Captive Spirit Read Free Page B

boarders.” The old woman glanced upward toward the castle. “They don’t get as much attention as those born to our care or given over to us completely.”
    Bela chose not to comment. That was an old anger and, relatively speaking, a small one in her life now.
    Her silence drew a second sigh from Mother Keara. “I miss Nori, too. I miss all the fire Sibyls who lost their lives fightin’ those Legion bastards.” The old woman seemed to grow smaller as she spoke, and Bela actually had an urge to piss her off just to ease her obvious pain. “Our numbers are still low, but we have a few adepts ready for consideration. I’ll arrange for quarters and provisions. You can begin attendin’ battle trainin’ tomorrow and—”
    “No, thanks.” The words burst out of Bela’s mouth before she had a chance to consider them.
    Damn, damn, damn!
    Was she out of her stupid mind?
    She had known this would be the hardest part of what she came here to do, and she had just blurted it out instead of working her way up to it.
    A thin column of smoke rose from Mother Keara’s shoulders. The chamber heated up again as the old woman once more grew wary—and looked freshly angry. “You’re not plannin’ to live with us until you determine which girl makes the best match with yer energies?”
    Bela swallowed despite her dry throat. When she trusted herself not to sound like an idiot, she said, “I know which fire Sibyl I want.”
    This time it was Mother Keara who remained silent.
    Even though Bela’s earth energy had gone still as she calmed down, an earthquake rattled in her belly.
    Knock it off . Bela realized the voice in her head sounded like a blend of her dead fighting sisters. You’ve seen more battles than some of the Mothers .
    Mother Keara was staring at her like she might be judging the temperature necessary to roast her for breakfast.
    Suck it up! screamed the ghost voices of Nori and Devin.
    “I claim the only fire Sibyl here who knows as much pain as I do,” Bela shouted, just to be louder than her hallucinations. “I claim Camille Fitzgerald.”
    Thicker smoke rolled off Mother Keara, a startled wave of it, and Bela knew she had shocked the old woman. It took Mother Keara a full minute to recover enough to growl, “No. She’s not stable. And she’s not reliable in battle.”
    “I don’t care.” Bela’s anger came flowing back, and the ground shook for a few seconds until she got herself under enough control to add, “Camille lost her triad just like I did, to murder and in battle. We’ll have grief as a starting point, and we can help each other heal.”
    Mother Keara kept up her intense scrutiny, but she obviously hadn’t considered that reality until Bela brought it up.
    Point for me . Bela was still shaking, but she almost gave a victory shout—way too prematurely.
    After a time, Mother Keara said, “Camille’s been locked away here since she lost her triad. No visitors, no datin’, no socializin’—just trainin’, and too much work inside her own head.” Her tone grew more reflective. “Much as you were doin’ at Motherhouse Russia … but Camille might refuse you.”
    Bela folded her arms. “She’s a Sibyl. Some part of her heart wants to fight, just like mine. Stop dicking with me and let me talk to her. If she says no, I’ll back off—for a little while.”
    Another few seconds of silence passed between them, during which Mother Keara’s fire energy built, and built, and built. Her stare burned into Bela, and Bela could almost taste flames and soot.
    Could death by fire be slow and torturous?
    Probably.
    Would a Mother really bake a fully trained Sibyl on the spot, just for being a disrespectful asshole?
    Possibly.
    Bela kept her arms folded and her eyes narrowed. No way was she backing down.
    You’re nuts , whispered the ghosts in her head.
    Without warning, Mother Keara’s fire energy ebbed. “You have a problem with rules. I can see that. If you never do what you’re told,