Season of Sacrifice (Blood of Azure Book 1) by Jonathan Michael (best ebook for manga txt) 📕

“A foul mouth, tardiness, disrespect, and the like are his biggest pet peeves.”

But why is she here? Why would Astor leave the comfort of her home, where she has her clutter, her charges that need her, and Advocate Gunther, who cared for her as a daughter? Why would she leave all of that to stay here with me? I know it’s not my charm or my wits.

“And, Stone, you excel at every one of them, so I am going to drive this one hard. Stone?”

There is something more to her, and I cannot figure it out. She has no reason to be here. I don’t care if she thinks I can help heal the world. It’s no reason to leave your home. I battle with this question over and over, and she’s never straight with her answers.

“Are you listening? I have your eyes, but I don’t seem to have your ears. Stone!”

Her shout clears my thoughts. She shakes her head at me and reaches high for the last lantern and removes the cloth. A gentle smile and rose complexion swathe her when she realizes I’m not staring at her, but her figure.

“Where is your mind? Your tutoring won’t simply be an evening routine with these. And let’s add focus to the list. Anytime I catch you being late, it’s a lashing.  Anytime a curse word escapes that tongue of yours, it’s a lashing.  Anytime you fail to say please or thank you, it’s a lashing.  Anytime you—”

“You know I’m a Lahyf right?” I interrupt.

She looks around, shuffling through a cupboard in the kitchenette. She pulls something from it and walks back to the table, hiding it behind her back. I casually organize my parchment on the table, distracted by her strut, and she slams a wooden spoon down on my fingers.

“Argh!” I cradle my hand in my chest.

“I didn’t expect you to fail so quickly,” she exclaims.

“Why! That really hurt! Why?”

“You interrupted me. Why else?”

She sits across from me, pulls the text closer, straightens her posture, and opens it to the book ribbon where she’s marked today’s lesson. She reads out loud. “‘There are many things taboo in the world we live in. They vary in grade from mildly offensive to deathly horrific. The deathly horrific is beyond etiquette and is not covered in this text. However, the mildly offensive can be avoided with propriety. A few examples: One—'"

“Why are you helping me, Astor?” I push the text down that she quotes.

“Stone…” She reaches for the wooden spoon.

I grab her hand. “Astor. Please.”

Her eyes look to my hand touching hers. Then to the table with a sheepish grin on her face. She finds my question humorous. “How do I put this politely? You’d fall flat on your face if I didn’t.”

“No. I mean why are you really helping me? We hardly know each other. We’re merely acquaintances with one thing in common, and that was a young girl in need of your help. She’s no longer here, which I question daily why I haven’t gone to search for her, but that is another topic. Why did you persuade me to start a new life here, and why is it so important to you I succeed?”

She continues to stare at the table, and her face reddens. Her smile turns flat. There’s pain hiding in her thoughts.

“Love.”

Or not. What? “Love?” I repeat.

“Don’t misinterpret that. Sorry. I meant love for my father, for you, for all citizens of Azure. Stone, your self-awareness is lacking. You have so much potential with your talents, yet you fail to see it. When we first met, Jaymes’s injury was a fatal one. She should have been dead by the time you arrived, but she wasn’t. I have never heard of anyone living to see another day after an encounter with a Cryptid. That creature flayed her from head to toe, and the blood loss should have put her into an immediate down spiral, but it didn’t. Your healing abilities are impressive for not having an education. However…”

She looks me in the eye. There’s her beauty again. Entrancing me.

“You need to learn how to evolve them into something more…more controlled and…and intentional.”

“What are you telling me? What are you gaining from this?”

“It benefits everyone. Why do my actions need to be selfish?” Her brow curls inward.

“Everyone’s actions are selfish!” I snap. I’m not sure why.

“You know, Stone, I was starting to warm up to you, but with these insults, I’m…I’m…” She throws her hands in the air, growling, and removes herself from the table. She turns her back to me. “I have done nothing but help you overcome your challenges, and yet, you still don’t trust me. What do I have to do?” She hides her face in her palms. Subdued sniffling brushes the silence.

“I’m sorry, Astor. I know I have trust issues, but what you’re telling me, that there isn’t anything in it for you, it’s hard to believe. You have a home. And it’s not here. Not with me. I don’t understand.”

“Why are we so cruel to one another? My actions are selfish. I admit it. I’m doing this for my father.” She turns and looks up to me with her head hanging low. I wait for further clarification. “Nobody simply helps for the sake of helping. Do they? I suppose you’re right. There is always a catch. My father, he…” She sniffles. “…he died several seasons ago. It was a fishing accident. I tried to save him. I did. I tried everything I could, but in the end, my Hiberneyt talents weren’t enough. He needed a real Healer. Someone with…someone with your talent. Lahyf talents. I have been dedicating my time to helping everyone I could since then and experimenting with new forms of healing. There isn’t always a Lahyf readily available. Not those who