Desecrating Solomon: Book 1 of 3 (Desecration Series) Read Online Free PDF Page B

body was weak with vulnerabilities. He’d held her hand. It had been kind and gentle and warm. She recalled her body’s panic when he would let go. She would need to be careful. So very careful with him. The only thing she knew about him from Master was that he was going to be a very powerful sacrifice. Was he special like her? Did he too have gifts?
    “I’ve only got aspirin and acetaminophen,” he said softly.
    To hear his words or feel them, that’s what Chaos struggled between. She remembered to nod her consent while considering his voice. It seemed to have a bewitching power. Almost like Grandmother’s. Chaos allowed it to soothe her mind. It would help her to heal quicker. She’d experienced physical discipline so many times, this leg of the procedure was mundane and boring. Mostly because it required her to be still. She was good at it but hated it. And given the extent of the damage, she’d be still far longer than she was accustomed. Her entire body felt three times its size and there wasn’t a place on her that didn’t beg for respite from the pain.
    Master had always been an expert at hurting without hitting. And if he chose to hit, he could do it without marking. He could crack without breaking, beat without bruising, bruise without bursting. He could crush the spirit without ever breaking skin or bone, that was his specialty. 
    But this time… it felt or seemed like Master had done it all. She felt broken everywhere. Her body, her mind, her spirit, even her heart. He was so very exceptional at breaking. Even though she practiced long and hard to strengthen herself against it, he was able to. He hated hurting her, he’d told her so, many times. But his love for the world was greater than the will of his flesh. And for that, he’d suffered both of them to endure what was holy and righteous unto the redemption of the cursed. 
    She allowed Solomon to lift her head and she managed to swallow. But the pain it brought made her entire body lock up.
    “Shit, I’m so sorry,” he said.
    Why should he be sorry? Chaos hated the sounds of agony she kept making. She hoped it stopped soon and she hoped he wasn’t always this strange. She didn’t like being cruel, but she would if necessary. Whatever she needed to be and do to accomplish the mission was the only thing she should concern herself about.
    She just needed silence and solitude for about twelve hours and she’d be fine. And not dwell on the questions with no answers or the questions that brought the bad fears and the bad pain. There were too many swarming around the edges of her mind.
    “Is it okay if I still ask you a few questions?”
    Her nod came before Chaos could really think. How was she supposed to rest while indulging him in his endless questions? Maybe it was a distraction her body knew she needed. She flinched inside when he carefully took her hand again but then the warmth calmed her immediately. Master used to wrap her in wet hot sheets after a discipline and she’d eventually learned comfort from it. Until the sheet dried. Then it was like another form of discipline, nearly suffocating her. Grandmother called it swaddling.
    “Does the person who did this to you… live near here?”
    Chaos squeezed twice. She didn’t like lying but she’d not jeopardize the mission.
    “Does he live in the next town?”
    Again she squeezed twice.
    “Two towns over?”
    Why was he so enflamed with where this person was? Again she squeezed twice.
    “So this relative must be visiting from a very far place.”
    She gave one squeeze, finding that acceptable.
    “Is he near here now?”
    She squeezed twice.
    “Did he leave to go back home already?”
    She squeezed once, glad to be finished with that topic.
    He let out maybe a frustrated sound, or was it relieved? She waited in the silence, focusing on the feel of his hand. It was twice the size of hers. Bigger than Master’s she was sure. Much gentler. Part of those bewitching powers like his