Read Online Avian (The Dragonrider Chronicles) by Nicole Conway - Free Book Online
Authors: Nicole Conway
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still sticky from peach juice, but when she looked at me and smiled, it was like seeing the sunrise for the first time. There was so much warmth and hope in her eyes.
“When things get tough this year, when you start to feel afraid, I want you to think about today,” she said.
“I will,” I promised.
We packed up our stuff and started back for the house. Being in the wind and sun all morning had worn me out, even though it was the first day in months I hadn’t gone straight from bed to a grueling workout routine. My arms and legs felt heavy, but my heart was full. I’d never smiled this much before in my life. It made my cheeks hurt.
“Look! Momma’s home!” Beckah pointed excitedly to where a horse and carriage were parked in front of the house. She went running on ahead of me, tripping over herself with her braids flying.
I could see Sile helping a very fragile-looking woman out of the carriage. I had never seen his wife before, but it didn’t surprise me that she was pretty. Or at least, she might have been. Now I understood what Beckah had said about her pregnancy being hard on her.
Her belly was hugely swollen, and she was so petite that it looked like might cause her legs to break under the weight. She had dark, reddish brown hair and soft blue eyes. Her skin looked almost ashen, and her cheeks looked sunken. Sile handled her like she was made of glass, easing her down the steps from the carriage to the ground.
When she saw me, Mrs. Derrick paused. Our eyes met, and I wasn’t sure what to do. I didn’t know how she’d react, or how much Sile had actually told her about me. She leaned a little closer to her husband and whispered something, Sile nodded, and then, very slowly, she started to smile.
It made me stop because when she smiled, even though she basically looked like she might collapse at any moment, I could see how much Beckah favored her. They had that same familiar gentleness in their eyes. She curled a finger at me to call me closer.
I went toward them hesitantly, not sure if I was allowed to talk to her. Sile was eyeing me over again like he was still looking for some sign of growth. I hated to keep disappointing him.
“He’s absolutely darling,” Mrs. Derrick said. She had a very soft, breathy voice.
“It’s good to meet you, ma’am.” I stopped a few feet away from her, and was about to bow… but she took a few hobbling steps toward me and put her hands on my cheeks. They felt cold to the touch, which was a little disturbing.
“Aren’t you just the cutest thing? Like a little lamb,” she crooned. “Such good manners. You should thank your mother for that every night in your prayers. Only mothers teach such good behavior to their little boys.”
I was beyond embarrassed. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Beckah giggling at me, and Sile was rolling his eyes.
“Don’t patronize him, dear. He’s seventeen now, right? Not a kid anymore,” Sile said. He was at least trying to defend my masculinity. I couldn’t thank him enough for that.
“A-actually, I’m sixteen, sir,” I stammered.
“Sixteen is hardly a grown man, Sile. Look at him. Such a sweet little boy.” Mrs. Derrick gave my cheeks a tug before she let me go. “It looks like you’ve both had too much sun this morning. Beck, dear, you’re as red as a cherry. Come inside and help me get settled. We should make a good supper for our guest tonight, don’t you think?”
She started trying to walk to the house, and I realized then why Sile was so intense about helping her. She could barely take a step without shaking. Her body looked incredibly weak. It was worrisome to me, and I’d only just met her. I couldn’t imagine how it must have made him feel to see her that way.
Gently, Sile took his wife by the arm and helped her up the front steps into the house. As I stood there watching them go, Beckah came up beside me and nudged me with her arm.
“I knew she’d like you.” She winked at me. “Don’t
“When things get tough this year, when you start to feel afraid, I want you to think about today,” she said.
“I will,” I promised.
We packed up our stuff and started back for the house. Being in the wind and sun all morning had worn me out, even though it was the first day in months I hadn’t gone straight from bed to a grueling workout routine. My arms and legs felt heavy, but my heart was full. I’d never smiled this much before in my life. It made my cheeks hurt.
“Look! Momma’s home!” Beckah pointed excitedly to where a horse and carriage were parked in front of the house. She went running on ahead of me, tripping over herself with her braids flying.
I could see Sile helping a very fragile-looking woman out of the carriage. I had never seen his wife before, but it didn’t surprise me that she was pretty. Or at least, she might have been. Now I understood what Beckah had said about her pregnancy being hard on her.
Her belly was hugely swollen, and she was so petite that it looked like might cause her legs to break under the weight. She had dark, reddish brown hair and soft blue eyes. Her skin looked almost ashen, and her cheeks looked sunken. Sile handled her like she was made of glass, easing her down the steps from the carriage to the ground.
When she saw me, Mrs. Derrick paused. Our eyes met, and I wasn’t sure what to do. I didn’t know how she’d react, or how much Sile had actually told her about me. She leaned a little closer to her husband and whispered something, Sile nodded, and then, very slowly, she started to smile.
It made me stop because when she smiled, even though she basically looked like she might collapse at any moment, I could see how much Beckah favored her. They had that same familiar gentleness in their eyes. She curled a finger at me to call me closer.
I went toward them hesitantly, not sure if I was allowed to talk to her. Sile was eyeing me over again like he was still looking for some sign of growth. I hated to keep disappointing him.
“He’s absolutely darling,” Mrs. Derrick said. She had a very soft, breathy voice.
“It’s good to meet you, ma’am.” I stopped a few feet away from her, and was about to bow… but she took a few hobbling steps toward me and put her hands on my cheeks. They felt cold to the touch, which was a little disturbing.
“Aren’t you just the cutest thing? Like a little lamb,” she crooned. “Such good manners. You should thank your mother for that every night in your prayers. Only mothers teach such good behavior to their little boys.”
I was beyond embarrassed. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Beckah giggling at me, and Sile was rolling his eyes.
“Don’t patronize him, dear. He’s seventeen now, right? Not a kid anymore,” Sile said. He was at least trying to defend my masculinity. I couldn’t thank him enough for that.
“A-actually, I’m sixteen, sir,” I stammered.
“Sixteen is hardly a grown man, Sile. Look at him. Such a sweet little boy.” Mrs. Derrick gave my cheeks a tug before she let me go. “It looks like you’ve both had too much sun this morning. Beck, dear, you’re as red as a cherry. Come inside and help me get settled. We should make a good supper for our guest tonight, don’t you think?”
She started trying to walk to the house, and I realized then why Sile was so intense about helping her. She could barely take a step without shaking. Her body looked incredibly weak. It was worrisome to me, and I’d only just met her. I couldn’t imagine how it must have made him feel to see her that way.
Gently, Sile took his wife by the arm and helped her up the front steps into the house. As I stood there watching them go, Beckah came up beside me and nudged me with her arm.
“I knew she’d like you.” She winked at me. “Don’t
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