Sona and the Golden Beasts by Rajani LaRocca

Author:Rajani LaRocca
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2024-03-05T00:00:00+00:00

Excerpt from “We Give Thanks” (Devan song)

The Harvest Star, it shines tonight,

Over fields so bountiful.

The Harvest Moon, it lights the night,

Embracing friends so plentiful.

So we give thanks tonight.

For whillet, rice, and hooli fruit,

Lentil, bean, and golden jute,

For leaf and flower and sturdy root,

We give thanks tonight.

Thanks to Bhoomi, loving mother,

Thanks for sisters and for brothers,

Our greatest treasure is each other.

We give thanks tonight.

21

Betrayed

Raag’s pack was gone, too. Raag, what have you done? Sona thought in a panic. She lit a lamp, then dumped the contents of her pack on the floor. She frantically searched, but it was clear that the Water gem that Mahseer had given them was gone—Raag had taken it as she slept. Sona ran to Willa’s saddlebag and pulled out the pouch of coins that Yaami had given them. It was still more than half-full. So Raag hadn’t taken their money. But he had taken the gem and Swara.

How long had he been gone? Would he try to sell the gem first, or go straight to the Sun Ships? Sona couldn’t guess wrong, or she’d lose Swara forever. Think, Sona.

Sona decided to go straight to the Sun Ships, for who knew whether the gem district stores were even open at this hour? She figured it would be advantageous to appear to be a Malech, especially in the middle of the night, so she dressed in her light brown Malechian traveling clothes and put in her earring with the tiny Earth gem. She pulled out Ayah’s ointment and smeared it on her ears, and the scent of herbs and flowers brought her back to Ayah and her sayings: “Might does not make right, Sona. Right makes right.”

Sona braided her hair quickly, then threw on her boots, saddled up Willa, and led the pony out of the stall. The moon hung low in the sky, and she could tell that sunrise wasn’t far away. She ground her teeth and hoped she could catch Raag in time.

To get to the Sun Ships, she had to go to the northern edge of Bhoominath. The streets right around the temple were empty and silent, but the ones farther away, near the taverns, were still full of revelers, and Sona had to make her way around them, pulling Willa as she went. Finally, she came to quiet streets again, with nothing but the clip-clop of Willa’s hooves and her own rapid breathing echoing in the night. She had to find Swara. She just had to. She couldn’t let Raag take her away. How could he steal off into the night like a thief? How could he kidnap Swara? How could he take the gem that Mahseer had given her? Worst of all, how could he abandon her? She had thought they were finally friends. But maybe that had been his plan all along. She should have known when he kept suggesting leaving Willa behind that he wouldn’t wait for her.

Sona rushed through the city and soon broke into a sweat. The ships wouldn’t

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.