Read Morning Star: Book III of the Red Rising Trilogy for Free Online Page B

herself forward with her arms. “Take off your face,” she screams,
    “Takeoffyourface.” SheconvulsesasHolidayrushesforwardandjamsathumperintothesmallof herback.Theelectricityisn’tenough.
    “Go down!” Holiday shouts. Victra hits her in the center of her duroplastic armor chestpiece, launching the Gray meters back into the wall. Trigg fires two tranquilizers into her thigh from his ambi-rifle, a multipurpose carbine. They put her down quick. But still she pants on the ground, watchingmethroughaslittedeyetillshefallsunconscious.
    “Holiday…”Ibegin.
    “I’mGolden.”Holidaygrunts,liftingherselfup.Thechestpiecehasafist-sizeddentinthecenter.
    “Pixiecanhit,”Holidaysays,admiringthedent.“Thisarmorissupposedtohandlerailrounds.”
    “Juliigenetics,”Triggmutters.HehoistsVictrauponhisshouldersandfollowsHolidaybackout intothehallasshesnapsatmetohurryafterthem.WeleaveVixusbelly-downinthecell.Alive,asI promised.
    “We’llfindyou,”hesays,sittingupasIgotoshutthedoor.“Youknowwewill.TelllittleSevro we’recoming.OneBarcadown.Onetogo.”
    “Whatdidyousay?”Iask.
    I step suddenly back into the cell and his eyes light with fear. The same fear Lea must have felt thosemanyyearsagowhenIhidinthedarkwhileAntoniaandVixustorturedhertoluremeout.He laughedasherbloodsoakedintothemoss.Andasmyfriendsdiedinthegarden.Hewouldhaveme
    sparehimnowsohecouldkillagainlater.Evilfeedsonmercy.
    MyrazorslithersintoaslingBlade.
    “Please,”hebegsnow,thinlipstremblingsothatIseetheboyinhimtooasherealizeshemadea mistake.Someonesomewherestillloveshim.Remembershimasamischievouschildorasleepina
    crib.Ifonlyhehadstayedthatchild.Ifonlyweallhad.“Haveaheart.Darrow,you’renomurderer.
    You’renoTitus.”
    Theheartbeatsoundoftheroomdeepens.Whitelightsilhouettinghim.
    Hewantspity.
    Mypitywaslostinthedarkness.
    TheheroesofRedsongshavemercy,honor.Theyletmenlive,asIlettheJackallive,sotheycan remainuntarnishedbysin.Letthevillainbetheevilone.LethimwearblackandtrytostabmeasI turnmyback,soIcanwheelaboutandkillhim,givingsatisfactionwithoutguilt.Butthisisnosong.
    Thisiswar.
    “Darrow…”
    “IneedyoutosendamessagetotheJackal.”
    IslashopenVixus’sthroat.Andasheslumpstothegroundpulsingouthislife,Iknowheisafraid because nothing waits for him on the other side. He gurgles. Whimpers before he dies. And I feel nothing.
    Beyondtheheartbeatoftheroom,alarmsirensbegintowail.

    “Shit,”Holidaysays.“Itoldyouwedidn’thavetime.”
    “We’refine,”Triggsays.
    We’re together in the elevator. Victra on the floor. Trigg, helping her into his black rain gear to give her a semblance of decency. My knuckles are white. Vixus’s blood trickles over the inscribed image of children playing in the tunnels. It drips over my parents and stains Eo’s hair red before I wipeitfromthebladewithmyprisonerjumpsuit.Iforgothoweasyitistotakealife.
    “Live for yourself, die alone,” Trigg says quietly. “You think with all those brains, they’d have senseenoughnottobesuchassholes.”Helooksoveratme,brushinghairfromflintyeyes.“Sorryto beaprick,sir.Y’know,ifhewasafriend…”
    “Friend?”Ishakemyhead.“Hehadnofriends.”
    I bend down to brush Victra’s hair from her face. She sleeps peacefully against the wall. Cheeks carved out from hunger. Lips thin and sad. There’s a dramatic beauty to her features even now. I wonder what they did to her. The poor woman, always so strong, so brash, but always to cover the kindnessinside.Iwonderifanyisleft.
    “Areyouprime?”Triggasks.Idon’trespond.“Wassheyourgirl?”
    “No,” I say. I touch the beard that’s grown on my face. I hate how it scratches and stinks. I wish Dantohadshaveditoffaswell.“I’mnotprime.”
    Idon’tfeelhope.Idon’tfeellove.
    NotasIlookatwhattheydidtoVictra,tome.
    It’sthehatethatrides.
    HatetooforwhatI’vebecome.IfeelTrigg’seyes.Knowhe’sdisappointed.HewantedtheReaper.
    And I’m just a withered husk of a man. I run my fingers against my cage of ribs. So many slender