Read Online Fathoms of Forgiveness (Sacred Breath, Book 2) by Nadia Scrieva - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Nadia Scrieva
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even been restricted to taking her (unusually thoroughly cooked and mostly mushy) meals underwater. Breathing the air felt like hyperventilating in comparison with breathing water. The way that the lungs extracted oxygen from the air was a very different, rapid process. It was like overdosing on sugar for an instantaneous burst of energy instead of slowly digesting complex carbohydrates. Elandria’s body was overwhelmed, and she had to exert a great effort in concealing this. Through her dizziness, she read the expression on Naclana’s face.
Naclana noticed her movement and he paused before speaking. “Princess Aazuria, you will have to come with me to receive my news. Visola is waiting in the garden.”
Aazuria understood that he was suggesting that Elandria should not be present to hear whatever information he carried. She nodded and turned back to her sister. “Elandria, you need to stay in the water. I will be back shortly, okay?”
Elandria understood Naclana’s meaning as well, and her heartbeat immediately began to quicken. The strain on the newly-mended organ caused each beat to actually send sharp pain through her chest. She could acutely feel how challenging it was for her heart muscles to send the blood circulating through her body, and how difficult it was to deal with the massive influx of unnecessary oxygen. She admirably battled the urge to place her hand on her chest.
Instead Elandria pulled herself completely out of the water and approached her sister and the messenger. Her legs threatened to buckle as the world spun around her, but she willed them steady. “No,” she signed. “ If it involves Coral, then I need to be there.”
“You should not leave the hot springs, Elandria. You are still healing. Sionna would kill us all. You heard her orders…”
“Why are you treating me like an infant?” Elandria furiously signed. “I need to know, Aazuria. Show me the minimum measure of respect!”
Aazuria hesitated, glancing at Naclana briefly for advice. His eyes were wide, and his lips parted as though he was about to protest, but no sound emerged. She gave him a stern, knowing look, requesting for him to speak up against Elandria coming along to make her look less like the bad guy. He did not utter a sound. She shook her head with impatience.
“Fine. Come on then.” Aazuria went to her sister’s side, and offered her an arm for support. The two girls slowly followed Naclana through the corridors of the infirmary until they reached a room not too far away. The garden was a dimly-lit space which was carpeted with various forms of mushrooms. A small trickle of a waterfall adorned the Southern wall. Many medicinal remedies were nursed and harvested from the damp soil and rocks.
Elandria smiled at the sight of the beautiful room, and the fragrant scent of growth which reached her nostrils. She squeezed Aazuria’s hand thankfully before freeing her hands to speak in signage. “The walk has been good for me. Thank you for allowing me to come along. I want to be at your side whether the news is positive or negative.”
Aazuria nodded, reaching out to embrace her sister again, and holding on tightly for a moment longer than she had intended to. “Whatever happens, Elandria, promise me you will stay calm. For the sake of your health. We must be unemotional.”
Elandria nodded. When her older sister pulled away from her, she lifted her hands to her thick white braid and began to toy with it nervously. The two women walked forward, into the room where three members of the Ramaris family were waiting for them, spanning three generations. It was not uncommon in submerged settlements like Adlivun to have many more than three generations of family together at once.
Trevain, his mother Alcyone, and his grandmother Visola all sat near the waterfall quietly chatting. There were several guards in the room, since Visola had made a point of beefing up the security since Corallyn’s abduction. Elandria
Naclana noticed her movement and he paused before speaking. “Princess Aazuria, you will have to come with me to receive my news. Visola is waiting in the garden.”
Aazuria understood that he was suggesting that Elandria should not be present to hear whatever information he carried. She nodded and turned back to her sister. “Elandria, you need to stay in the water. I will be back shortly, okay?”
Elandria understood Naclana’s meaning as well, and her heartbeat immediately began to quicken. The strain on the newly-mended organ caused each beat to actually send sharp pain through her chest. She could acutely feel how challenging it was for her heart muscles to send the blood circulating through her body, and how difficult it was to deal with the massive influx of unnecessary oxygen. She admirably battled the urge to place her hand on her chest.
Instead Elandria pulled herself completely out of the water and approached her sister and the messenger. Her legs threatened to buckle as the world spun around her, but she willed them steady. “No,” she signed. “ If it involves Coral, then I need to be there.”
“You should not leave the hot springs, Elandria. You are still healing. Sionna would kill us all. You heard her orders…”
“Why are you treating me like an infant?” Elandria furiously signed. “I need to know, Aazuria. Show me the minimum measure of respect!”
Aazuria hesitated, glancing at Naclana briefly for advice. His eyes were wide, and his lips parted as though he was about to protest, but no sound emerged. She gave him a stern, knowing look, requesting for him to speak up against Elandria coming along to make her look less like the bad guy. He did not utter a sound. She shook her head with impatience.
“Fine. Come on then.” Aazuria went to her sister’s side, and offered her an arm for support. The two girls slowly followed Naclana through the corridors of the infirmary until they reached a room not too far away. The garden was a dimly-lit space which was carpeted with various forms of mushrooms. A small trickle of a waterfall adorned the Southern wall. Many medicinal remedies were nursed and harvested from the damp soil and rocks.
Elandria smiled at the sight of the beautiful room, and the fragrant scent of growth which reached her nostrils. She squeezed Aazuria’s hand thankfully before freeing her hands to speak in signage. “The walk has been good for me. Thank you for allowing me to come along. I want to be at your side whether the news is positive or negative.”
Aazuria nodded, reaching out to embrace her sister again, and holding on tightly for a moment longer than she had intended to. “Whatever happens, Elandria, promise me you will stay calm. For the sake of your health. We must be unemotional.”
Elandria nodded. When her older sister pulled away from her, she lifted her hands to her thick white braid and began to toy with it nervously. The two women walked forward, into the room where three members of the Ramaris family were waiting for them, spanning three generations. It was not uncommon in submerged settlements like Adlivun to have many more than three generations of family together at once.
Trevain, his mother Alcyone, and his grandmother Visola all sat near the waterfall quietly chatting. There were several guards in the room, since Visola had made a point of beefing up the security since Corallyn’s abduction. Elandria
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