The Rabbit and the Raven: Book Two in the Solas Beir Trilogy Read Online Free PDF Page A

“Are you serious ? Come on, Marisol.” She laughed. Joe and Monroe joined her.
    Marisol didn’t. She was very afraid, and she didn’t know why. She didn’t even attempt to hide it.
    “Don’t worry, Marisol,” Joe consoled her, patting her hand as he pried his arm from her grasp. “There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
    His tone sounded patronizing, but Marisol could see by the expression on his face that he didn’t say it to be unkind. He was being sincere. That—and he really wanted to impress Michal. Apparently this was an attempt at chivalry.
    “Just you wait,” Joe said. “You’ll laugh when I return with some hyper, drooling puppy on my heels. I’m kind of an animal whisperer.” He winked and gave Michal a quick peck on the cheek. “Be right back.” He strode confidently into the grove of trees, vanishing into the blackness.
     
     
     
    The goodbyes at the portal were solemn. David, Abby, Jon, and Cael each wore thick leather armor and carried a silver sword.
    Abby shifted in her armor. The leg coverings fit well, but her chest plate felt a bit awkward; it was a size too large and built for a man’s frame. It wasn’t too heavy yet, but she sensed that she would have to build up her strength were she to wear it for any length of time, or she’d tire quickly.
    Eulalia and Nysa came to see them off, along with a small group of soldiers report ing for duty to relieve their comrades standing guard at the floor-to-ceiling gilded mirror portal.
    Eulalia embraced Cael. “Come back soon,” she whispered with tears in her eyes.
    “I will,” he replied stoically.
    Abby wondered how he felt about the fact that he would be away from Eulalia yet again. Hopefully they would all be back before the night was over.
    Eulalia gave Jon a polite hug, and then laughed at herself as she pulled David and Abby together into a more affectionate and clumsy one.
    Nysa, usually bubbling over with joy and laughter, was uncharacteristically quiet. By the frightened look on the tiny nixie’s face, Abby sensed Nysa was remembering being attacked and was worried for their safety.
    Abby felt a flash of guilt. If not for her, Nysa never would have taken the silver hand mirror from Cael’s leather satchel and Lucia never would have gotten her hands on it to free Tierney. It wasn’t Abby’s fault, but still—she felt responsible for the nixie.
    Nysa had about a hundred years on Abby’s eighteen, but she was an innocent. In faery years, Nysa was still a child, and she could not have foreseen the consequences of her actions. Nysa had only been trying to help, but the nixie had almost died, all because she was trying to protect Abby. The whole debacle had almost gone down like a Greek tragedy.
    The thought that the Kruorumbrae would attack someone like Nysa underscored their ruthlessness. The Shadows were evil, pure and simple, with nada in the department of redeeming qualities. And if Nysa had been vulnerable, what would the creatures do to Abby’s little brother? Her parents? She had to get to her family before the Kruorumbrae did and bring them to safety in this world. If she had to battle a whole army of Shadows in the process, so be it.
    Walking through the portal was akin to being smushed through Jell-O, but without the mess. The glossy surface of the mirror gave way to a gelatinous substance, which sucked gently at their bodies, requiring some effort for those unpracticed in traveling between worlds.
    Abby cautiously emerged through the mirror on the other side, preceded by Cael, Jon, and David. The mirrored hall they entered was empty and unnervingly quiet. There was absolutely no sound—no night insects chirping or flapping velvet wings, not even the movement of air. Nobody spoke. The air in the room felt stagnant and heavy. Abby was tense—she felt an oppressive weight on her shoulders, diminishing her resolve to fight. It was difficult to breathe.
    She looked around the room, remembering the last time she was there,