Shield of the Gods (Aigis Trilogy, Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

furry wrist, and started purring. Roxie called to her grandmother again, who continued sleeping. She put a hand on Grandma’s shoulder and the old woman woke with a start, scaring Tucker off her lap. The cat slipped under the coffee table and out the other side, and proceeded to study both ladies from his new post.
                  As soon as Grandma noticed Roxie she pressed a hand over her sternum. “Goodness gracious, you scared me!”
                  “Sorry, Grandma. At least I made it back home in one piece.”
                  “And for that I’m grateful. Did you find what you were looking for this time?” Grandma rose from her seat and readjusted her bathrobe.
                  “Yep. You were right. I’m not an alien.”
                  “Ah, you finally believe me.”
                  “I’m actually an Aigis.” Roxie tried again to sort out the revelation about not being human, but her sluggish brain wasn’t in the mood to make any more sense of it. She hoped she wouldn’t have to elaborate. She kept seeing pictures of the ultrasounds in her head.
                  Grandma went from sleepy to serious at the mention of “Aigis.” She gazed into Roxie’s eyes, then looked a little lower. “Whose shirt is that and what happened to yours?” she said as if she already knew the answer.
                  Roxie winced and braced herself for an incoming scolding. “Mine kind of got ripped up and someone named Aerigo gave me one of his to wear.”
                  “Aerigo?” Grandma said in disbelief.
                  “Don’t tell me you know him?”
                  “Yes. No!”
                  Aerigo crossed the open space and stood close to Roxie as Grandma’s eyes went livid. “Ma’am, I—”
                  “Get out of my house!”
                  Aerigo put up his hands and took a couple of steps back. “I mean you no harm,” he said, his voice calm.
                  “ Out!”
                  “Grandma,” Roxie said, “don’t make him leave. His eyes glow too.”
                  “I don’t care!” Then to Aerigo, “I don’t want you to ever return.”
                  Tucker meowed loud enough to get all three of them to look at him. Arms still up, Aerigo took a step closer, looking at the cat with a raised eyebrow.
                  “Baku?” he said, unsure.
                  “Tucker,” both women corrected in unison. Roxie recognized the other name but couldn’t remember who that person was or what Aerigo had said about him. She squeezed past Grandma and plopped onto the couch, feeling like her legs had no strength left in them.
                  “Are you okay, Rox?” Grandma asked.
                  “Yeah. Just tired,” she said, then yawned. “And really confused.” She sunk into the plush cushioning, closed her eyes, and fought the urge to sleep.
                  Grandma said, “I’m sorry. Aerigo, you don’t have to leave.” She took a seat next to Roxie, sitting on the edge of the cushion. “I do owe you some explaining but first I want to hear about what happened to you and your shirt.”              
                  Relieved to not be getting another lecture, Roxie summarized how she met Aerigo, the strange drink he gave her, and their encounter with Daio. Aerigo reassured both ladies that they should be out of immediate danger.
                  “I don’t understand this Daio character,” Grandma said. “What does he want?”
                  Roxie had been about to fall asleep, but her grandmother’s question piqued her curiosity. “Yeah, what does he want and what does he know? He made me feel like he thinks I’m some sort of secret