Read Broken Prince (The Broken Ones) for Free Online Page B

the saddle and Kei helped her up.
    "Thank you," she said to both of them. "Let's
go find our friends."

 
     
    Chapter 4:
    The Pack
     
    They walked for a while in the darkness, Kei and Garen
moving silently so only the sound of the horse could be heard. To be cautious,
they kept just within the trees. They weren't sure if riders still roamed
beyond.
    She couldn't see a thing and began to wonder what good
continuing to look would do. Her ankle continued to burn and throb and exhaustion
kept pulling her eyes closed.
    A hand on her leg startled her. She hadn't realized she'd
drifted off.
    "Garen seems to want to stop," Kei
whispered.
    With a tired nod she guided the horse further into the
trees, following Kei until he stopped. He helped her down and she hobbled a few
steps before collapsing to the ground with a weary sigh.
    There doesn't appear to be anyone near.
    She looked over at Garen sitting not far from her. Kei
tended to the horse. "We should stop looking I guess. Get some sleep."
    "We'll find them in the morning," Kei said.
    She nodded vaguely, staring off into the darkness. She
hoped Kei was right. He finished with the horse and came to sit beside her.
    "We will find them," he said quietly.
    Tears welled in her eyes and her lips began to tremble.
    He took her hand and they both shifted to lie down. She
closed her eyes, knowing he watched her. Knowing he worried.
    Is he your mate?
    She choked and raised her head, looking over at the Were. What?
    He doesn’t harm you when he’s in a fury. He protects
you and sleeps by your side. When she
didn’t answer he asked again, The Fey, is he your mate?
    No. He is my friend. She lay back down with a grimace. Kei raised his eyebrows
questioningly. "Garen asked if you were my mate."
    Kei snorted and chuckled. He squeezed her hand. "She
is my family."
    Strange girl.
    Her lips twisted in amusement before she closed her
eyes and with a deep sigh, slipped into sleep.
     
    * * *
     
    She felt absolutely horrid. Nightmares had haunted her
sleep. The swelling in her ankle had gone down somewhat, but it still hurt.
They ate quickly, discussing which way they should travel to look for Bo and
Prince.
    Perhaps we should split up?
    Biting her lip, she turned to Kei and repeated.
    Kei grimaced. "I would agree, however you don't
know Bo. There were a lot of humans running around out there yesterday."
    She rubbed at her forehead. Prince wouldn't be a
problem. His elven heritage would make him easy to identify. Garen felt certain
he would be able to talk to him even from a distance. Probably.
    She sighed. I don't suppose you can look in my mind
and see him?
    I...could. You would allow this?
    From the tone of his mind voice she could tell her
offer shocked him. She grinned, if it worked, problem solved. She turned to
Kei, "I'm going to picture Bo in my head and Garen is going to try to see
it."
    Kei frowned. "More people in your head?"
    "It will be fine."
    She grinned at Garen's obvious surprise at their
exchange. "Do you need to touch me?"
    No. Just think of him.
    Closing her eyes she pictured her fortress and herself
standing outside of its towering walls. They needed to meet outside of them. She
didn't even let Prince inside her inner walls.
    Opening her eyes she found herself within her own mind
again. It didn't frighten her. She had done this many times with Prince while
he taught her how to strengthen her mental barriers. Her fortress rose tall and
mighty behind her. For a short distance all around lay barren, dark earth. The
sky rolled with darkness and abstract thoughts. It wasn't pretty. However, it was
her.
    Turning, she glared into the darkness made of anger, fear,
panic, and everything else dark and broken within her. She wished it would go
away, turn into sunlight. She doubted it would happen, not for a long time at
least.
    This is your mind?
    She turned again at the sound of Garen's voice,
grinning because he sounded so surprised. She froze when she saw him.
    He wasn't a wolf.
    He