Silver Blood (Series of Blood Book 1) by Emma Hamm (bill gates book recommendations .TXT) 📕

knows whether he’s still going by that name. The people that are in the prophecy are the only ones who can stop him.”

Burke paused again, looking at her as though he was waiting for the light to go off in her head. Wren pursed her lips and shrugged her shoulders once more.

“Really?”

“Why are you looking at me like I should know this? Burke, I really don’t have a clue what you’re on about.”

“Did you not go to school?”

She ignored the sound of snickering in her head from E. “Listen, Burke, I have a life that doesn’t revolve around fantasy stories of rising evil and saving the world. I don’t pay attention to children’s stories, and I definitely don’t need to get involved with it.”

“I think you’re part of the prophecy.”

The words came out of his mouth so fast she thought she might have heard them wrong. Part of a prophecy? Now that was a laugh. She was just a Juice producer in the back end of town, not someone that was likely to be mentioned by an Oracle. And more than that, Wren didn’t want to be someone like that.

“You’ve got the wrong girl. Now please go so that I can towel off without charging you for a show.”

“I don’t think I have the wrong person. I’m rarely wrong.”

“And what makes you think I’m the person you’re looking for?” she asked. “Really, have you seen me? Have you seen my life? I’m not in a prophecy, Burke.”

“Lost in a crowd is the creature that binds. It is they who have lost all of their minds. What did you say to me the first time we met?”

“Nothing like that.” She leaned out of the tub and tried to snatch the towel. In response, Burke leaned as well and pulled it out of her reach. “Hey!”

“Listen to me, Wren. We’ve met before, and you most certainly did say something remarkably similar. It’s not just you that the prophecy is talking about.”

She looked at him with those big gray eyes, and Burke knew that something else was looking at him now as well.

“What?”

“In your dreams. We’ve met before.”

“No we haven’t,” she whispered. Wren was uncertain, however, that the words were actually the truth.

“I met the creature inside you as well.” A sideways smile quirked his mouth. “Sorry, bud. I can’t take the warning you gave me. I have more important things to protect.”

Wren felt for a moment as though she was shoved aside in her own mind. E surged forward with more power than it had ever exerted. She heard herself say, “You should have heeded my warning.” There was a scuffle inside of her head as she fought to gain control once more. Finally, Wren was able to look out of her own eyes.

“What the hell went on between the two of you?” she asked both of them.

“Just a disagreement,” Burke said. “Your creature doesn’t want to help us and would rather protect you. I’m asking you to make the choice that will benefit the world even if you have to put yourself in danger. Wren, the world is about to change in a big way.”

He leaned forward as though to grab her hands, which she immediately pulled out of his grasp.

“E,” she whispered and fluttered her hand at Burke’s confused expression.

“It’s too dangerous Wren.”

“Why?”

Burke immediately started prattling again, but Wren wasn’t listening to him. She was blocking out his voice entirely as she listened to E who had begun to speak again.

“I remember the Five. They were always high and mighty, wanting the world to be sunshine and sprinkles. The world isn’t meant to be like that. It’s light and dark, good and bad. They can’t fix it and neither can you. If Malachi has risen again, I won’t put you in danger.”

“It’s not your choice to put me in danger.”

“Of course not,” Burke continued. “But I think-”

She leaned forward to press her palm firmly against his mouth. “Shut up, Burke. I’m not talking to you.”

“It’s not,” E replied. “Wren, if you do this, you will die. Malachi will stop at nothing, and I cannot protect you. You need to trust me.”

“I have always trusted you, E,” she said.

Wren leaned back and took her hand away from Burke’s mouth. The tub had grown cold. Its water felt icy as she ducked down further into it. A shiver rocked her shoulders, but she wasn’t about to get out until Burke left. Now it was a matter of pride.

“Do you always talk to your creature out loud?”

“You can be nicer and call it E. That’s it’s name.”

“E?”

“Yes, E. It’s short for Entity.”

“Why don’t you call it by its name? Or at least its species.”

Wren gave him an unimpressed look. “I don’t know what E is. I’m a Curiosity.”

“Curiosity indeed,” Burke muttered. “So you have no idea what E is?”

“No. Look, I’ve always trusted E. My entire life has been E taking care of me. If it says that this is a bad idea, then I go with what E says. I’m sorry, Burke, but find someone else to fulfill that prophecy of yours.”

The candles around her tub had burned into nubs. One by one, they started to sputter as his jaw tightened. She thought he was going to argue with her more. If he had been good at his job, which Wren knew he wasn’t, he would have just kidnapped her then and there. But Burke wasn’t that kind of person.

He wanted her to make the right choice so that he didn’t have to kidnap her. He had bled more for her than any other person he could name. But he could also see that she was shivering in the tub. He was enough of a gentleman to know that it was time for him to bow out.

“The only person who can help us is you. I’m convinced of that.”

He stood then and held the towel out to her. She took it with ice cold fingers but watched him with wary eyes. Wren