The Final Redemption by Michael Manning (little red riding hood ebook free .txt) 📕

could ask.You have your freedom, and—my thanks.” She kissed me lightly then.“Don’t forget the stone I gave you. You are free to end yoursuffering whenever you wish now. My geas is lifted fromyou.”

Her lips felt electric and sent a joltof living emotion through me, despite the fact that she was notactually human. I pulled away, feeling my irritation fully now. Themagic binding my actions was gone, but while her wish had beengranted, I was still left with no practical solution for theproblems my family faced.

“What about Mal’goroth? You told meyou would share your knowledge once I had completed this task,” Ireminded her. “Is there a way to control him?”

“I cannot help you directly,” shereplied slowly. “There is a way to control him, but it is lost toliving memory.”

I tapped my temple. “I still have theknowledge of the loshti. If I just knew what to look for, perhaps Icould find it.”

She shook her head sadly, “The loshtiyou bear is from the Illeniel Grove. Mal’goroth was created by theMordan Grove, only they knew the key-weaving that would controlhim.”

“Key-weaving,” I said,letting the word tickle my memory. It brought an alien bit ofknowledge to mind, something meant to control Balinthor, but he hadalready been destroyed. Even so, Icouldn’t use the knowledge; it required the ability tospellweave. “Only one of your people coulddo it.”

“Yes…” Her eyes seemed to be glazingover.

“Surely you have some information thatcan help me!”

“I—am—sorry,” she answered, with everlonger pauses between her words.

The fresh bit of emotional energy shehad given me was fully aggravated now. “You led me to believe youhad some knowledge that might help.”

Her eyes were completely closed now,“I—misled—you.”

“You had already enslaved me! Youcould have been honest at least. It isn’t as though I had any otheroptions!” Visions of burning trees filled my mind, and my thoughtsdeveloped violent undertones.

Tennick’s words filled myhead, Maintain your balance, or you willnot be permitted to exist.

“She could at least explain herself,”I growled. “I’m sick of lies and half-truths.”

She cannot hear you. Shehas begun the transition. Her thoughts are slowing, synchronizingwith the longer timescale of an adult She’Har.

“You seem to be able to converseeasily enough,” I noted.

She must adjust to her newlife. It will be some time before she can modulate her thoughts tospeak to humans or our new children. Talking with you is notcomfortable or easy, even for me.

Just my luck. I was pretty sure thatTennick was ready to go back to sleep, or talk to his wife, aconversation that would take years once he returned to his normalmode of thinking. Meanwhile, I and the rest of the world could takea hike. “You don’t seem very worried about what Mal’goroth may doonce he’s finished wiping humankind off the face of the world,” Iopined, hoping to irritate Tennick into staying awakelonger.

He will not harmus.

I had had enough. “You cango to hell.” Reaching into my pocket, I drew out the green stonethat Lyralliantha had given me, studying it with my magesight. Iwas free now. One swift decision was all that stood between me andoblivion. My mind was tattered around the edges, fraying, andunraveling. Madness couldn’t be too far away. Perhaps I should just let go now, before I become somethingregrettable. I had already been havingtrouble maintaining my more sociable demeanor.

You mistake my meaning. Ihave more to tell…

Chapter 29

Dorian and Penny left the house aroundthree in the morning. They were accompanied by Sir Egan and StephenBalistair along with a small group of armsmen who had beenquartering at the Illeniel house. All totaled, they numbered lessthan twenty, but their plan was to rendezvous with the majority ofthe remaining royal guardsmen and the survivors of Lord Hightower’smen. Once they had fully gathered, they expected to have somewhereclose to three hundred. Not nearly enough if one were looking atjust numbers, but they were counting on their three ‘aces,’ SirDorian, Sir Egan, and the Countess herself.

Dorian looked Penelope Illeniel overcarefully in the dim light provided by the moon. She was morelightly armored than he was, wearing the enchanted chain hauberkMordecai had created for her years before. She also carried theshield and sword he had crafted for her. A steel cap completed heroutfit. The chainmail wouldn’t protect her from crushing blows orbroken bones, but the magic it was imbued with made it much lighterthan normal mail. She could move much more lightly than either Eganor Dorian, which was how she preferred it.

Besides his worry for herphysical safety, Dorian’s other main concern lay in what he saw inPenny’s face. She held an expression of eagerness there, as thoughshe looked forward to the violence that was to come.Was that what I used to look like?he thought quietly. Perhaps we’re all just killers at heart.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she toldhim with a daring grin. “By the time this night is over, I may havemore notches in my belt than you.”

He nodded, “That’s what I’m afraidof…”

“You may want to consider some newinformation before you continue,” said a voice from the shadows atthe corner of the house where an alley led toward the carriagehouse in the back.

Weapons were drawn and shields readiedas everyone reacted with surprise. None of them had expected toencounter anyone yet; they hadn’t even begun to move toward thefirst rendezvous point.

“Who’s there!?” challengedDorian.

Karenth the Just stepped forward,moving silently into the moonlight. “An old acquaintance… I bearword from Mordecai—and intelligence from the city.”

“And we should believe you?” said theCountess di’ Cameron with poorly hidden incredulousness.

The somewhat diminished Shining Godsmiled, “Ordinarily no, but I am your husband’s slave now. Youshould treat my words with the same level of trust or distrust yougive his.”

I am a widow,thought Penny fiercely, fighting to retain hercomposure. Whatever he is, Brexus isn’ttruly my beloved.

Dorian responded first, “If you arenot here to betray us, then give us your words and be swift aboutit, our time is short.”

Karenth bowed his head respectfully.“He has commanded me to tell you to flee the city and seek shelterin Castle Cameron if it is still safe there. If not, you shouldseek to find the whereabouts of whatever survivors there are.Albamarl will not be safe