Rise of the Poison Moon Read Online Free PDF

attrition only works with two assumptions: first, that the unfriendly beaststalkers in this town do not decide to resume hostilities, with us or anyone else. Second, that we can get out of this dome someday soon. Knowing what I do about this dome and Hank Blacktooth, neither assumption seems realistic.”
    “Oh, that weiner,” Susan muttered darkly.
    “You think Hank Blacktooth will attack again? He hasn’t since spring.”
    “He hasn’t attacked us since spring. If Ember’s on the move again, he and his so-called police force will be looking for her or someone else to kill. If killing doesn’t work, then he’ll be looking for someone to blame, which will get his people fired up, and they’ll go looking to kill. Us, Ember, innocent people—it really won’t matter. We’re all starting to look the same to each other.” She didn’t say it out loud, and didn’t have to: they were all thinking the same thing.
    We look like prey.
    “All the more reason for Ember and her gang to die now,” Jennifer snapped. “We’ve got to patrol more aggressively. Try the sewer system. Ember stank like no one’s business. Way worse than usual.” Blurgh.
    “Try not to talk, ace,” her father advised. “You’ll undo all your mother’s hard work.”
    Elizabeth seemed less nurturing. “Aggressive patrols, Jennifer? Would that be anything like Hank’s aggressive patrols from the spring? Or the ones Glorianna used to send to other towns, at their ‘request’?”
    “You know it’s nothing like that, Mom.” She widened her eyes at her father, a full-blooded dragon in his prime, hoping he would back her up. “Just because it’s an idea someone else had, and used against us, doesn’t make it a bad one, you know?”
    “I know no such thing.”
    “Again, ace: no talking. And your mother’s right.”
    Dammit! He’s sucking up to her. He’s clearly a traitor. Or a seriously whipped husband.
    “Dragons ambush, beaststalkers patrol, somewhere out there a few arachnids are doubtless laying traps,” her mother continued in the cool, informative tone she used to teach med students how to pull an infected appendix. “It’s all perfectly well-intentioned, you see—they’re fighting back, or exacting a justifiable price, or ridding the world of an imminent threat, or bringing an unreasonable group into line, or making more room for whatever master race is the flavor of the day. Meanwhile, we celebrate the fact that the older ones are dying, and all that’s left to fight each other is children . . .”
    Jennifer couldn’t help it; she rolled her eyes, knowing her mother hated it, but completely unable to resist the reflex. Besides, her mom had it wrong. “Not what I’m saying, and c’mon, you know that . . .”
    “Still using your voice against medical advice,” Jonathan reminded her.
    “Fine,” Elizabeth snapped, ignoring her husband’s gesture to end the conversation. “Whatever you’re saying, I’m saying that it’s children fighting children. I’m sick of it. Let’s not worry about more patrols, people. Let’s focus on our mission: healing, protecting, living in peace.” Elizabeth stripped off her surgical gloves and stuffed them into the red biohazard box by the door. These weren’t for waste removal: a former cafeteria worker or janitor would come by every evening, collect the boxes, carefully sterilize the contents, and return them for reuse. “I’m glad you’re okay, honey. Feel better soon.”
    She brushed past her husband and out of sight.

CHAPTER 5

    Jennifer

    Later that night, Jennifer felt well enough to morph into dragon shape, which made her feel immediately better. She could feel the tissues around her jugular regenerate, and she decided she was well enough to get up and walk.
    Of course, she knew her mother would not agree. Fortunately, Jennifer was nearly as good at camouflage as her father.
    Dressed in jaunty, rippling tones of pea green paint and white linoleum ( why, I look like a