Read Online Destiny by Sharon Green - Free Book Online

what we've sometimes needed to do, but the horror of some of it still disturbs me. I feel the urge to say that we ought to have a choice about whether or not to add to that horror, but there's too much at stake here. If we don't do something necessary because of my tender sensibilities, a lot of innocent people will pay the price for my squeamishness."
    "It isn't squeamishness, Lorand," Vallant said, and it seemed that he'd taken the words out of Jovvi's mouth this time. "Tamrissa, Rion, and I seem to be the most aggressive ones in this group, and in my opinion we need people with real consciences to balance us out. That balance consists of you, Jovvi, and Naran, so there's a good chance that Naran isn't bein' allowed to See very far because she would want to do what you would. Which means I'm wonderin' if you really should try forcin' your way through that flux again, Naran."
    "I've been wondering the same thing for the last few minutes, Vallant," Naran answered, her pretty face showing the ghost of disturbance. "Let me think about the matter for a while, and then we can all discuss it again before I do any forcing."
    "That's more than sensible and reasonable, so we'll table the discussion for a while," Vallant agreed with one of those smiles I like so much. "Meanwhile, let's go and find out what's happenin' with the Gracelian assembly people."
    Jovvi and Rion made sounds of surprise, leading me to believe that they'd forgotten about the Gracelians just as I had. The mystery had distracted us all, but since there was nothing we could do about solving it right now it only made sense to go on to other things.
    Vallant and I - along with the light I'd kept burning - led the way back into the village and through it. Vallant suggested that we stop to check on the new Blending members on our way, but one glance told us that it would be a waste of time to stop. All twenty members of the new Gracelian High Blendings were dead asleep, which really came as no surprise. They'd used all of their strength removing the protection from half of the invaders, and they'd probably let themselves collapse once they saw that we'd taken over to handle the rest.
    "There won't be any wakin' them before mornin'," Vallant said as we walked past the unmoving bodies. "I remember how much I needed sleep when I was in their place, more than I needed almost anythin' beyond breathin'. Too bad you don't remember feelin' the same way."
    "Don't rub it in," I grumbled, finding it impossible not to laugh at the same time. Back when we were in the same position, Vallant had fallen asleep when he was supposed to stay awake and make love to me. I'd been so hurt and disappointed that I'd been ready to swear that I'd never speak to him again, and he'd had to come up with a really wild story to get me past the feeling. We'd long since gotten the matter completely straightened out, but remembering the time was still enough to make me blush with thinking how innocent I'd been.
    I hadn't been that innocent for quite some time, so when we finally reached the camping place of the Gracelian assembly members and everything seemed quiet I felt more suspicion than relief. If the previous disturbance had been bad enough for our associate Blending to call it "heavy," then everything shouldn't be peaceful and quiet now.
    "I hope you've come to tell us that you've found a way to defeat the invaders," Antrie Lorimon said as she and Cleemor Gardan came toward us out of the dark. "After everything that's happened, we could use some good news."
    "No, unfortunately, we haven't found any magical ways to defeat those invaders," I answered, finding it impossible not to notice how really weary both Antrie and Cleemor looked. "We're here because we were told there was some trouble. Is it anything we can help with?"
    "Probably not," Antrie answered, and there were tears in her eyes as if she were crying without knowing it. "Thrybin Korge is probably going to die, and Zirdon Tal will be the