Renegade Rupture by J. C. Fiske Read Free Book Online Page A

him sitting there, alone. Something must be wrong with him, a voice said.
    That’s him, the son of that traitor, Falcon. You know what they say, don’t you? The sins of the father always affect the son, another voice said.
    Gisbo snapped his attention all about, feeling cold sweat drip down his forehead. He wiped it away, scared to death it was the dark, black oil of his Drakeness mark, but it wasn’t.
    “Shut up,” Gisbo muttered to himself as he dug back into his meal, feeling hot rage build as his cheeks flared with color.
    Quiet, I think he hears us. We wouldn’t want to make him mad. You know how he can’t control that temper of his. He’s called Gisbo for a reason, you know, a different voice spoke.
    “I SAID SHUT UP! DAMN IT!” Gisbo screamed as he clobbered his plate with a fist, shattering it. Suddenly, all eyes were on him and the chattering stopped. Gisbo reared upon a random Strife.
    “The hell you looking at? Huh?” Gisbo yelled, getting into the Strife’s face.
    “I’d sit back down if I were you, boy,” the Strife said as two other Strifes got to their feet.
    “You bozos want some too, huh? Well, let’s go! RIGHT NOW!” Gisbo screamed when he felt a soft hand touch his shoulder.
    “I’m so sorry for this, folks. My manager informs me everything is on the house. My friend here, he’s just a bit under the weather,” Kennis Flora said.
    “Three more beers and we’ll call this matter settled,” the lead Strife said. Kennis bowed thoughtfully.
    “Right away,” Kennis said. “Again, so sorry.”
    Kennis re-directed Gisbo out of the eating area and out back so they could be alone.
    “We need to talk,” Kennis said.
    “About what?” Gisbo asked.
    “Really? You don’t know? Wait here,” Kennis said as she poured three beers from the tap, served them, came back, and threw off her apron. She opened the back door of Renegade Joe’s Steakhouse, punched out, and said her goodbyes.
    “Come on, your tree house isn’t far from mine. Walk with me,” Kennis said. They walked out of the main courtyard of Heaven’s Shelter and entered the forest, alone.
    “Mind telling me what this is about?” Gisbo asked.
    “I’ve seen such an outburst before, but not from you,” Kennis said.
    “Excuse me?” Gisbo asked. Suddenly, Kennis stopped walking and looked Gisbo right in the eyes.
    “My brother. He had the same signs as you,” Kennis said. She grabbed his hands and rubbed his knuckles. They were patchy and lined with tiny white scars where the skin healed over.
    “It started off with outbursts just like that, rocking back and forth, being unable to sit still, grabbing his head, lots of wincing. When he did move, he only put himself in danger; then of course, these scars along his knuckles,” Kennis said.
    “What does your brother have to do with me?” Gisbo snapped.
    “And then, an indifference to others. He was once a very kind, very compassionate guy,” Kennis said. “The Drakeness is in you, I know it. Gisbo, how, how on Thera did you . . .”
    Gisbo went to open his mouth, but nothing came.
    “Please . . . I want to help,” Kennis said.
    “Why?” Gisbo asked.
    “Because I don’t want to see what happened to my brother happen to someone like you,” Kennis said.
    “Why someone like me? What happened to him?” Gisbo asked.
    “He’s dead,” Kennis said. Gisbo’s eyes widened.
    “I’m, I’m sorry,” Gisbo said. Awkward silence grew between them, then Gisbo found the courage to speak.
    “It happened during the battle. Rolce and I, we split off from the group to face off against Narsissa. We, we did our damnedest, even in our weakened state. Rolce went down and I ran out of essence. My father, my two best friends, my . . . my aunt, they were all counting on me. Narsissa, she tempted me with the vial, the one that she had spent years gathering with her slaves. I figured the power burst would be enough to save them, so I did it. I injected myself with it, which was what