How are you doing?” she asked in a low voice.

    “Peachy,” he drawled, voice gravelly from sleep.

    He watched her wince a little at his sarcasm and regretted it. Seeing her standing there had clarified the dilemma he’d been ignoring all day. Why had he told her to come now? She would be a hindrance, a complication he couldn’t afford.

    “I imagine you’re thirsty.” She moved to his side and set down her burdens. The light threw odd shadows across her face. She withdrew a container of water from the bag and rose to her feet. He accepted the offered fluid without a word, drinking deeply while he watched the light from the widow limn her face with strange lines and curves. She looked ethereal, unreal, mysterious. He wanted to touch her, just to make sure he could.

    “It’s strangely quiet out there,” she said in a near whisper. “I went to visit Ronna, the twins’ mother, but she wasn’t there.”

    He pulled his head back, causing water to spill before she could lift the container up. “I told you to stop poking around,” he growled.

    She blinked at him, eyes wide. “I wasn’t. I was just visiting to pay my respects.”

    He looked away from her, trying to contain the strange irritation he was feeling. The light beyond the windows was fading fast. It was almost time. He nearly flinched when he felt her brush the water from his chin with her cool fingers. Jerking away from her touch, he stared at her, muscles clenched. She stumbled back from him, almost tripping over the lantern.

    What was wrong with him? She’d touched him earlier and he hadn’t felt branded. She was standing a few feet away, eyes wide with wariness and uncertainty. He regretted that, too, and felt the irritation surge in response. “Call Clavis,” he said abruptly. “I need to take a leak.”

    She hesitated a moment then sidled over to the doorway. “Clavis?” she called into the growing darkness beyond. When he didn’t answer, she raised her voice. “Clavis?”

    “What!”

    “He needs to use the facilities,” she called in response.

    Stryker shifted on his hard bench, nearly biting through his tongue to hold back a sarcastic comment on her prudish word for the toilet. Rolling his shoulders to ease the tension there, he wondered why he felt so much like a bear with a thorn in its paw. He should be looking forward to his freedom, not feeling like he was this close to chewing off his own arm.

    Clavis took his time, which didn’t improve Stryker’s mood. He contained his irritation with an effort, though, not wanting to give the man a reason to get back on guard. The fat bastard told Sukeza to stand in a corner while he unshackled and cuffed Stryker. But as they were shuffling towards the door, she edged forward.

    “Let me take a look at those bandages while you’ve got them free,” she said, reaching for him.

    Stryker suppressed the urge to jerk away, saying in a compressed tone, “Look at them later. I’ve gotta go.” Then he shuffled for the door as fast as the chains between his ankles would let him. The room was oppressive, suffocating, and he needed to leave it right now. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her back away and tried not to grind his teeth. He thought again,
what’s wrong with me?

    Getting out of the room didn’t help. That oppressive sensation followed him all the way to the toilet. He did