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

sunk into the soft texture of the carpet beneath her while the other assisted in holding up her head. When had her head become a bowling ball? It was too heavy to lift with just the strength of her neck. She brought her hand away for a moment to test. Unassisted, her forehead sunk to press against her raised knees as she curled back into a ball and rolled to her side.

“Where am I?” she whispered. Her voice was hoarse and unfamiliar to her ears. Her throat was scratchy. The faint metallic taste of blood burned against her swollen tongue.

“Oh dear,” a different voice than the other speaker muttered.This one was much lighter and far more lyrical. “I forgot.”

Wren winced as the clattering sound of heels on wood echoed in the room until they disappeared. Did the woman have to wear heels? Women shouldn’t even wear heels anymore. They were uncomfortable and loud. So damn loud. She didn’t know how much time passed before the clattering was racing back towards her. Each strike against the floor caused an answering pound in her skull.

“Here you go.” Something touched her arm and pulled it away from her head. Her hand was wrapped around a cold glass. The weight caused her hand to dip dangerously towards the floor. “Water helps. You’ll be surprised.”

Water did sound good. Yet, there was a warning bell in her head that said she shouldn’t be drinking anything that was offered to her by strangers. They could be attempting to poison her. They could be drugging her. But her tongue was swollen, and her head was fuzzy. They were offering a parched desert a river of clear liquid.

It didn’t take long for her to give in.

She gulped down the water as quickly as possible. Rivulets of water trailed down the long line of her throat that shuddered with every swallow. Each mouthful seemed to bring more clarity to her world. When the glass was empty, her eyes could finally focus on the room around her.

The red carpet that covered the floor was surprisingly thick and comfortable. What wasn’t covered by scarlet was covered by clean, grey stone floors. Beautiful wooden walls were accented by wooden carvings that appeared to have been handmade. She squinted at the piece nearest to her and realized that tiny gargoyles had been lovingly carved and placed along the ceiling. True to their kind, each wore a silly expression as they made faces at the people inside their domain.

Odd choice of decorations, she thought.

Her gaze traveled back to the two people in front of her, and immediately her eyes narrowed upon the woman crouched before her. There was a memory tied to the unusually small, dark haired woman. It danced just out of her reach before flooding back into her head like the bad aftertaste of a drink.

“You,” she muttered.

The woman grinned and clapped her hands. She was a pretty little thing when she smiled and all too solemn when she didn’t. “Oh good, you remember me!”

A hand dropped onto the small woman’s shoulder, and Wren followed the long graceful line of wrist, elbow, and shoulder. The other was a golden goddess of a creature that instantly made Wren feel self conscious.

Perfectly straightened blonde hair spilled over both of the woman’s shoulders and ended just above the curves of her breast. Her face was surely made of porcelain as there was not a line or curve that was out of place. The clothing she wore was expensive. Golden silk glided against her arms and soft honeyed linen covered her impossibly long legs. Crystal clear jewels were wrapped around her throat and held a hint of blue that matched her eyes. Confident eyes that stared at Wren as though she was little more than trouble.

She was a female who was naturally beautiful and used it to her advantage. Wren stayed where she was as the dark haired sprite moved out of the way. The golden woman was the one in charge or so it seemed.

“I’m sorry you had to be brought here in such a way, Wren.” She stooped so that she was at the same level and reached for the empty glass. “I’m sure you understand that it was unavoidable.”

“I’m not sure where I am, so I’m unable to agree with that,” Wren grumbled. Stubbornly, she continued to hold onto the glass. She had no wish to give the other woman whatever she wanted. That would make things far too easy.

Perfectly sculpted, blonde eyebrows rose at her words. “You’re in Haven. This is the home of the Five.”

“I’m guessing you’re one of the Five,” Wren replied. “Shocking.”

“Yes, I am known as Gaia.”

“That doesn’t sound like a real name. You make it up?”

“It is the one I have chosen. I am far too old to remember something as simple as a name.”

“I don’t believe that.”

Gaia appeared to be stunned for a moment before blinking. “Excuse me?”

“Everyone remembers their names. You just don’t want anyone to know what it is. A name holds power. Oldest game in the book.” There was no question in Wren’s words. She knew exactly what game this woman was playing, and she wasn’t having any of it.

Gaia began to laugh as she stood back up. “You are much smarter than I expected.”

Wren rolled to get onto her knees. She was exactly where she shouldn’t be. This place wasn’t safe for her. E had made it very clear that working with the Five was going to get her killed. Hell, even meeting Malachi was going to get her killed. She wasn’t certain there was any choice that would end with her alive.

“Look,” she began, “I don’t know why you’re bringing all this trouble into my life, but I don’t want any of it.”

“You are potentially part of a prophecy that will save all of us. If Burke thinks that you are an important piece of this puzzle, then I will investigate that.”

“Yeah well, Jiminy can shove that lie where the sun don’t shine,”