Helion Read Online Free Page A

blow.
He had no time for this timidity.
    “Female, you are safe now. Stand and speak with me.”
    Still she didn’t respond. Helion wondered if she could even
hear him, or if her fear had completely paralyzed her. Helion grunted then, slightly
annoyed by the girl’s timidity. He supposed her near-death experience was some
excuse but he had work to do. He didn’t have time to tiptoe around the small
female and her offspring nor did he want to terrify them further. He walked
closer and the girl must have sensed the movement, because she clutched her
daughter and scrambled awkwardly to her feet, quickly backing away from him.
    Helion stopped advancing and allowed her a moment to observe
he was no threat to her. He watched as she raised her eyes higher, and higher,
and higher, until they finally met his own. Whatever she saw there made her
flinch and Helion barely managed to refrain from rolling his eyes. Twenty
Keepers were inside this room but she’d looked only at him, noticed only him,
and even then the tang of her fear nearly overwhelmed him.
    Helion took his time observing the female, just as she was
him. What he saw was disturbing. This female would have stood no chance against
the Scourge, not even one who was half-dead and missing limbs. Five foot
nothing, malnourished, judging by the sagging clothes, and sleep deprived,
judging by the bruised-looking skin under her eyes. This one had clearly been
on the run with her child for a while, perhaps not knowing where to find a
Keeper-secured refugee camp for her kind. Her hair would no doubt be pleasing when
clean—it looked to have the color of fire. And the eyes currently gazing at him
in horror were an interesting shade of blue with a starburst of gold in the
center. Strapped to her chest, the girl child was all but hidden from view by
the wrappings and her mother’s protective arms.
    “Please…” came a soft whisper.
    He realized she’d spoken and brought himself to attention.
For a moment he didn’t process the words, too busy noting how husky her voice
was and how different it was from that of Keeper females. It was a pleasant
sound really, running along his sensitive ears with a soothing resonance. Then
what she’d actually said finally penetrated and he stiffened.
    “Please what, female?” he asked quietly.
    “Please don’t hurt us,” came the reply as the woman clutched
her daughter even tighter. He could tell holding eye contact with him was a
significant struggle for her, but she maintained it. Helion would have
respected her for that if he wasn’t so offended she thought he would harm a
female and her babe.
    “If we could just leave…” she continued.
    Helion cocked a brow at that, incredulous. Did the woman
really think he’d allow a helpless woman and child to wander around this
Scourge-infested city alone? She was under his protection now and he took the
responsibility seriously.
    “Leave to where, female? This city is crawling with Scourge
battalions. There’s one dying outside this hovel as we speak. Where is it that you
wish to go?”
    The woman was skittish, he noted, shifting her weight a few
times and roving her gaze over his face, as though looking for something. There
had been a touch of mockery in his question, and no little arrogance, so her
instincts were spot-on.
    “I’ll find somewhere for us—” she began, but Helion raised a
hand, in no mood to hear it.
    “As amusing as that idea is, I have no time to indulge your
fantasies. My men are killing the Scourge battalion outside these walls but
more will come. This city isn’t safe for you to wander around with no
protection, stumbling into battle lines unknowing. You will come with us now. We
will take you somewhere safe.” Helion beckoned her forward with his free hand,
ready to conclude this matter and start planning the next engagement.
    “No, we won’t go with you. There is no safe place you can
leave us, there’s no safe place anywhere on Earth anymore. I’m