Free The Key (#1 of Anna Kippling Series) Paranormal romance by A.D. Duling by A.D.Duling Page A

and yanked the pendant out
of the woman’s hand, she then looked at Hayden. “Where is my book?”
she asked him.
    “I’ll tie her up son; you take her back
upstairs before she collapses.” Harmon walked over and grabbed the
woman’s arm.
    He was right she was about to; she could
feel her legs start to give beneath her. Hayden picked her up and
carried her back up to her room. He laid her down on the bed and
walked around to the dresser.
    “I placed it in here when we were stripping
you, I’m surprised it even stayed in your pocket!” he expressed.
She leaned back and pulled the covers back over her. He closed the
drawer and carried it over to her. He placed it on her lap and then
reached inside his pocket. “I meant to put I back inside, but
forgot!” He pulled out the tiny key to the pendant.
    She sat the pendant down on the night stand,
“I had given this to the woman, thinking you had. That was how I
saw the tattoo.”
    Corrine came into the room with a glass of
water and carried it over to the night stand. She sat it down and
grabbed one of the vials the doctor had given her earlier. She
poured a measured amount into the water and stirred it with the
spoon. She handed the glass to her to drink.
    Anna took it and drank it quickly. When she
finished she handed the glass back to her. “Thank you Corrine, I
needed that!”
    Corrine laughed. “I would think so, after a
match like that!” she teased her.
    Anna opened her book. “Where is the
Empress?” she asked it.
    She was captured last
night, during your attack . It answered her .
    “Where was she taken too?”
    She is locked up in the
Chancellor’s castle .
    “So my attack was just a distraction.”
    “I don’t think that was entirely a
distraction.” Hayden commented. “Remember, the Chancellor also
wants you dead.” He pointed out.
    “Hayden, we need to leave as soon as
possible!” She shut her book and went to climb out of bed again,
but he put his hand on her shoulders and pushed her back down.
    “We will Anna, but right now you are in no
condition for a rescue.” He gently stressed and recovered her.
    The medicine had started to kick in and she
slumped back into her pillow too exhausted to argue.
    Corrine grabbed her tray of food off the
nightstand and sat it in her lap. “You need to eat to as well
before you go anywhere.”She scolded her. Anna smiled and gave her a
salute. “Good girl!” she teased back.
    “If she can travel in the morning, we will
have to go mother.” he insisted.
    She nodded and put the lid back on the
medicine bottle. “I know son.” She replied and walked over to the
door. She opened it and looked back at him. “I will tell your
father and we will start getting things packed.”
    “ Thank you mother, I will
be down in a few minutes to help.”
    She smiled and nodded. “Take your time…”

Chapter 13
     
    A nna opened her eyes; the room was dark. She bolted upright,
“Hayden!” she called out.
    “Anna.” His hand touched hers and she
jerked. “It’s ok, it’s me.” He assured her and lit the lamp.
    She rubbed her throat, he noticed and
reached over and poured her a glass of water. He handed it to her
and she gulped it down. The cool liquid soothed her dry throat.
    “How long have I been asleep?” she asked
him, handing him back the glass.
    “You’ve been asleep for almost three hours.”
He answered her.
    She reached down and rubbed her grumbling
stomach, “Man! I’m already hungry again!”
    He laughed, “You only ate soup Anna, that
doesn’t hold up long!” he reached over to the nightstand and
removed a cloth napkin from on top of a plate. A sandwich sat
underneath. She sat up and he handed her the plate. She picked up
one of the halves and took a bite. “What happened with the
imposter?” she asked him between chews.
    “She is sitting in a very wet and cold jail
cell.” He answered bitterly.
    “Where is my book?” she asked him and took
another bite of the sandwich.
    He grabbed