Emergence (The Primogenitor Chronicles Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

in relief. Her bare feet pounded rhythmically against the dirt. Don’t look back. You know they haven’t given up.
    A sudden, splitting pain ricocheted through her head. She slammed her hands to her temples and fell to the ground, biting off a scream.
    Panting in agony, she felt like everything she had ever eaten in her whole life wanted to revisit her. A moan escaped and she opened her eyes. I can’t see. What happened? Why can’t I see? She rolled to her hands and knees then sat back on her heels and wiped at the blood running from her nose. As she calmed her breathing, Jessica started to notice the softer grey shadows where the moonlight reached through the tree canopy and touched the ground. The moon is out. But I could see almost as well as if it were day before. I knew Valkyrie vision was better but wow. So what happened? It just turned off? I guess I shouldn’t have been thankful for the path. Well, I’m not going to just sit here waiting for them to find me.
    It still took her a moment to adjust to the change. At first the dark was stifling, but then Jessica cocked her head, noticing the riot of sound all around her. The forest creatures made a lot of noise shuffling around in the fallen leaves. Not to mention how loud the leaves themselves were, rustling and rattling as they danced from their branches to the ground. Way behind her, though as far as she was concerned not far enough, she could hear the Hunters tracking her. First I can see in the dark, and now I can hear like a wolf. Well, this is peachy. I would really prefer being able to see right now. Actually, I would prefer to be home in my nice warm bed and not dealing with this right now.
    She climbed unsteadily to her feet and turned, trying to pinpoint different sounds. A rushing came from her right, and she spun toward it. Is that water? I must be closer than I thought. She couldn’t see it, but she could hear it.
    Tentatively she stepped out, feeling each step with her toes. When nothing happened, she moved with a bit more confidence, heading in the direction of the river. She thought she was stressed before, but using her hearing to navigate was hard work—and slow. Her tension built, and every step she gained down the path she could hear her Hunters gaining on her. She picked up the pace, moving into a jog. The rumble grew to the point that it drowned out most of the other sounds of the forest. This is your last chance. What’ll it be, it or them?
    She reached the bank of the river. The rushing filled her ears and the scent of the cold water made her pause. The moon glinted dully on the swirling current as it raced past. She couldn’t hear the sound of her pursuers over the roar, but she knew they were just moments behind her. Angry at this whole situation, she waffled for a moment. The thought of entering that freezing water was almost too much, but then she thought about what would happen when the Hunters caught up to her. Resolved, she searched for a slope down to the water’s edge, but the high bank crumbled under her feet and sent her tumbling into the river. She hit the frigid water and went under, the current carrying her downstream.
     

     
    “Nickolas, come take a look at this. Something happened here.”
    Nickolas looked down the trail at his brother and saw Christoff studying the woman’s tracks. He left his own search and joined him.
    “See, Nick, it looks like she stumbled and fell, but when she got up again, her gait changed.”
    Nickolas reached out and lightly touched the scuffmarks the fledgling had left when she fell. Blood from her feet was mixed in with the dirt, and he hissed at the unusual response he had. The contact with her blood shoved a slide show of pictures into his head. It moved too fast for him to catch, but a couple of things stuck with him. Quickly rubbing the dirt off of his fingers, he sat back, shaking his head. Gods, she is strong. He couldn’t help but admire her strength of will and her ability to