In this scene from Bringer of Chaos, Six scoffs when Pietas claims he is “not esper” meaning he lacks telepathy. After all, how else could Six have heard the immortal’s thoughts?
30 Days of Chaos: Day 16
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.
Not Esper
“How long you been out of stasis?”
He tried to wet his lips, but could not. His first attempt to speak came out a croak, and he tried again. “Never.”
“What, they’ve had you in there all this time, not in stasis?”
“Yes.”
“And you just now got around to communicating?”
“Not esper.”
“Not a whisper?”
Pietas repeated the words, without volume.
“All right, wait a minute, Ultra. I’m gonna move some stuff in here. I can’t hear you, so I’m gonna sit closer to your pod.”
“Not! Mine!” The shouted words started him wheezing, which made him begin coughing, which brought blood into his throat. Pietas gagged, but then realized the blood wet his throat and tongue. He coughed, gagged, controlled the reflex, and made himself cough until the thirst subsided.
He must have breath like the grave.
The ghost waited till the coughing and gagging subsided. “I’m not askin’ if you’re all right. But, man! I dunno how you bear being locked in there.”
“No choice,” he croaked.
“Okay, I know you don’t want me sitting closer to your pod, but I–”
“Not–” He sucked in a breath. “Mine.”
“Oh, gotcha! It’s not ‘your’ pod. You ain’t claimin’ that hole.”
“Yes.”
“Okay, now why didn’t you yell for help?”
Because he would beg humans for nothing. Ever. Because he was an Ultra. Because he would rather die endless deaths than admit he needed anyone’s help. Pietas coughed, and summed that up in two words. “Not weak.”
“Not weak? Oh, I get it. Yelling for help is weak, and you Ultras are all ‘we’re too big and bad to yell for help.’ Uh huh. Yeah, lemme tell you. Been me in there, I’d have been screamin’ and thrashin’ till those suckers got me out.”
“Discipline.”
“Discipline? Hah! I’d have lost it. How come you didn’t use ESP and call your kind to come get you?”
“Not esper.”
“Esper. Oh… esper! You mean ESP. No telepathy? I thought you all had that.”
“No.”
“Guess it would’ve been handy, huh? Well, if you’d tried to talk, maybe they’d have done worse.”
“Not afraid of pain.” It came out less than a whisper, but Pietas had no energy to repeat so many words.
“Listen up. Here’s the thing. I’m gonna try to hear you best I can, but this pod is steel and copper. It’s hard to hear. I know it hurts to talk, so here’s what we’re gonna do. If I don’t understand, I’ll try to guess. I start to get the idea, you say something doesn’t need much air. There is air in there, isn’t there?”
The ghost’s concern in the last question took him by surprise. A human, worried about him?
The first few hours in the pod, Pietas had tested every aspect of escape, taking note of the air supply and lack of hydration. He’d remained still once he realized they metered the air. The fury of being held captive, by humans no less, had subsided into resolve to endure. That endurance gave way to the most elaborate revenge fantasies he’d ever harbored.
“Hello? Ultra? You okay in there?”
“Yes. Air.”
“Okay, you got air.” The ghost swore, using choice words. “I’m sorry, man. They told me you were in stasis. I can’t open your pod or give you food or water. I would, I want you to know that. I’ve tortured an enemy when I needed information, but what they’re doing to you is uncalled for. It’s cruel. I don’t want any part of it. Don’t condone it.”
Today was full of surprises.
—
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