Iron Pendulum by Megan Curd (Excerpt/Giveaway)

Iron Pendulum 
(Periodic #2)
by Megan Curd 
285 pages
Published August 28th 2014
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Six months ago, Avery thought the world ended outside Dome Four. Thought she was one of the few of her kind. Thought the war that brought the human race to the brink of extinction was over.

But six months can change everything.

After fighting to escape a tyranny she didn't even know existed, Avery has had to come to grips with all the secrets she's uncovered. But more secrets continue to come to light, revealing how little of her world she truly knew. When evidence starts to show that Dome Four might be under siege, Avery knows what she must do.

Returning to the dome she longed to escape is a challenge for Avery, but now she knows there’s corruption lurking in the shadows. A massive steam shortage leaves half the dome without power, and people are falling ill. Dying.

And they’re blaming Avery.

Six months can change everything. One more month could kill everyone. The clock is ticking.

EXCERPT: 

“Oh my God, guys.” Sari gasped as she struggled. “Get it off!”

Jaxon sprung into action, pulling a slender Swiss army knife from his ankle. “Get her mask!”

Alice fished in the mess, panic-stricken. “I can’t find it!”

“Move! She can’t breathe!” I pushed past Alice, inhaled deeply, and took off my mask.

“Breathe, Sari.” I pressed the tubing into her nostrils. “Breathe.”

She took a sharp breath, and I put the mask over my nose to take one of my own. Jaxon continued to cut away at the wire that held her aloft, but it was thick, and the knife didn’t put a dent in it. I lifted Sari a little to keep her weight off the ankle, and she pressed the mask back to her face.

“Dammit,” Jaxon said between grunts. “This isn’t. Doing. Anything.”

He threw the knife down. I prayed there were no Zeroes around, but I guessed we were safe; they would have heard the ruckus we were making. Each ragged breath Sari took was laced with pain, and Alice was still splashing around in search of the mask.

 “Here! Here, I found her mask,” Alice yelled triumphantly.

She pressed Sari’s mask to her face, then buckled mine back on as I shouldered Sari’s weight.

“Forget this,” Jaxon said. “I’m burning through it.”

Alice looked horrified. “Jax, you refuse to practice; just because you have Avery’s blood doesn’t mean you can work miracles. You could kill yourself!”

“Or we could leave her here to be murdered by Zeroes!” He roared. “What do you want me to do?”

He was right, but the thought of him dying froze me in terror.

My mind raced back to the buggy. The rubble. My mother.

Dead. Her eyes so far away.

I couldn’t bear to lose Jaxon, but Sari was just as important to me.

About Megan Curd:

Megan Curd is a graduate of Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minnesota. While having always enjoyed reading any books she could get her hands on, Megan didn’t begin writing until a friend encouraged her to do so while in college. 

When not writing, Megan enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Photography, traveling and snowboarding are hobbies she loves, and she doesn’t turn down the opportunity to play xBox with her brother and friends when it presents itself.

Megan currently resides in Ohio with her husband and son, where she is trying to convert them into Buckeye fans. http://megancurd.com/

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