Red Blood (Series of Blood Book 2) by Emma Hamm (best short books to read .TXT) 📕

prod until she stopped being capable of speech.

She refused to allow that to happen. She liked keeping Wolfgang to herself. And even though she had only been to visit him a few times, each time had been magical.

That was the only way to describe him. Magical.

Sirens were selfish creatures. She had found something shiny and new and somehow connected with it. Lyra wished that her Siren was still here to talk to because then she might have some kind of understanding of what had happened to her. No other person had ever gotten such a response from her. Never in her life.

Jasper growled next to her. “Sometime soon you’re going to have to talk to me.”

“I don’t have to if I don’t want to,” she stuck her tongue out him.

“I have no time for this,” E growled through Wren’s mouth. “Lyra. You are with me. Jasper and Burke will go in the opposite direction. We have no way of knowing where they are.”

Lyra whirled around to point all around them in a great arc. “And how are we supposed to walk anywhere? We’re on the only rock in this entire swamp.”

E arched a brow and took one step onto a lilypad. Shockingly, the green plant held her weight. “As you said, we don’t step in the water.”

“Show off,” Lyra grumbled as she gingerly hopped onto another lilypad. Though it shifted, it remained nearly as solid as the stone they were standing on before.

Of course, there had to be a way to find the women they were looking for in this labyrinth.

The mission was simple. Find the women known as the Trinity. Maiden, Mother, and Crone. They were not only renowned seers of the future but also knew the possibilities that could occur. The Five were concerned that the future they saw was fluid.

Some predictions of the future showed what was. Others showed what could be. The Five were all powerful, but they could offer no answer to which their prophecy related. The people who fit the description could shift and change.

They all wanted to make certain that the direction they were going was correct. Sadly, that meant they had to find the Trinity and ask the important questions. Burke had said he would ask them, and E had immediately shot him down.

Hopping from her left to her right foot, Lyra picked her way through the swamp until she was close enough to talk to E.

“So, partners now?” Lyra’s voice was muffled in the fog.

“No.”

“But we’re walking together.”

“Yes.”

She had to focus very hard to not trip over a lilypad that was lifted slightly. “One word answers again? I thought we’d gotten past that, secret keeper.”

“Did you find him?”

“Wow going right to the meat of the conversation. You don’t want to talk about the weather first?”

E paused for a moment to stare at her with those unnerving eyes. “No.”

She swallowed hard. “Right. Okay, yes. I did see him.”

“And what did he say to your inquiry?”

“Oh, ah, well.” She stumbled over her words. “He said ‘no’.”

“He said ‘no’ to saving the world?”

Lyra had to pause to think about that. He hadn’t really answered her question again. Instead, he had confused her and shown her pretty things. Maybe she should really look into paying attention more.

“He didn’t exactly say no to that part, he said no to the Five.”

A smile spread across Wren’s face. Lyra had never seen E smile and found it was even worse than the usual stoic expression on her face. “Smarter than I expected him to be.”

“He’s definitely smart. The man is capable of way more than I thought he would be.”

E hopped onto a lilypad close to her and grabbed onto Lyra’s arm.

“Ouch!” Lyra flinched as Wren’s fingernails dug into the meat of her bicep. The grip was much harder than she had ever expected Wren to be capable of. She’d have to compliment her once E wasn’t in control.

“You know what he is.”

She hesitated and stuttered once more, “No… Not really.”

“Lyra, do not lie to me. I will make true my promise to you. Tell me.”

The fire in E’s gaze warned her that lying would likely result in her being shoved into the swamp never to surface again.

“A Magician.”

E shook her hard. “There is no such thing, girl.”

“Apparently there is.” She yanked hard and distanced herself from E. Smoothing a hand down her stomach, she pulled one of her knives out of its hiding place. “I don’t care that you’re in my friend’s body. I will rip a new smile in Wren’s face if you do that again.”

Wren’s hands raised in surrender. “I will not do it again.”

“I would hope not.”

They turned while eyeing each other. Lyra desperately did not want to have to fight with E. Although she was very good at what she did, she knew a losing battle when she saw one. E was thousands of years old and had far too many souls gathered inside of it that had lifetimes of knowledge. She would be asking to hurt herself.

Only a few moments passed before she heard the creature speak again.

“A Magician? Truly?”

“Yes.” She smiled slightly. “I’ve seen it. Whatever it is that he does.”

“Not a Necromancer?”

“Capable of necromancy, yes. Illusion as well. Healing. Who knows what else he could do.”

They skirted around the edge of a willow tree that tried to reach its vines out to tangle around them. Both remained above water but were breathless as they met up on the other side. E shook its head at her when she reached out a hand.

“You should not see him alone.”

“Why?” Lyra couldn’t help but ask. “I think he likes me.”

“A Magician would. He’s human, Lyra.”

“So?”

“So he cannot resist the Siren call you have. There aren’t too many creatures in people that can resist you. What knowledge is there to say that he is truly interested in you and is not simply attracted to the magic you do not have to control?”

She frowned. “I think he’s more powerful than that.”

“He may be powerful, but