Broken Aro (The Broken Ones) Read Online Free PDF Page B

him move back to the little circle of men. Their whisperings began
again almost immediately. Were they talking about her? She couldn't hear what
they were saying over the other noises of the ship. Part of her wanted to jump
up and run over to see what was going on, to be in on the planning. The rest of
her pushed for caution. She didn't know these people, and they weren't her
brothers. She'd only met Kendric a few times and he'd been her brothers'
friend, not hers. At least the other men knew of her family. Maybe that would
help, she'd just have to wait and see. Leaning back, she closed her eyes.
Surprisingly, she wasn't shaking anymore, and her heart wasn't beating like
crazy. She had a connection to these strangers now, even if a small one.
    She looked over at the other man in the corner,
wondering why he wasn't included. Maybe they just didn't know him. Or maybe
they did.
     
    * * *
     
    She stared off into the shadows, her mind numb. All
day she'd drifted in and out of sleep. Her head still hurt and she gingerly
touched the lump on it. If only she hadn't taken that hit. She would know what
happened to her brothers. She didn't know how much time she had lost. That was probably
a good thing. The less she remembered the better.
    It wasn't dark yet, but the ship had started rolling
wildly. Kendric sat beside her, a hand on her shoulder, keeping her from
lurching around. It wasn't much help. Her stomach kept cramping.
    "Tea would be good right about now," she
said absently.
    He chuckled and nodded. "Winds picking up. We may
be in for a storm."
    She looked up at him. He looked tired. "So what's
the word?"
    His lips curved into a small smile again. The phrase
had been something her brothers always said. "You're good. No worries with
the men. I can vouch you're who you say you are. They all knew your father, or
your brothers."
    A choked sound escaped her and she looked away
quickly.
    His hand squeezed her shoulder slightly. "What is
it?"
    "You said knew," she whispered. She closed
her eyes, fighting tears and pressing darkness in her heart. "I didn't see
what happened to them."
    "None of us did either," he said gently and
she looked back up at him. "I asked the men for you. They don't remember
seeing your brothers."
    She sighed and fought to control her raging emotions.
Though pleased he had asked for her, it still wasn't helpful. Her words came
out in a panicked rush. "They could be dead. Or have gotten out of the
city. Or be on another ship. Or dead."
    "Aro..."
    "I know…" She faltered and took a little
breath. "I know they're probably dead. Right?" She looked up at him
again and his brown eyes met her tearful ones. "The city fell, didn't it?"
    He looked away and moved his hand off her shoulder. "Aye.
It fell."
    She nodded to herself and concentrated on keeping calm
and taking little breaths. Things were how they were. She had to deal with it.
Her brothers had taught her that. "And now we're in another mess
altogether." She turned her head slightly, resting her cheek on her knees.
"What happens now?"
    "We're headed for Janur Port. There we'll be
unloaded and taken by caravan to Franua."
    "The slave capital of the world," she said
blandly.
    He nodded. "Aye. There we'll be stripped, sorted,
and branded before we're sold on the auction blocks."
    "Gah," she said with little feeling. Did he
have to be so honest?
    "That about sums it up," he agreed.
    "Any hope of a rescue?"
    He shook his head, dashing any little hopes she may
have had. "No. The slave fleet may come across the Dressan Navy but they'll
just sink us all."
    "You're doing a wonderful job of making me feel
better."
    Looking over at her, he gave a little chuckle and
grinned.
    "What?" She regarded him warily, her comment
had been serious.
    "Never thought I'd be watching out for someone.
Certainly not like this." He shook his head. "Aro being a boy."
He glanced at her again. "Would have been easier a few years ago."
    "Hmph!" She glanced over at the others who
had been