The Seventh Immortal (Hearts of Amaranth #1) by J.M. Parry Read Free Book Online Page B

Levin—were the
Gospels she was supposed to seek out. They believed that they were
the messengers of God. That was why they installed themselves in
positions of power—CEO, pastor, police chief, mayor—where they
could spread their personal ideologies.
    While this was all enlightening, it was also
frightening. Christa wasn't much different from Mayor Levin. She
just had a different ideology. Just like Levin, she saw herself as
one of the last of God's messengers left on Earth.
    “ So I don't know anything. What do you want with me now?”
Kait asked. “You wanted to talk, but once you found out I didn't
have any answers, you just started yelling at me. Where do we go
from here?”
    Christa stopped pacing. She took a deep
breath and tried to calm herself. “I am sorry,” she said. “It is
just that you revived a long-dead hope in my heart. Much like you,
I want to know the truth. I want to know what I am, and why I was
chosen for this role. I let myself forget that while I may have
this one question, you have two hundred years worth of questions
for me.”
    “ So, that's how long we've been alive?”
    “ That is how long we have
been immortal ,” Christa corrected her. “It happened in the year 1803, in
the Russian city of Kurgan. I assume the same is true for you,
though it is remarkable that it has taken us so long to find
you.”
    Kait met Christa's stare. “Maybe I didn't
want to be found,” she replied.
    “ Why are you so hostile?”
    “ I don't know what you want with me! I don't have the
answers you're looking for! But...” As Kait considered her own
questions, she began to understand the heart of the matter. She
knew why Mayor Levin was so desperate to keep her unconscious. “I
think I'm starting to figure it out.”
    Christa was quick to own up to the truth.
“There are three of us who fight for freedom: Silvi, Thomas, and
myself. There are three of them: Pastor Eve, Mayor Levin, and Grant
L'Enfant. They fight for the oppression of everyone--”
    “ They probably see it differently.”
    “ Of course they do. They believe they are creating
order.”
    “ And you resist that order. How long has this been going
on?”
    “ How long do you think? Since we all met. Since battle lines
were drawn. Over a hundred years.”
    “ In St. Louis?”
    Christa laughed. “No, of course not,” she said.
“Eventually, the people would notice that we don't age . We have fought the same
battle over the heart of half a dozen cities. Soon, it will be time
to move on. One of us will make the first move and begin a new life
in a new city. He or she will gather followers, begin forming a
center of power. And the rest of us will follow. The balance will
be maintained. It always has been.”
    “ Until now.”
    “ You can tip the balance of power, Kait Selias.”
    Kait was silent. She didn't want to tip the
balance of power. She didn't know enough about the situation hold
that responsibility. These six people, the self-styled Gospels, had
been fighting this battle for over a hundred years. She couldn't be
expected to decide between the two sides after only half a day, no
matter how much she currently hated Mayor Levin.
    “ I have to think about this,” Kait said. “I can't
just...choose. That wouldn't be right.”
    Christa tightened her jaw. Kait could tell
that she was trying to hide her frustration. She wasn't doing a
very good job of it. “I see,” Christa replied. “Even after
everything that happened today, you're not willing to fight against
the city government.”
    “ I... I don't know,” Kait replied. Her mind was filled with
all sorts of confusion. She didn't know how she fit in this strange
world. And as much as she hated Mayor Levin, she couldn't shake the
feeling that Christa Xander wasn't much better.
    Taking a deep breath Krista walked over to
her desk. She opened the top drawer and reached inside. “I wish I
could just let you go,” she said. “But you have to understand what
I am thinking. If