Bedlam Chapter Sampler

her face. “I’m bruised. And battered. I get into fights now. Real, actual fights. Me. A pacifist.” “You’re not a pacifist.” “Well, no, but I hate fighting. I hate the pain aspect. Also the effort aspect. Fighting would be so much easier if you could do “Ah, now,” Never said, sitting up and flicking her hair back, “I wouldn’t go so far as to damn my physical body, Omen. I’m blessed with this form. See these cheekbones? I will never take these for granted. But I do ache. I mean, I can’t be expected to follow your brother into every single battle, can I? He’s the Chosen One. He’s got the strength and the speed and the skill. I just have the bone structure and the attitude.” “Kase and Mahala aren’t Chosen Ones,” said Omen. “How do they do in these battles?” “They’ve been doing this for longer,” Never countered. “They’re better at it than I am.” “There you go,” Omen said. “You just have to give it time, and then you’ll be as good as they are.” Never lolled her head back, and looked up at the ceiling. “Three days ago, we were fighting this guy, a Child of the Spider. Ever seen one of those people? They’re creepy enough in their human form, but when they change...” “You actually saw him transform?” “Oh, yes,” said Never. “It was gross. Like, seriously disgusting. He sprouted all these extra legs, his body contorted, his face became a spider face... and the sounds. Great Caesar’s Ghost, the sounds! Squelching and tearing and popping and more squelching... And, at the end of it, he’s twice as big as us, and a spider. A spider , Omen.” “You’re not afraid of spiders, are you?” “I tend to get slightly arachnophobic when they’re three times the size of me.” “Understandable.” it from your phone, you know?” “Damn these physical bodies.”

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