Princess of Death (Three Provinces Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

Adura was a place feared by anyone who was not born there and most of what people knew could fit in a very thin book.
    “Ereshkigal, we believe your sister has fled to Adura. You must find out and if so, seek her.” Mother told me, her voice strained eyes puffy.
    “I know.” I held up a hand and ripped off the glasses, the chatter that had started again stopped. Closing my eyes I reached for Adura and my sister.  Darkness rose upon me, I felt encased in it’s cool foggy embrace, the delightful smell of earth, death and decay, sweet and heady filled the room.
    I could hear the chilly ringing of the other worldly presences that were always in the background of the sweet dark that was my realm. The urge to destroy came at me urgently, I used my gifts so rarely, opening my eyes I saw the death of everyone in the room.
    I could see when and how each life would be snuffed out; I forced myself to not look at Mash or my parents.  Most of them were destined to live hundreds of years before death stole them, but no one is truly immortal. A hand slipped into mine, warm like fire, and I looked over. Nergal was holding my hand; trying to ground me, make sure I didn’t wipe out everyone with just a thought.
    I saw his magic, dampened by Biri, but still gleaming around us.
    “Your sister, my queen.” He whispered, I only took a moment to ponder why he’d used the phrase “my queen.”
    Nodding I focused, thought of Ishtar, her silver light, her even temperament. My vision swam and then all was clear. I could see her form flickering in and out in my mind’s eye, watched her pack a bag and step outside the castle.  Once past the gate into Adura, she paused at the first fork in the road. I silently begged her to go left.  Left lay the less scary of the things she might find. There were towns, busy and bustling, good, yet dark people who would see her and care.
    I watched as she tilted her head, listening to something. I wanted to scream at her not to listen, some things cannot be unseen or unheard. I could do nothing, these were shadows of what had already been, and my sister went right.
    I dropped my magic and could feel everyone in the room breathe a sigh of relief; I know what I look like, eyes filled with hungry death, skin glowing palest white. A scary death goddess of old, like one of the Great Three, the Goddesses who created Salas.
    “She is in Adura, and I will need help bringing her home. I do not believe she could have gotten very far.” Both my parents and my brother looked freaked. They had never been too far into Adura, they thought of nightmares and death. Which it can be, but not all the time.
    “You will have anything you require, just go and bring her to us.” Father dismissed me and I ran from the room as swiftly as possible.
    “Quick, someplace quiet,” I told Nam, Nergal and Ekur following us closely. We went to my library and shut the door.
    “What didn’t you tell them?” Nergal asked. He’d never let go of my hand, his fingers tracing circles into my palm; I rather enjoyed the sensation.
    “She’s been called by a P.O.T.” Ekur and Nam took a step back, Nam hissing through his teeth. Nergal suddenly took me into his embrace, wings and arms wrapping around me, giving me warmth and comfort. I laid my face against his chest, feeling him firm beneath my cheek. He smelled like fall.  I couldn’t let myself take comfort from him for long, I had things to do, it was worse than I had told my parents, much worse.
    “Which P.O.T.?” Nam questioned, I pulled out of Nergal’s embrace.
    “I don’t know.  They hide themselves too well for me. I’ll have to go to them.” A P.O.T. was a Place of Taint. Sometimes something so horrible happens somewhere and it leaves a scar on a place, makes it evil, forbidden and hungry.  Adura was beautiful and I loved it, but because of its dark nature it had a tendency to make Places of Taint easier than anywhere else.
    Even the natural inhabitants of Adura