Read Online Amazonia by Sky Croft - Free Book Online

and
     looked at her.
    “Blake,” Shale greeted.
    “Princess.”
    “Shale. Kale.” Blake gestured
     toward the rest of the warriors. “I see you’ve managed to alienate
     yourselves quite nicely.”
    Kale scoffed, either missing,
     or ignoring Blake’s teasing tone. “We’ve already been scolded by Melaina
     and Aris, we don’t need to hear it again.”
    “Good, because I’m not here
     for that,” Blake replied easily. “But I do want to know what happened.”
    “Why?” Kale asked.
    “She doesn’t need a reason,
     Kale, she’s the princess.” Shale reminded her point blank of whom she was
     talking to. Kale needed to give Blake the respect she deserved.
    “Well it’s not like she can
     do anything,” Kale mumbled.
    “Do anything about what?”
     Blake asked.
    Kale stared stubbornly at the
     ground.
    “Shale?” Blake switched the
     query to her when she realised Kale wasn’t going to answer.
    “We just had a difference of
     opinion.”
    “So I gathered. You refused
     to carry out Melaina’s order. That’s a serious offence.”
    “I thought you said you
     weren’t here to scold us?” Kale said.
    Shale sighed. “Be quiet,
     Kale.”
    “You’d be wise to listen,
     Kale,” Blake said firmly. She searched Shale’s face intently. “I know you
     had to have a reason. I just want to understand.” Blake’s tone was softer
     now, and directed solely at Shale. “Talk to me.” A request, not a demand.
    Shale held her gaze for a
     moment, then nodded. “Basically, a tree was going to fall, and Melaina
     wanted me to attach a rope to it so we could make sure it didn’t dam the
     river.”
    Blake frowned. “What was so
     wrong with that?”
    “She wanted me to go
     underneath the tree to do it.”
    Her frown grew stronger, and
     Blake asked the obvious question, “Couldn’t you have got to it any other
     way?”
    “Yes, but time was of the
     essence, and Melaina wasn’t willing to give me any,” Shale said. “The tree
     fell a few moments later. If I had followed her command...well, I wouldn’t
     be talking to you now.”
    “It was pointless anyway. The
     tree didn’t block the river. And even if it had, we could’ve pulled it
     free without risking anyone’s life,” Kale said.
    “It was an unnecessary risk,”
     Shale finished.
    “But apparently acceptable as
     there are two of us,” Kale added sarcastically. “I could easily take
     Shale’s place.”
    Blake wasn’t amused. “I don’t
     find that funny, Kale.”
    “Neither did I.”
    Blake’s voice went up a pitch.
     “Melaina said that?”
    “She doesn’t like us,” Shale
     said simply.
    Kale broke into laughter.
     “That’s putting it nicely.”
    Blake turned, intending to go
     and confront Melaina. Shale lightly gripped her wrist. “No, Blake, don’t
     do anything.”
    “Don’t do anything? I’m not
     having her put your lives at risk because she doesn’t like you. You can’t
     ask me to do that.”
    “I’m not. I’m asking you to
     trust me. No one will believe us over Melaina anyway, and I give you my
     word that we’ll be careful.” Shale’s mouth quirked. “Though we might need
     your help if we disobey another order.”
    “If it’s anything like
     today’s, you’ll have it.” Blake glanced at Kale. “Both of you.” Though
     Kale didn’t smile, she did nod. It was a start.
    “Except for how she’s
     treating us, Melaina’s a brilliant second, I can see why Aris chose her,”
     Shale said.
    Blake was surprised by how
     fair Shale was being. Under the circumstances, it was more than Melaina
     deserved.
    “I agree. Though that’ll make
     it a lot harder for us,” Kale said. “She’s also careful not to treat us
     unfairly around others. Melaina knows what she’s doing.”
    “All this because you beat
     her in a fight?” Blake asked in astonishment. “You warriors must have big
     egos.”
    Shale grinned. “We do. But in
     this case, I think it’s more than that. I’m not sure