The Last Narkoy: Gathow: Book 2 by Elizabeth Price (good e books to read .txt) 📗

Zion’s left hand, examining it. Sure enough, they were the same.

“Sortec?” Zion questioned.

“I’ll explain later,” she whispered back.

A scowl formed on Rosanheer’s lips as he paced around Ratisha. “Very interesting.” He turned away from Sedom, the look on his face like his mind was buzzing in thought. “You were a physician?” he asked. She nodded. “You couldn’t tell the child was Narkoy? That in itself was illegal. To aid a Narkoy?” he spoke soft yet forceful.

“I knew,” she whimpered. “I agree that I knew. It's been a long time, sir. She's either dead or long gone. I know nothing of her whereabouts now. Just kill me… I deserve to die. I betrayed my people and for that I am deeply sorry,” she wept.

Rosanheer knelt in front of her, looking into her broken eyes. “If that same child came to your door again, would you still help her?”

Weakly Ratisha nodded. “Yes.” She shrunk away, her eyes closed as she readied herself for a blow to the head. When she didn’t feel Rosanheer’s hand, she opened her eyes again onto his intense orange eyes.

His lips parted slightly, showing her shock. “She was an innocent child. We had no purpose killing her people.” She lowered her head, muttering. “No purpose,” she wept.

“She is a child who has killed hundreds of our people, no thanks to you,” he informed. “I hope you’re satisfied,” he growled.

Ratisha nodded as she chuckled. “Yes, I am. Good for her.”

Sedom heard enough. She entered the room from behind Ratisha so she couldn't see her and waved for Rosanheer to stop. Qilo and Zion followed close behind her.

“We've heard enough. She’s no use to the Marisheio,” Zion announced.

Ratisha’s eyes filled with tears as she shook her head in a panic. “Please, please, make my death quick. I… beg you to be merciful. I have suffered enough.”

Qilo stepped over to Ratisha, removing the binds from around her hands and replacing them with his own. “No such luck. You’re being transported to a different facility.” He placed a waxy material in Ratisha's ears and then proceeded to wrap a blindfold over her eyes. He then placed a gag in her mouth as Zion cut the binds away from her legs. Ratisha fell from her seat, her cries of pain muffled by the gag.

“We have a small window of opportunity. Let's get her out of here before they notice the guards are all dead,” Qilo mentioned as Zion lifted Ratisha over his shoulder.

Beyond the compound, they hurried into the forest without as much as a guard noticing their departure.

Within the forest, Rosanheer kept looking over his shoulder. “Something doesn't make sense. There's no way their security is that incompetent and I know we didn’t kill them all.”

“They let us go. I don't understand why. They don’t usually  allow prisoners to escape,” Qilo muttered.

Sedom hurried next to Rosanheer. “Too busy destroying other people's lives?”

Rosanheer chuckled and seethe at the same time. “Not likely. I'm sure we'll learn their plans soon enough.” He looked back at Ratisha who hung over Zion’s shoulder. “You said Patto had a tracking pod in his heart?”

“You’re afraid she may have one too?” she asked.

Rosanheer turned his scanner to Ratisha. “Yes. Clever.”

“Great. Now what?” Sedom huffed. “I don't want to lose her like I lost Patto.”

“Patto killed himself,” Qilo pointed out. “We'll figure something out.”

Sedom watched Zion with concern. His eyes had the same look as when they first met. He was carrying Asa, a woman who had a head injury which eventually killed her. Sedom caressed his upper arm, causing him to flinch.

“What troubles you?” she asked low.

He motioned to Ratisha over his shoulder. “This is too much for her. The pain is overwhelming. She's begging to die,” he gulped, trying with difficulty to hold back his own emotions.

“You have pity for a Marisheio?” Sedom mused.

He shook his head wearily. “She's not a Marisheio. I can feel that now,” he mentioned. He paused, seething over Ratisha’s pain. “Please, let her rest for a while,” he asked near begging.

“This is why I wanted Qilo to carry her. I knew this would be too much for you,” she said. Sedom watched Ratisha, hearing her sobs. She couldn’t deny her friend relief, regardless of the situation. “We're taking a break. Zion, set her down over there,” she said, pointing to a shade tree.

“Are you sure?” Qilo asked. His attention was on his equipment more than on the conversation. “Our window--”

“Will shatter if she doesn't survive. I need her alive!” Sedom barked back. “Set her down. I'm willing to take the risk.”

Carefully, Zion lowered Ratisha down next to the tree. As he did, she cried out beneath her gag. “Plaezz kill me,” she mumbled over and over with the gag still in her mouth.

Zion rested his hand on her cheek, wiping away her tears. “She's been whimpering our entire journey. She is frightened and in horrible pain,” he said to the others.

“No doubt. Should we untie her?” Sedom asked. She pulled at her binds to make sure they were not cutting into her skin.

“I wouldn't recommend it, not yet. She's still complacent. Although cruel, it's our best chance of getting out of here,” Rosanheer mentioned.

“Complacent? She’s not my prisoner. She’s my friend!” Sedom scolded.

“We don't want another incident like with Patto,” Qilo pointed out. “Not that she could run, but there are other ways she could injure herself or cause us issues.”

Sedom knelt to Ratisha, but her eyes were on Zion. He turned away to hide his frustration. He was more frustrated than she had ever seen him. He held affection for the woman, but why?

Tenderly, Sedom wiped away the tears streaming down Ratisha's cheeks. She wrapped her hand around the back of Ratisha's neck, causing her to flinch with the contact. Slowly she