Naomi Grim: Complete Novel (Parts 1-4) (The Silver Scythe Chronicles) Read Online Free

Mother had told me the trick was to think
of something else to keep my mind off the pain. I tried to do that, but my mind
kept going back to the agony.
         I'd forgotten how much the process hurt. Why did we continue
to incur infractions if we knew we would have to go through this? Maybe we
forgot how painful it was and often needed a reminder.
         I thought of Keira and what she'd said about Bram crying. I
knew my brother loved me, he just didn't like to show it, or he didn’t know
how. I thought about my parents and how this would plague them forever. I don't
remember a minor Grim ever being executed without their parents being killed
along with them. At least those Grims didn't have to live with the awful memory
of their child being put to death. My parents would.
         I wondered if Keira would make a new best friend. One who followed
the Grim Covenant and wouldn't get her into trouble.
         Earlier I had said I would give anything to be in Chase and
Keira's position. But I'd changed my mind. I'd give anything to be human. To
live in their world. Sure they lived short lives, but at least they got to
live. It had to be better than this. I didn't think it was fair, seeing as
though I was part human. Why couldn't I lived in that world if I wanted?
         The shocks began to lessen so I knew the process was almost
over. The shocks stopped, and I felt immediately ill. Someone stood in front of
me. Doyle again. The smell of his cologne wasn't helping the nausea that had
overcome me. First the helmet was removed. Then the straps. Before I could stop
myself, I bent over and vomited.
         "No!" Doyle yelled as I unloaded. I pictured my
puke covering his expensive leather shoes.
         "Oh dear," Dunningham mumbled, probably glad it
wasn't him. "Well, get cleaned up. There's only thirty minutes until the
execution."
         I assumed Doyle left the room. Dunningham was very punctual,
and he wouldn't stall an execution for anything.
         He made a call for someone to come clean up my mess.
         "Are you done?" Reynold asked. I opened my mouth.
Nothing else wanted to come out so I nodded. I longed for a glass a water to
get the disgusting taste out of my mouth. He grabbed my arm. "Listen, step
over the vomit."
         My mind told my body to move, but my body wouldn't listen.
         "I can't." I was too weak to move.
         Someone
else entered the room. "Let him clean it up," Dunningham said.
"Then you'll have to carry her."
         I
heard water swishing around. The smell of bleach, ammonia, and some other
chemical filled my nostrils. I needed to sneeze but it wouldn't come out.
         After
a minute, Reynold slid his arm under my thighs and lifted me from the chair.
"Do not puke on me."
         I
nodded, but I couldn’t make any promises.
         I
rested my head against one of his broad shoulders as he carried me to the
carriage. He placed me on the back seat with Dunningham and then we were off to
the square.
         My
head felt too heavy for my neck to hold up so I leaned it against the window. "How
are you going to do it?" I asked Dunningham once the carriage had taken
off.
         "What?"
         "How
are you going to kill me?"
         "First
of all, I'm not going to kill you. You've killed yourself, my dear. I am simply
carrying out the rules of the Covenant. That's the problem with you rebellious
Grims. You knowingly break the rules and then act like I'm the bad guy when I
have to inflict punishment. As for how . . . we'll let that be a surprise for
now. Whatever it is, it will be a death befitting a Grim who has betrayed her
colony."
         I
sighed. He probably wouldn't answer my next question either, but I figured I'd
give it a shot. "Why did you forgive my mother's crime?"
         "And
we'll stop talking now." I could hear the annoyance in his voice.
         "I
know what she had to do to keep us from getting executed, and I think