Applegate, Katherine - Endling 02 - The First by Katherine Applegate

Author:Katherine Applegate [Applegate, Katherine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2019-04-03T00:00:00+00:00

30

The Natites

By late afternoon, we’d passed the invisible line between Dreyland and Nedarra, feeling content that our worries were over for the moment.

We knew, of course, that our eventual landing would mean renewed danger.

But that was down the road. For the time being, we had good wind and calm seas.

Unfortunately, Khara’s earlier worry about the natites proved true.

The seas belonged to them.

They arrived just as the sun was dropping beneath the horizon like a gold coin tossed into the waters. I caught a flash of movement starboard: a dolphin, I assumed.

But this dolphin shot up out of the water and landed on the deck, dripping wet. Another came, and then another, and in seconds the galley was hosting half a dozen natites, all armed with deadly javelins.

Khara drew her sword, but the first natite aboard held up a hand, palm out, and said, “Before you threaten me, kindly look around you.”

Khara did—we all did—and what we saw were a dozen or more natites in the water, heads and shoulders in the air, javelins at the ready.

“If those are not enough,” the natite said confidently, “I can always summon more. You will lower your sail.”

“Take the sail in,” Khara muttered to Aloish. He did as instructed, and instantly the galley slowed.

“I am called Emecktril in the Common Tongue. I’ve come to investigate you, as this craft is not known by us to be native to these waters. Who speaks for you?”

Most eyes turned to Khara, some to Norbert. But the man deferred to Khara with a gracious nod.

“I do,” Khara said.

Emecktril was the height of a man, somewhat larger and stronger-looking than the first natite I had seen back on the Isle of Ursina. He had the bow-front face and head of his kind, tentacles that rose from his back, and dark green and turquoise scales. I was surprised to see his two wide, webbed feet. I’d thought Natites only used fishlike tails.

“I know that you have paid the blood tax,” Emecktril said to Khara. “But that entitled you to passage only to and from the Isle of Scholars.”

“We intended no disrespect or violation,” Khara said. “But we had no choice. We were pursued by enemies and—”

Emecktril cut her off with an impatient wave. “Yes, and those who pursued you threaten you no longer.”

None of us could hide our surprise. We all knew that natites had some means of communicating over vast distances at impossible speeds. Still, it was disturbing that Emecktril, like the terramants, knew of events that were mere hours old.

“What we do not yet know is your purpose, Kharassande of the Donatis.”

I noticed Norbert glancing sharply at Khara, but he said nothing.

Khara took a deep breath. “We have been searching for living dairnes to join with our friend, Byx.”

Emecktril looked me over and nodded. “Yes, we know of this one.” He turned his semi-opaque gaze on Maxyn. “This one we recognize from Tarok. And these humans would be the galley thralls.”

“They are free men now,” Khara said firmly.

Emecktril sniffed.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.