Read Wicked Path (The Daath Chronicles Book 2) for Free Online

beaded hairpins. Red, crystal, purple, black, all different shades bouncing around his stall. I spotted a hummingbird pin with navy blue beads. It would look nice in Raven’s hair, if I could convince her to wear it. She’d probably love a new dagger, but I could imagine my mother’s horrified expression if I bought the girl I loved a weapon.
    Pin it is.
I dug through my pockets to a take out a few coins.
    A lyrical voice filled the air around me, sweet, melodic. I stopped to listen to the feminine singing, then turned to search for the beauty it came from.
    “Purchase that pin, sir, and I’ll give you half price on another.”
    The merchant showed me another beaded pin with a rose, pulling my attention back to the goods before me, and away from the woman who stood somewhere in the crowd behind me. I threw the coin on the table and grabbed both pins before turning away.
    The song sounded distant, as if the wind was sweeping the music away. I had to find that voice.
    “Hey, this isn’t enough!” The merchant yelled, causing the closest townsfolk to turn in my direction.
    “Sorry,” I mumbled. “Do you hear that?”
    “Hear what?”
    I pulled one more coin from my pocket. The merchant frowned, but I couldn’t stay to barter. I walked away from the table, rushing, but not too fast. I rounded the corner, following the song into a small alley.
    “Hello, Avikar.”
    Lucy.
    She smiled, her lips a delicious red. “Did you like the song?” She stepped closer to me.
    “It was beautiful…” I rubbed my head.
Why did I say that?
    Her black hair contrasted against her perfect porcelain skin. “We never did finish that conversation in the tavern.”
    “No, we didn’t.” My mind clouded and my mouth went dry.
    “Let’s go somewhere a little more private. There’s so much we need to chat about.”
    “I shouldn’t…” Something was wrong. Why did I
want
to go with her?
    She put her hand on my chest. “You should. You want to.”
    The singing entered my head, but her lips weren’t moving. Her hand touched the skin on my neck. I grabbed a marble in my pocket and rolled it between my fingers.
    An image of Jimri laughing and running by the lake entered my mind. I smiled.
    “Run,”
he said.
    Why would I run?
    Lucy whispered, her words lost in my head, another hand on my chest, sliding back and forth.
    “Run, Avi.”
Jimri’s voice pounded in my head. I spun around and dashed out of the alley.
    Lucy’s boisterous laugh sent chills through me. She had put us to sleep that time in the tavern, all because of a song. I smacked my face while I ran, trying to disrupt her magic.
    I hummed while running. If Lucy could control me with her wicked voice, who knew what she’d make me do.
    When I was a safe distance away, I turned around.
    Lucy stood on the other side of the market, glaring, the ice in her stark blue eyes freezing me.
    Slowly, I grabbed the hilt of my new sword, watching her carefully, and humming to myself. Would she attack?
    Her hands flicked forward and four darts zipped through the air.
    I dove right and rolled once I hit the ground. A boy stood where I had just been, the darts deep in his chest.
    A wail, so loud and terrifying it shook me to the core, blasted through the market. I held my hands tight against my ears and tried to block out the sound. Lucy ran forward, her mouth wide open and hands raised.
    The crushing sound kept me on my knees, but I fought against it, slowly rising.
    Chaos erupted around me as the villagers shouted and ran around, some holding their ears others waving their arms wildly.
    “Run, now!” Rufus appeared in front of me holding a broadsword.
    I stood, shaking my head. “I’ll fight with you.”
    Lucy launched a set of daggers that Rufus and I both dodged.
    “Now’s not the time. Go, before she reaches you!” Rufus charged at Lucy.
    Guards began running into the market, too many for Rufus to fight alone, and too many for us to beat together.
    He won’t survive