Wind Demon Triology: Book II: Evil Wind by Charlotte Boyett-Compo Read Free Book Online Page B

replied. “Now, go. The authorities may be watching and I've no desire to be dragged in for questioning again this week!"
    "Do you trust him?” Dorrie asked as she and Zainabu headed back to the Alluvia .
    "As much as any man can be trusted,” Zainabu replied. “Did you see the look in his eye when I mentioned the Prime Reaper?"
    "Aye and I wish you hadn't done that,” Dorrie said.
    "Demissie poses no threat to Cree. He has long since hero-worshipped the Reapers and all for which they stood. He would no more compromise the Prime Reaper than turn himself over to the authorities he fears so deeply.” She smirked. “I never thought to see my brother afraid of anything! It amuses me greatly."
    "Well, I hope his employees aren't prone to being snitches,” Dorrie grumbled.
    "What are snitches?” Zainabu asked.
    "People who tell what they know to the authorities for money or to put themselves beyond liability with the law."
    "Ah,” Zainabu replied. “Such would not be the case of those who work for my brother. He would flay them alive. Trust me."
    Dorrie spied Chanz and Tyrian across the market area from them but did not greet them. The two were haggling with a shopkeeper and were deep in negotiations. She watched a young man walking toward the Alluvia with a box of supplies. Even from a distance, she could see the man's nervousness at having to approach an Amazeen ship.
    "I hope there is no milk in the box he carries,” Zainabu said with a smirk. “It will be butter before he leaves it."
    Dorrie and the Necromani waited until the young man had delivered his goods before heading for the ship. Back onboard, Dorrie could not sit down. She paced from one end of the bridge to the other, chewing on her thumb nail—a nervous habit that wore on Sern's nerves.
    "What ails you, Burkhart?” Sern inquired. She had once tried to delve into the Terran woman's mind only to find it a quagmire of perversity that made her feel unclean. She'd retreated quickly and tried to refrain from going seeking in that marsh again.
    "Zainabu's brother said there were others going after the Reapers on Rysalia Prime.” She turned to look at Sern. “A man named McGregor is their leader."
    "Isn't that the royal house of Serenia?” Aegean asked.
    "Aye, it is,” Dorrie replied.
    "You need to tell the Major,” Aegean said.
    "I will and Cree will need to know, too."
    "If we have help in saving Cree's bloodkin, why should that so concern you?” Sern queried.
    "What if the Daughters know there will be a rescue attempt?” Dorrie asked. “They'll be on high security alert. It will be next to impossible to break the cadets free.” A look of horror sped across her face. “Or to get Kam out of there safely."
    "We have to trust that the goddess will keep Her part of the bargain She made with Cree,” Sern said. “He was promised he could take his men and leave. Remember?"
    Zainabu was following the conversation between the Terran and the Amazeen. She had few dealings with the Multitude and bore as much mistrust of them as did her menfolk but there was one person she did trust and that was the goddess to whom all women of her galaxy owed allegiance.
    "If the goddess made such a promise to Cree, She will make sure it comes to pass,” the Necromanian woman stated. “This I know to be a fact."
    "I hope you're right,” Dorrie said.
    * * * *
    Crouched in the corner of the containment cell, Kamerone Cree had long sense lost the human ability to speak. He was immersed completely in the persona of his bestial self and was beyond listening in to the concerns of the women. His body hurt so badly he could do nothing save whimper. It had been over twenty-four hours since his last intake of Sustenance, two days since Triso had dredged through his veins to calm the agony of the parasite coiling and uncoiling over his right kidney. His savage instincts had been intensified and he was now in a dark, agonizing place that had elevated his body temperature to such