Idriel's Children by Hayley Chow

Author:Hayley Chow [Chow, Hayley Reese]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Indie Author Project
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

✽✽✽

Aza dropped from the final handhold onto a polished stone landing just as the sky lightened with the first signs of dawn. One by one, the others descended the cliff to stand beside her.

The landing cut into the cliffside was broader than it would appear from above or below. On their left, a three-story wooden building grew up alongside the cliff. Past that, she could make out other narrow structures of various shapes and sizes crawling up the mountain in a chain. On their right side, the green roofs of yet more buildings crawled down toward a narrow valley floor far below. Polished stone landings, like the one they were on, separated the structures, with spindly stairs winding from one to the other.

Shadmundar growled as Makeo put him down on the smooth white stone. “So, this is the place we’ve crossed the land to see. It looks just lovely,” he said, the words coated in thick sarcasm.

A grizzard’s beak clacked from the nearest roof, and Aza’s focus snapped to the figures in front of her. A woman with golden skin and deep-set eyes stood before her. A long black braid ran down one side of her head, while the other side was shaved short, and she hid her hands in the wide sleeves of her robes. Behind her, two muscular young men stood, long hair tied into knots atop their heads and staffs in hand.

“Somisidas Abbey welcomes you, Aza Thane.” The woman’s silky voice slid through the mountain silence.

Aza froze, her ears buzzing. Was this the whisperer from the Shadow Plane?

The woman continued on, “We’re pleased to see you found your way. However…” Her narrow chin dipped at the others. “I’m afraid your companions will have to depart. They don’t belong here with the Called.”

Aza’s eyes skimmed over Witt, Shad, and Makeo. Dirty. Exhausted. Hungry. And now defeated. They’d traveled hundreds of miles to be here with her, and she wouldn’t let this woman dismiss that for no reason other than haughty indifference.

“They belong with me.” She crossed her arms. “If they aren’t welcome, then I’ll leave with them.”

It was… mostly true. She wouldn’t stay without them. But she wasn’t leaving without answers, even if she had to wring it from this woman’s long neck. Another grizzard landed with the clack of talons on wood.

The woman said nothing. Still and expressionless, she waited. Was she expecting Aza to change her mind? To come up with a different answer? Aza mirrored her stiff posture. After pushing hard for weeks, she could stand here for as long as they wanted.

Two more grizzards landed somewhere in Aza’s peripheral. Their black bodies lined the spines of the buildings, big wings tucked behind their backs like they, too, were waiting. Makeo took a step closer to her, whether in solidarity or in concern for her well-being, she wasn’t sure.

Aza’s shadows coiled in her center. She was ready to disappear in a moment if they decided to attack. Her body might be tired, but her yanaa was brimming with disuse.

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.