Rebel's Consort - Phoenix Book 1 Read Online Free PDF Page B

from within the collective group of children as they got a good look at Onyx delivered an additional concerned consensus.
    Aaron flipped a light, woven blanket over the stone before she set the boy down. She gave the child a quick shush of confirmation that she wouldn’t leave him and glanced up.
    “Onyx.”
    He nodded. “Piper.”
    She motioned to his face. “Your shield is scaring the children.”
    For a tense second, she glared at him over the head of the boy. She didn’t want to require that he out himself in front of her group, but her face was now recognizable. She wasn’t asking anything she hadn’t offered. Her features and those of everyone in the room were available to his sight and memory. The children were backing up, definitely uncomfortable with his size and hidden identity, the correlation to a surgical mask, too keen and frightening.
    At his hesitation, she spoke over her shoulder. “Hena, take the others to the sleep chambers.”
    Hena glanced between them and started to move when Onyx held up a hand. With an exhale, he tapped at the side of his head. The shimmer disappeared. Familiar rich brown eyes topped strong cheekbones, a square jaw, and lips narrowed in impatience. “Don’t send them off on my account.”
    Stifling her initial shock, Analena forced herself to remain still as he moved to her side, shrugged his shoulder, and lowered his duffel to the floor. His long, black jacket followed before he reached for the child’s head.
    She shifted her body between Onyx and the boy, cradling her hands around the boy’s chin. She warned Onyx away with her eyes. “I have someone here to help you. He needs to touch you. Remember, I’m right here with you.”
    The boy’s head dove into her chest with an animal sound.
    Onyx’s hand brushed down the back of the boy’s head before she could move to calm him. “Does he have a name?”
    Analena gave a shake. “He hasn’t spoken.”
    Onyx’s eyes closed for a second, and his lips pressed tighter together. “They’ve probably inserted a restraining device.” His hand kept up a slow pet of the boy’s head as the child let out another sound. “I can get the device out without causing you any pain, son.”
    Onyx glanced at her. Whatever his plan, his gaze evaluated her as if he expected problems with her compliance, but he turned back to the boy without comment.
    “Here’s the deal. I’ll tell you everything I’m going to do, and you get to decide, okay?”
    Well that explained his look. Analena raised a brow. The boy was scared, perhaps too scared to be making decisions for what he needed. Onyx remained unaffected by her silent disapproval.
    Fine. She tilted her head slightly, still holding the ruling vote.
    “If I take it out, we can discuss your situation. I need to check your neck—if you’d back away from the pretty lady for a minute. Nothing more.”
    The child swallowed but moved back. Only his mouth and chin showed beneath the scarf, both trembling.
    Onyx drew his hand from the back of the boy’s head to his jaw line in a slow, smooth motion that surprised Analena with its gentleness.
    Fingers splayed and palm open, his hand skated across the child’s skin, down his neck, and then back up to the connection of jawbone and ear. Two fingers circled in a final test.
    “Give me your hand.” He dropped a hand to the boy’s arm, providing direction for the child to grasp him. “I want you to feel the injection site.”
    The boy unclasped his grip on her sleeve and held out his hand. Slowly, Onyx pressed the child’s fingers to the point he’d located. “I have a tool.” He grappled with the top of his duffel and dug inside, withdrawing a two-inch metallic cube. He placed the cube on the table behind the boy and with a pinch of his fingers, the cube split once. It split again and doubled, continuing until it flipped open a final seam, producing a one by three foot rectangle. The corners and sides took form and depth, evolving into a