Change of Darkness (The Change Series Book 3) by Jacinta Jade (best new books to read txt) 📕

Trelar nodded, but Pyron was already walking around the bed, and the chief archon stopped just two paces from the servant.

His next words were spoken even more softly, but the threat underlining them was clear. ‘Send for me before you send for anyone else.’

Trelar nodded rapidly. ‘Of course, Chief Archon. I will send for you first.’

Apparently satisfied with her response, Pyron gave a curt nod, then whirled towards the door.

Siraay observed Pyron with a frown as he breezed past the guards and exited the room, the doors slamming shut behind him. The guards glanced at each other in relief.

Did Pyron intend to do Siraay harm in her weakened state? It would be an easy way to get rid of her, then lay the blame elsewhere. Was that why he wanted to be informed first if she woke?

Her mind whirling so quickly that, when the first tug came, she jolted in surprise, Siraay glanced towards Trelar, thinking that somehow the female had seen and touched her.

But the servant was busy leaning over the bed, using a moistened cloth to wipe down her lady’s feverish forehead.

Another tug came, and this one was painful, causing Siraay to double over and suck in air through her teeth.

She had barely managed to straighten, her shoulders heaving, when she felt the next tug. Only this time, it pulled her all the way back down into the darkness.

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

SIRAAY CAME TO and found herself lying on her back, a hard surface beneath her. She pushed herself upright with her hands, her legs stretched out in front of her, and had only an instant to realise that she was back in the small, lit space with the darkness that swirled around the edges like a fog, when a fist slammed into the side of her face, sending her crashing back down onto her back again, her legs rising up at the force of the blow.

Her vision swam before her as points of light danced at the edges—she was sure those glowing specks weren’t naturally occurring.

‘Nice of you to rejoin us,’ someone shouted at her from a short distance away.

Siraay promptly swivelled her head and flinched.

The broken version of herself stood right there, her hair even more mussed up, head tilted as she seemingly admired the effect of the punch she had just thrown.

Motion behind that female drew Siraay’s eyes, and she shifted her gaze just in time to see the old Siray launch herself onto the back of the broken one.

Upon landing on her foe’s back, old Siray clasped her hands around the other’s throat, but then had to switch her grip as the broken version of them began to whirl madly about, trying to fling the other from her back.

Siraay was still sitting there, her face thumping in agony, watching in stunned amazement, when her former self screamed at her, ‘Get off your ass and help me!’

Siraay shook her head in an attempt to dispel the last of the dizziness and, leaping to her feet, watched for the right moment.

It came swiftly.

As the broken female spun with old Siray on her back, the unhinged one’s feet moving continuously beneath her while her wild hair made a blurring red arc, Siraay ran forwards and squatted, sweeping one leg out and around, catching both of her target’s knees.

The broken one fell backwards, old Siray releasing her grip and leaping clear an instant before the screaming Lost One hit the ground.

Siraay hurried around to her former self and grabbed her by the arm, hauling her to her feet.

‘Did you have a nice break?’ snarled old Siray, yanking her arm away once she was standing again. ‘Nice of you to leave me here.’

‘I didn’t have control,’ Siraay explained. ‘I was in the real world, but I wasn’t.’

Her other self wasn’t really listening but was brushing back strands of red hair that had escaped from her braid. ‘We need to end this, now, before she ends us.’

Siraay nodded in eager agreement, all too aware what effects this battle between the three of them was having on the body lying limp on her bed in the real world. If they didn’t end this soon, there may not be a body to go back to. For any of them.

Then Siraay realised something. There was an easy way to end this. She snorted, annoyed she hadn’t thought of it before. ‘Let me handle this.’

‘Let you …?’ Old Siray’s voice was disbelieving. ‘What are you—’

‘Trust me,’ Siraay interrupted, moving forwards.

‘Hah! When Kaslon freezes over,’ came the bitter reply.

Siraay ignored the comment and took another step towards the broken version of herself, who was standing up and turning towards them again. The broken one’s eyes gleamed madly as her lips parted in a wide smile.

Did she—it—even feel pain? Siraay wondered as she saw blood drip from a long scratch on the broken one’s throat onto her grimy white shirt.

But the Lost One gave no sign of noticing her injury as she began advancing on the other two once more.

‘Stop!’ Siraay yelled at the third version of herself, holding out her arms and raising her open palms towards the other. ‘Stop, or I will tear you apart,’ she warned.

The broken one paused for a moment, the smile dying. She tilted her head, considering. Then she took another step, and the smile sprang back into place.

‘To the Mother with you, then,’ murmured Siraay. She closed her eyes and cast her mind out for that centre of power. She felt her mind searching, searching …

Someone whipped her body around, and her eyes sprang open—old Siray had her about the waist and had just flung her aside, saving Siraay from the attack of the broken one who had just sailed past, feet first.

‘By the Mother—what were you doing?’ Old Siray demanded, letting go.

‘I was trying to Change,’ returned Siraay, annoyed that her plan had been ruined.

‘Mother save me …’ Old Siray was shaking her head, even as she began backing away once more from the intense-eyed female who