Ithani by J. Scott Coatsworth

Author:J. Scott Coatsworth [Coatsworth, J. Scott]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: gay romance
ISBN: 978-1-64405-111-5
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: 2019-02-19T05:00:00+00:00

THE WHITE ship that had been a balcony landed at the edge of the stadium, letting them off before rising into the air once again to find a perch farther down the Heart.

Jameson watched it go, wondering if it ran off amalite like the hoversports. There was no obvious method of propulsion, and the ship moved so smoothly through the air.

Then other matters demanded his attention.

Thousands of ithani were arriving at the stadium. Word must have gotten around.

Some flew in on their own power, while others arrived on ships similar to Erina’s. A few came through gateways, always accompanied by an entourage of other ithani and nimfeach.

Erina took them down one of the wide stairs that led to the center of the arena. Jameson felt a bit like a lamb led to slaughter.

Ithani all around them stared at the strange beings, chittering among themselves. They were as many colors as Jameson could count, from deep copper browns to verdant bright greens, and everything in between.

There must have been thousands of them.

He tried to read the emotions in their multifaceted eyes but failed utterly to decipher the thoughts of the inhuman ithani. There were a lot of cocked heads and clucking tongues.

As they reached the base of the bowl, a wide gateway opened up ahead of them on a raised dais.

A bright-red-and-black ithani stepped through, wearing a gold sash. Zi—for this was surely the Thshnel—was easily eight feet tall, head and shoulders over most of the rest of zis race, with a proud bearing that even Jameson could read. Zi carried a white staff as big around as Jameson’s forearm.

Behind zim, another twenty or so ithani arrived, all dressed in matching black sashes, carrying staffs.

Jameson felt so out of his depth here.

“The Thshnel?”

Erina made a fist at zer side.

A chorus of nimfeach came through the gateway last, and Thshnel’Jirron raised zis hand.

The gateway vanished, and a hush fell over the assembled crowd.

The Thshnel held out zis staff and pointed at Erina. “Erinastor, progeny of Thais, Danacae, and Evros… why did you call us here, so close to the migration?” Zi held out zis arms, taking in all the gathered souls. “We have more important matters, certainly, than to spend time on a couple dhagani spies.”

The sarcasm came through clearly in Common. Or maybe Jameson was just adding that interpretation himself.

“They have a key.”

There was a hissing sound throughout the arena at that. Then everyone went deadly silent.

“Bring them here.” Thshnel’Jirron cocked zis head at him, and Jameson felt the alien’s gaze pierce him.

Erina led them up the steps to the dais.

“Show me.”

Erina nodded.

Jameson pulled out the key, hesitant to hand over their only remaining means of escape. He looked at Xander, who shrugged.

Erina gestured toward Jirron.

With a heavy sigh, Jameson held out the amalite key.

Jirron took it in zis three-fingered hand and peered at it. “How did you get this?”

“It was given to me.”

At the sound of Jameson’s voice, Jirron hissed, zis ears laying back flat against zis skull. “Their voices are like the cries of baby schracknell.

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