In this scene from Bringer of Chaos, Pietas insists on Six telling him how far the ship has come, and discovers his imprisonment and isolation are far from over. He is imprisoned inside a steel and copper stasis tube and cannot see Six.
30 Days of Chaos: Day 17
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.
A Warrior’s Ally
“The ship’s still in station. It hasn’t even left Enderium Six.”
Still in station? Still in station! He’d thought they’d be halfway there by now. “Long?”
“How long have you been here? Three Terran solar months today. The trip doesn’t start until next week. Supposed to take a year.”
A year!
A year in this netherworld, with no food, no water? Four times longer than he’d already suffered. Every time he died his cells burst and renewed themselves, searing his entire body from the inside out. He’d suffocate in a coffin full of dead cells.
The Ultra metabolism was proof humans had no mercy. Mortal death could never terminate his life. No matter how much he might want it.
Desire it. Crave it.
The ghost was talking, but Pietas couldn’t hear, overtaken by a weakness he hadn’t suffered from since he was a child.
“Pietas!” His father cupped his face and forced him to look up. Behind his father’s head, Earth’s yellow sun blasted its light. “Warriors do not cry. Stop it this instant.”
He’d been three years old, and had fallen while trying to keep up with his father’s longer stride.
His hands bled, and it frightened him. Ultras didn’t bleed. His father said so. Something must be wrong.
He lifted his palms to show his father. “It hurts.”
“Ultras never admit to pain. You are my son! Put your hands down this instant.”
His mother picked him up, and chided Mahikos. Holding Pietas in her arms, she examined his hands, now healed, and kissed his palms. “There, my son. It’s all better. See? Pain must be borne, but it passes.”
“You will make him weak.”
“I’ll make him compassionate.” Helia tousled his hair, and kissed Pietas on the cheek. “He’s never been injured before, Mahikos. Be patient.”
Pietas flung his arms around his mother’s neck.
“You’ll make him weak. Ultra warriors have no time for weakness. The next time he cries, I will beat him until he stops.”
His father had beaten him, many times. But for crying? Never. An Ultra does not seek to escape pain. If one inflicts pain, one must bear it. Pain must be borne. Pain is a warrior’s ally. A warrior must not show weakness.
Pietas jerked himself back to the present. “What?”
“I asked if you’re all right.”
He swallowed. The tears had wet his throat. “I am perfect.”
“Uh huh. Heard you were a narcissist too. Is all that nasty crap they say about you true?”
—
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