Read Rise the Renegade (Rork Sollix Book 1) for Free Online

you?”
    “I’m in a small cage, raised a little off the floor.”
    “Metal top, real close to your face?” he asked.
    “Yes.”
    “Alright, hold on. I’ll figure something out.” He arched his head up to look at the bars behind him. It must have a door and if it has a door, it can be opened. He only saw bars. He pulled his hands apart. It was no good. He twisted his wrists against each other but the plastic rope only dug deeper and burned his raw skin.
    “Baby?”
    “Just be patient. I’m working on it!” He raised his head and looked down past his feet. There was a string tied around two bars at the bottom of the cage. The bars were too close together. That was it. He pulled his legs up and the cramp returned. He groaned and push them back down again.
    “Want me to try something?”
    “No, I got this.” He gritted his teeth. He pulled his legs up into his side. The cramp returned. He grunted. He used one booted foot to push off the other boot. He flexed his big toe up and reached for the string.
    A hand reached down and tickled his foot with its short, pink fingernails.
    He started and hit his forehead on the thick metal. “What the...!”
    Lala’s smiling face appeared just beyond his foot. She giggled and pulled on the string. The long, low door swung open with a high-pitched squeal. She tugged on his foot.
    “How the hell did you do that?”
    She grabbed just above his knee and pulled. He rocked his body from side to side and inched out. Out of the cage, he stood up, got his boot back on and massaged his aching calves.
    “They put me in the bigger cage. I was able to wiggle more.” She shrugged and looked up at him, biting her lower lip.
    His eyes locked with hers. “You’re really something.”  
    “I love you, Rork Sollix.” She said it with a pretensionless neutrality, as if she were telling him that two plus two couldn’t be anything other than four.
    Rork looked away, a hot inadequacy burning his face. He remembered the papers. He eased them out of the hiding spot in his belt and handed the stiff, too-many-times-folded documents to her.
    Her eyes followed his every move. She fixed her hair but didn’t offer to receive the papers.
    “Your manumission papers. I had them notarized on Isotania. I’m sorry it took so long but I wasn’t sure if...”
    She fixed her clothes, glanced up at him and received the papers. “So, I’m free? Completely free?”
    He nodded. He wanted to say more but his throat had seized up again. The tears massed in his eyes and he blinked them back.
    She threw her arms around his ribs and buried her cheek in his chest.
    “It’s okay, you can go now.”
    She pushed back. “So you were leading me on?”
    “No. I’m just saying—”
    “You don’t love me. Do you?” She studied one eye, then the other. “You just felt sorry for me. This was all pity.” She stepped back again, still searching his face.
    “No! Please, not again.”
    “Tell me you love me!” She shoved him. “Admit it! You love a servant girl!”
    “You know that has nothing to do with it. And you’re free now, anyway.”
    “Just because you’re sick? Just when you need me the most?”
    “He said I had days. You heard him. Barbary will punish you for my actions after I’m gone. I can’t…”
    “I don’t care! Just love me, even if—”
    “I do. But it’s not enough.” He waved her silent and looked around for something sharp to free his hands. It was a small storage room, with chickens in coops from floor to ceiling to their right. A quick scan turned up nothing sharp. “How did you...?”
    “Slipped right out.” She held up her hands and shrugged.
    “Let’s—”
    She grabbed his arm and scowled at him. “I’m not done talking.”
    “What?”
    “A plan maybe? I don’t know.” She rolled her eyes.
    “Step one: get out of here!” He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the door. The thin sheet of rotting particle board listed away from the jamb. He poked his nose