Read Implanted (The Ascension Series Book 2) for Free Online Page B

the prairie.”
    Fran’s eyes remained closed. She could hear Ema shuffle around her bed and felt the tugging and tucking of the linens.
    “By the way, Charles, if you’re feeling up to it, I’m sure Ben would be happy to give you a tour around the camp.”
    “Sure,” Chan said. “But if it’s okay, I’d like to stay with Wolf for another minute.”
    “One minute more,” Ema said.
    Fran waited a beat for Ema to breeze back through the door before addressing her mentor. “Charles?” She said. “How did I not know your name was Charles ?”
    “Hey. I was Chan before you were Fran. And, by the way, I named you Wolf, and I can take it back.”
    “Mm hmm …” Fran’s mouth felt thick.
    “Hey, Wolf.” Chan nudged her sleeping tomb.
    She peeked through her lids and licked her lips. “Chan.”
    “We need to get them out.”
    “I know. I tried.” Fran struggled to focus. “It’s worse than we thought, Chan.”
    She fought to stay with Chan, but the effects of the tea were pulling her way. “It’s in us. We’re all. Infect ...”
    Chan’s faced blurred and she didn’t have the strength to bring him up to speed. A powerful wave washed over her, and unable to resist the pull, Fran returned to the darkness.
    Back inside fevered sleep, she continued to fight the battle. A few times, when breaking through the conscious barrier, she noticed a warm hand around her own and sighed with the comfort of her mother’s touch, before fading back into her world of dreams. When able to stay awake for several minutes, Fran took small sips of ginger tea or water before her heavy head fell back onto her pillow. Now and then she’d wake to the perfunctory hands of Ema poking and prodding, bathing her face, and tucking the linens, but didn’t dare open her eyes for fear she’d be forced to drink more bitter potions. Her body began to acclimate to the new normal and soon nightmares faded and fitful sleep returned.
    When the voices of her mother and Ema discussing her progress roused Fran, she untangled her brain from the depths. A cool breeze passed through the window and Fran rolled to her side to catch the fresh air on her cheek. She lay quiet, not wanting to disrupt the conversation and tried to keep her eyelids from fluttering.
    “If I would have known about her near-drowning, I would have never given her such a heavy detox dose.” Ema’s voice, although cloaked with the formality of medicine, carried a worried tone.
    Fran’s muscle tensed. Retter told ?
    “All in all, she’s done well, Ruth. We just need to make sure she doesn’t overdo it when she comes around.”
    “I’ll be sure to keep a close eye on her,” Mom responded.
    Ema chuckled. “Yes. Good luck with that.”
    Fran kept her lids closed until she heard them shuffle out of the hut. With a sigh, she cracked open her eyes just enough to allow a small shaft of daylight to enter her dark world. Although sensitive to the sunlight, she didn’t notice the usual intensity of the accompanying headache, so she dared to fully lift her lids.
    Another breeze hastened through the window and brushed her cheek. On a yawn, she drew in a large lungful of sweet, dewy air and stretched her arms out wide, feeling rested like she’d just woken from a midday nap.
    I’m done!
    Flooded with relief, Fran tore at the blanket and sat up to inspect her surroundings.
    She looked at the line of cots and noticed Marie had been released. A smile spread across her face and she stood, eager to find her ward from her days at the Ranch. Had Marie begun to sing again? And what had become of Fiona, Fran’s first ward to exit Impervious? Her smile grew, remembering team-Fran, and she wondered if John and Bob would be joining them soon.
    As she took a step forward, the room began to sway, and Fran lurched toward the doorway to grab onto the wooden threshold.
    “Oh … No, no, no, dear.” Ema seemed to appear out of nowhere. She placed a strong shoulder under Fran’s free arm and