Dragon Blood 1: Pliethin Read Free

scissors. There were none. The dark shirt had looked new and of the same material as Kade’s long pants. Amber realised the dull black pants they all wore were made of leather. Maira also wore a body hugging leather vest.
    “Are you lot in some sort of gang?”
    Kade chuckled. “Do you always do that?”
    “What?”
    “Brann asked you a question. You ignored it.”
    Amber turned back to Brann. “What was it again?”
    “Doesn’t matter. We’re nearly finished and then you can have your bathroom back.” Brann reached into the backpack to pull out a small first aid kit.
    Amber paled when Maira took a fine needle from the box. “You’re not going to…” she swallowed hard. She held up a hand to indicate ‘stop’, then staggered to the toilet to sit on the closed lid. “On second thought, I don’t want to know.” She leaned forward, eyes closed and breathed through her mouth. Her stomach somersaulted and she pressed her hand against her lips only to realise it was the bloodstained one.
    Taking the single step to the shower, she turned it on to wash her hand clean. Next she brought water to her face to clean off the rest of the blood. Turning off the tap she shakily grabbed her towel and covered her face with it. Sitting on the toilet lid, she kept her face buried.
    “Are you okay?” Brann asked.
    Amber could only shake her head. She was afraid to speak for fear she’d lose her dinner. Blood she could handle, medical procedures involving needles was too much.
    “You can look now. I’m finished,” Maira said.
    Amber took a cautious look. Neat stitches marched along the gashes. Kade’s normally golden brown skin was pale and his eyes were closed with his head tilted back. While she watched, Maira touched Kade’s forehead and his eyes popped open. Maira nodded her head, gathered up the first aid kit, cleaned up the blood and followed Brann out of the bathroom, the backpack slung over his shoulder.
    “Why do I keep feeling like there are conversations I can’t hear?” Amber slid her towel over the towel rack where it hung bunched up.
    Kade rose carefully to his feet. “Has anyone ever told you what an interesting imagination you have?”
    “Has anyone ever told you you’re full of it?”
    Kade laughed. “Not often.” He moved towards the doorway then looked back at her. “I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”
    “What?” She hurried to his side snagging his hand so he couldn’t move away. She wanted answers and she wasn’t about to let him go before she got them.
    “I haven’t said thank you, have I?”
    “What happened? How did you end up on the roof? What attacked you? How did your friends know to find you here? And what did Maira give you for pain? I don’t know any tablets that work that quickly.” She was finally able to ask some of the questions that had been swirling around in her mind.
    “Full of questions, aren’t you?”
    “I haven’t even started.”
    Kade tugged his hand out of hers. “Then don’t bother. I’m not going to answer them.”
    “I deserve some sort of explanation. You can’t come in here, bleed all over my floor and expect me to shrug and wave as you walk out the door.”
    “Maira cleaned all the blood off the floor.”
    “Kade!”
    “Shh.” He put a hand over her mouth, his other grasping her shoulder. “I don’t want your family in here asking questions too.”
    Amber twisted out of his grip. “Then tell me what’s going on.”
    “I’m sorry. I can’t.” He turned to go again.
    Amber took a deep breath, ready to scream. She barely managed a second worth of sound before his hand was over her mouth. He’d moved in a blur of speed to stop her. This time she could only glare at him.
    “Would you rather I tied and gagged you so we can leave without you calling anyone?”
    Amber could barely shake her head.
    “If I take my hand away, will you scream?”
    She shook her head again. As soon as he removed his hand she demanded, “Why can’t you tell