The Girl With Red Hair (The Last War Saga Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

scooted a bit further away from the distraught child. Then he looked at Alexander. He returned the look and swallowed hard.
    “We’re here to help you,” Alexander said. He crossed his legs and sat, trying to appear as nonthreatening as possible. “You know, I have sisters that look just like you,” he said with a warm smile.
    The girl was still breathing heavily, but stopped trying to wiggle into the log at her back. After a moment, that slowed as well.
    “How many?” she asked, staring at the ground between them.
    “Sisters? Eight,” Alexander said. Sachihiro whistled. “And four brothers.”
    The girl thought this over a moment. A thin smile curled beneath her tears. “I have thirty-eight brothers and sisters,” she said.
    Sachihiro cursed. Jaydan shot him a look like daggers.
    “You win,” Alexander said with a soft laugh.
    She looked up, made eye contact for a brief moment, and then looked down again. Her fingers picked at the shirt. “They’re not really my brothers and sisters, but that’s what I call them.”
    Jaydan leaned a bit closer. “My name is Jaydan,” he said, pointing to his chest. “That’s Sachihiro and this is…”
    “Alexander.”
    Jaydan nodded a silent greeting and turned back to the girl. “What’s your name?”
    She sniffled and looked at him. She stared for a long time, seeming to examine the young man.
    “Adelaide,” she said, still staring intently at Jaydan. “You can call me Addy. If you want. But he can’t.” She pointed away from them.
    Just then Tannyl appeared, carrying his bow in one hand and Alexander’s glaive in the other. He dropped the weapon at Alexander’s side and looked at Adelaide. He grunted.
    Alexander’s mouth opened a fraction, but he shut it quickly. Words have more power than any weapon. Be careful where they’re aimed. He wanted to dismantle the proud elf, but knew it would help little. And he certainly didn’t want to start an argument in front of Adelaide. He already felt a protective bond with the fragile girl. She reminded him so much of Rose. And Cathryn. And Felicia. And Sonya. And…
    “You’re dirty,” Adelaide said suddenly, her eyes pinned on Tannyl.
    All parties looked at the young girl. She looked stunningly defiant in the moment and Alexander now saw her more clearly. Her eyes were firm, one of stormy gray, the other a brilliant gold. It was strange that he hadn’t noticed the difference before. And now that she was sitting a little taller, he noticed her ears as well. One stuck out prominently from her long red hair, coming to a sharp point, marking her an elf. And a Noble elf at that. The other was largely hidden beneath the disheveled strands, but was most certainly not pointed. Strange, he thought in the brief moment of stunned silence. Perhaps she was not so similar to Alexander’s many sisters after all.
    A strained noise came from Tannyl’s mouth, as if too many words had tried to exit at the same moment and clogged behind his teeth. Instead he grunted again, shouldered his bow, and stomped angrily into the forest. He quickly vanished from view, but a string of indecipherable grumbles trailed behind him.
    “I think you hurt his feelings,” Sachihiro said with a devilish grin.
    Adelaide shook her head and scowled. “But he is. I can see it.”
    Alexander had to suppress a laugh. This small child had said in a few words what he had meant to say in many. He tucked his chin to his shoulder, turning his mouth from her view, catching Jaydan’s attention.
    “She’s not with you?”
    Jaydan shook his head and mirrored Alexander’s position. “No. We just found her in the middle of that ,” he said, nodding back toward the ashen pit. “Woke us up with a bright flash. She’s not with you? You look like kin.”
    Alexander shook his head and turned back to Adelaide, who had pulled her knees tight to her chest and was staring between them. She was rocking back and forth, eyes glazed.
    “Addy, honey,” he said in