Blood Red (81 page)

Vivi Anna

She nodded. “If we live, there might be something I want to say.”

He smiled. “Then I will be ready to listen.” He turned and went back to the table. He sifted through the weapons and grabbed a mighty ax.

* * *

She watched him, regret on her lips. She did want to say many things to him. He deserved that much from her. He may be not the man she had wanted him to be, but he was still a great man. She knew that now.

He must suffer each day with the decisions he had made. She knew that he had made them with more than greed and hate in his heart. He possessed sound morals and values. Abstract things she had long ago shed in return for the black soul of vengeance and malice.

She would hold her word to them, and slay the Brothers. But not because they threatened the existence of Germania or some made up prophecy, but because they deserved to die. For what they did to her and her family. These were selfish reasons, but they were the only reasons she needed to suit up and ride into battle.

Red walked to the table and found her knife sheathes. She strapped one to each leg, under her arms, and on her back. She wrapped the sword girdle around her waist. She slid the sword in slowly. She moved side to side, testing the weight and comfort of her rigs. She finally looked up and glanced around the room.

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Blood Red

The others watched her, each rigged and ready.

She caught Wolf’s eye, and he nodded. With lightening speed, Red grabbed the knives at her legs.

She twirled them artfully in her hands.

“Let’s go to war.”

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Vivi Anna

The forest was deathly quiet as the seven rode along the well-beaten path. Not even the gentlest of breezes moved through the dense foliage. The only sound was of horse hoofs on the trampled grass.

But even those sounds had no substance to them, no echo. It was if they were moving through a dense fog, where the air itself felt heavy, thick, hard to move through. It was almost like wading through water.

Red stopped her horse and glanced around them.

The hairs on the back of her neck rose and her skin prickled. She put her hand up to stop the others.

“We are close. I can feel the residue of magic.”

“So can I.” Rapunzel glanced around as a shiver vibrated down her spine.