voice was filled with all the little inflections he was so good at. Thaniel knew just by the cock of his chin and purse of his lips that he was making it known that he wasn’t really happy to not be consulted about their final destination.
“Navillus.” Thaniel confirmed.
“You said anywhere but here…” Elycia reminded him.
“You said…”
“Yeah, but you agreed.”
“Yeah, but half way across the known world?” Jorel complained.
“It’s not half…” Elycia started to say until Jorel plowed ahead.
“Isn’t that a river city?” He asked, innocently.
“Yes.”
“Well, we can’t go there.” He stammered. “I can’t swim.” Jorel folded his arms.
“I’ll teach you.” Elycia offered graciously.
“Thanks.” Jorel said, as he leaned forward just enough to look past Thaniel at her. “That would be great.”
“You’re welcome.” She was pretty happy with herself. She obviously didn’t know Jorel that well yet.
“Nice of you,” he replied with a wicked grin, “Cakeling.”
Thaniel gave the reins a couple shakes, but the slow plodding pace of the tired old oxen never changed.
In the silence that stretched between Jorel’s self satisfied grin and Elycia’s scowl, Thaniel heard Ghost howl.
Chapter 19
Eyes
Elycia’s stomach churned with every pull of the oxen.
She couldn’t believe how fast night came in the Anwarian Mountains. The sky had been bright blue all day and now, within minutes, was the deepest of black. Rasos, the faster of the moons, raced through the starlit heavens. As it did pale yellow beams of light spiked through the giant pines. At home, the lingering sunsets were something to be looked forward to. She smiled at the distant memory. The thought of once again sitting on the docks with her legs dangling over the sparkling waters, and just watching the sun as it slowly merged with a sea painted in golden yellows and oranges, warmed her to the core.
This morning she was destined to a life working in the kitchens of frozen Ontar Hold. Not that Bella had ever treated her badly, but the place was as dark and dreary as a graveyard. She could endure the work, even the viciousness of the other servants, but the lack of color and warmth was unbearable. Now she was on the way home, thanks to, of all people, Thaniel. He had an uncanny way of turning up lately.
Involuntarily, she flashed on the memory of Lisella Ontar proclaiming her Thaniel’s eternal kiss and the fleeting smile that he did his best to hide when they dragged her over to him. Her face flushed.
Only days ago, she would have said yes to his festival kiss request. He was awkward, and way too precocious, but he was cute, and at the time he seemed to mean well. There wasn’t any doubt who left the ice blossom on her pillow. Every girl in the kitchen was talking about how he made a complete idiot of himself in front of them trying to ask her. She hadn’t a reservation at all when she stuck the bright red blossom in her hair for him to see.
But then… Keriim. She had all but forgotten about that man.
All the women in the kitchen knew about Keriim. He was one of the First, the elite guards of the Ontar herself. Keriim had his pick of women. For some reason it wasn’t enough. The man had the appetites of an animal. He was a rapist with a brutal bent. Yet, to say that he was only brutal was like describing a grown wolf as a cuddly puppy. She had been there when Bella tended to his last victim. Hera’s back was one continuous purple bruise. He broke one of her fingers and nearly twisted an ear off her head to keep her quiet. Elycia would never forget the hollow pit of shame and fear that reflected from Hera’s eyes as they scrubbed her wounds. The wincing and pitiful whimpers were too much for anyone to bear. Elycia cried through the entire thing.
Bella’s face had been a mask of quiet rage.
Hera was bedridden for a month and her finger never quite worked right again. The other women had shored up her
“Navillus.” Thaniel confirmed.
“You said anywhere but here…” Elycia reminded him.
“You said…”
“Yeah, but you agreed.”
“Yeah, but half way across the known world?” Jorel complained.
“It’s not half…” Elycia started to say until Jorel plowed ahead.
“Isn’t that a river city?” He asked, innocently.
“Yes.”
“Well, we can’t go there.” He stammered. “I can’t swim.” Jorel folded his arms.
“I’ll teach you.” Elycia offered graciously.
“Thanks.” Jorel said, as he leaned forward just enough to look past Thaniel at her. “That would be great.”
“You’re welcome.” She was pretty happy with herself. She obviously didn’t know Jorel that well yet.
“Nice of you,” he replied with a wicked grin, “Cakeling.”
Thaniel gave the reins a couple shakes, but the slow plodding pace of the tired old oxen never changed.
In the silence that stretched between Jorel’s self satisfied grin and Elycia’s scowl, Thaniel heard Ghost howl.
Chapter 19
Eyes
Elycia’s stomach churned with every pull of the oxen.
She couldn’t believe how fast night came in the Anwarian Mountains. The sky had been bright blue all day and now, within minutes, was the deepest of black. Rasos, the faster of the moons, raced through the starlit heavens. As it did pale yellow beams of light spiked through the giant pines. At home, the lingering sunsets were something to be looked forward to. She smiled at the distant memory. The thought of once again sitting on the docks with her legs dangling over the sparkling waters, and just watching the sun as it slowly merged with a sea painted in golden yellows and oranges, warmed her to the core.
This morning she was destined to a life working in the kitchens of frozen Ontar Hold. Not that Bella had ever treated her badly, but the place was as dark and dreary as a graveyard. She could endure the work, even the viciousness of the other servants, but the lack of color and warmth was unbearable. Now she was on the way home, thanks to, of all people, Thaniel. He had an uncanny way of turning up lately.
Involuntarily, she flashed on the memory of Lisella Ontar proclaiming her Thaniel’s eternal kiss and the fleeting smile that he did his best to hide when they dragged her over to him. Her face flushed.
Only days ago, she would have said yes to his festival kiss request. He was awkward, and way too precocious, but he was cute, and at the time he seemed to mean well. There wasn’t any doubt who left the ice blossom on her pillow. Every girl in the kitchen was talking about how he made a complete idiot of himself in front of them trying to ask her. She hadn’t a reservation at all when she stuck the bright red blossom in her hair for him to see.
But then… Keriim. She had all but forgotten about that man.
All the women in the kitchen knew about Keriim. He was one of the First, the elite guards of the Ontar herself. Keriim had his pick of women. For some reason it wasn’t enough. The man had the appetites of an animal. He was a rapist with a brutal bent. Yet, to say that he was only brutal was like describing a grown wolf as a cuddly puppy. She had been there when Bella tended to his last victim. Hera’s back was one continuous purple bruise. He broke one of her fingers and nearly twisted an ear off her head to keep her quiet. Elycia would never forget the hollow pit of shame and fear that reflected from Hera’s eyes as they scrubbed her wounds. The wincing and pitiful whimpers were too much for anyone to bear. Elycia cried through the entire thing.
Bella’s face had been a mask of quiet rage.
Hera was bedridden for a month and her finger never quite worked right again. The other women had shored up her
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