Read Online Tanza by Amanda Greenslade - Free Book Online Page A

long with Devlan and Gieri, Sarlice and I were expected to spend some time learning about Tanzan history and culture. The morning of our thirteenth day of learning was a struggle for both of us. Two weeks had passed and we didn’t seem to be any nearer to moving on to Centan to speak with the king.
    Although Jaria was already beyond aid, the Rada of Lyth and other parts of the world still had a chance. Sarlice kept quiet about it most of the time but I knew she still had a burning desire to find allies for her father. I was already convinced by recent developments that this fight could end up involving far more people than just the Rada. Ciera was aware of my thoughts and reassured me he was working as fast as he could to tie up loose ends, finish off projects and speed things along for us. He was eager to get to Centan and join the human leaders of Tanza in working out what to do about the current Zeika threat.
    Sarlice and I were in the guest room at the Hall of Hallows, each brushing the fur of our Rada-kin. Rekala and Kestric basked in the attention, making it plain they had not enjoyed becoming second-fiddle to our new Sleffion-kin.
    ‘I have Fyschs and Tiaro to contend with, as well,’ Rekala complained, snuffling against my hand, then licking it with her rasping tongue.
    ‘I’m sorry, Rekala,’ I sighed, ‘but nobody will ever replace you. How could they?’
    She rubbed the side of her head against my leg, nearly pushing me over.
    ‘What is Ciera up to today?’ Sarlice asked me.
    ‘He is training a team of skyearls to take over what he’s been doing here for the past six months. He knows we need to get through the training quickly and move on to Centan.’
    She nodded. ‘There is still hope for Lyth. Kestric tells me that the Lythian Rada have not yet seen Zeikas moving in the south.’
    ‘That’s odd,’ I said after a moment’s thought. ‘Reltland is so far south you would think the Zeikas would be more interested in conquering the southern lands. They’ve already taken Nooneagle. Why not overtake Jesath, Lyth, Siffre, Duuryn and Irin? That would give them ample resources for whatever they’re trying to accomplish.’
    ‘They desire Telby,’ Sarlice said firmly. ‘The lands of the south are cut off from the north by the Barh Desert. To get from Reltland to Telby City involves a trek of several months around the Barh Desert, almost to the borders of Duuryn. From Tanza it would be a matter of weeks.’
    ‘And why do they want Telby,’ I pondered, ‘aside from its size?’
    She stopped brushing Kestric and stared me straight in the eye. ‘It is the ideal location for the building of an empire. With the mobility of the dragons at their disposal, the Zeikas will have every mine and farm in Telby under their control. They’d be in an ideal position to take and keep every nation from Naioteio to Siffre. Where King Flale’s predecessors failed, they will succeed. They will fatten the ranks of their armies and dominate the people of the world until all realms are under the rule of Telby. They will expand the influence of Zei to all nations and do everything in their power to wipe out the people of Krii completely.’
    I stared at her, horrified by the simplicity with which she outlined our doom. She let her stern expression drop and resumed grooming the firetiger.
    ‘There must be something we can do to stop them,’ I said.
    ‘Communication is our greatest advantage,’ she pointed out. ‘The A.S.T.R. gifts allow us to communicate over impressive distances. Even if it’s just between towns within one realm, that’s instant mind-to-mind communication. The Zeikas don’t have that.’
    ‘No, but they do have scryers,’ I replied.
    She wagged her finger at me. ‘Ah but scryers can only spy over very short distances and they have to mark the person or place they want to scry beforehand.’
    ‘They can always enslave Anzaii, Sleffion or Rada to relay messages by threatening to kill others,’ I