Lord of the White Hell Book One lotwh-1 by Ginn Hale Read Free Book Online Page B

shit." Javier's tone was light, and his expression almost friendly as he strode closer. "What you had the poor sense to toss around just now is something entirely different."
    Genimo's fury seemed to dissolve into a stunned fear. He backed away.
    "If you run," Javier said, "I'll bring the white hell out to hunt you. So I wouldn't if I were you."
    Genimo froze. Javier glanced to Kiram and for a moment his playful smile disappeared. Then he turned his attention back to Genimo.
    "You ought to ask before playing with my things." Javier wiped the back of the filthy shovel across Genimo's chest. "And if you break something of mine, you know I'm going to be annoyed, don't you?"
    "Scholar Donamillo sent me to fetch Fedeles for his treatment and-" A terrified tremor ran through Genimo's voice.
    "Not what I want to hear." Javier jabbed the shovel into Genimo's chest.
    "I.I." Genimo's face was bloodlessly pale. His eyes were so wide that Kiram thought that he could see white all the way around Genimo's black, gaping pupils.
    Kiram suddenly remembered his uncle describing the men he had treated during the bread riots. Many had died in states of terrified shock. His uncle always said that they had rabbit eyes. Kiram thought he knew what his uncle had meant now.
    "I'm sorry, Javier." Genimo swayed on his feet and then sank to his knees.
    "You're sorry?" The sadistic amusement in Javier's voice disturbed Kiram, and yet there was a part of him that was deeply pleased to see Genimo on his knees and covered in excrement. "I can't imagine what you could be sorry for. Except that I caught you."
    "Please.Javier, I swear I won't do it again."
    "You certainly won't." Javier gave a hard laugh. "In fact you may not do anything ever again."
    Javier held his left hand out over Genimo's head. White sparks flickered between his fingers.
    Kiram caught the unmistakable scent of human urine and realized that Genimo had pissed himself.
    "Don't kill me," Genimo sobbed.
    Javier flicked his fingers across Genimo's forehead. The moment Javier touched Genimo's skin a tiny white bolt burst up from his hand and drove into Genimo's skull. Genimo jerked backwards and then collapsed to the ground.
    Kiram stared at Genimo's prone body in horror. He felt suddenly sick and he wasn't sure if it was from the throbbing pain deep in his groin or from the sight of such an offhanded murder.
    Javier knelt down beside Genimo and lifted his head off the floor slightly. Genimo's neck sagged against Javier's hands like a dead snake.
    "You killed him," Kiram whispered.
    "Killed him?" Javier glanced up to Kiram and shook his head. "How dramatic you are."
    Javier bowed his head close to Genimo's. Small white sparks skipped across Javier's hands and jumped through Genimo's hair. "Sleep. Dream of rats devouring your intestines." Then he lowered Genimo's head almost gently back to the stable floor.
    Javier stood and turned back to the door of Firaj's stall.
    "Fedeles, come out." Javier's tone was neither as amused nor as cruel as it had been with Genimo. He sounded a little exasperated.
    "No," Fedeles replied from behind the door.
    "I'm not going to take you to your treatment. Kiram is hurt and you promised to look after him, didn't you?"
    "Yes." Fedeles sounded sulky.
    "Come on, then," Javier said. "Help us get back to our room.

Chapter Five
    F edeles rushed ahead of them, opening doors and singing the names of horses triumphantly.
    When they reached their room, Fedeles lingered outside the open door and then at last scampered away.
    "Is he going to be all right?" Kiram asked as Javier lowered him to his own bed.
    "Fedeles? He'll be fine. He's got his room all to himself tonight and he's gotten out of his treatments for another day."
    "But I think something's wrong." It hurt his entire face to speak. The gash in his cheek throbbed and his head ached. "This afternoon he asked me to help him."
    "He gets that way when he misses his treatments. He hates them, but if he goes more than a