The Blue Woods Read Online Free PDF

wasn’t used to seeing. “The Concilio Argento was there. That’s why they were able to retake the Waterfall. Because it was all of them against the Stag and the Eagle.”
    â€œAre they all right too?”
    â€œYes, yes, they’re fine.”
    â€œThen what is it you’re not telling me?”
    â€œWhen the Malandanti left us, they assigned one of their Clan members to guard us.”
    She didn’t have to say his name. I already knew from the way she could barely look at me. I looked away from her, out the window to the snow-covered farms that rolled past. “Just tell me if he’s alive or dead.”
    â€œHe was alive when we left. But . . .”
    â€œWhen the Malandanti come back and find you gone, who knows what they’ll do to him,” I finished for her. I closed my eyes, saw again that horrible basement room in the Guild, saw again Jonah’s helpless eyes as the Malandante mage tortured me, hurt me over and over.
    But if he were dead, if the Malandanti killed him, surely I would feel it. He was my twin; there was no way he could die without me knowing. I would feel it like a punch to my gut, like a stab to my soul. Nerina was saying something, something that sounded far away. I pulled myself back to her.
    â€œ. . . helped us escape.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œI said, he helped us escape.”
    I raised an eyebrow. “Wow, Nerina. That must be really hard for you to admit.”
    â€œIt is not—” She clamped her lips tight. “He surprised me. We would not have gotten out of there without him. Perhaps you and Alessia are right about him.”
    â€œMaybe you should pull over before I die of shock.”
    â€œOh really, now.”
    I grasped the door handle as she zipped around a black SUV. “If the Malandanti find out he helped you . . .”
    â€œWe made it look like we overpowered him. I really don’t think they will kill him. They’d be down a Clan member, and they can’t afford that.”
    â€œThey could just replace him—”
    Nerina shook her head. “It takes time to train a replacement. Time they don’t have in this war.” She took a deep breath. “However, before Fina—the Harpy—left, she said they were leaving him there because he was wavering. So while I do not think they will kill him, I do think they will keep him under constant watch—probably in the Guild building—and try to reprogram him.”
    â€œ Reprogram? Like, brainwash?” My mind went to an A Clockwork Orange place, Jonah strapped in a chair with his eyes pinned open, forced to watch Malandante propaganda for days on end. “We have to get him out.”
    Nerina swerved the car onto the exit for Twin Willows, nearly colliding with the guardrail. “Absolutely not.”
    â€œHe’s in danger! He—”
    â€œHe’s a Malandante! We’re not risking our necks to save a Malandante.”
    â€œEven one who saved your sorry ass?” I slammed my fist against the window, ignoring the shot of pain that bulleted through my ribs. “I thought I was pretty freaking crystal clear about my priorities when I joined the Benandanti, Nerina.”
    â€œYou need to be patient.” The car slowed as we merged onto the country road that led into Twin Willows. “We need to reclaim the Waterfall, defeat the Malandanti. Then we can get him out.”
    â€œBut he could help us beat the Malandanti. Who’s to say he couldn’t fight on our side instead?”
    Nerina flexed her fingers and resettled them around the steering wheel. “He cannot fight on our side. Not while he’s still a Malandante.” She took her gaze off the road and looked at me for a long moment, before she had to look back to avoid a crash. “It is physically impossible for a Malandante to fight against his Clan. Their auras prevent them from doing so.”
    I stared at her. How did I not know