Endure Read Free Page B

weren’t angry, that would worry me.”
    “Can we not talk about her, please?”
    Riddley nodded and took a deep a breath. Sweat had started to run down his face and he dabbed it with a dirty handkerchief.
    “So what made you finally leave the Circle?”
    Riddley didn’t respond at first. He placed both hands on his knees and leaned forward, taking in long, slow breaths. He put his finger up as if to tell me to wait and cleared his throat. “I had known for years that at some point, my memories had been altered. I don’t know who did it, and I don’t know how many times it was done, but my dreams were becoming increasingly more vivid. A few weeks before our meeting with you and your friends, I stopped getting visions altogether and was left with no choice but to assume the worst—something bad was coming.” Riddley coughed and his nose began to run.
    “Hey, are you okay?”
    Riddley nodded. “Yes, fine. Just getting a chill.” He cleared his throat and offered a faint smile. “I tried to discuss it with the council, but Blackwell had everyone on edge with his obsession on getting the ring. He made my query irrelevant. I realized then that everything the Circle stood for had fallen apart. Whatever was happening, Blackwell was in some way involved. If I wanted to find answers and effect change, I had to do it on my own.”
    “What about the others? If they knew something wasn’t right with Blackwell, you could’ve had him voted out of the council.”
    “I didn’t have any evidence to sustain my beliefs. I could prove nothing. And anything I could prove only exposed myself as a traitor for breaking the rules of engagement.”
    “So you left,” I said. I could feel sleep pulling at my eyes again. I’d just woken up, how could I be tired?
    “I thought if I went deep enough or far enough away from Blackwell, I could get my visions back. I suspected it was he who had tampered with my mind and abilities. He was the only one powerful enough to even attempt such a feat. But it was to no avail. I remained vacant of my visions no matter how far I went. By the time I decided to return, there was no home to return to. Many of the hunters were dead, others had gone into hiding, and the council had been mostly slaughtered. All but Blackwell of course, who appears to have gone with Riley.”
    “And now you’re here.”
    “Marcus had given me the location of the warehouse. When I arrived, Riley had already fled, and you and your friend…well, you know the rest.”
    I nodded and found my head feeling heavy. My eyes were drooping and the edges of my vision began to blur.
    “I’ve put some ointment on your wounds to speed the healing, but I’m sorry to say they’re pretty bad. The sooner the summoner arrives, the sooner we can get you back on your feet. For now, you need rest.”
    “I can’t. I need to be ready for when they get here.”
    “Until your summoner completes the next part of the Protector’s rite, you’re not of any use to anyone. Besides, by the looks of it, those pills are starting to kick in. Don’t fight them. Rest while you can. I fear you have a long journey ahead of you.” Riddley wiped his brow again and struggled to push himself up. “Perhaps it’s best if we both have a rest.”

Chapter 3
     

     
    My jeans were torn and crusty, hanging low on my waist. There were no wounds on my body, just smooth, unmarred skin, and the warm air kept the chill away. I walked toward a pond as grass folded beneath my bare feet. Everything seemed so distant. I was a giant stalking an open plain.
    I crouched down on my hands and knees in desperate need of a drink. My tongue felt like sandpaper and the water looked refreshing. A cloudy sky drifted in the water’s reflection, but when my hands dipped beneath the surface, tiny ripples blurred the image. The liquid was cold and energizing, revitalizing my throat as it quenched my thirst.
    Water was a powerful element, tranquil and healing with the capability