“Go, Gregor’s,” he whispers, blood filling his mouth.
“Not without you,” I tell him, and swing him higher. “Jessie, lead the way.”
He nods at me, staring at the kid for a moment before shaking his head and starting to run, we follow after him. Nixon offers to take the child, but I refuse, heaving him higher and grunting with the effort as he clings to me, trusting me with a childlike innocence I didn’t know he still possessed.
When we are far enough away from the fighting, I start to slow. “Stop,” the kid begs, so I do, slipping into an alley as the others follow us.
“Rhea!” Blain hisses, peeking around the corner, jumping back when guards race past. “We have to go now!”
I slide down the wall, still holding the child, and look into his eyes as he smiles up at me. His lips are covered in blood, as are his teeth, and his body is weak now. “Freaks will rise, we are the future, Rhea, and they are the past,” he whispers, his frail voice small but filled with conviction, even as blood bubbles from his mouth. Tears track down my face as regret and denial fills me.
“Stay with me, okay?” I plead.
His hand comes up, so small yet possessing such strength as he grips mine, his blood coating my fingers. “You were foretold, Rhea the Immortal, we died for you, now live for us.”
“No,” I gasp, as his hand drops away, hitting his chest. His eyes turn glassy as his chest stops rising and falling. I look up then. “He’s dead,” I whisper to my men, my family, gathered around me.
“They killed him,” I state numbly.
“We have to go!” Jessie insists, crouching in front of me, his eyes imploring me to listen. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, but we have to go. He knew the risks, we all did. It was worth it, but now, Firecracker, we have to go. The fight is just beginning, the rebels won’t stand idly by anymore. The city will be the battleground, the arena, with you as their leader.”
K.A. Knight
K.A Knight is an indie author trying to get all of the stories and characters out of her head. She loves reading and devours every book she can get her hands on, she also has a worrying caffeine addiction.
She leads her double life in a sleepy English town, where she spends her days writing like a crazy person.
Read more at K.A Knight’s website or join her Facebook Reader Group.
Erin O’Kane
Erin is a part time Nurse, part time writer. She lives in the UK with her husband and very sassy rabbit, Jethro. Writing has become her escape and she has met so many amazing people through it.
She started writing with K.A. Knight in 2018 when she had a crazy idea about people with powers joining the circus, which is where the Her Freaks series was born.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ErinOKanesShadowRealm/
Or visit her website:
https://erinokane.com/
Also By K.A Knight
THEIR CHAMPION SERIES
The Wasteland
The Summit
The Cities
The Forgotten
The Lost (Coming 2020)
DAWNBREAKER SERIES
Voyage to Ayama
Dreaming of Ayama
THE LOST COVEN SERIES
Aurora’s Coven
Aurora’s Betrayal
HER MONSTERS SERIES
STAND ALONES
Scarlett Limerence
CO-AUTHOR PROJECTS
Circus Save Me
Taming The Ringmaster
Dark Temptations Volume One (contains One Night Only and Circus Saves Christmas)
The Wild Interview
The Hero Complex
Shipwreck Souls
The Horror Emporium
Capturing Carmen
Stealing Shiloh (Coming March 2020)
Also By Erin O’kane
The Shadowborn Series:
Hunted by Shadows
Lost in Shadow
Embraced by Shadows
Fires of Hatred- coming soon
Co-writes with K.A. Knight:
Her Freaks Series:
Circus Save Me
Taming the Ringmaster
The Wild Boys:
The Wild Interview
Standalone books:
The Hero Complex
Dark Temptations- Contains One Night Only and Circus Saves Christmas
Co-writes with Loxley Savage:
Wicked Waves:
Twisted Tides