Read Online Medalon by Jennifer Fallon - Free Book Online Page B

crowd had grown considerably. A chill wind blew across the side of the small hollowed-out hill. With a shiver, R’shiel pulled her shawl tighter. Her headache had receded to a dull, throbbing pain at the back of her eyes, which she could ignore if she didn’t think about it. Junee grabbed R’shiel’s arm and pulled her forward, pushing through the crowd. When they reached the top of the grassy hill, she glancedaround and then pointed at two red-coated figures leaning on the white painted railing.
    “That’s your brother, isn’t it?” she asked.
    R’shiel squinted into the setting sun and followed Junee’s pointing finger. Tarja stood talking with Garet Warner.
    “Where?” Kilene asked excitedly, pushing her way forward to stand next to R’shiel on the other side. “Let’s go down there. Then you can introduce me.”
    R’shiel glanced at Kilene and shook her head, understanding now why she and her friends had been so anxious to join her and Junee. “I’m sure Tarja doesn’t want a bunch of giggling Probates hanging around him. Besides, he’s with Commandant Warner. The last thing you want to do is bring yourself to his attention.”
    Kilene looked uncertain for a moment, but her desire to meet Tarja outweighed her fear of Garet Warner. “Come on,” she urged. “We’ll never find a seat if we wait here.”
    R’shiel sighed and followed Kilene, Junee and the other girls down into the amphitheatre. As they neared the two Defenders, the other girls’ bravery deserted them and they stopped, waiting for R’shiel to catch up, before they approached the men. Tarja looked up as she neared him, his smile of recognition fading into a frown as he looked at her.
    “Founders, R’shiel! You look awful.”
    “It’s nice to see you too, Tarja.”
    “Sorry, but you’re as thin as a hoe handle.”
    R’shiel could feel an impatient tugging on her shawl, which she loftily ignored. “I’ve been getting headaches, that’s all.”
    “She won’t eat, either,” Junee informed Tarja, forcing the introduction that she could feel her companions itching for.
    “Tarja, Commandant Warner, this is my roommate Junee. And this is Kilene, Marta and Wandear,” R’shiel said with a resigned shrug.
    “Ladies,” Tarja said with a gracious bow. Garet looked over the young women with vast disinterest, nodded politely, then turned back to the Arena.
    “Can we sit here with you?” Kilene asked boldly, ignoring Garet as being too old and not nearly handsome enough to warrant her attention.
    “You’re more than welcome to sit here,” Tarja told her “However, I will be down below with Georj. In fact, we were just on our way there, weren’t we, Commandant?”
    Garet glanced at Tarja and then at the girls. “What? Oh! Of course! We’d better get a move on. Lovely meeting you all.” Garet strode off without waiting for him.
    “I have to go, I’m afraid, although I’m glad you found me, R’shiel. Georj wants you to wish him luck.” He took her arm and before she could protest steered her away from the other girls towards the Arena. He opened the gate that led from the seating area to the sandy floor then took her the short distance into the tunnel which led into the caverns that honeycombed the hill underground. R’shiel could hear male voices coming from somewhere to her left. As they entered the gloomy tunnel, Tarja stopped and spun her around to face him.
    “You don’t look awful, R’shiel,” he said with concern, “you look like death. What’s wrong with you?”
    “I don’t know, Tarja. I keep getting the worst headaches and every time I smell meat I want to throw up.”
    “Have you told Joyhinia?”
    “She told me to see a physic,” R’shiel admitted, a little reluctantly.
    “For once, I agree with her,” Tarja grumbled. “Why not go home, R’shiel? You don’t need to be here. Get some rest. Try to eat something.” Then he smiled at her and R’shiel understood why half the Probates in the