Sons of Evil: Book 1 Book of Dread Read Free Page A

the simple, hard life she had known. Fighting off her
instincts, Sasha grabbed the book and held it to her chest. That done, she
moved quickly, ignoring the rising bile in her throat and pushing away her fear
of this last hurdle she needed to cross to attain the dubious freedom of the
fugitive. She tousled her hair, pulled on her sleeve to exaggerate the tear in
her blouse, then went to the door. She opened it only enough to allow herself
out, shutting it swiftly but quietly behind her.
    “King Landri does not want to
be disturbed,” she said as she moved past the guards and down the hall, keeping
her head down and avoiding any eye contact. As she fled she heard a few
snickers of laughter but not what she feared most, an order to stop, a question
about the book.
    Sasha walked briskly down the
stairs, through the servants’ quarters and outside the castle without pausing
to look at or speak to anyone. Her time here was at an end.
    Once outside the castle walls
Sasha fled into the night’s dark embrace.

Chapter 2: The Book
    Darius Stoneman hefted another
basket of corn, feeling the oddly pleasing dull ache in his back as he poured
the ears on the cart. It was an ache born of a good, honest day’s work, and
just like the sweat that covered his body he knew it would soon be gone,
leaving him with the satisfaction of what he had accomplished.
    He looked to the summer sun,
sinking fast toward the horizon, and if he needed any other convincing that the
work for the day should be considered done, his rumbling stomach reminded him
how late supper would be. As his brother, Luke, added more corn to the cart,
Darius said, “That’ll do for today.”
    “As you wish, my liege,” Luke
replied, adding a mock bow to hide the grin that spread across his face.
    Darius didn’t try to hide his
smile. He and Luke had always gotten along well, and he knew there was no
malice behind the words. Being seven years older, Darius had spent many of his
teenage years with Luke tagging along, wanting to join in on his elder
brother’s adventures, and Darius had rarely found it an imposition. Luke was
smart, quick with a joke, and good with a secret, and as the years passed an
honest friendship grew between them. When Darius had been forced into service
in Longvale’s army, he was surprised at how much he missed his little brother. Darius
shook away the creeping dread that stalked him when he thought of the army. His
leave would soon end, and he would be thrust back into service. And it would
not be long before the king’s men came for the seventeen-year-old Luke as well.
Luke was still filling out, still thin although not overly so for his age, but
thinking of him being in the army almost made him look frail to his older
brother. Darius frowned as he pictured Luke having his wavy brown hair shorn
close, and then having a sword and shield shoved into his hands. He rubbed his
own hair, the sandy-colored locks that once touched his shoulders reduced to
little more than stubble.
    Darius grabbed his shirt,
which he had hung on the cart while they worked, and hopped into the cart’s
seat, grabbing for the reins. Luke was there an instant earlier.
    “Allow me,” Luke said. “A man
of your advanced years needs his rest.”
    “That I do,” Darius agreed,
folding his hands behind his head and leaning back as if to nap. With a start,
he sat up straight. “Wait a minute. Last time you drove the cart, you and old
Bess nearly took out half the garden.”
    “That was a rabbit that
startled her,” Luke replied, “and you know it. Besides, it wasn’t all bad. Had
a nice little stew for dinner that night.”
    “Fair enough,” Darius said. “Just
try to stay on the path this time.” He eyed his brother, who flicked the reins
to get them started with a look of utmost concentration on his face. Darius
laughed and nudged him with his elbow, and soon both young men were joking and
looking forward to a well-earned supper and a good night’s rest.
    The