Read Into the Ashes [The Arcadians 2] for Free Online Page B

reach so she wouldn’t be
    eaten.
    The bad news was that she was
    fucking terrified of heights.
    Fear had her paralyzed as she held
    on with a death grip, closing her eyes
    as she prayed. She dimly heard the
    sound of a door crashing open but her
    blood was pounding too loud in her
    ears for her to pay any attention to
    what was going on above.
    “Raven!” Kadan yelled.
    She jerked as she heard his voice,
    but couldn’t respond or open her
    eyes. If she did she knew she would
    look down, and maybe throw up.
    No. Eyes were staying closed.
    She heard a low growl from above
    and, after taking a deep breath, found
    the courage to pry open her eyes and
    look up. Standing at the railing
    looking down at her was Kadan and
    another man who she assumed was
    Savitar, the oldest brother of the trio.
    Savitar looked almost identical to
    Kadan, only slightly bigger. He had
    on black leather pants and around his
    waist he wore a belt with a sword
    attached. Across his broad, chiseled
    chest he had on a black leather vest
    with a variety of knives and other
    weapons sticking out of it. He had his
    light-brown hair pulled back and
    Raven could see a vicious scar
    across his neck and chest that
    disappeared under the leather of his
    vest.
    She should have been terrified of
    this new brother who looked like a
    warrior of old, but as her eyes met
    his she saw him as safety instead. His
    glowing golden eyes were bright
    with concern and his knuckles were
    white with strain as he gripped onto
    the top of the balcony railing. She felt
    both of their fear for her through the
    bond she had with Kadan. She
    refused to look away from Savitar,
    using him as a focal point so she
    wouldn’t freak out and look down.
    A wave of sadness emanated from
    Kadan that made her heart hurt. “I
    felt your terror through our bond.
    What are you doing, Raven? Was
    your fear of us so great you thought
    to escape us this way?”
    “The only thing I was trying to do
    is not get eaten by the ginormous lion
    in your room,” Raven said through
    clenched teeth.
    Savitar growled softly at her and
    reached down his hand.
    “Reach up and grab hold of
    Savitar, sweetling. Let us pull you
    up,” Kadan ordered softly in her
    mind.
    “I…can’t.” She could see the
    sadness deepen in Savitar’s eyes as
    they dimmed and wondered how the
    hell she could know what he was
    thinking simply by watching him.
    Still, he held her gaze as he stretched
    his hand out to her, beckoning her to
    him.
    “Please, Raven. Do not blame
    Savitar for what Tristan and I did.
    Let him pull you to safety,” Kadan
    pleaded.
    Tears of embarrassment filled her
    eyes. “I mean, I can’t. Literally. I
    can’t let go. I can’t move.”
    Understanding had the sadness
    clearing from Savitar’s glowing eyes
    and she saw sheer determination fill
    their depths. He quickly removed his
    sword
    and,
    after
    a
    moment’s
    hesitation, took off his leather vest,
    baring his muscular, scarred, golden
    chest to her view.
    Wow, now that was definitely the
    way to distract her.
    Eye candy…yum!
    Focus Raven, she scolded herself.
    Her breath caught as she heard
    Kadan’s inner thoughts. He was
    hoping she wouldn’t be cruel to
    Savitar because of his imperfections,
    and she knew instinctively that he
    hadn’t meant for her to hear what he
    was thinking.
    Keeping the knowledge to herself,
    she kept her gaze on Savitar as he
    swung himself over the balcony so he
    was on the outside with her. Before
    she knew it he had crouched down
    and jerked her up onto his lap with
    one arm wrapped securely around
    her waist. Raven reacted without
    thought and let go of the blanket to
    latch on to him. She wrapped her
    arms around his neck, burying her
    head into the crook of his neck so she
    wouldn’t have to see over the edge.
    Her legs came up around his waist as
    she tried to climb him like a tree as
    he slowly stood up.
    She heard him growling softly to
    her as he awkwardly climbed over
    the railing with her