Oden Read Online Free PDF Page B

wasn’t able to penetrate it.
    “Pity, she’s only dragging us down.”
    My hand stills and instantly fists. “Yeah? Was she dragging us down when she was able to get the monit off Jeprow? The only reason we are free of Jeprow right now is because of her. She got us off his ship, and we have a chance to fight back now. So if you don’t want to get into a fight with me, then shut up about Mattie and her only being human,” I growl at him, my hands flexing, desperate to take my anger out on Ival. However, I can’t bear the thought of moving Mattie out of my arms.
    “She is a disgrace. If you actually survive… this war, then you will have to run for your… lives to get away from Father. Once he… knows you have impregnated a human, he’ll be… after all of your heads. He’ll hunt that half-breed… child and slaughter it.”
    “Ival!” I bark, my fist punching the ground by us hard. “I said I would fight for Oden, but I don’t have a problem with taking Mattie now and getting away from here. I will let Oden burn to the ground before I abandon her and my child to our father. I will kill him, you, or anyone who gets in my way to ensure their safety. Therefore, if you want me to help you with this war, then shut up! I know how you feel on the matter, so repeating yourself won’t get the reaction you are hoping for. I will never leave Mattie. You can’t scare me away from her or our baby.”
    Ival glares at me, his gaze never wavering, and I resist even blinking. I won’t back down from this.
    “Fine. I am going to… check out the entrance to see if… the Claws have moved and the area is… clear. If it is, then we need to move.”
    I nod, watching him sneak away. The shadows will help him to remain hidden. The fighting hinemas are lighting up the sky and random stretches of light shine in the distance. Regrettably, there aren’t as many lights as I’ve hoped to see. Soon, the Claws will take hold of this area and we’ll lose Edael.
    Now that I have time to think clearly with Mattie in my arms, I recall the bunkers situated within many of the buildings. Once the attacks started to happen, there should have been a warning made to the humans here. With any luck, most are hiding safely within them and the few humans I have seen were only some unlucky ones who either didn’t listen, or were willing to fight and die.
    I glance back over Mattie, recalling her horror at seeing the humans being killed by the Claws. I know that memory will eat at her. Even though I’ve told Ival I wouldn’t risk our lives attempting to get into the tunnels if it was too dangerous, I can’t ignore that the tunnels are our safest bet. Once we are in there, we won’t only be shielded from attacks by the Claws, but also from the images of their killing. Mattie has already seen too much, her nightmares back on Roth a sure sign of that, she doesn’t need to add more to the awful acts of violence she’s had to witness.
    I stroke her hair, moving it away from her face, and quietly call out her name. The blood smeared over her forehead scares me. Even though she has a pulse, that doesn’t mean she will wake up. She might be in a coma. No matter what the situation is back at the entrance of the tunnel, if Mattie needs to be carried, it will put us at a serious disadvantage.
    I slowly coax her awake, first watching her eyes fluttering under her lids, and then her arm twitches against me. When her eyes open, I see her wince in pain.
    “Marduke?” her voice croaks out my name. She tries to sit up, but I hold her shoulders down, knowing she’ll feel worse from the sudden movement.
    “Just lie down, it’s okay. We’re okay,” I try to sooth, but she continues to squirm in my arms.
    “What happened? Where are we?” Her eyes roam over me as she slowly settles.
    “You were thrown by that Claw and hit your head. You were out cold, so I carried you here. We are on the outskirts of Edael. Ival has gone to check out what the situation