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

Astor can come and go as she pleases. Harris has her in his grasp, so the guards know her. But she doesn’t know where Jay is being kept. In a maze of corridors and a plethora of chambers, it would take an entire season to sneak about undetected. But she has an ally on the inside. Her sister Sasha will be able to get a message to Jay. But that is all. How do I get her out? And how do we evade the Taoiseach if he’s marked all of us? I rub my fingers across my deep-rooted scar at my neckline. How immersive is the connection, I wonder. Can Harris control my emotions like Astor suggests? Is it powerful enough for him to control my actions? Can he read my thoughts too? No, that would be absurd. But there is a connection. I can feel it when I’m within sight of him. Though, maybe it’s just my unique hate for the man.

I startle from a movement in my peripheral. It’s a swallow flying toward the wall. It peaks high above, dips, and dives. It turns a sprightly dive toward the wall and vanishes. Not quite sure what I witnessed, I rise from my watching hill to get a closer look. With no Crimson Guard above or around the rampart, I stroll right up, unchecked. My focus dissipates as I fix my gaze to the sky and the wall. It appears to have no top with all the bulges and weaves of roots intertwining one another. Obviously manipulated, but to imagine a tree with roots so magnificent is otherworldly. A scene from the Old Races.

I carelessly run the palm of my hand across the roots, and it gets stuck in the wall, yanking me back as my feet continue to move forward. I somehow wedged it beneath a small root. How did I do that? When I go to pry it free with my other hand, more roots climb over me. And before I realize it, I’m engulfed into the wall, staring back toward the post I had taken at my watching hill. I attempt to shift my head, and it slams back against the wall, leaving me with an immediate headache. I’m suddenly immobile. And surely tethered to the wall.

What in Susy’s four hells just happened? Relax. I attempt a few deep and steady breaths to calm myself, but I’m restricted by the roots fastened around my chest. Instead, I can only muster short, painful breaths. A root tightens around my throat with each inhale. I don’t know what to do. I attempt once more to wiggle free, but I’m completely immobile. It’s hopeless.

“It is not quite midday, and you’re already taking to the shade, eh, Elder?”

I shift my eyes to the man speaking, and my stomach sinks.

“You were supposed to be mounted atop a harpy this morning, but I see you decided my aeronautics course is next to whatever mischief you have going on here. Shall I bother to ask what your goal is, trying to scale your way into the Taoiseach’s estate, and why it is more important than your lessons? Or shall I have you report directly to the Taoiseach for your tardiness?”

“I…eh…I…” The roots squeeze tighter.

“Astor gave you a good word to get you into the Academy. If you aren’t successful, you’ll take that ambitious and beautiful young lady down with you. I won’t allow it.” Master Sephyre unsheathes a blade from his belt and slides it across my chin before placing it at my throat.

He’s close enough that his flowery scent is strong. And his scars are vivid, tearing across one side of his jaw and into his hairline where his ear is hardly recognizable. But it is, and his eyes… I know Master Sephyre from my past, but I cannot pinpoint it. Perhaps my father worked with him. He presses on the blade. The sting of the cut makes me want to wince, but I am utterly immobile. I have no choice but to bare the pain as he presses deeper.

“Though…” He lowers the blade and effortlessly slices through the root tightened about my neck. I gasp for air. The Master of Flight restricts me from moving, careful not to touch the roots with his gloved hands. “For some odd reason, the Taoiseach is distracted by you. My role is simpler when the Taoiseach is distracted. So, unfortunately, I must tolerate your insufferable choices and trust it won’t interfere with young lady Astor’s wellbeing.” Master Sephyre looks to the sky then swiftly slices through the remaining roots. Following his lead, I am cautious as I slip away from the wall. “Now, I believe you have a lesson to get to, in which your instructor won’t be so forgiving of your tardiness. And we can’t have that, or he might lose interest. Go. And for Susy’s sake, rid yourself of those soiled rags before you offend somebody.”

I sprint away without hesitation.

Who is that man? There’s clearly something vile about him. He’s certainly more than just the Master of Flight. His course is going to have an added weight that I don’t need. Something nobody needs when flying. Since my accident in the flight chamber, he’s allowed me a pass from climbing atop one of those winged beasts, but now… I can’t expect such immunities. I tried to tell Astor about him, but she would never listen. Swooned by his charisma and his beautiful smile. What’s his agenda with her? And what will she say to this debacle?

Erg…I can’t tell her about this. She’ll be furious when she finds out I bailed on his course only to risk being discovered by the Taoiseach. Even more so, she’ll be irate about a missed opportunity for me to learn something.

As I jog back to my quarters, or Master Sephyre’s guest house rather, I shake