In this scene from Bringer of Chaos, Pietas is on the planet surface, and he’s out of the stasis pod, but he’s now trapped within his own semi-lifeless body. He has no movement anywhere. He’s paralyzed.
30 Days of Chaos: Day 22
To celebrate the launch of Bringer of Chaos: the Origin of Pietas I’m sharing 30 Days of Chaos. Each day during April, I’ll post one excerpt from the book, along with a poster of a quote by Pietas. On the final day, members of my Romance Lives Forever Reader Group will receive a full color book containing all the quotes and posters. Unlike my website, the book posters will have only a quote and a beautiful image. Look for another giveaway at the end of this post.
No Movement Yet
The cool bath refreshed. Pietas tried to see his reflection in the water, but Six tossed a rock, creating ripples.
“Trust me, Ultra. You’re not ready to see yourself yet.” He brought out a metal box and opened it. “Plain soap. Scrap of cloth. You’ll be clean before you know it.” Six lathered the soap and gently scrubbed Pietas’s face.
His body was sinew and bones, dark everywhere. It would take many baths to soak off the embedded grime. After Six bathed him, Pietas rested on the blanket. Six dried him, and worked his uncooperative arms and legs into the clothes.
Mortifying to be so helpless. He hadn’t been this useless since he was an infant.
The ordeal of movement and cold exhausted him. He dozed, and woke to find himself clothed, dry, and warm.
“Ready for a manicure?” Six used the knife to pare the claws on Pietas’s hands and feet. As he had on board the ship, he passed the time with tales.
How many were fanciful stories, and how many true? Pietas doubted he would ever know. It didn’t matter. He could rest his throat, and learn more about this ghost. The thought that he no longer gathered intel in order to kill him was unsettling at first. How long since he’d listened to someone without thinking how he could use the information to his advantage? Since he’d listened to enjoy a story?
This time, in the clear, clean air, when Six told a bawdy story, Pietas laughed aloud.
Six grinned at him, threw back his head, and laughed along.
The ghost cleaned up the area. He put the bar of soap back in its box, and withdrew a metal comb. “This comb is also a magnet, and it’s strong, but it’s not getting through that rat’s nest. I can take care of it, if you don’t mind a haircut with a blade.”
The last haircut he’d had, at Dessy’s hand, had been with a blade. Then, he’d thought he would trust no one else near his neck with a sharp weapon. For Six, he did not hesitate. “Please.”
The knife sawed through his wet hair faster than Pietas’s dagger. And didn’t that tell a story all by itself?
—
Bringer of Chaos: the Origin of Pietas
Immortal. Warrior. Outcasts. Traitors took everything. Except their honor.
Preorder on Amazon http://amzn.to/1R8DAbb (Out May 1, 2016)
Read now in print on CreateSpace http://bit.ly/boc-origin-csp
Giveaway – Free Download
Download and print three PDF Bookmarks. The first features Six, the human warrior. The second is Pietas, the immortal warrior. The third is the two, back to back.
Six https://kayelleallen.com/media/boc-bookmark-six.pdf
Pietas https://kayelleallen.com/media/boc-bookmark-pietas.pdf
Pietas and Six https://kayelleallen.com/media/boc-bookmark-pietas6.pdf
Download a free adult coloring book you can print and share. Relax and color with friends. It’s fun! https://kayelleallen.com/media/pietas-coloring-book.pdf