Progeny (The Children of the White Lions) Read Online Free PDF Page B

looking northward. Others had dropped whatever they had held and were running south along with Thaddeus and his family. Still others sprinted in the opposite direction, seeking their loved ones. And sealing their fate.
    Dashing through the town, the Isaacs were nearing the main street of the village. As Jak was easily outpacing his parents, Thaddeus shouted out an order. “Go right!”
    As Jak turned west, he slowed to wait for Thaddeus and Marie and glanced northward. He halted in his tracks, his eyes opening wide.
    The fibríaal was moving fast then, faster than Thaddeus had hoped. Twisting to see where Marie was, Thaddeus cursed, “Blast.”
    Spry and athletic in her youth, the years had robbed his wife of the speed and stamina necessary to keep up such a frantic pace. Thaddeus silently urged his wife to hurry before he, too, stole a glance to the north. “Bless the gods…”
    Not only was it fast, it was massive, the largest fibríaal he had ever seen. It looked like a giant slate-blue man, towering over the treetops. Judging that the wave had already reached some of the northern olive groves, Thaddeus looked back to his wife.
    Back to the fibríaal.
    To his wife.
    “Hells…”
    Marie was moving much too slowly. In that instant, he made an impossible decision.
    His mind drifted back to that small, smoky blacksmith’s shop and he muttered, “We’ve done the best we can.”
    Scrambling over to Jak, he grabbed his son. “Jak!”
    Jak did not respond, his gaze fixed on the wave of water, his eyes wide and mouth agape.
    Shaking Jak by the shoulders, Thaddeus shouted again. “Jak! Listen to me!”
     
    * * *
     
    Tearing his gaze from the dreadful, impossible spectacle, Jak looked at his father, wide-eyed.
    “Listen, Jak! You need to survive. You must survive. Do you understand?”
    Jak blinked a few times, unwittingly glancing back to the wave of water. He winced as his father’s fingers dug deeper into his arms.
    “Blast it, Jak! Pay attention!”
    “What is that!?”
    “There’s no time to explain. Find Nikalys and Kenders! Keep them safe!”
    Jak tried to pull away. “Let’s go and you can keep them safe—”
    Thaddeus squeezed tighter, cutting Jak’s protest short. “Find them! Find somewhere to hide. Change your name and—”
    Marie arrived at that moment, interrupting Thaddeus. One look at her husband and a mournful yet determined expression gripped her face. Reaching up, she slipped the leather cord and silver pendant from around her neck, stepped forward and, standing on her toes, dropped the necklace over Jak’s head. “Hold it in your hand and picture their face. You’ll know where they are and if they still draw breath.”
    Jak was starting to think this was a dream. A very bad dream.
    “I don’t understand.”
    Marie patted his chest and, in a strained voice, said, “Hopefully you will.” She kissed his cheek. “Now, go.”
    “Go? What do you mean go? You are coming with—”
    “No!” said Marie, her voice firm. A lone tear ran down her cheek. “We’ll only slow you down.”
    “I’m not leaving you here!”
    “You must!” exclaimed his father. “Nikalys and Kenders are your responsibility now. Make sure no harm comes to them!” He paused, his eyes filling with regret. “I’m sorry about this, Jak. We should have told you all the truth years ago, but were afraid.”
    “The truth? The truth about what?”
    “Promise to keep them safe! They are important!”
    “Important? What does—?”
    Thaddeus’ eyes flared with the heat of a Year’s End bonfire. “Blast it, Jak! Promise me! Promise me, now!”
    Shocked by his father’s intensity, Jak swallowed his question and mumbled, “I promise.”
    With tears flowing freely down her face now, Marie wrapped her arms around him, squeezed tight, and whispered, “I love you.”
    Jak was too stunned to return the hug, too stunned to respond at all.
    Thaddeus embraced them both. “Tell Nikalys and Kenders how much we love them.