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

surrounded by hordes of hungry goblin-like Kruorumbrae, who favored the form of ink-black shadow cats with frighteningly wide, toothy smiles. She couldn’t help but relive the moment when Calder launched himself at David, and she’d pushed him through the portal a mere instant before the beast was on top of her. The image was burned in her memory. She remembered slicing pain as his talons ripped her stomach open, the weight of him crushing the air from her lungs, the sulfuric smell of his breath. After that, her memories faded, blocked by the pain. Maybe that was for the best. Perhaps it was her body’s way of dealing with extreme trauma. She prayed that history would not repeat itself.
     
     
     
    Once inside the dark mass of trees, Joe heard a number of scurrying sounds. It was difficult to tell where the noise was coming from—maybe there was more than one dog. He crouched down and whistled, trying to peer into the dark undergrowth. “Here, boy…come on out, little puppy. I won’t hurt you.” A rustle came from just behind him. Joe stood and turned, grinning. “There you are—” The sentence caught in his throat.
    Standing before him was the most stunning woman he had ever seen. Her beauty made him want to weep; it was sweetly painful to look at her. Something deep within him knew she was not human, had never been human, and was not of this world. It was her eyes—they were otherworldly and dark, unnaturally dark, and spoke of ages long past, beyond anything Joe could imagine. Her hair, in contrast to her eyes, was a silvery blond that glowed like moonlight incarnate, almost matching the simple silvery sheath she wore. It was a light garment that fell to her ankles, enfolding her lithe but lovely body.
    Michal and the beach became a forgotten dream. The world outside the grove ceased to exist. Only the woman was real. Only the woman mattered.
     
     
     
    Chapter Two
     
    NEWCASTLE BEACH
     
     
    W atching Abby take in the room, David could guess what she was thinking about. He knew that remembering the horror of that night would only make her fear grow. “Don’t think about it,” he whispered as he wrapped his arms protectively around her.
    She looked up at him, terror in her eyes. “How can I not?”
    His grip on her tightened; he wished he could shield her from everything, even her fear. “I know—but just don’t.”
    Abby shifted in his embrace, turning to press her cheek against David’s chest.
    He could feel the beat of her heart speeding up, and sensed that her fear was rising to panic. He couldn’t blame her. What if the Kruorumbrae had returned? David held her and kissed the top of her head, brushing his lips against her hair, trying to reassure her. “It’s okay, Abby—everything will be okay. I’m here and I won’t let anything hurt you. I promise.”
    Abby looked up at his face. “I’m sorry. I just...coming back here and remembering…” She buried her head against his chest again.
    “Shhhh. It’s all right,” David whispered, stroking her hair. “It’s okay to be scared. What happened to you was terrible. You were so, so very strong. Today it’s my turn. Okay?”
    “Okay.” It was a strangled whisper, like she was trying not to cry.
    He couldn’t tell if she succeeded, because her face was hidden, pressed against him. “We’ll just take it step by step, face whatever comes as it comes. Let’s focus on getting to your parents’ house, and only that. If something happens, we’ll deal with it then,” he said.
    “Okay.” Her voice was stronger this time, calmer.
    He placed his hand on her cheek, coaxing her out. “I love you, Abby.”
    She looked up at him, her eyes glistening from the tears she was holding in. “I love you too.” She smiled weakly. Then she wrapped her arms around his neck, stretched up on tiptoe, and kissed him hard, as if she would never let him go, as if she were afraid she would have to.
     
     
     
     
    Jon and Cael were on their guard,