Free The Library - The Complete Series by Amy Cross Page A
Authors: Amy Cross
accompany us," I say eventually, "but you will have to keep up. And if you cause trouble, or if you get hurt, I will leave you behind to rot. Do you understand?"
"Of course," he replies. "I'm getting old, Vanguard. I'm starting to realize that there are many, many things I have never seen, and the years are drawing closer. I've always wanted to see the Citadel, even if it's well past its prime. Besides, wouldn't you like a little company for your journey? I hardly think a lousy human is going to be able to provide much in the way of conversation. She's probably only one step up from Gum." He pauses for a moment. "Did you find Gum, by the way? Is he coming?"
I take a deep breath. "Gum is gone," I reply eventually.
"Gone?"
"He was not at the camp-fire. He seems to have finished his recuperation."
"Then he is back to full strength?"
"Not full," I say. "But he is certainly on the move again."
"And you're not worried?"
I shake my head. "I doubt he has much interest in anything that we do. Ours was an alliance of convenience. We were both injured, and we both needed to heal; it made sense for us to work together for a short while, but the context has changed. I'm glad to be rid of him."
"And you think you won't see him again?"
"I would hope that he is long gone by now," I reply. Deep down, though, I know that Gum will be back at some point. Whatever he is doing, and wherever he has gone, he will undoubtedly raise his ugly head in my vicinity again. When he does, I will have to be careful, since Gum can never be trusted. For now, though, I can put him out of my mind. "Keep watch a little longer," I say firmly, turning to walk away. "I will be back shortly, and we will start our journey at dawn."
"What if she doesn't wake up?" Sharpe calls after me.
"She will," I reply firmly. "One way or the other, I shall make sure of that." Instead of stopping to engage in more discussion, I keep walking away. The sun will be up soon, and before we set off on our journey to the Citadel, I have one more thing to do in this part of the Library. I have to say goodbye to my family.
C laire
"And you think you won't see him again?" asks the small round guy.
"I would hope that he is long gone by now," the big guy replies. "Keep watch a little longer," he adds as he turns and starts walking away. Suddenly there's a hint of sadness to his voice. "I will be back shortly, and we will start our journey at dawn."
"What if she doesn't wake up?" the small guy asks.
"She will," the big guy says, his voice getting further and further away. "One way or the other, I shall make sure of that." I want to open my eyes, but I don't dare; I need to make sure he's gone before I make my move. The small guy I can handle; the bigger guy, not so much.
"One way or the other," repeats the small guy in a quiet, mocking tone, "I shall make sure of that. Yeah, whatever. Blowhard." He sighs, as I finally open one eye and take a look at him. I was right: it's definitely the same overgrown bowling ball that attacked me in my parents' house. "Damn it to hell," he continues. "Why did I ever agree to this? What could I possibly gain from -"
Seizing my moment, I lunge at him, forcing my hand over his mouth as I push him to the ground. He struggles, but despite the pain in my ribs and ankle, I make sure he can't get free. He might have got the jump on me once, but there's no way I'm going to let it happen again.
"Okay," I say, staring into his panicked eyes. "I don't know what the fuck you are, or where the fuck this is, or what the fuck you and the big guy want, but I'm getting out of here, do you understand?" I pause for a moment, hoping that he'll see that I mean business. "Trust me," I continue, trying to sound as fierce and determined as possible, "I will fucking smash your head in if you make a noise, do you understand?" I stare at him with the fiercest, most determined glare I can summon up from the depths of my soul. I've never had to look scary or crazy
"Of course," he replies. "I'm getting old, Vanguard. I'm starting to realize that there are many, many things I have never seen, and the years are drawing closer. I've always wanted to see the Citadel, even if it's well past its prime. Besides, wouldn't you like a little company for your journey? I hardly think a lousy human is going to be able to provide much in the way of conversation. She's probably only one step up from Gum." He pauses for a moment. "Did you find Gum, by the way? Is he coming?"
I take a deep breath. "Gum is gone," I reply eventually.
"Gone?"
"He was not at the camp-fire. He seems to have finished his recuperation."
"Then he is back to full strength?"
"Not full," I say. "But he is certainly on the move again."
"And you're not worried?"
I shake my head. "I doubt he has much interest in anything that we do. Ours was an alliance of convenience. We were both injured, and we both needed to heal; it made sense for us to work together for a short while, but the context has changed. I'm glad to be rid of him."
"And you think you won't see him again?"
"I would hope that he is long gone by now," I reply. Deep down, though, I know that Gum will be back at some point. Whatever he is doing, and wherever he has gone, he will undoubtedly raise his ugly head in my vicinity again. When he does, I will have to be careful, since Gum can never be trusted. For now, though, I can put him out of my mind. "Keep watch a little longer," I say firmly, turning to walk away. "I will be back shortly, and we will start our journey at dawn."
"What if she doesn't wake up?" Sharpe calls after me.
"She will," I reply firmly. "One way or the other, I shall make sure of that." Instead of stopping to engage in more discussion, I keep walking away. The sun will be up soon, and before we set off on our journey to the Citadel, I have one more thing to do in this part of the Library. I have to say goodbye to my family.
C laire
"And you think you won't see him again?" asks the small round guy.
"I would hope that he is long gone by now," the big guy replies. "Keep watch a little longer," he adds as he turns and starts walking away. Suddenly there's a hint of sadness to his voice. "I will be back shortly, and we will start our journey at dawn."
"What if she doesn't wake up?" the small guy asks.
"She will," the big guy says, his voice getting further and further away. "One way or the other, I shall make sure of that." I want to open my eyes, but I don't dare; I need to make sure he's gone before I make my move. The small guy I can handle; the bigger guy, not so much.
"One way or the other," repeats the small guy in a quiet, mocking tone, "I shall make sure of that. Yeah, whatever. Blowhard." He sighs, as I finally open one eye and take a look at him. I was right: it's definitely the same overgrown bowling ball that attacked me in my parents' house. "Damn it to hell," he continues. "Why did I ever agree to this? What could I possibly gain from -"
Seizing my moment, I lunge at him, forcing my hand over his mouth as I push him to the ground. He struggles, but despite the pain in my ribs and ankle, I make sure he can't get free. He might have got the jump on me once, but there's no way I'm going to let it happen again.
"Okay," I say, staring into his panicked eyes. "I don't know what the fuck you are, or where the fuck this is, or what the fuck you and the big guy want, but I'm getting out of here, do you understand?" I pause for a moment, hoping that he'll see that I mean business. "Trust me," I continue, trying to sound as fierce and determined as possible, "I will fucking smash your head in if you make a noise, do you understand?" I stare at him with the fiercest, most determined glare I can summon up from the depths of my soul. I've never had to look scary or crazy