Read Online Flight of the Golden Harpy by Susan Klaus - Free Book Online
Authors: Susan Klaus
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the table. Maria placed a steaming bowl of vegetables in front of them.
“It smells wonderful, Maria,” Kari said, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
“I hope you didn’t get spoiled on Earth and still like my cooking.” Maria smiled.
“Spoiled?” Kari said sarcastically. “That was hardly the case.” She seated herself in her old seat next to her father and across from Charlie.
“Did you enjoy Earth?” Maria asked.
Kari glanced at Charlie, who lowered his head. Her father nervously sipped his wine. “It was all right, but I prefer Dora.” She took a drink of water. The half-truth stuck in her throat and was hard to swallow. She quickly changed the subject. “So tell me about the swarms, Dad.”
John breathed deeply with relief. He obviously knew that an Earth discussion could create an outburst of anger or tears from his estranged daughter. “The swarms are very bad and will get worse if we don’t find a remedy soon. I’m expecting a new insecticide from Hampton that the government assures me will work.”
Through dinner, her father talked about the beetles, obsessed with the problem. She couldn’t blame him. When Kari, John, and Charlie finished, they went into the spacious living room, and Maria cleared the table.
“I am tired,” said Charlie, “and you two need to talk. I will help Maria clean up and see her home.”
“Okay, Charlie,” said John “Have the men start on the shipment of red in the morning.”
“Good night, Charlie,” Kari added, settling into a large stuffed chair.
John bent down and lit a small fire in the fireplace. “Was Earth really all right?” he asked, watching the growing flames.
Kari felt her animosity rise, the betrayal churning in her gut. “No, it wasn’t,” she bit out. “In fact it was so bad I don’t care to discuss it.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, rising from the fireplace. “I know you’re still angry and probably hate me for sending you away. I just hope you’ll give me a chance to explain. I did it to protect you. There are things about Dora—”
“Dad, I’m tired,” she interrupted. “Can we talk later?” She was ill prepared and too agitated for this conversation, feeling the urge to scream, curse, or cry.
“Of course,” he said. “We’ll talk in the morning if you’re up to it.”
Kari saw her father was trying to mend their relationship. “In the morning, then.” She rose to leave the room. At the threshold, she stopped and glanced back at him. The once strong, determined man appeared frail, his gaze dejected. “I don’t hate you, Dad. I just hate what you did to me.”
4
Kari entered her bedroom and opened the balcony doors. A cool breeze blew the curtains into the air. She stepped out on the terrace and stared toward the jungle. Squawks and screeches of creatures rang out from the dark. Beyond the trees was the small hidden lake, the lake where she had met him, the golden harpy, years before. A longing crept over her to go to it and find him. She then remembered Charlie’s warnings. Stepping back inside, she closed the doors, and locked them. She surrounded herself with the numerous pillows and drifted to sleep.
The dream overtook her, and she was wandering through the jungle. Pushing the colossal ferns aside, she searched for the golden. A dense fog covered the fantasy jungle, and she couldn’t see far ahead. “Shail, where are you?” she called, drifting through the trees. In a small clearing, she saw him. He was curled up beneath a tree, and his wings were slightly extended, covering his body. She walked up and knelt beside him, pushing his hair from his sleeping face. He sadly gazed at her. His large eyes had lost all their fire and passion.
“You found me,” he related.
“We must talk. I was told you hold a spell over me.”
He reached up and gently caressed the side of her face. “Do not fear,” he said with his soft male voice. “The spell shall soon be broken. Only know, my love has always
“It smells wonderful, Maria,” Kari said, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
“I hope you didn’t get spoiled on Earth and still like my cooking.” Maria smiled.
“Spoiled?” Kari said sarcastically. “That was hardly the case.” She seated herself in her old seat next to her father and across from Charlie.
“Did you enjoy Earth?” Maria asked.
Kari glanced at Charlie, who lowered his head. Her father nervously sipped his wine. “It was all right, but I prefer Dora.” She took a drink of water. The half-truth stuck in her throat and was hard to swallow. She quickly changed the subject. “So tell me about the swarms, Dad.”
John breathed deeply with relief. He obviously knew that an Earth discussion could create an outburst of anger or tears from his estranged daughter. “The swarms are very bad and will get worse if we don’t find a remedy soon. I’m expecting a new insecticide from Hampton that the government assures me will work.”
Through dinner, her father talked about the beetles, obsessed with the problem. She couldn’t blame him. When Kari, John, and Charlie finished, they went into the spacious living room, and Maria cleared the table.
“I am tired,” said Charlie, “and you two need to talk. I will help Maria clean up and see her home.”
“Okay, Charlie,” said John “Have the men start on the shipment of red in the morning.”
“Good night, Charlie,” Kari added, settling into a large stuffed chair.
John bent down and lit a small fire in the fireplace. “Was Earth really all right?” he asked, watching the growing flames.
Kari felt her animosity rise, the betrayal churning in her gut. “No, it wasn’t,” she bit out. “In fact it was so bad I don’t care to discuss it.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, rising from the fireplace. “I know you’re still angry and probably hate me for sending you away. I just hope you’ll give me a chance to explain. I did it to protect you. There are things about Dora—”
“Dad, I’m tired,” she interrupted. “Can we talk later?” She was ill prepared and too agitated for this conversation, feeling the urge to scream, curse, or cry.
“Of course,” he said. “We’ll talk in the morning if you’re up to it.”
Kari saw her father was trying to mend their relationship. “In the morning, then.” She rose to leave the room. At the threshold, she stopped and glanced back at him. The once strong, determined man appeared frail, his gaze dejected. “I don’t hate you, Dad. I just hate what you did to me.”
4
Kari entered her bedroom and opened the balcony doors. A cool breeze blew the curtains into the air. She stepped out on the terrace and stared toward the jungle. Squawks and screeches of creatures rang out from the dark. Beyond the trees was the small hidden lake, the lake where she had met him, the golden harpy, years before. A longing crept over her to go to it and find him. She then remembered Charlie’s warnings. Stepping back inside, she closed the doors, and locked them. She surrounded herself with the numerous pillows and drifted to sleep.
The dream overtook her, and she was wandering through the jungle. Pushing the colossal ferns aside, she searched for the golden. A dense fog covered the fantasy jungle, and she couldn’t see far ahead. “Shail, where are you?” she called, drifting through the trees. In a small clearing, she saw him. He was curled up beneath a tree, and his wings were slightly extended, covering his body. She walked up and knelt beside him, pushing his hair from his sleeping face. He sadly gazed at her. His large eyes had lost all their fire and passion.
“You found me,” he related.
“We must talk. I was told you hold a spell over me.”
He reached up and gently caressed the side of her face. “Do not fear,” he said with his soft male voice. “The spell shall soon be broken. Only know, my love has always
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