Oracle by Kyra Dune Page A

past two years. Cole almost wished something would happen soon. At
least it would take his mind off Kat. But they were waiting to see who won the
crown, per the orders of Duke Victor Lassard . Sean
might consider himself the rebellion’s leader, but he still took his orders
from the Duke.
         As if
Cole didn’t have enough on his mind worrying over Kat, he also had to worry
over what Sean might do if the Duke chose to put an end to the rebel movement
he had started. He might do it too, if Lord Charles took the crown. With Duke
Victor backing the man it hardly seemed reasonable he would want him
overthrown.
         Sean
wasn’t loud about it so most people didn’t know, but he was highly ambitious.
Always had been. He had no desire to spend the rest of his life in the forge,
oh no. He wanted to be somebody. Somebody important. His part in the
rebellion thus far had given him a taste of that and it wasn’t something he
would easily turn loose of if the Duke chose to back out on them.
         It was a
lot for one man to have hanging over his head all at once and not a thing he
could do about any of it. The people he loved most were in danger and he
couldn’t aid them. It left him with a feeling of helplessness, of being pulled
along by events rather than affecting them, as he was sadly accustomed to.
         It had
been this way for so long as he could remember. Constantly pulled along in his
brother’s wake, he had often found himself with no control even over his own
life. And despite having become a mercenary in order to separate himself from
his brother, he had never really found that control. Probably never would so
long as Sean was alive.
         Sean had
ever been the center of his own universe. Ever the sort to do whatever best
suited him without the ability to understand his actions had an effect on
others. Marrying Lauren and fathering the twins hadn’t changed him, as Kat
hadn’t been able to change Jesse. They were much alike, these two men who had never
gotten along and who on the surface had nothing in common. Both were too caught
up in themselves to really see those around them.
         Such men
were bound to self destruct eventually. He’d always known it would be this way for
Sean. Jesse too, if he continued on the way he was. The only question was
whether they would take down the people who loved them when they did.
           

 
 
 
 
 
    CHAPTER
NINE

 
 
         Brandon
trailed after the rest of the group, idly flipping a dagger into the air and
catching it as he walked. He found he was not enjoying the trek through these
strange and gloomy woods as much as he thought he would. It was boring. He
missed his mare, Blue Bell, who had been left behind at the Death Dealer
temple. And he missed Jesse. A man he genuinely liked even if the feeling
wasn’t mutual. He was beginning to wish he’d stepped out of this not-so-grand
adventure when he’d had the chance.        
         When
those creatures first appeared he’d hoped they were in for a fight, but no, the
critters simply turned tail and ran off without a fuss. And nothing interesting
had happened since. Everyone else was so tense, as if they were expecting an
attack at any moment. If only. He wished something would happen.
Anything. If not something violent, then at least something interesting.
         A shriek
cut through the silence, followed closely by the appearance of an incredibly
large bird with blazing red feathers. It came swooping down at them from
practically nowhere, sending most of the group scattering off the trail.
         Not Nephima though. She leapt straight up, caught hold of an
overhanging tree branch, and swung her legs forward to connect soundly with the
bird’s beak, knocking it sideways into a tree. It fell to the earth in a
crumpled heap.
         Nephima dropped to her feet beside Brandon. He grinned at
her. “Impressive. I’m not sure even I could have pulled off such