Read Yield the Night for Free Online

“Why don’t you sit and have some dinner? I have some things to take care of. Just hang out here for a bit and I’ll come get you soon.”
    “Okay,” Piper agreed. It wasn’t really a choice. Mona gave her a quick hug and hurried off.
    Her two shadow guards sat a little ways away and picked up newspapers from the piles scattered across the table. She shot them a narrow-eyed look, not buying their casual act for a minute. One of the two flicked a glance at her, meeting her stare with dark eyes. He was well built, with pale hair somewhere between blond and ashy brown. He held himself like a man who knew how to fight.
    They stared at each other for a heartbeat longer before he turned back to his newspaper. Her escape plans would have to take him into consideration; she wasn’t sure she wanted to go head to head with him. He gave her a bad feeling.
    She looked toward the kitchen, chewing her lip. The long strip of counter and appliances accommodated a lot of cupboards and drawers where plates and utensils might be hiding.
    “Hey.”
    She turned. A girl stood beside her, shoulders hunched, two plates in her hands.
    “Um ... do you want some food?”
    Piper tried not to look too surprised. “Uh—yeah, sure.”
    She accepted a plate and followed the girl to the counter. They served themselves in silence, dishing out noodles, tomato sauce, and salad, before taking a seat at the table. The girl glanced shyly at Piper, nervously fidgeting with a lock of blond hair, half-heartedly brushed at some point much earlier in the day. The casual look matched the sweats and t-shirt she wore. She hesitantly passed Piper a fork.
    “I saw you getting the tour,” she said so quietly Piper had to lean closer to hear her. “I figured you were new and wouldn’t ...”
    “You guessed right,” Piper said, putting on her cheerful face. “Thanks. I had no idea where to find the dishes.”
    The girl smiled, her round face relaxing. “I’m Kylee.”
    “I’m Piper.” She twirled some noodles around her fork then looked over and discovered Kylee staring at her.
    “You’re Ms. Santo’s daughter?” the girl asked.
    Piper managed not to cringe. “Yeah, that’s me.”
    “That’s cool. Ms. Santo has mentioned you a couple of times. She must be really happy that you’re here now. When did you arrive?”
    “Early this morning.”
    “Oh, so you just got here. I’ve been here for a month. I’m a newbie too.”
    “Why did you come here?”
    “My mom and stepdad kicked me out after I was expelled from school for blowing up a desk.”
    Piper snorted down a laugh and shoveled a forkful of pasta into her mouth. “Why did you blow up a desk?”
    “I didn’t mean to. My parents forbade me from ever using magic and I couldn’t control it. But my teacher was ... calling me names and I got so upset and it just ... happened.”
    Piper knew what being humiliated in front of peers felt like. “Are you happier here?”
    Kylee’s face lit up. “Oh yeah! Everyone here likes me. I start magic lessons with the next group in a week. I can’t wait.”
    “I bet that’ll be fun. So I’m guessing your biological dad ...?”
    Kylee frowned at her bowl. “He must have been a daemon, though my mom didn’t know it when she met him. She didn’t like talking about him.”
    “I’m sorry. You probably don’t like daemons much, huh?”
    “Definitely not. I’ve never met my dad. No one here knows their daemon parent. They make children but then abandon them. I don’t think that’s right. And they all do it. It’s pretty heartless.”
    Piper couldn’t argue there. She focused on her meal, her thoughts twisted with ideas and realities she’d never bothered to consider before. As she and Kylee ate, the room began to fill up. People glanced at her curiously, the newcomer, as they served themselves dinner or sat in the living area to catch up with friends. The lesson at the other end of the room concluded and the tired but happy students