The Final Redemption by Michael Manning (little red riding hood ebook free .txt) 📕

Wherever Walter’s physical face was, Iknew it had to be turning red now. The man had always been easilyembarrassed. I could sense him floundering emotionally. He nearlylost his hold on me for a moment, which would have sent me driftingback into the void.

You really are as stupidas the Countess claims! he rebukedme.

Just wait ‘til we’ve beenstuck together inside your bald skull for a year,I threatened, you’llstart to wonder what you ever needed all those extra brains forafter all.

Oh. His thought seemed strangely subdued, as if he had justrealized something.

Taking a more serious tackI addressed him again, I appreciate this,Walter. I know how hard it was to go where you did, to find me, butthis isn’t a good idea. Let me go.

Another mind intrudedthen. Gareth Gaelyn’s words echoed around us, as if he were yellingacross a great divide. I’mready.

Time to go,Walter told me. I’mtired of having you in here already. Withthat he released me, and began to push me away.

Some friend he was.

Another will was at work beside him,pulling in tandem with his shoves, and together they forced me intoanother body, one that felt younger, more vital. The heart wasbeating powerfully, thrumming around me and I began to settle inalmost automatically.

Gareth was there with me, but his mindbegan to retract almost as soon as I had joined him. Sudden anxietyseized me as I wondered if he were committing suicide. I could tellalready, the body I occupied now was his, right down to the redhair on its chin.

Relax, he told me. Accept the gift. You’llunderstand soon.

My first reaction was automaticsarcasm, but I suppressed it rather than complain about not wantingto be a red head. Besides, from what I could tell, he was evictinghimself, and that was something I couldn’t understand.

Weariness overwhelmed me as I rejoinedthe physical world again. The body was strong, but my soul wasexhausted in a manner that few could understand. Darkness closedaround me, and for the first time in over a year, Islept.

***

I woke in a familiar place.

Staring up at the ceiling I let mysenses range wide. The sense of freedom that gave me was like abreath of fresh air. My magesight brought it all to me; CastleCameron surrounded me like a dear friend. After so long trappedwithin my magical cage I could feel the world directly. My body wasalive, warm, and full of energy. I was lying in one of the guestbedrooms.

The earth was rumbling deep below, andthe stones in the walls sang softly. I could feel! Smell and tastewere there as well, though mostly as a reminder that I needed toclean my new body’s mouth. My breath was undoubtedlyatrocious.

The scent next to me was deeplycomforting, in a way that few things are. Bringing myself intotighter focus, I examined the woman lying next to me.

Penny was sleeping there. Her body wascold, as if she had taken a chill, but she still breathed, and herheart was beating slowly. She looked as if she had been brought infrom a battlefield. She wore leather and a padded gambeson thatsmelled of iron and sweat. The chainmail that had gone over thathad been removed at least, so I was grateful for that.

Touching her cheek, I felt tears startin my eyes. “Why didn’t someone take those filthy clothes off ofyou?” I wondered softly. The room was empty, so I was speaking onlyfor myself, but the voice surprised me. It was GarethGaelyn’s.

Sitting up, I saw myreflection in the mirror across from the foot of the bed. A shaggyred beard and wild mane of hair greeted my eyes.Sonofabitch! Ithought. He really did it.

Despite my shock, I washumbled by the ex-dragon’s gift. The thought of living with adifferent face bothered me more than I would have expected, but theunderstanding of his sacrifice made me ashamed of my earliercomplaints. I can’t believe he didthis.

My magesight had alreadytold me one odd fact. The only other human within a mile of us, wasWalter Prathion. He was sleeping next door in the room beside thisone. That’s the room he and Rebeccausually stay in when they visit, I notedabsently. Why am I in a guestbed?

“Penny,” I said softly, hoping shewould wake. She didn’t. Thinking back I already knew why. I hadnearly killed her.

While her body was unharmed, I haddrawn upon her aythar until she had come close to dying. It wouldbe days, if not weeks before she recovered fully from that. Shemight not regain consciousness for some time.

As gently as I could, I removed herclothes, noting the bruises and scrapes that adorned her body.Using my magic, I brought water from the upstairs cistern, andlacking a bucket or bowl I just left it suspended in the air whileI warmed it to a comfortable temperature. Once it was ready, I usedit to carefully wash her body and hair, encouraging the dirt tojoin the water when it was reluctant to be parted fromher.

I couldn’t blame it. If I was thatstain on her chin, I’d want to stay there forever too.

Maybe not that dried mucusthough, that’s just disgusting. Iremembered her face before I had drained her. It wasn’t surprisingshe still had a crusty nose.

Finished with her impromptu bath, Isent the water out a small window while I kept the air warm aroundher as she dried. Clean and cozy in the bed now, her body was stillcool to the touch. It was having trouble producing enoughheat.

More tired than hungry, I got out ofmy own strangely clean clothes and climbed back into bed with her.I wrapped her in my arms and drew her close, until her back wassmooth against my somewhat hirsute chest.

Damn, Gareth really was ahairy bastard, I thought to myself.Without much further consideration, I drifted to sleepagain.

Chapter 48

My next wakening was lesspleasant.

It was morning this time, which wasusually a bad sign, but it was the bone crushing pain in my wristthat really set the tone.

“Ow, ow, ow…!” I beganyelping reflexively. “You’re going to break it!” Penny had my handbent at an angle that threatened to cause serious damage. It wasn’tthe threatening sort of pressure either,