The Rose Princess Read Online Free PDF Page B

“it’s more
     than big enough for you to get through. So, you going up there?”
    “If you don’t have any business with me, go home.”
    “No way. Take me with you,” Elena said as she felt power surging through her body.
    All of her despair was banished. The young man who’d bested her like she was a mere
     infant was going to fight the Noble up in the manor. The mere thought of it was enough
     to make her body tremble with excitement.
    “I’ve got some serious ill will toward those clowns,” Elena said. “The princess, in
     particular. Come on, you’ve gotta let me help you. I take back what I said earlier.
     I’ve got no problem with you running the show.”
    “It takes more than ill will to destroy a Noble,” D said frostily as he looked up
     at the sky.
    Elena imagined he was calculating how long he had until sunset.
    The figure in black leaned forward casually. Without a sound, he drifted down from
     a height of fifty feet. The way his coat spread out reminded the girl of a certain
     creature. It looked just like a—
    As the traveler was heading for his horse, the girl called out to him, “I’m going,
     too!”
    And with that cry Elena tightened her grip on her chain and raced after D.
    —
    Less than five minutes after leaving the ruins, Elena found herself mired in a new
     sense of surprise. Although her bike was supposed to be twice as fast as the average
     cyborg horse, she could barely keep up with the galloping rider. Since it didn’t look
     like he was riding a custom model, the only conclusion she could draw was that it
     was due to his horsemanship.
    When they reached the foot of the hill, D looked back at the girl and said, “Wait
     here.”
    “Not a chance,” Elena replied, shaking her head. “After all, I haven’t even told you
     where the hole is yet. I don’t care how good you are, you’ll still be looking for
     it when the sun goes down. And once that happens, much as you may hate it, the princess
     will be in her element. Even if that doesn’t happen, the four knights still move around
     by day, too. You could use all the friends you can get.”
    Saying nothing, D rode up to the bike and leaned over. His left hand reached out and
     took hold of the handlebars. A second later, he let go and wheeled his horse around.
     He didn’t lash his mount or give it the spurs; he simply rode on with the reins in
     his hands.
    “Of all the nerve,” Elena spat. But as she gave the accelerator a twist, her eyes
     bulged in their sockets.
    Her bike wouldn’t budge. Although the engine was running, the transmission wasn’t
     functioning.
    “You’ve gotta be kidding me!” she grumbled. “I just tuned the damn thing this morning!”
    Without so much as a backward glance at Elena as she wildly wrestled with the throttle,
     the black pair of rider and mount swiftly disappeared in the distance.
    “You’re gonna pay for that, buster!” Elena shouted with all the anger in her heart.
    —
    The layout of the grounds around the manor and the traps set there were things D had
     committed to memory.
    Mazes, quicksand, flooding areas, spear-lined pits, swarms of monstrous insects—these
     were not the only death traps that might prove inescapable for invaders. The electronic
     brains that controlled everything surely maintained their constant vigil through the
     day, too. And even if someone made it through all of those defenses, the four knights
     would be waiting for him. This wasn’t the sort of place anyone who valued his life
     would go.
    D advanced in silence.
    Suddenly the scenery changed. Greenery so dark it was nearly black seemed to have
     been utterly rooted out, leaving the reddish brown soil exposed. Bereft of a single
     rock or tree or blade of grass, the tableau that stretched before him was one of relentless
     destruction and ruin.
    Without even a moment’s hesitation, D rode right through the area. Soon he heard the
     sound of running water growing closer. After continuing on