Read Online Crystal Moon by Elysa Hendricks - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Elysa Hendricks
Tags: Fiction, General, Romance, Fantasy fiction, Fantasy, Contemporary, Love Stories, Revenge, Life on other planets, Kidnapping
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sigh, her breath feathering against his
throat like a warm summer breeze.
Laying her on the far side of the bed, he took off Graham’s
coat and her slippers, then he readied himself for sleep, removing
his outer clothing and boots. When he turned to climb into the
bed, he found her curled in the middle. He pushed her over and
settled himself as far from her as the bed allowed. She wiggled
next to him. Weary of the battle to keep his distance, he let her
be.
Sleep evaded him. Unquenched desire for this woman
would be his penance for failing to protect Aubin.
***
A cacophony of sound woke Sianna. The ring of swords.
Voices raised in argument. A clatter of feet and hooves on
stone. She blinked the sleep from her eyes. Sunshine poured in
through the window, filling the chamber with a cheerful glow.
An omen of things to come?
She sat up. Her limbs protested the sudden movement, and
she groaned. Sleep restored only a bit of her strength. Last
eve’s exertion combined with long days of unaccustomed activity
left her bruised and sore. The soft mattress beneath her cradled
her aching limbs. She smiled in contentment. While she slept,
Kyne had moved her from the cold hard floor.
The urge to curl back under the covers fought with her
wish to start the day and make a place for herself here among
Kyne’s people. Judging by what she had seen on her arrival,
there was much for her to do. She could not lie abed waiting
for her body to catch up with her mind.
Later she’d hunt up a bath and clean clothing. For now, she
settled for a quick wash from the basin of water she found
near the hearth. The cool water felt good against her grimy
skin. With Kyne’s comb she smoothed most of the tangles and
dust from her hair, then straightened her borrowed attire as
best she could. Her stomach rumbled. Putting on her slippers
she left the chamber in search of first meal. Warda followed
quietly.
Outside the chamber door, the noise level increased, and
the stench of charred meat, singed fur and other less pleasant
odors hung thick in the air. Even if she would eat meat, the
smell did little to tempt her appetite. Resting her hand on Warda’s
head, she moved down the hall.
At the top of the stairs she paused. Worse than she
remembered, chaos reigned in the great hall. A hundred or more
people milled about. Off to the left, people too weak to move
lay on pallets. Her need to help these people drew Sianna
forward. She stopped. First she must eat and gain strength. If
she collapsed, she would be of no aid.
In the center of the hall two men, actually lanky boys no
older than ten and four annum, fought with swords. Around
them others scrambled to avoid being trampled or skewered by
the flashing weapons. No one seemed concerned, so Sianna
assumed the boys merely practiced rather than fought in earnest.
To the right, women tended to a group of children. As Sianna
reached the bottom of the stairs, one child, a boy of about six
annum, stepped away from the rest, right between the two
combatants.
A woman screamed. The boy froze, eyes wide in terror as
a crystal sword swept toward his head. Momentum prevented
the sword wielder from checking his swing.
Just before the sword made its pass through the boy’s neck,
Sianna lunged forward and knocked him to the floor. Heart
racing, she lay atop the now crying child. Hands reached for
her, pulling her up. Voices babbled, but she couldn’t hear over
the thundering of her heart and the whistling sound of the sword
rushing over her head. She stood shaking in the center of a
group of people.
“Silence!” Kyne’s roar echoed off the stone walls until
only the child’s whimpers remained.
Like a crystal flower seeks the sun, Sianna turned toward
Kyne, her body swaying in reaction and relief.
“What goes on here?”
Another swell of sound started. “Quiet! You.” He pointed
at the woman cradling the crying child. His voice dropped to
throat like a warm summer breeze.
Laying her on the far side of the bed, he took off Graham’s
coat and her slippers, then he readied himself for sleep, removing
his outer clothing and boots. When he turned to climb into the
bed, he found her curled in the middle. He pushed her over and
settled himself as far from her as the bed allowed. She wiggled
next to him. Weary of the battle to keep his distance, he let her
be.
Sleep evaded him. Unquenched desire for this woman
would be his penance for failing to protect Aubin.
***
A cacophony of sound woke Sianna. The ring of swords.
Voices raised in argument. A clatter of feet and hooves on
stone. She blinked the sleep from her eyes. Sunshine poured in
through the window, filling the chamber with a cheerful glow.
An omen of things to come?
She sat up. Her limbs protested the sudden movement, and
she groaned. Sleep restored only a bit of her strength. Last
eve’s exertion combined with long days of unaccustomed activity
left her bruised and sore. The soft mattress beneath her cradled
her aching limbs. She smiled in contentment. While she slept,
Kyne had moved her from the cold hard floor.
The urge to curl back under the covers fought with her
wish to start the day and make a place for herself here among
Kyne’s people. Judging by what she had seen on her arrival,
there was much for her to do. She could not lie abed waiting
for her body to catch up with her mind.
Later she’d hunt up a bath and clean clothing. For now, she
settled for a quick wash from the basin of water she found
near the hearth. The cool water felt good against her grimy
skin. With Kyne’s comb she smoothed most of the tangles and
dust from her hair, then straightened her borrowed attire as
best she could. Her stomach rumbled. Putting on her slippers
she left the chamber in search of first meal. Warda followed
quietly.
Outside the chamber door, the noise level increased, and
the stench of charred meat, singed fur and other less pleasant
odors hung thick in the air. Even if she would eat meat, the
smell did little to tempt her appetite. Resting her hand on Warda’s
head, she moved down the hall.
At the top of the stairs she paused. Worse than she
remembered, chaos reigned in the great hall. A hundred or more
people milled about. Off to the left, people too weak to move
lay on pallets. Her need to help these people drew Sianna
forward. She stopped. First she must eat and gain strength. If
she collapsed, she would be of no aid.
In the center of the hall two men, actually lanky boys no
older than ten and four annum, fought with swords. Around
them others scrambled to avoid being trampled or skewered by
the flashing weapons. No one seemed concerned, so Sianna
assumed the boys merely practiced rather than fought in earnest.
To the right, women tended to a group of children. As Sianna
reached the bottom of the stairs, one child, a boy of about six
annum, stepped away from the rest, right between the two
combatants.
A woman screamed. The boy froze, eyes wide in terror as
a crystal sword swept toward his head. Momentum prevented
the sword wielder from checking his swing.
Just before the sword made its pass through the boy’s neck,
Sianna lunged forward and knocked him to the floor. Heart
racing, she lay atop the now crying child. Hands reached for
her, pulling her up. Voices babbled, but she couldn’t hear over
the thundering of her heart and the whistling sound of the sword
rushing over her head. She stood shaking in the center of a
group of people.
“Silence!” Kyne’s roar echoed off the stone walls until
only the child’s whimpers remained.
Like a crystal flower seeks the sun, Sianna turned toward
Kyne, her body swaying in reaction and relief.
“What goes on here?”
Another swell of sound started. “Quiet! You.” He pointed
at the woman cradling the crying child. His voice dropped to
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