Dawn Study by Maria V. Snyder

Author:Maria V. Snyder [Snyder, Maria V.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, mobi
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2017-01-31T08:00:00+00:00

18

HELI

When they arrived at the gate, Heli halted Thunder. “Are you sure your grandparents won’t mind?” she asked Teegan, who stopped beside her. “There are four of us.”

“For the twenty-third time, no. My grandparents will be thrilled.” Teegan dismounted to unlock the gate.

“Until you tell them we’re being hunted by the Cartel,” Zohav muttered darkly.

Everyone ignored her. Zohav had an annoying tendency to exaggerate the direness of every situation, and Heli was too hot and tired to correct her. Yes, the Cartel sought them, but the Cartel had no idea where they were—unless they’d intercepted the message to Fisk, informing him of their new location. Which she doubted, since Fisk’s people were ignored by most adults. No, the missive would have reached Fisk by now.

It had taken them forever to reach Teegan’s grandparents’ home in Booruby. They had traveled a circuitous route to ensure no one followed them, which added more time to the trip, so they reached the city on the fourth day of the heating season. And it was confirmed that Thunder was the slowest horse in Sitia. The cream-colored horse in the Stormdancer’s stable turned out to be Teegan’s mount—a sweet mare named Caramel. Plus Smoke showed no signs of fatigue, even with the twins riding together. Meanwhile, Heli could have walked behind and pushed her horse faster.

The hinges squealed as Teegan swung the gate wide. He led them up to the large stone farmhouse. Instead of a farm, there was a glass factory, a few sheds and a small stable that looked new. Puffs of light gray smoke blew from a chimney atop the factory. The Avibian Plains surrounded the small complex on three sides, leaving only one direction open for an attack. Heli approved.

A short woman with graying hair opened the door to the house. She put her hand up to block the sun from her eyes.

“Hi, Grandmom!” Teegan gave her a quick hug. She peered at them over his shoulder. If she was surprised by their arrival, she hid it well.

“What are you doing here?” she asked him. “Aren’t you supposed to be in school?”

“Oh, yeah, she sounds thrilled,” Zohav said in a low voice.

“Hush,” Zethan scolded her.

“The Magician’s Keep is closed. Haven’t you heard?” Teegan asked.

“No. Why didn’t you go home, if that’s the case?”

“Uh, Grandmom, can we discuss this inside?”

Her demeanor changed in an instant. “Of course! Where are my manners? Your friends must be thirsty.” She gestured to the stables. “Please feel free to use our facilities. There’s grain and hay, but I’m not sure how fresh it is. It’s been a while since we had equine visitors.”

Teegan trotted over to Caramel, but Heli waved him off. “Go explain things to your grandmother. We’ll take care of the horses.”

Not wishing to intrude, the three of them took their time grooming and settling the horses. When they finished, Heli grabbed her saddle bags and headed to the house with the twins. The door opened before they arrived. Teegan stepped to the side to allow them into a large, comfortable kitchen.

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