threats at his hapless handlers while crushing a chunk of wood between those gleaming destroyer-teeth. The stable hands fled. Kien stifled a laugh. “Hush, you monster! And enough wood. You’ll give yourself indigestion.”
Scythe curled his equine lips slightly, but continued chewing as if Kien didn’t exist.
Fine. How might a master best gain his irritable monster’s attention? With one word. “Ela.”
The black ears perked, and the chewing halted. Kien grinned. “Let’s shine you up a bit, then we’ll depart. You can track her down for me—at a quiet walk.”
Poor unsuspecting prophet. A good thing she’d never been able to predict what Kien Lantec might do next, because he wanted to catch her completely off guard.
She must answer for the blame he’d just accepted.
11
F inished tidying her study area at the temple site, Ela kneeled in the evening light with Tamri Het and Matron Prill beneath the canopy to wait for Father. “It’s been a long day. But at least there’s been no trouble. And, look. . . .” She dug into her leather coin purse and pulled out her newest treasure. “Barth gave me his latest baby tooth!”
Tamri laughed. “That is an honor, Ela-girl. He’s in love with you, I’m sure.”
“He’s a flirt, but a wonderful student.” Ela smiled at the small white tooth and tucked it safe inside her purse again. Barth’s class was her favorite by far.
Matron Prill’s thin face puckered with worry. “Are you truly keeping his tooth?”
“Of course, Prill. I must. Knowing Barth, he’s going to start every class for the next month by asking me if I still have his tooth.”
“True,” Prill admitted. “But you’d think his parents would want it.”
“We’ll offer it to him next time we meet, just to be sure. I—” A shadow passed through the sun’s evening rays, dimming everything beneath the canopied study area. Ela glanced toward the light’s obstruction, then looked again. A massive black beast was crossing the temple site, approaching her. A destroyer? Recognizing the animal, Ela’s spirit leaped. Her destroyer. “Pet!”
And Kien! Oh, Kien . . . Even within the shadows, she saw hisdazzling grin—gorgeous man. Safe. And here, finally! “Infinite, thank You!” She snatched up the branch and rushed to greet her favorite monster-horse and his master.
Behind her, Tamri called in a warning tone, “Ela-girl, don’t you dare run away!”
“I won’t!” But what a wonderful thought. If she were anyone else . . .
Pet—she wouldn’t call him Scythe—greeted her with a tender nose-nudge and a gusty wood-scented sigh. Careful to avoid smacking Pet with the branch, she tiptoed and hugged as much of his neck as possible. “Dear monster! I’ve missed you!”
Jumping off the last rung of the destroyer’s war collar, Kien protested. “What about me?”
Ela looked up at Kien and caught her breath. She must no t hug him, and certainly no kissing. That would be bad prophet behavior. But how dare he look at her in such a way—admiring her openly, his gray eyes gleaming so avidly that she blushed. “Yes, I’ve missed you too. How long will you be visiting in Munra?”
The joy faded from his eyes. “You didn’t receive my letter?”
“No. Only a tiny cipher yesterday, noting that you’d arrive soon. Were you acquitted?”
Seeming pained, he spoke so quietly that she barely heard, “I was exiled.”
“From the Tracelands? For how long?”
“Life.”
He’d been permanently exiled from his home? “Kien, why ?”
“When my letter arrives, as it should have several days ago, you can read the whole miserable account.” His voice flattened to bleakness. “Never mind. I’m here to visit you.” Glancing around the site, Kien’s beautiful, pale eyes brightened. “This is where the Infinite’s temple will stand?”
“Yes, and I’m so grateful!” Ela’s heart lifted, her soul soaring with the thought. “I’ve mourned over Parne’s
Scythe curled his equine lips slightly, but continued chewing as if Kien didn’t exist.
Fine. How might a master best gain his irritable monster’s attention? With one word. “Ela.”
The black ears perked, and the chewing halted. Kien grinned. “Let’s shine you up a bit, then we’ll depart. You can track her down for me—at a quiet walk.”
Poor unsuspecting prophet. A good thing she’d never been able to predict what Kien Lantec might do next, because he wanted to catch her completely off guard.
She must answer for the blame he’d just accepted.
11
F inished tidying her study area at the temple site, Ela kneeled in the evening light with Tamri Het and Matron Prill beneath the canopy to wait for Father. “It’s been a long day. But at least there’s been no trouble. And, look. . . .” She dug into her leather coin purse and pulled out her newest treasure. “Barth gave me his latest baby tooth!”
Tamri laughed. “That is an honor, Ela-girl. He’s in love with you, I’m sure.”
“He’s a flirt, but a wonderful student.” Ela smiled at the small white tooth and tucked it safe inside her purse again. Barth’s class was her favorite by far.
Matron Prill’s thin face puckered with worry. “Are you truly keeping his tooth?”
“Of course, Prill. I must. Knowing Barth, he’s going to start every class for the next month by asking me if I still have his tooth.”
“True,” Prill admitted. “But you’d think his parents would want it.”
“We’ll offer it to him next time we meet, just to be sure. I—” A shadow passed through the sun’s evening rays, dimming everything beneath the canopied study area. Ela glanced toward the light’s obstruction, then looked again. A massive black beast was crossing the temple site, approaching her. A destroyer? Recognizing the animal, Ela’s spirit leaped. Her destroyer. “Pet!”
And Kien! Oh, Kien . . . Even within the shadows, she saw hisdazzling grin—gorgeous man. Safe. And here, finally! “Infinite, thank You!” She snatched up the branch and rushed to greet her favorite monster-horse and his master.
Behind her, Tamri called in a warning tone, “Ela-girl, don’t you dare run away!”
“I won’t!” But what a wonderful thought. If she were anyone else . . .
Pet—she wouldn’t call him Scythe—greeted her with a tender nose-nudge and a gusty wood-scented sigh. Careful to avoid smacking Pet with the branch, she tiptoed and hugged as much of his neck as possible. “Dear monster! I’ve missed you!”
Jumping off the last rung of the destroyer’s war collar, Kien protested. “What about me?”
Ela looked up at Kien and caught her breath. She must no t hug him, and certainly no kissing. That would be bad prophet behavior. But how dare he look at her in such a way—admiring her openly, his gray eyes gleaming so avidly that she blushed. “Yes, I’ve missed you too. How long will you be visiting in Munra?”
The joy faded from his eyes. “You didn’t receive my letter?”
“No. Only a tiny cipher yesterday, noting that you’d arrive soon. Were you acquitted?”
Seeming pained, he spoke so quietly that she barely heard, “I was exiled.”
“From the Tracelands? For how long?”
“Life.”
He’d been permanently exiled from his home? “Kien, why ?”
“When my letter arrives, as it should have several days ago, you can read the whole miserable account.” His voice flattened to bleakness. “Never mind. I’m here to visit you.” Glancing around the site, Kien’s beautiful, pale eyes brightened. “This is where the Infinite’s temple will stand?”
“Yes, and I’m so grateful!” Ela’s heart lifted, her soul soaring with the thought. “I’ve mourned over Parne’s
Similar Books
