The Mad Giant by Secchia Marc

Author:Secchia, Marc [Secchia, Marc]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy
Amazon: B00EAXNHYO
Goodreads: 18278592
Publisher: Kindle
Published: 2013-08-02T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15: Ganging up on Shioni

“Them onions ain’t attacking you, girl!” Mama Nomuula’s hand closed over Shioni’s. “You cross with me?”

“No.”

“You lying to me?”

“Yes! Alright, yes!” Shioni, in a fine fit of rage, threw off Mama’s hands.

Mama said soothingly, “That were quite a scene you made this morning. The General’s not mad at you no more. Actually, he was impressed you were the only person who moved to protect Annakiya.”

“Huh. The Princess?” snorted Shioni, hacking an onion so hard it shot off the board and splatted against the wall. “What does she care?”

“More than you think.”

“They’re going to kill him! And Talaku is no murderer!”

“You said. Twenty times already. Look, issuing a rogue warrior order is not a warrant–”

“Mama! Dabir sent his trackers out with orders to bring him back or kill him. You must think I’m as thick as a donkey–I know I wasn’t invited to your secret meetings.”

Mama Nomuula folded her huge arms across her chest. Her round face, usually beaming with smiles, became as dark as a thundercloud. “So that’s what this is all about!”

Shioni waved her carving knife under Mama’s nose. “Who’s lying now? Oh, don’t tell me, I can read it right off your face. You didn’t have to lie because you fobbed me off on that stupid errand riding down to the warriors guarding the tunnel–the tunnel I found!”

“Shioni.” Mama lowered her voice. “Look, the General didn’t want to jeopardise the raid… you know… the raid on that place?”

“Oh, so now I’m the danger?”

“Honey, slave-girls can’t expect to attend strategy meetings with the Captains and all.”

Shioni jabbed the chopping knife so hard into the board that it stood there quivering like a reed on a windy day. “Oh, I understand perfectly!” Ducking beneath Mama’s encircling arm, she stepped away. “Thank you for explaining so nicely how much of a liability I am!”

“Shioni! Shioni!”

Mama’s exasperated shout followed her out of the doorway, but Shioni didn’t care. Blindly, she ran out of the keep and down through Mama’s herb gardens. But the gate guard halted her with an upraised palm, and before she could figure out what was happening, her friend Kifle seized her arm, hauled her off to one side, and hissed in her ear, “Shut your mouth and just listen. Okay?”

Shioni nodded, startled into silence by his furtive manner.

“There’s a verbal order out–nothing written, understand? You’re not to be allowed out of the gate without an escort.”

“What? But I always… but I never… Kifle?”

“I didn’t tell you.” Kifle put his finger to her mouth to quiet her. “Go for a walk. Clear your head. Scoot!”

“But… who?”

“Fly away, birdie!”

Caged. Dabir, Getu or Annakiya, what difference did it make who had issued the order? For what seemed an age, Shioni prowled around the inside of the defensive wall like a caged lion, speechless with indignation. Before reaching the gatehouse she had begun to feel ashamed of shouting at Mama. And now? Her friends were ignoring her. Excluding her. Worst of all, they were ganging up on her! She could gladly have stuffed a raw onion right into that smug smile of Mama’s.

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