Read Online Bastial Sentinels (The Rhythm of Rivalry: Book 5) by B.T. Narro - Free Book Online Page A

“I’m nervous about that. I’ve never ridden on my own before, and this horse certainly doesn’t want me on her back. It’s hard enough to use psyche to keep her calm without worrying about falling off. But Vithos should have an easier time. He’s stronger than I am.” It sounded as if she felt guilty.
    Cleve put his hand on her back. “I understand. We’ll find him soon.”
    As they walked, Reela started talking to the wild horse. “We should give you a name. What would you like to be called?”
    “She might already have a name from her previous owner,” Cleve said.
    “If she did, then it certainly wasn’t the right one, now was it?” Reela added a smile to her playful tone.
    “I suppose you’re right.”
    “Mesha,” Reela said almost to herself, her face a mask of concentration. “Haylee…oh, she doesn’t like that one.” Her mouth scrunched as she thought. “How about Sara.” Reela hummed. “She doesn’t seem to care for any of those.”
    “I don’t think horses usually take Human names. Mind if I try?”
    “Please.” Reela kept one hand pressed against the animal’s side.
    Cleve looked into the sizzling eyes of the beast. She seemed ready to shove Reela with her head and gallop away. “Jitch,” Cleve tried.
    Reela’s eyes went wide. “That got her attention. How did you come up with it?” Then she scowled. “Oh, Cleve. Were you thinking of a word close to—”
    “No, I just thought of twitch and jitter put together. It’s what I think of when I look at her.”
    “Then Jitch it is,” Reela said, petting the animal again.
    They walked for the better part of an hour but found no sign of Vithos. “We surely should’ve seen him by now,” Reela said. “He must’ve gone somewhere rather than follow us, but where would he go?”
    Cleve thought he heard something. “Wait, listen.” He could identify shouts, but they were too distant to discern.
    “Sounds like my name,” Reela said. “But it’s coming from the east, not from the north where Vithos should be.”
    “Let’s check over that hill.” Cleve pointed to the terrain between them, where the continuous shouts seemed to be originating. They broke into a jog. Jitch stopped frequently, sputtering, but eventually they reached the hill. The shouts were louder by then, and it did seem to be Vithos’ voice. As Cleve reached the top, he saw the Elf sprinting toward them.
    “Archers around us!” he yelled. “They shoot at me, but I no see them.”
    “Where do you think they are?” Reela asked as she and Cleve looked in every direction.
    “Somewhere there.” Vithos pointed west. “In the trees. I no understand what I do.”
    “Probably because you’re an Elf,” Cleve assumed. “Reela, do you still have pins to put your ears back?”
    “Yes.” She reached into her bag. “I have extras, but Vithos’ hair is too thin to cover his long ears.”
    “I’m angry,” Vithos said. “They try to kill just because I’m Elf?” He finished with something in Kreppen, probably a curse. “Is this horse for me?”
    “Yes,” Reela said. “Her name is Jitch, and I hope you can ride her. She needs a lot of psyche to stay calm.”
    “I do best I can,” Vithos said, putting his hand on Jitch’s head. “We must leave fast. Archers somewhere.”
    “Right.” Cleve swung his leg over Nulya’s back and offered a hand to Reela. He pulled her up behind him. Vithos seemed confused about how to mount a horse without a saddle. He was bending a knee, shifting his body, then lifting his leg hopelessly.
    “Rek usually made his horse lie down first,” Cleve suggested.
    “I understand.” Vithos brought two fingers down through the air, and Jitch folded her legs to rest on the ground. The Elf climbed on, and his horse rose to her hooves. He uttered something in Kreppen as he nearly fell. But he managed to steady himself, even giving off a laugh.
    “She doesn’t like me,” Vithos said, stroking her side. “But I no think she