Pokrewne

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Chelsea Handler Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang (epub
Brit Brinson [Dia of the Dead Dia of the Dead (epub)
Cody Goodfellow [Radiant Dawn Radiant Dawn (epub)
Cate Tiernan [Immortal Belove Immortal Beloved (epub)
C J Busby [Deep Amber 01] Deep Amber (retail) (epub)
Carl Ashmore [Time Hunters 01 The Time Hunters (epub)
Drew Hayes [Super Powereds 02 Super Powereds Year 2 (epub) i
Beth Harbison [Shoe Addict 02 Secrets of a Shoe Addict (epub)
Cara Lynn Shultz [Dark World The Dark World (retail) (epub)
[heft] Perry Rhodan 0257 Der Dreitoter

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.With a muffled cry, Aurora clutched him, trying to draw him back.The branches that had held the gate lashed against them like the crack of several whips, just as he caught the gate in both hands.The force of it hurt.The broken half of the gate swung madly, as if trying to close too.Seizing Aurora even closer to him in one protective arm, Joel strode around the now immovable gate that had so nearly crashed into his face.Aurora stared at the twitching, broken construction as they sidled past it, as if expecting it to attack them.Cold sweat broke out on his neck and forehead.He knew how she felt.This was weird.Too fucking weird to be real.But it seemed the gate was too damaged to harm them.Christ, did he really think that? And there were only a few yards of overgrown vegetation to go now they’d reached outside the courtyard.It too whipped across the path he’d trodden so freely yesterday, but at least it thinned now with every step until, with a feeling of stepping from cold darkness into bright sunlight, they walked free.Joel loosened his arm on the girl’s shoulder, anxiously scanning her for signs of hurt.Slowly, mutely, she turned her face up to his, as if examining him in the same way.Only one long scratch down her left cheek marred her creamy skin, but her hood was torn.In fact, all of her once-fine cloak was now looking the worse for wear.She reached up one trembling, bloody hand to touch his jaw.“You’re hurt,” she whispered.“You’re bleeding.”His face did sting.He smiled lopsidedly.“As if I’ve been mauled by a cat?” He caught her fluttering hand and held it firmly in his.Both he and Aurora were covered in scratches, some of them deep and bleeding.“I’m sorry.It wasn’t that bad on the way in.”She nodded.“You were meant to come in.But now she knows I’m awake and neither of us is meant to leave.”He frowned.“Who knows you’re awake?”“Valborga, the wicked woman who must have cursed me when I was a baby.”Joel’s nerves were on edge.“Thousands of years ago? I doubt she’s still alive to give a damn whether or not you’re awake!”“Why not? I am.Besides, I think fairy folk are immortal.”“Of course they are,” Joel soothed.Oh yes, definitely time for the doctor.Although perhaps he should be seeing one too.He glanced back at the dense, still vegetation covering everything apart from the castle’s turrets.Even the broken gate had stopped swinging.“Come on.Let’s get down to the village.”High above them the black slash of a raven’s wings cut across the pale blue sky, its presence commanding the air space and driving away all other birds.The raven swooped low, flying silently behind the hiking couple as they made their way through the rugged terrain and down the mountainside.The bird’s shadow fell across theirs, but neither Joel nor Aurora was aware they were being followed.Chapter FiveBy the time they found the doctor’s surgery—part of his house, it turned out—Aurora had stopped clutching Joel’s arm every time she saw a car.Joel could only be grateful for the quiet of the village.He hated to imagine her reaction to the noise and chaos of the city traffic.But if he’d hoped coming out of isolation would have sparked her normal memories, he was doomed to disappointment.The villagers gaped at her as she passed in her torn cloak, rumpled hair and silken ball gown, nodding regally to them as she passed.In truth, she gaped at them too, although with a secrecy that she seemed to imagine was polite.“Goodness, they’re dressed just like you,” she said once.“Or almost…”She had a point.Expensive hiking gear just didn’t look any better than the cheap stuff.“Good gracious, her legs! All their legs!” she gasped as some girls smiled at her.They wore either tight leggings or short skirts.But at least they smiled.Most people smiled at her, after they got over their astonishment at her appearance.She had that effect.Even the doctor’s receptionist smiled, and the waiting patients.When Joel explained the problem and mentioned possible head injury, the receptionist got straight on the phone, and two minutes later they were both ushered into the doctor’s surgery.Joel did wonder if he should be there.After all, he was no relation to Aurora, but it was important that the doctor understand all the circumstances.And besides, Aurora removed all possibility of his leaving by clutching his hand so tightly he doubted he could have escaped if he’d wanted to.The doctor, a bespectacled, middle-aged man with a slightly bored expression, blinked as Aurora took off her cloak, and gave a slightly bemused smile.“So, you’ve had a bump on your head?” he said, holding one of the two patients’ chairs for her to sit.“Oh, no,” she said.“Yes, we think so,” Joel said at the same time.“I see.What seems to be the trouble?”Since the doctor asked Aurora directly, Joel held his tongue.“I pricked my finger,” Aurora said, revealing the pinprick she’d shown him last night.It was almost healed.Unlike the scratches which covered her hand.“More than your finger,” said the doctor.“You need to wash those and put some antiseptic ointment on them.What happened?”“We were walking in the hills.Up by the old castle,” Joel said hastily.The doctor frowned.“What old castle?”“It doesn’t matter,” Aurora said sadly.“There were thorns.”“I found her unconscious,” Joel interjected.“She seemed—still seems—a bit confused.I’m worried that she has some head injury.”Aurora gave him a glare that made him feel unaccountably guilty, as if he were a traitor.But the doctor immediately sprang into action, examining her head with thorough care while asking her questions about her name and age and where she lived.At her answers, he cast a more understanding glance at Joel.He held his finger in front of her face and got her to follow it with her eyes.He shone lights into her eyes, took a blood-pressure reading, a process that Aurora watched with wide-eyed interest, and finally pronounced, “I can find nothing whatsoever wrong with her.She’s one of the healthiest people I’ve ever examined.Perfect blood-pressure, no trace of external or internal injury.I can tell you I’ve never seen her before, so I doubt she lives in the village.I would advise you to go to the city, contact the police there, and have her more thoroughly checked at the hospital.If nothing else, they will direct you toward more specialist care.”Joel stood, taking Aurora’s hand to draw her with him.“Thank you, doctor.” He didn’t say it wasn’t his responsibility.He couldn’t desert her.“We’ll do that.”The doctor cast a doubtful glance at Aurora, who inclined her head with incomparable grace.“Good-bye, doctor,” she said and smiled.At once, the doctor’s face broke into a smile of its own.“Good-bye, my dear,” he said kindly.“Good luck.” He opened the surgery door.“Let me know the outcome,” he added.“If you can.”On the street, Joel put his hand around Aurora’s waist as he walked beside her.For a man to touch a young woman and particularly a royal princess in such a familiar way was unthinkable in her world.But she was far from the court and the life she’d known there [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]