Kora (Kora Series Book 1)

by Marina Epley

  “You’re Prince Christopher, right?”

  “Yep. That’s me.”

  “Who is Nicholas then?”

  “No idea. Probably some other poor sucker they tried to kill.”

  I watch him warily, trying to read his face. Is he lying to me again? What’s true and what’s not? Who is he? I want to ask more questions, but my fatigue is unbearable. I can’t help it. I close my eyes and drift off to sleep.

  CHAPTER 41

  I’m on the porch at Jin’s house, holding a steaming cup of tea in shaking hands. It’s early morning and the sky is overcast. I feel woozy.

  The trip back to the roamer village was exhausting. Afterwards, we spent two hours feeding and calming the racers. Half of them are still distressed after their escape. Samantha cried in my arms for a good twenty minutes before I could manage to put her to bed.

  I finish my tea, rise to my feet and go back inside. I cross the living room, carefully stepping over the racers still sleeping on the floor. Trent sits alone in a corner, leaned up against the wall, his expression blank. I slowly approach him, feeling something beginning to melt inside. My hands start shaking again. I suddenly revert back into the girl I was a few months before, one scared to utter a word. I stop in front of him, gazing at his handsome face and dark, familiar eyes. He looks up at me tiredly. I motion for him to follow, and head back toward the doorway.

  Outside, I wrap my arms around him, pressing my face against his chest.

  “I was missing you so much,” I mutter.

  He doesn’t answer. I rise to my tippy toes and kiss his lips, but Trent doesn’t kiss me back. I take a step backward, glancing at him unsurely. What’s wrong? Isn’t he happy to see me?

  “What now?” he asks sternly. “Are we prisoners or what?”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Why? Perhaps because I’ve been kidnapped by a gang of roamers.”

  “We didn’t kidnap you,” I frown. “You know that. I thought Maxine and I already explained everything.”

  “Why did you do it, Kora? How could you dare attack Central Settlement and kill your master?”

  “I don’t have a master!” I blurt out. “And Samuel killed my mother! I had to avenge her. I had to rescue you and the others. Aren’t you happy to finally be free? Weren’t you always dreaming of freedom?”

  “I wanted to earn my freedom, not become a runaway slave. The masters from Central Settlement will be hunting us now! Did you even consider that? They’ll burn us alive when they catch us. We have no safety, no place to go… Should I be happy about that?”

  “Trent!” I interrupt. “I promise that everything will be all right. I won’t let anybody hurt you. Please believe in me.”

  “How can I trust you? I don’t even know you anymore. What happened to you, Kora? You used to be such a nice girl. When did you become a murderer?” He pauses, looking me over. “And what’s with all that paint on your face?”

  “It’s my war paint!” I exclaim, tears welling in my eyes. “I’m a roamer now. That’s who I am. And I’ve never been really good or nice. But I did save your life. You should appreciate that. If I hadn’t returned, Samuel would have fed you and the other racers to the chimeras.”

  Trent rolls his eyes. “I think these roamers have you fooled, Kora. They’ve been using you.”

  “They didn’t use me. It was my own idea. You can’t imagine how hard it was to persuade Wreck to help me.”

  “Who the heck is Wreck?” He scowls. “Is he your boyfriend or something?”

  “No, of course not… he’s just a friend.”

  “Really?” Trent smirks. “Why is he helping you then? What did you have to do to get his help?”

  I don’t say anything more. Why doesn’t he believe me? Why do I even bother trying to answer his embarrassing questions? I should probably just walk away. But of course, the weak and submissive side of me doesn’t allow me to do that.

  I lower my eyes and say, “There’s nothing going on between us. Samuel killed his family too, so he wanted to take revenge. I don’t even really like him.” I look into his eyes. “I like you, Trent. And I want to be your girl.”

  Trent thinks for a moment, his expression stone-cold.

  “I don’t want somebody else’s leftovers,” he says.

  My stomach twists into knots. I have a strong urge to grab and shake him, or better yet, punch him in the face. But most of all, I want to make him understand what all I had to suffer through these last few weeks. I crave his sympathy and appreciation. But instead of compassion, he only offers vile remarks.

  I turn and leave, heading into the woods, his hurtful words echoing inside my head. I feel shameful and guilty, although I have no reason to feel that way. Once I’m far away from the house, I take out my anger and frustration on a large pine tree. I furiously hit and kick at the trunk. After my hands begin hurting, I sit on the ground, cover my face and start to cry.

  I try to persuade myself that Trent is just confused and angry. He must be misdirecting his anger toward me. I realize I shouldn’t care about him and have no reason to cry. But the tears do bring some relief, helping to lessen my anxiety. So I allow myself ten or fifteen more minutes of misery before pulling myself together. I sniffle and sob, wondering whether I’ll ever learn how not to cry. Is my crying a sign of weakness or is it just a physical reaction? I’m not even sure that I’m crying because of Trent. Maybe the stress of the last several days caused an emotional meltdown. Maybe I’m weeping for my mother and Amy. I don’t know. Too many bad things have happened recently. Too many people have died.

  When I’m done crying, I wipe my face on my sleeve and just sit on the ground, thinking of what to do next. I close my eyes, trying to relax.

  “Boo!” somebody yells into my ear, grabbing my shoulders from behind.

  I scream, jumping to my feet, and turn around. Wreck stands before me, chuckling like an idiot. The thought of breaking his neck comes to mind.

  “Damn it, Kris! What are you doing?”

  “Checking the speed of your reactions.”

  “Jerk!” I give him a hard look and plop back down on the ground.

  He sits down beside me. I shuffle away, frowning.

  “Come on, Kora,” he sighs. “Don’t be so angry. Look what I have for you.”

  He hands me the knife he took from Samuel. It’s identical to the one that Gabriel carried. I guess each member of the high master’s family has one of these knives.

  “This is your trophy,” I say.

  “Nah, I want you to have it. You earned it. You led me to Samuel.”

  I don’t argue because I do want the knife. Samuel’s guards took mine.

  “Why are you so sad?” Wreck asks. “Cheer up! Samuel is dead. It’s time to celebrate.”

  “I’m not sad,” I lie.

  “Liar. Your eyes are all red and swollen. Here, wash your face.” He hands me a flask. “What happened? Did you have a little spat with your lover boy?”

  “No,” I lie again, splashing water over my face.

  “Well, just forget about that fool. You already have somebody much better, someone all the girls are dreaming about.”

  “Who might that be?” I ask, although I already suspect what he’s about to say.

  Wreck grins. “Me of course.”

  “Oh sure,” I sigh. “Now I realize how miserable my life really is.”

  “Oh c’mon. We both know you’re deeply in love with me. You’re just playing hard to get.”

  “Kris, there’s nothing about you to fall in love with.”

  “What?” He pretends astonished. “How about my charming smile and mysterious gaze?”

  He stares at me, crossing his eyes while managing the most idiotic smile possible. I press my lips together, doing my best to suppress laughter.

  “C’mon, kiss me,” Wreck mumbles, leaning in, a streak of saliva now dripping down his chin.

  I push him away and burst out laughing. “You’re so gross!”
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  He wipes his mouth, obviously pleased with himself. I wonder how many times he’s made me laugh.

  “But seriously,” he says. “Instead of crying over your lover boy, you’d best be thinking of what we should say to Tartis. I believe he already knows about everything.”

  I stop laughing, staring at him. “Oh no!”

  “Oh yeah,” he grins. “He sent a truckload of rangers to escort us back to the village. They’re waiting for us back at Jin’s right now.”

  “Are we in big trouble?”

  “What do you think? We violated the main rule around here, not to attack Central Settlement. Maxie isn’t a ranger, so Tartis won’t bother her. And I guess nobody knows that Tanya was with us, because you know… she’s just a kid. So it’s only you and I. We must offer Tartis some sensible explanation as to where all these escapees came from.”

  “Well,” I smile. “I guess we’ll have to do a lot of lying today.”

  “You betcha,” he chuckles, rising to his feet.

  We head back toward Jin’s. Wreck keeps his hands inside his pockets, whistling as usual. I don’t feel devastated or sad anymore. I instead become stronger and more determined with each step, because I can’t allow myself any weakness now. We’ll have to face Tartis today. I’m sure he’ll want to have us all killed. So we’ll have to be ready to defend ourselves.

  I’m also certain that the masters from Central Settlement will soon come looking for us. They won’t simply forgive and forget. Perhaps, we’ve just started a war, but even that thought doesn’t scare me. I’m willing to fight. I finally know and accept who I really am. I’m a trash picker, racer and roamer. And I’m also the new Jingfay, one who both saves and takes lives. I now know what my destiny is, and believe in myself. I’m going to make Prince Christopher the high master of Central Settlement, and together we will free all those still enslaved throughout our land.

  TO BE CONTINUED

  Thanks so much for reading. If you enjoyed this book, please consider supporting the author by leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads.

  Learn what happens next with Kora and Wreck in book 2, Kora Exiled.

  Follow this link to check it out

  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BCD9VWB

  Sample

  KORA EXILED

  CHAPTER 1

  The door opening wakes me. I sit up, feeling suffocated, still sensing his hands squeezing my throat. Then I remember that Gabriel is dead. I killed him along with his mother.

  Two rangers enter the shack and walk across the room toward me. I remain motionless. They grab my arms and yank me to my feet, causing a sudden burst of intense pain in my shoulders. I grind my teeth, but don’t resist which would be pointless.

  They half lead, half drag me outside, and I squint into the bright sunshine. The sky is unusually cloudless. The village streets are empty, so I assume it must be early morning. I don’t know how many hours I’ve spent locked in that gloomy shack.

  The last thing I recall is walking through the woods toward Jin’s house. Several guys in black hoodies stepped out from the fog in front of us. Upon seeing them, Wreck gripped my elbow to pull me closer.

  “You were out hunting with Maxie and Jin,” he whispered. “You’ve got no idea where I was or what I was doing.”

  A moment later, multiple arms took hold of me and threw me to the ground. A wet cloth covered my face, and then darkness. I think I was drugged.

  I take a deep breath and push away my memories. I must focus on the current moment.

  My captors pull me forward, leading me down a village street. My head is spinning and I feel like I’m verging on a blackout. But I can’t pass out again, not here and not now. I have to be strong or at least pretend to be strong.

  I stop abruptly and take two quick steps back, ripping myself loose from their arms.

  “Enough!” I say sternly. “Where are you taking me? To Tartis? Just show me where to go and I’ll follow. I intended to see him anyway.”

  They stare at me. My outburst must have taken them by surprise. Black and white paint covers their faces, so they look identical. Both wearing dark hoodies and cargo pants along with heavy boots, typical roamer uniforms. I’m dressed in a similar manner, though my face is clean.

  “Shut your mouth, girl,” one ranger barks, reaching for me. I step back.

  The other ranger stops him short, “C’mon. Just give her a break.”

  They glare at each other, both ready to fight, then the first guy shrugs.

  “Whatever.”

  “Lead me to Tartis,” I say.

  They motion for me to follow, and we proceed along the street. I smirk, very pleased with my actions. At least I’m no longer a helpless, speechless victim.

  “Did Tartis order our capture?” I ask.

  They ignore me.

  “You’ll do anything he orders, right?” I continue spitefully. “You’re just his puppets.”

  “Be quiet,” the ranger on my right growls.

  “I thought the people in this village loved freedom,” I say, unable to stop. “But you’re no different from the servants. You’re all slaves to Tartis.”

  “Shut your hole!” the ranger on my right raises his hand, threatening me.

  I give him a challenging look.

  “She’s actually right,” the other says. “Tartis has turned everyone into his puppets. This is not what Jingfay intended.”

  “What?” the aggressive ranger snorts.

  I share in his astonishment.

  “Nothing,” the friendly guy mutters.

  I glance at him. He’s an inch shorter than me, and his eyes are vivid green. Have we met before?

  He catches my gaze and adds quietly, “Many of us admire what you and Kris did.”

  “What are you talking about?” I frown. “We didn’t do anything.”

  He grins. “Of course not.”

  His hand grips my arm again, but his touch is careful and almost gentle this time. He’s not trying to drag me forward so much as to help me walk.

  I still don’t trust him. I don’t trust anyone at all.

  ***

  They lead me inside a spacious, well-illuminated cabin and order me to sit on a chair placed in the middle of the room. I plop down willingly, happy to finally rest. Physical exertion doesn’t exhaust me so easily, but emotional strain does.

  An arrogant-looking man is reading a book behind a wooden desk in front of me. He’s dressed in a black ranger’s outfit, but wearing no paint on his face. This is the leader of the roamers, Tartis, the very man who once ordered me killed.

  The two rangers who brought me here stand on either side of me. I glance at the green-eyed guy, but he looks away.

  “Why am I here?” I ask in a hollow voice. It sounds more hopeless and weak than I’d intended.

  Tartis gives no reaction, not acknowledging me.

  The aggressive ranger slaps my head. “Shut up!”

  I almost fall out of the chair, the room spinning in front of my eyes.

  “Don’t touch her!” the green-eyed guy exclaims, shoving my aggressor away.

  “Back off, loser!” the attacker growls.

  They both draw knives and I duck, suppressing an impulse to run for the door. No, it wouldn’t work right now. Although I’m an excellent runner, I wouldn’t make it too far being handcuffed.

  “Leave us,” Tartis orders, finally shutting the book and scowling. He seems displeased to have his soldiers fighting over me.

  The rangers head outside, silent and obedient. I breathe out. I hadn’t realized I was holding my breath.

  Slowly, Tartis looks me over and the amount of hatred in his eyes frightens me.

  “So, I guess you’d like to know why you’re here,” he states.

  “That would be nice,” I answer.

  “But I’m certain you already know why.”

  I raise my eyebrows in a fake astonishment. I frown, pretending to ponder his words.

  “I don’t understand
…” I mutter.

  “Stop lying!” he yells, hitting the desk with his fist.

  I shudder. I wish I could remain completely calm, but my hands begin shaking. I hate myself for showing my fear, but there’s nothing I can do about it.

  “How dare you lie to your master?” he asks.

  You’re not my master, I think angrily. I’m no longer a servant and don’t have a master. I want to spit in his mean, hateful face, but instead I lower my head.

  “I’m sorry,” I say, “but I don’t understand what I’ve done wrong.”

  “You don’t understand?” Tartis lets out a short laugh and throws his book at me. It hits my shoulder. I flinch, but manage to maintain a calm expression. “You miserable rat!” he continues. “I was kind enough to let you stay in my village. I spared your life as well as the life of your worthless friend. And after all that you break our number one rule and now dare to lie to me!”

  He must know everything, I realize. But I can’t give up now. He’ll order me killed, should I admit what Wreck and I did.

  I look straight into his eyes. “I haven’t broken any rules.”

  “Two days ago you and Kris went to Central Settlement,” he says matter-of-factly, and my throat tightens. “You freed some servants. You broke a major rule of this village, not to attack Central Settlement.”

  I frown. “I’ve never been to Central Settlement. Two days ago I was staying in Jin’s house. Maxine and I were hunting.” I smile slightly. “If you don’t believe me, you can ask Jin and Maxine.”

  “Why should I bother asking them?” he laughs. “I’m sure they’re both in cahoots. I should have killed that worthless old witch and her bastard daughter a long time ago.”

  My blood boils. I envision myself sticking a knife in his meaty throat. I want to shut his foul mouth forever.

  “It’s all a mistake,” I say quietly.

  “Kora,” he says. “I know exactly what happened. I spoke with Kris this morning. He told me everything.” He pauses, curling his lips into a mocking smile. “He blames you. He said you manipulated him.”