Read Online A Shard of Sun by Jess E. Owen - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jess E. Owen
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you the Tale of the Red Kings, the tale of Kajar that you told to me.”
“Yes.” Shard cocked his head, listening to the forest for danger with one ear and Hikaru with the other.
“You said you didn’t understand why Kajar chose power over friendship, but then when my mother offered you the choice, you hesitated.”
“Yes…” Shard remembered the moment. He looked down.
Hikaru’s eyes were open now, watching him. “Why?”
Shard pressed his talons to the earth, then sat back and raised them to gently stroke Hikaru’s wing. “That’s a very good question. I think it sounded easy when it was happening to someone else. We think we know what we’ll do in any challenge. But then when it happens…” Shard recalled multiple times he’d made decisions that may or may not have been the right decisions. Speaking to the wyrms. Lying to his wingbrother.
Releasing Sverin and diving into the sea.
Hikaru’s whole body reverberated with a warm, rolling sound that mimicked a gryfon’s purr as Shard combed talons through his feathers, but his gaze was intent on Shard’s face, waiting for a better answer.
“When something like that happens,” Shard said, “you realize it’s harder to make the choice than you thought it would be. You realize all the things that could go wrong, you realize how your choice will affect other things.”
Hikaru shifted, his gaze flitting out toward the rain. “You thought she might deceive you.”
“Yes. In the moment she challenged me, I doubted everything. But I decided to trust her.”
Hikaru raised his head so quickly that Shard jumped. He loomed over Shard, his whiskers twitching, testing the air. “I’m glad you did.”
Shard chuckled, resettling his feathers. “So am I.”
Hikaru’s lips pulled back in fanged amusement like a wolf, then he dipped his head low, looking worried. “Shard. What are we? That is, I know that I am Amaratsu’s son, but you were the one I saw when I hatched. What are we?”
Shard shifted, lowering his talons to the earth. Rain pattered on the boughs above, only a few drops slipped through to hit the ground, or their backs. “You and I?” Hikaru’s head bobbed once in a nod. “Well, it wouldn’t really do to call you my nest-son, although that’s what gryfons do. In few months you’ll be able to pick me up off the ground with one paw!”
Hikaru laughed, then the concerned expression returned.
Shard let his laughter fade. “You and I,” he said firmly, “are brothers.”
“Brothers,” Hikaru said. Pleased with the word, he laid his head down again and for all Shard could tell, surrendered to sleep, satisfied with his new answers.
Shard remained awake in the dragonet’s black coils, staring out into the rain, listening for the sound of anything, anyone, who might wish them harm.
Freed from the mountain and his primary concern of escape, his thoughts delved toward difficult things, friends he’d left behind, the choices he’d made that were wrong. He wondered what had happened to Brynja, the huntress to whom he’d offered his heart. He could see her face, bright as morning, with fierce eyes and freckles of vermillion on the pale feathers under her eyes. Sometimes, she fluffed with laughter at his wit or her wingsister’s antics before returning to quiet dignity again. Vividly Shard recalled her voice, the night he had tried to pledge to her, to offer her everything he had if she would stay by his side until the end of their days. He also recalled her voice, regretful, saying it couldn’t be. She had duties, and she was promised, like a rabbit pelt in a trade, to another.
But she had also spoken of caring for him.
I’ve fought for my family, for my islands, for my friends. I will fight for her, if I must.
He drew his talons through the pine needles, knowing that wouldn’t be easy, for the gryfon who was promised to Brynja was also a friend. Asvander, First Sentinel of the Dawn Spire.
He wondered what had become of all
“Yes.” Shard cocked his head, listening to the forest for danger with one ear and Hikaru with the other.
“You said you didn’t understand why Kajar chose power over friendship, but then when my mother offered you the choice, you hesitated.”
“Yes…” Shard remembered the moment. He looked down.
Hikaru’s eyes were open now, watching him. “Why?”
Shard pressed his talons to the earth, then sat back and raised them to gently stroke Hikaru’s wing. “That’s a very good question. I think it sounded easy when it was happening to someone else. We think we know what we’ll do in any challenge. But then when it happens…” Shard recalled multiple times he’d made decisions that may or may not have been the right decisions. Speaking to the wyrms. Lying to his wingbrother.
Releasing Sverin and diving into the sea.
Hikaru’s whole body reverberated with a warm, rolling sound that mimicked a gryfon’s purr as Shard combed talons through his feathers, but his gaze was intent on Shard’s face, waiting for a better answer.
“When something like that happens,” Shard said, “you realize it’s harder to make the choice than you thought it would be. You realize all the things that could go wrong, you realize how your choice will affect other things.”
Hikaru shifted, his gaze flitting out toward the rain. “You thought she might deceive you.”
“Yes. In the moment she challenged me, I doubted everything. But I decided to trust her.”
Hikaru raised his head so quickly that Shard jumped. He loomed over Shard, his whiskers twitching, testing the air. “I’m glad you did.”
Shard chuckled, resettling his feathers. “So am I.”
Hikaru’s lips pulled back in fanged amusement like a wolf, then he dipped his head low, looking worried. “Shard. What are we? That is, I know that I am Amaratsu’s son, but you were the one I saw when I hatched. What are we?”
Shard shifted, lowering his talons to the earth. Rain pattered on the boughs above, only a few drops slipped through to hit the ground, or their backs. “You and I?” Hikaru’s head bobbed once in a nod. “Well, it wouldn’t really do to call you my nest-son, although that’s what gryfons do. In few months you’ll be able to pick me up off the ground with one paw!”
Hikaru laughed, then the concerned expression returned.
Shard let his laughter fade. “You and I,” he said firmly, “are brothers.”
“Brothers,” Hikaru said. Pleased with the word, he laid his head down again and for all Shard could tell, surrendered to sleep, satisfied with his new answers.
Shard remained awake in the dragonet’s black coils, staring out into the rain, listening for the sound of anything, anyone, who might wish them harm.
Freed from the mountain and his primary concern of escape, his thoughts delved toward difficult things, friends he’d left behind, the choices he’d made that were wrong. He wondered what had happened to Brynja, the huntress to whom he’d offered his heart. He could see her face, bright as morning, with fierce eyes and freckles of vermillion on the pale feathers under her eyes. Sometimes, she fluffed with laughter at his wit or her wingsister’s antics before returning to quiet dignity again. Vividly Shard recalled her voice, the night he had tried to pledge to her, to offer her everything he had if she would stay by his side until the end of their days. He also recalled her voice, regretful, saying it couldn’t be. She had duties, and she was promised, like a rabbit pelt in a trade, to another.
But she had also spoken of caring for him.
I’ve fought for my family, for my islands, for my friends. I will fight for her, if I must.
He drew his talons through the pine needles, knowing that wouldn’t be easy, for the gryfon who was promised to Brynja was also a friend. Asvander, First Sentinel of the Dawn Spire.
He wondered what had become of all
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